Shelter from a Stranger

I attend an online chronic illness support group each week, and last week we told stories of God's faithfulness in our lives. Throughout the week we had been mulling over the question, "What stories of God's past faithfulness offer you stability when your circumstances feel at odds with God's goodness?" And then when we met together, a few of us shared stories of times when we could clearly see God's faithfulness.

The story I shared was of a time when Will and I were the recipients of God's protection and generous hospitality from a stranger. This is a story I shared online many years ago as a guest post, but I have never shared the whole story here. So today I would like to republish an edited version of my original guest post from November 2011.

Will and I lived in Alaska in our early years of marriage. While we were there, God placed many people in our lives who showed us hospitality in generous ways. One family in particular I will never forget.  

Will and I lived in Glennallen, which is about 200 miles northeast of Anchorage by way of the Glenn Highway. We often drove to Anchorage for shopping trips or to go to the airport. On this particular day in October of 2004, we were driving back home to Glennallen at night. We left Anchorage around 8:00 in the evening and began the long drive home. We soon ran into snow, but by the time we realized how bad the snowstorm was, we had no option but to keep going, and so we did.

It was not an easy drive. We were crossing a mountain range, and the roads were winding and narrow. Sometimes there were very steep drop-offs, and there were no guardrails. I prayed constantly as we were driving, “Lord, please don’t let us go off the road.”

We continued on for many hours until eventually we could go no further. The snow was too deep, and our car could not make it up the hill. We knew that it wouldn’t be wise to spend the night in the car on the side of the highway, especially considering my fragile health, but there was no way to get home until the roads were plowed.

God was watching over us, and He caused us to become stuck in the snow very close to Victory Bible Camp, a Christian camp in the Chugach Mountains. We decided that we would turn around, drive back down the hill, and drive down the camp road as far as we could.

There were many missionaries who lived year-round at Victory Bible Camp, but we did not personally know any of them. We were going to have to ask a stranger for help. We drove until we got stuck, and then we knocked on the door of the nearest house. By this time it was 2:00am. A startled and sleepy man answered the door, and we said, “Hi. We are Will and Rachel Lundy from Alaska Bible College. We are stranded in the snowstorm, and our car is stuck in your driveway. May we stay here for the night?”

This man graciously opened his door and invited us into his family’s home. He told us that earlier that day his wife had put clean sheets on the guest room bed and clean towels in the guest bathroom. We were welcomed to make ourselves at home.

Weary from the intense driving, we crawled into bed, grateful for a safe, warm place to lay our heads for the night. We were so exhausted that we didn’t wake up until 9:00 in the morning. We showered and dressed and then nervously went downstairs to meet the family who was hosting us.

The man we had met the night before was out plowing the camp roads, so we never got to see him again. However, we did meet his lovely wife and children. His wife gave us breakfast and talked with us as if it was the most normal thing for us to be in her kitchen! She said that we could come back anytime we needed a place to stay. What an extravagant example of hospitality!

Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers…” (NIV). How thankful I am that this family chose to welcome us into their home in our time of need. We were hungry, and they gave us something to eat. We were thirsty, and they gave us something to drink. We were strangers, and they invited us in (Matthew 25:35). They spared us from a long, cold night in our car. One day the King will say to them, "'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me'" (Matthew 25:40, NIV).

I cannot remember the name of the family who opened their home to us, but I will never forget their godly example in showing hospitality to strangers in need. I am thankful for their willingness to give us a safe, warm place to spend the night.

And I am thankful to the Lord who so faithfully cared for a chronically ill wife and her husband who were stranded in a snowstorm. He kept our car from going off the road and sliding down the side of the mountain. And He caused our car get stuck near where we would find a safe place to stay. God was faithful to protect us and provide for us in our time of need.

"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Philippians 4:19-20, NIV).

How has God shown His faithfulness in your life? Please share your story in the comments to encourage your fellow believers!

Photo: Glenn Highway in the Winter, by Kelsey Gray. Used with permission.

5:00 AM Fears

It was 5 a.m. My husband, Will, and I woke to a clattering sound in the apartment. Soon we heard sobbing, and we watched as our youngest came running into our bedroom. 

"Gresham!" I called to him, and he ran to my side of the bed. I scooped him up in my arms and brought him into bed with my husband and me. As I tucked him tight against my side, I asked, "Did you have a bad dream?"

But Gresham was too sleepy to answer. Instead, he snuggled close as his tears subsided, and he relaxed into me. He had brought his fears to the right place, and all was well again. He stayed in our bed for the rest of the night, thankful for the comfort of Mom on one side and Dad on the other.

When nightmares come in the night, my son knows just what to do. He runs to his parents where he knows that he will find safety and comfort. He doesn't remain in his bed, trying to face his fears alone. He doesn’t tough it out and try to fix it on his own. No, he comes to us with his fears right away. He lets us comfort him and give him courage. Once Gresham was in my arms, his fears were gone. He knew he was safe.

As I lay in bed awake that night, I marveled at the example of trust my son had shown to me. I considered my own behavior. When something frightens me, am I as quick to run to the Lord with my fears and anxieties? Or do I first take time to worry and try to solve the problem by myself, running to God only if I don’t think I can fix it on my own? Oh, how I want to be like little Gresham and immediately run to my Heavenly Father and tell Him what concerns me!

Tim Keller has said, “The only person who dares wake up a king at 3:00 a.m. for a glass of water is a child. We have that kind of access.” Gresham has that kind of access to his parents in the middle of the night. And we have that kind of access to our Heavenly Father, the King of the universe. What an immense privilege! It is one that we best not neglect.

When Gresham needed help in the night, he had to wake me up before I could offer comfort. But thankfully, we have a God who never slumbers or sleeps. We do not have to wake Him up before we can pour out our hearts to Him. He is always there, always ready to listen to our cries for help.

Our Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to call to Him. If I, an imperfect human, love my son and want him to come to me in the middle of the night when he is afraid, how much more does God love us, His children, and want us to come running to Him when we are afraid and needy? The writer of Hebrews said, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16, ESV). There is always help to be found at the throne of grace.

Moreover, we are told not to be “anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, ESV). Indeed, we are exhorted to cast all of our anxieties on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). What a blessing to have a God who is ready to hear our fears and give us peace!

Today, if fears and worries assail you, don’t waste time trying to power through hardship on your own. First, go running to your Heavenly Father. Pour out your heart to Him. The God of all comfort is waiting for you. Let Him carry you through whatever worries you have today. He has grace and mercy to help you in your time of need.

Photo by samira sadeqi on Unsplash

Merry Christmas!

 Merry Christmas! The True Light has come into the world. Let us celebrate His birth!

2 The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.
3 You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with joy at the harvest,
    as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
4 For the yoke of his burden,
    and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as on the day of Midian.
5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. 

Isaiah 9:2-7

 Noel featuring Lauren Daigle

The Wonder of Christmas

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21 

Jesus “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:7-8

Every year as Christmas draws near, I marvel again that God chose to come to earth as a baby. The Lord Jesus Christ willingly took on human flesh and entered our world of suffering.

We live in a world that aches under the effects of sin and the curse. We suffer from illnesses and disabilities and the process of aging. All around the earth there are natural disasters, poverty, crime, broken relationships, and hurting people. Our biggest problem is that we are born separated from God, and we need salvation.

God did not leave us to suffer without hope in this life or in the life to come. In His great love and mercy, He sent His Son to earth to save us from our sins. We have a Savior who willingly entered into suffering on our behalf!

Jesus chose to come into our world and embrace the limitations of the human body. He became tired, hungry, and cold. He faced temptation. He was well acquainted with sorrow. He was mocked and scorned. He suffered the wrath of God on the cross so that we might never have to. He came to save us from our sins and to redeem us as His own. What marvelous truths to ponder at Christmastime!

It is easy to look at our own difficulties, or see the suffering around us, and lose hope. Christmas reminds us that Jesus knows our pain and weakness. He came to us in our suffering; He suffered with us and for us. Jesus endured more suffering than you or I ever will. We don’t have a Savior who is far-removed from suffering. We have a Savior who understands what we are going through.

It brings comfort to know that Jesus lived in a human body and faced suffering on this earth. It gives us courage and helps us to persevere. Let us look “to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

In whatever suffering you face this Christmas season, remember that Jesus is acquainted with sorrows. You have a Savior who has willingly suffered for you. He understands what you are going through. This Christmas, look to your suffering Savior for courage and comfort. Rejoice and thank God for the good gift of His Son.

This article first appeared on The Irresistible Church.
Photo by Gareth Harper

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

“’When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.’” In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. 

1 Chronicles 17:11-15  

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’" 

Jeremiah 33:14-16 

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
    and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
    the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and might,
    the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
    or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
    and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
    and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
    and faithfulness the belt of his loins. 

Isaiah 11:1-5

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
words by Charles Wesley
sung by Fernando Ortega

Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus
Come thou long-expected Jesus,
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a Child and yet a King.
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all-sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

A Refuge in the Storm

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”
Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.  

Psalm 91:1-4

This spring, a robin built a nest in a lilac bush bordering our yard. The mama robin faithfully sat on her nest day after day, keeping her eggs warm. After almost two weeks, one baby robin hatched, and I enjoyed watching this baby bird grow up. Each afternoon I went outside to peek into the nest and see how the baby robin had grown and changed from the day before. 

The mama robin sat on her nest throughout the day, but at some point in the afternoon she would always go off to find food, giving me a chance to see the baby bird. I was able to peek into the nest to see the baby robin every day… until there was a storm.

When the baby bird was eight days old, we had a rain storm that lasted an entire day.  I did not get the chance to see the baby robin that afternoon because the mama robin would not leave her nest.

On that rainy afternoon, I glanced over to the lilac bush to see the robin sitting on her nest with her wings stretched out, covering her baby and protecting it from the storm. It was a beautiful illustration of faithful care and protection. Immediately I thought of Psalm 91:4, "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge…"

Every other time I had seen the mama robin sitting on her nest to keep her baby bird warm, her wings were tucked into the nest. But when the rain came, the robin stretched her wings out over the edge of the nest, providing shelter from the rain. The baby bird still had to go through the storm, but the mama robin was right there with him, keeping him safe and protecting him from the full force of the thunderstorm.

This robin gives us a small glimpse of God’s amazing care and protection over us. We may face stormy trials in life, but we never face them alone. God is right there with us in the midst of our storms, covering us with His wings. We still have to endure the storms, but we do not face them alone “for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5b). 

We are shielded and protected by the Most High God. He is our shelter in the storm, and we find true refuge in Him alone. Let’s cry out with the psalmist, “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by” (Psalm 57:1).

What storms are you facing in life today? Are you dwelling in the shelter of the Most High? How is God your refuge in the midst of your storms? 

This article was originally published on The Irresistible Church.

Five Minute Friday: Blessing

Today I am joining the Five Minute Friday writers. We all write on the same prompt for just five minutes, and then we gather together to share our posts.

We used to gather at Kate's blog, but Five Minute Friday has a new home! We now meet on the Five Minute Friday website. You are invited to join us there.

This week the writing prompt is: BLESSING.

God's blessings are abundant in my life. I have been given so much more than I deserve!

As I count my blessings, I think of:

• a house that feels like a home
• a loving husband
• two children
• food
• an old van that keeps on running
• a wheelchair, walker, and seat cane
• running water
• toilet paper (this is seriously something I think about - I am so grateful for modern-day toilet paper!)
• clothes
• ice pack vest to keep me cool in the summer
• air conditioning in the summer
• heat in the winter
• medical care
• dental care
• family and friends who come to visit me

The blessings go on and on!

But if all of those things I just listed were taken away... what then? Would I still be blessed?

Yes. Because the most important blessing I have received is the gift of salvation. Though everything earthly be taken away, my salvation can never be taken away.

If salvation was all I had, I would have more than I ever, ever deserved.

Jesus suffered the wrath of God in my place. His righteousness has been credited to my account. I have been forgiven of my sins. My debt has been paid in full. I have been saved from the eternal punishment I deserve. I have been given an eternity I don't deserve, and could never earn, in Heaven.

What an amazing blessing!

What are some of the blessings you have in your life?

Do you know the blessing of having Jesus as your Savior and your sins forgiven?

Christ Is Risen

Happy Easter! He Is Risen!

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened. 

Luke 24:1-12

Christ Is Risen, He Is Risen Indeed

(If you are reading this in an email, you may need to click over to the blog to see the video.)

How can it be, the One who died,
Has borne our sin through sacrifice
To conquer every sting of death?
Sing, sing hallelujah. 

For joy awakes as dawning light
When Christ's disciples lift their eyes.
Alive He stands, their Friend and King;
Christ, Christ He is risen. 

Chorus
Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!
Oh, sing hallelujah.
Join the chorus, sing with the redeemed;
Christ is risen, He is risen indeed. 

Where doubt and darkness once had been,
They saw Him and their hearts believed.
But blessed are those who have not seen,
Yet sing hallelujah. 

Once bound by fear now bold in faith,
They preached the truth and power of grace.
And pouring out their lives they gained
Life, life everlasting. 

Chorus 

The power that raised Him from the grave
Now works in us to powerfully save.
He frees our hearts to live His grace;
Go tell of His goodness. 

Chorus 

He's alive, He's alive!
Heaven's gates are opened wide.
He's alive, He's alive!
Now in heaven glorified. 

by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, and Ed Cash

It Is Finished

Today is Good Friday. It is the day that we remember the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The Lord "laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6). Jesus suffered the wrath of God in our place. His suffering and death brought about great good - the salvation of all who believe!

Surely he has borne our griefs
    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
    smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
    we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all. 

Isaiah 53:4-6

Photo Credit: Full of Eyes

The Crucifixion 

So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” 

23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic.[d] But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, 

“They divided my garments among them,
    and for my clothing they cast lots.” 

So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. 

The Death of Jesus 

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 

John 19:16-30

It Is Finished

Sung by Caitelen

Animation by Full of Eyes

If you are reading this in an email, please click over to the blog to see the video.

It Is Finished 

See the God-man in the garden
Calling, "Abba"
The cold set in as his weary friends
could not keep watch 

His hands, they were open
And his heart willed to obey 

So they took him
and they struck him down
And they mocked him
with a thorny crown 

But his hands remained open
praying "Father, forgive them" 

Tetelestai
Tetelestai 

Betrayed with an unholy kiss
Our curse became his heaviness
The Father's wrath upon his only Son
They pierced his side, blood and water flowed
The curtain tore and they laid him low
The sky went black, but darkness had not won 

It is finished!
It is finished!
Hallelujah! It is finished
It is finished! 

Tetelestai 

by Caitelen Schneeberger

Jesus bore the wrath of God so that you might never have to. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? If not, I'd love to talk to you about how you can be saved from the wrath of God and receive eternal life. 

Fourth Sunday of Advent

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. 

Isaiah 9:6-7

Resurrection Day

Happy Easter! The tomb is empty, and Christ is risen!

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 

Luke 24:1-7

Image Credit: Full of Eyes

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?” 

1 Corinthians 15:54-55

The Lord Jesus Christ has conquered death! He died and rose again so that all who will believe on Him may have eternal life. Because of Christ's death and resurrection, we have hope! In Him we are brought from death to life.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:4-9

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures...

...For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.  

1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 21-22

(If you are reading this in an email, please click over to the blog to see the video.)

Dead Come Alive
An animation by Full of Eyes

Lyrics:

I felt alone, in the world on my own,
Then You came to me, Hope flowing through my veins.
I was lost, in the black so far gone,
Then You drank my shame letting sin flow through Your veins.

Lord, You are good
God, You're so good
Lord, You are good
God, You're so good

You were there, from the start before it all,
Still You left Your throne, love lowered down in the flesh.
Born to serve, born to heal and to lay Your life
You're the final offering,
Cause up from the grave You rose.

Lord, You are good
God, You're so good
Lord, You are good
God, You're so good

Oh the miracle, You're the miracle
That makes the dead come alive

Let me take a little second to tell you as we see a prophecy that came true
You see we need to believe that He literally bled through
the clothes on his back His sweat the day was just like crimson rain
crimson stains tide bounty and the devil can't wash these stains away

Who's he you ask He's a friend of me
cause my inability He was sent from me
I hear birds and trees there all telling me
it's a good thing He won Gethsemane
cause this enemy is to much for me
and this flesh and world is triple teaming me
it seems to be the very end I scream please oh please pass this cup from me!

The thing is it did pass
and it passes every day
He took my cup from me and gracefully He drank the grave
and I don't mean to speak blasphemy when I say
but I am speaking of the day when my God passed away, Okay?

no wait wait wait no that's not it no that's not all
I don't wanna leave you hanging
this stories banging
against my throat and against these walls
It cant be contained no it wont stay in here it will thrive
cause stories just don't die when the dead come alive!

Oh the miracle, You're the miracle
That makes the dead come alive

Good Friday

Image Credit: Full of Eyes

Today is Good Friday. It is the day when we remember the suffering and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We remember His death that paid the penalty for our sin.

Long ago God promised to send a Savior. In Genesis 3:15 God promised that an offspring of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent, but the serpent would only bruise the heel of the offspring. And that is exactly what happened.

The Lord God said to the serpent, 

“Because you have done this,
    cursed are you above all livestock
    and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go,
    and dust you shall eat
    all the days of your life.
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
    and you shall bruise his heel.” 

Genesis 3:14-15

Image Credit: Full of Eyes

On the cross Jesus died and took the punishment that you and I deserve. He died in our place. But His death was not permanent. He overcame death and rose again (and we will celebrate that on Easter)! By overcoming death, Christ defeated Satan. One day Satan's final defeat will come, and he will be thrown into the lake of fire, where he will stay for all of eternity.

Those who trust in Jesus as Savior receive forgiveness of sins and everlasting life! Do you know Jesus as your Savior?

Dear friend, if you do not yet know Jesus, set your eyes on Him and believe.

(If you are reading this in an email, please click over to the blog to see the video.)

Set Your Eyes 

Music by Jonathan and Emily Martin

Animation by Full of Eyes

Lyrics: 

O my soul lift your eyes
The Son of God has been crucified
O my soul lift your eyes to your salvation 

O my soul lift your head
The weight of sin has been nailed to Him
O my soul lift your head to your salvation 

Jesus has been lifted high
Set your eyes on Him
Set your eyes on Him
Jesus has been lifted high
And He is drawing all men
Drawing all men 

O my soul look and believe
By His stripes you have been made clean
O my soul look and believe
On your salvation 

Look to the cross
Look to the cross
Look to the cross
And believe 

O my soul get up and go
Tell someone Christ has made you whole
O my soul get up and go
Tell of your salvation

Book Review: And It Was Beautiful

For nearly three years Kara Tippetts wrote regularly on her blog, Mundane Faithfulness. Kara was a church planter’s wife and mother of four, and she blogged about her life and journey with cancer. Kara passed away in March 2015, but her words continue to encourage and inspire today.

Through her blog, and through her books, Kara Tippetts has shown the world how to live well and die well. And It Was Beautiful is Kara’s final book, and it is primarily a collection of many of her blog posts. Those who have enjoyed reading Kara’s blog will love owning a copy of her blog in book form!

In this little book, Kara shares beauty and joy in the midst of the very hard grief of dying as a young wife and mother. Kara shares about the grace and peace that can be found in times of suffering. You will be encouraged to live life with joy and love, and you will learn to see beauty in the hard things in life.

Because this book is primarily a compilation of blog posts, the chapters are very short. Many of the chapters are only two pages long, making it easy to read in small segments of time. For those who struggle with being able to read due to fatigue and brain fog, this may be a book you could read! The chapters are short and sweet, but give warm encouragement and much to think about.

I greatly enjoyed reading And It Was Beautiful. Like all of Kara’s books, I read this one twice! I will keep it on my bookshelf to read again when I’m in need of encouragement from someone who has lived through hard days and found grace and peace in the midst of it all.

About the Author:

Kara Tippetts’ life was dramatically changed in 2012 when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. She shared honestly the painful journey of walking through suffering and looking for Jesus through her incredibly popular blog, www.mundanefaithfulness.com. She also wrote her life story in the book The Hardest Peace and was the co-author of Just Show Up, along with her friend Jill Buteyn.

In September of 2013 her diagnosis changed, as more cancer was found in her reproductive system and brain. She lived for the grace of time, time with her loved ones, and sharing her story of living life in grace. She passed away in March 2015.

She was the wife of one excellent man, Jason, and the mother of four amazing children. Since her death, Jason has been parenting their children and leading the church the couple founded in Colorado Springs, Colorado

I received a copy of And It Was Beautiful from the publisher, David C. Cook, through Litfuse Publicity. All opinions are my own.

The Second Advent

The Advent season was a blessing to me this year. I enjoyed reading Scripture passages for Advent each week. I was encouraged by the promises and prophecies of the Messiah. It was good to remember the waiting, longing, and hope of God’s people. It is incredible to read in God’s Word about how God kept His promise to send a Savior. It is astonishing that the Creator of the universe would come to Earth as Emmanuel, God with us.

The message of Advent doesn’t end at Christmas. It continues through the cross and the resurrection. Jesus came to earth to die on the cross in our place. He suffered the wrath of God so that all who believe on Him will never have to suffer God’s wrath. Jesus died and came back to life, conquering death! Now Jesus is in Heaven, and He has promised that one day He will return! The people of God are waiting again. His Second Advent is still to come!

God kept His promise to send a Savior, and He will keep His promise to return to Earth. Jesus has come, and He will come again. The First Advent was missed by many. The Second Advent will be missed by no one. This time when Jesus comes, He will be coming in all of His glory. He will be bringing reward or judgement. Are you ready for His Second Advent? 

¹² “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 

¹⁴ Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. ¹⁵ Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
 
¹⁶ “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 

¹⁷ The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
 
¹⁸ I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, ¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
 
²⁰ He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
 
²¹ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
 
Revelation 22:12-21

The God who came will come again. If you know Jesus, this gives great hope. Do you know Him? Are you ready for His coming?

A Great Light

It is Christmas Eve. Tomorrow we celebrate the birth of Jesus! We have been preparing our hearts by reading the prophecies, and tomorrow we celebrate the coming of the One who was promised! Jesus—the Son of God, Emmanuel, the Righteous Ruler, the Branch, the One who would crush the head of the serpent, the Ancient of Days—has come to earth!

If you have missed any of the previous Advent readings, you can find them here:

In the Beginning

I Will Bless You

A Righteous Branch

A Sign

The True Light has come into the world. Let us celebrate His birth!

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. ⁶ And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 

⁸ And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. ¹⁷ And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 

Luke 2:1-20 

The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.
³ You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with joy at the harvest,
    as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
⁴ For the yoke of his burden,
    and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as on the day of Midian.
⁵ For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.
⁶ For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. 

Isaiah 9:2-7

⁹ The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:9-14

This month I have been enjoying listening to Let There Be Light by Point of Grace. It fits well with what we have been reading for Advent, so I want to share this song with you today. (If you are reading this blog post in an email, you will need to click over to the blog to see the video.) This song speaks of the prophets, the years of silence, and the coming of Emmanuel. It is a joyous celebration of the coming of the Light into the world!

Let There Be Light

Star of wonder, star of might
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light

From the beginning the Father
Had a magnificent plan
Revealed through the law and the prophets
To fulfill the redemption of man 

You spoke after centuries of silence
In the midst of a still, starry night
And Emmanuel came down among us
And the Father said, Let there be light 

Let there be light, let it shine bright
Piercing the darkness with dazzling white
Hope for the hopeless was born on that night
When God sent His Son and said, Let there be light
Let there be light 

People who walked in great darkness
Gathered from near and afar
Shepherds with flocks in their keeping
Three kings who follow a star 

Together the poor and the richest
Witness that Bethlehem night
And the sky full of Angels announcing
The birth of a glorious light 

Let there be light, let it shine bright
Piercing the darkness with dazzling white
Hope for the hopeless was born on that night
When God sent His Son and said, Let there be light
Let there be light 

We who are His have this calling
To praise Him and make His name known
So one day the presence of Jesus
Shines in every heart and every home
(Shines in our home)
(Star of wonder, star of beauty bright)  

Let there be light, let it shine bright
Piercing the darkness with dazzling white
Hope for the hopeless was born on that night
When God sent His Son and said, Let there be light
Let there be light 

Let there be light, let it shine bright
Piercing the darkness with dazzling white
Hope for the hopeless was born on that night
When God sent His Son and said, Let there be light
Let there be light

Second Sunday of Advent: I Will Bless You

Today is the second Sunday of Advent. Last week for Advent we read passages about creation and the entrance of sin into the world. There was great sin and shame, but we saw hope in Genesis 3:15 when God promised to send someone who would overcome Satan. This week we will see hope again as God begins to reveal more of His plan to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

When God first spoke to Abraham (whose name was Abram at that time), he didn't have any children. God promised to make Abraham into a great nation, and God promised to bless all the nations of the world through him. The One who would crush Satan would come from Abraham's offspring.

"I Will Bless You..." 

¹ Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. ² And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 

Genesis 12:1-3 

⁵ And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 

Genesis 15:5
  

¹ When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, ² that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.”³ Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, ⁴ “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. ⁵ No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. ⁶ I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. ⁷ And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. ⁸ And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.” 

Genesis 17:1-8
  

¹⁵ And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. ¹⁶ I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” ¹⁷ Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” ¹⁸ And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” ¹⁹ God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. ²⁰ As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. ²¹ But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.” 

Genesis 17:15-21

¹ The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. ² And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.³ Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. 

Genesis 21:1-3

 ¹ Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines. ² And the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. ³ Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. ⁴ I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,⁵ because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” 

Genesis 26:1-5

¹⁰ Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. ¹¹ And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. ¹² And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! ¹³ And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. ¹⁴ Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. ¹⁵ Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” ¹⁶ Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”¹⁷ And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” 

Genesis 28:10-17

⁷ Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. ⁸ And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” ⁹ So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith... 

¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— ¹⁴ so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith....

²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. 

Galatians 3:7-12; 13-14; 28-29