Searching for Hidden Treasures

The Truth About Me (and You)--part two of two

2012-01-27T12:30:00.001-08:00

Virtue. The antithesis of vice, a virtue is moral excellence; goodness; righteousness. Now if I understand righteousness properly, it's not something we can grab hold of ... not at least without some help. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:10, there is no one righteous, not even one. It's one of those things that you either are or aren't. You can't be righteous some of the time, or mostly righteous. So where does that leave us? Stuck in our immoral and evil ways?

When I allow the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 1 (read more in part one) to reflect on myself, the image I see in the mirror is one that is filthy with evil. I'm a follower of Christ, absolutely! But I have to remember who I really am, my self without Jesus. A sinner. I really don't want to be filthy. Really. In fact, I'm a bit of a clean-freak. But if the Bible is true (and I believe that it is absolutely), then there is nothing I can do to clean myself of the filth of sin. I can soak my dirty socks in a sink full of bleach and they'll never be as white as the day they came out of the package. They are stained.

So it is with us.

God created us perfectly in His image. But when obedience to God took the backseat to human will, things changed. We became stained with the guilt of sin. (This is the gist of Romans 1) I know most of us don't want to believe the truth about ourselves. That's why we often relegate the sinfulness of humanity to basically good people with bad habits. This is dangerous. When we lose touch with the truth of the depraved condition from which we've been rescued, we risk losing touch with wonder and awe and passion for God.

Let me tell you, I'm so glad that God wanted me. In the quietness of my heart I feel so inadequate and so undeserving of his love. Because honestly, when I strip off the pretensions, I know myself. I know exactly how vile and depraved and cynical I can be. I love Isaiah 1:18, which says, 18 “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow." It's only when I come to terms with myself as I truly am that I will listen, and then accept this LORD who wants to restore me to the store-bought white condition I came in. I mean, why would you accept help that you don't think you need, right? No thanks, I'm good.

So what's the bottom line? What's my point? It's not to go crawl into a pit of self-hatred. It's not to wallow in that dark place where you feel unloved and hated. It's simply this: to take inventory. To stand naked (metaphorically) before the mirror. To accept the truth of who you are. Because maybe, you'll begin to see your desperate need for God.

Romans 3:22 tells us righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. So to answer the earlier question, "Does our unrighteousness leave us stuck in our immoral and evil ways?", no. We're not stuck. God reached his compassionate hand down into our wickedness and pulled us up out of it. He gave his righteousness to cover our deficiency. We have to take the inventory, because if we don't realize we're stuck in the muck, we won't lift our hand to grasp His. We won't accept his help.

The attitudes that contribute to vice are born in our flesh. And they are reinforced as we grow up, especially where our modern culture's influence seems too often to drown out the voice of God. I think that is why we are encouraged to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 12:5)

Vice is our reality.

Virtue is something I think we all want.

So take hold of it! Reach out your hand to meet the hand of God and hold tight. It really is that simple.

But once you do, don't ever forget where you came from. It's passion that moves us to action.

The Truth About Me (and You)--part one of two

2012-01-27T12:30:00.000-08:00

Vice. We all have one (perhaps more than one). And many of us have relegated them to simply 'shortcomings' or 'bad habits.' And what's worse, probably a good majority of us make excuses for them rather than attack them head-on with a plan to overcome them.

But a vice, according to Dictionarydotcom, is an immoral or evil habit or practice; depraved behavior. The Apostle Paul talks about depravity in Romans 1:28-31. He says, Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

That's quite a list. I have to pause when I see the word envy right next to murder ... or when gossips and slanderers are found in the same company as God-haters. And do you know what insolent means? Cheeky. I'd laugh, but the thought that even a little sass could be hateful to God raises my brow.

No. A vice is not a bad habit that can't be shaken, like cracking your knuckles or biting your fingernails, that has little to no effect on others. A vice is more than that. It is egocentric at its core. When I examine the words: greed, envy, strife, malice, gossip, slander, arrogant and boastful, I see common threads. They are all words describing not just behaviors, but attitudes that literally undergird the behaviors. And they all involve others ... they have devastating effects on those we do life with.

Eugene Peterson, in The Message, writes Romans 1:28-31 this way: Since they didn't bother to acknowledge God, God quit bothering them and let them run loose. And then all hell broke loose: rampant evil, grabbing and grasping, vicious backstabbing. They made life hell on earth with their envy, wanton killing, bickering, and cheating. Look at them: mean-spirited, venomous, fork-tongued God-bashers. Bullies, swaggerers, insufferable windbags! They keep inventing new ways of wrecking lives. They ditch their parents when they get in the way. Stupid, slimy, cruel, cold-blooded. And it's not as if they don't know better. They know perfectly well they're spitting in God's face. And they don't care—worse, they hand out prizes to those who do the worst things best!

Ouch! What jumps to mind as I read these words is mudslinging and reality television. I don't need to say more. But I'd do myself a horrible disservice if I stop there. I can't ignore that these things are alive and well in me. And daily affect my relationship with God and others.
Aside from the devastating consequences that living like this has on our ability to connect with God and love on the people around us, the Bible says that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Galatians 5:21 (TLB)

Before you skillfully point that finger at your neighbor and say, " God, I thank you that I'm not like other men (or women)," keep reading.

Wow! Radical is right!

2011-04-29T14:27:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time, folks. Life happens. Focus shifts for a time.

I recently signed up for a program called Blogging for Books through WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers. I learned about it through a friend and being the booklover and bargain hunter that I am, couldn't pass up an opportunity for free books. So here goes. My first official book review.

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by Pastor and Author David Platt. Not a book for the bedside table! Thought-provoking and challenging, I found myself pausing now and again to really digest it. Honestly, I was surprised to see myself on the pages of this book. I believe in the Jesus of the Bible, and I believe I live a set-apart life (mostly) but I don't think I've been faithful to preach the Jesus of the Bible... I'm guilty of saying the words "all we have to do is accept Jesus into our hearts," even while knowing that isn't the whole truth. David Platt highlights the early ministry of Jesus as he called his disciples to radical and life-altering decisions to follow him. Too often we minimize the cost of following Christ for the sake of adding numbers. This book has changed the way I see salvations happening in my ministry. No more A, B, C's ... From now on I'm talking believe and obey Jesus. We must live the life he calls us to, not some safe and comfortable and often boring version of it. Platt challenges his readers to radical sacrifice. It's about time American Christians get kicked out of the lazyboy and into the electric chair with insatiable desperation for the Good News.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Whose authority? Not mine!

2010-01-20T10:49:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but every time I read the Bible, God unwraps something new that I've never seen before. Just before Christmas, I decided to read about the birth of Jesus from Luke 2 in the Message. My intent was simply to find out how Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of the story would read to my 8-year-old son. Perhaps it's the plainspoken approach to Scripture in the Message that caused me to notice, but three very distinct (and perhaps unrelated, though I haven't taken time to think about it) things really jumped out at me. I'll share with you one of them today. The other two, I'll save for another day.

Jesus' authority came from God the Father. I know this because Isaiah prophesied it (Isaiah 53); the angel of the Lord declared it (Luke 1:30-33); Simeon at the temple gate confirmed it (Luke 2:25-32); and his life demonstrated it (Matthew 9:5-7; John 10:17-18).

Without giving it much thought I had always sort of pictured Mary and Joseph saying something like this when they introduced their family to someone new, "I am Joseph. This is my wife, Mary. This is our son, Jesus. He is the Savior." I guess I don't know exactly what they might have said as he was growing up, but if Mary's first introduction of Jesus to newcomers was any indication, then I think it's reasonable to assume that Mary simply allowed God to establish who Jesus was. Notice what she says in Luke 2:19...OK, so she didn't say anything at all. In fact, Scripture says, "Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself." (Msg)

This has a pretty powerful application in several areas of my own life. For simplicity's sake, I'll limit myself to just one and let the Spirit speak to you as He desires. Since my oldest kids were about 10 years old, I've spoken into them, over them and about them what I've sensed to be God's blueprint for their lives. It's not self-seeking; it's not about their accomplishments; and it's not about them, rather it's about fostering their ability to see God's hand in orchestrating their futures. For my daughter, I've seen things in her life which are hard to ignore. With my son, it's always been more of a sense, or feeling, for God's calling on his life. As they've grown, they have both demonstrated character, interest and aptitude that confirm for me what I sensed God saying all along. But that's not the point.

I've never hesitated to tell people what I see in my kids, saying things like, "My daughter is really gifted with children." or "My son has such a big heart for hurting people." I think it's OK that I've done this. In fact, I feel that in today's culture, it is vital to our kids' self-esteem and sense of purpose to hear their parents talk to them and about them in this way. However, just speaking these ideas into and about them does not establish their credibility...that comes from God alone. No matter what I say to them or about them, God has a plan for their lives. He alone grants them authority. They may be interested, educated and effective, but their success in living out His call will not be because of anything I've said, but because God has ordained it.

Mary knew God's purpose for her son's life. It was revealed to her supernaturally. Yet, she chose not to say anything at all and allow God to establish what he had pre-ordained. To me that speaks of a truly humble spirit and a remarkably resolute trust in God. I suppose we can all learn from Mary's example; learn to live with the same humble spirit, not feeling the need to speak to our own credibility (or that of our children), but allowing God to confirm it for us as we walk with Him. We might experience a level of success that we've never been able to achieve on our own. Just a thought.

Love Amiss or Wedded Bliss?

2009-09-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

I have a young friend who is eagerly planning her dream wedding. I have another friend who is finding her dreams of “happily ever after” coming to an abrupt end.

While some say that the divorce rate has leveled off in recent years, it remains true that the statistics are horrid. It is estimated that 7.1 out of every 1,000 people in the United States get married and of those, 3.5 will divorce. It doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out that these numbers show 49.3 percent of all marriages end in divorce. That’s almost half! Put another way, one out of every two marriages will fail…unless of course, we make a change.

Someone told me just the other day that they believe the secret to a happy and successful marriage is living together first. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics disagree. According to their data, nearly 50% of all cohabitations end within 5 years. The percentage of break up is even higher (nearly 70%) by the 10 year mark.

In the midst of such statistics, I consider myself blessed to be surrounded by many strong, committed marriages. That is not to say perfect marriages. Or even nearly perfect marriages. The fact is most of us (married people) experience disappointment, frustration or anger at times. It wouldn’t even surprise me if some of the most committed marriages around me struggle with feeling unfulfilled. So what keeps these marriages together? Certainly not the “butterfly in the stomach” feeling they get every time they see one another…or the endless late night conversations…or those long walks on the beach hand in hand. Some may argue that these are “old-fashioned” marriages, sticking together for the sake of the kids (or some other obligatory reason) and are unhappy. I strongly disagree. My marriage and those of my closest friends and family are happy, loving, committed marriages which have spanned many years and trials.

So you may ask, with my young engaged friend, “How can I be excited about entering into marriage with confidence and hope in a solid future together and not in constant fear of failure?” The answer is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. This passage is arguably the most common Scripture recited during the marriage ceremony. It is, in my opinion, the blueprint for lasting marriage.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a NIV

What this passage means, plainly stated, is that in order to have a successful marriage you have to adopt the mindset that your spouse matters and your marriage is more important than any feeling of selfishness you may be experiencing on a given moment. Here’s what I mean:

• Love is patient. This is love that says, “No matter what comes our way, I will endure it with you. I will not become resentful of the challenges that we face.”
• Love is kind. Kind love seeks opportunity to be courteous and helpful. Kind love asks, “Is there anything I can do to make your day better?”
• Love does not envy. It does not look at the neighbor and say, “If you had a better job…made more money…then we could have/do the things we really want.”
• Love does not boast; it is not proud. It refrains from becoming arrogant and full of vanity. It never places itself as the standard by which it measures others’ behavior. Love “calms the angry passions, instead of raising them.”*
• Love is not rude. It never acts in a way that makes people feel lowly or unloved. It never calls names or passes blame.
• Love is not self-seeking. It acknowledges the inclination within our hearts toward self-love and turns it into love for others. Instead of complaining, “My needs aren’t being met.” Selfless love says, “How can I meet your needs?”
• Love is not easily angered. The individual that fans the flame of love allows no room in his heart for unjust anger.
• Love does not keep a record of wrongs. It offers forgiveness and grace. Love never recites a laundry list of offenses.
• Love does not delight in evil. It does not look for ways to get back at the one who hurt you. It isn’t suspicious or malicious. Love never takes advantage of the weaknesses of others.
• Love rejoices with the truth. It is genuinely excited about the spiritual health and growth of others.
• Love always protects, always trusts. It watches out for the predators of marriage. It doesn’t expose faults publicly. It is not provoked easily to anger. Love believes in the preservation of love. Before getting defensive in conflict, love says, “I trust you. You would never want to hurt me.”
• Love always hopes. It believes in the goodness of others. When a loved one is behaving unkindly, love says, “You must have had a tough day, why don’t you relax for awhile.”
• Love always perseveres. It never says, “I give up!” or “I want a divorce.” It declares, “You matter to me. Our marriage matters to me. I will persevere through this!”
• Love never fails. It is eternal. Love will outlive and outlast any conflict, trial, tragedy or victory in marriage.

If both partners in a relationship adopt this same thinking, then they will be loving, serving and preferring the other, just as God designed the marriage to be. One could argue that there are many other factors affecting the outcome of marriage, but 1 Peter 4:8 says; Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (NIV, emphasis mine) There is no offense, no dysfunction, no inadequacy that Biblical love cannot overcome. It is the foundation to weathering life’s storms together as well as enduring the most mundane of times.

All this is to say that happy, healthy and successful marriage is possible. It’s not easy. It will take a level of commitment that you’ve never had to muster before. It’s vitally important to realize that this love is not something we possess on our own. Human love is deficient. Yet, we love because he first loved us. (1 Jn 4:19 NIV, emphasis mine) It is the love of God alone that he pours into our hearts (Rom 5:5) that enables us to overcome the obstacles that we face in marriage. First John 4:12 assures us God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (NIV) Take heart my young, apprehensive yet-to-be-married friends! Through the power of God and his love in your hearts, you will do it!

*from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.

©2009 by Stephanie French.

Spiritual Rehabilitation

2009-07-31T14:35:00.000-07:00

I started physical therapy recently with hopes of correcting an old back injury. Since beginning therapy, the joint that is the trouble spot has been more sensitive and the surrounding muscles generally achier. I keep telling myself that the short-term pain is worth enduring in view of the potential healing I’ll soon attain.

This reminds me of a passage from Hebrews which says, Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (12:7 & 11, NIV)

Now I’m not suggesting that my back injury was given by God for the purpose of discipline. Frankly, it was my own physical weakness coupled with carelessness that brought it on. But I will say with confidence, in the same way that I must endure the pain of my physical rehabilitation for the sake of my healing, I must endure spiritual rehabilitation as well if I am to become the whole person that God has created me to be. I must be reformed in my thoughts, attitudes and actions, surrendering them to Christ, meanwhile choosing to focus not on the difficult circumstance, but on the eternal hope I have in Jesus.

It is not easy to endure discipline because it is often accompanied by physical or emotional pain. We don't always cooperate either. Just like little children we can be rebellious little buggers. If we choose to accept God's discipline as spritual rehabilitation from our past hurts or poor decisions, he promises that it will result in our sharing in his holiness. (Hebrews 12:10)

So, whatever you are facing right now, remember that it will produce a harvest of righteousness and peace if you don’t resist what God is teaching you, but allow this season of discipline to train you in righteousness.

©2009 by Stephanie French

New! Official Website for Stephanie French

2009-07-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

The official website has launched today. Find Stephanie French at http://www.FaithInspiredWriter.net

A Grand Adventure

2009-07-13T22:13:00.000-07:00

As the summer winds up, I can hardly keep up with the demands of my schedule. Family outings, event planning, Bible study writing projects, one-on-one time with my kids, household projects...the list goes on. Before too much more time passes and I forget this treasure of insight, I'm pausing to share an interesting rumination which occupied my mind during the days leading up to my family's recent camping vacation.

Those of you who follow any of my family members on Facebook were aware of our impending trip because the week prior, a day didn't pass during which a status update didn't read something like: "Soo excited to go camping!" or "Yay! I can't wait to go camping!" Behind the scenes, lists were checked and containers were packed and arrangements were made. The amount of preparation that goes into camping with my family is...well...HUGE. We have to pack everything we might need which is sqeezed into every crevice of available space in the minivan: the stove and cookware, food and drinks, shelter and chairs, tables, tents, sleeping bags, shower shoes (if we are fortunate to have showers), lanterns—you get the idea. I'm certainly not complaining. I love camping and we are always quite comfortable because we are so prepared. Incidentally, those of you "Holiday Inn campers" out there might just change your mind about camping if you go with us. So the idea that kept passing through my thoughts through all of this was, "Why don't I spend this amount of time preparing for my ultimate adventure—my final destination?"

In Matthew 6:31-33, Jesus says do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (NIV) I can’t say that I was concerned with anything BUT what we would eat or drink, or what we would wear and where we’d sleep during the entire week. And while I agree preparation is necessary, we must be careful to not allow the “worries of this life” to distract us from what is best. Jesus affirms this when he confronts Martha’s complaint about her sister Mary’s lack of concern over the meal preparations in Luke 10:41-42. He says, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” (NLT)

Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us, [God] has set eternity in the hearts of men. (NIV) We look forward to and meticulously plan our upcoming vacations, our weddings next year, when to start a family and what size it will be, our retirement in 20 years, and many of us even plan for our own deaths. The truth is, even the longest-range planning for this life on Earth is short-sighted. We are not living for the accomplishment of these things. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 that it is the hope of Heaven which God has planted within us that is the reason we get up every morning to face the new day, even when it is difficult. It says, That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever. (NLT, emphasis added)

I love how Paul tells the truth plainly in Philippians 3:17-21, which says brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. For I have told you often before…that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. Their future is eternal destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and all they think about is this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take these weak mortal bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same mighty power that he will use to conquer everything, everywhere. (NLT, emphasis added) We should not be thinking about this life, but the life which is to come. (This is why sharing our faith is so important!)

So why do we tend to be so "this-earth" minded when God has asked us to NOT be consumed by our day-to-day lives? No doubt we love our earth, our world. It is filled with beautiful and wonderful things to see. The people we care most about are here. And there is so much more to experience. The truth is, whatever opportunities you feel you may miss out in death, will be thousand-fold in Heaven. God has not promised us eternal boredom! He has promised us love, joy, excitement and adventure unfathomable. There is more to live for in heaven than this fallen, decaying Earth has to offer.

This realization should radically change our thinking about the lives we live each day. We think of death as the end, but it is really the beginning of the greatest adventure ever. I suggest that each of us—yes, I’m including myself—ask ourselves how we might live with our eternity in proper perspective. Our 80-90 years on this earth are not all God has for us.

So how do we prepare for what is to come? This is where I risk sounding like a commercial message. There is far too much to say in this one blog post so I am going to recommend that everyone who wants to learn more about their “final destination,” read Randy Alcorn’s book Heaven. The truth it contains has the power to change your life! For the time being, I’ve compiled some Scriptures to encourage you as you begin thinking about heaven anew.

"Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth — so wonderful that no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more. Isaiah 65:17-19 (NLT)

"As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me," declares the LORD, "so will your name and descendants endure.” Isaiah 66:22-23 (NIV)

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21 (NIV)

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. Colossians 3:1-4 (NLT)

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 2 Peter 3:13 (NIV)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)

Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new.” Revelation 21:5 (NKJV)
No longer will there be any curse. Revelation 22:3 (NIV)

A Poor Reflection

2009-06-10T22:15:00.000-07:00

The other day I went shopping with my daughter. As we walked into the dressing room at Marshall’s to try on some things, I noticed that my hips looked much wider than I thought they should.

“Wow, that mirror is wide!” I exclaimed.

“Yes, it is!” My daughter affirmed.

Well, it probably goes without saying that I couldn’t bring myself to purchase any of the items that I tried on. Everything looked horrible. Either the garment was wrong for my body; or my body was wrong for the garment. I haven’t figured out which is the truer statement yet.

On the way home I wondered if there exists a mirror through which we see ourselves the way we really are. Some make us look tall and slender, while others, like the one I encountered at Marshall’s, make us look short and…um…shall I say stout? When I look at myself in my mirror at home I know I should lose a few pounds…or perhaps more than a few, but I don’t feel like I did while seeing my reflection in the fitting room mirror.

So I decided that mirrors are bad for my self-esteem. They only reflect what I want to see on a given day. Some days I see that I’m having a “good hair day”. Other days I can’t see past the lines around my eyes. So what are we to do? Here’s a thought. Forget about it! If looking in the mirror causes us to feel bad about ourselves, then we should stop looking. Even God knows that our mirrors offer us less-than-ideal images of ourselves. First Corinthians 13:12 says Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror... (NIV, emphasis added.)

I think it’s time to get a real picture of myself. There’s only one place I think I should go…and no, not to my husband. I need to take a good long look in the mirror of God’s Word. For those of you who need to embrace the only perspective on yourself that matters, here are a few Scriptures that tell us who we really are as viewed through God’s eyes. His after all, are the only perfect eyes capable of offering us true reflections of who we are.

Those who look to him are radiant… Psalm 34:5 (NIV)

I am fearfully and wonderfully made… Psalm 139:14 (NIV)

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

… we are God's children. Romans 8:16 (NLT)

… we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ… Romans 8:17 (NIV)

… we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37 (NIV)

… Christ accepted you… Romans 15:7 (NIV)

… if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors… 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV)

For we are the temple of the living God. 2 Corinthians 6:16 (NIV)

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:3-4 (NIV)

For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus… Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

…we are members of his body. Ephesians 5:30 (NIV)

…you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God... 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

[God] has saved us and called us with a holy calling… 2 Timothy 1:9 (NKJV)

…we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken… Hebrews 12:28 (NIV)

Reflections of Jesus

2009-05-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of spending the day with my Grandmother the other day while my parents were busy tending to important matters out of town. I have always loved talking with her and hearing stories of her youth, ramblings about life and professions of faith. For the past seven years since my family moved to the state of Washington, I’ve only seen her, at most, three times. So naturally, I am relishing any time we can spend together.

One of her most striking characteristics is her devout faith in God. She never hesitates to offer verbal praise to God or credit Him with even the smallest details of our lives. She talks openly with others without considering whether they agree with her or what they might think of her. Hers truly is the unashamed faith about which Paul writes in 2 Timothy 1:8 and 2:15: So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord…Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (NIV) I like to imagine what our world would be like if we all presented ourselves in this loving, unashamed and straightforward manner.

Even though we don’t always see eye-to-eye on doctrine, spending time with Grandma always leaves me wanting more of Jesus. I leave her company reflecting for days on how I might become a more loving mother, a more respectful daughter, a more giving neighbor and a more committed Christian. She doesn’t realize, though I have told her, it is through her small gifts, cards and prayers during my young years that I attribute my own faith as a child. Her small, but significant influence heightened my awareness of God and through this was revealed a small amount of knowledge and trust in God, though immature. During the tumultuous childhood years of my life, I never hesitated to pray or believe that somehow God was working through all of it.

As I sat with Grandma talking about our individual faith journeys, she shared with me her own experiences as a child with our loving God. She told me of a time when she was hiding under the front porch, from what she did not say, but clearly afraid. As she sat curled up under the front of the house, she described the gentle and loving arms of her savior embracing her, offering assurance that he was taking care of her. This resonated with me on so many levels as much of my adolescence and young adult life I felt afraid or unsure or inadequate and would retreat into those very arms of which my Grandmother spoke. In that moment I was reminded of Romans 1:19-20 which says, For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. (NLT)

I thank the Lord for putting knowledge of him in my heart, for it was that immature knowledge of him that led me to ask questions and seek answers. After many years of searching, I found a wonderful and fulfilling relationship with God through my savior, Jesus Christ. I can’t imagine living a single day without Him in my life.

Once again, thanks to the reflections of Jesus that I see in my Grandma, I am inspired to seek more of Him. I’m certain that if we could see our own lives through those 89-year-old eyes, all any of us would really want is to look back and find others wanting more of Jesus simply by being with us.

©2009 by Stephanie French.

Home improvements...a harvest of righteousness?

2009-04-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

For the past week or so, I’ve been up to my elbows in household projects. We installed a new kitchen sink and faucet, painted our den and master bedroom, moved some furniture and made various much needed and overdue repairs. We’re still not done yet; our list is long, but we’re tackling it item by item.

By far the most rewarding of these projects has been the new kitchen sink and faucet. The old fixture was leaking badly and the sink was dingy and chipped. While the end result has been wonderful, the process was more than frustrating. Removal of the old sink was tiresome and required much patience. The installation was almost maddening as trip after trip to the home improvement stored proved futile. No matter what combination of fittings or plumbing kits we tried, they just didn’t fit. Finally, we brought in the big guns. We called a plumber.

Two ideas spring forth as I think back on the activities and emotions of the past week. The first is this: the one thing I needed most was probably what I lacked most-patience. And probably the biggest obstacle to asking for help is pride, or wanting the sense of accomplishment for one’s self. When it comes down to it, does it matter who finished the job, or can you just be satisfied with its completion? Ecclesiastes 7:8 says, the end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. (NIV) This has never been truer for me. The end is our beautiful, new sink and faucet; and patience definitely proved better than pride, especially when we were finally forced to call our friend for help.

Galatians 5:22-23 says, …the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (NIV) If these are fruits of the Spirit, then wouldn’t it be true that those of us who are filled with the Spirit exhibit these fruits in our daily lives? This is not always the case in our most private moments or in those situations that try our patience most. Each of us has something that pushes our buttons and turns us into something less than gracious and peaceful. It is in these moments that we must make the deliberate choice to be spirit-filled, asking the Lord for an additional measure of grace. Matthew Henry wrote in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, The meaning of the exhortation [be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:18 (NIV)] is that men should labour for a plentiful measure of the graces of the Spirit, that would fill their souls with great joy, strength, and courage.[i] Jesus taught in John 15:4, Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (NIV) If we are to bear the fruit of patience in our lives, we must remain in constant companionship with Jesus.

Secondly, and here is the real treasure for me this week, 1 Peter 1:6-7 says, …for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (NIV) Trials come in all shapes and sizes, and all are used to shape and refine us into the men and women that God wants us to become, no matter how small. Hebrews 12:7-11 tells us to Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (NIV)

You may be thinking it audacious of me to correlate my frustration with installing a new kitchen sink to the hardship that Paul speaks of in Hebrews, but I would suggest that any trial that the Lord allows in our lives, if surrendered to Jesus, could be used to discipline us and could become a source of great growth. If we can learn to suffer grief in all kinds of trials with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, then we may be proved, through our actions, to be genuine in faith and produce a harvest of righteousness.

The beginning may be broken and unattractive, but no matter the trial, if we endure the discipline of the Father, the end is the same… praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. And in this process called sanctification, patience is key and pride will only get in the way.

[i] Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

Not My Home

2009-04-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

I recently spent a week in Orange County in the sunshine and 75 degree temperatures. Many will probably disagree with me on this point, but in my estimation, it’s about as close to paradise that we can get here in the United States. It’s not too hot or too cold. It doesn’t rain too much, it never snows and the flowers are in bloom all year long. I do love western Washington, but this is poles apart from what we’re experiencing this time of year with 36 degree average temperatures and combinations of rain, fog and densely clouded skies.

So after leaving the cold rain and snow for the warmth and sunshine, I was not too excited about returning to Washington. When my husband asked me after my fifth day of vacation if I was ready to come home, I replied saying that I can’t wait to return to sleeping in my own bed with my husband, showering in my own bathroom and eating from my own refrigerator, but no matter how much I may miss the comforts of home, there were things about Southern California that I just didn’t want to leave behind. In fact, if circumstances had allowed, I’d have stayed another week.

As I thought more about this, I realized that this is how many Christians feel about going “home” to heaven. There is a deep seeded desire within us to be reunited with God in Heaven, but there is much about this world that we don’t want to leave behind.

I have to contrast this with something that happened to me a couple weeks ago. I left early in the evening to do some shopping and while I was out, we had a short windstorm. When I returned home, or tried to return home I should say, the road to my house was blocked from both entry points. The wind had broken the top off of a telephone pole and left live electrical wires hanging dangerously over the roadway. I was tired and hungry and my family was already at home, so when the man at the roadblock told me that I could not pass, I was beyond frustrated. At that point I would have done just about anything to get home. For the three hours that followed, my son and I had dinner and then picked up a few essentials from the local discount store, but all the while my mind was set on home. No activity was able to distract me from where I really wanted to be.

That night, I realized for the first time, the depth of Paul’s longing when he said, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT)

It occurred to me that we go through our day-to-day lives with our goals set on placing a check mark in each box on our to-do list when we should be accomplishing our daily tasks with our goals set on Heaven.

In Philippians 3:17-21, Paul goes on to say, Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. Their future is eternal destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and all they think about is this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. (NLT)

We’ve all heard the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” What Paul is saying here is that our actions are truer evidence of what we are than our professions. We can confess faith in Christ, but our walks still communicate more effectively than our words. So with this in mind, we should ask ourselves every day: Does my conduct show that I am an enemy of Christ? Am I thinking only about life on this earth? We must realize and embrace that we are citizens of heaven and it is there that our hearts find their home if they are surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t let any activities distract your mind from where your heart truly longs to be.

Brothers and Sisters--and Mothers too!

2009-03-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

Recently I’ve been captivated by the ABC TV show Brothers and Sisters. I’ve asked myself many times what about the show draws me, for there are some elements of it that I very much dislike and other elements that I find confusing or even dreadful. So what is it? I realized as I was preparing for my day today that there is one thing about the show with which I identify on a personal level…there must be or I wouldn’t be interested at all. I think that writers, producers and directors know what they are doing for sure when they come up with new ideas for television and movie content. They know with what the American public will identify on many levels including political, social, moral as well as on a basic human level. Anyway, as I was saying, I figured it out…it’s the mother.

Mothers mother, that’s what we do. And Nora Walker (played by award-winning actress Sally Field) is no exception. She embodies the loving, caring, nurturing role that a mother has in the lives of her children. In the case of the Walkers, the children are grown, but the job of the mother never ceases. What strikes me about it is how she goes about “mothering” her grown children through their varying stages of life and lifestyles. Some are married, some are single, some are divorced; some have children, some do not; some are democrats, some are republicans; some are living alternative lifestyles. They have dealt with issues such as drug abuse, infertility, rejection, war, adultery, adoption, birth, death and illness. Sounds like a laundry list of issues that we face in the world in which we live, and some of the issues that perhaps some of us face personally, or will face in the future to varying degrees. In spite of all this, Nora never judges or condemns; but always loves without condition. The part that I particularly identify with (as will most of you mothers) is Nora’s continued dedication to being a mother in spite of the responses of her children. Following is a list of the reasons I love Nora.

I love that Nora doesn’t limit her words to what her children want to hear. She says the difficult things. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)

I love how she demonstrates her love for her children in spite of their criticism of her. You know we never used flattery…We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. 1 Thessalonians 2:5-6 (NIV)

I love how she loves her children even through their mistakes or decisions with which she disagrees. [Love] is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

I love how she loves her children without regard for what she may be going through in her own life. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10 (NIV)

I love how she loves her children in spite of their whining and selfishness. Love is patient… 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)

I love how Nora knows just what her children need even when they don’t know what they need themselves. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? Luke 11:11-12 (NIV)

I love how she remains involved in the lives of her children, demonstrating that the mother’s love has no boundaries. It [love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NIV)

I love how Nora gives love even when she doesn’t receive love. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. Luke 6:32 (NIV)

I love how she never gives up on those she loves! Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 (NIV) …always pray and not give up. Luke 18:1 (NIV)

So what is my point, you may ask? Well, it’s simple. Our children may live their entire lives without offering the recognition or praise or honor that we, as their mothers, feel is due us. We are still their mothers and we still do what mothers do…we mother. This is just the way of things.

So now that we all feel justified in our motherly, meddling ways, let’s turn the table. Each of us is not only a mother (or father. Guys: though you may not relate exactly to my message, there is an application for you as well if you have a mother), but a child as well. Do we groan or roll our eyes when our moms offer advice? How many times have we said, “Mom, it’s none of your business?” Do we honor their input into our lives? Are we allowing our mothers to do what mothers do…love us?

Let's try something new for a change...rather than refuting our mother's influence, from now on, when we hear something we feel is meddling or intrusive or “none of her business” recognize that she is only doing what God designed her to do as a mother and say something like, “Thanks, mom for loving me enough to ….”

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”-which is the first commandment with a promise- “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3 (NIV)

What is Love? Part One

2009-03-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

I’ve had the opportunity to do some deep self-reflection during the past few days as I’ve sat for hours in airports and in the air during my travel to Florida for my Dad’s memorial. I’ve seen the love of God at work in me and through me in ways I’ve never experienced before. I’ve asked God in the past to give me a heart like his toward others, but always with my own set of unrealized limitations for what that meant. I’ll give an example: I was once asked to lead a group of youth on a short-term mission trip to Mexico. I never really wanted to go to Mexico because so many ministries focus there. My heart was for people of nations whose exposure to the Gospel is hindered by geography or by government or other such limitations. I had to ask God to break my heart for the people of Mexico and create in me a desire to take his Word to them. He did as I asked allowing me to have a deep measure of compassion for them, resulting in subsequent trips as well. But until this week, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced the love that God truly intended for me to have for others, for his love has no boundaries or limitations.

John 3:16 says For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV) In my recent reading of a book entitled Love Not the World by Watchman Nee, this “world” that God loved has come to have new meaning. At a glance it may look like I’m saying love the world, yet love not the world. Here is what I mean: Love the world, which is humanity and everything that God created to live in harmonious fellowship with him; love not “the world,” which is anything that exists apart from God also referred to as worldly affairs. (If you’re interested in more about this I am currently working on an in-depth review of this book. You can find it published at http://docdesignpro.com/ddpblog/bibliophile.php.) You may argue that unbelievers fall into this category of “worldly”, yet I would argue that the breath they breathe is the breath of God himself. They do not exist apart from Him. They are not, therefore of the world, but of God (the cravings of their flesh may be of the world, as were ours once (1 John 2:16)). They will be judged for their unfaithfulness, the Bible assures. Yet we are to love as God loved and continues to love his humanity. For as 2 Peter 3:9 tells us The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (NIV)

So as I’ve experienced God’s love anew this week, I’ve decided to share what I’ve learned as I believe these principles truly are hidden treasures worth discovery.

1) We must show God’s love in our opinions of others unlike ourselves.
Are we allowing God to show love for others who are unlike us? It is often very difficult to love others who are “hostile” to the Word of God (See Romans 8:6-8). They don’t understand and often openly attack our sensibilities and values. I think we, humanity in general, tend to form very critical and often harsh opinions of others who don’t share in our values, saying such things as, “how can you possibly believe that?” This is obvious in the well-known idea that it is best to avoid topics of politics, economics and religion in conversations. Consider whether you have ever criticized another because they “blew their money” on what you deem senseless things. What about the open and often mean-spirited criticism of others’ viewpoints on sensitive political, social and moral values? Are you showing love toward others who openly criticize God? Or to those who are radical or extremist in their religious views?

Certainly most, if not all, of us can answer affirmative in at least one of these areas…even if as a momentary impulse. Whether we like it or not, this is wrong. No matter how justified we may feel in our criticism (which incidentally means condemnation), Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 5:12-13, What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? […] God will judge those outside. (NIV) Jesus said in John 12:48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. (NIV)

I am not referring here to our beliefs about the issues, rather to our response to the individuals who hold beliefs differing from ours. We must recognize that our battle is not with those whom God has made, but with the powers of darkness (See Ephesians 6:12-13). In addition, for those of us who became Christians as adults, we must remember the ideologies to which we once held and how drastically our views have changed since Christ has taken up dwelling in our hearts.

I have chosen to use these three examples specifically to illustrate my point because they are sensitive issues that should force us to examine our hearts toward others. While critical and harsh judgments show up most obviously in these areas, they are not limited to these categories. This judgmental attitude shows up in seemingly insignificant areas as well. I won’t list these, as you pray God will show you where your heart may be harsh or critical of others.

I personally came face-to-face with this attitude of heart during my trip. It presented in many manifestations and in many different people. I’ve never felt more challenged by God to love than in the previous three days, and I can say without hesitation that what God said to my heart is, “I have commanded you to love, not to judge.” So I laid aside my political, economical, social, and other ideologies for the sake of loving others in the same way that God has loved and continues to love me. This was powerful as I recognized that this was a demonstration of the power of God to love others through a willing heart.

Now I feel it’s worth mentioning, not because I am seeking any praise, but because I want to caution against any haughtiness about this, regardless of how I think or feel about a particular issue, I would never mistreat another human being. If we make this about our actions, then we have missed the point. This matter is one of attitude. For God does not judge our outward appearances, but what is in our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). So while we may stand before man with clean conscience as it relates to our behavior, we must ask ourselves, can we stand before God with clean conscience in the matters of our hearts?

© 2009 by Stephanie French

A Priceless Inheritance

2009-03-03T17:06:00.000-08:00

As many of you who have been reading my blog know, my Dad passed away recently. I shared previously a little about our relationship. The fact is it wasn’t much of a relationship at all. Sadly, we only spoke, on average, once per year in the past four years. I did visit him a couple times when I first heard of his illness back in 2004. Prior to that time, I hadn’t heard from or seen him since 1994. There are many reasons for this, one being that he was just a difficult person to keep in touch with; but probably the real reason has to do with his illness. He was an avid drinker for most of his life. In fact, I’ve never know him to not drink except for during these last five years that he battled advanced liver disease.

When his wife informed me of his death, she also told me that he had an insurance policy in an unspecified amount for my brother and me to share. My first inclination was to say, “I don’t care about that! He doesn’t owe that to me and I don’t deserve it.” But as the days pass and the reality of the situation becomes more real to me, the inheritance becomes less obscure, and more tangible. Actually, I’m beginning to get excited about it. Regardless of how I may feel about my inheritance, he has provided it to me because I am his child, and he loved me. Who am I to refuse the gift of a father’s love? Now don’t get me wrong, I’d rather have the time to spend investing in my relationship with my Dad over any amount of money, but the fact is he is gone. My only opportunity to honor him with my life is to graciously accept what he has offered to me and do my best to be a good steward of my inheritance.

Thinking about this reminds me of a verse I once memorized. It says, …Now we live with great expectation, 4and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 1 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT) Our heavenly Father has a priceless inheritance for us. It is the substance in which Christians place our hope—our eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. He doesn’t owe it to us. We haven’t earned it. He has given it to us out of his love for his children and it doesn’t depend on anything we might do to deserve it. But it does depend on our willingness to receive it. If you have never thought about it, maybe it’s time to ask yourself how you feel about the inheritance that your heavenly Father has for you. Do you care about it? He certainly does, because he went as far as to send his Son, Jesus Christ, to die so that we can claim it as his rightful heirs. It is the gift of our Father’s love; who are we to refuse that gift?

Furthermore, as I relate the inheritance that I will receive from my father on this earth to the inheritance set aside for me by my heavenly Father, I am forced to evaluate whether the life I am living now shows my excitement for what I shall someday receive. I follow Christ; he has my heart, without a doubt. But am I living each day with anticipation for not only receiving my inheritance but also with enthusiasm in sharing it with others who may become children of God and so partake in it with me? Unlike with my own father, we have plenty of opportunities to honor our heavenly Father with our lives. I’m choosing to do my best to not only be delighted about my inheritance, but also to be a good steward of it, sharing it with those truly in need.

©2009 by Stephanie French. All rights reserved.

Cleaning out the Spiritual Refrigerator

2009-02-27T10:52:00.001-08:00

Once per week, just before the milkman delivers, I clean out the refrigerator. It's never a fun job. Usually I find moldy rice or rancid sour cream or slimy, rotten cilantro. It's a new adventure every time I open the door and start inspecting containers and drawers. Thinking about this task this morning as the milk was delivered, I realized how much this Lenten season is like cleaning out our spiritual refrigerators.

I've been a follower of Christ for about 12 years. I went to church as a young child, Catholic with my dad and then Lutheran for a short time after my mom and dad divorced. So, while I may have experienced the Lenten season as a child, I don't remember anything about it except for giving up some particular food item or activity. This past week, when I realized that Ash Wednesday was only a few days away, I began thinking and questioning: What is the spiritual significance of Lent? And what does it mean for me as Christ's follower?

Lent, for those who don't know, is a 40-day period beginning on Ash Wednesday and is celebrated for the purpose of preparing the believer—through fasting, personal reflection, prayer, repentance of sins, and charity—for the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. While the number 40 has many biblical implications, some say the 40 days of Lent are representative of the 40 days that Jesus' spent in the desert just prior to the establishment of his ministry here on earth. Christians of many denominations for centuries have observed it.

As I researched the foundational reasons for observing the Lenten season, (second only to Advent) it occurred to me that Easter might have a deeper and more personal significance to each of Christ’s followers if we set aside an extended period of time for self-denial, prayer and reflection on our sinful condition apart from the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Lent is not typically observed by Evangelicals, but it seems to me the evangelical church should at least consider revisiting what has been considered by many to be a time to spiritually refocus our lives, especially amidst our culture that is growing more secular in nature as each second passes.

Now I am not in any way suggesting that we, as Christ’s follower, become fixated on any tradition. The Bible clearly warns us about allowing our traditions to force Jesus to the backseat of our lives. But before we decide to throw out the customs that serve to aid us in our journeys toward consecration or sanctification, consider the example of our Lord Jesus who set aside time not only for daily communion with God, but before times of testing and trial, and for longer periods of self-denial, prayer and preparation as well.

So, I don’t know about you, but personally, I feel my spiritual refrigerator could use a good cleaning. I’m not affiliated with any of the denominations that observe Lent as a congregation, but am choosing from the prompting of the Holy Spirit on my soul, to enter into a 40-day observance of fasting, personal reflection, prayer, repentance of sins, and charity. I don’t expect it to be a fun job. In fact, as I inspect the deep recesses of my heart and life, I anticipate finding some areas of my walk with Jesus that have begun to grow mold or turn sour. So I pray that as I move through this journey, God would create in me a pure heart, […] and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10, NIV). That He would be glorified in my body, mind and spirit and that I can celebrate once more, the resurrection of my Lord and Savior with a new appreciation for how he has changed me from the inside out.

I pray God blesses you in your own spiritual refrigerator cleaning.

© 2009 by Stephanie French

Rainy Days and Mondays...In Loving Memory of James M. Vavrina

2009-02-23T22:34:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've been hearing the lyrics to the Carpenter's 1971 hit song Rainy Days and Mondays playing in my head. If you're not familiar with the song, each verse ends with the phrase Rainy days and Mondays always get me down. I think it's peculiar that this is where my mind occasionally takes me because in the Northwest, it's either a rainy day or a Monday and often it's both at the same time. If this phrase rings true for any of us, then we must find ourselves down an awful lot. There is encouragement for us as Christ's followers just a few lines later in the chorus which reads: Funny but it seems that it's the only thing to do, run and find the one who loves me. I don't know about the theology of the Carpenters, but as I read through the lyrics, I found a gem, a gold nugget if you will: as we face our rainy days and Mondays, we can run and find the One who loves us. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 18:10, the name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." (NIV) In fact, Deuteronomy 31:6 assures us that God is with us through our trials saying, Be strong and courageous…for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (NIV)

Well, today was a rainy day and a Monday. And while under normal circumstances that wouldn't bother me, today was different. It started as an ordinary Monday. As usual, my two youngest boys and I moved like sluggards to get up and eat breakfast. We began our school day in our pajamas and eventually, after completing Math and Language Arts ate lunch and got dressed. We finished up a little late and ran to the library to return some books and pick up my oldest son. Upon returning home, the telephone rang. I was quite pleased when I saw on the caller ID that it was my Dad calling, but my joy turned to dread as I heard the voice on the other end of the line. It was not my Dad calling after all, but his wife. While this may seem of no consequence, it is quite significant because I have endured a rather estranged relationship with my Dad since my teenage years, and as a result I don't know his wife except to have briefly met her. So she would not be calling if not to share concerning news. In fact, the last time I remember receiving a phone call from her is three years ago when my Dad had just successfully undergone liver transplant surgery. Anyway, my trepidation had not deceived me. She was calling to inform me of my Dad's passing.

As the news of Dad’s death began to settle in my mind I naturally felt a deep sadness for not seeing him in the previous three years. I had hoped to visit his Sunshine State soon and take the four children to meet their grandfather for the first time, but you know how life has a way of usurping even the best intentions.

The Lord knows just what we need and when. A few hours after receiving the dreaded phone call, I read the following excerpt from Hinds Feet in High Places by Hannah Hurnard:

As Christians we know...that in the life of a child of God there are no second causes, that even the most unjust and cruel things, as well as all seemingly pointless and undeserved sufferings, have been permitted by God as a glorious opportunity for us to re-act to them in such a way that our Lord and Saviour is able to produce in us, little by little, His own lovely character.

This served as a gentle reminder to me that the Lord’s plans are the best-laid plans. He has used these past three years of Dad’s illness to His glory and my growth of character. As the day’s pass, travel looms and emotions ebb and tide, I pray that God gives me the grace and strength to re-act in these present circumstances in such a way that I exemplify His own lovely character.

Following is the obituary as written by Brenda J. Vavrina:

James Martin Vavrina, 57, of Sun City Center, died on February 20, 2009 at Tampa General Hospital. Jim is survived by his wife, Brenda; mother-in-law, Barbara Bullard; stepdaughter and her husband, Heather and Tom Clary; sister, Marilyn Zabinski; son, Timothy; daughter, Stephanie; and several grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Jim received an honorable discharge from the US Army and retired from the Department of Defense as a Computer Network Security Specialist. After 9/11 he worked around the clock responsible for getting the computers up and running in the Pentagon. Jim and his wife moved to Sun City Center in May 2007 where he served as President of the Amateur Radio Club and on the Board of Directors for the Arbor Glen Homeowners Association. Jim was an honored member of Who's Who Worldwide in the 1992/93 Platinum Edition of the Who's Who Registry. He will be remembered as a brave sweet soul with a generous heart who loved life.

The Birth of a Blog

2009-02-20T23:54:00.000-08:00

While ironing my clothes the other day I became frustrated with the fact that it was so easy to iron a crease into the fabric, yet quite impossible to iron it out again. If you've ever ironed a shirt, you know exactly what I mean. A thought occurred to me at the time: this crease that I had just inadvertently pressed into my garment and the ensuing conundrum of how to remove it represented something far more significant in my life and possibly yours.

That blasted crease, however small, frankly was the result of carelessness. More than 50 times in the NIV Bible we are told to “be careful,” the vast majority of these occurrences relate to how we live our lives. We are commanded to “be careful to obey my laws.” (Leviticus 25:18) “Be careful, and watch yourselves closely.” (Deuteronomy 4:9) “Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God.” (Deuteronomy 8:11) “…Be careful to lead a blameless life.” (Psalm 101:2) And “each one should be careful how he builds.” (1 Corinthians 3:10) When it came to my ironing I wasn’t being careful, and all of a sudden…a crease appeared.

These creases show up in our lives as well—in the form of small compromises. I’ve seen this play out in my own life recently as I’ve found myself blurring some boundary lines, or loosening up on convictions that I’ve held for many years. For the sake of not causing strife or hindering anyone’s own faith walk, I won’t tell you what those convictions are, just know that, in one moment I felt very passionately about abstaining from a particular “vice” and seemingly in the next, I’m standing face to face with that very behavior and it’s nearly impossible to remove. My carelessness in how I was living my life with regard to that specific area led to the small compromise that has now become a crease in my life. Regrettably I say that it has become part of who I am. After all, that one small paradigm shift didn’t seem to hurt me. It hasn’t affected my relationship with God—not yet anyway.

I always tell my children, and should heed my own advice, that small compromises lead to bigger ones. What starts as one chocolate, easily becomes two and if you’re not careful leads to the entire box. While compromising on your chocolate consumption may not have lasting effects, other than on your thighs if you’re like me, what about “just one drink” after work? Or a lunch date with an attractive coworker? Or a racy magazine? Or _________________? (Fill in the blank with your own area of potential compromise.) Before you iron that crease into your life, permit me to caution you with the words of our Lord, be careful!

All of this from a crease in a shirt. It dawned on me that while we are taught to expect God’s hand to be evident in our lives, we often miss His “gentle and quiet whisper” (1 Kings 19:12, Msg) spoken from within the mundane tasks of daily life. We go through the day-to-day motions of getting dressed, eating breakfast with our kids, driving to work or to the grocery store, buying our lattes and miss out on the gold nuggets that God has for us. Proverbs 2:3-4 teaches us to:

Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. (NLT)

So you see my story is just an illustration of the insight and understanding one can receive from God when we search for them as hidden treasures. Not that God’s insights are hidden from his children, not at all, but that we must set about searching our lives for the insights He wishes to give us…searching for them like “an adventurer on a treasure hunt.” (Proverbs 2:4, Msg) For as Matthew 7:8 tells us, “Everyone who seeks, finds.” (NLT)

You could say I am gifted in the area of spiritual discernment, or you could accuse me of an active imagination, but the truth remains: God cares about the small details of our lives and has big lessons to show us through them, if we’ll only become treasure seekers.

(c) 2009 by Stephanie French