The Perfect Place

My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest. ~ Isaiah 32:18

I’m dreaming of a beach vacation….

I don’t know about you, but this cold weather is starting to get to me. I’m ready for flip-flops, shorts and walking out the door without having to find a coat to match the temperature and outfit of the day.

So I’ve started looking at beach houses, trying to find one that fits everyone’s schedules, beach preference, bedrooms and budgets that doesn’t look like something decorated in the disco era. I feel like I’m looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack. I can’t believe how many beach houses are booked all summer already and it’s only the beginning of March!

But, unfortunately, there’s one particular house that isn’t available this year. One that is loved dearly by our family for the special memories acquired there. A wonderful house we’ve managed to stay most summers for the last 15 years. It suits our families perfectly. This home has a beautiful spirit about it that keeps drawing us back each year.

A doctor and his wife, who’ve traveled extensively on medical mission trips, were the dear owners of this multi-dimensional house. I’ve never met them, but their fingerprints, photos and souvenirs from exotic travels are scattered all over. Every bedroom is themed after a particular country; England, Africa, India. The den has a large beautiful hatch from a ship engraved with a Bible verse hanging over the fireplace. There’s a long picnic table outside the kitchen on the screen porch where we’ve had many good meals and sweet fellowship. There are also hammocks swinging on either side of the porch, usually occupied by a body exhausted, but happy, after a day in the sun.

It’s not a fancy house. You can tell it has been lived in and loved well. But there is such a peace there. Life’s worries just fall away and you only consider the nature and loved ones around you. It’s almost magical in some respects. But the atmosphere isn’t achieved through magic. I believe this house has been prayed over and made as welcoming as possible by the owners. There are subtle signs of their Christian faith everywhere, from the books that line their shelves to the framed photos the good doctor himself took of God’s beauty observed all around him. I believe the Holy Spirit is the secret ingredient to the wonder of this place of solace.

You may think I’m exaggerating, but if you’ve stayed there, I know you’d agree with me.

On our last visit, we discovered the doctor had recently passed away and the house had been sold. We found a newly published book authored by him containing many of his beautiful photographs. The last page, however, contained a letter from his sweet wife explaining the book was published after his death. It’s a shame he didn’t live to see it, but what a special gift he left behind for others to enjoy.

I believe this couple endeavored to show God’s hospitality in their vacation home. I pray others will feel the same spirit of hospitality as they enter my home, whether through words, actions or items sprinkled about. I would cringe at the thought of anyone giving my house the white glove treatment, but hopefully I’ll always open the door to share God’s love, food and fellowship. How wonderful it is to be blessed with homes we can invite others to enjoy. And who knows? We may even have the privilege of entertaining angels.

As we were deciding our vacation plans for this summer, my daughter immediately piped up saying she wants to go back to the beach house. She explained to her boyfriend the significance of this special place. “Many of my best childhood memories were made there,” she said, with dancing eyes.

Looking back, I agree. We have experienced so many wonderful times in that summer oasis. I hope God will allow us many more in the future, whether it be there, or some other special place with Christian hospitality.

But as for right now, I’ve got to get back to searching for that illusive beach house …

Is there a special place in your life that brings you peace and rest? I would love to hear about it.

Are You Feeling Rejected?

Do not think of today’s failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. ~ Helen Keller

This past week as I was quickly scanning my e-mail, I stopped cold when I saw a message from a magazine I’d submitted an article to a few weeks earlier. My fingers poised hesitantly above the mouse as I worked up the courage to open it. With part excitement, part dread, I boldly clicked on the subject line. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I’d received my first rejection letter.

This wasn’t the first article I’d submitted. In fact, I’ve sent in several to different publications over the last year and a half of my writing journey, but this is the first time any has been acknowledged. At least now I had one response from someone who’d actually read my work, even if they didn’t accept it.

Not sure if I should delete the e-mail or print it, I finally hit print, deciding this would surely be the first of many letters of refusal. After all, I’ve heard countless authors say they could wallpaper their offices with all of the rejection letters they received before finally being published. If that’s true, I have a long way to go.

Even though I could easily take this rejection personally, I’ve learned I must take it all in stride. Failure and rejection come with the territory of any success.

Several years ago my daughter told me how much she admired her dad and I because we both followed our dreams to start our own businesses. When she realized the risks we took to venture into unknown territory, she was inspired to believe she could push past her fears to achieve dreams of her own. From her perspective, she saw her parents as a courageous influence.

I must admit, because of lack of financial success operating a dream floral business, I believed I’d failed. But years later I discovered that, in my daughter’s eyes, it was a success because I'd taken a leap of faith to turn something I love into a business that gave me purpose and enthusiasm in my work. (Thank goodness my husband’s business venture turned out much better!) We gave our florist shop five years of blood, sweat and tears - literally - before calling it quits. Surely my writing career deserves that much before I succumb to any rejection letters.

During the time of the florist flop, I learned so much about practical life experience. I also discovered how to trust God as He brought us through some difficult days of financial distress. I wouldn’t want to go back and relive the heartache of that time, but I also wouldn’t trade what God revealed to me during some of those dark days as I drew near to Him in desperation. Even though my business venture ultimately didn’t succeed, God used it to bring good in my life, and ultimately, a blessing from my daughter. I know He's more than capable of doing the same with my anticipated stack of rejection letters.

Have you been struggling with rejection or failure lately? Give it to God and ask Him to show you how He's using it for good in your life.

For the sake of His great name the Lord will not reject His people, because the Lord was pleased to make you His own. 

~ 1 Samuel 12:22

Is Your Sink Overflowing?

     Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:6-7  

     

     

     I don’t know about you, but I’m absolutely frazzled to the max right now. You’d think with Christmas behind us and all of the decorations put away life would have settled down. But it seems there’s always something to take its place, something to keep me in a constant state of anxiety.

     

     

     As I was thinking about all that needed to be done, I was reminded of something that happened several years ago. I was rushing around trying to get everything done before I left with the kids for an appointment. As I ran through all of my chores, trying to do several things at once, I decided I needed to wash out my bathing suit. I’d let it soak until I got home and then rinse it out. As I started running water in the sink, I made a fateful choice to start a load of laundry before I walked out the door.

     You can probably guess what happened next.

     I got a call from my husband several hours later asking WHO left the water running in the laundry room. I shrieked when I realized I’d never turned it off. As a result my husband walked into water rushing out the back door when he came home from work. I thought I was going to be sick.

     My patient hubby cleaned up all of the water before I got home, but the damage had already been done. Water had flowed into the air vents in the laundry room and bathroom, and warped the hardwood in the dining room which sits directly behind the laundry room wall. I despaired, but my husband got busy seeking professional help.

     He asked a friend in the heating and air business to come and take a look at our vents. After careful inspection, he determined 

there was no damage and we didn’t need to do anything. Whew!

     Then he called a contractor friend who’d helped build our house and asked about the hardwood. Having experienced something like this before himself, he said to wait it out, the wood would eventually dry out and settle down to its original shape. He emphasized the fact we would need to be patient because it could take up to two or three months for this to happen. Ouch!

     But you know what? Both of those contractors were right. They looked at the situation and gave their expert advice as to what we needed to do and the answer was nothing. All we had to do was wait.

     Now, waiting is not one of my spiritual gifts. During the time we were waiting for the floors to regain their original shape I was a little anxious, wondering how much it would cost for us to have those floors redone. The thought continually running through my head was, how could you be so stupid, Carol?

     But it wasn’t stupidity that put me in this predicament; it was busyness. I rushed through my morning wondering how I was going to get everything done, while God waited for some alone time with me. Obviously it never happened.

     Maybe if I’d taken the time to be still and wait on Him my mind wouldn’t have been so distracted and I would have had the presence of mind enough to remember to turn the faucet off. Maybe. I know God doesn’t guarantee we won’t have problems in this life, but if I gave Him a chance more often, maybe my life would run more smoothly.

     In the end He took care of everything. The floors became straight and smooth again and the air conditioner didn’t give us any trouble. Again, all I had to do was wait and trust. He had it all under control.

     Today as I look over everything that needs to be done, I feel more at peace. Why? Because I got up this morning and gave God priority. I’m trusting He will take control of the situation and keep my spirit at peace so I can face my husband with a smile tonight instead of a complaining spirit, as I’ve done every other night this week.

    

     Is your to-do list out of control? Do you feel as if you’ll lose it if someone asks you to do one more thing? Give it to God and see how He can take your worries and turn them into victories.

     Thank you for leaving your comments last week and entering the contest for Ann Voscamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts. The winner, chosen by random.org, is Margie Houmes! Please send me your address via fb message and I’ll get your book to you as quickly as possible. Congratualtions Margie!

So God Made a Farmer

For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. ~ Genesis 18:19

     I think almost everyone’s seen it by now – the Super Bowl commercial called “So God Made a Farmer”, advertising the Dodge Ram. It’s hit a nerve, in a good way, with many people around here, including me. So if you don't mind, I'd like to indulge a little this week. If you haven’t seen it yet, google it. Believe me, it’s worth the effort.

     As I sat in bed and watched the commercial on my phone, my husband sleeping beside me, I realized just how hard my man works every single day. Even though he is nearing 50, he’s still strong and sure. He may ache a little more than usual but rarely complains, unlike his wife. 

     We started dating when I was 14 and John was 16. Looking back, it’s hard to believe we hung onto each other through the turbulent teen years. I’m so glad we did.

     Back then, he worked his dad’s farm almost every day. He fed cows, baled hay and planted soybeans. When he baled hay, he didn’t have the luxury of using a baler you pull behind a tractor. No sir. He would lift those heavy bales and throw them into the back of a truck, following it all around the fields.

     There are so many wonderful memories of my farmer husband.  One winter, while we were still in high school we had a pretty good snow. Because my parents house sits at the bottom of a steep hill in town, no one coming down could get back up. But my resourceful husband, then boyfriend, promptly mounted his dad’s tractor and came and got me. So we rode all the way through town and the three miles back to his house while everyone we passed wondered about the crazy couple on the tractor.

     When it came time to propose, he sold five cows to pay for my engagement ring. I don’t know many brides who obtained a ring through their husband selling bovine.

     When we first married we lived in a single wide trailer on the farm. I must admit, it wasn’t the same as living in town and I didn’t like it very much, especially when the cows got out and ate all of my flowers.

     It was during that time John and his brother decided to start their own business, pumping septic tanks. It definitely was not work for someone who was afraid to get dirty. But they worked hard at their day job and came home and worked most nights running that old truck. He was tired but determined. He wanted to be a good provider, and he has certainly done that.

     After a move into town, then a subdivision, we are now living back on the farm. When he’d built his pipeline contracting business to the point where he felt comfortable, we built the home we’d always wished for and raised our two kids here. They love it and wouldn’t dream of having grown up anywhere else. They often comment on how lucky they are to have lived their childhood here.

     John has done everything he could to make it wonderful for them, from building a sled out of 60” PVC pipe and pulling the kids around in the snow, to building a zipline over the lake.  My 19 year old daughter commented not long ago that we could “so have our own show” like the Duck Commander, because my husband, 16 year old son and nephews, who live across the road , would love to make their own water park in our lake like the Robertson family did. She’s right.

     My husband loves it. He has more fun than the kids. Building bonfires, pulling hay wagons full of teenagers and shooting sporting clays with our kids and their friends brings him so much joy. I think it keeps him young.

     John may not be tall in stature, but he’s a giant in his family’s eyes. He’s smart and good and has a giving heart. He’s a shrewd businessman who’s never lacked integrity.

     

     As I lay in bed thinking about all of this, I realized how very blessed I am to have such a wonderful husband who works hard for a living, puts wood in the stove on cold mornings and farms his little blackberry patch behind the house. He does all of this because he loves us.

     

     I was reading Ann Voscamp’s blog this week, www.aholyexperience.com , where she shares her insight on the farmer commercial. One thing she writes about in that piece is how we “get to be here”. That phrase resonated with me. How blessed I am that I “get” to live on this centuries old family farm with a loving husband and two fantastic kids.

     

     So, in closing, I would just like to say to my sweet hubby, thank you. God blessed me beyond measure when I met you at that youth group party on New Year’s Eve 33 years ago. I had no idea the adventure He had in store for us and I wouldn’t trade any part of it. I love you, John, and wish you the happiest Valentine’s Day, and look forward to many more wonderful adventures with you. 

By the way, he drives a Dodge Ram. Fitting, don't you think?

It’s so easy to take our loved ones for granted, never showing them how important they are to us. Who do you need to send a Valentine love letter to this year?

If you’d like to leave a comment on my blog or facebook, I will enter you into a random drawing for Ann Voscamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts. Don’t forget to check back next week to see if you won. Or better yet, sign up to follow me by email after you've left your comment and you’ll have an automatic reminder.

Don't Give Up!

Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time

we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ~ Galatians 6:9

     Today is the first day of February. I wonder how many of us have already given up on our resolutions for the year. It’s so easy to get discouraged when we fail, yet again, to achieve our goals that energized us mere weeks – or even days - before.

     

     So I have a better idea, one given to me from many of my blogger friends. Rather than trying to remember a list of resolutions, just choose one word. This is a word that will keep you inspired throughout the year as you aim to better yourself.

     

     I read numerous blogs at the beginning of January stating the word each author had chosen, and I struggled to come up with one of my own. I almost gave up until I read Beth Vogt’s blog in which she enthusiastically encouraged her readers to join her as she pursued her one word for the year. I realized the wisdom in this because of the ability to narrow our focus. I don’t know about you, but lately I feel as if I’m lost and distracted in all of the ‘good things’ I’m trying to achieve.

     

     I had almost decided at the end of 2012 to give up on becoming a writer. After all, I had already invested 16 months, two expensive conferences and two writing classes and didn’t have any published pieces yet (I can hear those of you who are writers laughing at me right now). Why keep wasting my time and everyone else’s? I thought. I’m just spinning my wheels. No one even cares what I have to say. I don’t even know what my platform is, for heavens sake!

     

     Then, as I was reading my devotional on January 8^th, from the book Letters From God by Ivan Tait, this is what it said:

     

     I will take you from the place you are now, and I will transfer you into a place of amazing influence. Your abilities to help people are about to increase… Yes, it is time for you to see My mighty power work on your behalf.

      

     Wow! I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me as I read this saying Don’t give up. There is so much more for you to learn and do.

     

     Well, if God wasn’t going to give up on me, then I at least needed to give my best and persevere in my writing and speaking, as well as other areas in my life. So perseverance has become my word for 2013.

    

     I’ve already had numerous times to try it out, like when I didn’t want to get out of bed to go to my yoga class, or before I sat down to write this blog post, trying to tell myself I have more important things I need to be doing.

     

     I know my word isn’t a fun one. It’s right up there with words like discipline and endurance. But I believe it will make a difference over the next 11 months as I discipline myself to persevere.

     

     Reba J. Hoffman’s blog, Magellan Life Coach, says this about discipline:

     

     It puts you ahead of almost everyone else in the world. The only thing separating successful people from non-successful ones is that person kept going after most lacked the discipline to see it through to the end.

    

     Although I’ve said yes to persevere in several situations so far, there are more times than I care to admit I haven’t followed through. But I’m not giving up. I may never become a great writer or look forward to going to yoga class, but at least I will have tried. I want to be able to say that I did my best and didn’t give up until it was absolutely necessary. And who knows? Maybe I’ll be able to stick with this perseverance thing into the year 2014 and beyond.

     

    As I was thinking about all of this, one of my favorite songs, We Fall Down by Bob Carlisle, came to mind. It basically expresses how saints (or Christians) are just sinners who fall down but keep getting back up. I can relate. I know I fall down a lot. But hopefully I’ll get back up and continue to follow God’s plan for my life. And I hope you will, too.

     It's not too late for you to choose your word. After all, you still have 11 months to go!

How about you? Is there a word that has come to mind for you to focus on for 2013?

If so, please let me know by leaving a comment.

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A Glimmer of Hope

He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
Psalm 40:3

  Are you going through a time of difficulty right now? Is there something causing you to believe there is no light at the end of the tunnel? Then I have a verse I’d like to share with you that will hopefully provide encouragement on this cold, wintry day.

And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. ~ 1 Peter 5:10

     I remember finding this verse during a particularly difficult time in my life while I was in the dark throes of depression. I felt such a sense of hopelessness. I even had thoughts that maybe I would never be whole again; never be able to enjoy my husband, children or anything else that used to bring me purpose. Everything was meaningless. I drug chains of despair around, never seeing any way to be free of them.

     Then I began reading my Bible daily. Most days after reading the scriptures despair was still my unwanted companion. But I didn’t give up. Slowly God began speaking to me through certain verses. I remember finding the verse above and feeling a glimmer of hope. Even though it seemed my illness had lasted an eternity, I realized in the grand scheme of things it was only a moment. I felt God was promising me healing; this depression would only last a little while.

     Throughout the next year, God continued showing me promises from His Word. I clung to these, especially during the darkest hours. I had to hold onto the hope He had put in my heart. It was all I had.

     Finally, the day came when God fulfilled His promise of healing in my life. I’d never experienced such joy before. My heart overflowed. I became strong, firm and steadfast in my faith, understanding better than ever why our suffering leads to joy. I can honestly say I’m grateful for having gone through it. This pain caused me to love God more than I ever had.

     I don’t know what dark situation you may be facing today, but I do know if you give it to God and ask Him to give you hope, He’ll be faithful to do so. It may not come immediately, but don’t give up.

     Despair is such an ugly thing. It only allows us to see the gloom in our situation. But God is waiting to shine His bright ray of love into our darkness. Why not try picking up the Bible today and giving Him a chance to prove it?

Father Knows Best?

You will keep in 

perfect peace him 

whose mind is steadfast,

because he trusts in You. ~ Isaiah 26:3

Do you believe God can do 

that great work in your life?

Do you believe God can heal all of your diseases?

     These are questions I hear repeated over and over from pastors, speakers and teachers in the church.  I believe God can do anything. I don’t have a problem with what God is able to do. The question that sometimes keeps me up at night is this; Will God grant my requests? I know He hears the cries of His people, but what is ultimately Gods will?

     

     I believe all the Bible stories of God’s miraculous deeds. I also believe God is present in modern-day miracles. I’ve even experienced God’s awesome power in my own life on numerous occasions. But why should I think He’ll come through for me every time? Even though Psalm 20:4 says, May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed, I know He doesn’t always answer my prayers the way I hope.

     

     Several years ago a couple in our church had an 18 year old son who was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. The family was devastated, as was our church. But we hung on to our faith, fervently believing he would be healed. I fervently believed he would be healed. I prayed often for this young man who had so much life left to live, knowing he would soon be freed from this awful disease.

     

     But guess what? God didn’t heal him. Not in the earthly sense, anyway. Shortly after his 19^th birthday, after fighting valiantly to live, God took him home. My heart broke for his dear family.

     

     I couldn’t believe it. I felt so sure he would live to be an old man, sharing the miraculous power of God’s healing. But that didn’t happen.

     

     I must admit I struggled with how God had answered our prayers. I saw no reason why it wouldn’t be in God’s will to save him. And because of this I became fearful, waiting for the other shoe to drop, knowing He didn’t have to give me anything I asked for. I drug that ball and chain of fear around for a long time, feeling  like no one I loved was safe.

     

     Then I began leading a Bible study and shared honestly with the ladies about my fears. I discovered there were many others just as confused with the outcome as I was. But there was one amazing woman in our group who had experienced more grief in her young years than many will in a lifetime. Her daughter was born with a rare disease which gave the child a lifespan of about 11 years and she had passed away before we began our study.

    

     This great lady of faith had experienced the reality of what I feared most, losing a child. But she wasn’t morose or bitter. On the contrary, she always had a smile on her face and big hugs to give.

    

     During one session she told our group how God had used her beautiful little daughter to bring big, strong men to Christ. Even though she couldn’t speak or acknowledge those around her, this little girl became a testimony of God’s love. This mother knew her daughter had fulfilled God’s purpose in life.

     

     “We just have to trust Him,” she explained,“ He knows best.”

      

     Of course, she was absolutely right.

     

     Not long after this, I was studying scripture and a verse I’d read many times suddenly stopped me in my tracks.

     

     Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)

     

     I realized then that God had been testing me all along to see if I really trusted Him. My fear didn’t just hurt me, it offended God. I would never find freedom until I learned to trust Him more than my fear. Once I understood this, the chains of fear began to loosen their grip on me.

     

     Even though it isn’t a constant presence in my life now, fear still rears its ugly head once in a while, wanting to paralyze me and make me ineffective for Christ. When that happens, I have to remind myself that God loves me and always has my best interest at heart, even if it’s painful.

      

     I still don’t know why God heals some and not others. Or why some have wonderful answers to their prayers while others are left with only questions.  We may never understand why this side of heaven.

    

     That young man’s family has bravely moved on, continuing to share God’s love with others. As with the mother of the little girl, they also have smiles and hugs to give away, even though I’m sure they still grapple with why their son had to die.

     

     God is worthy of our trust, period. I know this isn’t the answer many of you want to hear. It really wasn’t the answer I was looking for either. I wanted something concrete to justify the why’s, but that’s not always Gods way.

     

     When we inevitably end up groping in the dark looking for answers, He is always right beside us working things out for our good and His glory. In those moments we need to remember to reach up and let the Father take hold of our hand, trusting He’s got everything under control, even if we don't understand it all yet.

What anxious thoughts are you having today that may be offending God?   

If you're interested in learning more about putting your trust in God, check out 
The Seven Checkpoints: Seven Principles Every Teenager Needs to Know by Andy Stanley and Stuart Hall. 
The chapter titled Checkpoint #1: Authentic Faith has one of the best explanations of faith and trust I've ever read.