Time Ticks On

This morning I woke up thinking about my blog. I haven’t actually thought about my blog in ages. I love the memories and the moments it has captured. I am thankful for all forms of social media that allow me to share the things that God puts on my heart. Maybe one day I will do better about blogging, but for now I am just happy to know these thoughts are here for me to re-live and hopefully they have touched someone else along the way. 

Last week I talked to the youth about their witness, their testimony. The woman at the well showed us how significant our testimony is if we are willing to share it!

“From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.”” (John‬ ‭4‬:‭39‬) 

She wasn’t scared of her story, and because she shared many believed. I remember when my testimony used to scare me. I worried what people would think of me, how they might judge me, but over time I began to see that my story had purpose, even the really ugly parts. There were people out there that needed to hear my testimony, just like there are people out there that need to hear yours!

God is incredible, the way He cares for us is amazing. I love that He uses it all, nothing is gone to waste. That huge mistake, He can redeem it. That broke piece, He can repair it and make it new. That pain and struggle, He won’t waste it and He won’t leave you. I hope I am never afraid to share my story, and I hope you will too. When God get’s a hold of you and you start walking in obedience after Him He will use it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly!

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬)

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Love Your Neighbor

Last night I wept. I wept for those who are being broken by their circumstances right now. I wept for those who fear how they will support their families. I wept for those burying loved ones, some of whom they did not get to farewell. I wept for a world who is hurting in unimaginable ways. I wept and then I prayed.

Even in the face of all of this, life is still continuing. Babies are being born, people are getting married and others are taking their last breath. Life doesn’t stand still even when something like this happens, life goes on and so must we.

Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”

I’m a Pro-Life advocate and a trained crisis pregnancy counselor. That means a good part of what God has called me to do is to step into someone’s crisis and walk with them. It’s probably one of the greatest privileges of my life, to have someone trust their greatest vulnerabilities with me. I feel honored when I meet a woman I can help. Right now, I see such a need for crisis intervention in the lives of so many, and this is the call of every Christian. We can help them one by one if we look past our own circumstances, trust God to provide the way and take a step of faith to reach out to them.

1 Peter 3:8 “Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tender hearted, and keep a humble attitude.”

We have never been given a greater opportunity to reach our neighbors with the love of Christ. I pray that we have soft hearts, hearts of empathy and compassion. It’s easy to allow crisis to overcome us and to draw away, focus on self and our needs, but if you are in Christ, God will provide for you so that you can do the work He is calling you to do. This is the hour to be bold, to put on love and to embrace those within your reach. Let us mourn with those who mourn and celebrate with those who celebrate.

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

~St Teresa of Calcutta

(Written April 2, 2020)

Family

If we can change our perspective from all the trouble to the blessings we can see what a gift this time can be for family. It may not seem like it at the moment, it’s definitely not easy, and clearly this is not the way anyone ever imagined their last few weeks might be. Going from busy societies to standstill around the world. Our go, go, go has stop, stop, stopped!

There is a renewal that is happening to our families around the world. I can’t help but wonder if this crisis has revealed that the family unit, in so many ways, has become socially distant and disconnected. Maybe that is why God has called us all into our homes to stay together isolated for just a little while...

The sports have stopped, schools have stopped, vacations have stopped, shopping has stopped, distractions have stopped. Time, that is what we have. Time and family. I’m not making light, I know it’s hard, parents are stressed and kids are frustrated but if we can shift our focus and see the blessing, this could possibly be the very thing that changes our families in an even greater way. We are stronger together.

Colossians 3:13 “Bear with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

Eventually society will open again and people return to work, school, and activities. This is not a permanent situation. It’s overwhelming, yes. It’s frustrating, true. It’s hard, absolutely. But it is a gift of time to heal and strengthen our families if we will just shift our focus and let God show us how.



I pray, that of the seeds planted during this global pandemic, that a restored and renewed sense of family will be the harvest. I pray that when our children tell their children about this, their stories will be of how awesome it was to be home, to all be together, that they remember this extra time not as scary and tragic, but as a gift. We as parents can determine the direction of our families walk through this. I pray that the peace of God overwhelms us that we can focus on simply loving one another and take this gift of time to grow in our families.

Colossians 3:15 “ let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

Photo credit: Island Encounters Photography, Fiji

Simplicity

I haven’t left my house in 11 days. I don’t know that I have ever been house bound in my life for 11 days. I was snowed in for 5 days during Winter Storm Atlas in 2013, but even then I trekked to visit my parents and neighbors.

During this 11 days I have discovered the remarkable contrast between “wants” and “needs”. In being stuck at home, unable to fulfill my every whim, I have discovered how much of my life was consumed by wants and I’m thankful to have had my eyes opened!

Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

God is faithful! Our needs have been and will continue to be met. He gave me the wisdom to prepare in advance for this time of being home and has provided through the help of others everything else. Around the world He continues to supply for the needs of His people with the kindness of a stranger or the generosity of a friend. He may even choose to supply through miracle and send the ravens-nothing is too difficult for Him (1 Kings 17:6). When we put our hope in Him we can trust that He will supply our needs because He tells us he will!

Matthew 6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.”

I look back at the hustle and bustle of my life before all of this and I realize that so much my time was dedicated to “wants”. After a morning of homeschooling I was always eager to get out of the house and usually ended up shopping in the afternoon. This desire to “go” and “do” had very little to do with any true need. I have a hard time sitting still and shopping had become the antidote for an excuse to be “busy”. This “want” was often a waste of money and almost always a waste of time. When it comes to wants vs needs it’s nearly always about filling a void or trying to somehow feel secure in a time of insecurity, but nothing you can buy that, only God call fill that space.

No one needs 60 rolls of toilet paper or six month supply of food for a few weeks of self-isolation, but unfortunately we see panic buying stripping the shelves around the world. We want to feel secure, and it’s OK to desire to feel secure but no supply or luxury will secure us. The only security that we can rely on is God, He should be our hearts desire. We need Him and we should absolutely WANT more and more of Him!

We are called the hunger and thirst for God. Jesus is the only one who can satisfy our deepest longings. I pray that when life returns to some form of normal that I will not go back to old ways. I will remember who supplies all of my needs! I pray that He is my only source of wanting, because He is truly all that I need.

(Written March 31, 2020)

No Backup Plan

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” ~Proverbs 3:5-6

My whole life I have had a backup plan. Every time life throws something at me and often even before anything actually comes to pass, my mind becomes overcome with a way out, a way forward whether the threat is real or perceived. Truth be told these backup plans never come to pass and almost always steal my peace and distract my focus from God. Trying to out plan a situation instead of seeking God alone for His plan is nothing more than a distraction!

In this time of actual uncertainty I have decided to stand unmoved resting in the promises of God. The answers to the future are safe in His hands. Whatever control I grip tightly in my hands must be released if I am to receive what’s in His. I will trust our unknown future to the all knowing God! God is good, His mercy never fails and He holds my future!

Instead of analyzing everything going on and being consumed with outcomes I will meditate on God and seek Him for guidance about what I can do to serve Him effectively in this time and season. My focus needs to be on Him so that I know what He desires from me. He hast to be my first love!

When I gave my heart to Jesus I said “yes” to Him and His plan for my life. This relationship cannot have a Plan B. Just like entering a marriage thinking “if it doesn’t work out I’ll just get divorced,” dooms a union from the start. So too is choosing God but only trusting His plan when it goes your way. It’s an all or nothing! You are either in or out!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~Jeremiah 29:11

I resolve to let go! To fall into His arms of grace when I cannot see the road ahead. There is no plan B, there is only God’s plan! I will give him my worries and fears and I will take hold of the peace that only He can give. There’s no better plan and the plan of God! 

Grow In Faith

Let’s be honest, times of trial are hard and uncomfortable and it can be difficult to shift our focus from the problems to the growth. Sometimes it’s hard to see how God might use all that you face to bring about good things but He can and will if we just press in!

“We need occasional mountaintop experiences, but the fertile soil for growth is always down in the valleys of tribulation, not on the mountaintops.” ~Neil T. Anderson

A muscle that is not offered any resistance or use will become weak, but a muscle that is pushed out of its comfort zone, a muscle that meets resistance will be strengthened! It doesn’t feel good at the time, but afterwards the result of strength and growth is evident as the muscle is able to take on a heavier load. The Lord is our strength, He helps us as we grow as our faith is tested.

We make it through the valleys we face, the trials and struggles by remembering the mountaintops! We don’t look at the problems but remember all of the things God has already done, knowing that He will help us once more. Taking time to reflect on all of the ways God has helped us in the past renews our heart of thanksgiving and sets us in a place of worship as He walks us through the trial. 

“He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭1:3‬ 

The rivers that feed the valley come from the mountain tops. This refreshing comes to us and renews our strength. God is our source of everything in every season! The valley is a fertile place because of the rivers, God takes us to where we can grow. God pours out upon us, He is generous in His love for us and cares for us without fail. The valley is not a place to fear, we can choose to rejoice when God allows our faith to be tested, because in the testing we are strengthened! 

If we stayed on the mountaintop we would not have the ability to grow. Our work that we are called to do, to reach the world with the message of hope in Jesus, cannot be done from the mountaintop. The valleys are our training field and our testimony is one of our greatest weapons against the enemy! 

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the work of Your hands.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭143:5‬ ‭

Take time today to look back at all God has done for you and rejoice that He will take care of you in what you face today!

Pro-Life, Pro-Love, Pro-Women

I am a LIFE Runner and I will not be preoccupied with things that will try to pull me away from the ministry that God has called me to. Now is the time when reaching women in crisis is even more vital. An unplanned pregnancy is overwhelming on its own, but add a global crisis and it is exponentially compounded. Now is the time when all Christians must be even more diligent and committed to reaching out to the women who are carrying the future in their womb! These children are truly a blessing, they are a gift.

In America and other nations around the world we see the abortion industry continues to wage war against the unborn and promote abortion to the most vulnerable women in our societies. They tell them that abortion is the answer in a crisis but abortion is never the answer, especially in a crisis! 

If you are pregnant and scared about the future we are here for you and will help you in any way we can. Life is always the right choice, you will never regret choosing life for your child. God is more than able to supply for all of your needs. You don’t have to face this alone, we are here...

Time is a Gift

A few weeks ago most of us were still going about our daily lives. We were preoccupied with our usual things and living out our routines. Going to work, taking care of our households, gathering with friends, but now for most of us, that routine has been flipped upside down! 

“We all make time for what we feel is important in our lives.” ~Anonymous

We have been given a rare opportunity. An opportunity of time! For maybe the first time in many of our lives we are faced with more time at home together as a family than we have ever had and what a gift that can be! We can spend hours on social media letting worry overcome or try to hide away lost in endless Netflix binge watching OR we can use this time to let God speak to our hearts! To bring our families closer to the Lord together. To remember that our homes are our first place of ministry.

1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God‘s grace in various forms.

We were created for so much more than the routine! Our Identity is far too often planted in things of this world and that is a wake up call for many of us. As followers of Christ you are a child of God, redeemed and created to do Gods will! You are not of this world and have been called to the greatest commission as ambassadors of Christ! We all have a purpose and God designed you with something special that only you can do. This time of being locked in can be a blessing if we use it wisely! 

Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

These days of being home are a time to seek God on how we can make a difference or rise to another level. If anything, this is a reminder that time is short and people are perishing, and the world needs Jesus now more than ever! This time we have been given is an opportunity to spend more time on our knees, more time in the Word, more time waiting on God to reveal our hearts to us.

This can be an awakening to even bigger things that God is calling us to. We may be confined in our homes but we have work to do, we have people to reach, there are things that need to be done that God will ask us to do. Let us see this time as a gift, a gift to prepare us to reach a hurting world in new ways. 

2 Thessalonians 2:14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Love One Another

“I cannot do all the good that the world needs. But the world needs all the good that I can do.” ~Jana Stanfield

There is no greater thing we can do in this life than to love one another. In a world that is very “me” focused we are called to put others first and that is what we must do! I believe that this crisis is awakening community once again in our hearts. We are being reminded to look to the needs and the protection of those around us. 

Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. ~Romans 13:10

This is a unique time where thinking of others is actually life or death for some. We are fighting an invisible enemy, an enemy that is deadly to some, that can be carried silently and shared without warning. Does that mean we should live in fear? No, we walk by faith, but we should be diligent to protect the most vulnerable and the community around us. 

This is a time that calls for community to come together by staying apart. We have been asked to make lifestyle changes to protect others, to stop gathering in groups and to avoid going out unless necessary. This is not too much to ask to save lives. 

No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. ~1 Corinthians 10:24

Out of this time of trouble we will see the best and the worst of humanity. We each choose how we will respond. Do we hoard supplies or leave things we don’t need on the shelf for others? Do we stay home as much as possible or carryon with life as if nothing has changed because we are young and healthy? Do we help out a friend in need even though we might be scared? We all must choose, so I pray we choose community by putting others well being first and protecting us all.

Miracles in this time can be the small (and big) acts of kindness that we extend to one another. God is asking His people to be the hands and feet of Jesus and in this case staying home may be the biggest act of kindness we can ever extend to one another.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
~Galatians 6:10

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

Today take a moment and breathe, this battle belongs to the Lord!

This attack that we are facing is truly threefold; it is an attack on us spiritually, it is an attack on us physically and it is in attack on us emotionally. As I started my Bible study and quiet time my heart was overwhelmed by the message God was laying before me. God is so present and available to us, we are not alone! It’s so vital to be in the Word and prayer to hear Him.

In 2 Chronicles 20 we read that Judah was under attack. The King Jehoshaphat turned to God as did the nation of Judah in this time of distress.

2 Chronicles 20:4 “So Judah gathered together to seek help from the Lord; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD.”

In their time of distress they turn to God. They went to the true source of help and hope! They were facing three enemies, they were outnumbered and they knew it. Jehoshaphat prayed on behalf of his nation.

Jehoshaphat prayed;

“Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD before the new court, and he said, “O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? They have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary there for Your name, saying, ‘Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us. ’ Now behold, the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt (they turned aside from them and did not destroy them), see how they are rewarding us by coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance. O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” All Judah was standing before the LORD, with their infants, their wives and their children.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭20:5-13‬ ‭

God answered through Jahaziel;

“and he said, “Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.” Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭20:15-18‬ ‭

I cried as I read these words. A true reminder of our omnipotent and all loving God who does not leave us in our despair but fights for us! What must we do? We must seek God, we must not fear and we must stand in faith! 

When the time came the people of Judah began singing and praising and God destroyed the attacking army, by having them attack each other. At the scariest hour of their crisis they glorified God and He defeated their enemy!

God is the same today as He was from the beginning. He is unchanged! Now is our time to turn to God in full surrender, to seek Him, to trust Him and give Him the glory! Today is the hour to lift up our voices in thanksgiving, to praise and worship God and declare victory! 

Faith of a Child

Yesterday after the Prime Ministers announcement my daughter went to her room and emerged a few minutes later in a shower cap, had fashioned a face mask and put on safety goggles declaring “I’m here to defeat Corona virus!” 

I love her beautiful heart and all of this made mine ache just a little bit extra. The children don’t truly understand all of this, but it is scary and overwhelming for them. My daughter admitted that she has a hard time falling asleep because she is thinking about it. So we took time to listen and to talk about it to help ease the anxiety and we pray as a family throughout the day to remind her that God is in control.

“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”” ~Matthew‬ ‭19:14‬ ‭

While the world is trying to figure out how we get through this my kiddo is praying that her golden birthday (and it’s her double digits too) won’t be canceled. She prays about this every night right after she prays for protection of friends and family. It would be easy to disregard her fears about her party considering the magnitude of the situation at hand, but you know what it is important and it matters.

Let’s be sure to take time to come down to our children’s level right now and help understand what they are feeling and facing. Let’s be sensitive to their true feelings and use it as an opportunity to deepen their faith by teaching them to give these worries to God. In all of this the children need to be heard the most right now, and we need to listen. This will be something that they will never forget and helping them process it is our job as parents. These courageous kids are ready to battle an invisible enemy, as mine says “nurse Ella Mae is here, Corona is finished!”

“Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭8:2‬ ‭

Jesus is With Us

Whether we realize it or not, we think we have so much more power over our lives than we actually do. Panic is a result of seeing reality and realizing very little is truly in our hands. When the power we thought we had is taken away we find ourselves desperate and afraid, and in the midst of this global crisis this is a stark and sobering reality for many if not all.

This is a good time to take stock and realized where we may have misplaced faith, faith in things that can’t save us! Although this may take us by storm it did not catch God by surprise and He is still very much in control. God is with us and that is why we do not need to fear, actually God tells us not to fear! 

“And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭8:24-26‬

When we read Matthew 8:24-26 it is easy to say “why did the disciples panic? Didn’t they understand who was in the boat? They had Jesus with them!” We can read this powerful story and sit back and say we would have remained calm, but if we look at today does our answer change? As a follower of Christ, Jesus is in our boat. Now that we are facing a raging sea like we have never seen are we able to stay calm or are we forgetting He is with us?

The world is going to panic, because without God this crisis is beyond comprehension. I can’t imagine facing this without Jesus, I can’t imagine how hopeless and scary it must be. Now is the time to shine the light of hope and truth for a world in darkness! We as Christians don’t do that by panicking, grumbling or responding like the world. We do that by being calm, by being peaceful, by being helpful, generous, kind and loving. When everyone is looking to take care of themselves we must be looking to the needs of others!

Jesus is in the boat, we are not alone. The storm may rage around us but we can carry the peace that the Holy Spirit gives us to those around us if we just trust in the One who can calm the seas. For us to do this we must be intentional in prayer and quiet time with the Lord, being filled with the Word in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Take this extra down time you have been given to draw near to the Lord, to seek Him on the things you can do to help reach the lost and those in need. This is the moment, the call has gone out, now is the time to rise my brothers and sisters. Shalom.

““You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:14‬ ‭

Jesus is All We Need

Today I am so thankful for a church that is so connected. I’m thankful for a Pastor who will deliver the Word online to encourage us and share what God has spoken to his heart. I’m thankful that we are the church, that the building isn’t the important part. I look forward to when we can gather again as a physically united group, which is truly important (Hebrews 10:25). I will miss the fellowship and the sound of our voices together lifting praise and worship but I am glad that I can enter into the presence of the Holy Spirit right where I am, at all times, that He is always with me.

If all of this has reminded us of one thing, it is that we truly cannot depend or rely on anything in this world. God is the only One who will not fail. Economies, nations, the world is all shaking ground but God is our Rock! He is our provider! Jesus is our salvation. Until this week I didn’t realize the things I still relied on, things I had misplaced confidence in, and I thank God for opening my eyes to them.

My hope, my help, my provision, my protection, my security, my health, my life, my salvation, everything I need and have comes from God alone. Because of this I have no reason to fear tomorrow, the uncertainty should not move me, my source has not changed! I pray peace over you my friends, the peace of God.

Jesus is all that you need, He is all that any of us need. If you don’t know Him, I pray today you will open your heart to Him, He loves you and He won’t fail you...

Step Out in Faith!

It’s a favorite used quote among Christians, “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called” and it’s a powerful truth. The enemy wants us to feel inadequate, but we are not! What we lack God provides, where we are weak, He is strong. Where the words cannot be found, The Holy Spirit speaks. This is the beauty of saying “yes” to God when He calls you.

I have never been more amazed in my life then when God has asked me to step out of my comfort zone and do something I never thought I could or would. The Holy Spirit has always come and taken over, my job is simply to have faith and be a willing vessel to be filled. 

Today the world is facing new challenges and we can be sure that God will call us to answer in new ways. I pray that we all remember that we are more than able to do what God asks us to do in the Name of Jesus. Don’t be afraid to step out in faith and say yes, God will take care of the details! 

“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:11-12‬

Put Your Faith in God

I pray that as the world faces this global medical crisis, we rediscover what it is to be a community. That we take time to share (yes, share your toilet paper). That we take time to help. That we remember our neighbors and take concern of their needs.

I pray that the younger people will look well after the older people in the community. That those of us who have lower risk of complications will deliver needs to those who are higher risk so they can stay safe. That if we are sick we stay home and not cause others to be sick. 

I pray that we will put down the media hysteria and pick up the Word of God. I hope that we will use this extra time to connect with one another face to face in our families, putting aside distractions and seeing it as a blessing. 

I hope that in all of this we are reminded to always be people of prayer, turning to God in the good and bad, giving Him thanks and honor through it all. This virus is not bigger than God, but if we allow fear to overwhelm we let the devil win.

Be kind, be courteous, be wise, share and love one another...

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13:16‬ ‭

God Fights for You!

The devil doesn’t fight against those who are not a threat. When we say yes to God and His plan begins to unfold we can expect that the enemy will attack. The devil is predictable in this way, and having our eyes open can help us to not be caught off guard when he wages war on us. 

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭

The only One we need to focus on is God! He is faithful, He is not going to leave us to be devoured, He is the promise keeper. The very nature of God is love and as His children we should know that His defense and protection of us knows no bounds if we put our trust and hope in Him alone! 

“Yes, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely into his heavenly Kingdom. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4:18‬ ‭

When the devil attacks turn your eyes to Jesus, let your heart be glad and know that God is working with you and fighting for you!

Concetpion - the moment you became you!

Conception is an amazing process! At the very moment of conception everything about you is already determined and written in your DNA. This is the moment that you became you! God planned each and every one of us, He formed us, created us, gave us purpose. To think the God of all creation is intimately involved with every aspect of you is an incredible and humbling thought! 

Sometimes we can feel forgotten or overlooked, but when that happens remind yourself of who you are. You are fearfully and wonderfully made! You have infinite value and worth! God formed you with love, created you with purpose and valued you so much that He sent His only Son to die for your sins on the cross, rising again on the third day, paying the ransom for our sin, all so we could be united with Him for eternity in Heaven as sons and daughters of the Most High! It’s incredible to even try to comprehend...To God be the glory!

Psalm 139:14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

I'm Going All In!

It has taken me a few days to collect my thoughts and to finally sit down and attempt to put them on “paper.”  There is so much more I could say about my time in Long Beach, but these seem to be the points that have impacted my heart, that I feel at liberty to share. Others I will keep treasured in my heart for a later time. One thing is certain, these race weekends are life changing….

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." -Colossians 3:17

Long Beach Marathon weekend was one of blessings and revelation. We arrived in Long Beach not quite sure what God was going to do, but certain this race was going to be like no other.  Long Beach Marathon would be the first race in our 10 years of ministry that accepted us as a charity and had given us the opportunity to have a booth at the race Expo.  We did not know how we would be received, but we knew that we were going to take advantage of this open door!

When the “field” is ripe for harvest there is no holding back the floodgates. That was our experience at Long Beach.  People flooded our table with support and joined the cause.  It was becoming apparent that abortion no longer holds the approval of the masses, as the truth of its destruction and tragic devastation is becoming more deeply understood by people who once rode the fence.  It was an amazing experience and the way that the race allowed us the freedom to share and to promote was very unexpected, praise God!

There are things that will always stand out to me when I walk away from a team weekend and take time to reflect.  Although there were many encounters, some good, some bad, they all showed me that God is moving in the hearts of the people and the devil is not happy about it.  We may have been flipped off and some spit on, but we were also encouraged, high five’d and rallied around.  Life matters, and people are not so eager to dismiss the value of the unborn any longer, the fight is reaching the hearts and minds of many, and silence is no longer an option!

On Saturday just as we planned to go pray at the Planned Parenthood, Judge Kavanaugh was voted in.  Not only were we headed to the the front lines of our battle, but we were headed there when the pro-abortion advocates would most certainly be upset and possibly ready to retaliate.  We headed prayerfully prepared to stand in silent, peaceful, protest in front of a place where innocent lives were ended each day and mothers left broken and families shattered.  As we arrived we lined the sidewalk and began to pray.  I watched as the security guard approached the window on the phone and my heart sank, knowing that the police were on their way and having no idea what that might mean for us.  I do not believe that courage is the absence of fear, but the choice to stand in faith in the face of fear.  I bowed my head and prayed, telling God that I would not be distracted by whatever might happen, that I would trust Him and I would pray until I was told I couldn’t stay.  As the sound of many sirens of police cars drew closer, I kept my heart centered on praying for the women who felt they had no other choice and protection over the babies whose lives were in danger.  The sirens came very close and I prayed that God would send Heavens angels armies to protect us, I wouldn’t know until the next day how amazingly God answered that prayer.  The sirens stopped in the distance and we stood our ground and prayed for an hour.  My heart was overcome by the sadness of such a place, I hated the way it bragged its presence with its tall building overshadowing everything on the block.  It made me angry that the devil and his lies had reached so many, leading them only into a brokenness they could have never imagined.  We finished our time in prayer, uninterrupted, and moved on to visit the Pregnancy Resource Center around the corner.  What I found out the next day is that the police did show up, only the six cars came and blocked the road so that we could peacefully protest without altercation.  God sent guardians, of that I have no doubt!

Race day was one that I was physically not prepared for.  I have struggled so much to regain my fitness following my surgery, but my faith is not in my abilities but in how God will provide! I had the privilege of running with a very dear friend, and we promised to stay with each other for the whole race.  During our run we read the Bible verses that my Fiji teammates wrote on my jersey out loud for all the hear. It was such an awesome time of pressing in and trusting God as we ran and prayed for others out loud and silently.  As we entered into the beach stretch, miles 8-10, my body was exhausted.  Anna told me that this was the most brutal point of the race in past years because there is no shade and the sun blazes down on you.  As we stepped out into the “desert” God covered the sky with the thickest cloud. It was incredible. The sun didn’t shine again on us until we turned onto the shaded part of the course, the pillar of cloud had led us out of the heat and into the shade!  The last 3 miles left me completely at the end of myself and it was then that God spoke to me with a powerful illustration.  Along the final 3 mile stretch people from the community lined the streets with treats and encouragement.  They were there because they wanted to be, most of them probably didn’t know a single runner.  I saw ahead of me, a woman with a bowl of pretzels and my heart was encouraged!  I thanked her as I took this much needed treat and her response was “my pleasure.” That act of selfless kindness didn’t cost her much, but it meant everything to me!

Now picture a different story, one where the weary runners hit the home stretch but instead of support they are met with “you will never make it” “just give up now” “jump in my car, ill drive you to the finish, no one will ever know.” Any form of negativity during an endurance race can destroy you.  That is why people are there to cheer, because we all know that even one word of encouragement, one high five from a stranger, one act of kindness is all it takes to dig deep and press forward.

When we tell women in unplanned pregnancy that they should abort we are telling them that they can’t do it, that they aren’t good enough, that they are not able to rise above, that they are weak.  Abortion is not an out, it may be a way to attempt to bypass a situation, but it's cost is astronomical and the life taken can not be brought back. Abortion does not empower women it cripples them, and telling someone to abort is not cheering them on, it is cutting them off at their knees!  The pro-life advocates strive to cheer on women, to remind them of the strength they have forgotten.  We want to encourage them to move forward and to not give up.  Life is not a choice that you regret!  

In the Pro-Life movement, we don’t just cheer the women on at a mile marker, if they are struggling we drop our signs and offer to run them home!  For most of us, our relationship with the women we meet continues on through life. We are there after the baby is born and if the mother chooses, for the remainder of their lives! We know that it takes a village to get through the dark days and the struggle and that is what many of us offer, to become that village. We also don’t leave behind the women wounded by their past abortions, we lift them up and help them stand again so that they can move forward in their lives with regained hope in the Lord.

I don’t know what you have been through, or what you are preparing to face, but I can tell you that I along with my 9,000 teammates will be there to cheer you on, to pray for you, to walk with you, to encourage you and to never give up on you if you will let us!  I will tell you a secret about long distance runners, we aren’t in it for the sprint, that is just the warm up!  We are in it for the long haul, and if you will let us, we will see you to the finish and beyond! We choose love, we choose life, we choose to trust the details to God and to step out into the unexpected plan that He has written on all of our lives….

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,"

 -Hebrews 10:24