My Journey Toward A Trusting Heart

A Box of Rocks

Here's something that's been stirring in my head for a long while...finally took time to put it to 'paper':

Sometime ago my husband and I attended an event kicking off a “Capital Campaign” for our church’s building program. At that event, the tangible part of making that sacrificial commitment to give was presented in the form of ‘rocks.’

The point was that God can move mountains…even if its one stone at a time.

I picked a large rock. Small enough to hold in the palm of my hand, but large enough that it wouldn’t be overlooked or lost in a pocket. I knew what we felt challenged to give was, indeed, a huge mountain in our lives. We would need God to move a few stones in order for us to see that pledge fulfilled.

To this day I hold that rock in my hand during my prayer time every morning. There is NOTHING mystical or magical about the rock, but it is merely a physical reminder that the Lord is at work in my life, moving my ‘mountains’ one rock at a time. Sometime those mountains are blasted out of the way, almost miraculously, and other times, He just does it one-rock-at-a-time, over time.

And with that in mind, I bought a bag of creek rocks. My intention is to select a rock, or two or three from that bag, wash them up, and present them to various friends in my life who are facing difficult mountains these days…assuring them that God is at work – CONTINUALLY – and is moved by the prayers of His people, to work and to act in the lives of those in His care.

Certainly we may not see Him at work, but He IS working. When we can’t hear Him, He’s at work. When we can’t feel Him – He’s at work. Always. Never sleeping. Continuously aware of every little detail of our lives, and working to bring all things together for our good.

Please know, Reader, that God IS at work in YOUR life. Every day. The mountains you see all around you are nothing to the One whose strength is great.

So, this week, find yourself a rock. Maybe even a couple. Put them in places you’ll see them often during your busy day. Let those rocks remind you that God is moving mountains on your behalf. Sometimes the wait is long, but in the meantime you are becoming stronger. And one day you’ll realize the mountain isn’t in your horizon any more. God moved it, and now you can continue the journey toward becoming more like Jesus.

One more thing...

I do have another article on Faithwriters...go to:

www.faithwritersmagazine.com  and look under "United As One" -- you'll find me.

And its dedicated to Mark.

ATM - article

Feedback, if you please...

ATM

Recently, while my husband and I and our two boys were running errands, we stopped by our bank’s ATM.

From his car seat, our two year-old asked, “What doing, Daddy?”

His six year-old brother answered, “Daddy’s making money, Connor.”

My husband and I had a nice laugh over that one. Boy, if it were only that easy.

You know, God Himself has an ATM….and what that really means for us is: All That’s Mine. 

As a child of God we are “entitled” to all His bounty offers. I don’t mean that in a self-centered way…I, for one, tend to run the other way when it comes to claiming all God has for me. I want the balance of being content in my current circumstances but also living in the plenty God ordains for me.

And notice I said, “in the plenty God ordains for ME.” I believe God gives differing measures of ‘plenty’ to each of us. That’s why we are not all rich, nor are we all in poverty. I don’t have the calculations for any of that, nor do I pretend have a universal explanation for it, but this one thing I know: God gives good gifts to His children.

As a Christ-follower I have at my disposal all God has. It is not based on what I put in: my charity, my gifts of time or talent…nothing. It is all the GRACE of God lavished upon me.

Unlike the bank’s ATM, where I have to make deposits before I can make withdrawals, God’s account for my life is continualy filled by His grace – by the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, and my acceptance of that Truth and my life in Christ Himself.

Another way to look at this is by considering that God generously supplies All That Matters. This goes WAY beyond the material.

God does not yearn for our comforts. He yearns for our maturity. He offers gifts that will get us closer to that. Gifts that will enable us for the journey. Gifts like:

©   Love—John 3:16  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes on Him will have eternal life.”

©   Wisdom—James 1:5  “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

©   Peace—John 14:27  “Peace I leave with you,  My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

©   Comfort—2 Corinthians 1:3, 4  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation…”

©   Forgiveness—Psalm 103:12  “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

©   Deliverance—John 8:36  “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

Need I say more? The list goes on and on. God’s supply for all that matters is endless.

There are no guarantees that we’ll have all the material possessions we think we ‘need.’ But God’s word does promise us that He will BE all we need in every circumstance of our lives.

What are you asking for? God’s ATM is open 24/7. He offers EVERYTHING that matters – life and hope and peace. What more could you want?

Prayers for a friend...

I learned today that my friend, Eva, has breast cancer. Its very serious. She is learning today whether she'll have to have a mastectomy, and how radical it may be. Eva is 40 y/o. She has three kids who are 13, 11 and 2-1/2; she is married to Mike.

Eva is such a lovely person... my heart aches for her fear and her questions and all the uncertainty about the days ahead.

Please pray for her, will you?

I'll post more as I learn more...thank you...

These Shoes Will Fit -- Article

This piece was written for the July 27 Faithwriters Weekly Challenge...it did not place, but I still hope it speaks to someone out there...

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Some women are obsessed with their feet and the shoes they put on them.

I recently saw a news report that said women are having “cosmetic toe amputation surgery” to fit into a certain style of shoe! NO KIDDING! They are actually having their toes shortened. Some of the women featured in the story have spent hundreds of dollars on designer shoes. The problem is they don’t have the feet for the shoes!  “If the shoe doesn’t fit, fix the feet” is their motto. Too bad Cinderella’s stepsisters didn’t have this opportunity…boy, how different THAT story might have ended!

You may recall the infamous Imelda Marcos, wife of the late Philippine president, Ferdinand. It is reported that Mrs. Marcos owned over 3,000 pairs of shoes. What in the world can a person do with 3,000 pairs of shoes? Wouldn’t you forget what you have?

Most women I know, including myself, have more shoes than they need. I think we justify this by rationalizing a need for a certain style of shoe for a certain task or event. We also have several different styles of black shoes: pumps, flats, sandals, boots...just to name a few.

There are several pairs of dress shoes in my closet, mostly of the “pump” variety. I have them in a wide range of colors, with a few differing characteristics. I wear them with dresses – they make my legs look slimmer, and I wear them with slacks because I want to believe they make me look taller. The truth is, though, none of them are very comfortable. They do serve a reasonable function, but comfort isn’t it. And frankly, that doesn’t matter. They look sharp and THAT is the point.

In my closet you’ll also find a pair of athletic shoes. The primary function of these shoes is to cushion my feet during exercise. They look brand new. Guess that tells you something, doesn’t it? However, when I do take advantage of them, they do what they were designed to do – protect my feet.

You know, walking with Christ requires a change of shoes now and then. As a Christ-follower, the road of life will ask many things of me. I have to be ready, at a moment’s notice, to put on the right shoes for the task I am called to.

Occasionally Christ asks me to get dirty. Sometimes, in order to fulfill His call, I have to get my hands and feet down into the mud. I have to shake off my prissiness, put on my work boots, and be willing to be grubby. Personally, this has meant taking missions trips to El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Jamaica. It was in these foreign places I learned to serve without thought of getting dirt under my nails or getting my shoes dirty. It was pure joy to serve Christ in this way.

When I have my running shoes on, I can be so effective for Christ. I am busy and productive. But, there’s also the risk of doing too much. Sometimes in my life there is an increasing need to produce more, to achieve more, to succeed. These can be worthwhile gains, but on the other hand, often I am moving too fast. If I am honest, I’m either running away from something, or trying too hard to catch something else. The Holy Spirit would say, “Slow down!” Its all right to stroll, to walk. Running the race is not all there is to life. There is a time for me to put on my running shoes, and a time to take them off.

My life’s call is to walk as Jesus walked. To love and serve selflessly and unconditionally. This walk will require me to change my shoes frequently so that, like Paul, I can be all things to all men – so that I may bring them to Christ. (1 Corinthians 9:19ff).

And another thing: God is the only designer who will tailor make those shoes, especially for me, so that I can serve Him effectively. He expects nothing more than that I put them on and walk with him. And the only surgery required is the one on my heart…so that I will have HIS heart in bringing the lost to Christ!

I can sing, “Hallelujah, I’m walking with the King”. And these shoes fit me to a tee!

Workin Hard or Hardly Workin?

The Discovery Channel is one of our family's favorites. On average we watch more programming on that channel than any other.

“Dirty Jobs” is one of our favorite programs. The show features a host, Mike, who goes around the country learning about all the various jobs that make life easier for the rest of us.  We’ve watched Mike clean out storm drains in LA, exterminate cockroaches and termites, and catch baby alligators with his bare hands…you name it and Mike has done it. I’ve often said, “Hmmm…I wondered how they did that!” The show is entertaining and educational. And those people work hard.

Even my six-year-old son loves the show. As a matter of fact, he’s been found to experiment with his own “dirty jobs” in our back yard.

One day, he put on his “work boots”, which are actually last year’s snow boots, then headed outside to his “worm hole.” The worm hole is an area of our backyard that is not landscaped. He poured water into a hole he dug with a big spoon, and, well, worms.

When he came to the back door, looking like he’d just surfaced from a coal mine, I asked him what he’d been doing. “I’m doing Dirty Jobs, Mom.” He then proceeded to explain to me every step in the process of digging for worms. He was working hard.

I don’t think I found any worms in his pockets when I did the laundry.

The Apostle Paul, in Colossians 3:23 and 24 tells us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Of course the Dirty Jobs show does not tell us whether any of those people are Christ-followers, but for me, the show does hold up a standard of hard work. As a Christ-follower myself, I am challenged to examine my own perspectives on working for Christ, and what I’m willing to do for Him.

When my husband and I answered the call to serve God as missionaries in Lithuania, in my self I was scared to death. But at the same time, there was an abiding sense of peace that flooded my heart and gave me an excitement for what might lie ahead. God put people in my path who could teach me what I would need to know about living in a different country and culture. And of course, there would be things I would have to learn the hard way…just by being there and living among new people. I knew it would be hard work, but I was ready for the challenge.

Like Paul says in Colossians, I knew there was an inheritance from the Lord. Maybe here, but likely in eternity.

God’s call to work for Him is highly individualized. He doesn’t sort us out randomly. He calls each of us to a particular task and then provides what we need to get the job done. Yes, sometimes it’s on-the-job-training. But He is a patient teacher and gives us no more and no less than is required for us to understand what needs to be done to accomplish His will. When He calls, He equips.

As I worship Christ, I become intimate with Him in ways that will transform my life. As a worshiper, I will be drawn to walk with Christ, to know His word and to learn to hear His voice. Once I’ve walked with Him a while, I will be drawn to work for Him. I cannot sit idly by and let those around me fall. As a Believer, my work for Christ is intentional -- to bring others to Him and to share His love with those who desperately need Him.

How about you? Are you workin’ hard for Christ, or hardly workin’? Its time to pick up your spoon and get with it! You might be called upon to find your own “dirty job.” But the rewards are out of this world!

Customer or Client? -- article

Have you ever thought about the difference between a client and a customer? I’ve thought about this in the past and decided its time to sort this out and see how it fits in with LIFE.

The definitions of client and customer are almost interchangeable. According to Merriam-Webster, a “client” is: “a person who engages the professional advice or services of another.” Similarly, a “customer” is: “one that purchases a commodity or service.”   

When I stop by the convenience store for a soda, I’m a customer. There is little, if any, personal exchange between myself and the clerk. It doesn’t matter which clerk rings up my purchases. The service they provide is not particularly skilled so it is not critical who makes the sale. As a customer, I can usually find many places that will meet my needs. I can buy gasoline, soda, snacks or whatever at almost ANY convenience or grocery store. The service provided to me is almost always the same. The only time I am really dissatisfied is when I walk in to my nearest convenience store and find that the Diet Coke machine is out of order!

On the other hand, as a client I am served by a therapist, a hair stylist, a realtor. This indicates an on-going relationship with the same person.

When I visit the salon for a haircut, or a manicure or pedicure, I’m receiving a service that enhances my life. This service is given to me by a professional— someone skilled and/or licensed in a specialized field. Typically this is a person I visit on a regular basis. Also, I visit this person exclusively. Not just anyone will do. As a client, my provider knows me well, knows how to meet my needs and knows why I’ve come.

When it comes to God, are you a customer or a client? Are you someone who shows up at the convenience store called “church” and expects to be waited on? You don’t have any particular investment in this service. You just know that SOMETHING will meet your temporary needs and you’ll go from there with some level of satisfaction.

Often we prefer to be the customer in our relationship with God. We would rather keep Him at arms length. We don’t want Him to expect too much from us. We want to be able to go other places and try other things to fulfill our longings. Being a customer keeps us at a safe distance. Not too personal.

Are you a client when it comes to having a relationship with your Provider? Do you have an on-going friendship with Him – he knows how to meet your needs and why you’ve come? Do you seek Him exclusively to meet your needs? Do you allow Him to enhance your life?

I want to be a client. I want to know that my God KNOWS me. That He knows my innermost being. That He knows my heart’s desires and dreams. He knows what brings me joy. That kind of relationship is built on TRUST. It is built by surrendering all I am and all I have to the One who created me in His likeness. Above all other things, this truly enhances my life. For today and for eternity.

So what are you? Customer or client?

Take the Keys Out of the Door - article

I recently read a story about a woman who heard a knock at her front door. She looked out the peephole to see a man standing there. She asked who it was and he replied that he had a package for her. She asked to see the package. Then she asked to see his ID. He wearily said to her, “Lady, if I wanted to break into your house, I would have just used these.” He pulled out the keys she’d left in the door.

This makes me think about my spiritual life. It causes me to think about those areas of my life that are vulnerable to the enemy. I often think that just because I haven’t committed any heinous crimes that I am above blame. I am so careful to guard against the blatant temptations of life and I am eager to believe I have my “house” locked up tighter than Fort Knox. But it isn’t that simple.

Like many of you, I stand condemned of at least a few of the “Seven Deadly Sins”: PRIDE, ENVY, GLUTTONY, LUST, ANGER, GREED, SLOTH.  I am only fooling myself to think otherwise. It certainly isn’t fooling God.

Its so easy for me to view myself as a model of spiritual perfection because I want to think sin is only things I do.  This attitude is tantamount to leaving the keys in the door of my heart, knowing the enemy of my soul is watching and waiting for an opportunity to walk in and pull up a chair. Ephesians chapter 4, verse 27 tells us, "don't give the devil an opportunity." What are we doing that is, indeed, giving the devil an opportunity?

We are like the Pharisees Jesus warned in Matthew 23: 25-28 – “…You are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy – full of greed and self-indulgence!” And, “You are light whitewashed tombs – beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. You try to look like upright people outwardly but inside your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

Pretty harsh words, don’t you think? But I know in my heart of hearts, this often applies to my own life. My failures come in my attitudes toward others whose sin is “worse” than mine. They come by my attitude toward my husband or children when things don’t go my way. I am guilty of impatience as I’m driving down the streets of my city, or standing in line at the grocery store.

To believe my human weaknesses are not sin is a danger to my walk with Christ. The Spirit that dwells within me deserves a place that’s surrendered completely to His will and to His Presence. He cannot live where sin abounds. By overlooking the “log” in my own eye (Matthew 7:3) I can easily fall prey to Satan’s advances and his goal for subtly wooing me away from my Savior.

I want to take the keys out of the door. I want to do all I can to protect my life from those things that would keep me from all God has for me; to remove any opportunity for the enemy to come in and steal, kill and destroy.

This comes by being wise to the enemy’s schemes and protecting my heart from his lies. It comes from DAILY asking the Holy Spirit to make me aware of those areas that I can so effortlessly ignore or excuse. I want to be a vessel that’s clean on the inside AND on the outside. I want my life to reflect the living presence of the Holy Spirit.

I’m taking my keys out of the door. Where are yours?

Model Open - article

MODEL OPEN

Ephesians 4:1 – “Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling…”(NLT)

I live in a small but fast-growing suburb of Chicago. New-home subdivisions and retail developments are popping up nearly every time you turn around. Go away for a week or two and when you come home—voila!—something new on a once-vacant corner.

In some of the new subdivisions one of the first things you’ll see is a Model Home. Often there’s a row of houses, showcasing the various styles available from the developer. The idea is to create a desire, a picture of what could be for you and your family. You may see a flag or banner shouting the invitation, “Model Open!” Once inside, you’ll see the builder and decorator have pulled out all the stops to entice you to buy the lifestyle they are selling.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are the models the world will view. Like the lifestyle a new home offers, life in Christ offers a beauty and a peace we cannot enjoy living the old way.

Do our lives reflect God’s grace, His forgiveness and His mercy? Do our lives model Christ-like values and attitudes that create a desire in others to have what we have; or do we demonstrate the aggressive behavior that has become part of our culture?

Road rage is a term we’re familiar with these days.  But how about check-out-lane-rage?

You’re in a hurry at the grocery store. You get in the Express Lane with your limit of 12 items. There is someone in front of you who obviously cannot read the sign or count – she has 15 items. You know because you counted them. What do you do?

Do you: a) Shift your weight impatiently from one foot to the other; b) Sigh loudly; c) Look at the people behind you and roll your eyes; or d) Mumble, “Come on,” under your breath, but loud enough for those behind you to hear, and agree with you!

Some of us might think, “These people don’t know me.” But how can we be sure?

What are the chances one of these shoppers visited your church and you didn’t see them but they saw you? I know as a former member of a worship team, I could not possibly see all the faces in the congregation…but they certainly could see me. More than likely, they would recognize me outside the context of the church.

There are many non-believers who think Christians are a bunch of hypocrites. Without the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us, we easily fall prey to the pressures of our busy lives and become impatient. We can forget that we are called to BE Christ to a dying world and to model His love and grace to people who don’t know Him.

I want my life to be worthy of the calling of Christ Jesus. I want my life to shout the irresistible invitation, “This model is open. See Jesus inside.”

Flowers For My Father

I understand it’s been raining where you are….I mean REALLY raining. Life-storms can

sure dump on a person, can’t they? I know all about that.

Recently I found a little verse in Psalm 71:20—“Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again.” David knew about storms. And like him, many of us have had our share of “troubles, many and bitter.”

I’ve certainly had my portion.

I lost my husband to cancer. Ten weeks from start to finish. Yes, it was hard. It was a tornado. Yes, that storm re-arranged life as I knew it. But it has long since settled down and God has restored many things.

I struggled to regain my strength after a stroke. The neurologist told me I should have died. I didn’t. That storm wreaked havoc in my life. But, like David, I knew God would restore my life again.

He did. And today, though I should be dead, you would never know I ever had that stroke.

The year after I married again, our newborn son was diagnosed with severe Hemophilia. We were not prepared for that deluge…and we wondered if we would make it. But we did, and we have learned to navigate those uncharted waters.

In spite of the heavy rains in my life, there has been an abundance of blessing…sort of the “flowers after the showers.”

I have seen the FAITHFULNESS of God and I have seen my own FAITH grow. I know that regardless of what the storm looks like, my anchor is held firm in my Rock and my Salvation. What He promises, He will do.

I have learned to LAUGH and to have joy in the middle of the downpour. Proverbs 17:22 tells us, “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” I have a cheerful heart and it is well with my soul. Laughter of the heart can transcend the deepest grief.

There have been lessons in OBEDIENCE. What peace there is in obeying God’s call, and obeying His word to stand firm!  A portion of Deuteronomy 6:3 tells us to “…Be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you.” God knows what He’s doing when He leads me down a path that’s unfamiliar. He made the map…I will trust His directions. I will have no fear and it will go well with me.

I discovered a new level of WORSHIP. Psalm 108:3-5 — “I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth.”

Worship opens our hearts to God in new and intimate ways. It allows Him to fill us with his love, forgiveness and healing.
 

I know how to EMPATHIZE with others who've been through storms. I understand grief. I understand physical pain. I understand fear of the unknown. I understand depression.

I’ve learned that through my heartache, I can offer help and hope as others face similar trials. Galatians 6:2 (NLT) calls us to “Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” If we’ve “been there, done that”, as Christ-followers it’s our call to share the pain of our brothers and sisters and walk alongside them in their struggle.

I have learned to REST in the peace of God. “When you demand answers, you sacrifice peace.” That’s His word to my aching spirit. There is REST when you leave the answers up to Him. I rejoice in the REST found in His strength, care and in the miracle of His life-changing power.

One more thing I’ve found is STRENGTH. I have learned that, like Paul, “I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.” (Philippians 4:13, NLT). When God calls me to pain, He provides the power I need to get through it. I am stronger now than before the showers.

Have you noticed? My discoveries spell F-L-O-W-E-R-S. It’s a mixed bouquet, but I’m tying a ribbon around it and offering it to my Father. I think He’ll love it!

Response to YAMGT

Good morning, Mommies...

I just rec'd an email from a "dear old" friend of mine. Deb and I have known each other for about 30 years now. We have not kept in touch thru all the years, but did manage to "find each other" about two years ago.

I know Deb's Dad, and did know her mother, well. I spent MANY Sunday afternoons at their home; in the summer, swimming in the lake -- in fact, Deb's Dad taught me how to dive!!

Deb sent me this response to the YAMGT article...I think its truly beautiful and a firm confirmation about why its important to make that list...I hope you'll take it heart as much as I have...

AMEN!

YAMGT

YAMGT

Psalm 84:11 “No good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

I love acrostics. Building a message from them can be so much fun. And it really takes much of the work out of it for me. Its as if the points are already provided...I just have to fill in the blanks.

YAMGT. Have you figured it out yet? Its forever engraved in my heart and on the inside of my husband’s wedding band, along with the reference of Ps. 84:11. And I tell him often: You Are My Good Thing.

When I met Mark, it didn’t take long for me to know that he was God’s gift to me. We were brought together at the right time, in the right place, for the right season of life.

After I lost my first husband to cancer, I learned some things about myself that proved to be potentially serious weaknesses. During my two years as a single mom, I began making a list of those weaknesses, praying the Lord would take care of me…that “IF” He chose to bring someone into our life, He would use my “list” in putting it all together.

Mark is my list. And then some. He is truly my good thing. The gift God knew I needed.

But you know, every now and then, I need to look at my list again. When things get crazy. When he’s been out of town for too many days -- and I'm tired of being Mom 24/7. When I’m irritated because he didn’t do something. Or irritated about what he did. Or simply because I need to be reminded of what a Good Thing he truly is.

I challenge you  to make a list yourself. Do it right now! List all the things you love about your husband. You might have to dig a little, especially if you are in a critical frame of mind. But I can promise you, once you start, your list will grow. And ask God, who gives us these good gifts, to help you. Believe me, that’s a prayer that won’t go unanswered.

Then, before you’ve run out of paper, leave him a note that says, “ YAMGT.” Let me know what happens!

Light From A Cracked Pot - Article

Ever heard of Dr. Howard Carter? How about Indiana Jones? I’ll bet Indiana Jones brings something to mind. The name Howard Carter means nothing to many people today -- even you might be scratching your head!

Dr. Howard Carter is the world-renowned archaeologist who discovered King Tut’s tomb in 1922. Indiana Jones, as you probably know, is the heroic fictional archaeologist of movie fame.

In spite of the fact that he doesn’t really exist, I do admit that Indiana Jones did sort of inspire me toward some interest in archaeology. Well, I should emphasize the “sort of” part. Though I do find this science fascinating, I’m not so inspired as to grab a spoon and start digging in my own backyard.

Though archaeology is not an exact science, archaeologists EXPECT to find something. They expect to find things that will indicate facts about the life and times of those who've gone before us. They expect to find something that will tell a story. Visit any museum and you’ll find thousands of artifacts from just about every culture. They all have a story to tell. And often, they were found in pieces.

Great care is taken to put the pieces back together. The scientist does this in order to complete the picture of what the vessel was intended to be and what it may have looked like. But often there are gaps where pieces are missing, or whole sections crushed beyond repair.

And so it goes with us…We are vessels, created by The Potter. But life brings heartache and heartbreak, disappointments and failures…those are the things that break the vessel into pieces. Some things in life cannot be taken back. There will forever be things we cannot forget.   We are broken and spilled out and in our hopelessness we are willing to be thrown by the wayside, buried under the pressures of life itself. We have convinced ourselves that we are no longer useful. We have difficulty believing there is any purpose left in us.. A “purpose driven life”? We feel we have neither purpose nor drive. We ourselves might dig the holes into which we can burrow down, wishing to never be heard from again. We may ask, "What’s the use?"  

But there is hope! Those things do not determine the value of the vessel.Christ has come to dig us out of the ruins of our past. The Great Archaeologist has come to bring us out, wash us up and find a use for us once again.

There is great beauty and purpose in the vessel that has been broken. In the gaps left by that heartache and loss, the Light inside can shine out in all directions, touching others in a way the “perfect” vessel cannot. Can you picture that?

In her book, “Becoming A Vessel God Can Use”, Donna Partow says, “God can use imperfect vessels like you and me. In fact, he often delights in choosing the most unlikely people to accomplish his purposes in this world.”

And, according to Barbara Johnson, “God Uses Cracked Pots.”

I am a cracked pot. I have experienced the loss of a husband through death. I’ve experienced a serious health crisis. I’ve experienced the serious health crisis of one of my children. All these things have put some serious “dings” in the vessel that is me.

But through it all, I can honestly say that my heartbreaks have brought me closer to God. The Great Archaeologist has pulled me out of the mire of self-centered grief, out of hopelessness, out of depression. He has removed from me the guilt of my past. But I have the Light that shines brightly, offering the same hope to others who've been broken by life.

I don’t know the breadth of what God can do with a vessel like me, or like you…I only know that He is able to give our lives purpose and meaning, and in His time, and for His glory, He will make us beautiful.

Surviving a Layover

I’m a destination person. For me, “getting there” is an unavoidable inconvenience. I also prefer to fly non-stop…its fast. I love to BE where I’m headed. But when non-stop isn’t an option, I have to make a connection. The problem here is that there might be a layover. I don’t like layovers.

For those of us who are Destination People, the surprise layover can be so frustrating. What am I supposed to do with this time on my hands? I have places to BE, people to see…there is no time for wasting time sitting in an airport terminal WAITING. And, to make matters worse, it might be a LONG layover. HOURS. Oh my.

How do other people react to a layover? Let’s consider what we might see:

Some are yelling at the airline personnel at the gate counter. That’s pointless. Those poor souls have no control over it. And wouldn’t all of us rather be grounded if there’s a chance the airplane could go down because of something broken, or weather that would create hazardous conditions in the sky or on take-off or landing?

Some others are reading. Either a book or a newspaper. Some are watching TV, doing some intense lip-reading, (you can’t actually “hear” the TV), or if they are lucky, reading the Closed Captioning.

Others are talking on their cell phones; some are working on their laptop computer; others are napping. Or maybe they are eating. And if there are a few like my mom, they’ll make a new friend out of another delayed passenger!

During a layover, everyone finds something to do, constructive or not. They are all trapped by circumstances they cannot change or control.

I’ve experienced some layovers in life. Being a Destination Person, I do not really want any layovers in my life. I want to get on with it. Do what I was born to do, or what I feel called to do. What I am passionate about.

But in the waiting time, I can experience some of the most amazing spiritual growth. It’s in the layover that God can renew my spirit, shed light on some dark places of my heart, feed me, teach me, give me rest. I think God plans for these layovers from time to time. He knows when I need it most. I’m learning to cooperate!

Like the delayed passengers in the airport terminal, I have some choices:

First, I can argue with God. That’s pointless…He is God. He alone knows what’s going on outside the gate area. Maybe there’s something His mercy is keeping from me – some pain I cannot see.

I can read – spend more time in His Word. Maybe I’ll find a side of Him I have overlooked, or worse, ignored completely. And in addition, I can find great books (whether in print or on CD) that will nourish my soul and point me toward God’s character. There is much to be learned from the experience of others.

I can also welcome some uplifting and inspiring television programs into my life. While there is much junk on TV today, there are also several “inspirational networks” dedicated to ministering to the lost and found alike! I have often been spoken to by a TV pastor. God knows where I am and how to find me.

I can “phone a friend.” Layovers are often a great time to reconnect with friends – or better, my own family. In the busyness of my life, and the confusion of my heart, I can overlook those people closest and most dear to me. My marriage can suffer; my children can become little more than annoyances. And like “iron sharpening iron”, I need friends who can listen when I am despairing because I am in a holding pattern. Or, maybe, just maybe, that friend needs ME. You know, maybe this layover isn’t about ME at all!  And quite possibly, there may be someone God brings into my life I would never have met if not for this “inconvenient” layover. I will have a new friend!

And then, I need to take time to eat. Its critical I am committed to a local church, being fed from the Word on a weekly basis, as well as participating in corporate worship. And in finding a place to be spiritually fed, I will also see other areas of my life ministered to.  I can jump into a community group, or an upcoming women’s event. My church offers regular opportunities to get plugged in. The writer of Hebrews tells us, “Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together…but exhort one another.” (Heb. 10:25) There is a purpose for assembling together in corporate worship and teaching and fellowship. I must not avoid it during the layover.

Sometimes all I need is REST. A dear friend recently told me, “God moves through many but rests in few."  I want God to REST in me. And I need to rest in Him. This layover can be a time for restoration. A time for a spring rain to drench my parched soul. Like an old B.J. Thomas song, “I need to be still and let God love me.” (permission to quote not secured) If your layover is self-imposed, out of a need for rest because of burn-out, then this is a very important time for you. There is no need to jump right into another mode of serving. Rather this is time to REST and recuperate and be restored by the Father.

Instead of looking at my Life Layovers as a waste of precious time, I am learning to see them as Precious Time. It’s a time when God’s grace is poured lavishly on me, bringing me closer to Him, and preparing me for my destination. And who knows, He might change my plans altogether…I might end up in a place I never dreamed possible! And I can’t think of any place I’d rather be.

© 2005 Kimberly R. Thomas