How Facing Death With Sam Caused My Priorities to Change

I intended to write about Giving Tuesday today. It's the day on which giving to nonprofit organizations/ministries is emphasized. As one who's dependent upon the generosity of those who believe there's value in my work, maybe I should make the day a higher priority, but I'm writing about other priorities today. 

After I returned from the Middle East and found Sam a few breaths away from eternity, I spent long hours at his bedside, watching as he slipped from the grasp of this world. "What will I do without Sam?" was a recurring refrain in my head.

It took a little while for the refrain to change to, "What will I do now that I don't have Sam?" 

I've begun to reevaluate my life. 

This past year, I've had many 60-80 hour weeks, but I no longer want to keep that pace. It's bad for my health and, probably, for my productivity, as well. I've seriously considered what activities and priorities need to stay and what need to go. 

Every time I say that, people who know me well look a little nervous. They've seen me rearrange priorities before, and it didn't always work out as they'd anticipated.

Twenty-six years ago, when I found out I was expecting Ryan, one of my patients said, "You're about to find out what real love is. In fact, you're about to learn about God's love, too." 

I smiled, thanked her, and secretly thought I knew plenty about love. I'd been in Girls' Auxiliary in my church and memorized a mountain of Scripture. I thought I knew plenty about God's love, too.

Then, my world turned upside down. Despite the patients waiting for me in every one of my exam rooms, my ob-gyn told me to go home and stay there until the baby came. I could see the ones in rooms and no more. 

I was shocked and saddened. It felt a little like all my professional dreams evaporated on the spot, but I did it, because I wanted to protect the tiny child growing inside me more than anything else in the world. 

That little baby was too small for me to see, but he was more important than my career, my dreams, or my life. 

I went to bed and spent most of the next five-and-a-half months there.

It was hard. I read every book in my house and checked out mountains of volumes from the library every week. I read constantly. There's not much else to do when you're in bed, lying on your left side. I read the Warren Report from beginning to end. I learned more than I wanted to know about Castro and the Cuban Missile Crisis.  

I cried a lot.

I grieved the life I knew was slipping away. 

I dreamed of the life to come, and the little baby whose arrival would make all the hard times seem like nothing more than a moment of discomfort.

At last, the day for my C-section finally arrived. Things didn't go like I expected. I felt myself sliding into a deep, black tunnel. There was not a glimmer of light in the darkness. 

When I heard the anesthesiologist shout, "Get the baby out. I'm losing her," I realized I didn't just think I was dying, I knew I was. I'd heard about the light at the end of the tunnel (whether it's a true thing or not, I don't know). There was not a bit of light in mine. 

I was terrified and I cried out in the darkness. "I don't want to go to hell. Save me, Jesus." And He did.

I've never been the same.

When the nurse put that beautiful blue-eyed boy in my arms, I understood what my patient had said. I finally knew what love was and, in that moment, I began to understand a parent's love for a child. I wondered, "Does God love me like this?" No. He doesn't, I learned. He loves me more. 

It's impossible for me to comprehend that God loves me more than I love Ryan, that He loves Ryan more than I love Ryan. He does, though. The only appropriate response is to love in return.

Learning to love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength became a priority and it changed everything. It made me a disciple. Loving my son became a priority. I couldn't save my marriage, but I've loved God and Ryan the best I could, and every other priority took a back seat to those two.

Both my Heavenly Father and my son are more important than my medical practice.

I know people thought I was irresponsible and a little crazy for taking a break from medicine more than once. Think what you want. When a child weeps if the phone rings because he knows his mother will be called away, the thing causing that phone to ring has to go. It did. When a teenaged boy needs his mother to help him through the difficult journey of puberty and his high school years, she has to be there. And I was.

I could have made much more money if I'd spent those years practicing medicine instead of making pottery and writing, but there is no amount of money that would replace the time I'd have lost with my son. Some people think I could have touched many more lives in medicine than at home, but no life is more important to me than this one life of my son. No heart matters more. 

I set my priorities and I lived accordingly. It hasn't pleased everyone, but it's been worth it.

As we face death, it's common to realize we could have, and probably should have, lived differently. The good news is that it's never too late to change our priorities.

I've already made some serious changes in priority for the coming year, including intentional rest and down-time, as well as more time with the people I love. It may take a miracle for me to follow through, but I've started a list of people I want to spend time with, and have already scheduled slots for "friend time" and "family time" in anticipation. 

There are two writing conferences I'd like to attend in 2018. I've put them on my new calendar and scheduled a time to sign up, as well.  

Over the years, I've watched in awe as family and friends on Facebook posted photos of the beach or other vacation spots. I haven't taken a real vacation in years, mainly because I don't know how to do it without working the entire time. In the coming year, I intend to try.

Ministry activities this past year and a half have been many and varied. I'm pondering which should stay and which should go. Which activity does God want in 2018?

I'm excited about the opportunity for growth and change, for intentionality in my lifestyle and my ministry. The point, of course, is not change, but to align my priorities with God's so that He can be glorified and honored in all I do.

When my priorities are right, everything else falls in place. I've seen the reality of this truth over and over again. I hope to see it in 2018, as well. 

Today, let's spend some time considering the coming year. Do we want it to look the same as 2017, or should we make changes in our priorities and lifestyle choices? If we want change, we'll have to choose it, so let's get started. 

It takes living to understand the simple truth Jesus taught: "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33 nasb

________________

Today is Giving Tuesday. As you consider your year-end gifts, please consider including this ministry of digital outreach, in-depth on-line Bible studies, teaching, and prayer. 

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line.

______________

Please like and share to extend our digital reach.

In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: The New Year's Sign and the Blessing I Didn't Expect

. 

When Priorities Determine Action

Jesus and his disciples had a busy day. A spontaneous healing service had begun (probably outside Simon's mother-in-law's house) at sunset. Jesus turned no one away. Scripture tells us that ALL with any who were sick brought them. He probably dealt with a crowd of sick people. 

It's not clear how long the service lasted, but, at daybreak, He headed out. Jesus needed time with His Father, and He went to a quiet place where He could be alone. It didn't matter that He'd had a rough Sabbath yesterday, that He had been up late (possibly all night), or that He was exhausted. The source of His power, strength, and perseverance came from that quiet time, and He was not about to miss it. 

Time with His Father took precedence over everything else, including the accolades and demands of the crowds. 

It was a matter of PRIORITY.  Jesus knew what was most important, and He did it. There was no whining about how tired He was, how much He had to do, or how many people were making demands on Him, nor did those things deter Him. 

Jesus needed time with His Father, and He took that time. 

Because He did, we never see the consequences of missed quiet times in His life. We do, however, see the consequences of missed quiet times of prayer and Bible study in our own lives, don't we? Increasing distance from God, decreasing resistance to the ways of the world, less time in prayer, less faithfulness...

How diligent are we about being still with the Father? How faithful are we to be quiet enough to hear the Still Small Voice in your heart?  

If our loved ones and the world around us are to see the evidence of following Christ in our lives, we must actually follow the example He set. That example begins with making time with the Father our highest priority. 

Today, let's pray for a clear understanding of our present priorities, a godly reordering where needed, and the fruit of time alone with God to be evident in our lives. 

"And when day came, He departed and went to a lonely place; and the multitudes were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them." (Luke 4:42 NASB)
_______________
Please like and share to extend our digital reach. 

In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Caregiver Chronicles: Going the Distance Even When It's a Struggle

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line.

That Surprising Moment When You Get What You Asked For

As I reached for my Bible and the James study this morning, a prayer burst forth from my mouth that surprised me. "Lord, convict me of something today." Did I mean it? Sorta.

The topic for my study was arrogance and boasting. (Week 2, day 6) The study didn't begin with the "I am" kind of boasting, but the "I will" that presumes on the future and assumes we have all the time in the world. 

Bringing in a ton of money isn't one of my top four priorities, although it probably should be a little higher up the list if I hope to survive and pay my bills as a missionary. (see below)

If you'd asked me before this morning about my priorities, I'd have said they were just fine. Today, however, I read these words:

The question, of course, is one of priority. Whose desires and opinions drive our decisions? What is the driving force of our lives? To what do we devote the most time, attention, concern? What most often occupies our mind?" 

I made a list of the four things to which I devote the most time, attention, and concern. Everything on the list was "good." There wasn't anything that shouldn't be somewhere on the list, but the order wasn't quite right.

A chill of conviction ran through me and those words, "Lord, convict me of something today," flashed through my mind. That prayer was answered in less than ten minutes.

I have some work to do. 

If we're honest, we probably all do.

Today, why not begin our prayer time by asking for something we need, and not something we want. Pray the prayer God is quick to answer. "Lord, convict me of something today." 

Be prepared to make a change when you do, because He's certain to find a sin you hadn't noticed, a priority that's not quite right, an obedience that's not complete.

It's one time when getting what you asked for might sting a little, but, if we make the change that's required, it will be worth it in the end.

"But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 nasb
_____________
This ministry of prayer and outreach (digital and in-person) is only possible because of the generosity of your support. Literally, I don't get a salary until there are enough donations to cover it. If you'd like to help, here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841
In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When Praying Becomes Cursing
#priority 

Lessons from Sam: Hunger and the Importance of Having Enough

Yesterday (April 10th) was Sam Wiley's birthday. As you may remember, he is my much-loved neighbor. This was Sam's first birthday since his wife died, so we spent a good bit of the day together. 

After church, we walked through the azaleas and reminisced about all the years we've planted azaleas together. We'd plant as many as one hundred azaleas each spring. (Those were mainly the years when we found them on sale for $1 apiece because we are both frugal.) 

As you might imagine, it took a while to get all those azaleas in the ground, but it was worth it to us because we love spring. We love flowers. We love azaleas.

We spent some time talking about life and growing older, and I thought the lessons he shared were worth passing along. (You can expect a few more lessons from Sam this week.)

Sam was born in 1930. His father contracted TB while he was in the army, and he received a check every month for $50 from the government because of it. 

I complained that $50 seemed a pitifully small amount for such a dreadful disease, but Sam said the $50 saved his family. That meager amount made the difference between food in their bellies and hunger. "We never had to go hungry."

When he was ten years old, they moved from Center to Blue Springs. They loaded everything they owned into a four-wheeled wagon, hitched it to the mules, and moved to a farm. 

The family had ten acres that they share-cropped there. That was as much as they could farm with only two mules and just two sons still at home, but it was enough. Sam and his brother worked the land. Fifty percent of all they grew went to the landowner. That seemed like a lot to me, but Sam said not, because it still left them enough. They never went hungry. 

"We was just coming out of the Great Depression. I don't reckon it could've been any worse than it was, because it was bad. We didn't have nothing. Nobody ever told us we was poor, because they didn't have any more than we did. No one did. 

"You know, we didn't have much of anything, but we was happy because we had enough."

Sam and his family had food to eat, a roof over their head, and two mules to work the land. He looks back on those years with thanksgiving. He told me several times that he was never hungry, and I realized later that not being hungry was quite an accomplishment. 

Sam and his family were content. They didn't worry about having the latest car or a fancy suit or a pretty dress. His sisters didn't worry about having their nails done or getting a pedicure or having highlights in their hair. They worried about putting food on the table and, when they had food, they were concerned that it would be enough. It always was.

We're not talking steak or lobster. They ate cornbread and peas. Vegetables they grew in the garden. Pork from the hog they raised and slaughtered and preserved. Sometimes they had meat and sometimes they didn't. 

You may have noticed that several words were repeated over and over again. "Enough. "Never hungry". If you've never been hungry, you may not understand the importance of those words, but Sam does.

Sam understands priorities. He knows what matters and what doesn't. Food on the table matters. Going to a fancy restaurant to get the food doesn't. A change of clothes matters. A closet full of clothes doesn't. 

We've lost the perspective on priority that Sam has, and we are poorer for it. We've lost the sense of family and interdependence that his family had. They needed each other to survive, they worked together to make it happen, and they didn't complain. 

Paul wrote to young Timothy about the importance of contentment and the snare of seeking wealth. We'd do well to listen to his words and take heed.

"But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction." 1 Timothy 6:6-9 nasb

Today, let's take a close look at all the wealth we've accumulated and give thanks to the Lord for His great generosity to us. As we sit down to tables laden with food, let's remember Sam's words, "We never went hungry," and give thanks with a grateful heart for the bounty of the food God has provided. 

Let's look outside our own homes, too. There are people in need all around the world. There are still people who are hungry. We can do something about that, if we will. So let's do it. In the name of Jesus, let's reach out our hand and our hearts. Let's love our neighbors as we do ourselves. 

"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'" Matthew 25:40 nasb

~~~~~~~~~~
We've had a great response to the new Bible study starting May 1, but there's still time to sign up. It will be an online course and those who sign up will have a link to access it. (It will not be posted as part of this blog.)  This 12-week study of Hosea is designed to teach the participants to dig out truth for themselves.

~~~~~~~~
In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: The Trappings of Religion

#Mondaymotivation #GoodMonday #Jesus #content 

Priorities and the Goat Demons: Who has first priority in your life?

My chronological Bible study is in Leviticus right now. All the "thou shalts" and "thou shalt nots" are a little overwhelming. This morning, though, I was startled by a verse I've previously overlooked. 

"And they shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat demons with which they play the harlot. This shall be a permanent statute to them throughout their generations."
                                                                                        Leviticus 17:7 nasb

"If they worshipped a goat, they must never have had any goats," I thought at first, but then I remembered. Yes. They were shepherds. They did have goats and sheep. 

My son showed goats in 4-H. He liked goats. I did not. The ones with horns were mean to the ones without horns. They climbed on everything, were stinky and messy, and were not consistently cooperative. Except with Ryan. His goats adored him and did whatever he wanted. 

Ryan enjoyed working with goats, but I can't imagine considering a goat a god. Sacrifice to a goat? It seems ludicrous to me, but a demonic statue, complete with goat head, was unveiled in the satanic temple in Detroit July 2015. 

People still worship goat-idols today, but they are not the only false gods we worship. 

Anything to which we give highest allegiance can be a false god. Money. Power. Work. Family. 

It's a matter of priority. To what do we give highest priority? That place of preeminence should be reserved for Almighty God alone, but is it?

If we're like most believers, God ranks in our top five, but family, friends, work, and money all rank high, too. A high ranking on our priority list is a good thing for family but not for God. He wants the highest ranking and is adamant about it.

He's not being petulant or mean-spirited. He's being our good, wise Father. 

When He has greatest priority in our lives, we do things in a way that pleases Him. We choose His paths, His righteousness. We are faithful, kind, loving, patient, gentle, honest. 

Those attributes do not mark the lives of those who worship the goat idols.

Spend a few minutes thinking about your priorities. 

What are the most important things in your life? Which of those ranks higher than all the others? Is it as it should be? What changes are in order? 

"You shall have no other gods before Me." Exodus 20:3 nasb

~~~~~~~~~~~

Be sure to check the updated Prayer List (updated this morning)

~~~~~~~~~~

In case you missed one of the past week's posts, here are the links: Changing the World: The Example of Kid President, The View from the Inversion Table: When Christ Upends Your Life, A Royal Priesthood: Preparing to Serve, We Won't Be Baptist (or Methodist) in Heaven, Friday Night With Friends: Between the Frying Pan and the Fire, Peace Only Comes When We Have Dealt With Our Sin, Starting a Prayer List.

#priority #Priorityandthegoatdemons #whohasfirstpriorityinyourlife #linesfromleanna 

A visit at Martha's house, part 17: Priority

But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42 NASB)

We come now to the last phrase in our Lord's reply to Martha, and it is beautiful. Listen with your heart to these words again, "Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." In the midst of many choices and distractions, Mary had positioned herself at the feet of our Lord, and He defended her choice. In fact, His words left no doubt. What she had chosen "shall not" be taken away from her. The important part of Mary's choice was not just that she initially made the choice. The important part, the part that gained the commendation of Christ, was that she stayed put, despite the interruptions and distractions. Because she demonstrated by her actions that she was serious about her time with Christ, He was serious about protecting that time. 

In the early years of my faith, the busyness of my life easily crowded out my time for Bible study, meditation, and worship. It was only when I made a serious change in priority, making time with my Lord the first priority, that I began to learn the truth of these words. Was it hard to carve out that time? Of course. I chose the time at the beginning of my day for worship and Bible study, which meant that I would be getting up earlier and sleeping a little less. The first one who had to understand that I meant business about the new schedule was me. Did my family suffer as a result of my decision? Certainly not, but the new schedule did mean that I arose earlier and had to do more to prepare for our morning the night before. 

Just as Mary found, when I became seriously committed to my time with our Lord, He was equally committed to protecting that time. There are still interruptions and distractions, but far fewer than at the beginning, because the words of Christ are as true for me and you as they were for Mary. Though the choice to spend time with our Lord is one that must be made over and over again, what I have chosen, what we have chosen, in terms of time with Christ, will not be taken away from us.

Jesus was referring to Mary's choice of time with Him over housework and "preparations" but He was also referring to her heart of love for Him. Her pure, unbounded love gave Him great delight, and He would not have it snatched away by the condemnation or judgment of her sister. He protected her loving heart, just as He longs to do for us. 

Please don't mistake my intent here. Housework and meal preparation have to be done, as well as the work of earning a living, and there were tasks that even Mary could not avoid. The problem is not doing the work of running a household or earning a living; the problem is one of priority. Which is most important to us? Is it getting all the work done in a certain manner and by a certain time or is it serving Christ with every action, every step we take? 

King David learned the importance of priority and made time with God the predominant prayer of His life. May we, too, pray (and seek) with David, that we might dwell in the presence of our Lord, both in solitude as well as while we go along our way, all the days of our lives.  

One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple. (Psalms 27:4 NASB)

How to inherit eternal life, part 5: Loving with our whole hearts

And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?" And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." And He said to him, "You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE." (Luke 10:25-28 NASB)

In the previous post, we considered the issue of Lordship. Loving in the way that pleases God begins with making Him our Lord, our Master. He must be the One in charge of our destiny. The only other choice is rebellion, so  we are compelled by the hope of eternity to submit to His Lordship. We cannot have it both ways. We can not love the Lord our 
God with all our heart, soul, and strength unless He is our Lord.

We turn now to the issue of loving the Lord our God with all our heart. The word translated as "heart" is kardia and refers to the muscular organ responsible for circulating blood throughout our body. Because Scripture tells us that "the life is in the blood" (Lev. 17:11), the heart was considered the center of life, mental and moral as well as physical. 

The reference here is to something done by the heart, as in loving God by our whole hearts, and indicates sincerity and lack of pretense. (thayer) Now we begin to see, don't we? Loving the Lord our God with all our heart involves loving Him with sincerity, and without pretense. There is nothing fake about it. 

We've all seen people who talk a great line about their faith, yet their lives tell a different story. We've likely been those people at times. Loving the Lord our God with all our heart, however, requires that we relinquish our "fake" demonstrations of love and truly love Him with every fiber of our being. 

This kind of love is a 24 hour a day love, in which thoughts of the One our heart loves are never far away. This kardia love makes every decision on the basis of that love. This kardia love has as it's goal the pleasure of the One we love. Finding ways in which we can we bring delight to the Light of our life becomes our goal. That is how we love and live when we love with our whole heart. 

Loving with all our heart requires an undivided heart. There is no one, no thing, that matters more than the object of our love. Our love for God becomes the most important love in our life. There is room for other loves, of course, but God shares first priority with no one.

The heart is a muscular organ unique in its properties. As such, it can get stronger with exercise, and the exercise of love will do a wondrous work in our hearts. The most amazing outcome of loving God with our whole heart is that, as we love Him sincerely and totally, our heart gains strength for that love and we can love Him even more. What is even more remarkable is that, in loving God more, we gain a God-given ability to love others more, as well. In a sense, by loving God with our whole hearts, we become a wellspring from which the love of God can flow to all around us. 

Selah. Pause and Consider.

By relinquishing our entire hearts to our Lord, loving Him above all others, we can become a wellspring of His love, flowing to everyone around us. What a beautiful picture of the transformation that divine kardia love can produce in us!  

Is that the way you love? Is your heart undivided? Is your Lord the priority love of your life? It is only in giving all our heart to Him that we can receive this extravagant outpouring of His love through us, and it is an exchange that is not only worth making, but also the most important exchange we can make. 

Oh, dear ones, if you have not given your "whole heart" to God, do it now and begin to let His love flow through you, unhampered, undivided. Let His love be your goal. Let His love be your priority. 

The Price of Discipleship, part 3

And He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." But He said to him, "Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:59-60 NASB)

We are continuing the lesson on the cost of discipleship. In the previous lesson, one who volunteered as a disciple, pledging to follow Christ anywhere, was told that he could not expect a life of comfort with Jesus. Instead, he could expect a hard and difficult time, and needed to count the cost. 

In the present example, Jesus called this man to discipleship. He had an elderly father at home and requested a delay. He had good intentions of following Jesus eventually, but needed to care for his aging father until he died. Jesus was firm. The call to follow Him is a now call. We are not to delay until a more opportune time, but are to obey now. It is also a matter of priority. God was very clear about our responsibilities to our parents, however nothing is to take precedence over Him. 

The call of Christ is a present call, a priority call, and a persistent call. We are to obey and not stop. The man was called to be an evangelist, yet he wanted to wait until a more convenient time. Jesus pressed him. He was to "get going and keep going".  

It was, finally, a pervasive call. This man was to share the gospel "everywhere". As he went, he was to tell the good news of Jesus. 

There is a tendency to look down on this man who was at a critical juncture and  struggling with the call of God upon his life. He had a difficult choice to make, and perhaps we, too, would struggle. In fact, we likely struggle with the same issues on a smaller basis. 

Do we respond quickly to the call of God or want to wait for a more opportune time? Do we make obedience to God our number one priority or does obedience take a back seat to family responsibilities? Are we willing to consistently obey, making a change in life style that is permanent? Do we share the good news of Jesus with every one we meet? 

Obedience to the call of God is a frightening and often daunting task. Without the help of the Spirit, none among us could do it. Empowered by the Spirit, however, that costly discipleship brings with it an abundant supply of love, joy, and peace. 

Following Jesus. It costs everything, but brings back more blessing than we can imagine or receive. Follow, dear ones, and don't look back. 

-------

The new book, The Waiting: When the Answer to Your Prayer is Delayed and Your Hope is Gone, as well as The Clay Papers and The Road to Bethlehem (an advent devotional guide) are now available at http://www.leannahollis.com/online-store/ Get your copy today. 

The Price of Discipleship, part 2

As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, "I will follow You wherever You go." And Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." (Luke 9:57-58 NASB)

These verses are part of a section in which Jesus was teaching His disciples about the cost of discipleship and describing what discipleship included. Someone said to Jesus that they would follow Him anywhere. Jesus replied by explaining about that "anywhere".  "The foxes and the birds have homes," He explained, "but I don't even have a spot to sleep that I can call My own." Jesus left the riches and glory of heaven for earth. His sole purpose was to redeem mankind by His death, burial, and resurrection. He came to do the will of the Father, to fulfill the law, to proclaim the Kingdom of God, to bind up the broken-hearted, and set the captives free. He did not come to accumulate stuff. 

Jesus did not spend His time on earth accumulating riches, gathering "things", or aquiring land. He owned everything, and yet He had nothing. This lack of material possessions allowed Him to be mobile. He could go where He was needed, stay as long as needed, and move on when the time came. There was no time spent on the maintenance of things. 

It was a matter of priority for Jesus. People and their hearts and souls were the priority, not things. That priority defined everything in His life, and His should be our priority as well. Does this mean that we should be homeless and wander the roads preaching and teaching the gospel? No. There will be some of us who live the life of an itenerate preacher, but most will not. 

All of us, however, need to have the Kingdom of God as our priority and not the kingdom of self. Speaking as one who has done far too much accumulating, there is a great blessing in a simple lifestyle with little to maintain. Living a life of simplicity allows us to be mobile for responding to needs, gives us freedom to invest in the kingdom of God, and keeps our eyes on our Heavenly Father from whom all blessings flow. 

Where is our priority? Is it the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Self? That priority is the first mark of a disciple. Whose life are we living? Do we choose the one we want or the life God has chosen for us? That choice says much about our discipleship and is often the very thing that prevents us from becoming disciples. What we seldom realize is that the life of accumulation and fulfilling our every desire is not the path to peace and joy. It is in following Christ, in giving freely, in loving with abandon that we find the fulfillment we seek, as well as the peace and joy that only Christ can give. 

Choose your life wisely, dear ones. Choose wisely and well.  

Ministry Choices and the Savings Jar

Some time ago, I received an email from the ministry sponsoring the disaster preparedness course I'm taking this week. God had provided a new training facility and they were thrilled. When you read "new" what do you assume? Yep. Me, too. I anticipated a brand new, sparkling facility in pristine condition.

Imagine my surprise when I found that the "new facility" is actually an old rehabilitation hospital that has been converted to a safe place for families in transition. I was nervous when I had to call a cell phone to be admitted to the building and was given careful instructions about making sure the door is locked behind me if I leave. After I unloaded my car, I quickly learned that the elevator doesn't work, so I carried my absurd amount of luggage up the stairs. The young woman who unlocked the door helped, for which I was very grateful. 

When we arrived at "my" room, I found four sets of mattresses on the floor. There is a bathroom in our room. It comes complete with a shower that works and a toilet that doesn't. The toilet has a pretty bad leak, so a large plastic container has been duct-taped to the side of the toilet to catch the water. Someone comes by periodically to empty the "collection". I'm not sure why, but black plastic and duct tape have been used to completely secure the entire toilet bowl. Only the pipes are exposed. Bold letters on the duct tape announce "Out of order!!! Do not use!!"  As if we could. 

It was raining the evening I arrived. When we toured the kitchen and dining area, two large plastic containers were strategically positioned in the middle of the dining room floor. The ceiling has some serious leak problems. The containers were there to catch the rain water. 

As you might expect, I was, to put it mildly, very surprised. That surprise turned to shock when I learned that the heat doesn't work in this building. We have a space heater in our room. We wear our coats constantly. Sometimes, I take my sleeping bag to class. I'm embracing the chill. 

It was a question of stewardship for me. If God had provided this new facility, why wasn't the ministry stewarding it better? Truthfully, I assumed I knew the answers to that question, and very nearly left for home that first day. I'm glad I didn't. 

It turned out that the sponsoring ministry is a guest in this facility, which belongs to another ministry that is attempting to sell the building. The sponsoring ministry has chosen not to spend donated money on their own facility. Instead, they use the money that is donated to provide ministry for displaced refugees in Iraq. Not only do they provide food and basic medical care for the refugees, they also provide solar-powered Bibles in Arabic or Farsi with enough volume for 200 people to hear, and SIM cards and mini SIM cards for cell phones with the entire Bible, also written in either Arabic or Farsi. They show the Jesus film to groups of Muslims  to whom they have ministered and have found that 85-90% of the Muslims convert to Christianity. The fields are ripe for harvest and they are bathing it in prayer and bringing it in. 

It turns out that the facility issues are not a question of stewardship. They are a question of priority. You see, this ministry could have facilities or souls, but not both. They chose souls. That sounds dramatic, doesn't it? Could they have a nice facility and bring souls to Jesus? Yes, of course, but many of those dollars being spent in bringing people to Jesus would have to be diverted. From which Muslim would you withhold the gospel in order to have extra toilets? From which child would you withhold food in order to have heat? 

Once I understood the facts, I embraced the cold, the leaks, and the mattresses on the floor. It's not so bad, and it gives me great joy to know that my minimal discomfort frees up harvest resources. This is the reason I started a giving jar. This is the reason I've chosen to live to save. It makes a difference. 

The founder of this ministry has arranged for small prefab houses to be shipped to Iraq. A small home can be assembled by two people in thirty minutes and it costs $1500. My class has decided to sponsor one of those houses so that a family can have shelter until a more permanent home can be found. (Remember, the refugees lost their homes because ISIS conquered their town.)  

In case you've forgotten, my saving jar now has $217.76. I had all kinds of ideas about investing in the kingdom of God. It turns out that God had an idea about that money, too. There are displaced families in Erbil who need a roof over their head. The little sacrifices I have made to save this money seem pretty meager in comparison with what they have lost. My little savings jar contents are being added to my group's offering to purchase a prefab house for refugees. 

Do you know the best part of this story? November's not over yet! The savings jar is still in business! 

Dirt in the purse

Sometimes the craziest things happen to me! Thursday night, I was laying out my clothes for Friday morning. I had a super-early day and an insanely busy schedule, so I wanted to be sure I could get dressed and out of the house quickly. Because my pants for the next day were brown and my handbag was black, I decided to change purses. Reaching in to the side zipper pocket, anticipating a pen and a tube of lipstick, I was surprised by a handful of dirt instead. Now, I do not mean lint and debris. I mean dirt from the ground. Soil. My side zipper pocket was full of soil. It's not common to reach for a pen and get garden soil instead, so I was astonished. How in the world did this happen? I made a quick purse swap and left the mystery for another day. 

This afternoon, I decided to finish the purse clean out. It turns out my handful of dirt from Thursday evening was just the beginning! There was still nearly a cupful of dirt in the side pocket and almost as much in the bottom of my purse. I like purses, have way too many (collected over years), and change purses often. There might be a little lint in the bottom of my purse, but I have never had soil in my purse, certainly not enough to pot a plant!

How could soil get in my purse? The only ones in my house are Maggie the Wonder Dog, Mamie the Apprentice Wonder Puppy, me, and God. I didn't put dirt in my purse, I didn't see how the dogs could have done it, so I decided to talk with the Lord about it. "I can't see You putting dirt in my purse, Lord, but how did it get there?" I asked. Silence. As the day went on, I would occasionally say, "Really, Lord, what's up with the dirt in the purse? That's very strange." Nothing but silence. Finally, I said, "OK. Is there some kind of lesson in this? Because dirt in the purse is really weird!" About that time, I thought about all the things I carry in that purse. Hair clip, makeup, mirror, breath mints, safety pin, wallet, credit and debit cards, cash and change. Just stuff. As I pondered the purse, I realized that everything in the purse represented things that I keep near and that are important to me  - beauty supplies, money, pens, check book. Nothing really important. 

To God, maybe all of the contents were no more important than dirt. That offends me a  little, until I realize that, from an eternal perspective, none of those things in my purse matter. They don't matter a bit. I will not carry a purse into heaven with me, there will be no need for beauty supplies, and the money will be pointless. In heaven, they use gold to pave the streets. In a way, gold is a little like soil in heaven, so maybe the contents of my purse really do look like dirt to God. 

Let me be clear about this. I am not suggesting that God put dirt in my purse. I don't know how it got in my purse, but I don't think it was God. I do think He helped me see things a little differently. Those things that matter so much to me now will be totally worthless in heaven, including the money I have so carefully stored away.  There will be no need for lipstick or hair clips there, either. 

When we look from the standpoint of eternity at the "stuff" that we consider so important, it looks a lot less important, doesn't it? Take a good long look at the things you consider important enough to keep nearby. Do they have eternal significance?

I'm afraid my purse contents tell a little more about me than I'd like. Unfortunately, I'm not sure it's my purse contents that need to change. Maybe it's me. Perhaps you have a few priority changes to make, too. Well, friends, we might as well get started. There won't be any handbags in heaven.  

  

Digging, Ditches, and Water

I finally bought a greenhouse. Well, it's going to be a greenhouse. Thanks to Charles Wood who told me where to look, I have a very affordable kit that is pretty close to my dream greenhouse. I think. I won't know for sure, of course, until it is assembled. 

I picked it up today and, naturally, had visions of moving into it this afternoon. Ryan opened the boxes and spied some white paper. "Oh good! Instructions!" He said. I was busy walking off my site and pulling up some weeds that were in my way. "Mom, you might want to look at this first step here," he said. "Why?" I asked. "Well," he said, "It starts with a hole and moves to filling the hole with gravel. It looks like kind of a lot of gravel."  He was exactly right. We needed a 10 ft x 12 ft x 5 inch hole that was smooth and level in the bottom, with a significant amount of pea gravel, before the first piece could be assembled. I grabbed two shovels and we got started. 

After 30 minutes or so, I was beginning to whine, and to see that I could very well still be digging the hole when Spring arrived. I had an almost-respectable hole started when Ryan said, "Where is the door on this thing?" I indicated the end closest to my house. "How are you going to get your water hose in there from the hydrant?" he asked. "Oh, Ryan, I'm just going to run it under the back wall."  I had everything planned. "Umm. I hate to tell you this, but that's not going to work. The back wall is going to be down in the ground.  We can run the water hose around to the front and through the greenhouse I guess." Immediately, I saw the problem. I had positioned the greenhouse as close to the water source as possible, but without any way to get the water inside. 

I wanted to cry. Well, actually I did, but just a little. That canyon we had just dug was in the wrong place! There was nothing to do but move twelve feet back and start over. After a few shovelfuls of dirt, I realized I was not going to make it. I would have to have help. I called my hay man, who pretty much knows everything about farm stuff, and he told me what piece of equipment I needed and who owned it. Help is coming at 7am tomorrow! 

Here's where my problem began. For beautiful plants in the greenhouse, access to water is critical. I understood that, and wanted to be close to the hydrant. My first site was very close to the water. The problem was that I wanted the water source to be unobtrusive. My solution was to hide it in the back where no one would see it. Unfortunately, the only way to access the water was to give it a priority position. 

It sounds a lot like the Christian life, doesn't it? Access to Living Water is not optional, but we certainly have a tendency to keep our faith "out of sight" if possible, don't we? Can you see Jesus willingly accepting the "back of the greenhouse" position? Me either. Living water, the Spirit flowing through us, is so vital that we need to be sure we position ourselves for easy access and availability to His Spirit, so that He can flow unimpeded through our lives. As we approach this new year, let's commit to getting our Christian life in order. The most important things need to be in first place, especially the Living Water of the Spirit.  Forget about being unobtrusive. Where's the fun (or fruit) in that? Place Him in the priority position, where His effect on your life will be obvious to everyone you encounter. Allow Him to work through you as He desires. He might just surprise you with a more productive life. You won't believe how good the fruit will look when the Spirit flows! 

A Matter of Priority

But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. (Luke 5:16 NASB)

In the midst of the tightest schedule and the most action-packed three years of any human's life, Jesus took frequent breaks. They may not have been long, but they were focused, and they were a priority.  

Maybe you are like me. If I had to accomplish the redemption of the world and train disciples to carry on after I was gone in just three short years, there is no way I'd have taken a break. I'd have pressed on until I was so exhausted that I collapsed. The idea of frequent "mini vacations" seems odd to me, yet that is exactly what Jesus did. He withdrew to a peaceful, quiet, empty place where He could be alone to talk with His Dad.  He stopped often to be quiet and visit with His Father, because He knew that was where He gained strength and direction. His power came from God the Father and not from the frail flesh encasing Him. 

We would do well to remember the priorities of Christ. He kept time alone with His Heavenly Father in first place ahead of performing the God-given work He was sent to perform. He didn't neglect the work, but He didn't miss the quiet time, either. It's a wonderful formula for life and ministry, and one we would do well to emulate.  

How jam-packed is your schedule? When did you last take a short break in a quiet place just to spend time in prayer and Bible study? Perhaps it's time for a reordering of priorities. Let's make the most important thing our first priority and trust that, like Christ, we will gain strength and power from the time well spent. 

Pray today that we and our loved ones will "make time for Christ". 

Priorities (Luke 4:42)

And when day came, He departed and went to a lonely place; and the multitudes were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. (Luke 4:42 NASB)

In the preceding verses, a spontaneous healing service had begun (probably outside Simon's mother-in-law's house) at sunset. Jesus turned no one away, and Scripture tells us that ALL with any who were sick brought them. It suggests he dealt with a crowd of sick people. It's not clear how long the service lasted, but at daybreak, He headed out. Jesus needed time with His Father, and He headed to a quiet place where He could be alone. It didn't matter that He had a rough Sabbath yesterday, that He had been up late (possibly all night), or that He was exhausted. The source of His power, strength, and perseverance came from that quiet time, and He was not about to miss it. It took precedence over everything else, including the accolades and demands of the crowds. 

It was a matter of PRIORITY.  He knew what was most important, and He did it. There was no whining about how tired He was, how much He had to do, or how many people were making demands on Him, nor did those things deter Him. He needed time with His Father and He took that time. Because He did, we never see the consequences of missed quiet times in His life. 

We do see the consequences of missed quiet times of prayer and Bible study in our own lives, though, don't we? How diligent are you about being still with the Father? How faithful are you to be quiet enough to hear the Still Small Voice in your heart?  If our loved ones are to see the evidence of following Christ in our lives, we must actually follow Him and the example He set. That example begins with making time with the Father our highest priority. 

Today, pray for a clear understanding of your present priorities, a godly reordering where needed, and the fruit of time alone with God to be evident in your life. Pray, too, that our loved ones will begin a priority restructuring of their own and that they will begin to have regular times of prayer and Bible study that become an ongoing way of life.