Change

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever ~ Hebrews 13:8

Change – it’s a part of life.

Sometimes, change blows in like a much anticipated and welcome breath of fresh air with which we joyfully fill our lungs. Like oxygen, it is life-giving.

But other times, change hits us hard and unexpectedly, like a bomb being dropped in the midst of an unsuspecting people.

It’s unwelcome, frightening, and often, it can feel chaotic and destructive. And when it happens, we may do one of two things:

we run from it

or we fight it

Every day, each of us comes face-to-face with some kind of change, brought on by our own or someone else’s choices or decisions. We can run towards that change and embrace it, or we can run away and hide from it. We can joyfully accept it, or we can fight against it in anger.

Today, if you find yourself in the midst of change that you’re unable to accept; that you didn’t ask for and don’t want; that is cause for fear, dismay or unrest in your life, may I suggest another option?

Hand it over to God in prayer, and trust Him for the outcome.

For many, this may seem like the most difficult option of all. Because for those of us who would rather live with our heads in the sand and not have to deal with the various changes that confront us, this means even though we may give them to God, we would have to give up pretending they're not there and acknowledge them. 

And for those of us who are ‘control freaks,’ who refuse to hang up our SuperHero capes and would rather ‘fight than switch,’ as the old cigarette ad used to say, surrendering the unwelcome changes in our life to God and trusting Him with the outcome, well….to say that it’s difficult is a huge understatement. 

Because we ‘hands on’ folks NEVER like to be told ‘hands off,’ no matter how many times we may sing “I Surrender All” in church.

Today, maybe you woke up and your day began innocently enough. You were deaf to the sound of an engine roaring in the distance. You were blind to the shadow hanging over you as you walked out the door or answered the phone. You just went about your business, doing what you normally do, and then

Someone dropped a bomb on you, leaving you wounded, confused and perhaps, even afraid of what the future holds for you, for your family, for your school, your neighborhood, your place of employment.

Or even, for your church.

That actually happened to me this morning. While I won't go into all the gory details, I do want to challenge you, as I am challenging myself, to believe that you are in good hands.

Because you are in God’s hands.

Acknowledge and believe that whatever changes are occurring in your life right now, they may have surprised you – but they didn’t surprise God.

He knew about them LONG before you did.  He either purposely orchestrated them, or simply allowed them to take place.

And He has a plan. Whatever changes are happening, KNOW without a doubt that God is at work in them. 

Sometimes, He gives us a heads-up and offers us a front-row seat to what He is doing. Other times, He is at work behind-the-scenes, where we can’t see Him, and His plan is unknown to us.

Either way, we need to trust Him for the outcome.

Yes, life is filled with change. Seasons change. People change. Circumstances change.

But one thing NEVER changes, and that is our Lord God and His love, grace and mercy towards His children.

And because of this, we CAN let go of all the tough and unfathomable changes that come our way, hand them over to Him, and trust that He is both present and at work in them, for our good.

‘We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves Him’ ~ Romans 8:28, CEV

She's So Unusual -- or What It Looks Like When A Little Old Woman Chooses To Say 'I Want God'

In her soon-to-be-published book, 'I Want God:Forever Changed by the Revival of Your Soul' (Harvest House Publishers -- Oct. 1, 2014), author Lisa Whittle says this:

'We talk too much and pray too little. We worry too much and pray too little.’

I have to say that I TOTALLY agree with her statement. Not because I’m part of Lisa’s book launch team and have an advanced copy of ‘I Want God’ in my hot little hands to read and review -- and possibly to give away later -- and therefore, feel as though I HAVE to agree.

No. I agree because I’ve lived this in the past. And, truth be told (sad truth that it is), Lisa's words resonate with me all too well because I’m living this right now, in the present.

But believe me – I DON’T WANT TO LIVE THIS IN THE FUTURE.

Because talking too much and worrying too much is a pathetic and exhausting way to live. For a follower of Christ.  For anyone.

I took this photo of a tiny old woman who lives somewhere in my neighborhood. She’s as frail looking as a dragonfly’s wing. Her face is a mosaic of wrinkles. She walks so agonizingly slow, if she were in a race with a snail, I believe the snail would win. No contest.

And yet – EVERY DAY, this little babushka lady makes her slow and steady way to the church across from my house and stands at the gate for a good 20 minutes – and prays.

This is her time, and her sacred spot, where she meets and speaks with God on a daily basis. On hot days and cold days. On sunny days and cloudy days. She takes no notice of those who look at her as they pass by, some pointing and giggling. Some shake their heads at her, muttering sarcastic remarks.  Some actually just stop for a moment or two to stare at her, as if she were an oddity.

But really, in this day and age, in our society and through the eyes of the world – that’s exactly what she is. 

An oddity

Unusual

Old fashioned, even 

A woman who sets aside time EVERY DAY to bring her burdens to the Lord and unload them at His feet. 

A woman who doesn’t talk too much or worry too much, who doesn’t pray too little.

Some may argue that we can pray to God anywhere. We don’t have to stand in front of a church, or even inside of a church.

And yes -- I know that’s true. You and I can talk to God in the car on our way to work, to school, to the grocery store; while we’re doing laundry, jogging, walking the dog; as we soak in the tub, splash in our in-ground pool, sit at a table at Starbucks and sip our coffee, etc.

THEN FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD -- WHY AREN’T WE?

Why are so many of us wasting too much time talking and texting and worrying and woe-is-me-ing? Why are so many of us playing and platforming and pouting and posting online too much? 

And praying too little?

This little old woman could do her aging, broken and no doubt hurting body a HUGE favor by staying home and praying from the confines and comfort of her living room easy chair or from her bed.

But I love the fact that she doesn’t. 

I love the fact that she wants God enough to, every day, choose to grab her cane, step out of the comfort of her home, and hobble her way down to her outdoor meeting place, where she stands on holy ground to have some Face Time with God, caring not who sees her, or what they think of or say about her.

I want to want God like that.

I want to stop talking too much and worrying too much and praying too little.

I want to be looked upon as an oddity. Old fashioned. Unusual.

Because I want God.

How about you?

(If you are tired of wanting things that are useless, don't make sense and don't last; if you want your life to be changed; if you're wondering what all this #IWantGod stuff is all about, go on over to Lisa Whittle's website or visit and follow her author's page on Facebook and Twitter

Don't Lose Hope

Do not be afraid, for I am with you.
    I will gather you and your children from east and west.
 I will say to the north and south,
    ‘Bring my sons and daughters back to Israel
    from the distant corners of the earth. ~ Isaiah 43:5-6, NLT

Rebellious.  Stubborn.  Mouthy. Sullen. Mean-spirited. Disrespectful. 

What do these words have in common?  Anyone, anyone?  Bueller...Bueller??

Answer: they are words that are often used to describe teens.  Now, I know there are folks out there who have teens who are well-behaved, respectful, sweet-natured, etc., folks who cannot relate to this and would beg to differ with this description.  But I don't know any of them personally. 

As the mother of two teens -- a 19 year old son and an almost 16 year old daughter -- I've found the waters of the teenage years choppy, difficult to navigate and quite frankly, very murky. The advice I found in the many, MANY books I've read about dealing with teens rarely seemed to address what I was dealing with at that time, and when it did, it never seemed to 'work' with my two. 

I've done everything possible to raise them the best I could, dedicating them to God and praying for them, although not always consistently.  I am an imperfect parent who, more often than not, has placed them both on God's altar, only to run and snatch them back again when I slip and fall into my 'Mother Knows Best' mode. 

These days, it's painful for me to stand on the shoreline and watch as both of them seem to drift not only farther away from me, but away from God. 

Yes, they attend church, Sunday School and youth group; they've gone on retreats and have been involved in many missions projects/trips.  But outside of that, they act, think and speak like those heavily ensconced in the world.  They are often drawn to and embrace things that break my heart and cause me great anxiety. People encourage me, telling me it's just a phase. And yes, I know much of it very often IS a phase.  But the very weak, foolish and doubting Thomas part of me is worried and afraid. I ache.  I cry.  And yes, I do pray.  

But some days, I just feel like giving up. I'm losing hope. 

There's been an email, sitting unopened in my Inbox for close to a week.  It's entitled, "Your Children Will Return."  I have no good excuses as to why I left it sitting there for so long.  I just did.  

This morning, however, I opened it and found an article written by a woman named Joy Frangipane Marion.  She is the daughter of Francis Frangipane, a Christian author and the founding pastor of River of Life Ministries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Apparently, back in the day, Joy was quite the sullen, rebellious, mouthy, disrespectful and mean-spirited prodigal daughter, causing her family -- but especially her father -- much pain, heartache and grief.

But these days find her the happily married mother of two, a successful businesswoman and back in a right relationship with her earthly father AND her heavenly Father.  A precious testimony to God's unfailing love, protection and provision, and to her parents' faithful, tear-ridden prayers. 

Near the end of the article, Joy has this to say, and I share it here in the hopes that it will encourage someone today, as it has for me; someone who is also having great difficulty in navigating those murky, choppy waters of the teen years (and even beyond to young adulthood); someone who is drowning and losing hope:

Listen, please don't give up on your teenagers. Don't sacrifice God's standards of righteousness to appeal to their carnal nature. They can't respect you for it and God won't honor it. Your children were not consecrated to Satan; they were dedicated to the Lord. He has had His hand on them and He will not forget them. He has heard your prayers and He is faithful to your cries. He is God. ***

*** To read the entire article, please click on the link below:
Your Children Will Return