A Good Investment!

In this time of economic uncertainty, I would not say any financial investment is a sure thing. Last week, I believe my husband found an investment I know will get a good return. We were out walking downtown on Friday night at the monthly Flagstaff Art Walk. This is an event where local businesses provide snacks and drinks in their establishments after regular hours and introduce local artists by displaying their artwork. We went into a store to see what they were showing this month, and we were immediately drawn to the oil paintings displayed on the walls. They were beautiful, intriguing, and of many different types. My favorite was an oil of a somewhat worn-out pair of red Converse high top sneakers.

We saw many friends that night. Gary and I split up talking and catching up with the crowd of locals and people visiting our mountain town. The atmosphere was friendly and filled with a great sense of joy. I talked to several people who I had not seen in years. It was fun and meaningful and a great way to spend a Friday night.

When it was time to go, Gary took me by the hand and strolled me over to meet the artist. To my shock, the artist of these great and many paintings was an 18-year old young man named Kory. I knew his name because I am a local soccer fan and have seen him play in games. He is a great soccer player, but the quality of his paintings was phenomenal. The insight and wisdom projected on the canvas was well beyond his years. I was impressed! He was friendly, outgoing, and filled with the hope of his future. It was a blessing to meet him.

When we left the store, Gary said, "I bought one of his paintings." I immediately said, "That is a GREAT investment." Why is this a great investment? We bought the first painting he has ever sold. By buying this painting, we communicated to him that we see the talent God has placed in him and we are willing to invest in his future. It was a confirmation to the artist to keep on painting. It is a joy for us to have this painting of red Converse sneakers in our home to remind us of God's incredible image and how He expresses it through the gifts and talents He puts in His people.

Hebrews 10:24 says; "And let us consider how to stimulate (motivate, spur, provoke, encourage, stir up) one another to love and good deeds." In this time of complete unrest and uncertainty in the world, people need to be motivated to do great things in whatever way God has created them. We can make a big difference by seeking the gifts and talents of people and encouraging them. The greatest investment of this generation (and all the others before and after us) is the investment in the lives of people. God can use the people He created to solve even the most terrifying issues we face in society today. He can use artists, teachers, pastors, mechanics, professional athletes, food servers, realtors, and all others to bring forth the message of His grace and mercy to this generation. His Name is Creator and He can give us creative ideas to inspire us to much needed changes in our city, our culture, and in the world! We can make a good investment in the lives of the people God puts us in contact with!! It's not to late to INVEST!

"Original Masterpiece"

Michael Jackson, Michael Jordan, Michangelo Buonarroti. Although they share similiar names, it is clear they are "Originals!" They found the gift of God created in them and developed these gifts to the point of spectacular! Whether you are a fan of "Thriller" or supernatural flying dunks or life-like marble sculptures, it is undeniable the extraordinary talent of these men.

I was reading a book called SoulPrint by Mark Batterson. He gave this analogy which led me to some research and thoughts I wanted to share. Michelangelo said about the David (a larger than life-sized marble sculture of King David); "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free." He could see the image in the rock and his role was to set it free! Now, I would say this is a unique gift and a very different perspective. If you have been to Florence, Italy, hopefully you had the chance to take in the David. I say "take in" because as I was viewing it, I believe it touched my soul. The David is the indescribable outcome of one man searching himself to find this great gift God created so then he could search into the marble to find the image of David.

In a hallway in the "Galleria dell Accademia" where the David dwells, are several pieces of Michelangelo's work called "Captives." These are partial scultures. Incomplete. Some really look like they are struggling to set themselves free from the rocks. The images in these rocks of the trapped men and women are very applicable to our spiritual walk here on earth.

In Isaiah 49:9 the Lord says; "I say to the captives, 'Come out,' and to those in darkness, 'Be free!'" Each day, I present my body, mind, soul, and spirit before the Lord so He can chisel away. I have a great fear of being trapped in darkness and not becoming all the Lord has created me to be. Maybe this comes from being born an identical twin. From this perspective, I can see the integral details even in the similiar. I spend much of my time helping others see their original qualities so they can live free!

I believe the greatest way to express the love of God and to reflect His image and glory is to be free. Free just to be me! It is a dangerous thing to put ourselves under the chisel of the wrong artist such as ourself, someone else, the pressures of culture, or public opinion, etc. This can lead to hypocrisy and lack of fulfillment. God forbid, we could end up being a cheap duplicate! God is the only artist capable of creating a human "Masterpiece." He has what it takes to free us from whatever rock is wrapped around us and holding us back. God has created us to be a "Masterpiece" unlike any other He has created. His imagination as an artist is as incomprehensible and vast as His image. Surrender into the hand of the First and Master artist! He will reveal in you His "Original Masterpiece!"

Romans 12:1; "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in the view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship."

Love Never Fails!

It is 4:09 am and I am still awake. I was feeling very discouraged yesterday and it lasted until a few minutes ago. I have been wrestling for hours as to why this discouragement has been following me lately. It is so beautiful right now in Flagstaff!! Summer is my favorite time of year with its long days and beautiful colors!! I love being outside with my bare feet in the lush green grass!! My family is healthy and happy!! My precious baby is home for the summer!! So I struggled with this question for hours with no answer in spite of several attempts to distract myself.

This led me to pray a different prayer. I stopped asking; "Why?" and I started asking; "Lord, help me to be lifted out of this discouragement." And, of course, my perfect and gracious God did a miracle in my heart!! He gave me a revelation of something so exciting, I felt like a superhero jumping out of the deepest of pits. So I want to share it with you.

As I asked God to help me, I was reading through the scriptures and came to a very familiar passage. But in the familiar, I found a new and exciting revelation. I was reading my Amplified Bible (which is a version of the bible that includes Greek and Hebrew word definitions in the text). I was reading 1 Corinthians 13 which is usually referred to as the "Love" chapter. In verse 8, it says; "Love never fails..." and then defines this phrase with the words; "never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end." This was very exciting to me!! I had never understood this to mean that love never fades away, becomes obsolete, or comes to an end!!

Later in the passage in verse 13, my Amplified Bible gave a beautiful definition of love. It defined love as being; "true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for us and God's love in us." As I read this, I related so much to the statement. How many times have I been so aware of the extravagant way God loves me and seen it overflow to all who are around me. When I comprehend the way God loves me, it spills out all over the place!! Being filled with this kind of love gives me a true affection for God and man. Meditating on this concept makes me realize God's love in me gives me a true affection for people; even those who might be considered my enemies. This is supernatural!!

This new insight filled me with hope! My discouragement seems so far away!! Each day as I go through life letting the love of Jesus spill out with true affection, I am doing something that will never fade away. Each and every moment of love will never end. It will last forever and follow me and everyone else into eternity!! Though the gifts I have and the causes I support will be lost to this life on earth, no moment or act of love will ever be lost!! These actions are eternal!!

Think about this revelation. Think about how many times this true affection for God and man has happened in our lives!! Hugs, kisses, high-fives, acts of compassion, sacrifices made for others, and other moments like these are critical! They are never to be lost! Wow!! I am ready to face today with the joy of knowing I can create eternal moments by staying close to Jesus and allowing love to flow out of me!! It is awesome to live knowing; "Love Never Fails!!"

Impossible Is Nothing!!

Can you imagine the US Women's soccer team beating powerhouse Brazil after playing with only ten players for the last 55 minutes of the game? You can only imagine this if you believe what the Nike marketing team has pushed in their ad campaign---"Impossible is Nothing!!" As I watched this World Cup Quarterfinal game this morning, I witnessed that every American player believed this whole-heartedly!! After a 55 minute show of courage and determination by the US players, Abby Wombach, the 31 year old US veteran forward, scored the latest goal ever in World Cup history to tie the game and put it into penalty kicks!!

The amazing thing about this game was when all the odds were stacked against the US team, they did not give up!! They kept on fighting!! They played one player down because of a red card in the 66th minute. They were victim to several bad calls by the referee. But the confident attitude of the players was never broken! They just would not lose!! Even after two overtime periods and into the stoppage time, they kept the pressure coming until the job was done!!! What amazing heart!!!

I loved watching this game!! In fact, I stood for the last several minutes fervently praying for justice!!! Moments like these fuel my energy to fight in life when the odds are stacked against me!! God has created us to fight!! We are born to be warriors!! Ephesians 6:11 tell us to; "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Why would we be encouraged to put on armor if we were not called to be warriors? Warriors in spirit!!

How do we battle? We battle in prayer!! We battle in faith!! We battle in action!! We battle in endurance, courage, and perseverence!! We overcome the obstacles however we can and with the help of God, we achieve the victory!! One of my favorite scriptures is found in Romans 12:21; "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

When the US women took the field, they were not battling against evil but, at some point, they began to battle injustice. And as I watched, I saw them gain determination and play even harder. They did not waste time complaining. They continued fighting for the victory which they most certainly believed belonged to them. These moments make me proud to be an American!!

I will always remember this game as an example of how to fight! I don't only believe, but I know the victory belongs to me in Jesus. I know this because I am on the team of good. I am on the team of Jesus. No matter what comes at me in this world, I will believe for the victory!! 1 John 5:4 says; "For everyone who is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith." The word victory in the greek is translated nike. I love it!! Nike means victory--"Impossible is Nothing!!"


Will we follow the example of the US women's soccer team and believe for the victory in the battles we fight in this world? Are we going to believe even when it looks impossible? Jesus has given us the victory--Nike!!! Let us remember, when all odds are against us... "Impossible is Nothing!!"

Accident????

On vacation in Lake Tahoe, we were leisurely on our way to dinner to enjoy the company of family, when all of a sudden there was a loud BANG and a sudden JOLT to our car. I turned around to check on the screaming coming from the back seat and was asked; "What happened?!?" Through the shock, I realized we had been involved in a car accident.

As I assessed the situation, it was clear I needed to call 911. My daughter, Sarah, had a large bump on the back of her head. She was crying in severe pain. I stepped outside to find the car that had hit us squished like an accordion. The horn was going off. People were filling the street to see if they could help. We found a trained emergency worker who stabilized my daughter's neck. Someone told me there were no passengers in the other car and the driver was ok. So we prayed and waited for the ambulance.

In the craziness of the situation, I asked myself; "What just happened?" We made a right turn after stopping at a three way stop. The other driver was looking into the setting sun and clearly did not see the stop sign. He came through at about 40 or 45 mph and slammed straight into the back of our car just as we began to accelerate after our turn. My body began to shake as I imagined what might have happened if we had been hit in the process of turning. Our car would have been t-boned. The injuries would have been much more serious!! Immediately, I thought of Psalm 91. It is a psalm of protection I often pray for my family. In verse 11, it says; "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways." In the middle of the chaos of this accident scene, I felt the peace of the protection of God. I looked at the back of our car to find only a few dents and a bumper in bad condition. We were clearly blessed and protected by God!!! It was so evident and I thanked Him as I prayed.

A few minutes later, as I was waiting outside of the ambulance to find out if Sarah needed to go to the hospital, Laura, my youngest daughter came and tapped my shoulder. She took me to the side and made me aware of the condition of the driver of the other vehicle. At this point, we had been told he was drunk. I looked over to see him sitting on a rock weeping. Laura said; "Mom, look at him. We need to let him know everything is ok." I recognized the compassion of Jesus in her eyes. Sarah had many people caring for her, but this young man was alone and suffering.

When we arrived at his side, I could see his tears and noticed he was mumbling the words; "I am sorry. I am so sorry..." I could not help but rub his shoulder and let him know we were not seriously injured and everything would be ok. Laura and I kept consoling him and I saw his deep pain and bondage.

I am sure this guy did not aspire to be a drunk driver who caused physical and emotional pain to others. He was in a desperate state!! He was hurting and we noticed and cared. Why? Jesus cares!!! If we read the gospels we see the compassion of Jesus both toward the innocent and the guilty.

Was this an accident? I believe it happened for a purpose. It made my family aware of a young man named Mark who is suffering. It is definitely supernatural love that causes me to pray for Mark and care about him as I have suffered personally with whiplash and have watched my family suffer because of his selfish and foolish actions. But, this kind of supernatural compassion is unavoidable when we see through the eys of Jesus.

It was a miracle when we got back into our car and drove off to continue our vacation and eat a nice dinner without a trip to the hospital. But, I am praying for a greater miracle. I pray this young man, Mark, will see God's love and realize his value and purpose in this world. I pray he will understand this was no accident!!!!

Running On Empty!

Don't you love the car manufacturers these days! They think of everything! Not only do we have a gauge showing us the level of our gas tank, but now we have a mode on the console telling us exactly how many miles until empty!! On top of that, I think the person who designed this device knows who I am. He decided to lie about when the car was at zero miles to save me the embarrassment and inconvenience of running out of gas. It is because of his consideration that I made it to the gas station the other day.

I had been driving for two days with the message "0 miles" posted on my dash before I rolled into the gas station. Later as I was reflecting, I was thinking what a perfect picture of my life this situation is. This is not the first time I have stared at the "0 miles" and then back at the road. I can testify that this kind of neglecting of the basics is stressful and tiring!! It was not just my car running on empty. I was personally running on empty too.

During these several days of over-commitment, I was feeling a certain scripture come to life in my spirit. This scripture is so dramatic it is somewhat humorous. It is found in Jonah 2:5. At this point, Jonah has been given a mission by God and decides to go in the opposite direction. Here is where he ends up. "The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head." This is a really bad situation but somehow I can never read it without chuckling. Just the image of seaweed wrapped around his head seems a bit physically funny to me. In verse seven, Jonah says, "When my life was slipping away, I remembered the Lord..." Now Jonah was recalling his journey to the bottom of the sea after the Lord had rescued him by causing a giant fish to swallow him. (You might like to get out your Bible and read the whole thing. I love it!!)

How can I relate to this scripture from the perspective of my dry office on the surface of the earth? My peace was gone! I might be dramatic to compare it to having seaweed wrapped around my head, but I can promise I was close. Think about this picture. Suffocating, disorienting, desperate, overwhelmed, panic strickened.... These are the feelings I feel when I lose control of my mouth and mind. Out of my mouth come the words; "Yes, Yes, Yes" when I have no idea how I will make the time to get it all done.

So, I asked the Lord a question; "Lord, how have I walked away from You, like Jonah?" Psalm 29:11 says; "The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace." As I meditated on how I walked away, the answer snuck up on me. PRIDE had leaked into my heart. How did I know? I was looking at myself to be the answer to all of the need around me, instead of looking at Jesus! God has given me only so many hours, only so many gifts and talents. I thank Him for filling my life with other people who can help me take up the slack. So, today I humble myself before the Lord and receive the gifts He has sent to my life. He has surrounded me with people who love me and care!! I need to ask for some HELP!!

I Love Surprises!

One reason I love my relationship with Jesus so much is because I love surprises! I am amazed everyday at all the ways the Lord shows up in my life to assure me He is WITH me. He reminds me constantly that He really knows me! He understands me. And most of all, He made me the way I am and has the answer to all of my needs at every moment.

The other day, I was sitting in a sandwich shop waiting for my "to go" order. I had left my phone in the car so I could not use my down time to call or text someone. I was not carrying my purse, so I could not clean it out or write "to do" lists for later. There was nothing laying around to read. God knows I love to keep my mind engaged at all times. So, I decided to just relax and watch the big screen TV in front of me. When I looked up, I noticed there was a baseball game playing. I am a big sports fan, but find baseball a bit slow and boring to watch. Love to play it! For me, it is less than exciting to watch on TV. But, as you know, I had nothing else to do. So, I focused in and noticed I was watching a college game.

The first batter struck out. The batting team was behind by one run. The next batter stepped up and the most amazing thing happened. Right in the middle of the most boring ordinary moment came the supernatural power of God. I know one college baseball player in the country. He grew up with my daughters in Flagstaff!! Guess who was at bat?? This player I knew stepped up to the plate. After two strikes, He hit a base hit and earned an RBI to tie the game!! My boring moment was miraculously turned into exciting. And, I utterly enjoyed my five minute wait time watching this college baseball game.

I immediately knew I was having an encounter with God. He saw me in my boredom and impatience. He knew exactly what I needed to feel excited and alive at this moment!! So, He intervened right at the moment of my need. It was a small need and I had not even asked Him to help me. But, He was there to surprise me!! In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says; "... And be sure of this: I am WITH you ALWAYS, even to the end of the age."

I love this about my relationship with Jesus!! He is with me ALWAYS!! Even when I am not thinking about Him!! Even when I am not asking Him to meet my smallest and most insignificant need!! He is WITH me!! And He finds ways daily to remind me how important I am to Him and how loved I am!!! He is the only One who could have arranged for this five minutes to be the best it could have been for me. This is how my Father in heaven surprises me over and over!! After all, He knows I love surprises!!