Lessons Learned From "Big Waves"

Psalm 93:4, "The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, than the mighty waves of the sea."

I have always loved the water. I have had the privilege of growing up and living by Lake Michigan, which I thoroughly enjoy. My family and I love to take our Sea-Doos to the lake, and nothing better than a day when the waves are 3-5 ft. Love it! But Lake Michigan doesn't compare to standing on the shore of the ocean waiting for the big waves.

Lesson One: Back in October 1993, my family and I went to Hilton Head, SC for a week on the beach. There was a tropical storm with the potential of turning into a hurricane headed our way. The rain was non-stop for five days. There was finally a break in the rain, and we walked down to the beach. Wow! The waves were crashing on the shore and the sound was thunderous. I remember having a difficult time talking over the sound of the waves as they crashed on the shore.

When I first read Psalm 93:4, I thought about the many voices fighting for my attention. I thought about how life can get confusing, and how I have often felt like I was being pulled in a million different directions. I thought about the times I was taunted by Satan - you're no good, you have no value, you failed again, why do you even try to live for God, you fail Him all the time... and on and on and on. But without fail, the voice of my Papa Daddy would drown out the voice of the enemy and comfort me with His love and assurance that I was His and He was mine.

Lesson 2: Back in December, 2004, we were visiting my sister who lived on Oahu's North Shore. The town was all abuzz with talk about the big waves that were headed their way. I am thinking 10-15 ft waves. Hah! How foolish of me! They were expecting 40 ft waves. The locals would stand on the shore for hours on end, watching the waves roll in. They were excited to teach me about wave formation and surfing the big waves. Everywhere we went someone would ask, "Did you hear about the 40 footers coming?" When we were not at the beach, my sister would have some website up monitoring the bouy out at sea. The anticipation was something to see! After a couple of days I was wanting to see the 40 footers as much as anyone! We weren't disappointed! The big waves hit in the early morning hours flooding the streets and creating even more excitement!

"The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, than the mighty waves of the sea." and He is headed our way!

I wonder what would happen if:

We were excited about His coming and shared His love everywhere we went?

We allowed Him to invade every moment of our lives?

We were so consumed with Him that there was no longer any room for the things of this world that only leave us empty and unfulfilled?

We truly believed Romans 8:11, "The Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you..." or John 14:12, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works will he do..."

If 40 foot waves are something to get excited about, how much more should we be excited about the One who created those 40 foot waves! Try it... You won't be disappointed!

If... A Conditional Promise

As I was reading Proverbs 2, verse 1 really jumped off the page.  I guess it was the "if" that got my attention.  A conditional promise - a promise that requires action on my part.

If I receive His Words

It is not enough to just hear what He is saying.  I have to receive what He is saying.  I have to allow His Word to transform my life.  I have to seek His will knowing that He loves me and knows what is best for me.  I have to allow His Word to penetrate the deep places of hurt and offense and bring healing and wholeness.

If I treasure His commands within my heart

1 John 5:3, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.  And His commandments are not burdensome."  When I allow His Word to penetrate my heart and allow Christ to transform me by renewing my mind (Romans 12:2), then His commands are no longer bondage to me, but rather liberating.  I am truly free!  I no longer "have" to do or not do certain things, I "want" to do or not do certain things.  My love for Christ, my desire to please Him, becomes my motivation for following His commands.  My heart is then filled with His Word, or good treasure, and the overflow of my life will be blessing and not cursing, faith and not fear, life and not death, victory and not defeat, love and not hate (Luke 6:45).

So what is God requiring of me and what will I receive as a result of my obedience?  I believe God is desiring intimacy and relationship and trust.  If I trust Him intimately, then I will receive His Word with an open heart and bear good fruit (Matthew 13:23)  I will follow His commands.  If I am following His commands, then I will not follow the paths of darkness, but I will walk in the way of goodness and righteousness.  Then my life will be blessed.

In His Grace...

Why Is It So Hard To Wait?

I woke up this morning thinking about the eagle we saw soaring through the sky last night as we were sitting by the Quillayute River in Forks, WA (yes, this is the same Forks, WA of Twilight fame!).  I was reminded of Isaiah 40:31, "But they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

Why is it so hard to wait, especially when I am waiting on the One

  Who is the Author and Finisher of my faith (Hebrews 12:2)?
    Who had every moment of my life laid out before a single day had passed (Psalm 139:16 NLT)?
      Who is ordering my steps (Psalm 37:23)?
        Who knows what He is doing and has my life all planned out (Jeremiah 29:11 The Message)?
          Who created the heavens and earth and for whom nothing is too difficult (Jeremiah 32:17)
            Who will never leave me nor forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:8)
              Who has me inscribed in the palm of His hand and can never forget me (Isaiah 49:16)?
                Who is so aware of me He and has numbered the hairs on my head (Matthew 10:30)?
                  Who is able to do exceedingly more than I could ever imagine (Ephesians 3:20)?

Why is it so hard to wait?  Why?  Lord help my unbelief.

Following In My Father's Footsteps

I have the privilege of living by the Indiana Dunes. My family and I go to the dunes often to hike the trails, skip stones in Lake Michigan, watch the sun set over the Windy City. But we rarely will climb the sand hills.

We celebrated Father's Day, our first without Dad, at the Dunes yesterday. We laid out our blankets and beach towels right by a big sand hill. We ate, skipped rocks, attempted to walk in the water, but the water was way too cold! I looked at the sand hill and had the urge to climb it. I asked if anyone wanted to climb the hill with me. No one jumped at my request. Finally my brother said he would, and then my husband, and finally my daughter caved in! Off we went!

We started climbing, and I thought, "This isn't so bad." That thought changed quickly! My thighs started to burn, breathing became a chore. Each step was pure torture. I had to stop and rest. My niece was cheering me on from the bottom of the hill, "You can do it, Sha!" I took a few more painful steps. I still had about a quarter of the way to go. My climbing buddies had reached the top. I was determined to finish. As I was looking down, I saw footprints. I started walking in the footprints of those who had finished before me. I could not believe how much easier it was to finish that way. I was no longer taking one step and sliding back two! My steps were sure. I made it to the top and was ready to hike some more!

As I stood at the top, I began to think about the struggles of life. There have been times along this journey that the mountain has been steep. There have been times when I tried to climb the mountain on my own. There have been times I have felt like giving up. But I have learned to walk in the footsteps of my Savior, and I have found that His steps are always the right stride, and make climbing easier. His steps may lead me through rough terrain, up steep mountains, through the river, through the fire. But as long as I place my steps in His footprint, I know I will make it, and become more like Him in the process.

And the view from the top is priceless!

My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. Job 23:11.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. Psalm 37:23




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Daddy's Hands

I walked in my bedroom Friday after work, and Mom had put this picture of me and Dad on my nightstand. I absolutely love this picture!

When I look at this picture, I see his love for me in his eyes. I see the strength in him as he holds me high and proud in his hand. I see complete trust in this picture. Dad was not going to let me fall. Dad had strong hands and was more than able to hold me.

As strong as his hands were, I also saw those hands wipe away tears of sadness, give high fives, scratch a back just because, caress a baby, and I felt their correction (not because he was mean but because he loved me).

And as much as I found love, comfort and safety in Dad's hands, how much more loved, comforted, and secure am I in the hands of God? He is jealous for me. Matthew 7:11, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

My heavenly Father holds me in the palm of His hand, and no one can remove me from His hand. I am safe. I can trust Him. He will not let me fall. He will never forget me, for my name is tattooed on His palm.

Deuteronomy 33:12 is one of my most favorite verses. "About Benjamin he said, 'Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between His shoulders.'". I love the word picture.

Many times as a child, I would climb up in my daddy's lap, and he would hold me and I would rest on his shoulder. And so often I have needed the embrace of my heavenly Father, and I have found myself in His arms, safe in His hands, resting on His shoulder.

To my two Dads, I love you! With all my heart.


In His Grace...


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

After God's Heart

David was a man after God's own heart.  I have been contemplating this verse lately.  After God's own heart.  I opened my Bible and read the verse in Acts 13:22, and it all came together.

"...I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all my will."

David was a man AFTER God's heart - David was in pursuit of the heart of God.  David was imitating the heart of God.  David was in agreement with or united with the heart of God.  I believe David's heart beat with God's heart.  And because David was after God's heart, God knew David would accomplish His will.

David was far from perfect.  Actually, he was not even close to perfection.  David was guilty of adultery and premeditated murder.  However, as Paul is speaking in the synagogue in Acts 13, David's sin is not what Paul speaks about, but rather David's heart - a heart that was after God and a heart that would do God's will.

What is your heart after?  Do you long for Him as the deer longs for water (Psalm 42:1)?  Do not allow your past to keep you from God's best for your life.  It is never too late to fulfill God's purpose in your life.

Let it be said of you, (Your Name Here) was a person after God's own heart, who would do all His will.

A Year of Firsts

2011 will be a year of firsts for our family.

On Friday night, Dad crossed the finish line. So today is the first Sunday Mom will worship without him by her side. Tuesday will be the first birthday we celebrate without him. There will be the first Easter, the first anniversary... You get the picture.

For Dad, this is a year of firsts too. His first Sunday worshiping the King of Kings face to face, his first birthday celebrated with His Savior. I can only imagine what it will be like to celebrate resurrection Sunday face to face with the One who died for you. Dad will get to experience this for the first time of eternity this year.

A year of firsts. But I am so thankful that I know the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

To God be the glory!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

I'm Not Through Yet, But I Will Be!

Waiting. A lost art. We live in a world of instant gratification. Gone are the days of anxiously waiting for the mailman to deliver the letter from the one who lives out of town. Today, we just skype, and chat face to face realtime. No need to wait for the annual showing of "The Wizard of Oz"- just stream from the Internet and watch instantly. Trips that used to take days now take hours. No more waiting for that roll of film to be developed. Instant... Instant... Instant...

But some things still take time. A caterpillar still has to cocoon before it transforms into a butterfly. A mother still has to carry her baby for nine months before she gets to experience the joy of holding her child for the first time. Sometimes there are no shortcuts. Sometimes we have to wait. Sometimes we have to go through, when we want God to deliver us out.

Often times while I am waiting, my circumstances are not comfortable. At times life has been painful. I have found myself wandering in the wilderness, a place of testing and transition and wanting God to deliver me out of my trials. However, I have learned that if I want to enter into the promises of God, sometimes I have to go through the wilderness, through the water, through the river or through the fire (Isaiah 43:2).

The last few months have been a time of testing and trial for my family. A time of waiting. I was reminded of a promise God spoke over our church through Pastor Chris - God would prepare a table in the wilderness. And He has. Just as He provided for Moses and the children of Israel, we have feasted at the table of His goodness. He has provided rest, peace and joy. We have tasted and seen that the Lord is good!

We may not be through the wilderness yet, but by His grace, we will be.  And when we come through, we will be as gold.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Peek-A-Boo, I See You!

I love playing peek-a-boo. The smile and laughter of a baby brings so much joy. As the baby grows, the game changes from peek-a-boo to hide and seek.

I was always amused when Brittany would play hide-and-seek. Her idea of hiding was to place her head face-down on the couch! In her mind, she couldn’t see me, so I couldn’t see her! I would pretend to look for her, call out her name, and comment on how hard she was to find. Without fail, she would lift up her head and smile really big and say, “Here I am!”

Brittany is in college now, but I find myself still playing hide-and-seek. And I find that I am just as good at hiding as Brittany! You see, it is really hard to hide from El-Roi, the God who sees (Genesis 16:13-14). Just as Hagar tried to hide from Sarah in the wilderness, I have been guilty of trying to run to the wilderness and hide; of trying to hide from offense, pruning, God's call on my life, difficult decisions, failures, insecurities.

I would hear God calling and unlike Brittany, I would crouch lower and bury my head, not wanting to be found. But when I least expected it, I would hear His voice saying, “Peek-A-Boo, I See You", and He would pick me up, hold me close, reassure me, and carry me home.

He will do the same for you. You are never out of His sight. He is always looking and calling for you. He is forever El-Roi, the God who sees. Lift up your head and smile really big and say, "Here I am!" and then get lost in His embrace.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Quite The Introduction!

Introduction is defined as:  a formal personal presentation of one person to another or others.

I love God's introduction of Himself to humanity in Genesis 1:1:  "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  God chose to introduce Himself as Elohim, our creator.  God is establishing His authority and power right from the start.  He is the only one to create something out of nothing.  Think about that! 

Look around at His creation.  Smile at His creative genius.  Stand in awe of how He has sustained the earth and all He has created.  Then, proclaim with the prophet Jeremiah, "Ah Lord God!  Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm.  There is nothing too hard for You." (Jeremiah 32:17)

And believe.  There is nothing, no thing, too hard for God. To the One who speaks things into existence, there is no river too wide, no mountain too high, no desert too dry, no situation too hopeless, no marriage too broken, [insert your need here] that He cannot speak peace and healing into.  He is more than able.  He is more than willing.  He is waiting... open up your hands, open up your heart and turn your situation over to Elohim.  Allow him to create something new in your life.  He doesn't need much to work with, just your obedience.

In the beginning God... Your new beginning can start today.

When God Is Silent

Matthew 4:1-11

This passage begins with the Spirit leading Jesus into the wilderness, and this is interesting, to be tempted by the devil. This passage ends with the devil leaving Jesus and angels coming to minister to Him. As I was reading this morning, my attention was taken to the silence of God.

Christ was in the wilderness, a place of isolation. Totally dependent on God. Similar to Elijah at the brook Cherith. And His Father was silent. No cheering from the sidelines, no encouraging words. Silence. But only for a season. For when the time of testing was over, God sent His ministering angels.

When you find yourself in the desert place, waiting on a silent God, remember that even though He is silent, He is not absent. He is Emmanuel, God with us. You are never alone. In His time, He will do for you what He did for Christ. He will send His angels to minister to you.