It’s a Hallelujah kinda day…

When I woke up this morning I was over come with emotion. I felt so small in comparison to the enormity of the significance of the day. I realized that today millions of Christians were waking up and would prepare to head out to corporate gatherings of believers to celebrate Christ’s resurrection. The world wide observation of the most important day in the life of Christians everywhere was under way.

Even though our skies were gray and dreary, my thoughts were of that first Easter morning. I believe that when Christ died on the cross, and the skies were dark and foreboding, that it was the bleakest of all days – ever! So, it only stands to reason that the first Resurrection Morning was bright and picture perfect! It was the greatest day!!!!

I think back to the handful of people who rushed to tomb where Jesus had been laid to rest just a couple of days before. Both the men and the women who arrived there were met with disbelief. They saw the man, Jesus, die on the cross. They saw him be taken down and placed in the tomb and buried. Their loss was overwhelming…he was dead! Now, his body was gone! If confusion and heartache wasn’t at it’s height before, it was now.

Then, Jesus revealed himself – ALIVE! Imagine it…ALIVE! I know that my own father passed away due to cancer…he was buried. If he revealed himself to me just a few days later, I would have been beside myself because dead is dead. You could not have kept me quiet or kept me from running to tell of the miraculous resurrection! But this was Jesus, the Son of God was ALIVE, after suffering the most shameful and gruesome death known to mankind – It was a Hallelujah kinda day! Eternity was forever changed.

So, even though I am small in comparison to the significance of the day…this day was for me! It was for you! Regardless of our perceived insignificance, Jesus did it all for each of us – individually.

He Loves Me - He Loves Me Not - He Loves Me

My personal favorite flowers are Daisies. They are so simple and sweet with their beautiful bright white petals that surround the brilliant sunshine yellow center. I love how they look when they grow wild and a gentle breeze causes them to sway in tandem against a hill of vibrant green grass. This sight takes my breath away every time I see it!

I remember when I was a young girl playing the "He loves me, he loves me not" game. It was with my very first crush while in fifth grade. His name was Tim. One by one I pulled each petal off the small white daisy, asking the two questions alternately – He loves me – He loves me not. I was so excited when I got my answer…He loved me! Tim asked me to wear his ID bracelet a few days later. I was broken hearted when a few months had past and he wanted his bracelet back. It was over. He loved me not!

Even though my first go at the He loves me – He loves me not game was a complete and utter failure – I tried it again, then again, and yet again. I thought that this sweet little flower was telling me the truth. I was never the girl that all the guys wanted to date. The truth is I only had a few boyfriends. A couple of them were very special, yet we didn’t make it. They loved me not!

I have come to a place in my life where I see love differently than I did when I was a young girl, or even as young woman. I have the most wonderful husband now…He loves me! However, as in love as we are – I know that there is a LOVE that is greater than ours!

I came to know Jesus as my personal Savior when I was eleven. I knew that Jesus loved me…but, I didn’t understand the total and unconditional love that He has for me. It wasn’t until I was in my mid-thirties that it started to become evident that He loved me more that I had ever imagined. Jesus loved me, in spite of my mess ups! I have made many mistakes along life’s way, but Jesus remained consistent!

Daisies still are my very favorite flowers. They are exactly the same as I remember them as a young girl. Their beautiful bright white petals remind me of how the love of Jesus has washed me white as snow. Their brilliant sunshine yellow centers reminds me that I am to keep Jesus in the center of all I do, and all I am. I also know that regardless of how many petals are plucked or pulled away, that in the end, the last one will always reveal that – He loves me!

Provision: Needs -vs- Wants

A few times this last week I was surprised to wake up to a heavy wet spring snow on the ground. Not a lot, always gone by lunch time, but enough to get me thinking about God’s provision. We have been daunted by a drought and have had so many wildfires lately…that any moisture is not only needed but an answer to many prayers.

It reminded me of this picture taken by my friend, Randy. It captures a leafless tree with its vibrant red berries stark against the fresh white snow. These berries are food in the cold, long winters for many birds and ground critters.

I find it absolutely amazing how so many of us do not even notice these types of provision. We are so busy that we are oblivious to how many miracles are around us. We take such wondrous things for granted. Shame on us!

Throughout the scriptures it is made very clear that God provides all…and nature shows it in every facet. Even more than that, He provides for us! We silly humans tend to think that God doesn’t care about our needs. The reality is that He is so very concerned for us, that all of his creation was done with us in mind. In Matthew 6:25-34 we are told not to worry as God will provide our needs. Let’s look at that passage:

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

God is very clear that He provides all our needs. Where we tend to go wrong is we expect Him to provide all of our wants. I read something recently on another blog that went something like this…“If it’s a need, God will provide it. If God hasn’t provided it, then we don’t need it.”

In reading the passage of scripture in Matthew 6, I am convinced that I have been guilty of thinking my wants are actual needs. I am especially drawn to the 33rd verse, “but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” I am painfully reminded that it is in my seeking Him and His kingdom, that I am assured provision.

Over the past couple of weeks I have been deliberately practicing this principle. I have always heard this passage and believed it. However, I can honestly admit that I tend to think that my needs are my responsibility to supply. Please don't get me wrong, I understand that we have the responsibility to work and earn a wage which helps us obtain our needs and wants. But, the truth is that whatever I do, I must work at it with all my heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. (Colossians 3:23) God is the one who provides me with the ability to earn a wage in the first place.

We have experienced a rather tough year... but, our needs have been met. What I have learned through this year is that my needs are not as numerous as my wants. In otherwords, my expectation of God's provision was loftier than my actual needs. In the last 24 hours or so, I have seen God not only miraculously supply some needs, but He has even provided several wants. I know that I could have never met these needs or wants on my own. Only God could make it happen. I believe that the manifestations of these things are God’s provision.

Are you willing to trust God for your needs? Are you willing to seek Him and His kingdom first? I can tell you, from experience, that if you can answer yes to these two questions, you are putting yourself in a place where God can really move on your behalf!

Bright is the Night

Photo (Bright is the Night) by Randy Pillion

I have been thinking a lot about the current events all around the world lately. There are so many things going on…wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Libya; the earthquake and tsunami in Japan; the continued aftermath issues from the earthquake in Haiti; flooding in California; record breaking winter in US northeast; famine in third world areas; pirates at sea; unemployment at all time highs; financial woes; fire dangers elevated in so many places do to drought conditions; and the list goes on.

The plight of humanity as a whole seems to be as dismal and hopeless as I can remember. I cannot imagine facing all that is going on without the help of the Lord. The world is dying and we are watching Biblical prophecy being fulfilled on a daily basis. Is it as dark as it is going to get? Nope! But, it is dark just the same.

For the last couple of nights the Super Moon has been visible. This is a rare phenomenon, so rare that it will not happen again until 2029! I stand amazed that in a time where all seems to be so bleak, that we can see something so unique. The light from this Super Moon was brilliant! You have to love it when you can physically see that the moon is shining more brightly than normal.

I see it like this…in the darkest of nights, there is a bright light. So, even though our current events seem very dark…there is a hope that shines bright. God promises to light the path of the righteous. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” The Word of God is like the Super Moon. The forest represents all the negative things that we are seeing here at home and round the world. With such a light, the forest is not as scary as it might be.

I for one have determined that I am going to seek God by being rooted in the Word and trust Him for provision. I also believe that He will continue his faithfulness, thereby, He is lighting up my paths. I choose to rely on the fact that He sends us a super bright light to break the curse of all the darkness that hinders us.

Be Still…Be Quiet…Do We Allow Ourselves to Hear God?

Photo by Randy Pillion

Last night at the small group we attend, we were asked, “How do you hear God? How do you get quiet before the Lord?”

It got me thinking this morning…Do I really get quiet before the Lord? I am loud by nature. I tend to talk twice as much as others. As if all that isn't enough, I am usually very busy doing things that are often times anything but quiet. Being quiet has just never been easy for me.

I believe that I have gotten quiet before God…but those times of real solitude without distractions are few and far between. So, what do we need to do to find more of those periods of time? Let’s see:

Purposefully set aside time for just me and God.
Being deliberate will help to set the tone for our time with Him. If we do this, we will reap the benefit of our sacrifice. Yes it is a sacrifice – obedience to the call to be in the quietness of His presence demands the exclusion of everything else.

Create peace or find a place that is peaceful.
For some, finding a place of peace is easier than creating peace. We all have seasons in our lives where distractions within our surroundings will not allow solitude and peace. So leaving and going to an environment that promotes peace is better. Others have the ability to find peace in their own home by filtering out everyone and everything. Wherever that peaceable place is, use it.

Let go of agendas.
This is a time where God is in control. We are to not have any agenda items that we bring into this time. This is probably one of the most difficult things to achieve. We do not need to fill up the quiet…our society is very afraid of silence. If more than a few seconds pass, we feel responsible to fill it with something. Something truly amazing happens when we allow ourselves to hear the wind rustle through the trees, the water trickling in a stream, the tick-tock of a clock, the sweetness of soft music mixed with sounds of nature, soda bubbles popping in a glass, the chorus of crickets at night…and the list goes on. Listening to such things brings the awesomeness of God into your quiet time.

Remember, God is a big God and He has more to say to us, show us, and impart to us. We just have to be willing to do what Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

New Hope of Spring

New Hope of Spring

Photo by Randy Pillion

Winter is nearly done and spring is just around the corner. Usually just before spring arrives we become very weary of old man winter. We start to complain about the gray, gloomy skies and how it seems like the dry grass and barren trees are never going to green up again. Our mood seems almost as dry as our surroundings. We have a very dreary outlook for the most part.

We need to remember that this time of year is very special…it is a time of anticipation. The trees have buds on them, don’t they? The birds are braving the slightly warmer days that still turn into cold nights, right? There are signs of green in the yards if we look hard enough. The days are getting longer, aren’t they?

It is that way with our spiritual lives as well…

Nature truly gives us insight to our spiritual life…This is the time of year that I often think of my dad. While he was alive, he rarely had dark times. But when he did, he still managed to find it within him to smile, laugh and face whatever came his way. His final battle was with cancer. Up until the very end, he managed to find purpose in his illness. He loved his family so much and he knew that God would provide the opportunity to share his faith with us all. It was like he had a mental checklist of everyone he needed to talk with.

Daddy loved the first flowers of spring…Crocus being his very favorite. He would watch with such anticipation for these beautiful little flowers. He knew that once they bloomed that winter only had a couple of more weeks to daunt us. Crocus meant that spring would soon be in full swing.

I think that he saw his opportunities to share his faith with everyone like that of the Crocus blooming. Each one of us was one little flower that was ushering in his final spring. It was no surprise that Daddy passed just hours after sharing his faith with the last of his siblings. With his Crocus garden complete…He went on to be with the Lord in heaven.

We have all gone through long winters, spiritually. Many of us face times when trials darken our countenance. Circumstances can affect us negatively if we let them. The scriptures tells us to be grateful in all things (I Thessalonians 5:18). It is not saying create seasons that are crazy and unfortunate. But rather it is a statement that says when they come, find the silver lining and trust that when it all passes – new life will spring forth!

What or whom represent the Crocus in our gardens? Are we looking with anticipation of the first signs of the changing seasons? Are we grateful in ALL things? Do we believe that there is purpose in our lives? These are just a few questions that we should ask ourselves. We need to look inside ourselves and find our purpose(s). Is the Crocus blooming in our lives?

The Heart of Love in Tough Times

The Heart of Love in Tough Times

Some of my favorite scenes in nature are the distance shots of the desert areas with mountains and plateaus, right here in the United States. I love the rust, brown, and gold tones and how they are warm and rich in the arid sunsets.

When you take a closer look at these regions of our beautiful country, you find lifeless sand, dry river beds, parched trees and wildlife which are fighters and cunning due to their environment. In the barrenness of this terrain there are plants that pull moisture where there seems to be no water. They bloom in vibrant colors against a muted backdrop. These plants have spines that protect themselves from their fierce surroundings.

So it is in our lives when we hit difficult trials. God promises to be our source, our water when we feel dry and barren. When we soak up His presence, we can flourish in the most difficult of conditions. He allows us to bloom in vibrant colors. He gives us His wisdom, guidance and protection when we seek Him and trust Him.

My friend, Randy Pillion, took this picture of some cactus…in the midst of what looks like a prickly and gnarly mess is a perfect heart. Just like in this picture, God shows His total and unconditional love in our lives in the middle of our driest times! It is then that we can see how God takes our rough patches and uses them to grow us and show others His presence.