Thanks-Giving

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Thanks-Giving

Thanksgiving will not be the same for many of us this year. There have been losses of loved ones and changes in circumstances. And even the thought of it may cause pain. For others of us, things may have opened up compared to last year, and we are grateful for that change.

But a friend reminded me of this song of thanksgiving years ago. It applies this year and every year. And so I decided to rest here, acknowledging HIM. I’m letting my heart and mind well up with gratitude for all HIS benefits … no matter what is going on around me.


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Thanksgiving: Overflowing with Gratitude

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Thanksgiving: Overflowing with Gratitude

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith,
just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. 
Colossians 2:6-7 NASB

Years ago, I taught writing to adult GED students.  Every Wednesday, we would do an exercise together as a class to practice writing a five-paragraph essay. As the end of November approached, I chose the topic of Thanksgiving.  I thought that in this age of “entitlement” it might be a double “win” for the students to count their blessings and practice their writing.

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The Burning Bush -- All Over My Life

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The Burning Bush -- All Over My Life

…Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” …God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. … the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. Exodus 3:2-5 NLT

There is a “burning bush” in my daughter’s yard in Illinois. And it is ablaze with glory right now! So when three year old William and I came outside yesterday morning, we couldn’t help but notice the changes that seemed to happen overnight.

“It’s RED!”

“Yes, William, and it’s called a Burning Bush. You know what? God spoke to a man named Moses from a Burning Bush. It’s in the Bible.”

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Finally Home

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Finally Home

As I woke up this morning, I received the news that my dear “homeless” friend Lisa is homeless no longer. Lisa, who lived in her vehicle for many years of her adult life, is now in glory, experiencing Paradise, Heaven, her True Home ...mystery beyond measure!

Just hours before, in that beautiful hospice in southeastern Ohio, I had shared with Lisa the beautiful Scriptures

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God's Upside Down Kingdom-- the Inner Kingdom of Jesus (John's Guest Post)

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God's Upside Down Kingdom-- the Inner Kingdom of Jesus (John's Guest Post)

The kingdom of Jesus is an upside-down kingdom; it turns the definition of a kingdom on its head. Worldly kingdoms bask in their own power, personality, pride, and revolt.

The kingdom of Jesus is the reverse; it basks in the benevolent monarchy of Jesus.

  • The kingdom of Jesus is a small, living seed that grows, matures, and nurtures its citizens, and not a huge dead structure that sucks the life out of its occupants. (Matthew 13:31-32)

  • The kingdom of Jesus is given to vulnerably insignificant followers, not a kingdom usurped by a strong charismatic leader. (Luke 12:32) …

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Stones of Remembrance on ZOOM

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Stones of Remembrance on ZOOM

Dear Sisters in the Lord,

We are each on a unique journey, so we each have a story to tell.  Our stories are a mixture of the mundane and sublime, the hard and the soft, and everything in between. And because we know our Creator God (Eph 2:10), everything has meaning whether we see it clearly or not. And so our journey is one of discovery.

Join us in this discovery as I share my “remembering stones,” significant truths and turning points in my journey with God. And in the process, through guided questions and reflections, discover your own journey as well….

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Teaching from a Reservoir

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Teaching from a Reservoir

For my dear Teacher Friends
…Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.  Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:37-38

In the early fall of 2000, John & I were blessed by a visit from Dr Marvin Mayer and his wife Shirley. Dr. Mayer had just retired from many years of teaching Bible and Theology at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.  John & I were students at MBI in the 1970′s.  Dr. Mayer fast became one of my favorite professors and “spiritual father,” with a continuing relationship over the years.

On this particular visit, I got up early so I could walk with Dr M in the morning before he and Shirley left to return home to Illinois.  As we walked and talked, he spoke of his years of teaching and made a statement that grabbed my attention:  “I teach from a reservoir.”

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A Pantry for my Soul

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A Pantry for my Soul

Are you in the midst of a long stretch of life when you feel like you have nothing? It has been survival day after day. Maybe you are a mother of multiple preschoolers; a person in chronic pain; a cancer patient going through chemo; a husband or wife, a son or daughter, a sister or brother grieving the sudden death of your loved one; or maybe a caregiver of some kind. You don't have enough time or energy or mental clarity to replenish your own resources…

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"Where is the Holy Spirit in all of this?"

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"Where is the Holy Spirit in all of this?"

A mature young Christian woman goes to her regular adult Bible study class. The teachers of the class  are experts in Biblical counseling. Week by week they share from the Scriptures answers to common problems faced by individuals and families in today's culture. One Sunday after learning the "formula" for solving a particular problem biblically, our mature young woman asks, "But where is the Holy Spirit in all of this?" 

A member of a sound evangelical church is a student in a class on Christian church history.  He reads some articles ... 

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Read My Mail: Clues to Getting Free of Legalistic Living

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Read My Mail: Clues to Getting Free of Legalistic Living

For the past five years, I have been leading a small group of maturing sisters in the Lord. We call ourselves “Branches,” from the metaphor Jesus uses of Himself and His people in the gospel of John, chapter 15 — “I am the Vine; you are the branches.”

Our unifying theme is “living from our union with Christ.” We all long to understand and experience the freedom and fullness of our indwelling Lord Jesus through His Holy Spirit living in us and through us as us. And so we study and share and pray with and for each other.

In the course of our meetings and discussions, I was moved to write the following email. Maybe you would like to “eavesdrop” and read our mail. Feel free to jump in and respond. We can learn from each other.

Also be sure to check out our reading list and related blogs.

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Growing Old with the Ancient of Days

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Growing Old with the Ancient of Days

For some reason, I’m feeling my age this year.

Up to this point, I hadn’t felt old… I have just felt “me” — a little slower, a little more forgetful, a little more “invisible” to those around me. But just an older “me.”

Maybe it’s been my multiple bouts of pneumonia OR maybe it’s my believing the enemy’s lie “you’re too old to ______” ( I’ll share my thoughts on that in a coming post).

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The Glory of Being "Babci" -- a Polish Grandma

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The Glory of Being "Babci" -- a Polish Grandma

I come from a long line of Polish grandmothers — incredible women who sacrificed and loved and put their “babies” ahead of themselves.

My Babci came over to the US on a boat at the age of 15 by herself from Poland through Ellis Island. Her mom (my “Great-Babci”) began to send her kids one by one out of Poland to the US before WWI. She could see the conflict brewing….

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