I love how sunflowers remind us to keep our faces lifted up, looking to Jesus throughout the day. Scientists call it heliotropism. Jesus calls it discipleship.
While running our race, we have to fix our eyes on what is unseen and eternal (2 Cor. 4:18, Heb. 12:1-2). Peter learned this that windy night while walking on the Sea of Galilee. "When he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'” Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:30-31). That word, doubt, carries the idea of being pulled in two directions. We don't know which way to take (Vines). Doubting is when a believer wavers between trust and fear. Peter learned when he kept his gaze on Jesus he could fully trust, but when he looked away, there were plenty of reasons to fear.
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Practical atheism—saying we believe in God but living our lives as if he doesn't exist—is one of the challenges we face. We believe and then we don't. It was a problem for Peter, too. Remember what Jesus said to him after he tried to walk on water? "You of little faith...why did you doubt?" (Matt 14:31).
We want to live hour by hour aware of God's active presence, but it's challenging. Rolheiser says, "Learning to see the finger of God, divine providence, in the big and small events of our daily lives is the...spiritual exercise we must do to move beyond our practical atheism" (Shattered Lantern, p 170). So how do we learn to see God throughout the day?
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Unearned suffering is redemptive. When we meet suffering with grace rather than bitterness, it transforms us into women our younger selves wouldn't recognize. So don't lose hope. God is at work in you, even in the mess—especially in the mess.
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When we contemplate the cross and the empty tomb, we are gazing at one of the great mysteries of our faith for which we are forever grateful.
Yet, there is so much going on in our world for us to cry about. As you consider what may be weighing on your soul, perhaps the ancient practice of lament that Julia describes will be a prayer practice you would like to try. Lament is our godly response to what's breaking our hearts.
God hears our cries.
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We often talk about the power of prayer and share stories about godly men and women who moved mountains with their prayers. In Jr. High, I remember reading a book on prayer that encouraged me to claim the promise of James 5:16, "The fervent, effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much." So, I prayed fervently, multiple times a day, the most effectual prayers I could
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But today, we are waiting in this world of trouble. We are waiting through cancer treatments and leukemia diagnoses, strokes and caregiving, waiting through mediation and ice storms, waiting through losses and sorrow, outrage at injustice, waiting and waiting for what's not right to be made right and Jesus to be revealed.
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"Only one life 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last." Life is brief; invest wisely. What we do for Jesus lasts—it's valued and rewarded if it's done because we love (1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 13:1-13).
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Yet we see Mary, graciously facing one hardship after another, one surprise after another, not seeking guarantees, but trusting.
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Something was missing! The way we had been discipled established a solid theological foundation, but it was incomplete. As many of us found, it left us focused on what was easy and external, while leaving unattended the weightier matters of the heart. Over and over, Jesus teaches us we need to pay attention to the inward movements of the heart. True growth happens in our inner spiritual life (see Matthew 23).
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We may not see God, but he is right next to us. We may feel alone, but we are not. We may get discouraged because we aren't seeing the results we had hoped for, but we press on.
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In my times of suffering, Jesus has used the love of my Christian sisters to love me on his behalf.
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I like to have a plan and follow it. When we got married, we planned for me to finish college in two years and then work to support Kevin through seminary. Surprise. Within three months I was expecting a baby. We had to pivot. Kevin worked full-time while he went to seminary, and it took me fifteen years to finish college. Life doesn't always go as planned.
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If we keep our eyes on Jesus and imitate his humility, by his strength we can go the extra mile and not be willing to let anything or anyone divide us. Humbling ourselves is key—let's stay focused on Jesus.
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The year I was asked to emcee we had 800 women in the Red Lion Hotel ballroom. I remember the hours I put into preparation. The new clothes I bought. How scared I was as I stepped up to the podium. A friend encouraged me, "Honor the audience with your anxiety." I honored them all right. Ultimately, I survived.
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