A Snowpocalypse Neccesity

“I keep the Lord before me always.  Because He is close by my side, I will not be hurt.” – Psalm 16:8

Snowpocalypse 2014 (the name for the South’s crazy snow/ice storm) will be one for the record books.  Kids stuck overnight in schools, interstates turned into parking lots, people welcoming strangers into their homes for food and warmth, and lots and lots of snow and ice…these are the takeaways from these crazy few couple of days here in the South.  It’s been crazy to read all the posts and see all the pictures from my friends in Birmingham/Hoover and Atlanta.  Many people were separated from their loved ones for over 24 hours…how crazy!  I had a good amount of snow and ice where I live too, but I live in an area that sees this kind of weather every so often….Birmingham, not so much.

An interstate in Birmingham....a casualty of the 2014 Snowpocalypse.

I’m sure as many people slid on ice or were stranded on the interstate for 20+ hours God was hearing a lot of these kinds of prayers, “God, stay with me and please don’t let me get hurt!”  David (although he wasn’t in a snowstorm) could relate to these people because he said in his psalm, “I keep the Lord before me always.  Because he is close by my side, I will not be hurt” (Psalm 16:8).  David knew that with the Lord’s provision and protection, everything would be okay.  How sweet it is that as believers in Christ we are able to have this knowledge that our God goes with us, and stays close beside us. 

God is SO gracious to give us the things we need…protection, peace, love, and the list goes on and on; but we must remember that we need to give Him things He deserves too and those include worship, thanksgiving, love, trust, and that list goes on and on.  In fact David asks God for protection and couples that with the fact that he has placed his trust in Him, “Protect me, God, because I trust in you” (Psalm 16:1).  When we place our trust in and give thanksgiving to God, He will give us the protection, peace, safety, and help we need. 

This blog post wouldn’t have been so personal until just a few hours ago, however, as I realized just how much this verse and message means to me today.  On our way home tonight, we crossed an intersection after our light turned green.  When we made it halfway through the intersection, we heard a loud bang behind us.  A car had run their red light and crashed head-on into the car that was directly behind us.  We were literally one second away from being hit and totaling our car.  But, “He [was] close by our side, [and we were] not hurt.”  Thank you, God.  Immensely.

Situations like what I experienced tonight or like the snowpocalypse will arise again in life and we must not let our worries or fears grip us in those moments.  We must remember that our God is before us always and will be close to our side every step of the way.  In those moments, He is all you need.  Believe Him, thank Him, and trust Him.  

David said it best, “The Lord is all I need.  He takes care of me” (Psalm 16:5).  No matter what the circumstance…even a snowpocalypse…He will do just that.

Joy is HERE!

“And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with great joy.” – Matthew 2:10

During this time of the year, we hear the word “joy” tossed around…a lot.  Like the phrase “Peace, Love and Joy to You and Yours!” or when we sing the carol “Joy to the World.”  The dictionary defines the word “joy” as a feeling of great happiness.  When I stop and think about experiences or situations (or people…my grandfather’s initials were J.O.Y.) in which I have felt or seen joy, I simply can’t help but smile and I’m sure it is the same way for you too.  I suppose “joy” is used a lot at Christmas-time because we typically associate feelings of great happiness with the Christmas season.

Joy can most definitely be used to describe the feelings of those individuals who were a part of the First Christmas.  I have no doubt in my mind that both Mary and Joseph were filled with great joy at the birth of Jesus.  Joy that not only was the baby was born healthy, but also great joy that this baby would be the Savior of the World!  Remember what the angels told them?  Gabriel said to Mary, “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:31-33).  And to Joseph the angel said, “And she [Mary] will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). 

The shepherds were filled with joy at the news of this newborn King (okay, after they shook off the initial shock from seeing the host of angels).  The angel even told them that the news they were delivering was of the happy kind, “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people!” (Luke 2:10).  And so excited and happy were the shepherds at actually finding out for themselves that this news was indeed true, that they told everyone they came in contact with (Luke 2:17)!

And last, but certainly not least, the wisemen were filled with joy after finding the Christ-child after a long and arduous journey to Bethlehem.  As they followed the star over great distances, upon arriving in Bethlehem, they noticed that it “stopped over the place where the child was” (Matthew 2:9).  They knew that because it had stopped that their journey was over, their quest complete, and that they had finally found the King they had waited so long to worship.  Matthew 2:10 tells us, “When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!”

I know that for some at Christmas, joy is the last emotion you want to be feeling this time of year.  Feelings of loss, regret, guilt, worry and sadness creep in this time of year and joy doesn’t even make it on the list.  For me, this Christmas is the first Christmas without my grandfather, who we would spend time with each Christmas at his assisted living home.  Also, my dad is facing a surgery soon that no one anticipated a couple of weeks ago.  It’s hard to have joy when a piece of you is missing or when you are worried about something in the coming year. 

Then I stop and think about these wisemen.  The Bible doesn’t say they had seen Jesus and then were filled with joy.  They were filled with joy BEFORE they saw him!  They were filled with joy because they knew the star signified that he was there! 

Joy should fill our hearts this Christmas because we know that Jesus is here!  He promises to never leave us or forsake us, to give us peace, to comfort us…and the list goes on and on!  His promises and the other things He has told us through the Scriptures aren’t to fill us with questions or concerns, they are to fill us with hope and joy!  “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy.  Yes, your joy will overflow!” (John 16:11).  No matter what you are facing this Christmas…or into the coming year, know this…Jesus is HERE.  He longs for your presence.  He awaits your worship.  He wants to fill you with His joy.  No matter the circumstance.

Like the wisemen, we haven’t seen Him yet!  Like the wisemen, we follow the light (of the Word) in order to guide us to Him!  Like the wisemen, one day, as believers, we will get to worship at the feet of Jesus!  Now THAT’S something to have joy about!  

Joy to the world, the Lord is HERE!

A Sweet Peace

“…Have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." – John 16:33

Fear and nerves can be powerful emotions.  They can grip our minds and make us feel edgy, tense, depressed, and sometimes even angry.  How do we push these negative emotions away?  How do we find a way to be calm?  How do we find a sweet peace?

Jesus tells us in John 14:27, “My peace I give to you.”  That simple phrase alone should cut down all fear and anxiety.  He GIVES us His peace.  We don’t have to win a contest for it.  We don’t have to take a number and He’ll get back to us.  We don’t even have to pay for it.  He just gives it to us.  If you ask me, that’s mind-blowing! 

When we need peace, we simply ask Him for it.  Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  He’s ready, waiting, and willing to take all our fears, worries, anger, and frustration and in return give us a calm and peaceful heart.  All we have to do is tell Him.  Again, mind-blowing!

I can’t tell you how many times I have called to my Jesus for peace, and time after time He has given it to me…no matter the place or the occasion.  It’s a crazy feeling because while I should be scared out of my skin, my heart instead feels calm, cool, and collected.  And just like Paul says, that TOTALLY surpasses all my understanding.  It is then I know, however, that He has heard my prayers and petitions and has given me that sweet peace I need. 

Unfortunately, trials and sorrows will find their way into our lives, Jesus said so in John 16:33; however, He promises to be there to give us His peace.  So…if you’re in a scary or frustrating situation, coming out of one, or are about to enter one, I want to leave you in this post by echoing the words of Paul in 2 Thessalonians 3:16, “Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!”

Keep Calm and Don't Quit

“…Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6

Worry.  Dread.  Frustration.  Obstacles at EVERY. SINGLE. TURN.  We’ve all been there.  These feelings many times lead to giving up and quitting whatever is the source of these emotions.  Many times throwing in the towel seems SO much more appealing than having worry/dread/fear/frustration and the like consuming your every thought.

Oh, I’ve been there too.  There have been times I was not happy about certain situations and thought the easiest and seemingly worry-free solution would be to just quit and do something else – surely that would bring some peace to my chaos.  It doesn’t though.  Things may slow down, but other negative feelings seem to pop up – disappointment, regret, and sometimes even more unhappiness.  Disappointment that I didn’t accomplish something.  Regret that I gave up too soon.  Unhappy that I let someone down. 

Time after time we hear teachers or leaders tell us, “Don’t quit!  Persevere!  You can do it!”  Those phrases seem so cliché, but they are so true.  When we listen to encouragement and advice during our times of wanting to give up, this support can take a hard situation and help us see it from a different angle.  It can come from parents, teachers, church leaders, others who have been through those same situations, and also through prayer.

I can’t think of a better encouragement, however, than the Bible.  It’s His Word to us!  There are so many ways in which the Bible can encourage us in life…especially in the instance of not giving up.  Look at how The Message paraphrases Psalm 119:1-6: “You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That's right - you don't go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I'd never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel.” 

What would’ve happened if Noah had given up on building the ark?  Well…there would definitely be no zoos, that’s for sure.  What would’ve happened if David had stopped running from Saul in the wilderness?  He wouldn’t have been king of Israel because Saul probably would've killed him.  What if Paul had quit going on his missionary journeys after all the troubles endured?  He wouldn’t have reached thousands for Christ.  We will endure hardship and frustration in this life, but God has a plan for us and will use us for His glory...we must trust Him in that and not give up!  Paul has great encouragement for us.  Look at Romans 5:3-4, "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."  I also love what he says in Philippians 1:6, “[Be] confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Paul is telling us, “Don’t QUIT!  Jesus, the Guide of your life, is doing a great work and He will complete it! Stay the course.  Don’t give up!” 

I recently posted part of the following poem on Facebook, but I wanted to take this blog post to show the poem in its entirety.  It’s not a Christian poem, but I think it combined with the scripture I have shown above both speak to the same message…don’t quit, even when it’s hard.  In middle school, my science teacher asked us to memorize this particular poem.  He was a cross country coach, and to be honest, in 7^th grade, I thought that’s what the poem had to do with (no I was not in cross country).  When I got to high school, I happened to have this same teacher again, and again, he asked us to memorize this poem.  By this time in my life, however, I understood that it was much more than a poem for cross country runners….it was a poem that anyone could relate to…a poem that speaks to perseverance and not giving up in the tough times of life.  It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen this poem in its entirety and I couldn’t recite it to you word-for-word, but I’ve never forgotten the message of it…even after all these years…. “don’t you quit.”

Don’t Quit

by Anonymous

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit

Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and its turns,

As everyone of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about

When they might have won, had they stuck it out.

Don't give up though the pace seems slow,

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than, 

It seems to a faint and faltering man,

Often the struggler has given up

When he might have captured the victor's cup;

And he learned too late when the night came down,

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems so far;

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,

It's when things seem worst that you must not quit!

It's Noisy in Here!

In the noise and confusion of day-to-day living, do we really stop and listen to what God is trying to tell us?  This noise and confusion doesn’t necessarily have to be audible commotion; it can be continuous thinking or even uncontrollable worrying.  I know for me personally, my mind is constantly wrapped up in thoughts of the day or thoughts about my future.  What words from the Lord have I missed out on because my mind was wrapped up in the noise and confusion of the hour?

This thought recalls to my mind the story of how God spoke to Samuel.  1 Samuel 3:4 says that one night before he had gone to sleep, the “Lord called Samuel.”  Thinking it was his teacher, Eli, Samuel ran to him and said, “You called.  I’m here.”  Eli must’ve said, “Um, sorry Sammy, but it wasn’t me.  Go back to bed.”  So Samuel went back to bed, but he heard his name again!  So again he goes to Eli, thinking it was him.  Eli says, “Sam, I didn’t call you.  You sure your hearing is okay?  Go back to bed.”  Samuel goes back to bed and again hears his name.  He goes to Eli once more, and by this time, Eli realizes that Samuel isn’t crazy and that God is the one who is calling Samuel’s name.  Eli says to Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if He [God] calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9).  Samuel followed Eli’s instructions and when he heard God call his name for the fourth time he said, “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10).  God then proceeded to tell Samuel some important news.  We find out later that as Samuel grew, God “revealed Himself to Samuel through His word” (1 Samuel 3:21).

Most times, I feel like Samuel, in that I can’t hear beyond the noise of the day.  So many thoughts consume me that I don’t take time to truly stop and listen to what God wants to tell me.  I’m so thankful God is a patient and forgiving God who waits for me to shut off all the commotion so that I can focus on Him.  In His presence is knowledge, wisdom, understanding, life, peace, joy, love, strength, and the list goes on and on.  I love Psalm 16:11 that says if I go into His presence, He “will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of His presence and the pleasures of living with [Him] forever.”  In this season of my life, I am learning patience and “waiting upon the Lord.”  How can I “wait upon Him” if I don’t stop and listen?  Hmm…makes ‘ya think, doesn’t it!?!

Turning off the noise depends on me.  When that happens, like Samuel, I can truly say “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”