A Contagious Choice

Because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand.  And this peace will control the way you think and feel. – Philippians 4:7 (CEV)

 I must have “gotten up on the wrong side of the bed” this morning.  I botched breakfast, cut short my TWG (Time with God), forgot to drink my coffee, left the house late in a stained t-shirt, and sped across town with my bad attitude riding shotgun.  Hoping that caffeine would lift the dark cloud, I stopped to get a cup at a local grocery store. 

I chose a seat away from the crowd where I could be alone and look out on the Flatiron Mountains in the distance.  I sipped my coffee, opened my Bible, and asked God to help me reset my attitude.  Verse after verse of reassurance somehow didn’t sweep away my bad mood.  When I looked up to ponder why, I saw her.

Sitting near me was a beautiful African American woman with long, dark braids in her hair.  They draped over her shoulders and lay upon her simple, black cotton dress.  Also alone, she held a book on her lap.  Her brown, smooth-skinned hand would trace the words on the page she was reading, then she’d stop, look up, as if looking at someone affectionately across the table, and smile.  As she repeated this several times, I began to notice that she radiated peace and joy.  I couldn’t take my eyes off her.  I wanted that.  I needed that.

She must have felt my stare, because she turned and smiled at me.  Before I could stop myself, I said, “May I ask you a question?”  She paused for a second, then simply nodded.  I dove in deep and asked, “You seem so peaceful and joyful.  Where does that come from?”  She giggled.  I joined her nervously.  I had just asked a complete stranger a very personal question.

She turned herself around, looked directly into my eyes and responded, “I have two answers to that question.  First, I choose joy and peace many times, every day.  I truly believe that I have that choice.  Second, I am a child of God and a woman of faith, so God gives me His peace and joy.”  (I’m not making this up).

I blubbered out a thanks as tears welled up in my eyes, then laughed and said “You are a walking, talking example of God’s peace that surpasses all understanding!”  She was blessed by my affectionate affirmation.  I was blessed by her divine wisdom.  A complete stranger reminded me that I had chosen my bad attitude when I could, instead, have chosen peace and joy.  

No longer strangers, we talked for an hour about faith, politics, our changing country, racial conflicts, and love.  We agreed that when the world spins out of control, our emotions often follow suit.  But we both agreed that we must stand firm in God’s love and love one another as brothers and sisters of Christ.  

Stand with us!  As each of us shines in our own corner of the world, others will notice.  Our peace and joy illuminating the darkness will, in some way, draw them closer to God.  We can brighten this world together!  

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Stumblin' Dowm

The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with His hand. – Psalm 37:23-24

I’ve mentioned before that my husband, Dan likes to challenge himself through ultra-endurance races.  This summer he’s going to run the Leadville 100 for the 6^th time.  The race is nicknamed The Race Across the Sky because much of its 100-mile course is above 10,000 ft. in elevation.  He had planned to run it with his brother, Chris, but Chris badly injured his hip in training, so Dan’s going to go it alone. 

Dan announced at dinner last week that, because Chris is out, he’d like us to step in and help “pace” him for the last 40 miles of the race.  When he assigned each of us our mileage, rebellion erupted among the teenagers.  I’m slated to pace him through the middle-of-the-night leg that takes him the last 20 miles to the finish line. What?!  

Since the farthest I’ve run so far this summer is 6 miles, this morning I went out to start “training” for a race that’s only three weeks away.  I plodded, yes plodded, down a rocky trail for a while, feeling pretty good, until my left ankle rolled on a slanted rock.  A lightning bolt of pain shot up my leg and under my foot as I fell to the ground.  “Oh my…..grrrrrr”!  I hopped on one foot to a nearby stream, tore off my shoe and sock, and plunged my throbbing ankle into the cool mountain water.  

My first thought, don’t tell Dan, was “well at lest I don’t have to run in Leadville now.”  As the pain began to subside and I stared at the water flowing by, I began to think about how God picks us up when we stumble.  I couldn’t remember where in the Bible He makes this promise, but I knew it was there.  So sitting there alone with one-foot dangling in the cold water numbing the pain, I thanked God for picking me up so many times when I’ve stumbled in the past.

When was the last time you stumbled into disappointment or despair?  Sometimes, we are the reason we stumble.  Other times, it’s because we followed someone else’s lead.  A common theme, though, is that we’ve stumbled because we’ve stepped “out of bounds” off of God’s path.  

Thankfully, God wants to use our mistakes and miscalculations for His good.  He is always there to reach down to us and help us up, no matter what mistakes we’ve made or how often we’ve made them.  We are never too far from His reach.  

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Shelter From The Storm

Jesus said to the waves, “Quiet!  Be still!  Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 

- Mark 4:39

When my 3pm alarm went off today, I was standing on our deck watching a fast moving summer storm close in.  Strong gusts of wind always arrive first.  I scurried around the deck, picking up pillows that had blown off the chairs and into the driveway.  The wind picked up a notch, blowing furniture across the deck into the railing before I could catch it. 

When was the last time you felt out of control in one of life’s powerful storms: a conflict, a job loss, illness, or even death?  I’ll confess that when life is swirling out of control, my first instinct is to flee rather than face the storm head on.   

Jesus and His disciples were on the Sea of Galilee when a fierce storm began to blow and waves began to swamp the boat.  Jesus napped through the chaos.  Despite having seen Jesus perform miracles and be declared by John the Baptist to be the Son of God, the disciples panicked, afraid they were going to drown.  Why were they terrified of the storm if Jesus was with them?

Why are we scared when storms hit our lives?  After all, God promises to always be available.  In Isaiah 41:13 He says, “I the LORD your God keep hold of your right hand.  I say to you, do not fear, I will help you.”  God promises to help us if we just reach out and invite Jesus in to our sinking boats.  

Remember the disciples in the storm: once they asked Jesus to help them, He stood up, spoke, and “the wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass.”  Are you willing to ask God for guidance and protection the next time the waves crash over you and you feel swamped?  He may not stop the storm, but He’ll keep you safe until the winds die down and the sun shines again.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

The Pause

Mary, who sat at the Lord’s (Jesus’) feet listening to what He said.   - Luke 10:39

Have you ever opened the menu at a restaurant, caught a glimpse of the entrée prices, then wanted to flee for your financial life?

I was in Denver killing time while my middle school daughter and her friends attended a live show at the Paramount Theatre.  Circling in the car, trying to avoid the area’s $18/hour parking lots, I spied an $8 flat rate parking lot at a restaurant.  I’d scored a bargain:  cheap parking and dinner while I waited for the concert to end.  

My first glimpse of “bargain” flying out the window was when the valet parking attendant took my car keys and ushered me to the “Valet Manager,” who then swept me into the restaurant where I was seated at a table covered with a freshly ironed, white table cloth, sparkling china, too many forks, and a lit candle.  Three handsome black tied waiters eagerly descended on my table with welcoming smiles, a menu, the daily specials, and dinner recommendations.  I had been “trapped” into a delicious steak dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steak House.  

I ordered the least expensive steak on the menu, with no sides, opted for soup instead of salad, and passed on dessert.  The lobster bisque was rich and creamy with big chucks of real lobster.  Yum!  How I wished I was on a date with my husband.  I found it difficult to relax into my seat or truly enjoy the beautiful atmosphere because the guilt of having such a lavish dinner alone kept washing over me.  

Didn’t I just recently write about making wise decisions with our budgets?  What was I doing at a fancy restaurant when Chick-fil-a was more my style and price point?  While I was beating myself up and no longer enjoying my soup, the Valet Manager returned to my table.  He looked directly into my eyes and boldly declared, “Good for you for taking care of yourself.”

Huh, really?  I appeared to him as balanced and taking care of myself?  I’m a frazzled, way-too-busy, always-late mom.  I stay up late nervously cleaning while waiting for teenagers to get home safely.  I jump up early to make breakfast, skip the shower, cut exercise time short, and eat my meals in the car on the way to the next dentist appointment, soccer practice, meeting, grocery store.  Every day I feel like I fall way short of finishing my list of “To Dos”.

The manager’s kind words continued to ring in my ears.  I put my silver spoon down on the white table cloth as guilt collided with appreciation.  I bowed my head, thanked God for the delicious food, took a deep breath, let my shoulders drop, and relaxed.  

I thought of the passages in Luke that describe Jesus’ visit with Mary and Martha.  Martha busily prepared for the feast, ignoring Jesus and the disciples.  Mary, on the other hand, sat at Jesus’ feet, spent time with, and listened to Him.  Realizing that I had too much Martha and not enough Mary in me, I moved the candle from the side of my plate to the center of the table and imagined Jesus sitting across from me, also enjoying a juicy steak dinner.  

God desires for us to pause from our busy lives and just sit with Him.  Creating space in our days to sit and relax opens our hearts and minds to His closeness and His voice.  There we can restore and replenish our bodies and souls.  Close to Jesus there is no guilt, only love. 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Hope For The Future

I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. – 1 John 2:14

A few nights ago, I went to a concert by the Christian worship band from Australia, Hillsong United, at the Pepsi Center in Denver.  Colorful lights, fast moving videos, and misty fog filled the stadium as over twelve thousand people sang and worshiped.  As inspirational as the music and praise was, what I will remember most about the night is who was sitting in the rows in front of me.  

Do you find that when you’re thinking about a particular thing, it seems to pop up all around you?  For example, if you’re wanting to test drive a Honda Pilot, then from that day on, the roads seem to be filled with them.  I recently heard a sermon where the pastor prayed fervently for our “fatherless” nation.  He explained that today more kids are growing up without a father in the home than ever in history.  For days after hearing this disappointing news, I kept bumping into single moms.  I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about “fatherless” kids all week.

Then at the Hillsong concert, hope replaced worry for the hundreds of thousands of kids living without a father at home.  The rows right in front of where my husband and I were sitting were filled with young men, their strong arms raised and their bright, youthful faces lifted up, shouting praises to God. They were moved by the music and they worshipped Jesus boldly with conviction and courage.  My eyes welled up with tears of joy and thankfulness, for right there in front of me was the next generation, running strong after God’s word.

God’s word will guide these young men to be faithful husbands and strong, Christian fathers.  I leaned over and shouted above the loud worship music to my husband, “Look at those guys!  There is HOPE for our country!”  

Let’s pray for the next generation who are fathering children and leading families.  They will need to stand firm and put on the full armor of God if they are to defeat the enemy’s schemes and temptations (Ephesians 6).  With God leading them, all things are possible!  There is great hope for our nation!

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Susan's Heart

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence – Psalm 16:11

My dear friend Susan shared with me recently that when she receives her daily 3pm Wake Up Call from God that it gets her heart “unstuck.”  The condition of Susan’s heart is very important to me.

Several years ago, I stood at Susan’s bedside after a cardiologist had implanted a pacemaker in her heart.  Her pale face smiled with an exhausted relief, but her eyes still twinkled with joy as she read the prayer I had written for her.  We hugged long and hard after her doctor gave her permission to leave the hospital and get back to life.

Think for a moment about your heart.  Place a hand over it and feel it beating.  What’s the health of your heart?  What fills most of the spaces within it?  What would God hear if He listened into your heart?

 As Susan and I “pondered life” one hot summer evening, she shared with me that God has used her heart’s “weird rhythms” to teach her a vitally important truth: Every day is a gift from God.  Loving her grandchildren is a gift.  Camping with her husband is a gift.  Walking to her daughter’s house is a gift.  As long as her heart beats, she is determined to enjoy and be grateful for her family and friends.

Susan’s heart beat might be off a bit, speeding up or slowing down in strange patterns, but I can attest that her heart is in incredible condition because it is filled with grateful joy.  What’s awesome for me is that her heart condition is contagious.  I truly feel closer to God when I’m with her.  As I look into her eyes, I see love and acceptance.  When I share my struggles and highest hopes, I feel heard and important because she is present and intently listening.  

When I ask her how she does it, she answers “I am present in God’s presence.  I live every moment because it is a gift from God.  I don’t know how many days I have, so I don’t worry about tomorrow.  I choose to love today.”

Wow!  I sat back in my chair and took a deep breath as my heart filled with joy.  That’s cherished truth from a wise heart.  

Regardless of our health or how many days we have left on this earth, let’s choose to get our hearts “unstuck” like Susan’s.  Let’s choose to be present in God’s presence today.  It it there where our hearts are filled with joy.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

More Month Than Money

Wisdom builds the house and understanding establishes it. – Psalm 24:3

Have you ever gotten to the end of the month and thought to yourself, “Where in the world did all my money go?”  After saying that yesterday, I did the “wise” thing and sat down to look through our bank account.  After looking over my families’ spending, I about fell off my chair.

I was quickly reminded of a quote I heard awhile back from Rick Warren: 

After some frustrating introspection, I came to several conclusions:

• Summer is Expensive: school’s out, vacations happen, summer fun and cooling off come with a hefty price tag.

• Teenagers are breaking my bank: food, travel, camps, clothes, sports… and more food.

• If you put your head in the sand and let your emotions dictate your spending rather than sticking to a budget, you too will find more month than money. 

I think we need to call a family meeting and put the “Budget Brakes” on!  These teenagers have jobs and have help out more, or I need to get on a plane and really put my head in the sand… maybe Costa Rica or….?  That plan sounds wonderful because if I escape, I will no longer hear, “MOM, we have no food in this house!”  

 Truly though, I know what I really need to do is Wake Up and ask God to give me more self-control, wisdom, and understanding so I can return to the budget that tells my money where to go before my money walks out the door to the mall, or pool, or the Thai restaurant.  

What about you?  How’s your summer spending?  Do you need a Wake Up Call too?  If so, ask God for His wisdom and understanding.  Then, set aside time to track where your money needs to go.  By creating a budget, you are telling your money its place before it puts you in yours… hopefully not on the floor with me.  Let’s be “wise stewards” and thank God for all He has given us then spend smart and be wise.  

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Brand Spanking New

Sing to the LORD a new song. – Psalm 96:1

Isn’t it wonderful that God is in the business of NEW?  The Bible tells us His mercies are new every morning, we are a new creation in Christ, and God is making us new from the inside out.  That’s great news! 

Maybe that’s why we like new things.  We love wearing a new outfit to an important event, the smell of a new car, and the comfortable feel of a new couch.  New things are clean and uncluttered.  New looks good.

I bet even those of you who collect antiques agree that some things are just better new.  Like crisp sheets on the bed, freshly painted toenails, or an unread book.  

I can’t stand waking up on a new day with yesterday’s messes still laying around:  the dishes piled high in the sink or stacks of papers and tasks left undone.  

Even worse than yesterday’s dishes is yesterday’s guilt.  When we carry our guilt and shame from the past into a new day, God must shake His head and say, “No my child, you are forgiven now forgive yourself.”  God wants to free us to enjoy this new day.

The Psalm above encourages us to sing to the LORD a new song.  He tells us how this song is to sound.

Sing to the LORD a new song; all the earth.

Sing to the LORD, praise His name;

Proclaim His salvation day after day.

Declare His glory among the nations, 

His marvelous deeds among all peoples. 

- Psalm 96:1-3 

So today, let your heart sing a new song of thanksgiving because God’s mercies are new every day, Let’s declare the great deeds God has done in our lives and know that day by day, He is making us new. 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

The Least Of These

I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.

– Matthew 25:40

Last Sunday, my family had the privilege of working with our church to pass out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to the homeless of downtown Boulder.  I call it a privilege because every time I serve people on the fringes of society, I come away feeling more blessed than those simple lunches could have possibly blessed.

My thirteen-year old daughter handed a brown paper bag lunch to a young teenage girl around her own age.  Their eyes met during the exchange and they both smiled.  Later while driving home, my daughter stared out the window, contemplating a while before stating “It must be scary to be homeless at night.”

When was the last time you stepped into another’s shoes and contemplated what it would be like to live where they live, to do what they do, and to have what they have? 

Jesus lived a humble life of service.  He was born in a stable, grew up in a poor family, and traveled with next to nothing.  While on earth, He fed the hungry and taught others to care for the poor, widows and orphans.  From heaven, Jesus calls us to serve “the least of these.”  When we feed the hungry or give a cold drink to the thirsty, we are humbly serving like Jesus did.  Our small acts of service align our hearts with Jesus’ heart.  Maybe that’s why mine was overflowing with love while handing out bag lunches.  Maybe that’s why my daughter’s heart was overflowing with compassion for a teenage girl living on the streets. 

Look around your city or town this week.  Who is in need or living on the fringe?  Who are call “the least of these” near your home or work?  Could you give them a bottle of cold water, a banana, a granola bar, a PB & J sandwich?  Remember that when you do, you are also giving to God.  Then… expect your heart to overflow with the same emotions Jesus experienced while He served the poor, the sick, and the outcasts.  

If you do feed someone hungry or give someone thirsty a drink, send me a quick note.  We’ll collect our “small acts of service” and I’ll share them so we can all celebrate Jesus’ presence still alive on earth today.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Through The Fog

Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: “He is good; His love endures forever.” – 2 Chronicles 5:13

Our church worship band is made up of people of all ages.  Occasionally, there’s a thirty year spread up on stage.  Last Sunday, a young woman sang a song she wrote about Jesus calling her to move out of her comfort zone and go to music school in another part of the country, far away from family and friends.  I imagine everyone in the room, regardless of age, could relate to her nervous anticipation and excitement to go where God is calling her.

What emotions rush through you when you know that God is leading you to move, or change jobs, or reach out to someone, or raise your voice, or go in a different direction?  

Friends of ours will move this week from Colorado to Massachusetts with their two young sons.  They are following God’s lead, in spite of all the unknown.  Will the job be a good fit?  Will the boys like their new school?  Will the neighbors be kind?  Are Boston drivers really be that bad, and who can understand their accent?

The Bible is full of real people following God’s calling into the unknown.  God called David and his son Solomon to build a temple.  The passage above describes the worship that took place after it was finally completed.  While God’s people were singing, “He is good; His love endures forever,”  God’s presence filled the temple in the form of a great cloud.   

Many times in the Old Testament God’s presence is seen in the form of a cloud.  In Exodus 13:21-22, God led His people through the wilderness by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. Iin the New Testament, when Jesus revealed His true identity as the Savior of the World to Peter, James, and John on a mountain top, a “cloud appeared and enveloped them.”  (Mark 9:7)  

Sometimes when we need to go where God is calling us, it might feel like we’re enveloped in a cloud, and our visibility is foggy.  When that happens, let’s do exactly what the Israelites did so many years ago: sing praises to God then move forward into the unknown, trusting in the One who is leading us.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement