Kindness of a Stranger

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 

– Colossians 3:12

When my eyes popped open this morning, I didn’t need to look outside to know the weather, I could hear it.  Pouring rain hammered the roof, drenched the lush, green forest and swelled the nearby creek. I quickly counted: seven consecutive days of rain in the Pacific Northwest.  

Last week when my two daughters and I boarded the plane in Denver, we said good-bye to the sun’s brilliant presence and warmth.  We had left behind the usual Spring Break supplies like sunscreen, bathing suits, and flip flops in exchange for rain coats, walking shoes, and college maps.  

No time for suntans or relaxing on the beach, we were on a mission to explore college campuses up and down the Northwest coast.  And no better companion to make this epic adventure with than my college roommate and best friend, Becky and her two daughters. The six of us piled into Becky’s red mini-van and off we went “like a herd of turtles”.  From Eugene, Oregon to Vancouver, British Columbia we trekked, laughed, and dreamed with our girls about what life could be like after high school graduation.  

Road trips sure have a way of bringing out our true colors, don’t they?  How do you respond when the traffic around a major city adds two unexpected hours to your travel time?  When torrential rain reduces your driving visibility to ten feet, or severe hunger pains lead you to the nearest convenience store for Swedish Fish, Oreos, and Corn Nuts? 

The only thing predictable about road trips is you can count on construction delays, bumps in the road, and sudden surprises.  

On our drive up to British Columbia we were right on schedule.  We were making good time on Interstate 5 when, from out of nowhere, the mini-van’s side door window shattered.  Becky, having lived in Newark, NJ thought we’d been shot.  I thought we’d been hit by a baseball.  (I guess I’ve spent too much time parked in sports complex parking lots.) 

As the hole in the window widened, we jumped into detour mode.  I veered the van on to the first exit ramp.  Becky directed the girls in the middle row to abandon their seats and squeeze into the way-back.  Everyone huddled under blankets to shield themselves from flying shards of glass. 

With hazard lights blinking, we pulled into a Costco Tire Center.  There a compassionate employee happily swept up the pile of glass that had fallen out of the window as he gave us directions to an REI to buy supplies.

At REI, instead of just silently checking us out with our odd collection of duct tape and tarps, an employee took the time to ask what we were up to.  When we explained, his eyes lit up and told us to “wait right there,” as he headed off.  A few minutes later, he returned with a thick cardboard box.  He instructed us how to cut it to fit the window and sent us to a local hardware store for a box cutter and larger, stronger rolls of duct tape. We thanked him for his free gift.

At our final stop, a small carwash, the girls giggled and worked as a team to vacuum up all the glass.  They laid out the repair supplies on the ground next to the van and pulled out the box cutter to get started.  It wouldn’t open.  Something was stuck.  Really?  

Right then a car pulled up next to us and a young man climbed out.  I wondered why in the world he had stopped at a carwash because his vehicle already looked immaculate inside and out. With a distinctive South African accent, he asked us how he could help.  After the girls explained the problem, he smiled and told us of how he had recently fixed his own window after someone had broken in and stolen his iPad. 

Like a professional, he quickly opened the box cutter, cut the cardboard, and duct taped it securely over the entire window. By the time he was finished, we knew his name was Rezmond, that he’d grown up along the Gold Coast, had come to the United States at twenty-four, was working as an IT Specialist in the local school district, and that kindness was “how he rolled.”

We tried to pay Rezmond for his tremendous help, but he only smiled, and flat-out refused.  

Later I was reminded of Hebrews 13:2, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” All six of us had hugged Rezmond when we said our good-byes.  He’d sure felt human.  

But isn’t it true that God also sends people into our lives who act as angels by clothing themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, and gentleness (Col. 3:12)?  Whether Rezmond was an angel or an incredible man, he has reminded me that we can all clothe ourselves with kindness, because kindness is a choice.

Now I’m on the lookout for how I can pass on the kindness I’ve received from strangers.  I’m ready and willing to be used by God.  What to join me?

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

Living Proof

From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind, from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth – He who forms the hearts of all, who considers all they do. 

– Psalm 33:13-14

I was driving fast, on a mission to get to my daughter’s school as soon as possible.  School ends right at 3:00pm, so if my 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call sounds and I haven’t yet arrived, you’d better believe that after I give thanks, I’m asking God to move everyone either faster or out of my way completely.

On this particular day, my alarm sounded just as I was merging on to the highway after a much needed trip to Costco.  I zipped into the left lane and gunned it.  My daughter complains that I’m “always late,” and I didn’t want to give her anymore evidence of that today.

Cruising along, I crested a hill where the view of the mountains is breathtakingly beautiful.  There is something about the majesty of the mountains that always reminds me of God’s presence surrounding my city.  As I descended the hill, I glanced at the clock.  I was going to make it!

Less than a minute later, my “I can do it” bubble was popped by a gray, electric car that zipped into my lane right in front of me.  A few seconds later, it slowed down by a good ten to fifteen miles per hour. 

Clenching my teeth, I had to slam on the brakes to avoid rear ending the little gray guy. How dare he? I quickly looked for an escape route, but the other lane was log jammed too.  I was a mom on a mission in a gas-guzzling SUV, stuck behind a slow, free-range, gluten free, electric Prius.  I had no choice but to follow it all the way into Boulder. 

Right before the exit, I glanced to my right.  There, perched on a hill overlooking the highway, was a black police car. I touched the brakes out of habit as the officer pointed his radar gun directly at me, then read my speedometer.  Bam! Right on the mark. 

Thank you little gray Prius!  I would have been an hour late by the time the ticket was written.  Thank you God!

These are the times when I think that God places angels of protection around us.  Do you ever wonder whether a delay is actually saving you from disaster or moving you closer to your destiny?  Whether someone’s words of encouragement or correction could be coming directly from God?  Or if the event that turned out so much better-than-expected perfect was guided by God’s hand?

Call me crazy, but I believe that there is so much more going on around us in the spiritual realm.  More than we can imagine.  

The Bible makes it clear that we’re constantly at war against the powers and forces of evil in the heavenly realm (Eph. 6:12). God’s word also explains that we’re blessed by Him in the spiritual realm (Eph. 1:3).  Don’t you agree that, while some blessings seem obviously divine, others are vague and difficult to recognize.

Where have you seen God’s interventions, personal touches, or gentle guidance happen in your life?  

These precious moments are when you know for sure that God is close, His power is real, and His love is everlasting.  Whether you call them “God Winks,” “Divine Encounters,” or “Wide Awake Moments,” they need to be cherished and remembered.

I challenge you to keep a running record of the evidence of God in your life.  Write down when you experience God’s grace, goodness, or love.  By keeping track of your blessings from above, you will strengthen your faith and be living proof that God is real. 

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

Thankful for the Tailwinds

God makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; He sends rain and brings the winds from His storehouses. 

– Psalm 135:7 

Isn’t it amazing how quickly we take good things for granted?  

Yesterday at 2:00 am, I awoke to discover that we had no water in our house. Turning on the bathroom faucet produced only a hissing rush of air and the toilets were only good for a single flush.  We rely on a low-producing well to supply our water, so when the two storage cisterns get emptied by an undetected leak, we’re left high and dry until they slowly re-fill over the next few days.  

Without water, teenagers complain because they can’t shower.  Without water, I want to join them because the laundry and dishes quickly pile up.

I can’t remember the last time I was thankful for the water that runs clean and abundantly (almost) every day.  But today, we’ve all been quick to complain about its absence.   

Why do we tend to focus on what we do not have instead of being grateful for what we do have?  

A group of Cornell psychologists have recently described this phenomenon as the “headwinds/tailwinds asymmetry,” where “headwinds” are the challenges we face, and “tailwinds” are the so-called “lucky breaks” that go our way.  Even when the good and the bad of a situation are exactly equal, we almost always overemphasize the negative and focus on what’s not working or “unfair” in our lives.  

On the March 16, 2017 Freakonomics Radio podcast, they discussed how the headwinds/tailwinds asymmetry explains why people tend to think that their parents were much tougher on them than their siblings, why both Democrats and Republicans feel that the electoral deck is stacked against them, and why their favorite sports teams always seem to have the toughest schedule in the league.  

In a nutshell, they have found that we are not nearly as grateful as we ought to be.  We overemphasize the headwinds in our lives, making us feel that others have it easier than we do, which fosters a spirit of resentment.  We undervalue/ overlook the tailwinds in our lives.  This failing to recognize the good, leaves us ungrateful and unhappy. 

So how do we keep from getting blown backwards by life’s headwinds and stuck in a cycle of resentment? It’s simple! You’re already doing it!

The Cornell researchers, and many others in the field, have found that gratitude increases the strength of our tailwinds. Scientists agree, giving thanks has the power to push people forward toward happiness and a fulfilling life.  

Specifically, the researchers suggested establishing repeated and consistent patterns of giving thanks, such as creating a gratitude journal.  But they did come to the resolve that this is a hard habit to keep up.

In our case, by being prompted to stop our train of thinking and give thanks every day at 3pm, we are practicing a daily pattern that focuses our brains on our tailwinds.  When we stop to recognize God’s tailwinds, things like clean water, a cozy bed, delicious food, a friend’s hug, a spouse’s help, a child’s hand, safe schools, good roads, and fun vacations…we are strengthening the wind at our back.  

Gratitude shifts our minds away from the hardships in our lives and pushes us forward into the abundant life God has planned for 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

The Greatest Gift

The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23

Would you rather give a gift or receive one?  I’ll be honest, I’m not very good at either one.  

My son just graduated from an intense academic program last week.  We’re celebrating tonight and the only thing I can think of giving him is a Conoco Gas Card for his car, which is kind of boring.

I usually don’t receive gifts with much enthusiasm either.  I’ve never counted down the days until presents would arrive.  My daughter, on the other hand, has her “wish list” of gifts ready to go months ahead of her birthday and Christmas.  She gets so excited knowing that with each passing day, she’s one day closer to opening her presents. 

As I continued to think about what would be the best gift for my son, my heart swelled with what I really wish I could give him.  These gifts are not tangible but they are life changing and eternal.  How I wish I could give my son a … 

• Steadfast faith in God that never waivers.
• Strong desire to follow Jesus all the days of his life. 
• Secure confidence and trust in God’s good plans for him. 

But I can’t give my son, or anyone else, these priceless gifts.  Only God can.  

Jesus is truly God’s greatest gift to each one of us.  “God so loved the world that He GAVE His one and only son” (John 3:16).  The lavish gift of Jesus is really three gifts wrapped up in one.

God gave Jesus to us, for us, and in us.  

• God gave Jesus to us by sending Him to the earth.  Jesus is an example of God in a body, flesh put on so we’d see Him more clearly, know Him intimately, and love Him deeply. 

• God gave Jesus for us because everyone is separated from God by our sin and imperfections.  Instead of the death we deserve, Jesus died for us so we could live free, now and forever.

• God placed Jesus in us through His Holy Spirit.  With His Spirit, we hear His voice, understand His guidance, and pursue His purposes.  

What an amazing gift that continues to transform, shape, and move us more into Jesus’ likeness.  Jesus is a gift I can shout for joy about, enjoy every day, and share with others.  Gift giving is not so bad if I remember who, not what, is the greatest gift ever given.

Who can you share God’s greatest gift ever given to you with today?  Step out in steadfast faith, follow Jesus’ lead, and fully trust the Giver of all goodness in your life.

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

One Soul

Jesus said, “Rise and go your faith has made you well.”

Bethel Church in Redding, California continues to release one hit song after another.  One I adore right now is, It Is Well.  Here are some of its simple, yet powerful lyrics.

Through it all, though it all 

My eyes are on You

Through it all, through it all

It is well Lord

So let go my soul and trust in Him

The waves and wind still know His name

It is well with my soul

It is well with my soul

It is well because of who you are Lord 

This beautiful song in connection with Jesus’ miraculous healing in Luke 17, brought a simple truth about Jesus absolutely alive in my soul.  I can’t wait to share it with you!

In Luke 17:11-17, Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem.  It was an ordinary day in His life.  He had places to go, people to meet, and things to do.  As he walked to His next destination, ten men suffering from leprosy spied Him coming and called out to Him.  

They shouted, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”  Their cries for help stopped Jesus in his tracks.  Jesus turned to them and, as was custom of the time, immediately sent them to the priest to be declared healed. 

Though nothing had yet changed, they followed his command.  Jesus sent and they went.  As they traveled to see the priest, their skin was cured of leprosy.  They would be declared healthy and be able to return to their previous lives.  Jesus had restored their bodies and set them free to enjoy life with their families again. 

But one man, upon realizing how he had been miraculously healed, turned around and returned to Jesus, fell to his knees and thanked Him.  Noticing he was alone, Jesus questioned the man about the other nine.  “Were not all ten cleansed?  Where are the other nine?”

Then Jesus said to him “Rise and go, your faith has made you well.”

Jesus had healed all ten men physically. They were freed from disease to return to normal lives.  But only the man who returned to thank Jesus was cleansed both of leprosy AND of sin from his soul.  He alone showed faith, trust, and confidence in Jesus, and he alone was made well with the Lord.

Jesus is calling us to be like the one leper who returned, to have faith and give thanks!

When your prayers are answered, do you return to God’s presence and thank Him for His blessings and power at work in your life?  Or do you instead keep moving along because you have places to go, people to see, and things to do? 

I’m often guilty of moving right along because I either take God’s goodness for granted or am “just too busy.”  My 3 o’clock alarm has all too often snapped me out of the busyness and reminded me to stop, look up, and give thanks to God.  Although things may be well with my life, like the leper in the story, it is only when I stop to give thanks that things are made well with my soul. 

What about you? Do you return to Jesus by stopping to give Him thanks every day?  Your soul is precious to God, and He wants to make it well within you.  

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

From Head to Toe

Jesus said, “Come, follow me.” – Matthew 4:19

Have you ever heard someone say something so profound that you immediately searched for a pen and paper to write it down? 

I was listening to Andy Stanley’s North Point Church sermon this week while running with the dog. When Andy boldly proclaimed a motto of his church, I had to stop and record it in the “notes” app on my phone.  

“Following Jesus makes my life better

and makes me better at life.” – Andy Stanley

It’s a simple sentence, but it’s packed with purpose.  Repeating it over and over, in time with my steps as I ran, it occurred to me that a lot of people might disagree with him.  

Many of us grew up thinking that if we followed Jesus, we’d have to lay down our fun and adventurous life and instead carry a cross of rules and boredom.  How does that make life better?

Others grew up afraid of God. We imagined God looking down on us from heaven and with some holy clipboard, keeping track of all our mistakes and mess ups on His “naughty list.” How does that make anyone better at life?

I couldn’t call Andy Stanley on my phone (He’d probably just send me to voicemail anyways), so I clicked off the podcast and starting talking to God.  “Really?  Does following Jesus truly make someone’s life better and make someone better at life?”

That familiar, still small voice inside my soul turned my question around. “Do you believe following Jesus makes your life better and makes you better at life?”

Good question.  How would you answer it? 

I say YES, absolutely.  Following Jesus makes my life better from my head down to my toes.

• Following Jesus, my mind is better.  All day long, I think about God’s truths and His ways. I can distinguish between the Enemy’s lies and God’s good plans.  I’m quick to give thanks and complain a lot less.

• Following Jesus, my heart is better.  Bitterness, anger, resentment, and shame once thrived in my heart, Jesus has been replacing these with compassion, forgiveness, joy, and love.

• Following Jesus, my hands are so much better.  The work I do has purpose. It’s eternal. I touch, teach, write, serve, comfort, encourage, and hug more than I ever would on my own. 

• Following Jesus, my walk is better.  My feet go where Jesus went.  I visit the sick.  I feed the poor.  I stay within God’s boundaries, which keeps me safe.  As God leads me deeper into His will, I can more faithfully walk out into the unknown.  

From head to toe, following Jesus makes our lives better and makes us better at life.  Adventure awaits and the journey is filled with joy when you run the race God has marked out for you.  

Our races might look different but the leader is the same.  Will you follow Jesus and find your better life?

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

A Simple Shift

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. – John 15:15

What do your prayers sound like?  Are they filled with flowing religious words or do you talk to Jesus like you’re chatting with a best friend?  Do you ask Jesus to just fix things, or do you invite Him into your day and listen to His loving guidance?

Recently, I was asking myself those questions.  After taking an inventory of my past few weeks of prayer, I came to the conclusion that most of my prayers were requests. I needed God to DO something for me, so I asked Him to:

• Please heal her from cancer.
• Show up in their marriage.
• Help me write.
• Keep her safe.

Then it hit me, I’m that needy friend who always asks and takes, but rarely listens or gives.

Haven’t you been in that relationships before?  She calls when crisis hits and needs you to drop everything and rush to her side.  You happily give your time and emotional energy.  But when you’re in need of a close friend to walk with you, she’s too busy to return your text.  

I certainly don’t want a one-way friendship like that with Jesus.  I want to be close and deeply connected to His heart.  So I decided to shake up my prayers.  They sound more like this now:

• Jesus, come close.  I want to know you more.
• Thank you for waking me up to how awesome you are.
• I love you.  Thank you for loving me.
• Lead me into the plans you have for me.
• Let me be your hands and feet and love others you want me to.

A simple change in my conversation with Jesus has shifted our relationship from ME focused to WE focused.  Our friendship is going deeper and I’m enjoying our talks immensely.

Try making this relationship shift in your prayer life, too.  Talk with Jesus as a friend and you’ll soon find that you are walking through everyday life with Him right beside you.  It’s a wonderful place to be!

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

Happy Anniversary

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. – Ephesians 1:16

Today is the first anniversary of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call being online!

For the past year, from Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine we have all been thanking and praising God at 3pm, every day! Think about it, at 3pm, across every time zone in this wonderful country we call home, you are joined by hundreds of others in looking up, giving thanks, and living out your faith in Jesus!

I cannot stop thanking God for each and every one of you who faithfully receives, reads, and responds to our Wake Up Call.  Many of you send quick encouraging comments.  Some of you have pointed out our errors (Dan’s the editor, remember) and suggested ways we can improve.  And some of you are sharing this ministry with your friends and family.  We are so grateful for all the ways you are interacting with the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call. 

Here is some exciting news!

Many people are downloading our free App from the App Store.  (Apps are not just for young people, you know.)  It’s a great way to go back and review past blog posts, and it has an online Bible and videos you can watch to encourage your faith. 

The App and our website will continue to improve.  This week, our nineteen-year-old son is finishing up an intense six-month web development training program.  We’re so thankful!  We’ve hired him to make the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call more “user friendly”.  I can’t wait to see how his newfound learning will enhance our ministry.

One of my hopes is to allow you to collect our daily thanks to God in an online archive.  Like a digital dairy with prompts to help you clearly communicate your faith journey and lessons you’ve learned from God along the way.  In this personal “vault,” your Wake Up Call stories could be archived for future generations to read and learn from your unique faith journey. 

How I wish my grandfather had written down his “faith stories.” Today, I would read them over and over, cherishing every word.

When I was growing up and my grandfather, who I called Papa (pronounced Papaw) was alive, I thought I knew everything.  I certainly didn’t need “old people” giving me advice.  Plus, their stories were boring and outdated.  I had much better things to do with my time and attention.

But today, I’d love to listen to his WWII stories, or better understand how he came to know Jesus like a best friend.  It’s unfortunate that many of us do not come to realize how valuable our grandparents’ wisdom is until we are middle-aged and they’re no longer on this earth?

I encourage you to let the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call spur you on to start collecting your faith stories.  It can be as simple as responding back to the 3pm text with one thing you are thankful for or where you are when your alarm sounds.  The texts are dated and you can look back monthly or yearly to reflect upon your blessings.

By documenting your gratitude to God, you will see His powerful hand at work in your life.  Trust me.  It has changed my life.  And know, that we are working on ways for you to easily record and store these blessings through our website and App so you’ll have them forever.

I never stop thanking God for you.  I am so grateful that we are walking this life of faith together with the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call, connecting to each other every day.

Happy Birthday to Us!  Thank you God!

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