The Phone Call

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. – Psalm 34:18

Have you ever received a phone call that stopped you in your tracks?  You knew right when you got it that life would never be the same again.  It’s good to be reminded today that when waves of sadness or hurt overwhelm us, we are not alone.  God is close to the broken hearted.  He promises to heal our crushed hearts in time.

When my flight landed in Denver, I looked at my phone eager to see the latest update on a very sick friend.  I planned to visit her that night.  I drove quickly home from the airport and pulled into the driveway.  My phone dinged with a text message … I was too late.  With her family surrounding her bed, she was sung into heaven.  I missed saying good-bye.

We all have things happen that break our hearts.  We might be so hurt we want to curl up and sleep for weeks.  But in the midst of our pain, we can cry out to God and believe in His promises.  We can trust in His word and know He is close to the broken hearted.  We can receive His love and know we are not alone as the waves of emotions wash over us.

We also need each other.  I’m not sure why but many of us want to isolate ourselves while we’re mourning and overwhelmed with sadness.  But this is not God’s plan for us.  He can comfort us and help us through family and friends who will link arms with us and walk us through the hardship.  It’s as if God repeats Himself through His word and through those around us.  We are not alone.  We can be grateful for our faith in God and fellowship with each other no matter how challenging the road ahead.  

Hold onto what doesn’t change, God’s close presence, His powerful love, and His ability to hug us through human arms.  

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

Enter His Gates With Thanksgiving

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.   - Psalm 100:4

Yesterday, I shared that I picked Psalm 100 to be read at our wedding. I had to pick a verse on the spot, and it was the only one that came to mind.  Psalm 100 had come to mind because it had been written on a bookmark my grandfather had given to me before I entered college.  He passed away a few years later. 

I wanted my Papa to be as involved as possible in the wedding, so I used the money he left me to buy my wedding dress, and the Psalm he loved in the ceremony.  I had no idea how much I would appreciate his wisdom twenty-two years later.

Looking back, I see how Psalm 100, this Psalm of thanks, praise, was perfect for us.  Seven years into our marriage, we were doing life on our own, apart from God.  It never dawned on us to thank Him for the things we were working hard to get.  It was right about then that God began to use the 3pm alarm to wake me up to His presence, to teach me to rely on Him, and to renew my faith by giving Him thanks and praise every day.  

When your alarm goes off at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, imagine yourself entering into God’s presence as you stop and give Him thanks.  Imagine that you are in His “gates” or close to Him as you look up, give thanks, and invite Him into your day.  God is with you as you pick up kids from school, finish a project at your desk, or tackle more of today’s challenges.   Isn’t that amazing that such a simple shift in thinking, a quick reminder, can redirect the rest of your day? 

The daily practice of giving God thanks and praise changed my life forever.  I now know that thanking and praising Him is a catalyst for growing in faith, accepting His unconditional love, knowing and becoming more like Jesus, and eventually discovering your purpose.

Do you believe me?  Keep on giving God thanks and praise and watch how God starts entering into your thoughts and moving in your heart more often then just at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.  

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

Be The Sheep

“Know that the LORD is God.  It is He who made us, and we are His, we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.   - Psalm 100:3

During premarital counseling, the pastor who married Dan and I asked what Bible scripture we wanted read at our wedding.  We looked at each other wide-eyed and smiled nervously.  We were 23 years old.  We didn’t know the Bible.  Dan probably knew John 3:16, but only from the banners he saw hung at football games.  I racked my brain for an answer.  A few seconds into an awkward silence, my mind flashed to a bookmark my grandfather had given me with Psalm 100 on it.  I had no idea what the Psalm actually said, but if it was good enough for my Papa, the most Godly man I knew, it was good enough for me.  Besides, Dan still looked like a deer in the headlights, so it was clear that he wasn’t going to save us.  When I said “Psalm 100,” Dan looked relieved, but the pastor looked confused.  Uh oh.

Later that day, I found a Bible and looked up Psalm 100.  When I read that we are God’s sheep, I laughed out loud.  Aren’t sheep one of the dumbest animals on the planet?  Why in the world would we call ourselves sheep at our wedding?  Weren’t there passages in the Bible about love in marriage or two people leaving their old lives to become one?  It pays to know your Bible.  I didn’t.  Baaaa!

Now after twenty-two years of marriage, my husband is my biggest supporter as I share The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call with others.  He encourages me daily to keep believing God will use this to impact lives and ignite people’s faith.  Many days I feel as stupid as a sheep for taking steps toward such a huge dream.  Could a simple alarm actually wake people up to God’s presence, power, and plans He has for them?  Really?

Then one of YOU will tell me how you’ve been blessed by this daily practice.  You will share how you are waking up to God every day, how your faith is growing, or how you want to share this with others.  Then I’m reminded, like a sheep who follows a shepherd, that this ministry is the call upon my life.  When I thank you for your kind words, my courage is restored and I can continue to follow the one who loves me and leads me on.  Let’s be sheep together and day by day wake up to our shepherd and follow Him.

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

We Can Choose Joy, But It Ain't Easy

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.   - Psalm 100:1-2

We can choose joy… even in the midst of confusion or chaos.  What our minds focus on produces repetitive thought patterns.  What we think about filters down into our heart, filling it with either positive or negative emotions.  These emotions grow and eventually come to life through our hands and actions.  I call this phenomenon “The head, heart, and hands connection.”  I’ll give you an example.     

Let’s say a friend wrongs you in some way, like talking behind your back, or refusing to honor an agreement.  Negative thoughts begin to repeat in your head: “How could she be so mean?” or “He lied to me the entire time.”  They grow and intensify.  Just hearing that person’s name fills your heart with resentment, hurt, bitterness, and anger.  Eventually, when this friend approaches you, your reaction is to cross your arms, make up an excuse, decline, and walk away.  

Isn’t it true that we’d often rather distance ourselves from them than tackle the conflict?  The joy of that friendship has been replaced with distance and awkwardness. 

We do the very same thing with God.  Life gets crazy and disappointments pile up.  We blame God for messes and mistakes.  We cross our arms and forget to pray.  We grow distant and joy disappears.  Let your 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call be a reminder to choose joy and give God praise each and every day.  You can come into His presence during the busyness of your day, stop, look up, and be grateful.  Let Him fill your heart with gladness 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

Snowpocalypse...again

 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways  my ways,” declares the LORD. – Isaiah 55:8

 Sometimes understanding God’s plans for us is like predicting the  weather.  Here in Colorado, we just had another spring snow storm.   Because the last storm had caught me completely off guard, I did  my research this time and planned ahead.  

 I recently signed up for weather emails from a local expert.  He  works for NOAA, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric  Administration, so he’s a pro.  When he sent the most recent  forecast, calling for the mountains where I live to get pounded with  2-4 feet of snow, I took the information as gospel, rather than a  prediction, and began battle plans.  The snow would start Friday  afternoon and continue through Sunday.  Because my daughters and  I had weekend commitments, we packed our bags and moved out of our mountain house and into a friend’s house in downtown Boulder.

We woke up Saturday morning expecting “snowpocalypse,” only to see that just a few inches had fallen.  How could the guy who knew so much about the weather have been so wrong?  Even Denver International Airport had cancelled hundreds of flights, only to see rain on the runways.  It’s mindboggling.  With advanced weather trackers and state of the art technology, how could the experts mess up? (He turned out to be right in the end, just off on the timing).

They mess up because they are not God.  The Bible reminds us, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  This passage in Isaiah goes on to describe heaven pouring out rain and snow upon the earth to water and flourish the land.  Only God knows the exact timing, the total amount accumulating, when the storm will cease, and the sun will shine again.  Only God is in control of the weather.  

Let the weather around you be a reminder of God’s sovereignty.  He is still in control on this earth.  We may think we are but we’re only fooling ourselves.  When storms hit our lives, we can ask God to guide us through.  When we can’t see because of poor visibility, we can walk by faith not by sight.  When the sun finally dries up the land, we can rejoice that God is bringing spring with new life and new plans for us.  No matter the weather, it’s comforting to know, God is with us every day.   

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

Smilin' Through the Pain

 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. – Psalm  150:6

 I have a gym membership.  Like thousands of Americans I  signed up around the New Year.  Now, four months later, I  have only gone a few times. To say that I have fallen short of  my New Year’s resolution fitness goals is generous….  I  have actually, completely failed.

 Since another huge spring snow storm was forecasted for  tomorrow, I decided to visit the gym and act like I was a  regular.  The front desk clerk  asked, “Hi, who are you?” She  should know me if I’ve been paying for this for four months.

I joined a jam-packed indoor biking class, lucky to get one of the last open bikes.  The instructor was enthusiastic and seemed pretty excited to work our butts off.  (That would take seven years for me).  When it got too painful, and I started thinking of how to gracefully jump ship for the showers early, I looked up and saw a much older man two rows ahead of me with a gigantic smile on his face.  How in the world was he smiling so big when we were all hurting so much?  

After the class, which I did manage to hang on and finish, I caught his attention in the lobby and asked him that exact question.  His response was profound: “That’s my nature.  When it’s hard.  I smile.” 

What if we did too?  Smile and know God is good and will end the hurt soon.  God is going to teach me something great in the midst of pain.  These attitudes can bring smiles.

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

Every Breath Is a Gift - The Twins Turn Three

God’s Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life…. don’t take such a gift for granted. – Ephesians 4:30

What a gift!  Three years ago today, I was invited to witness the birth of my twin nephews.  Watching them gasp for air, I knew they were headed to the neonatal intensive care unit.  My daughter, who is now sixteen, had similar breathing troubles when she was born.  The week I spent in the NICU with her put ten years on my life.

Thankfully, the twin boys only needed to receive extra oxygen for a few weeks and were able to come home from the hospital sooner than we had expected. What’s more amazing, is that everything else; their eyes, hearts, brain, and little bodies were 100% heathy.  Three years later, they run and play, and dig and jump just like energetic toddler boys should.  I am so thankful!

God is the giver of every life and our every breath is a gift from Him.  I was reminded of this when I heard a song by the band, Casting Crowns.  The title of the song is, Great Are You Lord.  The chorus is a wonderful reminder of who God is and how we can respond to Him.   

Take a deep breath then sing it or make this chorus your prayer today.  It goes like this:

“You give life.  You are love.  You bring light to the darkness.  You give hope.  You restore every heart that is broken.  Great are you Lord!  It’s your breath in our lungs so we pour our praise, we pour out our praise.  It’s your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise, we pour out our praise to you only.”

Every breath is a gift.  Whether we’re three or eighty-three, we can pour out our thanks and praise today to God who gives each precious breath we take.   

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

Tax Day !

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. – Matthew 6:21

Happy Tax Day!  If you’re like me and surprisingly discovered you will be paying additional taxes rather than receiving a refund check,  let’s take a deep breath together.  If your check is in the mail, you can give thanks.

Call me crazy but I’m sold on the concept of giving thanks in the midst of chaos in order to right your ship.  When I feel like I might drown, when bad news crashes down upon me, giving God thanks, though not always easy to do, is a lifeline I need to rescue me from despair.

Think about where you live.  What are you thankful in and around your home?  What beautiful gardens do you see? What spring flowers are in bloom?  What outdoor areas can you enjoy?  Where’s a cozy spot you love to sit and read?  What are your favorite shops to visit?  Do you have mountains in view, cornfields, city lights, or the ocean to enjoy? 

Beyond being thankful for our beautiful living locations in America, we can also give God a huge “Thank You” that we live in a free country.  Do we really think about that often enough?  We can worship with no fear of persecution.  It’s mind blowing to think that more Christians in the world are dying for their faith in Jesus then ever before in history.  That’s hard to grasp while living in the USA.  Knowing others are dying for what I take for granted makes me ponder what I treasure.

I pay taxes because I treasure my free country.  I enjoy hikes on mountain trails because I treasure God’s creations.  I spend time with my husband because I treasure his companionship.  What do you treasure?  What has your heart?  Let’s focus on our treasures today, not on our taxes!

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 Rules Don't Change

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victorythrough our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1Corinthians 15:57

Are you a competitive person?  Do like to win so much that you even bend the rules a bit at times? My family has accused me more than once of changing the rules at the last minute so I can win the game.  They’re crazy!  I won fair and square.

When I was a little girl, I traveled on summer vacations with my grandparents, my mom’s folks, my Mama and Papa.  Papa was a fierce card player.  As soon as we’d arrive at the cabin in North Carolina, Papa would set up the card table and chairs and pass around the card game rules.  One of my favorite games was called, Shanghai Rummy.  I loved playing it and never lost interest because each round of the game, you were in search of different cards.  One round you needed “four of a kind” to win, then the next round you needed a “five card run” to win.  How you won changed every round.

Aren’t you glad God doesn’t change the rules for victory?  Our victory has already been won by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.  All we do is confess with our mouths and believe with our hearts, and that’s it, we claim victory over sin and death.  Amazing!

Our victory is secure from that day forward, no matter what we do in the game of life.  We can mess up big time and God still loves us and promises us victory through our faith in Jesus.  We’ve won victory on earth and scored eternal life in heaven not because of what we’ve done, but by what Jesus did for us.  It’s hard to grasp at times but really quite simple.

Grace wins!  Thanks be to God.  I love being on the winning team!  What about 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

Death By "To Do List"

This is the day the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. – Psalm 118:24

If you grew up going to Sunday School, you probably remember a teacher along the way singing to you, “This is the day, this is the day, that the Lord has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it.” 

Warning: This song works great in a young Sunday School class but not so great in a middle-schooler’s bedroom at 6:30am. 

Are you like me and as soon as your early morning alarm sounds, even before your feet hit the ground, your mind is already racing, scribbling down your massive today’s “To Do” list?

Last week, at a book group we were discussing all the daily pressures we face. We decided to brainstorm ways we could create some margin in our days so we could enjoy more time with God and feel less frazzled.  I blurted out, I could write a chapter called, “Death by To Do List.”  Everyone giggled and agreed that some days, it’s hard to rejoice and be glad when there’s more to do than hours in the day.

Many years ago, I started writing B.S. at the top of my daily To Do Lists.  (It’s not what you’re thinking) I put God first in my day and spend time in Bible Study with Him.  It is through this quiet time that God teaches and guides me.  The days I miss my B.S., I can honestly say I rejoice much less. 

How about you?  Is spending time with God the first thing you do each day?  If not, give it a try and see for yourself how God meets you and equips you for the massive pressures each day holds.  

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