No Need to Cook for a Cruise

Next month, Larry and I will celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary and I'm very excited that we'll be celebrating on a Hawaiian Islands cruise. So I'm getting things ready so that I can really relax. I've already started cooking our meals and freezing them. That way I'll spend less time in preparation. Although I'm a little worried because I'm not sure if there's an oven in our room or only a microwave oven, so I'm making sure everything can be microwaved...

"Wait a minute," you're saying. "Kathy! Are you nuts? You don't need to cook on a cruise! The food is included in the price."

Oh! Really? Oh, wow, that does sound great. Are you sure?

And of course you are right and I'm being "nuts" in order to make a point. Some of us Christians are like a woman who cooks beforehand for a cruise when the food is included. We're Christians who are operating as if we still have to earn and work for our "keep" or to convince God to provide what we need. Maybe it feels like your sin is just too much to be forgiven. Or maybe it seems too hard to love someone who is unlovable. Or at times you aren't "good enough" to be counted as a worthy Christian.

Of course, learning to love the unlovable is often a process but 2 Peter 1:2-4 promises us, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust." (NASB)

When we believe we don't have everything needed for life and godliness, we are like a woman cooking for a cruise. Our holiness is already ours "in Christ" (Colossians 2:10), we just have to learn to live it out. Again, I know that's a process but this truth omits the possibility that we can ever say things like:
"I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive him.."
"I don't think I'll ever be able to love him..."
"I don't think I'll ever get victory over that sin..."
"I don't think I'll ever (what's your current challenge? Include here...)"

I'm convinced that when we struggle, we're often not appropriating everything we could to take hold of the promises and power God makes available to us.

I realized that this morning when I was reading a book that talked about a dying woman who listened to praise music. When I recently experienced such pain that it was hard for me to concentrate on the Lord, someone recommended that I listen to praise music. Because I rarely listen to music in my house, I discarded the recommendation as "that's not the way I am." But looking back, I really think it would have helped to keep my mind on the Lord. I don't know why I wasn't motivated but I would do it differently. And I think then I will access one of the "promises" God would make available to me to strengthen me.

How about you? Do you need a "heart change" of trusting that God has everything available to you that you need for living and for your holiness? Let's not strive to cook food for a cruise. Instead, enjoy the food on the ship--it's already been paid for just like Jesus already paid everything needed for you to be complete in Him.

PS Rejoice and praise God with me! I'm typing this sitting at my desk. The first time in 11 1/2 months that I've been able to sit here. Laptop, you served me well, but goodbye!

"I Tried That" --NOT!

As I talk to women at parenting seminars or at women retreats, when I suggest something like a discipline technique to train their child or a "make marriage better" idea, I frequently hear, "I tried that, it doesn't work." When we try something to make things better, we can easily give up. We try several times or even a long time, when it doesn't "work," we give up.

If we have the attitude that I'm trying something in order to control the situation, we have to evaluate our motives. This is especially true with marriage "techniques." We often are trying to change someone else to be the way we want them to be. As a result, we quickly give up because the other person didn't change and make our lives better.

This reveals a wrong motive. Our motive should be to do the right thing regardless of the result because we have our eyes on Jesus and we want to please Him. If we're doing the right thing without the result we crave, we know God is pleased. When we have that kind of motive and attitude, we will "not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not grow weary." (Gal 6:9 NASB). (Corrected verse number, thank you, Kathy, for pointing out my error).

Are you discouraged today because your efforts aren't getting what you want? Maybe you are convinced you must have some change in the other person in order for you to have peace and contentment. Look honestly at your heart. Trying to change or control someone else is God's job. Don't take it upon yourself. Obey God and leave the results to Him. He promises that you will reap. I don't think that means you'll always reap what you want but for sure you'll reap God's pleasure and a peace and joy that comes from focusing on Him.

Be Like Ducklings

The lake at our golf course is home to several ducks. A few weeks ago, the momma duck showed up with 14 ducklings. We'd never seen that big of a brood. We've been fascinated to see the obedience of those ducklings. They are responsive to every little squeak of their momma that warns them and guides them.

Even more impressive is the watchfulness of the momma duck. She is hyper-vigilant to the max. Even as she walks along nibbling grass and eating whatever ducks eat, she is constantly watching and seeing not only what her babies are doing but if there's any danger.

I was so touched and my faith increased as I realized this was a metaphor for God's hyper-vigilance over each of us. He knows the dangers we face and is wanting to help us as we call upon Him. And if we'll be like those ducklings, alert to every leading of our Heavenly Father, we'll be safe and secure.

Off With Your Head, You People Pleaser!

In 2 Samuel 1, I read about an Amalekite who brought Saul's crown to David, claiming that he had assisted in killing Saul--at Saul's command. David had the man killed.

"Wow!" I thought. That's a pretty stiff penalty for doing what Saul asked him to do. Then I did some more research and discovered according to 1 Samuel 31 that Saul didn't die that way. The "Amalekite" lied intending to please David and possibly get some reward. The opposite happened. David had the man killed.

One commentator believes this man's claim to be an Amalekite was false. He was most likely an Israelite but then killing Saul would be wrong. By claiming to be a foreigner, he's hoping he'll come across as someone who helped Saul and also honored David by bringing him the crown that David rightfully owned. This man is the supreme People Pleaser: he lied and deceived as a possible means to gain someone's approval and reward.

I questioned my own heart about my tendency to be a people pleaser. I'm so glad God doesn't strike any of us down for being a people pleaser but sadly, I've most likely stretched the truth at times to try to gain someone's favor. It's a horrible need within us to value someone's opinion or what they can give us so much that we abandon trust in God's ability to provide for us and believe someone else can do it.

And that's what people pleasing is: it's distrust of God and making others our "god," our idol.

This past Saturday, I had the joy of speaking at a writers conference where an editor of a major publishing house was also on the faculty. I so wanted to have the opportunity of making personal contact with him. There really didn't turn out to be an opportunity and in times past, I would have forced it to happen. This time I could resist the temptation to believe that this editor held the key to my success and happiness.. Instead, I could trust that if God wanted that contact in the future, I could trust that He could make it happen.

I praised God that He had strengthened me to trust Him and reduce my people pleasing addiction.

How about you? Is People Pleasing one of your pastimes? How have you found it possible to resist it more and more? And aren't you glad God isn't like David?

Easy Evangelism Tool--Follow Up!

I returned two days ago from being gone 10 days on a speaking and visiting family trip. While I was gone, my mother, brother Chuck and I stopped at a fast food restaurant to get some drinks on our way to lunch. I sensed the Lord prompting me to ask the gal at the counter if there was anything I could pray for --for her. She smiled and said "no," and I waited to get our drinks.

When I turned around, a woman who I'd noticed sitting at one of the tables nearby when I walked in, was standing right there. She said, "I have something I need prayer for."

"Great!" I replied.

"I need a roommate right away."

"OK, what's your name?"

"Julia."

I looked at her kindly and said out loud, "Heavenly Father, I ask that you will provide a roommate for Julia right away. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."

She didn't looked shocked by my verbal prayer and I said I'd continue to pray. Will you join me in asking the Lord to provide this for Julia and reveal Himself to her even more?

After I got back into the car where Chuck was waiting, I told him what had happened. Of course, he was thrilled to hear it. At lunch a little while later, we ordered and then Chuck spoke up to ask our waiter, Rob, "We're going to pray and bless our food, is there anything we can pray for you about?" Rob said no, but I gave a thumbs up to my brother who had passed on this idea originally given to me by Jim Harper.

On another note, my friend, Kat, has a friend, Derrick, who is very sick with cancer and could die without the Lord. Please pray that the Lord heals him but regardless, Derrick and his family come to know the Lord.