Early Mornings and Coffee with Christ

Being a mother of four little ones, time to myself comes in small moments throughout the day, unless I wake up before the sound of pitter patter, more like thump thump.  Children usually wake up with full energy and so their morning greetings can be a bit too much for either parent who hasn't had their morning cup of coffee and ample time to wake up the brain. Wisdom has taught me that getting up a half hour before them allows me not only time to wake up, but more importantly, uninterrupted time with the Lord. 
Time in the Word each morning is time with Him.  (1 John 1)  Pursuing Christ first thing before the house wakes up, allows my heart to find peace and security before the unexpected things of the day try to steer my emotions.  All other pursuits cannot give me the stability that Christ does.  When I run to anything else to bring what only God can bring, I have made an idol.  Reading the book of Jeremiah speaks of idol worship and how God's people left Him for idolatry.  It has reminded me to ask God to search my heart and show me if I have begun to create idols in my own heart.  In the Old Testament, idols were usually carved images made out of wood or stone.  During the time it took one to carve the image, the heart was beginning to look for another way of satisfaction.  The worship came after the image was carved.  God is faithful to show me that the idol I am molding in my hand needs to be thrown down and not to be worshipped, always reminding me that the idol will never fully satisfy.  Though we may not carve stone images as they did in the past, the heart behind it still needs to be examined. 
In today's American culture, we have taken God's blessings and tried to remove Him as provider, leaving us as provider and leaving us exhausted and empty.  I see so much of God's warning in 1 John 2:15-16.  We have come to love the world, it's lust, and it's pride.  It is masked as success.  Yet God hates and opposes this way of living.  It is opposite of Heaven.  How can one tell if this way of thinking has crept in one's heart?  I think of the verse, "Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also."  What is your heart pursuing above all else?  What sacrifices are you making for this treasure?  How are you treating others that get in the way of this treasure hunt?  Are you neglecting your time with God and His people?  Are you fulfilling the Great Commission? Are you sitting on the sidelines spiritually and not producing spiritual fruit?  For me impatience and unkindness are my first marks of a wandering heart.  They are the first evidences that I am not filled with His Spirit. 

When Life is About Surviving

Since our miscarriage last fall, life has been a roller coaster of emotions.  For months, we prayed and we cried to the Lord.  We sought His comfort together and alone.  Even our children found ways to deal with our loss.  After a time of grieving, we prayed about our future.  We sought the Lord individually about pursuing another child.  As the month rolled in that our fourth child was to be due, we found out that we were expecting again, so God turned our mourning into gladness.  And then, within five weeks, the trials of severe morning sickness robbed us of our joy.  When nothing in the natural part of life comforts you, you can certainly count your life as one that is just surviving.  I had to press through some miserable days.  My relationship with my Saviour was even a bit bitter, but God knew it would be and that was enough for me.

When Principles Collide

What do you do when your principles collide?  John and I have come to a dilemma this year, which has left us to pick one principle over another. 
Last year, we sent our children to a private school under the principle that our children need to be at a christian school for their elementary education.  After a year of unexpected debts, we will not be able to afford the school again next year, which breaks our hearts.  The only way to afford the school is for me to get a job outside the home, which clashes with our principle of me being a stay-at-home mom.  That leaves us with homeschooling or public school.  The public school is five minutes from our house and has a wonderful reputation.  Some of the teachers are LU graduates.  Homeschooling would take a lot of research on my part and John's least favorite option. 
What do you do when principles collide?  Simply pray.

The Sheep Know the Voice of the Shepherd

Have you ever wondered if we each have our own "Promise Land?" It is that specific walk of faith that God calls you to personally to show Himself faithful and trustworthy. In your daily walk with Him, He gently lights the path for your next step. We are suppose to know the voice of the Shepherd, but to be honest, sometimes is seems unclear. What noises are distracting you from hearing the shepherd's voice? This is how I am finding the Shepherd's voice in the midst of the other "noises."

First, God's Word needs to be in agreement with my desires. But, if you are like me, you may have a few good desires and not sure which way to go.

Second, God's voice always calls with encouragement, love, and a step of faith. I have noticed that when negative voices are condemning my spirit, it is not of God. God shows us what is right and wrong without bruising the spirit. Satan discourages with mean tactics and tears down our worth and even our faith in God.

Third, I seek wisdom from God, as well as, my husband and the church family. Those who walk by faith can help lead you to the Shepherd, because they, too, know His voice and what is consistent with His ways.

Fourth, I take one more step and do an emotional check of peace or regret. When I feel regret instead of peace, I know I am not done praying or wrestling with God about which path to take.

Setting My Mind on Things Above

Resetting the mind is more like it. When your computer gets "locked up" you hit the reset button. How many times has the Holy Spirit brought you to a place where He is telling you to hit the reset button on your thought-life? You lack contentment, reset with thanksgiving. You lack peace, reset with being still before Him. Sometimes the thoughts are very clear and they need a reset. Your thoughts about your outer appearance are not kind, reset to "man looks on the outward appearance and God looks on the heart." Sometimes they are the thoughts of others. "Another child, are you crazy?" Reset with "Children are a gift from the Lord."

Our thoughts, our minds need to be set on the things above or the interests of God. Why does one person fall into sin and yet another stands strong? Check where their hearts are set towards. Romans 8:5 says, "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." God promises are to give us life, His life! "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Galatians 5:16

I am always curious of other's walks with God. Post what you do to "set your mind on things above."

Refreshment

Living in the Adirondack mountains winters are long...six months long. Spring comes in the form of sunny days and muddy roads. The winter slips away peacefully and spring is welcomed by the sounds of the morning songbirds. I long for spring right about now. Spring has always reminded me of Jesus. This doesn't surprise me, because even His Word describes this. Hosea 6:3,"So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth." His presence refreshes me just as Acts 3 describes. If I have chosen sin, He forgives me and cleanses me and I feel life springing forth in me again. I feel lighter and freer. I sometimes feel like a child again. My day seems endless when Christ is my focus. Maybe that is a glimpse of what eternity looks like.
Photo by ruthie.johnson@uscm.org