Victory Dance

(by Lorie Codispoti)

I love a good victory dance!

We’ve all heard wonderful testimonies of people that have overcome incredible odds and won great battles. Victories are part of what make every story great and its heroes memorable.

When we hear the word “victory” it's typically paired with the word “over.” As in, “I’ve gained victory over ____.” (Fill in the blank.)

Victory is defined as “an act of defeating an enemy or opponent in a battle, game, or other competition.” It carries with it the idea of success, triumph, and defeat.

The ability to overcome obstacles is worth rejoicing over, but I think we inadvertently limit this gift by relegating it to the end of the story. What if we broadened the scope, to see that victory is just as attainable in the middle of our trial as it is at the end? It’s not always about gaining victory over something; sometimes victory travels alongside brokenness and defeat as we press on in our faith.

Genuine faith is realized when the battle rages. It’s when we’re in the thick of our trial that we discover victory - not in the sense of winning the battle necessarily, but in discovering Who enables, Who provides, and Who gets the credit. “Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Ultimately, we will see victory overcome every obstacle; God promises that. But God also provides victories IN our difficult and trying circumstances. It’s part of the cumulative process He uses to sanctify us and draw our hearts to Him.

I know a woman who gets up every morning, and goes to bed every night, with a debilitating condition. She has battled it for years, and barring a miracle, she will continue to fight her condition until she dies. Does the fact that she battles, but has never conquered her condition mean that she will never taste victory this side of eternity? Absolutely not! In fact, if you knew how victorious her life has been, you'd be awed at the God who has enabled her to run her race with such grace that she inspires all who know her, including me.

Victory has not been relegated to the end of our story. God never placed that kind of restriction on victory, nor did He place a cap on the number of victories we can have as we "fight the good fight." Discovering this truth is liberating.

Our idea of what it looks like to be victorious boxes us into a very small frame. In reality, the picture is much bigger than that.

Did you know that the Hebrew word for a song leader is linked to the word for victory? When we lift our hearts in praise it boosts our confidence in God and strengthens our resolve. Anxiety and fear are pushed out of the way and gratitude fills the void.

It was no coincidence that God appointed worshipers to lead in battle. Victory starts at the gate and follows a warrior all the way to the finish line. When our enemy hears us singing to the only One with the power to throw “horse and rider into the sea” (part of Miriam’s song of praise in Ex.15) he does the back-step-shuffle. He knows what it means when God's children begin to sing and dance.

I may not be able to dance like I used to, but I'm still practicing my moves. I plan on singing my Savior's praises as I dance my way home. I want to be ready for the party!

Earth Day

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Earth Day marks the anniversary of the environmental movement that began in 1970. According to one article, it’s the largest secular observance in the world, with over a billion people promoting awareness and involvement. While I think recycling is a great idea, love hugging trees, and am all for saving baby turtles, the extreme politics behind the movement prevents me from supporting the majority of ideas promoted by those in this camp.

Does that mean I can’t celebrate the day? On the contrary; I think Christians should be celebrating like no one else.

Due to God’s revelation in nature, Christians have been given a unique lens. Our planet is like no other in all of creation, and the brush strokes of our Creator reveal things about Him that cultivate an awareness of an amazing Artist.

When I take time to observe the variety of mountain ranges, each with their own design and unique color pallet, I am in awe of the Designer. When I drink in the beauty of the underwater world I am inspired to cultivate a relationship with the One who created this one-of-a-kind canvas. Understanding that God masterfully planned and executed the design of this earth before sculpting mankind out of it reveals to me the loving care He had for us long before anything even existed.

While I believe that our natural world displays the evidence of God’s existence, and gives us a basic understanding of some of His attributes (Psa.19:1-3 & Rom.1:20), I do not believe that we can know God and be saved through that awareness. Author, Don Stewart puts it this way: “Any conclusions about God's character and purpose one might make from nature must be evaluated in light of what God has said about Himself and what Jesus revealed about God when He invaded history. Nature is a witness to God's might and power but it does not supply all the knowledge a sinner needs to develop a personal relationship with God. That is the job of God's written Word-the Bible.”

This year’s Earth Day theme is “Restore The Earth.”

I love this theme, but it’s not because I dance to the beat of the climate changer’s cadence. In their view, they alone have the ways and means to bring about change; believing that the power to restore lies within their hands. What they don’t realize is that their efforts are futile.

This theme is notable because it’s prophetic.

Every Christian knows that the Earth is dying. The death sentence was pronounced when sin disrupted God’s created order and turned our world upside down. (Mtt.24:35 & 1Jn.2:17) No man can fix what sin did to our world, and no man will prevent the inevitable destruction to come. And that’s good news!

This theme echoes God’s promise to restore what sin broke. (Isa.65:17-25, Rev.21:1-5, 2Pet.3:10-13)

The incarnation of Christ set in motion God’s redemptive plan and His death and resurrection secured that plan. Consider a world where pain and suffering have been removed, where there is no more crying over sickness and death, and gone forever are the consequences of living with theft, betrayal, greed, envy, murder, etc.

Another great feature of this theme is that while it points to what’s coming, it speaks to the current restoration already in progress.

When I surrendered my life to Christ, it was at that moment that He began making “all things new.” (2Cor.5:17) The work won’t be completed until Jesus comes back, but I don’t have to wait until then to see that restoration began with my salvation. Jesus said, “I am making everything new.” (Rev.21”5) That statement is in the present tense. It’s happening right now! This proclamation energizes my soul.

So go ahead and plant a tree, clean the beaches, and do what you can to save the forest animals and sea creatures - God called us to be good stewards of His creation. But, don't forget to celebrate Earth Day because of the One who created this amazing planet. He not only tasked us with caregiving, but He invited us to be an active participant in His redemptive work to restore what was stolen.

The beauty that I view from the lens of redemptive eyes is awe-inspiring, but it is veiled like velum over a masterpiece of art. The day is coming when the overlay of sin will be removed. Our lens will change again, as the radiance from the Light of the world displays a canvas of beauty that is beyond anything we can reference or imagine in our world.

Choose The Bruised Fruit

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Several bushels of peaches were in the kitchen waiting to be canned the day we arrived at my friend’s house. After lunch, her children were anxious for us to try some of the "best ones" they had picked from their orchard.

Something was strange though: The children purposely searched for and selected the bruised peaches. “Here’s one!” they declared with great enthusiasm, and they searched until they found a bruised one for each one of us.

When I questioned their mother about it later, she told me that when she was growing up "snacks" were found among the family's fruit trees. In order to prevent waste her mother convinced the children that the best peaches were the ones with bruises because they contained the sweet spots. My friend carried on her mother’s frugal tradition, and in the process taught her children to be content with what was provided. Her children had picked out the very best pieces to serve us that day and I was greatly humbled by their generosity and joy.

How often have you picked up bruised produce only to cast it aside for a more perfect piece? I’m not advocating the purchase of bruised produce, but there's a great lesson to be caught and taught here.

(Interesting fact: Up to 30 million dollars a year is lost in potatoes alone due to the damage caused from shipping and handling. The produce industry is continually looking for ways to preserve the quality of their product, from the time it leaves the field till it arrives in your hand. This is because our culture demands perfection.)

Ever heard of Esther Ahn Kim?

Esther was an upper class, Korean woman who was imprisoned by the Japanese during World War II.

Long before her imprisonment she began to feel the Lord preparing her for the prison ministry she would have as an inmate.

Though they could afford otherwise, one of the ways that Esther prepared herself for the poverty and deprivation she saw as part of her calling was to relocate with her mother and sister to the poorest neighborhood in their community. There she purchased complete lots of poor produce from the nearby market and culled through them for the edible pieces. She gave those pieces to her mother and sister while she ate what was left in preparation for the rotten food she expected in prison.

Several years later Esther was in prison, and her physical condition was deteriorating. As she lay in her cell, preparing to die, she had a strange craving. She prayed and asked the Lord to give her one, whole apple to eat.

Later that same day, Esther overheard the soldiers talking about a shipment of rotten apples that no one wanted. She asked for and received the whole shipment. Due to the condition of her teeth she would have never been able to eat a crisp, firm, ripe apple, so her heart was filled with thanksgiving for the brown, soggy apples the Lord provided especially for her that day.

Esther did not die in prison. She was physically revived enough to press on, and after the war she married a godly man. They ministered together for many years before she died in her nineties.

What are we teaching our children about contentment? About hardship? About suffering?

The apostle Paul testified in Romans 8:18, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Are we learning to embrace the suffering that God allows in our lives and trust Him with the outcome?

We live in a culture that encourages us to avoid suffering at all costs. The same technique we employ in the produce department is what we teach our children - avoid the bruised fruit. Rather than choosing and embracing the bruised fruit we’ve cast it aside and labeled it “bad.” What we’ve failed to understand is that while this may be a good technique for grocery shopping, it’s not the best one for harvesting good spiritual fruit in our lives. And it certainly won't produce joy.

I heard a father instruct his children to note the marks of great Christians, not by there popularity or what they have attained in this life, but by what they have suffered for the cause of Christ. These are the lessons that build faith and produce the kind of fruit that can be harvested and shared with others.

Though most of us will never suffer the way that Esther Ahn Kim did, we will all experience a measure of hardship and watch those we love suffer.

Whenever I walk through a hard place now, I’m not interested in hearing about the lives of those that appear to have it all together. My Father has taught me to search out the bruised fruit among my brothers and sisters in Christ. Their stories are the ones that encourage me to persevere with contentment and joy.

I exhort you to spend some time walking through the orchard, searching out those whose lives have been bruised and used by God. Look for the ones who testify, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13)

Then make a pie and invite your friends over. It will be the sweetest spot in your day!

Bloom

(by Lorie Codispoti)

I’ve always loved the phrase, “Bloom where you’re planted.” It’s full of hope and it makes me smile.

Remember the story of Naomi? The book of Ruth opens with this woman grieving deeply over the loss of her husband and sons. All she has left is her two daughter-in-laws. In her love and concern for their futures, she tearfully implores them to return to their homeland, where she’s convinced their chances for a brighter tomorrow reside. As far as her own future, however, she remains broken and hopeless as she tells them, “…the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” (Ruth1:13b) Even after Ruth chose to stay with her she remained unconsolable. They traveled to Naomi’s hometown and when the women there saw them coming they were excited. They asked, “Is this Naomi?” to which she replied, “Do not call me Naomi (which means “pleasant”), call me Mara (which means “bitter”), for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.” (Ruth 1:20) She goes on to say that when she had left Bethlehem to follow her husband her future was hopeful, but now she was returning empty from God’s affliction.

As a bride-to-be, Naomi probably envisioned her life as one being settled in one place, raising a family, and watching generations grow up and bloom all around her. I imagine she took the seeds of all she had learned growing up in her father’s house and planted them in the rich soil of her new home. How many seasons of blooms did she enjoy? Likely many if she watched her sons grow up and get married.

But one day tragedy struck and the unexpected happened. Violence ravished the landscape of her life, ripping her roots from the soil of everything she had meticulously cultivated over the years. In an instant it was all gone. Imagine the shock - the grief - the heartache.

Transplanting is necessary.

Just as the Bible tells us there are times and seasons for everything in this life, we know there are times when God transplants us.

Personally, I like the fact that we’ve lived in the same place for several decades. I grew up in the military and by the time we got married and moved here I had moved 13 times. I can remember telling John, “I really want to be from somewhere.”

If you’ve ever worked a flower bed you know how messy and ugly everything looks when you have to get in there and thin things out. It’s hard because sometimes everything looks picture perfect, but you know that if you don’t get in there and work that bed the plants are going to crowd and choke themselves out of a space to flourish.

The same thing happens to us. Seasons change and because God is the Master Gardener, He knows what needs to take place in each one (physically, emotionally, and spiritually) in order for the soil of our hearts to be cultivated and nourished into the blooms that show off His radiance in our lives.

Do you know what I love about Naomi’s story - my favorite part? It’s at the end of the book, when Ruth gives birth to a son and the women proclaim to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age…” (Ruth 4:14-15) This heartbroken widow, who felt like she was too old to bloom was filled with hope after God transplanted her.

Although we have enjoyed many seasons of life rooted in this location, the landscape continues to change with every season. My young self was never a fan of change, but I have learned (am still learning) to let God have His way with the soil. It’s very messy at times, as He digs in and separates me from the things I want to hold onto, but He always reminds me that while I may currently be “from somewhere,” I have not yet reached my final destination. In my forever home He will root me in a garden more beautiful than I can even imagine. And the flowers there never stop blooming where they are planted.

(Origin: While the sentiment is clear, "Bloom where you're planted." does not come from Scripture. It was derived from something a bishop wrote in the 16th century... “Truly charity has no limit; for the love of God has been poured into our hearts by His Spirit dwelling in each one of us, calling us to a life of devotion and inviting us to BLOOM in the garden WHERE He has PLANTED and directing us to radiate the beauty and spread the fragrance of His Providence.”)

The Value Of A Sparrow

(by Lorie Codispoti)

For the longest time I thought our resident woodpecker was an aviary escapee. Seriously, I thought someone’s pet had flown the coup and resettled in our little cluster of trees. With his loud, tropical song, he rivals every other bird in the forrest.

The Bible mentions birds 300 times. One example is found in Mathew 10:29-31, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Contrary to some of my bird savvy friends, my entire collection of ornithological knowledge wouldn’t fill a hummingbird egg. But sparrows? Really?

I don’t have to be an ornithologist to know that sparrows are not only a common bird, whose numerous flocks number in the thousands, but they are so common that predators can feast upon them and still barely put a dent in their population. So plentiful were they in biblical times, that this passage indicates that you could purchase two for a penny. (Cheaper still, if you bought in bulk - five for two cents according to Luke 12:6.)

Cue the curiosity that sparks the questions that drive me to dig a little deeper.

Starting with the big one: Why? Why does God use a seemingly worthless, no-frills sparrow to express our value? I mean, wouldn’t the glamour of a more exotic bird be what garners the attention of esteemed publications? Wouldn't their colorful plumage and unique characteristics be the thing that compels every bird lover to upgrade their binoculars? No bird club is going to race to be the first to post their encounter with a lack luster sparrow when they wouldn’t even qualify as a contestant in the flying beauty chain.

In hopes of filling a bigger egg with my bird knowledge, I did a little research.

Did you know that because of its location, Israel is a country of continual migration? Over 500 million migratory birds cruise Israel’s celestial highway, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Imagine the display.

The common house sparrow is not, however, among those just passing through. Claiming six continents as home, sparrows are among one of Israel’s resident nesting birds. They love being around people and will nest in and on just about any structure (rafters, streetlamp, gutters, gas pumps, planters, etc. - no crevice is off limits). These greedy little beggars are also aggressive and persistent, stealing everything from a french fry to your burger’s wrapper if given the chance. They compete with other birds over nesting rights and will elbow out their neighbors at the feeder.

Sparrows are apparently a bird lover’s kryptonite, causing them to question their loving devotion to the entire winged world. One bird watcher confesses he wouldn’t mind seeing a few hundred of these winged interlopers land claws-up on the ground, but says they’d likely survive a nuclear attack. Superstitions abound as well. Some believe that if a sparrow flies into your home it means someone is about to die. Others say trouble is on the horizon if you dream of an injured one.

So again, I ask, if sparrows have been dubbed the lab rats of the avian world by most cultures, why would Jesus tell His disciples they were “of more value than many sparrows”? (Mtt.10:31) Was that supposed to make them feel better, because I don’t think I’d be feeling the love.

I found the answer within the three omnies of God.

Omniscient. God is all-knowing. He not only has full knowledge of every creature that has ever lived and died, but He has numbered the very hairs on our heads (Mtt.10:30). While we cannot count the number of stars, He has named each one (Psa.147:4). The psalmist even references God’s thoughts toward us as outnumbering the grains of sand.

God’s knowledge, says the writer of Psalm 139, “is too wonderful for me” - so high that “I cannot attain it.” (Vs.6) Job echoes this sentiment and acknowledges God’s omniscience when he proclaims, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.”(Job 42:5). In a world that elevates knowledge, I find great comfort in the fact that God’s knowledge is too wonder-filled for me to wrap my thoughts around. It enables me to rest in the assurance of His loving care.

Omnipotent. God is the supreme Ruler. He exacts ultimate control over every aspect of His creation. God’s word tells us that not one sparrow falls outside of His will (Mtt.10:29), and that He provides for their every need (Mtt.6:26). In both of these passages we are encouraged not to worry about the things to come. Because God’s rule involves caring for the needs of every creature under heaven, even a new believer (which is what Jesus' disciples were at this time) can fully trust in His sovereignty and be assured that nothing has the power to usurp His divine rule and reign over their lives.

Omnipresent. God is present. Everywhere. All the time. From the beginning of time He’s never been absent from any event in human history.

In Psalm 102 we read the plight and heart’s cry of a broken person pleading for God’s presence. Overwhelmed by his affliction, he likens himself to “a pelican of the wilderness,” an “owl of the desert,” and “a sparrow alone on the housetop.” (Vs.6-7) Since pelicans live near water, and eat fish, this expression symbolizes hopeless destitution. An owl’s nocturnal hoot has long been associated with a mournful death cry. And, since a sparrow is rarely seen far from his life-sustaining community, the sighting of a lone one represents deep loneliness and sorrow.

The lamenting soul is one who feels alone and abandoned. Because God is ever-present He hears and comes to the aid of the broken. “You, O Lord will endure forever. You will arise and have mercy.” (Psa.102:12a&13) “He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise it.” (vs.17) “For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven the Lord viewed the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoner, to loose those appointed to death…” (vs.19-20a)

In Matthew 10, Jesus is preparing His disciples by telling them what they will face as they are sent to proclaim the gospel… They will be sheep among wolves - rejected, hated, tortured, accused, and even put to death. He knows there will be times when they wonder if God knows what they are going through (omniscience). He knows they will question God’s rule (omnipotence). And, Jesus knows that their circumstances will cause them to doubt God is with them like He promised (omnipresence). His words arm them, and He prepares them with the truth they will need for the times when they will feel as worthless as a dead sparrow hanging in the market, and as deserted and destitute as a lone bird crying in the wilderness.

Christian, in a world filled with migratory wonders and nesting beauties, it’s easy to feel like an insignificant little sparrow, easily lost among a multitude of our own look-a-likes. It’s easy to think we’ve been abandoned when the enemy’s “arrow that flies by day” targets and fells us to the ground, leaving us broken and defenseless. However, our God provides a “secret place” for us to hide and abide when we feel overwhelmed. He “delivers us from the snare of the fowler” and “covers us with His feathers.” It’s “under His wings where we take refuge.” His “truth shall be our shield” and no evil predator will have the power to destroy us when we “make the Lord our habitation.” (Read and ponder these beautiful truths, found in Psa.91.)

It’s not about having the greatest wing span in the sky. It’s about the One whose shadow dwarfs yours because He “sits above the circle of the earth.” (Isa.40:22) It’s not even about out-singing your woodland counterparts, (like our resident woodpecker) because you know it’s “God’s voice that thunders and melts the earth.” (Psa.46:6)

When God choses to place value on the insignificant, it’s because He is significant. And because of who He is, the common little sparrow becomes the most beautiful bird in the sky.

“I sing because I’m happy; I sing because I’m free. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”

The Enduring List

(by Lorie Codispoti)

“Make a list of your enemies.” the author wrote.

Those instructions grabbed my attention. I thought, “Hmm, would I list disease, poverty, corruption, violence, etc., including all seven things the Bible says God hates?” (Prov.6:16-19) Certainly, they would qualify as things we battle.

Then it occurred to me that none of these things answer the question. I only have one enemy - the list is simply the result of his activity in our broken world.

What if I flip the question & ask myself to make a list of my allies? Hmm, how could I possibly include everything on this endless list of blessings? … home, family, friends, church, country, a good job, nutritious food, easily accessed care (medical, military, police, firefighters, etc.). Perhaps I would cite the sunshine & the beauty of nature as an ally. I'd certainly include heroes of the faith.

Then it occurred to me that none of these answer this question either. I only have one Ally - my list is simply the result of His activity in a broken world.

After pondering both lists my heart landed on this glorious truth... The biggest difference between my enemy & my Ally, as it relates to their activity in our broken world, is that my enemy & all his activity has an expiration date! My Ally, on the other hand, is everlasting. He has a plan that will result in fixing our broken world. His activity will continue, and involve restoring, renewing, & recreating everything from His original design.

Only one of these lists will endure, as will our Ally, King Jesus.

I like compiling lists, so I hope to continue recording all the wonders our King has planned for us.

“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1Cor.2:9)

I’m gonna need a lot of paper!

Get Busy!

(by Lorie Codispoti)

It’s time to get busy … resting!

Sounds like a contradiction of terms, doesn’t it? Well, to borrow a phrase from the infamous Inigo Montoya (Princess Bride), “I do not think it means what you think it means.”

BUSY VERSUS BUSYNESS

Before we can fully embrace what it means to rest, we must understand the difference between being busy (commendable work with purpose) and being caught up in busyness (a precursor to physical, emotional, and spiritual breakdown).

When I was raising my children, life was busy. Crazy busy. My days were filled with everything that goes along with nurturing and caring for young children. Most of the time I would reach the end of my day completely exhausted, yet I was also happily content. Every task had a purpose and I was fully engaged in the mission of mothering. However, on the days I neglected my need for rest, I would wolf into a miserable creature. By nightfall my perspective had skewed, and I found myself thinking life was nothing more than a monotonous cycle of repetitive tasks that had little to no value.

Busy and Busyness are incompatible adversaries. Busy reminds you that everything she does has a purpose; her goals are clear and attainable. She was designed with a rechargeable feature, known as rest, which you can access anytime, day or night. Busyness, on the other hand, is a thief. She’s not rechargeable and her goal is to sap your strength by convincing you that there is no time for rest. She will run you, helter-skelter, and transform you into a ravenous wolf who tears her house down.

SOMETIMES WE NEED A REMINDER

I am, by no means, a gardener, but I have experimented with growing and canning vegetables over the years (which is precisely why I buy them now). I remember being surprised by the need to recalibrate my pressure cooker. The temperature gauge has to be adjusted periodically in order for the cooker to work properly. The cooker has no way of knowing how vital this adjustment is, but the one using it does.

Jesus prioritized the need for rest when He commanded His disciples to “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31a). This directive reaches the ears of His disciples during a time when they are elated over the amazing fruit of their ministry, yet at the same time deeply grieving the loss of their friend, John the Baptist. 

Contemplate the emotional roller coaster they had to be riding. Then mix in the fact that the crowds kept coming. The needs were so many that Mark records the disciples “did not have time to eat” (vs.31b). They knew the importance of rest because it was modeled for them when the crowds pressed in for more of Jesus and they watched Him “withdraw to desolate places and pray” (Lk.5:16). Nevertheless, it took hearing “come away” from their Lord to convince these men of their need.

We need to stop glamorizing the destructive cycle of busyness and realize that rest is not only necessary, but it’s a mandate given by a Holy God who has prioritized knowing and loving Him over serving Him.

Now, don’t read that wrong. I’m not saying that you should walk away from service and sequester your life away, singing Kumbaya until Jesus comes. What I am saying is that our need for rest is a built-in feature designed for us to know God. And in order to do that we must step away from the pressures of life and allow His Spirit to recalibrate our hearts to Himself. And since kumbaya means “come by here,” go ahead and sing it ’til Jesus comes!

REST IN PEACE

We don’t have to wait until we die to rest in peace. However, we do have to find a way to shed the dead layers of this world’s influence if we want to enter into the kind of rest Christ offers His children. The beautiful thing is that God never requires us to shed the dead without blanketing us with words that layer renewal... “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (Jn.6:63b).

Several years ago, my friend adopted a child whose issues with anxiety peaked during the night hours. The lack of sleep had negative effects on the entire family. Through prayer she felt led to investigate the therapeutic benefits of a weighted blanket. She decided to try it and found that it helped to calm her daughter’s restlessness. Before long the whole family was sleeping peacefully through the night.

Whether you are single, married, raising children, employed, volunteer, or all the above, the ministry God has called you to is both rewarding and exhausting. Refreshment happens when we take the time to blanket our minds with Truth.

The apostle Paul understood this principle when he appealed to the believers in Rome:

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rms.12:1-2).

He identified their need for a transformed mind and warned them about being conformed to the world’s way of thinking.

Do you think the believers in Rome were busy? After all, they were the first generation of Christians raising up the next generation of Christians. I’m sure their mission of “going into all the world and making disciples” felt a bit overwhelming at times.

Paul was well acquainted with the weariness that comes with ministering to the needs of others, but instead of attempting to bolster their reserves with empty platitudes like, “Man up!” or "You've got this!" he calls for them to make a sacrifice.

Huh? “Isn’t that what we’ve been doing, Paul? We’re ‘giving it all we’ve got, and yet, you’re telling us we need to sacrifice?” I can hear the defensive tone in their collective response.

In his article, How Do We Find Spiritual Rest, author, J.D. Greear says, “… the gospel tells us that when following Jesus gets difficult, the answer is not to ‘work harder’ but to ‘rest better.’ Only by learning to rest in Jesus will we have the strength we need to thrive.”

Resting is a necessary sacrifice we all need to put into practice.

CRAVING MORE THAN FISH

If it takes 20 minutes from the time you start eating for your brain to tell you that you’re full, how long do you think it takes for your soul to tell you that your life is full? What signals you to stop running and take the needed time to digest?

I love fish! It’s been a favorite since I was a little girl. My grandparents lived on the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and every day my grandfather went fishing after work. Eating fresh fish with my grandmother’s cornbread and butter beans was like feasting at Heaven’s table.

Physically speaking, as we age, our metabolism slows down and we need less food than we did when we were younger. Spiritually speaking, however, I have found that as I mature I need to ingest more. As much as I enjoy fish, it doesn’t compare to the Bread of Life and my Savior’s living water. I long to hear His voice, like the disciples did that morning on the beach when He called for them to “Come and eat breakfast.” (John 20:12)

Even though Jesus had miraculously filled their empty nets with an abundance of fish, when they heard His voice, they dropped everything to be with Him. My guess is, that by now they had learned that Jesus could feed more souls with a few fish and some bread than they could with overflowing nets, and that His presents were no match for His presence.

Do you know who burns the candle at both ends? Busyness! She may burn bright for a moment, but her light is frenetic and unsustainable. I suggest you snuff her out and build a campfire next to Busy. She'll wrap you in a blanket of rest, feed you, and give you time to digest the life giving truth your soul needs.

If you can hear the One who created you with a need for rest calling, "Come away!" maybe it's time to get busy... resting!

Dangling With Delight

(by Lorie Codispoti)

“Higher, Daddy! Push me higher!” Our nine-year-old daughter was elated as she soared into the air on the first ride of her new tree swing.

A few minutes before, she was instructed to straddle the rope as her daddy lifted her up on the board. She enthusiastically bounced around as her feet dangled between the swing and the ground. The anticipation of Daddy’s first push sent sounds of giddy laughter echoing through the woods.

This was no wimpy tree swing. Prior to its construction, my husband assured me that careful consideration had been factored into the location of the swing, as well as his articulate planning to connect the perfectly sized board seat to the chosen tree limb with a rope that came with a up-to-500-pound weight warranty.

When my husband builds something, you can count on two things: 1) It’s going to be secure. 2) It will outlast every other model. For this swing it was important that any rider choosing to mount and careen over the embankment do so with unwavering confidence. A thrill ride without the theme park, this swing had the look and feel of something you might read about in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. For several decades, our kids and their friends enjoyed riding, especially after it got dark outside. (FYI: The swing died after 25 years, but only because the limb gave way in a storm.)

When I reminisce over the sheer delight of our daughter’s first ride, I am reminded of what the Bible says in Psalm 40:8, “I delight to do your will, O God.”

Hmm... Do I? Would “delight” describe how I feel when my spiritual feet are dangling? Personally, I don’t care for the tension between anticipation and anxiety. I want full control over the swing and where it’s taking me, and I don’t trust that the Person coming up behind me is going to push me in the right direction, and not send me spinning out of control into the side of the tree.

Dangling with delight is an acquired skill. Our daughter was able to find joy in those moments of dangling, before her ride, because she trusted in one thing - her father. She felt secure in his ability to provide her with a durable and dependable swing because she knew him.

Isaiah 58:14 says, “…delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth…”

When we take the time to delight in our Father, and trust His plan for our lives, it won’t take much for us to jump up on that swing and cheerfully shout, “Higher Daddy! Push me higher!”

CONFUSION

(by Lorie Codispoti)

“I’m so confused!”

In Christian circles, the typical response to that statement tends to be, “Well, God’s not the author of confusion.” (referencing 1Cor.14:33) Obviously that’s correct, but I have to say that for someone struggling with confusion all they hear is a canned, empty platitude. Unless they are a new believer, they already know the origin of their confusion, and the only thing this reminder does is shame them into silence and sever any potential ministry opportunity you may have with them.

Honestly, I’m confused about things all the time. Come on! We live in a broken, self-destructive world that is Hell-bent on recruiting companions to reside with them in their misery. The seeds of confusion are scattered over the landscape of our minds every single day. And while it’s important to remember where those seeds come from, it’s vital that we prevent them from germinating into full blown lies that people pick, bundle into a bouquet, and carry with them to their own funeral.

A man loses his business because he refused to cheat like his successful counterparts.

A family struggles to understand why their mother suddenly left without explanation.

A missionary family completes their training, is deployed, and then recalled because they lost their support.

Sickness and disease kill. The innocent are victimized. People walk away from their faith. Governments are corrupt. Heroes fall.

And the list goes on… and on… and on.

Can you sense the confusion?

Can you relate to the pain?

Many struggle to understand how the fertile soil of their lives can be so forcefully invaded, and why it feels like everything that was beginning to bloom is heartlessly bulldozed and mulched into unrecognizable bits. The view is bewildering. But, hear me when I say this: Confusion is not a sin; it’s the result of sin. It’s a consequence of living in a fallen world. I think we’d be hard-pressed to find a single biblical character who didn’t wrestle with confusion after the fall. Read any of the stories and you will find evidence of perplexed people - confused about their situation, their God, and His word. No one wants to be confused, yet here we are.

Why can’t we resolve the issues of the ever increasing age of confusion we live in? The short answer is that we’ve replaced HE with WE, and when the lens of our circumstance blurs we turn to ourselves rather than God for clarity.

We’ve made huge strides in medicine, yet people still die of sickness and disease. Meteorologists are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, yet severe weather still surprises and destroys lives. Educational opportunities abound, yet illiteracy remains an issue. In a world where safe havens, rehab centers, and counselors exist, homelessness, addictions, and mental illness are on the rise. Despite modern efforts to resolve our problems, they continue to grow like weeds in a garden.

Am I saying we should reject the gifts and trash all our resources? Of course not. I continue to research and employ the medical resources I have been given to improve my health, but if I invest my heart and soul in remediating my condition without consulting God first and foremost, I’ve opted for the poor man’s remedy.

So what’s the answer? How do we exchange confusion for clarity when our circumstances begin to blur life’s lens?

Confusion can take you to dark and sinful places, but it can also drive you to Christ and solidify your faith. I have found these three components of strategic prayer to be critically important when the author of confusion approaches.

POSTURE

“These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” (Isa.66:2)

Coming before the throne of a holy God demands a posture of humility, and there are many Scripture passages we can draw from to assist with posturing our hearts rightly before Him.

Posture involves repentance. (It’s what “contrite” means.) I come before God in humility, but also with a heart of repentance. If confusion has caused me to question God’s love, doubt His goodness, and sown mistrust in my heart then I need to confess those things, repent and receive His forgiveness.

Do you "tremble at My word"? There's a trembling that involves fear, but there is also a kind of trembling that involves sheer awe. When I think about who God is and meditate on His amazing attributes, every part of my being positions itself to bow down and worship the great I Am. I tremble in awe of the One who invites me into His holy presence.

PRESENCE

“I am with you always.” (Mtt.28:20) “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb.13:5b) “… I will fear no evil, for you are with me…” (Psa.23:4)

In order to express how vital this component has become to my prayer life, I must first confess that there have been times where I could not feel God’s presence, at all. When the pain would escalate to such a degree of physical and spiritual delerium I would cry, “GOD, WHERE ARE YOU? I can’t find you!” It felt like God had completely abandoned me. For the first time, I could relate to Paul when he said, “for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself.” (2Cor.1:8b) I wanted to die. I had full confidence that I’d be in His presence if I died, but none that He was with me in my greatest hour of suffering. What’s wrong with that confused thinking? Well, for starters it’s a lie!

As I walked through those dark places of confusion, Scriptures (like those above) would automatically rise up within me and play over and over in my mind. I had no strength to pick up my Bible and look for them. It was God’s Spirit within me that brought them to mind and continually pushed the replay button. John and I would also sing Scripture songs - some we hadn’t heard or sung since we were new believers, yet we had total recall. I would also think about the lives of those I’ve known and read about, and how they testified of God’s presence in their darkest days. Each reminder was like an infusion of reassuring faith. Practicing His presence when you feel nothing is an exercise of faith - a belief in His promised, abiding presence.

To KNOW that God was with me went beyond feelings, which can ebb and flow with the varying degrees of pain. His presence tethered me to my Savior in a deeper way than I’ve ever known. When I had absolutely no strength to hold on to Him, He held on to me with an unshakeable grip.

POWER

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…” (Acts 1:8)

God’s presence leads to His enabling power. If there’s one thing that walking through this health trial has taught me, it’s that I am much weaker and more dependent than I ever imagined. As a result, I have a much clearer understanding of my need for the Holy Spirit’s active work in my life.

Take the time to read what the word tells us about the Holy Spirit's all encompassing role as Comforter/Helper, Counselor, Guide and Intercessor (Jn.4:24, 14:26; Romans 8:14; John 14:26; Romans 8:26), how He gifts us for service (Rms.12:6-8, 1Cor.12:1-11), and His fruit production (Gal.5:22-23) in our lives. God’s Spirit is not an impersonal force. Jesus told His disciples that His Spirit would be an indwelling force. That's personal!

Sin blurred our world, and without the Helper to refocus our lens we will never see things clearly.

Two things to remember about God sending His Spirit and empowering His disciples: 1) He came when they were confused, and that confusion compelled them to gather and pray. Prayer activates His power. Confusion should trigger an immediate prayer response … “God, I don’t know what to do; send Help.” 2) We don’t own His power; it owns us. When we cry out for help, God gets to decide how and when to display His work in us. Remember the reason Jesus stated for giving us His power - so that we would be His witnesses (not the other way around). I can be assured (and reminded) that when I call for help, God will answer with power, but He’s the one Who determines what that will look like in order for my life to testify to Him.

This is more freeing than I have words or space to express, but the thing I love about His indwelling power is that I can cry for “help” and God knows exactly what to do, and what He does is exactly what I need. It may come in the form of remembering His word. It might be with the strength to endure, or the ability to recognize His goodness amidst great times of suffering, but it will always come. And when it does it always testifies of the One who sent it.

The next time you’re tempted to respond to someone’s state of confusion by quoting 1Corinthians 14:33 (“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”), remember that Paul’s emphasis was not on the author of confusion, but on the God of peace. It might be necessary for you to clarify the origin, but make sure you help them refocus their lens by showing them how to cry out for help. It’s the only way to walk in His peace and testify of His goodness in this age of confusion.