Strength For Today

Currier & Ives, "Winter morning in the country," c 1873

Can you believe it's already December? With Thanksgiving coming so late in the month this year, December has descended even faster than usual. My mom has already "Christmasized" her house, complete with a strongly-scented pine which is the first thing you notice when you walk in her door. I'm looking forward to getting up my own garland and lights and wreaths and snowmen to help capture all those warm fuzzy feelings that come with this time of year.

But it's not always easy. Life's busyness can make holiday plans feel more like another item on the to-do list and less like the glorious memory-making time that I aim for.

So as much as I love the holidays, I have to be honest and admit I sometimes struggle this time of year. (click to share)

My heart aches for the Currier & Ives paintings, for smiles and laughter and goodwill toward man (especially between siblings in the house!), for snuggling by the fire, kisses under the mistletoe, all that good stuff.

But real life is not a painting. Or an old black-and-white movie. (That's often why we love escaping into our novels!)

Nope. Real life finds too many dust bunnies when it's time to move furniture to make room for the tree. Real life has pouting kids who don't want to help lug in the decoration box or be pulled away from their video games in order to just sit by the fire with mom. Husbands who tolerate, but don't enjoy, watching White Christmas, and who grimace and sweat--and possibly even swear*--while wrestling with the Christmas lights.

Add to that the fact that I never got around to shedding that extra five  fifteen pounds--and, let's face it, it's too late now--the constant aches and pains in my back, the myriad bills we aren't sure how to pay, a preschooler who tests my patience (he's the absolute sweetest boy in the world, but rambunctious and ever my shadow), and homeschool pressures...and each day can sometimes feel overwhelming.

Beyond my ability. Sucking me under.

Life's not meeting my expectations. I'm failing.

And sometimes "failing" at something as simple and earthly as creating the "right" home atmosphere can lead to a discontent/depression that carries into my spiritual life.

Lies. All lies. But too often, I believe them.

Maybe you can relate. Or maybe your set of challenges lies elsewhere. Regardless, we all have seasons, or areas of our life, where we don't feel up to the task. And we grieve that ineptitude. (click to share)

A few years ago I received a daily devotional and the first passage I read still sticks with me years later. The entry hit its mark in my heart. In essence, it reminded me that the measure of God's strength given to me on a daily basis is determined by two things:

The difficulty of my circumstances, and my willingness to depend on Him for help.

WOW.

This concept completely changed my thinking when it came to facing challenges, personal demons. I don't need to assess the situation and measure it against my usual ability and strength. I need to depend on Him and believe that He can and will empower me that much more in order to handle the task. And tomorrow, when the challenge is not so great, He will give me just the strength I need for that day.

Today it might be preparing the house, encouraging generosity in my kids, and finding ways to trim the grocery budget so that we can get that busted water pipe fixed.  Tomorrow it could be the death of another loved one, a falling away of a brother or sister, or the loss of a job.

But the degree of His power available to me will match whatever circumstance comes my way.  (click to share)

And the same goes for each of us. So if you share this struggle of mine at this time of year, I pray this truth shines like a beacon in your heart and gives you hope. It did for me.

If you're interested in the devotional I mentioned, it's called Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. The entry I referenced was November 11th. :-)

And if you want some great Christian novels to dive into or pick up as gifts, you always know where to find some winners. (There's a contest going on every month at COTT, so I hope you'll join us for some fun.)

Have a blessed week!

(*my husband doesn't swear, but he does get grumpy at the frustrating lights!)

 Tweetables:

• The degree of His power available to me will match whatever circumstance comes my way. 

• We all have areas of our life where we don't feel up to the task. And we grieve that ineptitude. 

• "I love the holidays but often struggle this time of year." Do you ever feel you fail to measure up? 

Not A Dress Rehearsal

*Repost: This article first appeared here in October of 2010

My pastor on Sunday used this phrase, "It's not a dress rehearsal", referring to life.  Whatever it is we want to do for Christ, we have one life to do it.

I really held onto that.  There's no do-overs, there's no practice.  This is it.  My husband, my children, my ministries, my role in these relationships-- it's all a now or never/ do or die kind of thing. And time is ever slipping away.  So I've been pondering this the last few days...

The difference between a dress rehearsal and the real show is that the real show brings a sense of urgency; a sense of intensity, concentration, and focus. THIS IS IT, DON'T BLOW IT.  So these words bring with them the call to action-- to not put off those things you talk about wanting to do, like daily devotions, weekly family times, volunteering, studying the Bible more deeply, or having a heart-to-heart talk with your kids/spouse/loved one about Christ.  Don't say "some day I'd like to do this".  Do it now.  The heat is on.

But you know what else is different between the show and the rehearsal?  During the live performance, the show must go on!  If you flub a line, hit a wrong note, or miss a cue, you don't cry or walk off the stage or even break character- you keep going.  You don't have the option of wallowing in self-pity over your mistakes- you're in the middle of a show!  Someone is watching!  In rehearsals you might stop and examine the mistakes and even berate yourself or others to getting it right next time, but when Opening Night arrives there is no time for that.  It's part of the rush of excitement that is experienced by performers.  There's urgency, focus, on what is coming, and freedom in forgetting, what is past.  It's the only way to make it through a show.  It's the only way to live for Christ. What a freeing concept!  Yes, I only have one shot to live this life the way I aspire to.  But sweating my mistakes along the way will only hinder me.  Focus.  Then forget.  Focus.  Then forget.  Repeat as necessary!

"Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things wich are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
~Philipians 3:13

The Ultimate Romance

We all long to form deep connections. To be seen and known and loved for who we really are. We get a taste of it when our spouse brings home our favorite chocolate bar from the store--that hint they really "get us". We may be filled with it when our man actually expresses in words how he feels toward us. But we will only be swallowed up whole by it when we enter into the greatest romance in history.


It's a romance that has been unfolding since the universe was spoken. The one on which every other love relationship is based. And it's the romance which we authors are trying to recreate on paper, whether we know it or not. That romance is the one between the Creator and mankind. You.


You're either nodding your head or recoiling. You may feel offended that I equate God with a word which, for many, is synonymous with sex. Stick with me.


One of my favorite definitions:

• Romance (verb): to court or woo romantically; treat with ardor or chivalrousness.

This is exactly what the Lord does! He courts us, He woos us, He pursues us with His love. In Jeremiah 31:3 the Lord says "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."

WOW.


Almighty God loves ME with an everlasting (never-ending, continuous, nonstop) love! And He draws me, woos me, with that patient, gracious, gentle love. Has anyone else ever loved you that way?


The other thing I see here is His persistence, no matter how hard we resist Him. He waits for us to turn to Him, never forcing a relationship to happen. That's where His chivalry comes in. We read in Revelation 3:20: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."


He knocks and knocks and knocks—never willing to lose a single one of us—but He waits for us to open the door. And notice, He doesn't sit in the car and honk the horn. He approaches and knocks. (Guys—especially those waiting to date our daughters—you taking notes?) He is a gentleman.


Another dictionary entry that caught my eye:

• Romantic (adj): displaying or expressing love or strong affection. ardent; passionate; fervent.

John 15:13 tells us "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends."

We see this theme played out in our romantic books and movies. The hero gives up his life for the woman he loves, or vice versa. It is a tragic end, but proof of their love. Take the recent Disney movie Tangled for example. (spoiler alert) Flynn cuts off Rapunzel's hair to save her, knowing it means his own certain death. His love proven, Rapunzel's tears bring him back to life and they live happily ever after. That kind of love takes fervency and passion and an emptying of self. And what woman wouldn't want a man to love her with such abandon?

But even those love stories can't touch what Christ has done. Nothing could keep Him from rescuing His beloved, even when His beloved hadn't returned that love. He didn't just lay down His life for His friends. He died for us while we were still sinners. While we wanted nothing to do with Him, He passionately pursued and expressed His love on Calvary. Tell me—is there a fulfillment of the above definition any more complete and profound as this? Has love ever been displayed or expressed more ardently, passionately or fervently than on the cross?

And one last simple entry:

• Romance (noun): a love affair

As much as I enjoy going all tingly over a good romance in a movie or book (and believe me, I do!), the story of the Divine Love Affair surpasses them all. It's a story of betrayal (ours), a broken Heart (His), separation—followed by passion, zeal, and sacrifice. And it's an ongoing story, one we all experience uniquely and personally, whose ending is up to each of us.

My prayer is that every one of you reading this today will allow the God of the universe to woo you; that you will open the door of your heart to Him; that you will see the depth of love He has for you and swoon in His embrace.

After that, human romance—both real and fictional—will serve to compliment what is already overflowing in your heart. You'll come to see that the best romantic stories are those that most closely depict the eternal truths found in knowing Christ. With Jesus as your first love, every other human relationship will become deeper and more meaningful.

Do you know Him? Is He pursuing you? Has He wooed you? I would love to hear about it!