The Power of Gratitude

Accountability

Called to stand
To be judged
To be tried
Accountable
For too many mistakes
So many wrong choices.
Fallen from grace.
Lost.
Alone.

I cry out to Jesus:
Thou Son of God have mercy on me!
His arms open wide.
His pierced hands outstretch.
I fall at His feet,
And leave my burden there.
His blood flows in Gethsemane
In agony He hangs upon the cross at Calvary.
Washing away my sins.

What was crimson now is snow.
The price is paid.
The debt fulfilled.
All is clean.
All is right.
I am free.

Tears of gratitude descend
As I kneel before His face.
Make me clean.
Sanctify my heart.
Change my nature.
Heal my soul.
Lift me up before the Father
And bring me home!

Some of Us Stay Too Long in Gethsemane

It's been said we all must travel through Gethsemane. We all do things that humble us and put the weight of sin and regret upon our backs. The problem is that some of us stay in Gethsemane for far too long. We let it bring us lower than the dust (which is actually a good thing if it humbles us to call upon God). But there are dangers in Gethsemane. For some the darkness is so overwhelming that they lose themselves -- they lose the vision of their divine potential as children of God. They let Satan convince them that they are worthless and can never be of use to God (or perhaps to anyone else). It takes faith to believe that even God can help us rise from the depths of Gethsemane.

We must remember that there was only one person who survived Gethsemane, and even He had an angel to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43). The Son of God traversed the darkness of each of our Gethsemanes and came out with a clear and empathetic understanding of our insecurities and trials -- "for surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah 53:4). The Son of God is the only one who could carry the weight of sin for all mankind, bleed at every pore, and come out the other side triumphant (Luke 22:44).

If we are to survive our own personal Gethsemanes we can not expect to do it alone. We must let Him lift us. He is the only way to the other side. He knows the murky terrain, for He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Call upon Him and let Him lift you up!

(The sculpture above was created by Angela Johnson).

The Strength to Press On

Over the last week, I’ve had a lot of things come up that would have stressed me out a few years ago. One of my best friends is aware of these things and voiced her concern that there’s just too much being placed on my shoulders, and that she’s worried about me.

I thanked her for her concern, and I’m sure her prayers and those of others are sustaining me -- for I honestly don’t feel any inordinate amount of stress. Granted, I’ve had a lot of work to do, and I’ve been a bit bleary-eyed; but over all, I am not feeling a heavy weight of worry or stress. Concern, yes. A sense of responsibility, yes. But not worry.

I’ve pondered on how I can feel this “peace that passes all understanding” when a normal person would be sweating bullets. I think it’s because I have learned that no matter how bad things get or how dark the night, the Lord is in control and I am never alone. Carlfred Broderick wrote, “The gospel of Jesus Christ is not insurance against pain. It is resource in the event of pain.” (From "The Uses of Adversity")

I have found this to be true. The Savior’s yoke makes it easy to carry heavy burdens by making them light upon our shoulders. I feel like singing as the psalmist, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler (shield) to all those that trust in him." Psalms 18: 2, 30

Or as Isaiah said, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation” Isaiah 12: 2.

One of my favorite ways to keep these things uppermost in my mind is to listen to music that reminds me that God is in control. He is my strength and will never leave me alone. One of my favorites is "Press On" by Selah. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bg2cJ5bw2k

May God bless you and keep you forever in the hollow of His hand!

Happy Easter!

This is one of the most touching Easter messages I have ever heard/seen. I am so grateful to know that Jesus Christ lives, that He is my Savior and Redeemer, and that because of Him, I can have happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. May His love and illuminating light fill you with understanding and hope, and bless your life as it has mine!

If you can't view the video, go here.

Spiritual Eyes and Ears

What if what we see around us is only a fraction of what exists? Jesus taught that we have "spiritual eyes" and "spiritual ears." Each of us is equipped with a third eye, a spiritual eye that sees and senses things that we cannot see with our natural eyes. Each of us has a third ear which has the ability to hear what is not audible to the natural ear. These spiritual eyes and ears are connected directly to our hearts. If we are attuned, we feel what our spiritual eyes see and what our spiritual ears hear.

Most quantum physicists agree that a part of us has always existed and always will. Even Ecclesiastes tells us that our spirit will "return to God who gave it." How can we return somewhere we've never been? Obviously, we came from God and we return to God. Mortality is simply a phase of our development. We come from a heavenly world with infinite possibilities. We chose to enter a human body and to temporarily experience what it's like to be mortal. A veil was put over our spiritual eyes and ears so that we cannot see, hear, or even remember the true enormity of eternity or our infinite potential. But on occasion (or perhaps with practice) the veil thins, and becomes almost sheer, translucent even.

The more we follow the light of Christ and the more faith we develop, the thinner the veil becomes and the more frequently we see with our spiritual eyes and hear with our spiritual ears the things of eternity. We gain glimpses of the marvelous being we truly are and our connection to God and to others. We learn that we are his children and because we are His children, we are brothers and sisters. We have the power to shape matter and energy. Spiritual creation is constantly going on around us. As children of the Creator, we are creators too.

What we create echoes through the halls of eternity. Whether literature, poetry, music, or art -- creativity echoes. What fellow humans never notice or consider could be a masterpiece in eternity. Songs that never made the billboard charts on earth may be sung by angelic hosts throughout eternity. Books that never rested on a bookstore shelf may be read and shared by heavenly throngs.

Kick the sides off the box of mortality and you see that people never die, they simply transition from one state of being to another. We are always creating, creating, creating and what we create impacts everyone – living or dead – born or unborn. There really is no difference. To learn more about using your spiritual eyes and ears, read this week's I Am Joyful lesson, "Eternity Awaits."

What does God want for you?

I heard about a survey conducted among Americans to determine how we view God. The results showed that the majority of us view Him as "a great cosmic butler." When we need something, we pray. When we’re sick, we pray. When we're behind on our house payment, we pray.

As awareness about the law of attraction increases, more people focus on using God's universal laws to "get things."  It's all about manifesting what you want in life. This manifesting process has almost become a religion. For many, God is no longer a personal Father in heaven or personal Savior, but a cosmic vapor. God has become intelligent matter that transforms into "stuff" when we impress our thoughts upon it.

How sad this is! For without a personal Savior, we lose His grace. We are left to ourselves, our ability to muster positive thoughts, and our limited imaginations. Without Him, there is no one to catch us when we fall, no one to love us unconditionally when we stumble, and no one to clean us up and set us on our feet again. More importantly, there is no one to take us home.

There’s nothing wrong with learning universal laws or wanting an abundant life, but I think in this rush to obtain what we envision, we're forgetting to ask a more important question, "What does God want me to be, have and do?"

To learn more about how to ask the powerful questions that unlock God's amazing blessings for you, go to this week's IAmJoyful lesson, What Does God Want for You?

You are perfect

Come with me to a spiritual realm where the Light of the World, the Savior of mankind awaits. A glowing light surrounds Him and His arms outstretch, beckoning you to come to Him. You step forward and kneel at His feet.

Your finger gently trails across the nail prints, and your heart sinks -- sensing the enormity of the pain He suffered because of you. Tears spill from your eyes. After a few moments, He lifts you to stand before Him and gathers you in His merciful arms, holding you tight.

You wonder what right you have to be here, feeling this immense love from One so perfect. A list of your mistakes, weaknesses, sins and imperfections floods your mind; and you start to shrink away.

“Don’t go,” He pleads, putting His hand to your cheek and brushing away your tears. Your eyes lift to His and you see only love there. No judgment, only love. “My sweet child,” He soothes, “Let me take these burdens from you. I cannot bear that you should suffer under their weight.”

One by one, you hand Him your cares, sins, disappointments, illnesses and imperfections. One by one, He embraces them and they melt in a puddle at His feet. You look down in awe as this pool of regrets evaporates and transforms into a glorious golden light that radiates out from Him in all directions. In the swell of that light comes a love more intense. It wraps you up in warmth and joy so remarkable that moisture fills your eyes once more. Only these tears are those of gratitude instead of guilt.

You look down at yourself and are amazed to see a white light radiating from you. You look to Him, puzzled at what you see in yourself.

“I made you perfect,” He says. “I made you the way you are.” You look around and suddenly you are in an exquisite garden. Flowers, trees, shrubs of every color and variety imaginable surround you. It seems that no two pieces of foliage are the same.

Jesus lifts a beautiful fragrant flower between His fingers and extends it to you. “You are like this precious flower. I made you the way you are. There is no one else like you. No one else can take your place. You are priceless to me.”

“But, I’ve made so many mistakes,” you say. “There have been so many disappointments. I try to do the right thing, but I’m too weak. I always seem to fail.”

“That is why you have me. You can't do it alone.” He brushes away another tear from your cheek. “Allow me, and where you are weak, you will be strong.”

“Lean on me," He continues, "and I will carry your burdens.
Come to me whenever you are lonely and afraid.
I live to comfort you.

Doubt not, fear not. I am right beside you.
My grace will make everything right.
Let me wipe away every tear, distortion and disappointment.

Remember, you are the perfect child I created in this garden.
You are a priceless gift to the world.
Whenever mortality’s cares begin to immerse you,
Come to me, and I will remind you who you really are.”

You rest your head on His shoulder, letting His words fill you with hope.

“Will you visit me often?” He asks at last.

You nod that you will.

“Good, good,” He says. “I have an important work for you – a work that only you can do.”

“What is it?” you ask.

“Shine for me. Shine like you are right now in this moment – free and unburdened by all that is not light and love.  As you do, others will find me through you. Will you do that for me?”

Your heart swells with love for Him, and you hold nothing back, “Yes, yes, I will do anything for you. Only help me.”

“Of course,” He assures. “Always.”

(This was inspired by conversations/guided meditations with my remarkable friend, Judy Hansen. You'll be hearing more about Judy in the future.)

No Toil. No Spin. No Guilt Required

I have a friend (we'll call her Jane) who is one of the most loving, kind-hearted and happy people I know. She has a gift for making those around her feel loved and appreciated. Lately my friend has suffered from some health concerns, and doctors have put her on medicines that are making her feel depressed. One Sunday when she was feeling particularly down, she had no desire to go to church, but "out of obedience" she went.

She stepped into the meeting and noticed a lady who travels a lot and is rarely at church. She sat down beside her, gave her a big hug, and told her how great it was to see her. They enjoyed sitting next to each other throughout the meeting. When the meeting ended, the woman turned to my friend and said, "You know, I travel a lot and it's hard when I'm home to go to church. I don't know most of the people, and they don't know me. So it's difficult. This morning I didn't want to come, but I thought: Jane will be there, and I know that if no one else notices or cares, Jane loves me and that's enough."

Isn't it wonderful how these two women were brought into each other's lives to help each other feel uplifted, valued and loved? But there's more to this encounter that I'd like to explore. I was struggling through my own issues when my friend told me this story. I was feeling exhausted, worn-down, and as if no matter what I did it was never going to be enough. I have this great desire to put good out in the world, to reach more people with positive messages about God and the joy a Christ-centered life can bring. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, or how many long hours I worked, it seemed it was never enough. Even successes felt anti-climactic because it still wasn't enough in my mind.

I was talking to my friend about this, and she told me this story and said, "I know it relates to what you're dealing with, you'll just have to figure out how." For the next twenty-four hours, I pondered this story, and I came to realize something significant. My wonderful Christ-like friend didn't have to do anything extraordinary to impact this woman's life. She didn't go to church with the mindset of "I'm going to church, and I'm going to make it a positive place where everyone feels welcomed and loved." In fact, she had to drag herself out the door and make herself go. "Obedience" is the word she used.

When she got there, she was simply herself. She saw this woman that she knew and loved, and her natural personality and gift for making people feel loved spilled out of her and enriched both their lives. Do you see the simplicity of this formula?

1. Be obedient.

2. Show up and be yourself.

Or as Jesus said it:

1. Seek ye first the kingdom of God,

2. And all these things shall be added unto you.

These words of Christ also came to mind, "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." I went back and read the first half of Luke 12 in a new way. Jesus is talking to his disciples. Note that -- he's talking to his disciples and not the general public. These people are His followers. They know Him, and they love Him. They want to help Him build the kingdom.

I think that's significant. These aren't ordinary Joes and Janes. And neither is my friend. She's a wonderful Christian woman who loves people and loves the Savior. Not everyone can "show up and be themselves" and make the world a better place! Some people have quite the opposite effect on the world around them. So I'm going to add one more underpinning piece to this formula:

1. Be a disciple of Christ.

2. Be obedient.

3. Show up and be yourself.

Then Jesus tells his disciples not to worry about food or raiment but consider the ravens that don't sow or reap, and the lilies that don't toil or spin, and the grass that just sits there and is a beautiful green. Aren't you better than these? Aren't you of more worth than birds, flowers or grass? So stop worrying over these things.

"For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:30-32).

Typically when we read these verses we think of physical things we need, and we wonder how in the world we are supposed to take care of our families if we don't work. Should we just sit back and expect God to provide for us? I really don't think that's what Jesus is saying. I think he's talking about worry. When we're putting God first and building His kingdom, why do we need to worry that He's going to allow us to land in the streets homeless and naked? And is it really all that important to have the best car or the biggest house if we put the kingdom of God first?

I've looked at this passage so many times as I've thought about my physical needs, and it's given me great comfort. But I'm looking at it with fresh eyes today. I'm looking at it from the perspective of someone who wants to be a disciple of Christ -- someone whose greatest desire is to help build the kingdom of God. This disciple's not worrying over food and raiment at the moment and isn't worried about keeping up with the Jones'. This disciple wants to be an instrument in God's hands to bless lives.

What is this disciples' concern now? She wants to reach more people with God's message. She wants to make an impact. She wants to shed His light to all the world. Why? Because she loves God, and she loves His children. This person begins to realize that the job is immense. People are overwhelmed with just keeping their heads above water and don't always make time for what they really need. She starts to get the sense that Christ is coming soon, and we're running out of time. She starts to think, "I'm not doing enough. I'm not making a big enough difference." She starts burning the candle at both ends and feeling guilty over not doing enough.

Christ's words ring just as true for this person. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." God wants to help you with your purpose! He wants to help you build the kingdom. You're not alone. You don't have to feel guilty. He's not grading you. He's not telling you that you're not doing enough. He's saying, "Consider the lilies of the field, and the grass, and the birds. They don't toil and spin to be who they are or to bring beauty to the world. They just are who they are, and God uses them perfectly, flawlessly."

Do you see what I'm saying? What we, as disciples of Christ, need to focus on is our relationship with Him and being obedient to His commands. As we do that, we'll be in the right places. We'll show up. We'll be ourselves, and we'll change the world. No toil. No spin. No guilt required.

Did You See the Wonder in the Heavens This Morning?

God painted a symbol in the heavens this morning. Did you see it? I'd never seen anything like it in my life. Neither had my husband. I asked him, "Would this qualify as a sign or a wonder?" He said, "Well, maybe not a sign, but definitely a wonder." He left to take our older son to seminary and left me with the younger three to get ready for the bus. I awakened my little ones and asked, "Would you like to see a wonder?" (Acts 2:19)

That got them out of bed! They scrambled for their coats and shoes and headed out the front door to see the wonder. It was a giant glowing circle around the moon. I knew there was a logical scientific explanation for it. There always is, but to me it was a wonder. It was something that made us go, "Cool, I wonder how that happened?"

I googled "ring around the moon" and found a "moon ring." Moon rings are caused by light refracting off ice crystals in the clouds. Folklore says it means a storm is coming. Supposedly if you count the number of stars inside the ring, you'll know how many days are left before the storm arrives. We ran back out to count the stars, but by then, the moon ring was gone.

See, I knew there was a scientific explanation. But it made it no less wondrous, and frankly, no less symbolic.

My little boys were so excited to get to see a wonder, that I decided to grab a teaching moment. Everything in nature denotes there is a God. There are so many signs and symbols of our Savior in creation: sunrise/sunset, tides, and seasons all symbolize Christ's life, death and resurrection. The moon ring was such an obvious symbol that I couldn't pass up the moment to teach my children about God's symbols in nature.

The circle is one of the most important symbols there is. It represents a completeness of truth, eternity, and life. At the center of this circle was the luminescent moon -- a light shining in darkness. What better way to symbolize Christ -- the light of the world who shines in darkness and the darkness comprehends it not? (see John 1:5) What better place to put Him than at the center of a circle? Jesus Christ is the central figure at the heart of all truth, eternity, and everlasting life!

As we had our family prayer this morning, we thanked our Heavenly Father for sending His Son, and for sending us this wonder to remind us that He is always there, always encircling us, protecting us, and giving us truth and eternal life.

So, I issue you the same challenge I issued my children. Whenever you see a wonder, look for Christ. He's always there.

Trusting God Through Trying Times

Join us Today for the last day of the 9th Annual SheLovesGod.com Virtual Women's Conference!

Today's guests talk about "Trusting God Through Trying Times:"

• "Invite the Presence of God in Trying Times" Marriage & Family Therapist, Dr. Linda Miles
• "The Formula for a Life of Purpose, Direction & Inspiration" Video by Marnie Pehrson
• "When Trials Come, They Show You What You Really Are Inside" Minister/Poet, Jim Lake

www.SheLovesGod.com/conference/ We will be keeping up an archive of the conference for those who weren't able to listen to it this week.