Carriers of Light

I have lived on a family compound for about 13 years. Behind my house are three other houses that belong to our family. There’s a house that belonged to an uncle, another that belongs to an aunt, then my in-laws live the farthest away. The kids are now old enough to ride their own things back and forth, and many times a day, we seem to make a trip, going to round one of them up, eat dinner, or to borrow an odd or end.

Every time we go to leave, my mother in law is guaranteed to follow you out the door offering you a flashlight. The kids scream ‘Yes’ in reply and thanks to my father in law, there’s enough for everyone to have one of their own.  From the mini pen lights to the handheld spotlights, he has one in nearly every size and lumen. Because of that, all of the parents yell ‘No.' Not only do we have to put down everything that we’ve rounded up so that each child can grab a light or argue about who gets which one; but then on the road, there’s a child that is certain to blind you with one of the blinking strobes as they play with buttons, talk with their hands, and enthusiastically thrust their lights into the air.

Thankfully, my mother in law also has a certain love for things with bells or lights. The middle house on the lane happens to have a wooden fence which she has used to string rope lights. As a result, most of the lane is lit in the evening. It is on a timer but occasionally something happens, and the lights aren’t on.

Now I’ve walked that road a thousand times in the years that I’ve lived there. Often barefoot, and because I’ve done it so many times, I also reject taking any additional light. I don’t want one more thing to hold. But it’s not uncommon to have limbs from trees blown by storms in the lane, deposits from animals, or toys from kids... Why just this weekend a copperhead was killed on our property. Even though I know the path, the light could help me see where I step, every time I make the stroll, which would be especially helpful is something new or unexpected were in the way.

You know the word is like that as well. Read these verses out loud and listen to the words.

Psalm 119:105: Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light to my path.

John 1:5: The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

1 John 1:5-9: God is light; in him, there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

In fact, there are many verses about light and darkness but this is the one that got me- check out Luke 1:79: The Lord will guide our feet to the path of peace.  

If you back it up a few more verses to verse 76, it reads:

“And you my child will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him. To give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins because of the tender mercy of our God by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the path of the peace.”

Yes, walking in the light and spending time in the word may help keep us from tripping up on things no matter how familiar we are with where we are going.  –But this passage reminds us that we are very seldom on this road alone. We are called to carry the light, not just for ourselves, but also so that those we are beside might see where to step as well. We are called to care for each other and even to, prepare the way for the Lord.

I don’t know about you, but when I marry that verse with the image of the lane in my back yard, it begs me to search my heart. Where else in life am I tempted to leave the light because I think I know the words or the way? On the journey, who could be built up or encouraged, simply by my willingness to carry it and share it. Even in seeing the image of my children haphazardly waving lights in the air, doesn’t it make me soften with the reminder that we are all, in a sense, learning to carry the light ourselves. In doing so, we will all do it differently and sometimes even awkwardly. Regardless, when I consider the view from heaven, how much more wonderful is that a view to behold- when we are willing and even joyful about doing so.

Friend, I hope that this encourages you as much as it did me. Have a beautiful day (and weekend). Be blessed and remember to carry your light. 

Be the glue

This morning between devotions and prayer, I sat in my recliner, sipping coffee, and just let my mind wander.

The day. The week. Colin and the kids. Eventually, my thoughts came to an uncle that is no longer with us. It’s not unusual. I think of Michael often. There was no particular direction of this memory’s lane. …just enjoying a little stroll while there was a quiet minute.

I remembered his eulogy and how I wanted to recount every little detail that I knew about him. His house and his things are in a very slow process of being settled. We’re in no hurry but we are moving forward, and on, at the pace that we need to.

Everything is maintained and in an almost perfect order. We treasure, protect, and still enjoy his lingerings. I’ve even adopted his garden. Mostly because I couldn’t bear to see it torn down or the thought of it falling apart. While it may come across in text like I am looking back in sorrow, it was more reminiscence of Joy. What a beautiful creature he was. He was not just a relative, but our neighbor, our friend, and in many ways, our glue.

As I thought of ways that our family continues to guard and celebrate him or his things, I was reminded of the verse John 14:15.

If you love me keep my commands.

Isn't it funny how we find it so easy to 'keep' things of people that we love and yet we sometimes struggle to embrace the things of God as deeply., even though we profess our love for him.

keep his commands

What about his things?

Maybe our possessions.

How might we honor Him by SHOWING HONOR to his people instead? How can we love and respect those we are still beside, instead of asking to be loved by, pushing an agenda, or trying to convince on our behalf. Could we look for ways to respect each other and bring unity, despite our differences?

Being devoted. Continuing to put each other before ourselves. (Romans 12:10) -As He commanded.

After all, it’s only for a little while… (1 Peter 5:10, Ecclesiastes 1,2)

And without love, everything else is nothing. (1 Corinthians 13)

 Be the glue.

The Shepherd Within

On the way home from picking her up. 

We adopted a dog over the weekend. A three-year-old long-haired German Shepherd. She is such a sweet and well-behaved girl. The way that she fell right in with the rest of us makes it seem like she has always been around.

Of course, it’s always hard to tell at first how everyone will get along. The first day home had to be overwhelming to her. She came from a large home with 5 acres of land that she shared with a smaller family with younger children; an infant and a toddler.

In contrast, she was deposited into our less than an acre yard with six kids ranging three to twelve. Not only was the yard smaller, but it was also more crowded and more rambunctious. Not to mention it included things she’d most likely never seen. Anxiously, she remained on patrol. When the kids got on the swing, she nipped their toes. When they got on the zip line, she grabbed their ankles. When the younger ones took off in their motorized jeep, she was grabbing elbows.

I’ve never had a shepherd before. Some of our previous dogs had been freaked out by different things, so I was trying to figure out her trigger or pattern.  She didn’t seem aggressive. I wondered if she just didn’t want anyone getting hurt. I’ve since realized that, as their name suggests, shepherds are herding dogs. As long as everyone is in the same area, she is okay. It’s when someone wanders away from the pack, or gets too close to danger that she tries to correct them. 

On a different note-

When I started writing and sharing my faith; giving my own testimony. I was too afraid to tell someone to do as I do. To walk as I walk or go where I go. Mostly because I am figuring it out too. It wasn’t that I didn’t take my role seriously or that I wasn’t living as best as I could. –But I know that I am human. The Lord takes seriously heretics and false prophets. I make so many mistakes that I was just as concerned about telling someone incorrectly, as I was afraid of someone following me too closely.

This week I started a bible study on the book of Titus. It deals with mentorship and more specifically, this type of relationship between women. In many ways, it too is like shepherding.

1 Corinthians 11:1 [HSBC] says 'Imitate me as I imitate Christ'. But the NIV translation is in this week’s homework (class - see p4), and it’s what stands out to me the most. It reads: ‘Follow my example, as I follow Christ.’ 

When I first shared the story above about our dog, I was thinking that as new believers, it is SO hard to know who to follow and when. Our new dog was pacing, and you could tell that she was thinking ‘Is it this one or that one? Who do I go after first?’ Many times, listening to preachers and leaders, I found myself wondering the same. How do you know who is who?

Psalm 23 tells us that The Lord is our Shepherd.

I can attest that it is my personal time with Him that has been the most correcting and life changing. I’d like to say that as a shepherd, He’s gentler than our k-9 version. But in all honesty, while He may not break the skin, at times, His convictions have been just as startling and piercing to my heart.

As I write this devotion, it reminds me that as we spend time with him, we too shall become more and more like him. From glory to glory they say. As followers and indeed, imitators. –Perhaps, even in the shepherding part. 

A concern for others should develop, along with care for his flock. Even leadership in various forms will appear. As we change and grow, we can expect to find ourselves wanting others near us to do and experience the same. 

If we see something in a friend’s life that might be a source of their pain, we should want to speak life into them (in a prayerful and loving way). –To care so much about the health and safety of the flock that if we see something out of line, we want to encourage unity and restoration.

I can tell you that as I am maturing in my faith, I too have questions about my personal life and occasionally need that insight. It’s sometimes hard to find someone that will speak the truth that is needed. It can also be just hard for us to give that honest feedback when the time comes. Each of us needs an example or several of them. Even the lead dog, will need someone to guide their leading. 

I am not suggesting that we should be as forward as our new family member was in this example but in the same token, there is an etiquette that has to be learned, and you won’t really know how to lead without learning how not to. They go hand in hand. And as I noted earlier, even good correction can still have a sting. 

As a body of believers, we are accountable to each other. When we collectively care for and lead our different corners of the pack, we glorify God. -Even when we don’t know what our specific ‘gifts’ are. Mentorship in itself is a gift to us. We each have lessons that we’ve learned that are for the good of each other. Living in such a way that honors God, can help others more easily identify us too. But also, simply sharing our testimony and the bit we're learning as we go, is used and speaks just as powerfully to those we are alongside. 

Application:

Where is your flock?

Who are you leading?

Is there anyone from your pack that is slipping away?

What are some of the biggest lessons that you've learned in your faith walk and who can you share them with?

Prayer:

Father God, I thank you for the tiniest ways that you speak to us and the components of our daily life that you can use, when we let you. I pray that you show us our mission field and even the boundaries we need to remain in so that we don't take on more than you intended. Mold and shape each word. The ones we receive and the ones we give. Let them all come from you for your glory.

Standing On A Promise

I started riding my bicycle the year before last. I must admit that this is my favorite way to exercise. I feel like a kid again, racing through the neighborhoods; wind blowing through my hair. The early morning is my favorite time too. It's easier to slip away before the routine is in full swing. It's still cooler and darker outside, and because it's so early, no one is out yet. It is just so peaceful!

In the fall, two years ago. Funny angle.

I'll never forget that first morning though. I was given an old beach cruiser. It had a rusty fender and made a little squeak every time the wheel passed a certain spot or anytime that I hit a bump. Having a sound effect to my pedaling made the intensity of it pick up. I felt a little like the witch from the Wizard of Oz. Except, replace her pretty little hat for my spotlight. haha.

A scene from the Wizard of Oz.

Anyway...

It had been years since I had touched a bike- as in, I am not even sure I rode a one in high school. I can't forget standing up to pick up the pace, and my thighs started quivering as if my legs weren't familiar with supporting me. How quickly the bike seemed to pick up the unstable rhythm... So, I just as quickly sat back down. It was obvious that certain muscles hadn't been used in a long time. If I hadn't been in my own childhood, I might not believe that there was ever a time that you could not get me off of one.

Yet, I practiced standing and riding; cruising and speeding. Then one arm free at a time. As it turns out "hands-free" had been forgotten too. My mind wandered through the air, and I thought of a statement that I've heard by preachers, about how faith is a muscle, and it's up to us to work it. But more so, I thought about how similarly with the bike, when you're going uphill, and things get hard, you need to put a bit more muscle into it and stand up.

...or stand on the promise....

I let that linger a day.... a week.... almost a year...  then two. In fact, I think about it often when I ride. And since that time, I have gotten stronger and more stable too. Sometimes our spiritual life is just as 'shaky' and difficult to work out, isn't it?

I mean, you can practice prayer and even meditation on scripture. While you are growing in these areas, there can still be 'chatter' happening behind the scenes or around the new lines. You know the stories we tell ourselves. Before or after- whether or not we realize it, we're bookending both sides of the verses that are supposed to set us free.

That chatter can be anything; questions, doubts, self-righteousness, self-condemnation, fears, and judgments. There's so much noise happening inside our head, discernment can be a true mind bender when we need instruction, can't it?!

New exercises can always reveal a place of instability. Which voice is the one you're supposed to pay attention to? How often do you apply it? How can you say you ARE one thing when you feel completely opposite. The way we listen to and respond to each is also an exercise. The one you practice is the one you strengthen.

Take heart, I'd like to also give you a few examples. -But brace yourself. This might sting a little.

1. Worry - The minute you start to worry about 'how YOU will do this or say that'- put your eyes on God. Don't get so caught up in 'how you,' that you can't see 'how HE.' I don't mean you shouldn't consider your words, prayerfully plan, or take a step of action. YES, PLEASE DO! But fear, anxiety, and worry will grow rapidly if you let it. Then it can immobilize you. You have to practice using that muscle of what God says and practice looking at who He IS, more than who you think you are and what you are not.

He must become greater. I must become less. John 3:30

2. Weakness - Life happens. Any given circumstance can feel too big. When you want to crumble and feel overwhelmed. I dare you to worship. Scripture tells us that HE is our strength. I will let you do your own research here, but it's been said that our praise will usher the Holy Spirit's presence. If that is true, and if He brings strength, why wouldn't we want to fill ourselves with Him?

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. Psalm 28:7 

3. Emotions - Emotions can get the best of us, can't they? Things break in our home, and we get frustrated. Someone wrongs us, and we get angry. Someone gets something you want and there's jealousy. What about the 'I don't wannas'? They might be the worst of all! Even unexpected and thrilling 'whims' can get us so excited that we lose our focus. Each situation like this that comes along may not be anything that you care about in 20 years or in the new creation. So why let your emotions get the best of you now?

Be on your guard. Stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

4. Insecurity - When you feel like you can’t do something or when someone criticizes you or when you’re reminded of your past, don't shrink back, CLING to your future. What about when you're given an opportunity to try something that you've never done or to reinvent yourself? Your initial thought might be, "I can't..." or "I've never..."

BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE will live by faith. I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back. - Hebrews 10:38

That's a tough one, isn't it?!

5. Words - Can we just talk about what we talk about for a minute? We might tell God what we hope for, but we tell all of our friends what we're afraid of. Or we don't even try to see what God might be doing in the situation that seems too big for us. So, we just keep repeating the same old, worn out story. I mean really- the things that we don't want can get more attention in our conversations and in our captions, than the God that we say that we believe in. I could quote verses like Proverbs 18:21 that tell you that there is the power of life and death in our tongue. But something else has recently struck me in my study time.

In the beginning, when God created everything, we see that He spoke it into existence. If you go back to read those verses, a few lines later you will also see, "and it was so" or you will see a summary of what was created. I am still trying to absorb why we see that. But because it made it to scripture, I know that there's a significance there. He first calls it out. Then he restates it. So, I'm asking you to challenge your own words. If you know that there is a Godly solution. Maybe you even know what that solution is. Call it out and/or restate about your life or situation. Give your words to that solution only and act accordingly. Thus bringing glory to our Father.

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You know, we could go on naming things like this. As I scan back down that list, each area that I have named is an issue of trust. And most of these issues start in our mind! You know Proverbs 23:7 says as a man thinks in his heart, so he is.

That's probably why 2 Corinthians 10:5 says that we are to take EVERY thought captive and make it obedient to Christ!

Hebrews 2:5 also tells us that we are only a little lower than angels; crowned with glory and honor and EVERYTHING has been put under our feet. (Like a pedal. haha)

And it doesn't say only the men or the women. It doesn't say only the left-handed people instead of the right-handed people (no matter what they might tell you.) **wink-wink** The verse says mankind.

and

Jesus died on a cross so that WHOEVER was willing to believe in Him, could be saved. John 3:16

AND (This might feel like a tangent but hang in there.) You don't have to die first to see the benefit of having Jesus in your life now.

Have you ever noticed in the Lord's prayer that it says 'On earth as it is in Heaven." And at the end of that same chapter in verse 33, it says 'Seek first HIS kingdom, and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well."  That part appears in the section titled 'Do not worry, ' and it's about basic living needs.

And again, it doesn't say only for black or for white. East coasters or West coasters.

If YOU are willing to believe in Him. By making Him Lord of your life, that means you put his commands, and even his whispers, his righteousness, his power, before your ___________.

When YOU lift the Son of Man, you will find the boldness of our heavenly Father- not just in your life but also the peace and comfort and certainty that he promises, IN YOU. -On this earth. In the life you're living now.

[end tangent]
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Much like getting on a bike again or for the first time, you have to push through the tremble.

My thighs were shaking when I pushed on those pedals and going uphill made it so much more obvious that I didn't have the strength that I thought I did or hoped to have. Practicing faith has so much felt the same way. These examples that I give to you are some of my most private lessons.

It will feel wobbly and even uncomfortable. You might feel like a fraud, or like your boasting (and sometimes you might even do that by accident). There will even be times that you might wonder if you've moved over to la-la land because this is not what you're used to practicing.

But as you PUSH through, that muscle of faith will grow. You will find strength and perseverance in Him. -And alas, freedom!

Friend, my testimony is this. YOU CAN trust what the Word says. - That in itself is a promise.

You can practice anything you like. Whether you choose to sit down or stand up and ride, is up to you.