Category Archives: a quick word

Produced by Faith, Prompted by Love, Inspired by Hope

“We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3).

Work. Labor. Endurance.

Produced. Prompted. Inspired.

Faith. Love. Hope.

Work produced by faith.

Labor prompted by love.

Endurance inspired by hope.

A day’s doing motivated by a heart’s holding. When was the last time the same was said of you… that the sum total of your long day’s labor was wholly {holy} fueled by the faith, love, and hope you have in and for our Lord Jesus Christ? When was the last time that these “three” enduring virtues {see 1 Cor. 13:13} produced, prompted, and inspired you to live and to do your life with an “as unto the Lord” kind of approach?

It’s something I need to keep in mind as I prepare my heart for another’s day labor within these four walls that I’ve called home for the past six years. There is a work going on in my heart that exceeds boxes and packing tape—a greater work that is prompting and inspiring me to keep at the task at hand. In some small measure {albeit much smaller than what was going on in the church at Thessalonica in Paul’s day} the work of my hands this day is part of God’s kingdom business. It doesn’t seem that way… most moments proffer as monotonous, customary, routine and necessary, and in truth, they are. But they are also so much more—a more that is attached to a hot July afternoon nearly thirteen years ago.

On that day, I signed on for the role as helpmate to my preacher husband, Billy. It’s a role I freely chose and understood on the front end of our “I do’s”–the moment when he took my hand and the hands of my two sons into his and promised his forever love and watchful care over our lives in exchange for mine…my forever love and watchful care over his life. Together, we all said “yes” to the itinerant, ministry life of a Methodist preacher, knowing and believing that the One who called us would be faithful to “complete” his work in us… wherever he leads and whatever is required of us because of that leading.

You see, as I’m pitching and sorting, throwing out and packing in, it’s all just part of being faithful to my “right now” and God’s “what’s ahead.” Without my work, labor, and endurance on the front end of this move, God’s “what’s ahead” is going to arrive in my life, and I will be unprepared for its advent. If I don’t allow my faith, love, and hope in Jesus Christ to be the underpinning of today’s activity, then God’s “what’s ahead” might be met with my dread and bitterness rather than with my sacred expectation.

I want to be found faithful with my day, friends. I want my trust in God to be the solid foundation from which I draw my strength for the tasks at hand. I want the accomplishing work of this day to, in some small way, add to the kingdom work that has been assigned to my family as we seek to honor the calling that he has been placed on us to be a people of movement.

Really, it’s a calling that has been placed on all of us as disciples of Jesus Christ. Faith moves forward with the cloudy pillar of God’s leading. Faith never stays mired in the current soil for very long. Faith stays long enough in a certain assignment to accomplish God’s kingdom agenda, but then faith has the wisdom and the courage to move on. This is my moving on moment; perhaps you’re experiencing one as well… if not a physical move then, perhaps, a movement of your heart in a new direction.

Would you allow your faith in God to produce the work of your hands this day? Your love for God to prompt your labor? Your hope in God to inspire your endurance?

God is after far much more in you and through you than what your mind can currently conceive or imagine. I don’t hold all of the answers for your life; I really don’t hold many of the answers regarding mine. But I do firmly believe in them—the answers—and I hold fast to the One who authors them all. And as far as it concerns me and my household this day, we’re putting all of our faith, love, and hope in Jesus Christ for those answers and will be faithful to do our part to make sure that God’s kingdom isn’t hindered by our unwillingness to move forward with his plan.

Let us not be a hindrance to the advancement of the kingdom, friends. Instead, let us take to our days with the understanding that even the smallest measure of willing obedience on our part will yield an eternal result that fits perfectly into the bigger plan that belongs to God. Packing tape and boxes may not look a whole lot like “faith”, but my heart tells me otherwise.

It’s also telling me, I’d better get busy, so until next time…

peace for the journey,
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remembering the story…

Apparently she has a re-telling issue.

My daughter.

Unable to re-tell the events of the story she’s just read.

Beginning, middle, and end mean very little to my precious little seven-year-old, at least that is what her teacher told me in a conference this afternoon (a teacher whom, by the way, I happen to adore!). I trust her “heads-up” regarding my daughter’s re-telling issue and will do whatever is necessary to make sure she gets some practice in this area. After all, what’s the point of a story if it cannot be remembered—can’t be retold so that others might enjoy its merits?

What indeed?!

It’s been nearly forty-four years since I first heard God’s story from my parents’ lips. And while you might think that I ought to remember it by now, there are times when a refresher is needed… times when I need to sit beneath my Father’s influence to hear him read it to me again. To tell me about the beginning, the middle, and the end so that I won’t forget its truth and so that I will better be able to share its witness with others.

How thankful I am for a Teacher who doesn’t grade me according to my ability to remember but who, rather, extends his grace along these lines. Rare are the times when I recall with perfect clarity all that he has mentioned to me over the years; in contrast, rare are the times when I forget to mention him. The longer I live with Jesus, the more prominent he becomes in my conversation. Where the details are sketchy, he comes alongside to fill in the gaps with his measure of understanding. Together, we re-tell a good story.

The best story.

The only story where the beginning, middle, and the end anchors in one, central thought… one truth… one Word.

Jesus.

Re-tell his story well this week. Live it all the more. As always…

peace for the journey,

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the kindness of God

They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.” Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? I tell you the truth… ” (John 16:18-20)

I saw something this morning, something I’ve missed a hundred times before while reading this passage of Scripture. I didn’t mean to come across it; it simply came across me—my heart and my thinking, and I am deeply moved by what I discovered. This morning in my reading, I saw the kindness of God displayed in a way I’d not seen it before; not just once but twice.

First in his astute observation of the situation. Secondly, with his answer to the situation.

Let me explain. It would be so much easier for me to tell you this via a video, even as I told my Bible study group this evening, but alas, videos take a ton of time to upload, and I’m afraid my energy reserves are at an all-time low. Thus, this is my quick attempt at sharing some truth with you that personally means so very much to me this night. I believe that someone needs the witness of the Word, even as I have needed it.

Our Jesus is kind. He tends to our needs, our questions, and our pains as they come to him; sometimes even before they move from our lips to his ears in the form of a prayer. Did you catch that here? Did you read that even in the midst of the disciples’ tremendous grief and confusion regarding Christ’s soon and certain departure, Jesus interrupted their pain with his answer? He didn’t wait for them to get around to asking the question—about what he meant when he said “in a little while.” He saw, in advance, the troubled nature of their hearts and interjected his witness into the mix. This is a tender, first kindness from Jesus to the children he loved back then… the children he loves still.

The second kindness he offered them was one of words. Five seemingly insignificant words that, when spoken by the Creator, have the capacity to change the direction of all hearts in a single pause.

“I tell you the truth…”.

It really doesn’t much matter the answer that follows. Well, it does to a degree. Christ clearly interpreted the meaning behind his words for his followers that day. But the truth is, when Jesus says, “I tell you the truth…”, you and I can take whatever words that follow to the spiritual bank. His truth is the lavish gift of all heaven; it keeps us, moves us, emboldens us, and points us in the right and good direction. This is a loving, second kindness from Jesus to the children he loved back then… the children he loves still.

Oh would you, Father, tell us the truth? For we are a people surrounded by temporal lies that are eating us alive. Everywhere we turn, every road we travel, everything we see, is littered with a scheme from the enemy to keep us as we are—confused, tormented, consumed by tragedy, blanketed in pain. We are up to our necks with the world’s version of “truth,” and we are drowning in its deception.

Are there any greater two kindnesses we could receive from our God today?

One—his intervention of an answer to our questions even before they are asked, and…
Two—the witness of his truth?

I wish so very much that I could sit with you in contemplation of our Father’s kindness. Something tells me he would be well pleased with the conversation, for where two are three are gathered in his name, he promises to come alongside and interject his thoughts into the mix. When God is the topic of our many words, he bends low to listen; he moves in to make sure we get it right. Get him right.

God is right, and he is kind, and his love for us extends reason and limits. It extends all the way from a moment 2000 years ago to right now, this day, when the truth of his Word still stands as the truth for all seasons. How I love God for interrupting my day with the witness of his kindness! May his kindness reach you this day as well. As always…

peace for the journey,

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know that you know that you know…

know that you know that you know…

“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

{photo compliments of Shirley}

I hadn’t planned on being here this week, but I couldn’t let today go by and not give witness and praise to the tenderness and care of Jesus who interrupted my pain last evening with the gift of his presence.

Last night, I gathered with my Bible study gals. Together, we’re working through Jennifer Rothschild’s “Me, Myself, and Lies.” Our weekly homework landed us in Psalm 46:10 for some pondering. We spent time discussing what it means to “be still” before the Lord and “know him.” I asked them when that happened for them—when are those times in their days when they know that they know that they know their God is present and reachable.

Some of them responded with…

when witnessing scenes of nature… rain, snow falling, beautiful sunrises, sunsets.
while working in the yard.
when the kids are sleeping.
when the house is quiet.
while driving alone.
with praise music.
while praying.

It was a lively discussion filled with the palpable hungering of hearts for more allowable moments of stillness before God. And when our discussion closed, I reminded them that they didn’t need to wait for the quietness of a house or the brilliance of a morning’s sunrise or even the serenade of voices to lead them to a place of stillness. I reminded them that God’s stillness is available to each one of us in the midst of swirling chaos—times and seasons in our lives when we can hold a full knowing of Jesus simply by pausing and turning inward to do what Brother Lawrence would spend his life doing—

practicing the presence of God.

And with that admonishment and with loud acclaim, I voiced these words to the thirty-some women sitting within earshot…

“Times, ladies, when we say with all the confidence of heaven, ‘I know that I know that I know that you are God, Father, and I am not.’”

And with those words and in that moment, I received the rich witness of the Holy Spirit’s agreement to my proclamation. Chills ran up and down my spine, the tears came, and my gals were spectators to the truth of God’s Word in living color.

Last night, I stilled my heart before God, spoke truth regarding his witness, and, once again, knew that I knew that I knew. And it was true and perfect and, for a few brief moments, enough to make all of heaven bend low to shout its witness regarding its King.

I pray for you a know that you know that you know kind of moment today. I prayed it for my girls last night. Oh that we would all take time to pause in our schedules to simply breathe our Jesus in and to acknowledge him for who he IS.

Be still and know your God. He longs to validate his witness in your inner being through the power and strength of his Holy Spirit. Take care to notice your King. He is great; he is good; he is here. As always…

peace for the journey,

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Sunday morning…

The brilliancy of a Sunday morning’s sun.

It beamed through the slits in the mini-blinds reminding me of a new day’s embrace. I needed its witness this morning… needed to know I’ve been given another day to live it right, especially since yesterday seemed to live so completely wrong. From beginning to end, my Saturday was filled with confusion, chaos in my externals which contributed to an internal chaos that remained throughout the day. When I put my body to bed last night, I did so with a simple prayer in my heart:

Lord, visit me in my rest and sort this mess out. Make tomorrow my brand new beginning.

It’s a prayer we can pray in faith, because our Father makes it his business to sort out our messes and to bring new beginnings to his children. We can never out-do his willingness to make sense of our confusion or out-sin his grace therein. God makes himself available to our pleas for the “new” and will always be faithful to follow-through with a “new” that is tailor made to individual needs.

I don’t know what transpired in my night’s pause, but the brilliant arrival of sunshine seemed to punctuate the fact that my Father took my prayer to holy heart and granted me the grace of a new beginning this morning. I couldn’t help but notice him. Morning light has a way of announcing his presence—of saying “I’m here…” and “won’t you join me on the road today?”

Life lives new and fresh and better than yesterday when we join our Jesus on the journey of grace. Certainly, some days flesh themselves out as healthier than others. Some days we operate out of God’s fullness rather than personal depletion. Some days our wills line up with our Father’s and, no matter the schemes of the enemy aimed in our direction, we don’t take his bait; instead, we keep faithful to the truth and to the right and good witness of the Holy Spirit living within us. Some days we live life like God intends for us to live it. Some days we live like Easter people.

And some days we don’t live much at all. Some days we step over boundary lines that we were never meant to cross. Some days we say things, do things, pretend things that aren’t in keeping with kingdom living. Some days we live for self rather than for God. Some days we don’t live up to our potential because we’re too busy living beneath our level. Yesterday was a “don’t” day for me, but thankfully, today is walking better.

Today is living like Easter. Like resurrection. Like light. Like freedom, and I have the brilliancy of a Sunday morning’s sun—a Son—to thank for that.

A resurrected life with a resurrected Jesus… how I want to live each day. How thankful I am for a Father’s grace that covers me when I don’t live with resurrected truth and for his willingness to intervene in my night’s pause to re-work my chaos so that my morning shines new and fresh and with the promise of a better day ahead.

May each day of this new week we’ve been given live with the brilliancy of a Sunday morning’s Son as our witness. He intends for us to live in the truth of Easter and with the grace of the cross as our inheritance. Be kind to yourself when you don’t get it right, and be deliberate about asking for a new beginning accordingly. He loves you far more than you realize; you are his bride, and for better or worse, in sickness and in health, he’s keeping you forever. As always…

peace for the journey,

~elaine

PS: I don’t know how much I’ll be around this week. I have some pondering and praying to do apart from blogging, but I’ll be visiting you and loving you from my own little spot on the globe. If you have anything more specific you’d like me to pray about this week, please feel free to e-mail me. Shalom.

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