It has been a difficult week.  The demands and challenges piled up and a few “mini-crises” pushed their way in also.  I’m not complaining, just giving context.  As the week unfolded, overall I felt like I was doing pretty well.  Keeping my head above water (does barely above water count?) and keeping a decent attitude.  Tuesday, I found myself making a several hour trip in my car alone, and I turned on the week’s Revive Our Hearts podcasts.  [As an aside, my sister introduced me to these podcasts, and over and over again they have been encouraging and convicting to me and have helped me grow in my faith.]  This week, Shaunti Feldhahn was the guest, talking about her book, The Kindness Challenge.  Monday’s podcast was great – I do believe kindness is a superpower 🙂 and I was on board with working on showing kindness.  I realized as I listened that I have room to grow in the kindness department.  Then came Tuesday’s message.  Oh my!  

The discussion was about “nixing the negativity.”  Again, I am on board with that!  

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

I realize that my tendency is toward negativity, but as Shaunti Feldhahn talked about some different ways negativity can be expressed, I felt like a spotlight was shining on my last several days.  She made the point that EXASPERATION is a form of negativity.  Yikes!  

Exasperation/exasperated according to Merriam-Webster: “having or showing strong feelings of irritation or annoyance.”  Here are a few synonyms for exasperate: perturb, irk, irritate, rankle, annoy, try the patience of.  Yep, I had spent a fair amount of my time at work Monday and Tuesday in a state of exasperation.  And unfortunately, my exasperation had caused me to be short and even shrill with my co-workers, even though they were not deserving of shortness or shrillness.  As I listened to the podcast, my memory played clips of conversations of the last several days, and I saw a Leah that was not kind.  

What is the opposite of exasperated?  Patient, calm, peaceful, content.  Kind.  As I drove, I listened.  As I listened, I understood.  As I understood, I prayed.  I prayed for forgiveness and for a new approach.  

Exasperation in the face of pressure and imperfect circumstances is not really that surprising.  Maybe you could excuse it – as my co-worker said when I apologized, “you are human.”  I am.  But I am a new creation because of the power of Jesus.  

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”  Galatians 2:20-21

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”  2 Corinthians 5:17

I don’t have to default to exasperation, because of the transforming power of Jesus and because of the Holy Spirit who fills me!  It was definitely an ah-ha moment there on I-75 south.  

And I can tell you that the little meeting I had with my Father there during that drive made a huge difference!  I apologized to my co-workers.  I was aware of my mood and my words and non-verbal communication as the week rolled on.  And I can also tell you that the week continued to be difficult.  The sailing was far from smooth, but my internal tide had turned.  

What a blessing that I had listened to that particular podcast that particular day.  Probably not a coincidence.  As I have been thinking about it today, I have realized that the timing was perfect.  The way I was responding to the pressure I was feeling needed addressed.  I had some “down time” to be still and listen to truth, and to hear God calling me to something better.  Pressure often leads to change and brings forth fruit.

There is a song called “New Wine” that expresses that beautifully.  Here are the lyrics:

In the crushing
In the pressing
You are making new wine

In the soil
I now surrender
You are breaking new ground

So I yield to You and to Your careful hand
When I trust You I don’t need to understand

Make me Your vessel
Make me an offering
Make me whatever You want me to be
I came here with nothing
But all You have given me
Jesus bring new wine out of me

‘Cause where there is new wine
There is new power
There is new freedom
And the Kingdom is here
I lay down my old flames
To carry Your new fire today

So, make me Your vessel
Make me an offering
Make me whatever You want me to be
God, I came here with nothing
But all You have given me
Jesus, bring new wine out of me

If you have a few more moments, I would like to tell you how I first heard that song.  I was in Haiti, and one of our translators, Nicholson, told me a bit of his story.  

Nicholson grew up in Miami, the son of Haitian immigrants.  He had an older brother and a younger brother.  The younger brother was born in the US.  When Nicholson was 14-ish, there was a knock on the door, and Nicholson discovered for the first time that he was in the US illegally.  No papers.  His parents and older brother had papers, but they did not have any for him.  His younger brother was a citizen by virtue of birth.  Nicholson was deported to Haiti: a teenager from Miami, without his parents or brothers, sent to live with some extended family in a country of poverty and civil unrest and very limited opportunity.  When I met him, he was 19 or 20, doing translating work for mission organizations when he could.  He worked with us all week, and I was so drawn to his sweet spirit and servant heart.  One day I asked him what his favorite song was, and he said he had lots of favorites, but the one he was liking most at the time was “New Wine.”  Really?  “I came here with nothing, but all You have given me.  Jesus, bring new wine out of me.”  Nicholson’s pressing and crushing makes my “difficult” week seem like a vacation.  

Jesus, use the pressing and the crushing in our lives to make something beautiful.  Help us to be willing to surrender to You, to listen for Your voice and to choose Your way.  Empower us to choose kindness over exasperation.  Teach us to receive Your love and to let it flow out of us onto the people around us.  Transform us and fill us with Your Holy Spirit.  Break new ground.  

“See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”  Isaiah 42:19

“Love is patient, love is kind.”  I Corinthians 13:4

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”  Ephesians 4:32

Kindness matters.

-Leah

“No hills, please.” That was a recent thought in my mind as Aaron and I were running in our favorite location, River Cliff Union Cemetery in Mt. Gilead. At the time I was having that thought, I knew a hill was coming, and I wasn’t looking forward to it. You see, my legs prefer a flat route. It’s so much easier that way. As we continued to run, I thought about how I feel the same way when it comes to life in general. No hills, please. Just smooth, easy paths. What purpose do hills serve anyway?

Well, it turns out, they do serve a purpose for runners. According to Runner’s World, running hills improves your running form, improves your muscular strength, and provides a cardiovascular boost. The bottom line is that running a path with hills requires endurance. 

The same can be said for the hills we encounter in our lives too. They require endurance. The Apostle Paul spoke of these things – 

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:1-5 (ESV)  

I recently heard suffering defined by Elisabeth Elliott in this way – “Suffering is having what we don’t want or not having what we do want.” When you think about it in those terms, suffering can mean a lot of different things to different people. Think of suffering like hills in our path. Some are smaller than others. Some are really steep, but short-lived. Others, are steep and seem to go on forever. The truth about these hills is that no matter the size or duration, they produce in us endurance. 

The progression in Romans 5:3 has always been interesting to me. Doesn’t it seem like hope should come first? I have hope so I can endure, right? That’s not what it says though. It says the byproduct of endurance is character, and the byproduct of character is hope. The hope is actually produced from the character that is developed when we learn to endure through hardship and suffering. Those crazy hills DO have a purpose. 

The word for ‘endurance’ in Greek is hypomone. It means steadfastness, patience, constancy. The Strong’s Concordance notes that in the New Testament, it refers to the characteristic of a person who is not swerved from their deliberate purpose and their loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and suffering. Endurance develops our character, which in turn brings us hope. Hope is a beautiful thing. It’s something we definitely want to have, but there isn’t a shortcut to getting it according to this passage in Romans. 

Do you have any hills in your path right now? Take great comfort in the truth that those hills are there for a reason. They are working something in you. Don’t give up. Endure. Persevere. Your character is developing. Hope is growing. In case you need a little more convincing, here are a couple of other truths from God’s Word –

“Count it all joy, my brothers,when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness(hypomone). And let steadfastness (hypomone) have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 (ESV)  

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance(hypomone)the race that is set before us,looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)  

That race is bound to have some hills, but let’s run it with endurance. Let’s even try to embrace the hills, knowing that they are purposeful and producing something in us that can’t be produced any other way.

Runner’s World gives some advice for how to run uphill – lean into the hill, think about running tall, and look ahead rather than down. Pretty good advice, isn’t it? Let’s lean into the hills that God has made part of our race, let’s think about running tall up those hills, and let’s look to Jesus Who not only founded our faith, but also is perfecting it.

One of my favorite video clips is a scene from the movie Facing the Giants. If you’re facing a hill today, consider taking a moment to watch it. No matter how many times I’ve seen it, it always inspires me to keep pressing on. The link is below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sUKoKQlEC4

Dear Father, I pray for anyone reading this post who is struggling with hardship right now and feels like giving up. Please give them the strength that they need to endure. Help them to lean into the hill, think about running tall, and fix their eyes on You. Surround them with brothers and sisters who will cheer them on and encourage them as they let this hardship develop character in them. I pray that Your work in them will produce abundant hope that will never disappoint because Your love has been poured out in their hearts through the Holy Spirit that You have given to us. Thank you that these hills are purposeful, and that Your grace is sufficient to enable us to keep on running with endurance the race that is set before us. Amen.

-Dana

“No hills, please.” That was a recent thought in my mind as Aaron and I were running in our favorite location, River Cliff Union Cemetery in Mt. Gilead. At the time I was having that thought, I knew a hill was coming, and I wasn’t looking forward to it. You see, my legs prefer a flat route. It’s so much easier that way. As we continued to run, I thought about how I feel the same way when it comes to life in general. No hills, please. Just smooth, easy paths. What purpose do hills serve anyway?

Well, it turns out, they do serve a purpose for runners. According to Runner’s World, running hills improves your running form, improves your muscular strength, and provides a cardiovascular boost. The bottom line is that running a path with hills requires endurance. 

The same can be said for the hills we encounter in our lives too. They require endurance. The Apostle Paul spoke of these things – 

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:1-5 (ESV)  

I recently heard suffering defined by Elisabeth Elliott in this way – “Suffering is having what we don’t want or not having what we do want.” When you think about it in those terms, suffering can mean a lot of different things to different people. Think of suffering like hills in our path. Some are smaller than others. Some are really steep, but short-lived. Others, are steep and seem to go on forever. The truth about these hills is that no matter the size or duration, they produce in us endurance. 

The progression in Romans 5:3 has always been interesting to me. Doesn’t it seem like hope should come first? I have hope so I can endure, right? That’s not what it says though. It says the byproduct of endurance is character, and the byproduct of character is hope. The hope is actually produced from the character that is developed when we learn to endure through hardship and suffering. Those crazy hills DO have a purpose. 

The word for ‘endurance’ in Greek is hypomone. It means steadfastness, patience, constancy. The Strong’s Concordance notes that in the New Testament, it refers to the characteristic of a person who is not swerved from their deliberate purpose and their loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and suffering. Endurance develops our character, which in turn brings us hope. Hope is a beautiful thing. It’s something we definitely want to have, but there isn’t a shortcut to getting it according to this passage in Romans. 

Do you have any hills in your path right now? Take great comfort in the truth that those hills are there for a reason. They are working something in you. Don’t give up. Endure. Persevere. Your character is developing. Hope is growing. In case you need a little more convincing, here are a couple of other truths from God’s Word –

“Count it all joy, my brothers,when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness(hypomone). And let steadfastness (hypomone) have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 (ESV)  

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance(hypomone)the race that is set before us,looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)  

That race is bound to have some hills, but let’s run it with endurance. Let’s even try to embrace the hills, knowing that they are purposeful and producing something in us that can’t be produced any other way.

Runner’s World gives some advice for how to run uphill – lean into the hill, think about running tall, and look ahead rather than down. Pretty good advice, isn’t it? Let’s lean into the hills that God has made part of our race, let’s think about running tall up those hills, and let’s look to Jesus Who not only founded our faith, but also is perfecting it.

One of my favorite video clips is a scene from the movie Facing the Giants. If you’re facing a hill today, consider taking a moment to watch it. No matter how many times I’ve seen it, it always inspires me to keep pressing on. The link is below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sUKoKQlEC4

Dear Father, I pray for anyone reading this post who is struggling with hardship right now and feels like giving up. Please give them the strength that they need to endure. Help them to lean into the hill, think about running tall, and fix their eyes on You. Surround them with brothers and sisters who will cheer them on and encourage them as they let this hardship develop character in them. I pray that Your work in them will produce abundant hope that will never disappoint because Your love has been poured out in their hearts through the Holy Spirit that You have given to us. Thank you that these hills are purposeful, and that Your grace is sufficient to enable us to keep on running with endurance the race that is set before us. Amen.

-Dana

The Milepost. “Since 1949, the bible of North Country travel!”

When we started planning an RV trip in Alaska, I knew this was a must-have.  As we prepared to leave, I packed it somewhere easily accessible.  During the drive from Anchorage to Valdez, I thought of it and knew it would have useful information.  I pulled it out, and spent some time reading it.  I flipped back and forth through the pages that offered a mile-by-mile commentary on the highway we were traveling.  I looked ahead to see where we were going.  I wowed my poor husband with many facts, but I found some great places to stop that we might have passed by otherwise.  We knew where we could get gas and learned about some history along the way.  I would put it away for a bit, but not too much time passed before I was wanting to consult it again.  

As I thought about how useful this book was, I agreed with the comparison to the Bible, but I was glad they used a lower case b for their “bible,” because without a doubt, the capital B Bible outshines The Milepost.

Like The Milepost, the Bible is relevant and useful for those of us traveling through life.  Once introduced to it, it is clear that it is a must-have, something to keep easily accessible.  

The longest psalm, Psalm 119, is all about God’s Word and how valuable it is.  Verse 105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”  The ultimate guidebook!

I have been reading the Bible ever since I learned to read, and I can attest to its relevance.  Sometimes, like The Milepost, it has taken some studying and time to understand how it is laid out and to be better able to see how it applies to the travels of the day.  Definitely, like The Milepost, it has helped me see where I was going and helped me not to miss important moments.  It has alerted me to possible dangers, and like the psalmist I can say, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”  Psalm 119:11

Better than The Milepost, which gives info about where you can get fuel, the Bible itself is the fuel!  

“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty.”  Jeremiah 15:16.

“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’’” Matthew 4:4

The Milepost is updated yearly, so it does not give out-of-date information.  The Bible is timeless.

“Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” Psalms‬ ‭119:89‬ ‭

Like The Milepost, the Bible is best shared with others – our best journeys are in community.

While The Milepost only applies to those traveling in Alaska and the North Country, the Bible applies to all of mankind.  

One of the most amazing things about the Bible is that it is more than a book, it is the living Word of God.  

“For the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  Hebrews 4:12

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17

I have a friend who has been struggling.  She is using God’s Word to fill her mind with truth when her thoughts would lead her down paths of anxiety and sorrow.  She has read the whole Bible already this year and now has started on a chronological Bible reading plan!  

Another friend told me about a girl she knew that was feeling unsure about her relationship with God.  My friend challenged her to read the Bible if she wanted to hear from God, and they started reading through the Psalms together, one Psalm each day.  Before they had made it to Psalm 23, the girl was sharing that she was connecting with God in a new way!  

Let me encourage you, wherever you may be traveling this summer, don’t forget your guidebook.  Keep it easily accessible and consult it often.  Don’t miss the things God wants to show you.  Don’t get caught in traps you could have avoided.  Don’t run out of energy or stop making progress to your destination.  Encourage the people traveling with you to read the guidebook for themselves, and share what you learn!  

“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.  Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”  Psalm 25:5-6

God, thanks for giving us a guidebook for life.  Help us to see its value and consult it daily.  Open our eyes to the truth and help You have placed there for us.  Give us courage to follow You and courage to share Your Word with those around us.  Thank you for vacation and all the reminders of Your love.  

-Leah

A couple of weeks ago, we got our little guy a kite. He was SO excited! Aaron put it together, and right away we were making attempt after attempt to get it to fly. In our eagerness to get the kite in the air, we had forgotten something pretty important. Kites need wind to fly. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough wind on that day. No matter how much we tried (and boy, did we ever try), the kite wouldn’t fly.

Our little friend was expecting one thing, but instead was faced with a disappointment. The disappointment then caused discontentment, which caused pouting, which caused grumbling. Everything was bad. In spite of all the other toys and games he had and all the other fun things he could do, he fixated on the one thing that wasn’t working out.

I have to admit, his grumbling made me a little frustrated. Why couldn’t he see past the flightless kite to all the other opportunities for fun that were all around him? Why, all of a sudden, wasn’t anything good enough? Why couldn’t he just leave the kite flying for another time and move on?

As I was feeling this frustration, I walked into my kitchen and stopped. I looked around at my beautiful kitchen and then had a realization. It had been a rough day at work. I had some challenging situations come up, an unexpected schedule change, and way more work to do than time to get it done. And as I walked into that kitchen, I realized that I had been doing the very same thing that my little friend had been doing.

I had chosen to focus on all the things that hadn’t gone right instead of focusing on all that I already have. When I walked into that kitchen, it was like a light came on. I was able to see my massive kitchen and remember that it is just one of the many incredible blessings God has given me.

All of a sudden, I was able to see that on the inside, I too had been grumbling and pouting and harboring discontentment. When my grown-up kite (in this case, my work-related activities) wouldn’t fly, I hadn’t handled it well either.

When our kites won’t fly, we have two choices. We can choose to be thankful for all that we do have, or we can choose to focus on the things we don’t have or the things that aren’t going the way we want them to.

It reminded me of something Aaron and I had read earlier that same week in Exodus 16. In the first twelve verse of that chapter, the words ‘grumbling’ or ‘grumbled’ are used eight times to refer to the response of the children of Israel to their plight in the wilderness.

If you read the two chapters before Exodus 16, you will see that God had just delivered the children of Israel from their slavery in Egypt with unprecedented signs and wonders, the last of which was the parting of the Red Sea. Then, shortly after that, when they got hungry in the wilderness, they grumbled. They never asked God to provide for them, and they had lost their gratitude for what He had already done.

What I realized that day in my kitchen was that grumbling shows up some ugly things in my heart, like ingratitude, lack of trust, and selfishness. When I’m grumbling, I’m not remembering how God has proven His faithfulness to me over and over again. I’m choosing to put all of my attention on the wrong things.

The Apostle Paul had something to say about this in his letter to the Philippians –

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” (Philippians 2:14-16, ESV)

Do all things without grumbling. Why? So that you may be blameless, innocent, children of God without blemish, and shining lights in the world.

In the Old Testament, we find the account of a prophet who had much greater problems than a kite that wouldn’t fly. Habakkuk saw the destruction that was coming to his people, and it grieved him. Faced with a choice between grumbling and gratitude, here’s what Habakkuk said –

“Though the fig tree should not blossom,
    nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the deer’s;
    he makes me tread on my high places.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19, ESV)

He made the right choice. “Yet I will rejoice…”

So, I find myself in this place again this week. On Monday, our little guy moved to another home because of a court decision that none of us were party to. My heart is still breaking, and my kite won’t fly. I have a choice to make. Do I focus on my quiet house, the wish of my heart to hold that little hand while he falls asleep just one more time, the questions and doubts that try to bombard my mind, and the pain of loss? Or do I focus on being grateful for the time we had, for all the good gifts God has given, and for the assurance that He is still in control and working out His plans?

Choosing gratitude over grumbling is a moment by moment decision, and I wish I could tell you I’m passing this test with flying colors. What I can say is that I’m learning more of what it means to depend on God, and I am making progress. When the kite won’t fly, I want my heart to respond more and more like Habakkuk and less and less like the children of Israel.

Father, You know our hearts and how often we default to grumbling when things don’t go the way we want them to go. Please forgive us when we focus on the things we don’t have or the things that aren’t going right instead of remembering Your faithfulness to us and all that You have done for us. Help us to trust You more even when we don’t understand all that You allow. Please be with anyone (including me) reading this who might have a kite that won’t fly right now. Give us the grace we need to choose to rejoice in You anyway because You are always good. Amen.