Peace Prevails, and It is Well

Posted on by Paula

There have been times in my life when I have felt like I was in the center of a tornado. The world was dark, life was out of my control and chaos swirled around me. Yet, as I stood there helpless and sometimes fearful of the outcome, I also had this unexplainable peace deep down inside.

One of the songs we often sang in church when I was growing up was, “It is Well with My Soul.”

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say

It is well, it is well, with my soul…”

As a child, I found it to be a beautiful and soothing song, but it wasn’t until I was an adult that I really understood. I remember the first time that the words clicked with me.

I was probably in my twenties when my dad had a mild stroke. He was pretty stubborn about going to doctors back then, and he seemed to be doing pretty good except struggling a bit with getting one of his arms and legs to cooperate all the time. Still, we worried about him.

I remember getting teary eyed as I stood next to Dad in church and listened to him sing. I love my dad a lot and admire his unshakable faith. But as I listened to him praising God despite the uncertainty of his health, I couldn’t find my own strength to sing along; I had to go outside. I was worried about my dad and what might be going on with him. I didn’t understand how God could let someone as wonderful as my dad have something wrong with his health. He was so young, he was one of the kindest men in the world and he had a bigger faith than anyone I knew.

Things were out of my control for sure, but Dad’s Godly example taught me that even when things are out of my control, I can trust God. While I worried, I witnessed my Dad experiencing a peace that passes all understanding.

As I continued looking to God through that storm and the future storms that followed, my relationship with Jesus grew. Over the years, God has been showing me that I can trust him and teaching me about the gift promised in Philippians 4:6-7,

We will experience dark, scary, difficult times in our lives. There will be times when our circumstances are out of our control. When we start to get anxious, we must pray instead of worrying. Through prayer, we experience that inner peace.

When we belong to Jesus, we have comfort in knowing that God is with us through each and every storm. We have faith that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). We have peace, knowing that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). We have hope that one day he will take us home to a perfect place where there will be no more crying, pain or death (Revelation 21). When we put our trust in Jesus, no matter what our circumstances, we are able to say, “It is well with my soul.” It may be difficult, it may hurt, but deep down inside, his peace prevails.

Treasure in the Ordinary

Posted on by Paula

I attended a funeral a few days ago for a man who was described as a servant to the community. It was evident that he had made an impact on many people with his kindness and sacrificial love. This funeral was just like most funerals that I have attended, in that those who knew the person who had died, shared stories about the wonderful ways this person had touched their lives and how he had also made a difference in the lives of others.

Yet this service was different than most in that one of the sons who spoke made it clear that though his dad had been a loving and giving person, he was in fact, just an ordinary man with flaws. This man who had died suddenly and unexpectedly was simply a fragile jar of clay, but because he had been deeply affected by the gospel, he carried the light of Jesus. In fact, his life had been so powerfully influenced by the gospel that he wanted others to carry that same treasure. This affected the way he spoke, responded and lived.

As Christians, many of us have a desire “to do something grand for God.” We often find ourselves searching for ways to be used by him to make an impact for eternity. The message that was given at this funeral was a good reminder that we are simply ordinary vessels of clay that the Potter has created for his purpose.

We love when Paul writes in Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) that we are God’s masterpiece, but we must also pay attention to the end of that verse which says, “He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” As we try to grasp the whole idea of that scripture, we might get hung up wondering, “What are the good things he planned for me long ago?” or “Does God have a one big plan for my life?”

It’s easy to start asking specific questions such as, what career God created us for, where he wants us to live, which ministry he wants us involved in, who he want us to marry or if he wants us to marry at all…. It’s always good when we seek God’s counsel in our decisions, but when searching for our purpose, it is helpful to realize that our main purpose is to simply carry the light of the gospel of Jesus and to allow the supernatural work of God to be displayed in us and through us so that others can see God’s power and glory. We can carry out that purpose no matter which career we choose, no matter where we decide to live, no matter which ministry we get involved with, no matter what we decide about marriage…. We are to carry Jesus’ light and bring glory to God wherever we are and in whatever we do.

We don’t have to wait for a huge revelation of some complicated task that God wants to accomplish through us. It is through our ordinary, everyday lives that we proclaim the power of God. People are watching us as we respond to the pressures and difficulties that everyone else faces. Who or what do we turn to when problems and tragedies arise? Are we shaken and beaten down or do we have faith that the one who lives in us will see us through? How do we respond to the person who challenges our patience or the one who continually picks at or belittles us? Do we fight back or do we rely on the power of Jesus to strengthen us and to help us love that person with the same unconditional love that Jesus extended to his own enemies? Are we selfish people seeking our thrill, comfort and pleasure or are we willing to sacrifice our time and resources to help those in need around us? Are we striving to build a name for ourselves or are we living to make God’s name known and to help others see how awesome he is?

We are ordinary, fragile jars of clay, molded by the Potter. We are his masterpieces created anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. As our fragile shells get battered and worn by life around us, the treasure we carry inside shines stronger and brighter. As we allow the power of the gospel of Jesus to strengthen, equip and enable us and we allow the truth and unconditional love of Christ to reign in us and through us, the world can see God’s power and glory. Our greatest purpose is to carry the light of Jesus and to share that light with others. Are you allowing that treasure to shine through you so that the glory of God can be seen and the gospel proclaimed? Are you allowing the gospel to transform you? Have you truly laid down your life for the One who laid down his life for you? Are you living to bring glory to the One who is worthy or are you still living for yourself?

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ~1 Corinthians 4:5-7

The Light Shines in the Darkness

Posted on by Paula

Today is Monday, and the first thing I will do when I get to work is go through the prayer requests. Over the 10 years that I have worked in a church, our prayer team has prayed for thousands of requests. Every request is important because each one is a burden being carried by someone who no longer wishes to carry it alone.

We have a trustworthy group of prayer warriors who are committed to keep these requests confidential between God, themselves and the person who submitted the request. We are honored to be trusted with these deeply personal requests and have been blessed by seeing God do some pretty amazing things. Women who “can’t have children” have conceived and given birth. Children have been adopted. Addictions have been broken. Jobs have been obtained. Patients who were given no hope have lived beyond the doctor’s prognosis. Doctors have contributed unexplained healing to prayer. Loved ones who have been covered in prayer sometimes for many years, have given their lives to Christ. God has been praised for many, many prayers that were answered in the way we desired.

However, not every prayer we have prayed has been answered in the way we have asked. Though our hearts break as we pray along with those who live with chronic physical pain, suffer mental anguish, deal with hardships and experience tragedy, God doesn’t always choose to end the struggle.

The unbelieving world sometimes looks at our “unanswered prayers” and our tragedies and asks us “Where is this God you talk about?” or “If there is a God, why does he let these terrible things happen?” Even Christians sometimes have a hard time understanding how God can allow a child to have cancer, a Godly man to die unexpectedly, parents of young children to die in a car crash, hurricanes to destroy homes or shooters to go on rampages that take lives.

I have seen many arguments on social media concerning these matters. I have seen many explanations that make sense to me but no sense at all to others. However, I’m not even going to begin to explain what I believe the “why” to these situations are.

What I do know and believe is that God is our Creator. He loved the world so much that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jesus is Lord and all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. He is God; I am not. God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours. In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

In John 17, as Jesus prepared for his death on the cross to pay the price for our sin, he prayed to the Father. He prayed not only for those who belonged to him but for his future followers as well. In verse 15, he prayed, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”

In Acts chapters 6 and 7, Stephen was arrested and stoned for his faith in Jesus. God didn’t stop the people from throwing the stones, but he did allow Stephen to see the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

God doesn’t always remove our struggles or suffering, but he promises to go through it with us. Over and over, I have witnessed other Christians holding on to God through their difficulties and testifying to the fact that he is giving them strength, comfort and peace to endure. His supernatural power provides what we need while we wait for the day that we will see complete healing, an end to suffering and an end to sorrow.

We believe Jesus words in John 16:33 when he says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We believe John’s word’s in John 1:5 (NLT) that say, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” We take seriously the words of Jesus in Matthew 5 when he tells us, “You are the light of the world” and commands us to “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

It is not always clear to us why God allows bad things to happen, but those of us who belong to him know that he will always be with us, that his Holy Spirit dwells in us to bring us strength, comfort and peace and that we have hope that one day, we will live with him, eternally in heaven where there will be no evil and no more pain, suffering or tears. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

Love is in the Air

Posted on by Paula

I opened my mailbox and found an envelope from my nephew who was just 4 years old at the time. Inside was a Valentine that he had signed all by himself. My heart melted; I couldn’t believe he had thought of me. This small piece of paper totally made my day and made me feel loved.

Once again, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and love is in the air. February 14th is probably the biggest day of the year for giving and receiving cards, flowers and chocolates. These gifts are wonderful, but even greater than the gift is the love that motivates the giver and the love returned by the recipient. Everyone wants to be and needs to be loved.

Think about all of the people who have shown you love throughout your lifetime and all the people you have loved. As great as that love is, there is a love that is even greater.

Love comes from God, and his love is the purest, greatest, deepest love that we will ever experience. It is an unconditional love expressed not because we deserve it or because there is anything lovable about us. It’s a love that is given even if there is no love returned. It’s the love of a God who knew there was no other way to take away our sin and bring us back into a relationship with him than to die in our place.

Romans 5:8 explains,

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

I pray that as we celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, the eyes to our hearts will be open to understand how much God loves us, how much we need him and how urgent it is that we share his love with those who haven’t yet grasped it. For those of us who belong to Jesus, I pray that others would see his love through us as we allow him to fill us and transform us to be more and more like him.

Yes, love is in the air. Have you let God’s love into your heart? If so, then look for people who you can share that love with. There are people all around you who need to know that they are loved.

“We love because he first loved us.” ~John 4:19

Look Around in Awe

Posted on by Paula

I have seen many sunrises over the Atlantic Ocean in Florida, but I recently saw my first sunset over the ocean. My son, daughter-in-law and I took a quick trip to Siesta Key on the gulf side of Florida one December afternoon. The white sand on this beach stays cool unlike the sand on the east coast that sometimes burns our feet. Shortly before sunset, we traveled a short distance down the coast to Venice Beach so that I could stick my toes into black sand for the first time. That is also where I saw my first sunset over the ocean. What a wonderful afternoon with so many beautiful sights to see from the sand and shells below my feet to the ocean waves, water creatures, plants, birds and ever-changing sky!

When was the last time you really stopped and marveled at all the extraordinary detail in the world around us? The sky may appear bright blue and sunny with fluffy white clouds or be dark and with gray clouds and bolts of lightning. The gorgeous sunsets painted with yellow, orange, pink and purple fade into darkness illuminated by the soft glow of the moon and too many stars to count.

Have you noticed the wide variety of plants scattered across the earth? There are trees that flower, trees that produce fruit and trees that provide nuts. There are trees with needles or leaves that remain green year-round and trees with green leaves that change to vibrant hues of yellow, orange, red and purple before falling to the ground as the weather turns cold. If we further explore the terrain, we find several types of grasses, vines, cacti, succulents, garden plants and weeds. There are flowers with different shapes, colors and scents including tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, roses, daisies, poppies, sunflowers, mums….

Have you given much thought to how many different animals exist? Our rivers and lakes contain freshwater fish such as bass, bluegill, catfish and trout, while jellyfish, stingrays, sharks, and whales must live in saltwater. Lift your eyes to see owls, cardinals, geese, eagles and a wide variety of feathered birds which can fly. Look hard and you will find the tiny insects including ants, lightening bugs, dragonflies, bumblebees and grasshoppers. Watch the ground for snakes, lizards and turtles covered with dry scaly skin or for furry animals like mice, cats, dogs, horses and deer. Admire the exotic peacocks, majestic lions, giant giraffes and enormous elephants. The list goes on and on.

Every human is a unique creation as well. Our eyes can be different shapes and colors. Our hair may be straight, wavy or curly, course or fine and a wide range of colors.  We can have various skin colors, different characteristics and diverse personalities. We may not look the same, yet all of us are fearfully and wonderfully made.

We have a complex body made up of trillions of cells. Our hearts pump blood which carries oxygen to every cell of our bodies, our stomachs digest food for nutrients and energy and our brains help us speak, move, process thoughts, solve problems and remember important details. We have ears that can hear, eyes that can see, noses that can smell, mouths that can taste, and skin that can feel. Muscles, bones, organs and other systems of the body all work together.

All of creation works together as well. We need plants and animals for food, water to drink, sunlight to help plants grow and clean air to breathe. Of all the planets in our solar system, the earth is created absolutely perfect to sustain life.

The colors, the smells, the tastes, the sounds, the textures and complexities of all creation are too numerous to count. When I think of all of the intricate details, I am in awe of the God who created it. How can one examine all of the beauty and wonder around them and not know there is a God?

Romans 1:20 in the NLT says,

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

As I reflect on God and all that he is, I find it important to realize that he is the creator of everything. He created us in his very image. Praise God for such a beautiful and fascinating creation. Praise him for the miracle of life and for souls that live on even after our bodies wear out. May our hearts be full of wonder and awe and be drawn to our awesome and holy Creator. As we behold the magnificent creation around us, may we worship the Creator who spoke it all into existence and who holds it all together.

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. ~Colossians 1:15-17 NLT

When the Mountain is Tall

Posted on by Paula

I was excited to help with “Field Day” at the elementary school where my son, Christopher taught. Field Day gave me a chance to see and interact with almost all of the students there. It also gave me a chance to work with some of the local high school football players volunteering to lead groups of children through each activity.

Christopher and I were assigned the inflatable obstacle course. Halfway through the course was a “giant mountain” that the children had to climb. After reaching the top, they would slide down the other side.

The football players stood at the beginning of the inflatable to tell the students when they could start through the course. Christopher stood outside the middle to supervise the kids as they climbed the mountain. Sometimes I would stand opposite Christopher. Other times I stood at the end of the inflatable to keep the students from falling off the end if they got crazy sliding down.

At one point, I was waiting at the end a really long time, but no one was coming down the slide. I walked around to the side of the mountain to see what was going on. My heart was touched when I saw my son encouraging a little boy and gently helping him climb as the other children cheered.

I was very impressed with the football players. They were serious about their job and did wonderfully with the students. The young men were outside in the hot sun all day long helping group after group. I heard no complaints.

Although all of the players were amazing, there was one who really made an impression on me. He and his partner had already brought a couple of groups through. However, with this particular group of children, I found him up inside the middle of the course before we began. I asked him why he was there. He looked down at me and said, “Well these kids are really little. They’re going to need help making it over this mountain. I don’t think all of them can do it on their own.”

I will never forget one little boy who was really struggling. The high school student was so patient with him and wouldn’t let him give up. He told the little boy where to step and grab, but the little boy just couldn’t reach the top. Finally, the high school student climbed up to the top, grabbed the little boy’s hand and pulled. The little boy was finally at the top of the mountain, but once he was there, he was afraid to slide down. I cheered him on at the bottom and promised to keep him safe, but he was too scared to move. The high school student spoke to him a while, and then together they slid safely to the bottom.

My heart melted once again as this high school student encouraged and aided the younger students. Over and over, he and my son helped the little ones climb the mountain so that they could slide over the top.

That’s how it is in life. Isn’t it? Sometimes the mountain we face seems too tall. Sometimes we lack confidence and need someone to encourage us and cheer us on.  Sometimes we’re too weak and need someone to help lift us up. Sometimes we’re scared and need someone to climb with us. Then there are the times when we are the confident ones. We are the strong ones. We are the courageous ones who can help those who are struggling.

We’re in this together. We must stay attentive to the world around us and be ready to lend a hand to those who are struggling. Likewise, we can’t let ourselves be too ashamed to accept help when we’re in need ourselves. The mountains don’t seem as tall when we help each other climb.

Whiter Than Snow

Posted on by Paula

I used to love snow as a child. My excitement would surface with the sight of the first snowflake, and I would watch and wait with the happy anticipation that school would be canceled the next day. Snow days meant building snowmen, sledding, participating in snowball fights, sliding around on the ice, creating snow angels, making snow ice cream and then drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows when Mom called me back inside. Those were happy days.

As a young adult, I became a mother and watched my own kids have fun doing all the same things that I had done as a child. I loved it at first. However, as the kids grew older, and I became busier, I got tired of the mess that came with the snow. After years of wiping up the wet floors and washing and drying loads of wet and muddy coats, snow pants and clothing, “playing in the snow” didn’t seem that fun to me anymore.

I have grown to dread winter more and more with every passing year. I still detest the mess it makes on my floor. I don’t like when my kids have to drive 70-100 miles on slick roads to get to college. And now that I’m older, my body just can’t tolerate the frigid wind and freezing temperatures anymore. While I used to get excited at the first snow flake of the season, I now get cranky at the mention of the “s” word.

I dread it. I detest it. I complain about it. Yet, as much as I hate to admit this, something strange and unexpected happens to my grumpy attitude when I look outside my window and see that first big snowfall of the year. As I survey my surroundings, the world seems so quiet and still. Surprisingly, I experience a feeling of peace. I forget about the impending mess, the danger of the icy roads and even the chill in my frozen, old bones. The depressing brown landscape and the weeds that had overtaken the yard by the end of summer are hidden beneath the glittery white blanket. Everything is fresh and white. It reminds me of something David wrote,

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)

By the grace of God and the blood of Jesus, we can be washed whiter than snow, no matter what we’ve done. You see, God created everything, and He created man in His image. All was good until we humans sinned by deciding to do things our way instead of God’s. (Adam and Eve ate from the tree that God told them not to eat from). God is holy, and sin separates us from God. The penalty for sin is death; all sinners are doomed. The wonderful news is that God sent His Son, Jesus, to provide a way for us to be made right with God again. Jesus became God in the flesh, lived here on earth and was tempted in every way just like we are, but Jesus never gave in to those temptations. He lived a perfect life without sin so that He could take the death penalty for us. He died on the cross in our place and rose from the dead, conquering sin and death. If we accept His gift of salvation and commit our lives to following Him, our slate is wiped clean. We can stand before God because we have accepted the gift of salvation through Jesus, and that is great news.

So sometimes, I suppose the snow can be a good thing as it draws me into the stillness of the world and causes me to reflect on what Jesus has done for me. It is a humble reminder in my grouchiness that I was bought with a price and that the power of his cleansing blood washes me whiter than snow.

Consider the Consequences

Posted on by Paula

How could it cause that much harm? It was just a piece of fruit. God told Adam he would die if he ate it, but Satan entered the scene.

Eve had been warned about the fruit, but the serpent questioned if God really said what he had. The serpent told her that they wouldn’t really die as God said but that their eyes would be opened so that they would become like God, knowing the knowledge of good and evil.

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” ~Genesis 3:6-8 ESV

They knew they had done wrong, and they were ashamed. They hid from God, but God called out to them. When he questioned them, Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the snake.

Even though God extended his grace and covered their shame and nakedness with animal skins, there were consequences for their sin. Their innocence was gone, their relationship with God was damaged and their relationship with each other changed as well. Furthermore, Eve would experience pain in child birth. She would also desire her husband, but Adam would rule over her. God cursed the ground to produce thorns and thistles so that Adam would have to work hard for food.  Adam and Eve were also banished from the beautiful garden so that they couldn’t eat of the tree of life. Instead they would experience death and return to the dust from which they came.

Adam and Eve’s sin affected more than just themselves. Because the door to sin had been opened, Adam and Eve’s son Cain would later kill their other son Abel out of jealousy and anger. No one would experience walking with God in the perfect garden; everyone would experience sorrow, hardship, temptation, sin and its consequences.

We all have temptations, but no one can make us sin. We have the choice of whether we will turn away from our temptations or whether we will give into those desires and fall into sin. All it takes is one look, one taste, one drink, one hit, one touch, one try, one time… and everything begins to fall apart.

We don’t always consider all of the consequences before giving in to our sinful desires. Our selfishness doesn’t allow us to think of all the people that our choices could affect—our spouse, our children, our grandchildren, our parents, our friends, our students… We don’t realize the magnitude of hurt or hardship that our actions will inflict upon others. We see, we desire, we partake and we suffer the consequences—guilt, shame, pain, damaged relationships, loss of trust, custody battles, divorce, financial loss, job termination, addiction, depression…brokenness… for us, for those we love, for future generations.

Through Jesus, we can always experience God’s forgiveness, mercy and grace. However, the consequences may remain and may affect other people as well. When you are faced with temptation, consider the consequences not only for yourself but for others. Giving into temptation isn’t worth it. You will feel shame and regret.

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” ~1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV

Normal is Just a Dryer Setting

Posted on by Paula
Photo credit to Abigail Barr

A dear friend who knows me well gave me a new mug for Christmas. It sports the perfect shade of pink along with a saying quite relevant to my current season of life, “around here, NORMAL is just a DRYER SETTING.”

The last couple of months have been full of activity. I am thankful for every minute of November and December and was sad to see the holidays end. However, when the new year rolled in, I found myself both excited to embark on some new adventures and also anxious to slip into a “NORMAL” routine … whatever “NORMAL” means.

I have been chasing after “NORMAL” for quite some time. This desire went hand-in-hand with my quest for “the B word” (BALANCE). After journaling about this issue for nearly 15 years, I finally decided in January 2017 that it was time to get serious; I was sick of my mess. My goal was to get my life in order by the time I turn 50. I only have a few months to go and am still not there, but I feel like I have made some pretty great progress.

Over the past year, I have learned a lot about myself and the way I manage my time. Looking back over last year’s plan, I can see which strategies helped, which strategies are no longer necessary and which strategies I need to exert more discipline in so that success can be achieved.

I’ve started 2018 out as determined as ever to find BALANCE and to decide what “NORMAL” is. I have a new pink planner with gold sparkles which is sure to inspire and to guard against failure. I am also motivated by some dreams I hope to achieve this year, but in order to make those dreams become realities, I have to find TIME to accomplish them.

So, here I go, anticipating this to be a great year. I have written down my list of non-negotiables (things I must do on a regular basis)—study the Bible, pray, exercise, work at the office, blog, journal, manage the house in various ways, rest and sleep. I made a schedule with my non-negotiables so that I can also find time to work on those dreams I have.

I’ve set several goals this year. I’ll continue working on time management and self-control while finding time to work on my dreams. I’ll be spending more time in prayer and continuing to be flexible and willing to change my plans as God opens my eyes to opportunities to join in what he’s doing. I’ll keep striving to find better balance between work and rest, between self and others and between spending time with people and working on projects to help people.

I will not beat myself up when my life cannot adhere to my paper schedule. Rather I will find contentment, if I can become steadfast in keeping my focus on Jesus, staying yoked to him, being unified with his Spirit and bringing glory to God by pointing others to him through Jesus. That is the “NORMAL” I hope for in 2018.

Confessions of a Princess

Posted on by Paula

Our New Year’s Eve company had left, and I went to bed shortly after ringing in the New Year. As I reflected on all of the blessings I had received in 2017, my thoughts started shifting to what might lie ahead in 2018.

With the busyness of the holidays coming to an end, I was ready to clean up the mess, get into a new rhythm and start fresh again. A lot of great ideas about new projects had recently come to mind, and I needed to figure out how to fit those in. I also needed to do a little heart check to see what changes God might want me to make in my life as I continue my journey with him. As eager and excited as I was to get started on a plan of action, I knew that my body needed rest. I quickly slipped into deep and peaceful sleep.

I awoke to my oldest son asking two questions. “Can I borrow your car keys?” and “How can water be rushing out of the middle of the road?” Now, I am one of those people who are pretty slow to rise in the morning. You know, the kind that can hit the snooze button every 10 minutes for an hour and quickly fall back asleep in between. When I finally coax my feet down to the floor, I seem to wander around doing who knows what and am not ready to converse with anyone until I’ve had at least a half a pot of coffee and a pretty long pep talk from God.

However, the thought of water rushing out of the middle of the street caused me to jump out of bed lightning fast and bolt into action. Outside my bedroom window, I could see the water gushing, some sort of digging truck and a big dump truck; I knew my water supply was going to be cut off shortly. That’s when it all became “every Princess for herself!” Don’t mind that besides my husband who jumped out of bed as well, there were three sleeping children in the house who had no clue of the ensuing inconvenience.

What do I need? “Bathroom! No. Coffee!” I quickly started the coffee and ran to the bathroom to start filling the tub. I was for a brief moment nice enough to urge my husband to go shower in the boys’ bathroom upstairs, before I also started filling pitchers, pots and the kitchen sink with water and making all the necessary preparations that were routine for times when I had the luxury of knowing the water supply would be shut off.

My husband was already finished with his shower when I had finished filling everything I could think of on the main level of the house. When I found out he hadn’t filled the upstairs tub after showering, I commanded he go “Do it now!” This was a state of emergency for a Princess like me!

He reluctantly went upstairs only to find that the water had already been shut off…. We had one tub of water for flushing, and I had not yet had my royal bath. When my husband, whose shower was on the chilly side, saw the full tub of water I had drawn, he questioned if I had run the tub full of hot water rather than cold. I replied that it was “warm” since I had been planning to bathe. I felt a tad guilty inside because it was warmer than “warm,” but Princesses really cannot tolerate cold water, even on the warmest days, which this sub-zero morning was not, and it truly wasn’t as hot as I normally deemed necessary.

With one tub of water, and the water off, a decision had to be made. Do I use the clean water for hand-washing and flushing or do I take my “warm” bath. Of course, I did what any Princess would do…. I decided to take my bath and use the dirty bath water for flushing. Clean water would eventually cycle through.

When I emerged from my morning pampering for another hot cup of coffee, I was greeted by the sad eyes of my daughter who asked if the water had been shut off. Next in line was my son who had to be at work in less than two hours.

I looked out the window again. It appeared that the job would still be taking quite a long time. My husband’s estimate was another four hours. Again, I felt I had been a “tiny bit” selfish to have put myself first but at the same time, I was thankful that I was not in their predicament.

I did find a place for them to shower, my son did make it to work on time, the last child in the house slept like a baby until the work outside was completed, and clean water did eventually cycle through the “royal throne.” However, as the “state of emergency” came to an end, this Princess started to feel more than a “tiny bit” of shame.

I would like to twist the truth about my motivation for action in this story around and say that I was doing the selfless, responsible thing by getting myself cleaned up first so that I could drive my other family members to a destination to shower. However, that is not the case. The real story is that when I saw what was happening outside my window, the only thing that I was thinking of was the Princess. I didn’t check the calendar to see if anyone needed to go to work. I didn’t think about the chilly water temperature that my husband might be experiencing as I drew my “warm” bath. My first thoughts weren’t even about the poor men outside my window who had to get up early on New Year’s Day to endure freezing temperatures to fix the water leak and ensure that I could have clean, running water. Nope. Everything I did when I got up was for me, the Princess.

Even though it all worked out, I realized that one thing I need to work on this year is becoming the princess that God wants me to be. I really am a princess; I belong to a royal family. I belong to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Prince of Peace, but rather than act like the spoiled Princess who seems to surface when there is a “state of emergency,” I am called to something different. I’m called to live the life described in Philippians 2:5-11….

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (NLT)

Since my New Year’s Day didn’t start out quite the way I had planned, and since my whole morning was “dedicated” to “managing my kingdom in the state of emergency that had ensued,” I didn’t really have time to figure out my “plan of action for 2018.” So, I will be working on that more with God this week. One thing I do know has to happen in that plan is that I need to become the kind of princess that the King of Kings called me to be. The wonderful news is that I will not have to figure that out all by myself. I will continue into 2018 clinging to the promise that the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 1:6 (NLT),

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.