When The Answer is the Unexpected.

We pray. We fast…...and pray.

We cry out for mercy. for truth. for wisdom. for justice.

but the answer is

NO.

We check our motives. We make sure that it is an unselfish heart cry for more time. more opportunity to pour out grace. to serve.

but still the answer is

NO.

There is no question. No second guessing. No mistaking it.

The answer is clear

NO.

Sometimes what we see as right, doesn’t quite turn out that way. Sometimes what doesn’t make sense is exactly the answer.

My dear friend, Sarah, would often say “Our economy is not God’s economy.” What doesn’t make sense to me makes perfect sense to God.

I remember reading the account of Martha and Mary, sending word to Jesus that Lazarus was ill. (Luke 11) When Jesus arrives 4 days after Lazarus has been buried, Martha runs to Him and greets Him saying

 

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Then, when she was called, Mary quickly came to Jesus, she greeted Him saying:

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

They had sent for the Lord. They knew that He was the healer and He would heal the “one he loved”. But He didn’t. He didn’t come. He didn’t heal. Not even from a distance.

The answer was

NO.

Jesus knew that Lazarus was ill and He could have arrived in Bethany in time. But He chose not to. Not because He didn’t love Lazarus. Not because Martha and Mary were unimportant. Not because He was too busy or just didn’t care.

He says to His disciples in verses 14&15

“Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.”

He comforts Mary and tells her

“Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

Jesus prays to the Father that the witnesses of this miracle would believe that He was sent by God. And then He does the unthinkable. He calls Lazarus to “come out!”

In March 2011, a speaker at our church, Sean Lee, shared these thoughts:

The disciples questioned his wisdom.

The sisters questioned His compassion.

The crowd questioned His power.

Martha questioned His methods.

The only one who didn’t question God was Lazarus. 

Christ said “Come forth!” and Lazarus did.

In the every days of life. We do what we are called to do.

The answer is His.

It may throw us for a loop, but His answer is better and has a purpose we may not see.

Trust Him with it. Embrace the unexpected and you will see the glory of God.

That Christmas

Christmas is by far my favorite holiday. I love decorating the house and the festive spirit that permeates the atmosphere. I love to sit in the peaceful quiet circle of light surrounded by deep inky darkness.Maybe 1500 lights are too many for a Christmas Tree but my tree is larger than life in my cozy living room and it deserves to be dressed well. The effort is well worth the effect and every year I eagerly anticipate those quiet Christmas evenings.  

Every year but last year.

To continue reading, please join me over here, for my last post at Uniquely Yours Ministries

Grace Filled Words

A dear, sweet girl posted this link today. I wandered over and am so glad I did.

These words, I embraced. I have lived them and can testify to their truth.

There was a time when I wondered if I would ever be worthy. Would ever be wanted and treasured.

And there was a day when I discovered contentment in my singleness.

Oh to have read these words during those wondering days:

"The ground is level at the foot of the Cross."

My dearest is a picture of grace to me. A reminder of truly how much my Saviour loves me.

Real Encouragement

Over the years in our time working with teenagers at a summer camp, we have instituted a tradition called “The Encouragement Box”. Every day everyone that lives in the Farmhouse has opportunity to write a note of real encouragement to another person in “the house”. We get to spend time with some amazing teens. 

One particular week this summer, I wrote a note to sweet Kaylee. Kaylee is a blond haired, blue eyed beauty with a smile that is infectious and a love for Jesus that overflows. She loves to talk and loves to sing. She bubbles over with joy. The following night she read this letter in response to the encouragement she had received:

To keep reading, please join me over here.

A message from "Mom"

As a second “mom” and mentor to many young men and women over the years, I often find myself faced with having to speak this message with as much compassion as I can. They can be hard words to hear, even harder to act on. They are difficult to speak but necessary.

Here is a letter similar to one that I wrote to one of my dear “kids”:

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28 Days (Wilson's Story)

Wil’s story begins about 5 years prior to his birth. About a year after our 4th child was born, I had a dream. I don’t put tons of stock into my dreams but this was different. It was like God spoke to me. I woke with a deep knowing.

I wish I could explain it better but that is what it was. The message was clear – I was going to have another child and I was going to be older. I didn’t know what “older” meant.

Please join me at UYM Miracles Week to read the rest of Wil's Story.

The first picture I have of Wil in the NICU.

Wil, this summer, after going off the zip-line "by his-self".

It's Good to Remember

Revisiting a guest post I wrote a year ago.

Once upon a time, in a town not so far away, an idea for a book was born. “Diary of an Old Maid” was the first title I chose for it– I was twenty-four years old.

I am sure that sounds quite ridiculous, twenty-four seems a bit young to be labelled as such but at that time, I felt old.

My friends were finding “the one” and walking down the aisle before me. Regular questions of “Do you have a boyfriend?” or “Any men in your life?” peppered every conversation, or so it seemed, and I felt somehow that when I answered “no”

I came up lacking…

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