Posts

Posted on

A Song in the Night??

“I call to remembrance 
my Song in the night.
I commune with my own heart;
And my spirit made
diligent search.”
Psalm 77:6

A beautiful starry night . . . a gentle whisper of air coming through my window as I lay in the soft darkness of my bedroom.  My favorite, gentle instrumental music played quietly near my bed.  Peaceful slumber was near as I felt the cares of the day fade into the shadows.

And then I heard him.   His very abrasive little voice pierced the moment.  It was the large toad that apparently preferred to locate himself near the shelter of the small bush outside of my window to anywhere else this night.  As I surrendered my dreamy little Moment of welcome rest, I quietly mumbled to the unseen voice on the other side of my screen window.  His croaky, disruptive voice was clearly planted right in the shelter of the low evergreen branches below my window.  I could picture his beady eyes looking towards my window.  We’d had several “encounters” in the past few weeks…startling, but a chuckle-worthy moment each time.  

As I tried to return to my disrupted sense of slumber and the gentle music wafting on the soft breeze, my new little “buddy” continued to add his scratchy, distinctive croak to the atmosphere.  He had apparently settled there now, and I just tried to appreciate his little inserted “notes” into my lovely bedtime melodies.  

And I wondered . . . God’s Presence, throughout which the Music of Heaven is woven always,  . . . does God smile as we add our earthly croaks to His perfect Melodies as we walk . . .stumble . . . hop . . .through the days and nights of our lives with Him?  Do we join the Chorus of Heaven in praise to Him?  When He hears our scratchy, humanly-flawed efforts as we sing to Him, does He smile?  He gives us “A Song in the Night” of our lives . . . His Song.  We can never match it, but He still invites us to join the Melody He is writing in and through us.  

Find Janet’s Book on Amazon

Posted on

It Never Gets Old

“God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in times of trouble.
That is why we are not afraid
even when the earth quakes
or the mountains topple
into the depths of the sea.
Water roars and foams,
and mountains shake at the surging waves.
There is a River whose streams bring Joy. . .”

Psalm 46:1-4

The words of this ancient song of David continue to echo throughout the ages, still as true and relevant to us as when they were first uttered. As a very little girl, I learned these words of David from my mom and dad. “God is my wefuge and stwenth, an evo-pwesent hewp in times of twuble.” As those ancient words sunk into my little mind, they took on deeper meaning as I grew throughout my youth and its “highs and lows” of those years. As I walked through the years of early adulthood, with relationships, turmoils, challenges, and love, His Words were woven throughout the fabric of that season of life. Marriage . . . three little boys . . . full-time ministry to troubled youth which eventually grew into a “mega-church” . . . that River continued to flow.

Then came the decades of serving and loving my muslim refugee nation in the Desert of North Africa. . . that River wound its way throughout all of the harshness of the desert, bringing a stream of Living Water that took on an entirely new meaning than I had ever tasted before. I had a firsthand view of seeing the Living Waters begin to trickle into that harsh, endless desert to the precious people who desperately needed its life-giving water of life. And when my personal world was shaken in surging waves and after-shocks, that River carried me gently in safety to quiet shores with His Arms of Love surrounding me.

There IS a River whose streams bring Joy. That is a Promise.

Find Janet’s book on Amazon!

Posted on

Reaching the Limit

“And when I saw Him,
I fell at His feet
as dead.

Then He laid His right Hand on me
And said ‘Don’t be afraid.

I Am…’”
Revelation1:17

When was the last time that you felt you had “reached your limit” with the realities of
your life? A “personal crisis” has shaken your world . . . you had not expected “it” . . .
you were not prepared . . . But, ready or not, something has disrupted your life in a way
that has left you grappling with a sense of loss, confusion, pain, hurt . . . anger.

The Bible is filled with stories of people who experienced all of the realities that have
touched our own lives and families, leaving us with the emotional, mental, and
relational struggles that are common to our world.

One of Jesus’ closest friends, John, had followed, lived, and walked with Jesus for the
past few years. He had seen Jesus crucified. Dead. In a tomb. But John had also
seen the tomb empty, and Jesus alive.

How do we humanly process those times in our lives when nothing makes sense. . . we
are rocked . . . stunned . . . devastated . . . and the flood of emotions tied to life’s crisis
shakes us to our core. Despite knowing Truth, we are shaken. Doubt comes. Pain fills
our hearts. The future seems impossible to imagine. Life comes down to . . . “Breathe.”

John gives us a glimpse of his Moment, face to Face, with the One Who had changed
his life and eternal destiny. John’s hopelessness dissolved. Death became Life. . . the
impossible was no more. Jesus was alive. He laid His right hand on John, and spoke
Words of compassion and a Reality that continues to echo into our own hearts today, no
matter what we are facing in life…

“I Am.”

Find Janet’s book on Amazon!

Posted on

Trusting God with Your Child’s Future Mate

“God will send His angel ahead of you,
And you will get my son a wife from there.”
Genesis 24:7

It’s scary when our kids reach an age of hormones and butterflies.  We are brought back to our own youthful season of awakening desires and the “yuckiness” of their previous aversion to the opposite sex becomes a thing of the past.  

Abraham knew that his son was reaching that point, and that they were in a land inhabited by people who had no consciousness of the True Creator-God that Abraham’s family worshiped.  Where was he going to ever find a young lady “good enough” for his precious son Isaac!

Abraham went to God with his quandary.  And God was faithful, as always.

Although Abraham’s family was in a “world” that did not have the Truth or connection with the God of Abraham,  Creator God was looking at the heart of a young woman to bring into their little family.  Abraham could have taken things into his own hands, but his Journey with God was proving again and again that God Knows . . . He is Able . . . His Ways are best.  Finding a young woman of virtue and character in that world was highly unlikely.  But “unlikely” is when God does some of His finest work.

It would require that Abraham be “hands-off” in finding his son a wife in their very un-Godly environment.  But unlike us, God sees the heart, knows the story, sees the future, and knows the Path that will lead to fulfilling His Purposes in this world.  

Even when it seems highly unlikely that He can really do that.

Abraham chose to put his trust in his servant.  As he had instructed, Abraham’s servant went to the land of his master’s birth, and the God of Abraham guided him to the woman who God had chosen for the beloved son.  

Sometimes God chooses to use people in our children’s lives to bring about His Purposes for them.  Trusting The Father of All Fathers is always best.

Check out Janet’s book: Not Forgotten on Amazon

Posted on

A Lesson from a Grape

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. 
No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. 
Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
John 15:4

Today I have been contemplating grapes.   There is a cluster of them on my kitchen counter.

But they don’t look like they did a week ago.  They still look like grapes, but not quite as plump as they looked the day I put them on my counter.   They are still attached to their vine.  I pulled one off and popped it in my mouth.  It still tasted good, but it wasn’t nearly as juicy and yummy as the cluster of grapes tasted fresh from the market last week.  

It got me thinking…

The cluster of grapes were still on the branch, but the fruit  was no longer attached to the vine upon which it had grown.  It had been separated from the vine when it had been ripe enough to be sent to the market.  Now, on my counter, the small cluster of grapes, though still attached to their original little branch,  were losing their plumpness.  The little segment of vine had become brittle as its fruit had used up all that the little vine branch had provided for the grapes.   Though separated from the vine, their little, dried up branch to which the grapes still clung had used up all the “life”  it had stored up while attached to  the vine.  

Jesus is the Vine to whom we, His followers, are attached.  We are the “Fruit”  . . . the result of having begun our lives from the Vine.  Remaining firmly attached to our Vine, we grow, ripen, and become a source of delight to our world.  We provide nourishment, drink of refreshment, a pop of flavor, and, even when we reach the stage of “drying up” . . . becoming a sweet little raisin treat that young and old alike can enjoy . . .  even if a little “shriveled.”

Unlike the natural vines in our world, our Vine will never shrivel.  Never Die.  Whatever “branch” to which we were originally attached, our Tree of Life has provided the on-going nourishment to sustain our lives and grow . . . and produce the Fruit of our Tree from which we grew.   The Fruit of our lives is intended for the nourishment, enjoyment, pop of flavor, and a sweet refreshment  for our world.  Enjoy being a grape!

Check out Janet’s book: Not Forgotten on Amazon

Posted on

God is at Work – Whether We See It or Not

“The Official said to Him, 
‘Sir, come with me before my little boy dies.’
Jesus told him,
‘Go home.
Your son will live.’
The man believed what Jesus told him 
and left.”
John 4:49-54

Jesus was in Cana (region of Galilee).  It was a frequent stopping point for Jesus as He

traveled through the Land of the people of Israel, whom God had assigned to carry out His Purposes in His world.   Jesus had just been in Samaria, doing His “cross-cultural” Work among the Samaritan people of  “Arab” descent.  But Galilee / Cana was “home.”  

This Roman official, posted there to oversee Rome’s control in that region, would have been well aware of Jesus’ movements in this man’s assigned official oversight.  He carried the authority of the Empire that now controlled the Land of Israel . . . God’s Land.

But the Official was a daddy.  He had a son . . . the son who would carry out his family name and follow in his father’s footsteps some day.   His son, who enjoyed the privilege of his father’s status and the benefits of being a Roman citizen, was dying.  All of the power, strength, and standing this daddy carried could not save his precious boy.  His ‘gods’ were not doing anything to help him.  They were proving to have no power to help this father who was in official service to the mighty Roman Empire. In his deepest personal crisis, his ‘gods’ were proving themselves as powerless.

In his desperation, he could have used his power and authority to order Jesus to do his bidding. . . go to his dying son.  But, despite this official’s position and status, Jesus’ Words moved him to obey this One that he had been watching from a distance as a part of his job.  His heart and soul longed for a Power that Rome could not provide. . . his gods could not accomplish. . . his position could not make a reality. 

He had seen enough of this One to feel compelled to ask for His Help.  He was not a Follower . . . yet.  But in his Moment, his desperate heart was known to God, and Jesus brought Truth to this hurting father’s heart, as well as Life to his precious son.

Check out Janet’s book: Not Forgotten on Amazon

Posted on

Wine or Whine?

“Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress.”      
Numbers 18:27

I have seen a few different varieties of wine-presses.  None of them were appealing to me to imagine being a grape and going through the process of becoming wine.  One method I witnessed involved women holding onto suspended ropes from overhead while their bare feet stomped on juicy grapes piled in a long stone trough surface with carved-out little spouts that deposited the flowing juice into a stone trough.   The other process was a heavy wooden block of wood that was slowly lowered onto a pile of grapes and slowly squished down, the juices running into the little “ditches” and flowing into large pots at the end.  Both processes made me glad that I was not a grape.

God’s “picture” language gives us a glimpse of our human life.  “Grain offerings” and “Drink offerings” were visual examples of what God sees as “offerings . . . gifts” to Him.  They were not things that could be bought on a shelf in a market.  They required a process of selection, giving, and removing from the ‘source’ of life from which they had grown.  The culmination of the offering’s destiny was for consumption of people. . . for nourishment and health.

We go through experiences  . . . seasons of life where we feel like we’ve been “stomped on” …walked on . . . used. . . Jesus knew that feeling.  He spoke of being “poured out like wine”. . . kneaded and put through the fire, like bread.  But He always kept before Him the ultimate result.

It was all for us and for our good . . . life-sustaining essentials not only for our own personal world, but for those others in our world as well.

Imagine the grain opting to stay in the field to avoid the threshing floor.  They’d likely become birdseed.  Or the grapes clinging to the vine . . . they’d end up raisins. Or bird food.  Both alternatives end up as _________ on the ground.  (you can fill in the blank)

When we are being “squeezed” by life and circumstances, it’s time to trust our Vine-dresser. . . our Seed-Sower.  He sees the end result of His careful Work in our lives.   It’s not to be put on a shelf or in a sack or left on the ground.  His Purposes are for the good of the people in our world.  It’s the Purpose that we, who have been in His Field . . . and in His Hands . . .are His. 

Be available for Him to use to bring Life . . . Nourishment . . . Strength . . . Healing. . .  to your neighbor . . . your family . . . your world.

Check out Janet’s book: Not Forgotten on Amazon

Posted on

Your Treasure Trove


“Your heart will be where your treasure is.
Store up treasures for yourselves in Heaven,
where moths and rust don’t destroy and
thieves don’t break in and steal.”
Mathew 6:20-21

Throughout my life, I have had a strong tendency to spot and then collect little
“treasures” . . . often treasures that other people may or may not see as anything
special. Something that had caught my eye. And then, later,I would re-discover my
little treasure, having completely forgotten about it. The drawtowards a “treasure” is a
human thing. Children seem to always find little treasures that quickly find their way into
a pocket or a little container, often forgotten in a short time.

As those children grow into adulthood, the “treasures” change . . . often becoming of
greater earthly value, and taking up more space in our lives. It’s a prevalent reality in
our human nature. Our hearts are filled with personal treasures . . . both good and bad.

What “treasures” have come to occupy the precious spaces of your heart? When was
the last time that you took an inventory of the contents of your heart? What are the true
treasures? What are the “treasures” that are more “trash” than “treasure”?

Jesus’ Words, recorded by Matthew, are just as important today as they were when
Matthew was hearing them from the Heart of Jesus, in “real time.”

We would all do well to take a regular inventory of the “storehouse” of our own hearts.
How much rust has accumulated? How much damage has been done by the “moths”
that have taken up residence there? Rust and moths don’t do their damage overnight
… it takes time. Thieves do a quicker job of their damage . . . much more intentional
and sneaky. In and out . . . and it may take a while for us to realize that “something”
of value has been stolen from our hearts. It’s a slow process of realization . . . silent. . .
intentionally secretive.

The only Safe Place in which to place our treasures of this life is in Heaven, into the
nail-scarred Hands of Jesus. That act in itself helps us to consider those treasures with
a deeper awareness of just how precious they truly are.

Posted on

“What Should We Do?”

“Crowds of people were coming to be baptized by John.
He would say, ‘Do those things that prove that you have turned to God
And have changed the way you think and act. . .
‘What should we do?’”
Luke 3:10 - 14

Jesus was about to begin carrying out the Mission that His Father had given Him
to do on earth. His cousin, John (the Baptist) was in full swing in preparing the
way for Jesus. John, a Prophet of God, had a significant following of God-
worshippers. His Message was a very unique one to the people of Israel, stirring
and challenging hearts, motives, and actions of the people, exposing their needs
of forgiveness and focusing their attention on God’s Truths for human life.

Luke gives us some insight to the challenges the people of God were hearing
regarding from John about how they had been living. People in all circles of
society were hearing of John’s very unsettling challenges, and raising questions
in their own hearts of what needed to change in their minds and actions. John’s
challenges were troubling within many levels of Israel’s society.
The people were coming to John as they realized the troubling truths of their own
sinful hearts.

● The crowds of common folks were being called “You poisonous snakes” by
John. They had been hanging on to their ancestor Abraham as their way
to please God. They asked John, “What should we do???”
John said, “Do those things that prove that you have turned to God
and have changed the way you think and act. . . don’t go on your
ancestor’s faith …! … Whoever has two shirts should share with the
person who doesn’t have any. Whoever has food should share it,
too!”

● Some tax collectors came to [John] to be baptized. They asked him,
“Teacher, what should we do?” He told them, “Don’t collect more
money than you are ordered to collect.”

● Some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He told them, “Be
satisfied with your pay, and never use threats or blackmail to get money
from anyone.”

● “When all the people were baptized, Jesus, too, was baptized.”
There are so many interesting pieces to this story. It gives us a glimpse of what
was already going on in Israel on the brink of Jesus beginning His public Work in
the Land for the next three years. John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, was laying the
groundwork for Jesus to begin His public ministry. Jesus “went public” with His
baptism by John, and His cousin John was going to become “less” in the public
eye. John’s life would end, not with the crowds and accolades, but in a prison
cell, beheaded.

John had become quite famous in Israel. But he did not hold on to his reputation
or fight for his popularity in his country. He knew his Mission, and had faithfully
carried out the Work that God had assigned John. There was no competition in
him as he watched his cousin Jesus rising in visibility and popularity. His
message was consistent with the Message that Jesus would bring to the people.
That question asked of John so often, “What should we do,” at last had a
definitive, final answer . . . “Follow Him.” The Messiah was now here, and John
turned all the attention to Him.

As we, as followers of Jesus, engage with our world, people are still asking those
same old questions they had asked John. “What should we do?” And like John,
we can point them to Jesus. “Follow Him.”

This is still the ultimate Answer for our lost and questioning world.

Check out Janet’s book: Not Forgotten on Amazon

Posted on

Women of Courage

“Some women were watching from a distance. . . 
They had followed Him and supported Him . . .
Many other women who had come to Jerusalem with Him were there too.”
Mark 15:40-41

They were usually in the background, but they were there.  Women, who had little status in their culture. . . little  to no independence . . .  and were often mere side-notes in history. But Jesus did not hold to that cultural opinion.  He gave them value.  He included them in His inner circle… in His Life.   

Women . . . by nature, having instincts to provide care, to nurture, to love, were included in Jesus’ inner circle.  In the male-dominated culture into which Jesus stepped while physically present on Earth, He modeled His value of women.  In a world that often kept them in the background, Jesus acknowledged and included them.  He accepted what they offered, and treated them with dignity.

Did they struggle with a sense of personal value?  Personal dignity?  Their culture certainly did not give them messages of their worth.  

But Jesus saw them.  Included them.  Accepted what they offered. . . a poor widow’s gift, a woman “with a past,”  women who had nothing to offer, except their gratitude, hope and loyalty.

It’s an old story . . . struggles with personal worth . . . doubts of our value . . . carrying shame. . .   Jesus pushed back on those old cultural barriers.  He accepted what they had to give.  When their world de-valued  them, He acknowledged their dignity.  He welcomed them into His Presence . . . into His world.  Their tendencies to remain at a distance from Him, He countered.  He called them by name.  Despite their stories and past, and the probable lack of a sense of personal dignity, He welcomed them into His world.  

When Jesus faced His most horrific Moment. . . the cross . . . the women whose lives He had changed, were there. . . note-worthy in Scripture.  Not busy “doing something” . . . simply there with Him. . . despite the risk they faced simply by association with Him.   Scripture does not make note of whatever they had done in their past. . . it was the fact that they were there that was noteworthy.

Don’t stay “at a distance . . . watching. . . “  when it comes to Jesus.  He knows you are “there” . . . even at a distance.  He knows you are following Him . . . and lending your support in ways that you assume are not worth very much.  

But His Words, “Follow Me” continue to echo throughout Time.  He welcomes you to be with Him.  

Check out Janet’s book: Not Forgotten on Amazon