Trying to Make Sense of It All

Four more weeks. Then we can put this election season behind us and move on. In all likelihood, no matter who is elected, candidates for the next election will begin positioning themselves immediately following November 8. It seems we live in a never-ending election season.

This election cycle has been unlike any I have ever known. That the two major party candidates at the top of the ticket are the best we could come up with continues to baffle me.

Over the weekend we were forced to confront some realities about both these candidates, although only the news about Mr. Trump and an 11-year old conversation seemed to garner much attention from the media.

Donald Trump has been in the public eye for a long time, and has a reputation for being crude and arrogant. I'm not surprised that such a conversation as was revealed on the tape actually took place. What surprises me is that so many people are surprised. I am far more surprised that he actually got the Republican nomination than I am by this tape. Please don't misunderstand me. I find his comments reprehensible. I'm disgusted, but not surprised.

But should our opinion of a person be swayed by what they said eleven years ago? Should an entire election swing on an eleven year old conversation? I think not.

While no defense can be made of what he said, we need some perspective. Eight years ago, when Sarah Palin was the Republican vice-presidential candidate, equally crude and disgusting things were said about her, and about her children, by many Democrats. Where was the outrage then?

If what Donald Trump said had been accompanied by some rap music (if it can indeed be called music), then there would be a rush to download it, and it might even win an award! Our society is quick to accept this kind of language and treatment of women in our entertainment - in movies and music and books (remember Fifty Shades of Gray, for example), yet we are quick to condemn it when it comes from someone we just don't particularly like.

Our country is in deep trouble. This election is about far more than a foul-mouthed candidate. Actually, by all accounts, both of them are equally foul-mouthed. We need to get beyond personalities and beyond media bias, and think deeply and carefully about the issues. We need to consider the platforms each of these candidates represents. We need to consider the vision for the future of our country that each of these candidates puts forth. We need to consider what the consequences will be for the future of our country, for the future of our children and our grandchildren.

Above all, we need to pray.

Like many of you, I don't want to vote for either of these candidates. They are both seriously flawed. Neither of them would be my first choice. Or my second. Or my third.

Even so, I will vote. And then I will trust God for the outcome.

As I have been trying to make sense of all this, the prophet Habakkuk keeps coming to mind. Our country is in a mess; it was much the same for Habakkuk, and so he prayed this prayer:

"I have heard all about you, Lord. I am filled with awe by your amazing works. In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by. And in your anger, remember your mercy." (Habakkuk 3:2 NLT)

Habakkuk is a good role model for us in this election season. He prayed. And he trusted God for the outcome.

May we do the same. May we be people of prayer in these difficult days. And no matter the outcome of this election, may we continue to trust and praise God.

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength!"
(Habakkuk 3:17-19 NLT)

Simply Trusting. That Is All.

Times are tough right now for a lot of people. If you aren't in the middle of a tough time, you probably know someone who is.

People are worried and stressed and fearful and feeling uncertain. About all sorts of things. There's the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. And presidential politics, which is seeming anything but presidential these days. We are wondering what is happening to our country and fearful for the future.

People are dealing with health issues of various kinds. A bad diagnosis. Facing tests and uncertain about what the diagnosis will be. Trying to navigate insurance challenges.

There's unemployment. And underemployment. And nervousness about just how long the job will last. And will it be long enough. Wondering when the next round of lay-offs will come. Worry that the job won't last until retirement. Concern that when retirement comes, there won't be enough money.

There are bills to pay. And too much month at the end of the money.

There are broken relationships. There's stress and anger and frustration.

How do we deal with it all? How do we get through the tough times without falling completely apart?

We adjust our focus. Instead of fixing our attention on the circumstances, we fix our attention in a different direction.  Look up. 

"Fixing our eyes on Jesus....." (Hebrews 12:2 NASB)

We remember.  Remember who God is. Call to mind the aspects of His character. Make a list of all the times and all the ways He has come to your aid, all the blessings He has showered on you. Remember how He has never forsaken you. 

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."  (Psalm 103:2 ESV)

We trust. We fix our eyes on Jesus. We remember who He is and we remember all He has done. And we trust that He will continue to do that.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."  (Hebrews 13:8 ESV)

No matter what the circumstances of your life are today, no matter how stressed or upset or worried you might be, rest today in confident assurance that God is in control.  None of your situation comes as a surprise to Him. He knows. He cares. And He's got it all under control. 

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."  (Romans 8:28 ESV)

 



 "Simply trusting ev'ry day, Trusting through a stormy way;

Even when my faith is small, Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Trusting as the moments fly, Trusting as the days go by;

Trusting Him whate'er befall, Trusting Jesus, that is all."

 

(Trusting Jesus - words, Edgar Page Stites; music, Ira Sankey)

 

 

When the Storm Comes

There's a big storm moving up the Florida Coast. Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard of Hurricane Matthew. Here in South Carolina, Matthew has been a big topic of conversation for several days. Residents along the coast have evacuated in advance of the storm's arrival; those who didn't evacuate have hunkered down. Similar scenarios are taking place in Georgia, and Florida is being hammered by the storm even as I type. We've been talking about this for several days now. Thinking about Hurricane Matthew has me thinking about all the storms that are part of life.

Storms are inevitable. As long as we are in this world, there will be storms to be faced. It isn't a matter of "if" there will be a storm, but "when".

Physical Storms

Certainly Hurricane Matthew fits into this category. Even as we in South Carolina have been preparing for the possibility of a direct hit from this very strong storm, I am reminded that at this time last year we were under water because of thunderstorms and flooding. Physical storms take various forms: tornadoes, hurricanes, thunderstorms, Nor'easters, blizzards, floods, earthquakes. We have all experienced physical storms in one form or another.

Political Storms

Currently we are in the midst of an election season. This is a particularly rancorous election season, in part thanks to social media. Everywhere we turn, we are bombarded with information, insults, and innuendo. Just as Hurricane Matthew is even now battering the Florida coast, we are being battered day after day with tweets and posts and opinions that overwhelm us. Being able to stand firm through this barrage of information is a challenge indeed.

Personal Storms

Day after day each of us face challenges in our personal lives. Illness. Bereavement. Depression. Job stress. Accidents. Financial stress. All sorts of challenges are part of our daily lives and are often as difficult to deal with as the physical storms. We often struggle to hold our heads above water as we try to navigate life on a daily basis.

We need an Anchor.

What do we do when the storms come? And they will come! How do we cope? I've been thinking about that a lot since I first heard of the destructive nature of Hurricane Mathew. Because my faith informs how I think about things, I have found answers to the what do we do? question in the pages of Scripture.

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in You."  (Psalm 56:3 ESV)

"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving."  (Colossians 4:2 NASB)   

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  (1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV)  Note that it doesn't say give thanks "for" all circumstances, but give thanks "in" all circumstances!

"Fixing our eyes on Jesus."  (Hebrews 12:2 NASB)

"Be still and know that I am God."  (Psalm 46:10 ESV)

Whatever storm may be coming your way today, your "shelter" is the same: keep your eyes on Jesus and not on the storm!

For further reading on this subject, look for the book When Storms Come: Will You Be Ready? by my friend Kristin P. Snyder. You'll be glad you did!

 

"The Lord's our Rock, in Him we hide,

A Shelter in the time of storm;

Secure whatever ill betide,

A Shelter in the time of storm.

Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,

A weary land, a weary land;

Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,

A Shelter in the time of storm."

(words:Vernon A. Charlesworth; music: Ira Sankey)

 

 

 

 



It's Time to Draw a Circle. An Encore Post.

"Go home.  Lock yourself in your room.  Kneel down in the middle of the floor, and with a piece of chalk draw a circle around yourself.  There, on your knees, pray fervently and brokenly that God would start a revival within that chalk circle."  (Gypsy Smith, 1860-1947, British evangelist)

[I originally wrote this post a couple of years ago. It has been on my mind again in recent days, and so I'm bringing back the entire post, just as it was originally published in February, 2014.]

While I was waiting in the dentist office yesterday, I pulled out my Kindle to do some reading. And it was then that I came across the Gypsy Smith quote. I immediately stopped reading and put the quote in my notebook, the one I nearly always have with me. I haven't been able to get it out of my mind since.

Earlier in the day I had come across another quote that also made it to the notebook. It was part of a Facebook status update. I'm not sure the origin of the quote, as I didn't include that in my notebook, but it stuck with me, just like the Gypsy Smith quote.

"We're so focused on God changing our circumstances that we never allow God to change us."

These two quotes have been playing over and over on a continuous loop in my mind since yesterday. And they have caused me do a lot of thinking. Thinking about change.

About what needs to change. About why I want it to change. About what's really important.

There are some things, some circumstances, in my life that I would like changed.  For one thing, we would like to sell our house and relocate. That's definitely a change.

But as I think about that, particularly when I line it up with that second quote, I wonder if I'm praying for the wrong thing. Am I guilty of being too focused on the circumstance? Too focused on things like changing houses and not enough focused on what needs to change in me?

It occurs to me that I may not be the only one. That there may be others out there who are doing the same thing. Focusing on what needs to change - or what we want to change - in our circumstances, and giving far too little attention to what needs to change in us. 

Perhaps it's our attitudes. Or our selfishness. Or our prayerlessness. Or our tempers. Or our relationships. Or our worship. Or lack of. Or our prayer life. Or lack of. Or our focus. 

Perhaps we're concerned about our country. About politics. About the loss of our freedoms. About the changes that are happening all around us.

Whatever it is, maybe it's time for us to draw a circle, as Gypsy Smith suggested. 


"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  (Hebrews 4:16 ESV)

Newton and Polly. A Book Review.

While many are familiar with the hymn Amazing Grace, most are less familiar with the story of John Newton, the man who wrote the words to that hymn.

In Newton and Polly, A Novel of Amazing Grace we have the story of John Newton and the love of his life, Polly Catlett. Just as she did in Luther and Katarina, Jody Hedland has brought two historical characters to life. This is a fictional telling of their story, but done with  historical accuracy and great attention to detail.

John Newton lived a life of unbelief and depravity, a life which doubted the existence of God and which was filled with poor choices. From the time he met her, the bright spot in his life was always his love for Polly, but as a consequence of his bad choices, Newton was impressed into the British Navy. It seemed as though he would never see Polly again. Eventually his life was forever changed as he came face to face with the grace of God, an experience which led to the writing of the hymn.

Jody Hedlund has outdone herself with this book. She paints a realistic picture of John Newton, and of Polly, who falls in love with John but realizes the unsuitability of their relationship ever leading to marriage. John and Polly are beautifully portrayed, as are Polly's parents and John's father who, although often disappointed with his son's choices and lifestyle, loved his son unconditionally.

Newton and Polly was an excellent read. In fact, I read it from cover to cover in less than a day! I loved getting to know Newton and Polly a little better, loved the historical detail, and loved learning more about what led to the writing of the beloved hymn Amazing Grace. I highly recommend it, particularly to those who enjoy history and historical fiction.

Blogging for Books provided me with a free copy of Newton and Polly, a Novel of Amazing Grace in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Book Launch and More. Thankful Tuesday.

 

 

 

 

This past Saturday several friends joined me to celebrate the launch of my newest book, Are You Ready for Christmas? I was thrilled and grateful for those who took time out of their busy schedules to stop by. It was wonderful to see some friends I had not seen in many, many years. Since high school, in fact. Seeing them again was certainly a highlight of the day.

 

 

 

It was a great joy to join with those who came a few minutes early to pray over this book and pray for those who will read it. 

 

 

As friends popped in and out, as I listened to the conversation, as I recalled praying together, I was overwhelmed with gratitude.

I am so grateful for the friends who have graced my life. The friends who came on Saturday. The friends who called and messaged and texted. The friends who wanted to be here but whose schedules just didn't permit it. Truly, friendships are among life's greatest blessings!

I'm grateful that friendship transcends time and place. Among the friends who stopped by on Saturday were people I have known well, but have not seen for many years. Even so, we just picked right up again as though we had seen each other yesterday. Also included in Saturday's group were friends I have known for a much shorter span of time, but with whom I share a very deep connection. I marvel at how wonderfully well God has knit our hearts together.

On Saturday afternoon, after the book party was completed, we met some other friends for lunch. These friends were passing through Spartanburg on their way back to Nashville after spending a couple of weeks at the beach. Nearly twenty years ago God knit our hearts together when these two southern families found themselves transplanted to Minnesota. We bonded over that shared experience, and the friendship grows deeper with the passing years.

All these thoughts about friendship stem from writing a Christmas book and celebrating its publication. Maybe I should be writing a book about friendship!

This morning my heart is overflowing with thanksgiving. I am so grateful for friendship. For friends who stopped by on Saturday to celebrate with me. For all the friends, near and far, who have touched my life.

I am grateful for the gift of language. For words. For written words. Grateful that God has given me the privilege of writing. Humbled and grateful that people actually read words I have written! Grateful for the people that buy my books. So very grateful.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name."
(Psalm 103:1)

Do you have your copy yet? Are You Available for Christmas? is available from Amazon.com (see the link on the sidebar).

 

Welcome to October!

A few years ago, I took this photo while standing in our driveway. We don't live in the mountains anymore, and there isn't this much color yet on leaves where we live now here in the Upstate of South Carolina. But colors like this are part of the reason I love October! Perhaps it's the same for you as well.

October is the month of red and gold and orange leaves.

Of pumpkins and apples.

Of fall festivals.

Of cool mornings and warm afternoons.

Of leaves falling.

This year, October is also the last full month of the election season. For many of us,  that's good news. We are weary of endless television commercials and tweets and social media postings. We are weary of pundits telling us what we should think. We are weary of double standards and corruption and half-truths. We have survived previous election seasons, and I suspect we'll survive this one as well. But I think we are feeling a little battered and bruised by the whole thing. This political season seems uglier than most.

Perhaps that's one of the reason we are so grateful for the gift of October. The beauty of October is a pleasant change from the ugliness of partisan politics.

For those who live here in the South, October is a welcome respite from the extreme heat we experienced all summer, and even through September.

For those who live further north, October extends the beauty of summer a little longer before the winter months of snow and ice and extreme cold.

October is a gift! Let's enjoy every moment of it, and give thanks to the Giver of all things for such a wonderful gift as October!

 
"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." - from Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery


"O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."  (Psalm 106:1 ESV)