Joy Dare: January 9th

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Sarah

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January 9th: A Gift Held, Passed By, and Sat With

Today I am thankful for:

1. A Gift “Held”: One of my 5th graders, who happens to also be my most difficult student lately, surprised me with a birthday note today…even though my birthday isn’t until the end of the month. Made my day. :)

2. A Gift “Passed By”: I have now safely and successfully driven 10 times past the spot where my car accident happened–to and from school every day this week. After spinning through the median/ditch in the middle of the highway during the accident, my car hit one of the small mile marker posts. I remember seeing it flash in front of my windshield and also noticed it in the police report pictures. But what I just noticed today as I passed by was how CLOSE that mile marker is to a REAL sign. The little mile marker post bent over easily (and is still bent over), but the metal post for the sign would not have bent like that. There’s only a foot or two between the signs. So not only was I close to being hit by a semi and within inches of being hit by oncoming traffic…but I was about a foot away from hitting a sign that would have caused more damage to my car. In realizing this–yet another detail that was carefully planned out by my Sovereign Lord–I am thankful.

3. A Gift “Sat With”: In math class, today was our last day working on finding the volume of a figure. My student Nicole has struggled all year with the process of multiplication when it involves double digits. During today’s classtime, I mostly floated around the classroom while the students were working, giving help where it was needed. Then I spotted an opportunity to help Nicole because she was struggling again today. I sat with her for a few minutes and walked her through some problems, gradually releasing more of the responsibility to her. At the very end of class, I told her that I wanted to see if she could solve one all by herself. So I walked away. Right as I was dismissing the students to turn in their work, she came up to me to check her answer. It was correct! As I cheered and gave her a high five, her face broke into a huge smile. The time I had taken to sit with just one student made a difference today.

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Joy Dare: January 4th

Posted on January 4, 2015 by Sarah

10888817_927879657224209_3383902854027985020_nOn January 1st I came across Ann Voskamp’s “joy dare” for January. Since I like to use one of my wall-hanging calendars to write what I’m thankful for each day, I loved this idea immediately. So far, it’s been perfect to get me out of the rut of thanking God for the same types of things all the time, and it’s exciting to have different things to look for each day.

Today, January 4th, I am thankful for:

1. Something OLD: It was so good to be back with my church family again. I consider this to be “old” because I’ve been a part of this church for 10 years–that’s almost 1/3 of my life! This week has been somewhat traumatic and emotional, but somehow the fellowship at church today brought some closure and healing to my heart. The hugs, the concern, the listening ears. I always feel so loved by this body of believers. Rob preached from the beginning of Philippians 1 today and spoke about JOY. Paul tells the Philippians that he holds them in his heart. That is how I feel about my family at Bethel. Everyone is so dear to me. I love them with all my heart and feel so very loved by them in return. I am also very grateful for the familiarity of routine at church today. I was able to play violin for worship, and it was comforting to raise my “voice” together with the congregation.

2. Something NEW: Today is my first day of driving again since my accident last Tuesday. My drive home from church was better than the drive to church. As I was feeling a little more comfortable, I was able to listen to the radio. I had it turned to KLove and discovered a NEW song! “I Am Not Alone” by Kari Jobe (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfveawSAHJA). It was a special moment having these words pour into my heart. Since the car accident I have felt a bit lonely. No other person was there with me. They don’t know exactly what I’ve experienced. My friends have done an excellent job listening, comforting, and loving me… but this was another reminder that Someone WAS with me. God Almighty, who protected me from harm, was right by my side through it all. And He will remain with me through the healing.

3. And finally, something BLUE: This one was fun to discover. I’ve been keeping an eye out for blue things, and when I spotted this, I knew immediately it was the perfect thing. Like I said, today was the first day that I have had a car and have been driving again. I had quite a bit of fear and anxiety about it yesterday. I’ve had flashbacks and nightmares all week. On top of that, it snowed several inches yesterday, so there’s fresh snow and ice on the roads. Before going to bed last night, I opened my Bible to Psalms and read chapter 31, which a friend had encouraged me to read. It was perfect. Several of the verses were so encouraging that I got out a 3×5 card and wrote them out. I will take this with me and pray over it each time I drive, I thought to myself. It has helped calm my fear because it’s a reminder to entrust my life to my Creator, the One who is in control and will protect me on the roads when I am driving. It reminds me to be strong and courageous because of who my God is. And the notecard? It’s BLUE. ;)

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Cards and Prayer

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Sarah

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With all the technology we have today, handwritten cards and letters are becoming less common. But I just love cards! Christmas cards, birthday cards, thank you cards, just-because cards…each one I receive throughout the year is placed inside a special box on my table. And there they wait until January 1st.

On the first day of the new year, I mix up all the cards and put them back into the box. Then at dinner each night I pull out whichever one is on top. I reread the card and spend some time praying for that person or family. Not only does it encourage my heart to revisit each card I have received, but it motivates me to pray for those who have, at some point, thought of me. :) Here’s to a new year and the blessings of prayer and friendship!

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I Cannot Die

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Sarah

I have sung the words of “Before the Throne of God Above” thousands of times. But I have never paid close attention to the meaning of the final verse. Last night at worship team practice, we were rehearsing the songs for Sunday. In discussing how to enhance the words with the way we were presenting the song musically, we took a closer look at the text of the verses. We decided to begin the song with slow reverence and rise to a bold and confident declaration by the third verse.

Our worship leader pointed out that in the third verse we are declaring the truth that in Christ we cannot die. Not that we can’t die a physical death here on earth, because every human will die in that sense. But this song helps those who have trusted in Jesus for salvation to proclaim that it is impossible for us to die an eternal death because Christ has conquered death. What an amazing truth to be reminded of!

Behold Him there, the Risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I Am,
The King of glory and of grace!

One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God
With Christ, my Savior and my God

“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:8-11)

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Trusting God’s Purposes

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Sarah

Being a very determined and driven person, I am extremely organized and plan most everything in advance. I like to try to be in control of my life as much as I possibly can be. And sometimes I forget Who is actually in control.

God has been teaching me about His sovereignty lately. The fact that He is in complete control of all things and that He is a good God, working all things for my good and His glory is comforting. It helps me to let go of my fear and anxiety to trust Him and His purposes instead.

  • “But He is unchangeable, and who can turn Him back? What He desires that He does. For He will complete what He appoints for me, and many such things are in His mind.” (Job 23:13-14)

Today I’m realizing that I still have so much to learn. I still try to plan out my life and become frustrated when it doesn’t work out the way I plan. I still try to be in control. As I was looking up verses this morning on God’s sovereignty, I discovered one that I’d like to memorize and take with me into this new year.

  • Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”

I do believe that God has gifted me in being an organized, driven individual. But even our gifts, used sinfully, can turn us away from the Lord. I’d like to learn how to surrender my life to the Lord while making plans for the future. I want to be flexible and to respond to changed plans with trust in the Lord that His purposes are for my good and His glory.

  • Though my plans may fail, “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.” (Psalm 33:11)
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What is in the future?

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Sarah

Edward T. Welch, a Biblical counselor and author, says that “worriers are false prophets.” They use the past to predict the future. If something bad happened in the past, it might happen in the future. Projecting negative images from the past onto the future, we feel anxious and afraid. We worry because we are trying to grab hold of some control of the future. That is impossible.

But there is a way to use the past to “know” the future. Psalm 66:5 says, “Come and see what God has done, His awesome deeds for mankind!” Countless other verses encourage us to look back to see God’s mighty works. And God never changes. Hebrews 13:8 reminds us of this promise: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” So if the Lord never changes, then we know that His promises will still remain true in the future. Even though I may not know the specific details that will occur, I do know the character of my God and I can trust Him.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1) God’s love is deeper than I can imagine, it covers completely, and never ends. Knowing that He is sovereign over all things and that He has such great love for me should motivate me to trust Him. Everything He allows me to face is for my good. I don’t need to know the future when I can know my God.

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Turn Your Eyes

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Sarah

“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” has been one of my all-time favorite hymns. In her book, Because He Loves Me, Elyse Fitzpatrick expands on this idea of turning your eyes away from yourself to focus on Christ and what He has done. She talks about how simple this act really can be. “The shifting of your eyes from the page of this book to another object doesn’t require great skill, deep understanding, or monumental strength. It simply requires a desire to do so. That’s what faith is–a looking away from yourself to Someone else.”

But faith goes deeper than merely looking at Christ. Elyse continues, “No, the bronze serpent and the crucified Son are agents of healing only when our gaze gives evidence to the simple belief that good will come to us from God. Faith, then, is a trusting in the love and mercy of God. It is hoping for an unseen mercy; it is a conviction that God desires to bless us (Hebrews 11:1).”

I had not before made the connection between my faith in God and believing that He promises to do all things for my good (Romans 8:28). I’m not just trusting in general; I’m trusting because of specific promises God has made to me. In addition to Hebrews 11:1, verse 6 of this chapter also captures the idea of trusting in the goodness of God: “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.”

Elyse Fitzpatrick expands more on the illustration of turning your eyes. She says, “Look up from your reading again and focus on that other object for a moment. When you looked away, you couldn’t read this page, could you? In the same way, the Lord calls us to fasten our eyes on Him and not on all the sinful toxins in our heart. We’re invited to look away from ourselves and our great need and to focus on His overflowing bounty…”

“Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:22)

“But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7)

Our eyes can only focus in one place at a time. If I am focused inward on myself or my worries, I cannot see Christ. The exact opposite is also true; when my eyes are fixed on Him, “all the things of earth will grow strangely dim.” That is where I would rather be. And it is only a matter of turning my eyes to focus again on truth.

Elyse Fitzpatrick exhorts: “Will you lift your eyes to Him today? Will you transfer all your trust to Him and believe that the One who did not withhold His only Son from you will also freely give you all good things?” (Romans 8:32)

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