Joanna's Journey (El Viaje de Joanna)

Love... (Amor. . .)

2012-02-14T15:13:00.004-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! =) This is the day when many people celebrate "love." However, this year I'm reminded once again that "love comes from God" (1 John 4:7).

As sinful humans, we cannot truly understand, nor receive, nor give love...until we find it in God.

God is the source of love. Only in Him can we discover what love is and experience it for real.

A.W. Tozer described God's love so beautifully,
"From God's other known attributes we may learn much about His love. We can know, for instance, that because God is self-existent, His love had no beginning; because He is eternal, His love can have no end; because He is infinte, it has no limit; because He is holy, it is the quintessence of all spotless purity; because He is immense, His love is an incomprehensibly vast, bottomless, shoreless sea before which we kneel in joyful silence and from which the loftiest eloquence retreats confused and abashed."

This is the love of God that He continually pours over us, like a never-ending waterfall!

And this is the powerful love of God that can also flow through us to others.

Because Jesus Himself lives in us, He enables us to receive this awesome love of God and to pour it out on those around us. That's why Jesus could say,

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” -John 13:35

This Valentine's Day, I hope you'll join me in celebrating, not "love" itself, but our awesome GOD who alone is the source of all Love!

Amor. . .

¡Feliz Día De San Valentín! =) Este es el día cuando mucha gente celebra el “amor”. Sin embargo, este año se me recuerda una vez más que “el amor es de Dios” (1 Jn. 4:7).

Como humanos pecadores no podemos entender verdaderamente, ni recibir, ni dar amor. . . hasta que lo encontramos en Dios.

Dios es la fuente del amor. Solamente en Él podemos descubrir lo que es el amor y experimentarlo de verdad.

A. W. Tozer describió el amor de Dios de una manera muy hermosa:
“De los otros atributos conocidos de Dios podemos aprender mucho acerca de Su amor. Podemos saber, por ejemplo, que porque Dios es auto-existente, su amor no tuvo comienzo; porque Él es eterno, Su amor no puede tener fin; porque Él es infinito, no tiene límite; porque Él es inmenso, Su amor es un mar vasto, sin fondo, sin límites, delante del cual nos arrodillamos en gozoso silencio y del cual la elocuencia más elevada se retira confusa y avergonzada.”

Este es el amor de Dios que Él continuamente vierte sobre nosotros, ¡como una cascada sin fin!

Y este es el poderoso amor de Dios que también puede fluir a través de nosotros para otros.

Porque Jesús mismo vive en nosotros, nos capacita para recibir este amor maravilloso de Dios y verterlo en aquellos alrededor nuestro. Es por eso que Jesús pudo decir:

“En esto conocerán todos que sois mis discípulos, si tuviereis amor los unos con los otros.” – Juan 13:35

Este Día De San Valentín, espero que se unan a mí celebrando, no el “amor” mismo, sino ¡nuestro increíble DIOS quien, solo, es la fuente de todo amor!

Unfailing Grace (Gracia Infalible)

2012-02-09T10:21:00.001-05:00

Unfailing GraceI was reading Luke 22 recently. It's a passage I've read many times, but this time God showed me something I hadn't seen before.

As Jesus was being arrested, something surprising happened:

"When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, 'Lord, should we strike with our swords?' And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.But Jesus answered, 'No more of this!' And he touched the man’s ear and healed him."-Luke 22:49-51

The book of John tells us that Peter is the one who wielded the sword and Malchus was the name of the servant. These were real people. This was a genuine life and death situation.

Jesus was about to be arrested and executed. If ever there was a moment when He might have been tempted to think only of Himself, this must have been it. Instead He reached out His hand and healed the servant's ear. He showed love to His enemy. In the midst of His own anguish, He extended grace to an undeserving soul.

Can you picture this moment? A quick flash of a sword, a yelp of pain, the bustle of soldiers preparing to respond...then Jesus' voice pierces the dimly lit night, His touch heals the man, the servant exclaims his surprise, onlookers stare in wonder....

I imagine there was a quiet pause as everyone present considered this unexpected act of power and grace.

Even in the face of His coming death, Jesus did not cease to demonstrate grace - because He is GOD. And God's grace never fails.

God is never too busy to offer grace. He never takes a break from being gracious. He never runs out of grace. His grace is unfailing!

And sometimes His grace flows over us even when we aren't aware of it. Peter thought he was doing the right thing by defending Jesus with his sword. But it was really the wrong thing to do. Yet in healing Malchus, Jesus also demonstrated grace to Peter. Jesus covered Peter's mistake and even brought something good out of it (as I'm sure that Malchus' life was altered from that moment and he undoubtedly told others about his experience as well).

This just astounds me! How beautiful it is that even while facing His own trial, Jesus' grace flowed over both Peter and Malchus - two different sinners, both desperately in need of grace.

This portrait of Jesus fills me with awe! And this same Jesus is the one who lives inside me and you.

May we continually adore with grateful hearts our Savior - the God of unfailing grace!

Gracia Infalible

Hace poco estuve leyendo Lucas 22. Es un pasaje que he leído muchas veces, pero esta vez Dios me mostró algo que no había visto antes.

Cuando Jesús estaba siendo arrestado, sucedió algo sorprendente:

“Viendo los que estaban con él lo que había de acontecer, le dijeron: Señor, ¿heriremos a espada? Y uno de ellos hirió a un siervo del sumo sacerdote, y le cortó la oreja derecha. Entonces respondiendo Jesús, dijo: Basta ya; dejad. Y tocando su oreja, le sanó.”-Lucas 22:49-51

El libro de Juan nos cuenta que Pedro fue quien levantó la espada y Malco era el nombre del siervo. Estos eran gente real. Esta fue una situación de vida o muerte verdadera.

Jesús estaba a punto de ser condenado y ejecutado. Si hubo alguna vez un momento cuando pudiera haberse sentido tentado a pensar solamente en sí mismo, debe haber sido éste. En lugar de eso alargó Su mano y sanó la oreja del siervo. Mostró amor a Su enemigo. En medio de su propia angustia, extendió gracia a un alma indigna.

¿Puedes imaginar ese momento? Un rápido destello de una espada, un grito de dolor, el bullicio de los soldados preparándose para responder. . . entonces la voz de Jesús penetra la penumbra de la noche, su toque sana al hombre, el siervo exclama su sorpresa, los espectadores observan maravillados. . .

Imagino que hubo una silenciosa pausa mientras todos los presentes consideraban este inesperado acto de poder y gracia.

Aun frente a su cercana muerte, Jesús no cesó de demostrar gracia – porque Él es DIOS. Y la gracia de Dios nunca falla.

Dios nunca está muy ocupado para ofrecer gracia. Nunca toma un descanso de ser clemente. ¡Su gracia es infalible!

Y a veces Su gracia fluye sobre nosotros aun sin ser conscientes de ello. Pedro pensó que estaba haciendo lo correcto defendiendo a Jesús con su espada. Pero en realidad era lo que no debía hacer. Pero sanando a Malco, Jesús demostró gracia también para Pedro. Cubrió su error e incluso sacó algo bueno de ése (porque estoy segura que la vida de Malco fue alterada desde ese momento e indudablemente también les contó a otros acerca de su experiencia).

¡Esto sencillamente me maravilla!” Qué hermoso es que inclusive cuando estaba frente a su propia prueba la gracia de Jesús fluyó sobre ambos, Pedro y Malco – dos pecadores diferentes, ambos en desesperada necesidad de gracia.

¡Este retrato de Jesús me llena de asombro! Y este mismo Jesús es el que vive dentro de mí y de ti.

Que continuamente adoremos con corazones agradecidos a nuestro Salvador - ¡el Dios de gracia infalible!

Grace Quotes - Part Two (Citas sobre la Gracia – Parte Dos)

2012-02-01T11:59:00.000-05:00

Back in October I did a post of inspiring quotes about grace. There were so many good ones that I promised you a second installment. Well, here it is! =)

Enjoy these beautiful, thought-provoking quotes about the wonderful grace of our loving Lord!

"Grace never ignores the awful truth of our depravity, in fact it emphasizes it. The worse we realize we are, the greater we realize God's grace. -Randy Alcorn

"Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace." -Jerry Bridges

"The grace of God is infinite and eternal. As it had no beginning, so it can have no end, and being an attribute of God, it is as boundless as infinitude." -A.W. Tozer

"Grace grows best in winter." -Samuel Rutherford

"Indeed, the abject weakness of the human instrument serves to magnify and throw into relief the perfection of the divine power in a way that any suggestion of human adequacy could never do. The greater the servant's weakness, the more conspicuous is the power of his Master's all-sufficient grace." -Philip E. Hughes

"Nothing but grace makes a man so humble and, at the same time, so glad." -C.H. Spurgeon

"Grace is an energy; not a mere sentiment; not a mere thought of the Almighty; not even a word of the Almighty. It is as real an energy as the energy of electricity. It is a divine energy; it is the energy of the divine affection rolling in plenteousness toward the shores of human need." -Benjamin Jowett

"Men may flee from the sunlight to dark and musty caves of the earth, but they cannot put out the sun. So men may in any dispensation despise the grace of God, but they cannot extinguish it." -A.W. Tozer

Amen!

Citas sobre la Gracia – Parte Dos

En octubre pasado hice una entrada de citas inspiradoras acerca de la gracia. Había tantas tan buenas que lees prometí una segunda entrega. Bueno, ¡aquí está! =)

¡Disfruten estas citas hermosas, que hacen pensar acerca de la maravillosa gracia de nuestro amoroso Señor!

“La gracia nunca ignora la horrible verdad de nuestra depravación, de hecho la enfatiza. Cuanto peor nos damos cuenta que somos, más nos damos cuenta de la gracia de Dios. –Randy Alcorn

“Tus peores días nunca son tan malos que estés más allá del alcance de la gracia de Dios. Y tus mejores días nunca son tan buenos que estés más allá de la necesidad de la gracia de Dios”. –Jerry Bidges

“La gracia de Dios es infinita y eterna. Como no tuvo principio, entonces no puede tener fin, y siendo un atributo de Dios, es tan ilimitada como la infinitud”. –A. W. Tozer

“La gracia crece mejor en invierno”. – Samuel Rutherford

”De hecho, la debilidad extrema del instrumento humano sirve para ampliar y poner de relieve la perfección del poder divino de una manera que cualquier sugerencia de suficiencia humana nunca podría hacerlo. Entre más grande la debilidad del siervo, más conspicuo es el poder de la toda-suficiente gracia de su Maestro. –Philip E. Hughes

“Nada más que la gracia hace a un hombre tan humilde y, al mismo tiempo, tan alegre” –C.H. Spurgeon

“La gracia es una energía; no un simple sentimiento; no un simple pensamiento del Todopoderoso. Es una energía tan real como la energía de la electricidad. Es la energía divina rodando en plenitud hacia las costas de la necesidad humana”. –Benjamin Jowett

“Los hombre pueden huir de la luz del sol a cuevas oscuras y mohosas de la tierra, pero no pueden apagar el sol. Así que los hombres pueden despreciar la gracia de Dios en cualquier dispensación, pero no pueden extinguirla”. –A. W. Tozer

¡Amén!

Glasses (Gafas)

2012-01-25T11:58:00.000-05:00

Do you ever wonder how Christians across the world can read the same Bible yet have such a variety of ideas and beliefs?

I'm sure there is a complicated, multi-faceted answer to that question. However, I think one small piece of it may be the different "glasses" that we wear.

Each of us sees the world through certain lenses, such as optimistic, pessimistic, trusting, cynical, etc. We also see the Bible through certain lenses.

Many of us read the Bible through "man-centered" lenses. Humans are the starting point, then we kind of 'add' God into the picture. Or we read it for lists of what we're supposed to do or not do in life.

Sometimes we read the Bible through the lens of practicality (how will this help me right now?) or academic study (what does it say about history?).

Over the past few years, I've noticed God working to change my "glasses" little by little. It's been an interesting process, and definitely worthwhile.

A couple of years ago I heard Beth Moore talking about a particular passage in Exodus 34 that caught my attention.

"Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed His name, the LORD. And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness...."
-Exodus 34:5-6

I think it's significant that God repeated His name twice - "the LORD, the LORD". To me this signifies an emphasis on the fact that God is the only Almighty, Sovereign, "I AM"! He alone is the LORD - the Sovereign God of ALL. This statement immediately puts the world in its proper order - God is at the center and ruling over all. Everything begins with God, not man. Everything is for God, about God, from God, to God...not man (Rom. 11:36). Though this goes contrary to our prideful human nature, it is eternal reality.

Another thing that amazes me from this passage is that when God proclaimed Himself to Moses, of all the attributes He could have mentioned, the first two are "compassionate and gracious". He didn't start with holy, just, righteous, or eternal, even though He is all those things. His first words of self-description are ones of GRACE.

Perhaps this is because Grace is what we as humans need so desperately. And maybe it's because Grace is something we need to be reminded of constantly. There is never a moment when we don't need Grace. Human effort is our 'default' button, but it is never enough to reach or to please Almighty God. Thankfully, the LORD is a God of Grace!

For me, these two truths have become the "glasses" through which I read the Bible. I want to understand God's Word through the lenses of His Sovereignty and His Grace.

I realize that none of us has a perfect grasp of all truth, but I trust that my new "glasses" are leading me in the right direction.

What about you? What "glasses" do you use when reading God's Word?

Gafas

¿Alguna vez te has preguntado cómo los cristianos en todo el mundo pueden leer las misma Biblia pero tener tanta variedad de ideas y creencias?

Estoy segura que hay una respuesta complicada y multifacética a esta pregunta. Sin embargo, pienso que una pequeña parte de ésa puede ser las diferentes “gafas” que usamos.

Cada uno de nosotros ve el mundo a través de ciertos lentes.

Muchos de nosotros leemos la Biblia a través de lentes “enfocados en el hombre”. Los seres humanos son el punto de origen, luego como que “agregamos” a Dios en el cuadro. O la leemos buscando listas de lo que se supone debemos hacer o no hacer en la vida.

A veces leemos la Biblia desde la perspectiva de lo práctico (¿cómo me va a ayudar en este momento?) o estudios académicos (¿qué dice acerca de la historia?)

En los últimos años me he dado cuenta que Dios ha estado obrando para cambiar mis “gafas”, poco a poco. Ha sido un proceso interesante y que, sin duda, vale la pena.

Hace un par de años escuché a Beth Moore hablando de un pasaje particular, en Éxodo 34, que atrajo mi atención.

“Y Jehová descendió en la nube, y estuvo allí con él, proclamando el nombre de Jehová. Y pasando Jehová por delante de él, proclamó: ¡Jehová! ¡Jehová! fuerte, misericordioso y piadoso, tardo para la ira, y grande en misericordia y verdad. . ."
-Éxodo 34:5-6

Pienso que es significativo que Dios repitió su nombre dos veces –“JEHOVÁ, JEHOVÁ”. Para mí esto significa que Dios es el único Todopoderoso, Soberano, “¡YO SOY!” Él solo es JEHOVÁ – el Soberano Dios de TODO. Esta declaración coloca el mundo en su orden correcto – Dios está en el centro y gobernando sobre todo. Todo comienza con Dios, no el hombre. Todo es por Dios, acerca de Dios, viene de Dios, para Dios. . . no el hombre (Ro. 11:36). Aunque esto va en contra de nuestra orgullosa naturaleza humana, es la realidad eterna.

Otra cosa que me maravilla de este pasaje es que cuando Dios se proclama ante Moisés, de todos los atributos que podría haber mencionado, los primeros dos son “misericordioso y piadoso”. No comenzó con santo, justo, recto o eterno, aunque Él es todas esas cosas. Sus primeras palabras para describirse a sí mismo son las de GRACIA.

Quizá es porque GRACIA es lo que, como humanos, necesitamos tan desesperadamente. Y tal vez es porque Gracia es algo que necesitamos que nos recuerden constantemente. No hay nunca un momento en que no necesitemos Gracia. El esfuerzo humano es nuestro botón ‘por defecto’ pero nunca es suficiente para alcanzar o agradar a Dios Todopoderoso. ¡Gracias a Dios, el Señor es un Dios de Gracia!

Para mí, estas dos verdades se han convertido en las “gafas” a través de las cuales leo la Biblia. Quiero entender la Palabra de Dios a través de los lentes de Su Soberanía y Su Gracia.

Me doy cuenta que ninguno de nosotros tenemos una comprensión perfecta de toda la verdad, pero tengo confianza en que mis nuevas “gafas” me están llevando en la dirección correcta.

¿Qué de ti? ¿Cuáles “gafas” usas cuando lees la Palabra de Dios?

Hahahoho Hallelujah! (Hahahoho ¡Aleluya!)

2012-01-20T11:41:00.002-05:00

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
-Proverbs 17:22

"Our mouths were filled with laughter,
   our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
   'The LORD has done great things for them.'
The LORD has done great things for us,
   and we are filled with joy."
-Psalm 126:2-3

"Nehemiah said, '...This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.'”
-Nehemiah 8:10

"Gran remedio es el corazón alegre, pero el ánimo decaído seca los huesos."
-Proverbios 17:22

"Nuestra boca se llenó de risas;
   nuestra lengua, de canciones jubilosas.
   Hasta los otros pueblos decían:
      «El Señor ha hecho grandes cosas por ellos.»
Sí, el Señor ha hecho grandes cosas por nosotros,
   y eso nos llena de alegría."
-Salmo 126:2-3

"Luego Nehemías añadió: «...este día ha sido consagrado a nuestro Señor. No estén tristes, pues el gozo del Señor es nuestra fortaleza.»"
-Nehemías 8:10

Miracles (Milagros)

2012-01-09T18:07:00.000-05:00

I've never been someone who makes New Year's resolutions. But a few years ago I started choosing a theme for the new year.

One year my theme was "following." I felt like God wanted me to just focus on following Him - wherever He led me, regardless of the possible difficulties or consequences. That was a tough year. But having that mindset of following really helped.

Last year the theme was expectation. I had a sense of eager anticipation of what God had in store for me. However, many things that I expected and hoped would happen, didn't. And other things I had no idea or dream of happening, did. So last year was a little confusing for me, but I trust that God was still working out His divine plan for me.

This year I'm in a "wait and see" mode. I really have no idea what the new year holds and I'm hesitant to formulate any specific expectations. Yet the sense of eager anticipation still lingers in my spirit. Perhaps that's why I'm hoping and praying that this will be a year of many miracles!

It's not that I haven't experienced miracles before. I've seen God do miraculous things, especially during the last few years. Yet I long to see the Lord do many impossible things, many acts of divine intervention, many displays of His power.

Why? Because He is GOD!

I wonder...
Does God sometimes not do as many miracles because we simply aren't asking for or looking for them?
Do we rely on our own strength, our own technology, our own abilities...instead of believing that God wants to do things that only HE can do?
If we ask God to display His miraculous power more, will we begin to see it already operating in our lives?

I'm not sure about the answers to these questions, but I do think this is a good year to explore them.

Will you join me?

Will you pray for God to make this a year of many miracles? So that we as His children might increase our awe and praise of Him, and so that those who don't know Him might see His power displayed and seek Him?

I already have a list of at least five specific miracles I'm praying for. I imagine that list will continue to grow. And I'll be sure to let you know when those prayers are answered. =)

We have an awesome God! Let's continue to praise Him and to watch eagerly for the miraculous things He will do this year!

“Who among the gods is like you, O LORD?
   Who is like you—
      majestic in holiness,
      awesome in glory,
      working wonders?"
-Exodus 15:11

Milagros

Nunca he sido alguien que formule promesas para el Año Nuevo. Pero hace unos años comencé a escoger un tema para esta fecha.

Un año mi tema fue “siguiendo”. Sentí que Dios quería que simplemente me enfocara en seguirlo – donde Él me guiara, sin importar las posibles dificultades o consecuencias. Ése fue un año difícil. Pero tener la mentalidad de seguirlo me ayudó mucho.

El año pasado el tema fue expectación. Tenía una sensación de expectativa de lo que Dios tenía reservado para mí. Sin embargo, muchas cosas de las que estaba a la expectativa y esperaba que pasaran, no sucedieron. Y otras que no tenía idea ni había soñado, ocurrieron. Así que el año pasado fue un poquito confuso para mí, pero sé que Dios estaba llevando a cabo su plan divino para mí.

Este año estoy en el estado de “esperar y ver”. En realidad no tengo idea de lo que el año nuevo traerá y dudo en formular expectativas específicas. Sin embargo, el sentido de la expectativa ansiosa aún persiste en mi espíritu. ¡Quizá es por eso que estoy confiando y orando que este será un año de muchos milagros!

No es que no haya experimentado milagros antes. He visto a Dios hacer cosas milagrosas, especialmente durante los últimos años. Pero todavía anhelo ver al Señor hacer muchas cosas imposibles, muchos actos de intervención divina, muchas muestras de Su poder.

¿Por qué? ¡Porque Él es Dios!

Me pregunto. . .
¿A veces Dios no hace muchos milagros porque simplemente no los pedimos o no los buscamos?
¿Confiamos en nuestra propia fortaleza, nuestra propia tecnología, nuestras propias capacidades. . . en lugar de creer que Dios quiere hacer cosas que solamente Él puede hacer?
Si pedimos a Dios que despliegue más Su poder milagroso, ¿empezaremos a ver que ya está operando en nuestras vidas?

No estoy segura de las respuestas a estas preguntas, pero sí pienso que es un buen año para explorarlas.

¿Te unirás a mí?

¿Orarás para que Dios haga de éste un año de muchos milagros? ¿Para que así nosotros, como Sus hijos, podamos aumentar nuestra admiración y alabanza a Él, y para que aquellos que no lo conocen puedan ver Su poder desplegado y, buscarlo?

Yo ya tengo una lista de por lo menos cinco milagros específicos por los que estoy orando. Imagino que esa lista continuará creciendo. Y me aseguraré de contarles cuando esas oraciones sean contestadas.

¡Tenemos un Dios asombroso! ¡Continuemos alabándolo y esperando ansiosamente las cosas milagrosas que hará este año!

“¿Quién como tú, oh Jehová, entre los dioses?
¿Quién como tú,
magnífico en santidad,
terrible en maravillosas hazañas,
hacedor de prodigios?”
-Exodo 15:11

A Prayer For The New Year (Una oración para Nuevo Año)

2012-01-05T12:21:00.001-05:00

"Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples."
-Psalm 77:13-14

"Santos, oh Dios, son tus caminos; ¿qué dios hay tan excelso como nuestro Dios? Tú eres el Dios que realiza maravillas; el que despliega su poder entre los pueblos." Salmo 77:13-14

Merry Christmas (Feliz Navidad)

2011-12-25T12:17:00.000-05:00

"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
And He will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
-Isaiah 9:6

"Porque nos ha nacido un niño,
se nos ha concedido un hijo;
la soberanía reposará sobre sus hombros,
y se le darán estos *nombres:
Consejero admirable, Dios fuerte,
Padre eterno, Príncipe de paz."
-Isaías 9:6

Gifts (Regalos)

2011-12-17T16:48:00.001-05:00

With Christmas approaching, I know we're all thinking about preparing gifts for others. I love this time of year, and I love to give gifts. But Christmas also reminds me that God is the ultimate Gift-giver! Not only did He give His Son as the gift of our Savior, He continues to give us good gifts every day of our lives.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." -James 1:17

One special gift God has given me during my long health trial is the gift of writing. In my limited and isolated life, it's such a blessing for me to have something worthwhile and enjoyable to do. When I was younger, I never dreamed I'd be a writer, but it is a precious gift God has given to me in my suffering.

And the best part is that I know God is using this gift to bless others as well!

This month we've released a new book, a children's devotional -
"He's My GOD! - Knowing God Through His Names."
I'm very excited about this devotional! My sister took amazing photos of children for the illustrations, and my mom helped me make sure the concepts were in kid-friendly language. I'm praying God will use these truths about who He is to bless the lives of many children!

(You can order it online at -
http://www.deeperroots.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=819&osCsid=a11ef45c04353284db8ca92503283868
or you can email me.)

If you need a special gift for someone who is suffering, my first book, "Grace In Time Of Need - Encouragement For Those Who Are Suffering" is also available online in hard copy:
http://www.deeperroots.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=732&osCsid=ca66bc409b39b7e01e1b896024cbaf5f

Or as an ebook:
http://www.deeperroots.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=823&osCsid=ca66bc409b39b7e01e1b896024cbaf5f

Recently a 94 year-old man who had read this book called me, and we talked for over half an hour. He was blessed by the book, and I was blessed as I talked with him. That's how God's gifts work, they continue to give and to remind us of our Father's generous heart!

I enjoy posting on my blogs, and I'm so thankful God gives me strength to work on other projects little by little.
(I'm still trying to finish a book about Job that I started almost two years ago. I appreciate your prayers that I can complete it soon!)
God has given me so many ideas, more than my limited energy can keep up with. But I know He gives me exactly what I need in order for Him to accomplish His purposes. I'm grateful for His sweet gifts!

As we give and receive gifts this Christmas, I hope we'll all take time to praise God - the source of all gifts - for His wonderful, giving heart!

"From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another." -John 1:16

What gift from God are you thankful for this week?

P.S. I'm sorry my books are not yet available in Spanish. At the moment we can't afford to have them translated. But whenever God works that out, I'll be sure to let you know. =)

Regalos

Con la navidad acercándose, sé que todos estamos pensando en preparar regalos para otros. Me encanta esta época del año y me encanta dar regalos. Pero la navidad también me recuerda que Dios es el ¡más grande dador de regalos! No solamente dio a su Hijo como nuestro Salvador, sino que sigue dándonos buenos regalos cada día de nuestras vidas.

"Toda buena dádiva y todo don perfecto descienden de lo alto, donde está el Padre que creó las lumbreras celestes, y que no cambia como los astros ni se mueve como las sombras."
-Santiago 1:17

Un regalo especial que Dios me ha dado durante mi larga prueba de salud es el regalo de escribir. En mi limitada y aislada vida, qué bendición poder hacer algo que vale la pena y es agradable. Cuando era más joven, nunca soñé que sería una escritora, pero es un regalo precioso que Dios me ha dado en mi sufrimiento.

¡Y la mejor parte es que sé que Dios está usando este regalo para bendecir a otros también!

Este mes vamos a sacar un nuevo libro, un devocional para niños –
¡“Él es mi Dios! – Conociendo a Dios a Través de Sus Nombres”.
¡Estoy emocionada acerca de este devocional! Mi hermana tomó maravillosas fotos de niños para las ilustraciones. Y mi mamá me ayudó a asegurarnos de que los conceptos sean dichos en un lenguaje amistoso para los niños. ¡Estoy orando que Dios use estas verdades acerca de quien Él es para bendecir las vidas de muchos niños!

(Puedes ordenarlo en línea en –
http://www.deeperroots.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=819&osCsid=a11ef45c04353284db8ca92503283868
o me puedes enviar un mensaje.)

Si necesitas un regalo especial para alguien que está sufriendo, mi primer libro: “Gracia en Tiempo de Necesidad – Ánimo Para Aquellos Que están Sufriendo” también está disponible en línea.
http://www.deeperroots.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=732&osCsid=ca66bc409b39b7e01e1b896024cbaf5f

Recientemente, después de leer este libro, me llamó un hombre de 94 años y hablamos por más de media hora. Él fue bendecido por el libro y yo fui bendecida al hablar con él. Así es como funcionan los regalos de Dios, ¡siguen dando y recordándonos del corazón generoso de nuestro Padre!

Disfruto publicar en mis blogs y estoy muy agradecida con Dios por darme la fortaleza para trabajar en otros proyectos, poco a poco. (Todavía estoy tratando de terminar un libro que comencé hace casi dos años, acerca de Job. ¡Aprecio sus oraciones porque pueda completarlo pronto!)
Dios me ha dado muchas ideas, más de las que puedo manejar con mi limitada energía. Pero sé que me da exactamente lo que necesito para que Él pueda cumplir sus propósitos. ¡Estoy agradecida por sus dulces regalos!

Mientras damos y recibimos regalos esta navidad, confío en que todos tomaremos tiempo para ¡alabar a Dios – la fuente de todos los regalos – por su maravilloso y dador corazón!

"De su plenitud todos hemos recibido gracia sobre gracia."
-Juan 1:16

¿Por cuál regalo de Dios estás agradecido esta semana?

Post Data. Siento que mis libros todavía no están disponibles en Español. En el momento no podemos costear la traducción. Pero cuando Dios lo haga posible, me aseguraré de hacerles saber.

Still Thinking About Thanks... (Todavía Pensando en Gracias...)

2011-12-03T11:58:00.002-05:00

"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.”
-Psalm 50:23

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
-Colossians 3:17

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him."
-2 Corinthians 2:14

Amen.

Todavía Pensando en Gracias...

"Quien me ofrece su gratitud, me honra; al que enmiende su conducta le mostraré mi salvación."
-Salmo 50:23

"Y todo lo que hagan, de palabra o de obra, háganlo en el nombre del Señor Jesús, dando gracias a Dios el Padre por medio de él."
-Colosenses 3:17

"Sin embargo, gracias a Dios que en Cristo siempre nos lleva triunfantes y, por medio de nosotros, esparce por todas partes la fragancia de su conocimiento."
-2 Corintios 2:14

Amén.

Courageous Pilgrims (Peregrinos valientes)

2011-11-22T19:37:00.001-05:00

As those of us in the US celebrate Thanksgiving this week, we generally focus on giving thanks for what we have and for all God has done for us. I love this holiday and its simplicity. But this year I'm meditating on something a little different than being thankful.

As I thought about the Pilgrims, I realized they had a very important characteristic, without which there never would have been a first Thanksgiving. They had courage.

It took courage to follow God's prompting and leave their homes.
It took courage to persevere through a difficult sea voyage when some wanted to turn back.
It took courage to work hard at settling a new land.
It took courage to watch loved ones die of disease and not give in to despair.
It took courage to persevere when they had no assurance of success.

Those men and women displayed extraordinary courage!

Because of their courage, and the supernatural grace of God in their lives, they not only made it to the first Thanksgiving, they founded a new country. We still remember them and honor them hundreds of years later. Not just because they were thankful. But because they were courageous.

What about you and me? We too are Pilgrims, journeying through this world, headed for our true Home. How are we living?

I confess that many times I lack courage; I look for the easy road; I shrink from difficulty.

Before Joshua entered the Promised Land, God said to him,
“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land...Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you...Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
-Joshua 1:6,7,9

Three times God told Joshua to be "strong and courageous." Joshua knew he was following God's will. He knew God's presence would be with him. But that didn't make it easy. He still had to step into unknown territory. He still had to fight battle after battle.

Joshua's role was not an easy one. Perhaps that's why God emphasized his need for courage.

I think courage is the willingness to do the hard things, trusting that God's grace will be sufficient for us. As a dear saint said, "Wherever the will of God leads you, the grace of God will sustain you."

I want to be a courageous pilgrim - to step into unknown territory, to do the hard things, to willingly fight the right battles, and someday to know that others have paused to give thanks for my courage and the supernatural grace of God that sustained me.

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men [and women] of courage; be strong."
-1 Corinthians 16:13

Peregrinos valientes

Como los que estamos en los Estados Unidos celebramos “Acción de Gracias” esta semana, generalmente nos enfocamos en dar gracias por lo que tenemos y por todo lo que Dios ha hecho por nosotros. Me encanta este feriado y su sencillez. Pero este año estoy meditando en algo un poquito diferente a estar agradecidos.

Pensando en los peregrinos, caí en cuenta que tenían una característica muy importante, sin la que nunca habría habido un primer “Acción de Gracias”. Tenían valor.

Necesitaron valor para seguir la instrucción de Dios y dejar sus hogares.
Necesitaron valor para perseverar a través de un difícil viaje en el mar cuando algunos querían regresar.
Necesitaron valor para trabajar duro y establecerse en una nueva tierra.
Necesitaron valor para ver a seres queridos morir a causa de la enfermedad, y no ceder a la desesperación.
Necesitaron valor para perseverar cuando no tenían ninguna seguridad de éxito.

¡Esos hombres y mujeres mostraron un valor extraordinario!

Por su valor y la gracia sobrenatural de Dios en sus vidas, no solamente llegaron al primer “Acción de Gracias”, fundaron un nuevo país. Todavía los recordamos y honramos cientos de años más tarde. No solamente porque fueron agradecidos. Sino porque fueron valientes.

¿Qué de ti y de mí? Nosotros también somos peregrinos, viajando por este mundo, dirigiéndonos hacia nuestro verdadero hogar. ¿Cómo estamos viviendo?

Confieso que muchas veces me falta valor; busco el camino fácil; me retraigo ante la dificultad.

Antes de que Josué entrara a la Tierra Prometida, Dios le dijo:
“Esfuérzate y sé valiente; porque tú repartirás a este pueblo por heredad la tierra. . . Solamente esfuérzate y sé muy valiente, para cuidar de hacer conforme a toda la ley que mi siervo Moisés te mandó. . . Mira que te mando que te esfuerces y seas valiente; no temas ni desmayes, porque Jehová tu Dios estará contigo en dondequiera que vayas”
-Josué 1:6,7,9

Tres veces Dios le dijo a Josué que se esforzara y fuera valiente. Josué sabía que estaba siguiendo la voluntad de Dios. Sabía que la presencia de Dios estaría con él. Pero eso no lo hizo fácil. Todavía tenía que pisar territorio desconocido. Todavía tuvo que luchar batalla tras batalla.

El papel de Josué no fue fácil. Quizá por eso es que Dios enfatizó su necesidad de valor.

Creo que valor es la disponibilidad para hacer las cosas difíciles, confiando en que la gracia de Dios será suficiente para nosotros. Como dijo un querido santo: “Dondequiera que la voluntad de Dios te guíe, la gracia de Dios te sostendrá”.

Quiero ser una peregrina valiente – entrar en territorio desconocido, hacer las cosas difíciles, voluntariamente pelear las batallas correctas, y algún día saber que otros han hecho una pausa para dar gracias por mi valor y la gracia sobrenatural de Dios que me sostuvo.

“Manténganse alerta; permanezcan firmes en la fe; sean valientes y fuertes.”
-1Co.16:13 (NVI)

Good Read (Buena lectura)

2011-11-17T12:09:00.002-05:00

November is National Novel Writing Month. Thousands of people will attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. Crazy? A little. But obviously there are a lot of people who want to write books and a lot of people who want to read books.

I enjoy good Christian fiction, but it rarely moves me or changes me in some way. When I need encouragement or inspiration for my spirit, I read missionary biographies.

I love to read the stories of men and women who walked with God through intense challenges and watched Him do the impossible.

One of my top ten favorite books ever is "In The Arena" by Isobel Kuhn. She was a missionary to China in the early 1900's. In this book she shared stories from her life and ministry following the theme that we are all "on display" as Christians. Our lives are a platform before both men and heavenly viewers.

Her spiritual depth and personal style make a powerful tool for encouraging the saints. I hope you'll pick up a copy and give it a try. Let me know how you like it. =)

(I couldn't find "In The Arena" in a Spanish version, but I found other missionary biographies in Spanish at this website:
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?Ntt=missionary+biographies+in+Spanish&N=0&Ntk=keywords&action=Search&Ne=0&event=ESRCN&nav_search=1&cms=1&search= )

Buena lectura

Noviembre es el Mes Nacional de Escritura de Novelas (en los Estados Unidos – Nota de la traductora). Miles de personas intentarán escribir una novela de 50.000 palabras en un mes. ¿Locura? Un poquito. Pero obviamente hay mucha gente que quiere escribir libros y muchos otros que quieren leerlos.

Yo disfruto la buena literatura cristiana de ficción, pero muy pocas veces me mueve o me cambia en alguna manera. Cuando necesito ánimo o inspiración para mi espíritu, leo biografías de misioneros.

Me encanta leer las historias de hombres y mujeres que caminaron con Dios a través de intensos desafíos y lo vieron hacer lo imposible.

Uno de mis diez libros preferidos siempre ha sido “En La Arena” por Isobel Kuhn. Misionera en China al comienzo de los años 1900s. En este libro ella compartió historias de su vida y ministerio siguiendo el tema de que todos estamos “en exhibición” como cristianos. Nuestras vidas están en una plataforma tanto delante de los hombres como de observadores celestiales.

Su profundidad espiritual y estilo personal lo hacen una herramienta poderosa para alentar a los santos. Tengo la esperanza de que recojas una copia y hagas un intento. Cuéntame cómo te parece.

(No pude encontrar una versión en español de “En La Arena”, pero encontré otras biografías misioneras en esta sitio web:
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?Ntt=missionary+biographies+in+Spanish&N=0&Ntk=keywords&action=Search&Ne=0&event=ESRCN&nav_search=1&cms=1&search= )

Perspective (Perspectiva)

2011-11-11T15:10:00.002-05:00

(FYI - I'm putting this post on both of my blogs this week, since it applies to both.)

This week marks 7 years since my health collapsed. 7 years of feeling like my life is on hold. 7 years of learning, changing, healing. 7 years of a strange journey I never would have chosen.

In some ways it feels like I've been in a time warp, stuck at age 25, while the rest of the world moves on. In other ways, I feel like I've aged 15 years, not 7.

Most of my friends are now married with 2 or 3 kids, serving on the mission-field or active in ministry somewhere. They're living the kind of life I always expected to live.

I confess, sometimes I feel impatient with God. Other people with health challenges similar to mine have gotten well in a matter of months. Why must my healing process take so long?

Then I think of my friends Sam & Nathan (twins). They recently turned 37. They've been living with Environmental Illness for almost 20 years. They didn't get to finish high school, never even got their driver's licenses. They've missed out on so many "normal" things in life. They've been enduring and persevering through their illness, day by day, for close to 20 years.

When I think about them, I sometimes get more upset with God than I do over my own situation. What is He thinking? What kind of life is that for my dear friends?

As always, my heavenly Father is faithful to gently rebuke my wrong thinking and remind me of His truth.

- "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." -Psalm 139:16b

- "LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup...." -Psalm 16:5a

- "You are good, and what you do is good...." -Psalm 119:68a

- "Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them...When Peter saw him, he asked, 'Lord, what about him?'
Jesus answered, 'If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.'” -John 21:20-22

God's plan for each of us is different, but His call is the same - to follow. Wherever our Shepherd leads us....

Is God's plan for my friends in missionary service good?
Certainly.

Is God's plan for my friends Sam & Nathan good?
By faith, I believe it is.

Is God's plan for me good?
How could I doubt it.

I know my 7 years have not been wasted. I know God is working out His perfect plan for me.

And I've learned that it's not the passing of time or my circumstances that matter most - but rather finding joy in the fellowship of my Savior, one day at a time.

"Surely you have granted [me] eternal blessings and made [me] glad with the joy of your presence." -Psalm 21:6

Perspectiva

(PSI- Estoy colocando éste en mis dos blogs esta semana, ya que aplica a ambos)

Esta semana se cumplen siete años desde que mi salud se derrumbó. Siete años de sentir que mi vida está detenida. Siete años de aprendizaje, cambio, sanación. Siete años de un extraño viaje que yo nunca habría escogido.

De alguna manera siento como que he estado en una deformación del tiempo, atascada en los veinticinco años de edad, mientras el resto del mundo avanza. Otras veces, siento que he aumentado quince años en edad, no siete.

La mayoría de mis amigos se han casado y tienen dos o tres hijos, están sirviendo en el campo misionero o activos en el ministerio en alguna parte. Están viviendo la clase de vida que siempre esperé vivir.

Confieso que a veces me siento impaciente con Dios. Otras personas con desafíos de salud similares a los míos han mejorado en cuestión de meses. ¿Por qué mi proceso de sanación tiene que tomar tanto tiempo?

Entonces pienso en mis amigos Sam y Nathan (gemelos). Hace poco cumplieron 37. Han vivido con Enfermedad Ambiental por casi veinte años. No pudieron terminar la secundaria, nunca pudieron siquiera obtener su licencia de conducción. Han perdido muchas cosas “normales” de la vida. Han estado soportando y perseverando a través de su enfermedad, día a día, por cerca de veinte años.

Cuando pienso en ellos, a veces me siento más molesta con Dios de lo que me siento por mi propia situación. ¿Qué está pensando? ¿Qué clase de vida es esa para mis queridos amigos?

Como siempre, mi Padre celestial es fiel en redargüirme suavemente por me manera equivocada de pensar y me recuerda Su verdad.

- “Todos mis días se estaban diseñando, aunque no existía uno solo de ellos” -Salmo 139: 16b (NVI)

- “Tú, Señor, eres mi porción y mi copa. . .” -Salmo 16:5a

- “Tú eres bueno, y haces el bien. . .” -Salmo 119:68ª (NVI)

- “Volviéndose Pedro, vio que les seguía el discípulo a quien amaba Jesús. . . Cuando Pedro le vio, dijo a Jesús: Señor, ¿y qué de éste?
Jesús le dijo: si quiero que él quede hasta que yo venga, ¿qué a ti? Sígueme tú.” -Juan 21:20-22

El plan de Dios para cada uno de nosotros es diferente, pero Su llamado es el mismo –seguirle. Donde sea que nuestro Pastor nos guíe. . .

¿Es bueno el plan de Dios para mis amigos en el servicio misionero?
De seguro.

¿Es bueno el plan de Dios para mis amigos Sam y Nathan?
Por fe, creo que sí.

¿Es bueno el plan de Dios para mí?
Cómo podría dudarlo.

Sé que mis siete años no han sido desperdiciados. Sé que Dios está obrando Su plan perfecto para mí.

Y he aprendido que no es el paso del tiempo o mis circunstancias lo más importante – sino más bien encontrar gozo en la comunión con mi Salvador, un día a la vez.

“Porque [me] has bendecido para siempre; [me] llenaste de alegría con tu presencia” –Salmo 21:6

MK's Are From Mars (Los hijos de misioneros son de Marte)

2011-11-03T12:16:00.002-04:00

Okay, not really. But sometimes it feels like it.

For most missionary kids, myself included, the single worst question anyone can ask us is "Where are you from?"

I'd rather have someone ask me my social security number. At least that answer never changes.

All my fellow MK's know what a challenge it is to be a 3rd-culture person - not fully from here, not fully from there, not really "from" anywhere (thus the Mars comment).

So for my MK friends, here's a little poem I'm sure you can relate to. (For everyone else, here's a tiny glimpse of our transient lives.) I hope it makes you smile. =)

Above all, may we each remember the truth of where we're from and where we're going!

The Dreaded Question

So, where are you from?
It’s a common question,
quite ordinary in fact.
But it’s one I always dread.

There’s the place I was born,
Which most people can’t pronounce,
“Papua New what?”
Who cares, it’s on the other side of the world.

There’s the town where my parents grew up,
So small it’s not on most maps,
“Conway—never heard of it.”
Then I won’t bother to expound.

There’s the state I used to visit every year,
But be careful who you tell -
“I’m from California.”
To them you might as well be from Mars.

There’s the country I loved,
Not known for its tourism,
“Colombia—as in drugs & guerillas?”
Sadly, that’s why we had to leave,

There’s the town where I attended college,
Deep in the South,
“Birmingham, of course, ya’ll.”
But I really didn’t get the accent.

There’s the state my family finally settled in,
Though we moved three times,
“Which Florida town was it again?”
Just pick one, I guess.

There’s the country I moved to after college,
Which felt more like home than most places,
“Hablas espanol?” Um, not very well.
I can’t really say I’m from Mexico.

Or, there’s the place I was created,
Where I belong, and I’m destined for,
“Your citizenship is in Heaven.”
Heaven is my true Home, that’s where I’m from.

-by Joanna K. Harris

Los hijos de misioneros son de Marte

Bueno, en realidad no. Pero a veces eso es lo que se siente.

Para la mayoría de los hijos de misioneros, incluyéndome, la peor pregunta que alguien nos puede hacer es “¿de dónde eres?”

Preferiría que me preguntaran mi número de identificación. Por lo menos esa respuesta nunca cambia.

Todos mis compañeros hijos de misioneros saben el desafío que representa ser una persona de una tercera cultura – no completamente de aquí, no del todo de allá, no realmente “de” ninguna parte (de ahí el comentario de Marte).

Así que para mis amigos hijos de misioneros, aquí hay un pequeño poema con el cual estoy segura que se pueden identificar. (Para todos los demás, éste es un pequeño vistazo de nuestras vidas pasajeras). Espero que les haga sonreír.

Sobre todo, recordemos cada uno la verdad de ¡de donde somos y para donde vamos!

La Temida Pregunta

Entonces, ¿de dónde eres?
Es una pregunta frecuente,
De hecho bastante frecuente.
Pero es una que siempre temo.

Está el lugar donde nací,
Que la mayoría de la gente no puede pronunciar,
“¿Papua Nueva qué?”
A quien le importa, es al otro lado del mundo.

Está el pueblo donde crecieron mis padres,
Tan pequeño que no figura en la mayoría de los mapas,
“Conway-nunca oí hablar de ése.”
Entonces no voy a molestarme en explicar.

Está el estado que acostumbraba visitar cada año,
Pero ten cuidado a quien le dices –“soy de California.”
Para ellos es lo mismo que si fueras de Marte.

Está el país que amé,
Conocido no por su turismo,
“¿Colombia, como en las drogas y la guerrillas?
Tristemente, fue por eso que tuvimos que salir.

Está la ciudad donde asistí a la universidad,
En lo profundo del sur,
“Birmingham, por supuesto, todos ustedes.”
Pero en realidad no obtuve el acento.

Está el estado en el que finalmente mi familia se estableció,
Aunque nos mudamos tres veces,
“Otra vez, ¿en cuál ciudad de la Florida fue?”
Simplemente escoja una, creo.

Está el país al que me mudé después de la universidad,
En el cual me sentí más en casa que en la mayoría de los lugares,
“¿Hablas español?” Ah, no muy bien.
Realmente no puedo decir que soy de México.

O, está el lugar donde fui creada,
A donde pertenezco y para el que estoy destinada,
“Tu ciudadanía está en el Cielo.”
El Cielo es mi hogar verdadero, de allá es de donde soy.

-Por Joanna K. Harris

Wondrous Love (El Amor Maravilloso)

2011-10-26T18:38:00.003-04:00

I love these words from the old hymn:

"The love of God is greater far
  Than tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star
  And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
  God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled
  And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
  How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
    The saints' and angels' song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
  And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
  And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
  Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
  Though stretched from sky to sky."

(Words & Music © 1923, Ren. 1951 by Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188.)

"I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
-Ephesians 3:17b-19

"Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD."
-Psalm 107:43

El Amor Maravilloso

Me encantan estas palabras del antiguo himno:

"El amor de Dios es mucho más grande
   De lo que la lengua o la pluma pueden nunca contar.
Va más allá de la estrella más alta
   Y llega a las profundidades del Seol.
La pareja culpable, se inclinó con cuidado,
   Dios dio a su Hijo para ganarlos;
A su hijo descarriado reconcilió
   Y perdonó de su pecado.

  Oh amor de Dios, ¡tan rico y puro!
   ¡Qué inconmensurable y fuerte!
Por siempre perdurará
     La canción de los santos y los ángeles.

Si pudiéramos con tinta el océano llenar,
   Y si los cielos de pergamino fueran hechos;
Si cada tallo en la tierra fuera una pluma,
   Y cada hombre un escribano de oficio;
Para escribir el amor de Dios allá arriba
  Drenaría el mar hasta secarlo;
Tampoco podría el pergamino contener el todo,
   Aunque se extendiera desde el cielo hasta el cielo. "

(Oro) "para que habite Cristo por la fe en vuestros corazones, a fin de que, arraigados y cimentados en amor, seáis plenamente capaces de comprender con todos los santos cual sea la anchura, la longitud, la profundidad y la altura, y de conocer el amor de Cristo, que excede a todo conocimiento, para que seáis llenos de toda la plenitud de Dios."
-Efesios 3:17-19

"¿Quién es sabio y guardará estas cosas, y entenderá las misericordias de Jehová?
-Salmo 107:43

Persevere And Conquer (Perseverar y Triunfar)

2011-10-19T10:06:00.004-04:00

Winston Churchill is probably most well known for the famous speech in which he said,

"...never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in...."

This British attitude of perseverance and determination halted the flood of evil in WWII and changed the course of history.

I don't know about you, but I really don't like the fact that I live in an ongoing spiritual war. It'd be nice to have a day off from the fight now and then.

Just like in WWII, in our spiritual war some face fierce battles on the front lines, while others wrestle with smaller challenges on home soil.

My personal battlefield is relatively small. It's the field of little, daily choices.
- Will I give in to fatigue, or write an encouraging email to a friend?
- Will I put off my writing project til tomorrow, or work on it for even five minutes?
- Will I thank God for my small hardships, or complain about them?
- Will I persevere when I'm weary, or give in to discouragement?

Some days it's hard to remember what's at stake in my little battles. Every day it's easier to give in than to keep fighting. The good news is that we have already been given the victory! The hard part is that we must live it out.

In the same speech I quoted above, Churchill also said this:

"There was no flinching and no thought of giving in; and by what seemed almost a miracle to those outside these Islands, though we ourselves never doubted it, we now find ourselves in a position where I say that we can be sure that we have only to persevere to conquer."
-Winston Churchill
(from - http://www.winstonchurchill.org/learn/speeches/speeches-of-winston-churchill/103-never-give-in)

In Christ we are already victors. But we must persevere to conquer.

Lord, give us the strength that only comes from you to persevere in our daily battles - never giving in, never giving up - knowing that the victory is worth the fight. Amen.

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
-1 Cor 15:57-58

Perseverar y triunfar

Winston Churchill es probablemente más conocido por el famoso discurso en el que dijo:

“. . .nunca se rindan, nunca cedan, nunca, nunca, nunca, nunca - en nada, importante o sin importancia, grande o pequeña – nunca se rindan. . .”

Esta actitud británica de perseverancia y determinación detuvo el flujo de maldad en la segunda guerra mundial y cambió el curso de la historia.

Yo no sé de ti, pero a mí no me gusta nada el hecho de que vivo en una constante guerra espiritual. Sería bueno tener un día libre de lucha de vez en cuando.

Igual que en la Segunda Guerra Mundial, en nuestra guerra espiritual algunos enfrentan feroces batallas en el frente, mientras otros luchan con pequeños problemas en casa.

Mi campo de batalla personal es relativamente pequeño. Es el campo de las pequeñas opciones diarias.
- ¿Voy a ceder a la fatiga, o a escribir un mensaje de ánimo a un amigo?
- ¿Voy a posponer hasta mañana mi proyecto de escribir, o voy a trabajar en él aunque sea cinco minutos?
- ¿Voy a agradecer a Dios por mis pequeñas dificultades, o a quejarme por ésas?
- ¿Voy a perseverar cuando estoy débil, o a rendirme al desánimo?

Algunos días es difícil recordar lo que está en juego en mis pequeñas batallas. Cada día es más fácil rendirse que seguir luchando. La buena noticia es que ¡ya se nos ha dado la victoria! La parte difícil es que debemos vivirla.

En el mismo discurso que cité antes, Churchill también dijo esto:

“No hubo vacilación ni pensamiento de rendirse; y, por lo que pareció casi un milagro para aquellos fuera de estas islas, aunque nosotros mismos nunca lo dudamos, ahora nos encontramos en una posición en la que digo que podemos estar seguros de que solamente debemos perseverar para triunfar.”
-Winston Churchill
(de - http://www.winstonchurchill.org/learn/speeches/speeches-of-winston-churchill/103-never-give-in)

En Cristo ya somos vencedores. Pero debemos perseverar para triunfar.

Señor, danos la fortaleza que solamente viene de ti para perseverar en nuestras batallas diarias – sin rendirnos nunca, sin darnos nunca por vencidos – sabiendo que la victoria hace que la lucha valga la pena. Amén.

“Mas gracias sean dadas a Dios, que nos da la victoria por medio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Así que, hermanos míos amados, estad firmes y constantes, creciendo en la obra del Señor siempre, sabiendo que vuestro trabajo en el Señor no es en vano.”
-1 Cor. 15:57-58

Dreams (Sueños)

2011-10-12T11:48:00.001-04:00

I have a very imaginative dream life. Perhaps it's because my real life is so limited. Or maybe it's hidden creativity bursting through. =)

For whatever reason, rarely does a morning pass that I don't have some wild or entertaining dream to tell my mom about.

One time I dreamed I was eating my shoe. It was pretty tough, but I kept gnawing away. People around me were giving me strange looks. I just gazed back at them like, "What? Doesn't everyone eat shoes?"

Another time I dreamed I was in a chariot race, except instead of horses, my cart was pulled by four little dachsund dogs! I don't remember who won....

In another dream two well-known, professional tennis players both asked me for a date on the same day. ...I said no, gently of course. =)

Sometimes I have scary dreams about people I love and wake up praying for them and hoping they're ok.

And every once in a while, God gives me a dream that is a special gift from Him. Like the time I dreamed that everything and everyone around me was in utter chaos. Jesus stood in the middle of it. I walked over to Him, He held out his hands, and I put both my hands in His. I woke up encouraged to keep trusting Him and not hold on to anything but Him.

At different times my dreams are hilarious, scary, or sweet. Dreams are strange things. But God created them for our benefit, I believe.

I know dreams aren't reality. But I think they can speak to us about reality.

And those other dreams we have - those plans and desires for our future - they aren't real either...yet. But they're an important part of who we are, and who we will be.

And the best dream of all? You. Me.

As C.S. Lewis wrote, "God is the Dreamer. And you are His dream."

God is reality. We are His imaginative, creative expressions to the world, revealing who He is.

So dream on, my friends, dream on. And never forget that as God's child, you are always "living the dream!"

"How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!"
-Psalm 139:17-18 (NLT)

Sueños

Tengo una vida de sueños muy imaginativa. Quizá sea porque mi vida real es tan limitada. O puede ser creatividad escondida, irrumpiendo a la superficie.

Por cualquiera que sea la razón, muy rara vez pasa una mañana sin que yo tenga un sueño salvaje o entretenido para contarle a mi mamá.

Una vez soñé que me estaba comiendo mi zapato. Estaba bastante duro, pero yo seguía royendo. La gente a mi alrededor estaba mirándome de manera extraña. Yo simplemente les devolvía la mirada como diciendo: “¿Qué? ¿Todos los demás no comen zapatos?”

Otra vez soñé que estaba en una competencia de carruajes, solamente que en lugar de caballos, ¡el mío era tirado por dos pequeños perritos dachsund! No me acuerdo quien ganó. . .

En otro sueño, dos famosos jugadores profesionales de tenis me pidieron salir con ellos el mismo día. . . Yo dije no, gentilmente por supuesto.

A veces tengo sueños asustadores acerca de personas a las que amo y me despierto orando por ellos y confiando en que estén bien.

Y una que otra vez, Dios me da un sueño que es un regalo especial de Él. Como la vez que soñé que todo y todos a mi alrededor estaba en total caos. Jesús se paró en medio de ése. Yo caminé hacia Él, Él extendió Sus manos, y yo puse mis manos en las suyas. Me desperté animada a seguir confiando en Él y no aferrarme a ninguna cosa sino a él.

En diferentes ocasiones mis sueños son cómicos, asustadores, o tiernos. Los sueños son una cosa extraña. Pero Dios los creó para nuestro beneficio, creo yo.

Sé que los sueños no son realidad. Pero creo que nos pueden hablar acerca de la realidad.

Y esos otros sueños que tenemos – esos planes y deseos para nuestro futuro – tampoco son reales. . . todavía. Pero son una parte importante de quienes somos y quienes seremos.

¿Y el mejor sueño de todos? Tú. Yo.

Como escribió C. S, Lewis: “Dios es el Soñador. Y tú eres Su sueño.”

Dios es realidad. Nosotros somos sus expresiones creativas e imaginativas para el mundo, revelando quien Él es.

Entonces, soñemos mis amigos, soñemos. Y nunca olvides que como hijo de Dios siempre estás “¡viviendo el sueño!”

“¡Cuán preciosos son tus pensamientos acerca de mí, oh Dios, no se pueden contar! Ni siquiera puedo contarlos; ¡Superan en número a los granos de arena! Y cuando me despierto, ¡todavía estás conmigo!
Salmo 139:17-18 (NLT)

Grace Quotes (Citas sobre la Gracia)

2011-10-05T14:40:00.002-04:00

I discovered many years ago that my name "Joanna" means "God is gracious." And this precious truth of the grace of God has become the "theme song" of my life. For me there is no sweeter tune. =)

I love to read and write about God's grace. Today I want to share some thought-provoking and encouraging quotes about grace. I found so many good ones, that I may have to do a second installment soon. =)

I hope they are a blessing to you, and I'd love to hear which one is your favorite!

“Grace is free sovereign favor to the ill-deserving.” -Benjamin B. Warfield

"Grace says, 'I love you,' reaching down. Faith says, 'I believe you,' reaching up." -Adrian Rogers

“Grace stands in direct opposition to any supposed worthiness on our part. To say it another way: Grace and works are mutually exclusive. Our relationship with God is based on either works or grace. There is never a works-plus-grace relationship with Him.” -Jerry Bridges

“A man can no more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough today to last him for the next 6 months, nor can he inhale sufficient air into his lungs with one breath to sustain life for a week to come. We are permitted to draw upon God's store of grace from day to day as we need it.” -D. L. Moody

“Lord I crawled across the barrenness to you with my empty cup uncertain in asking any small drop of refreshment. If only I had known you better I'd have come running with a bucket.” -Nancy Spiegelberg

“A state of mind that sees God in everything is evidence of growth in grace and a thankful heart.” -Charles G. Finney

“Grace binds you with far stronger cords than the cords of duty or obligation can bind you. Grace is free, but when once you take it, you are bound forever to the Giver and bound to catch the spirit of the Giver. Like produces like. Grace makes you gracious, the Giver makes you give.” -E. Stanley Jones

“I do not at all understand the mystery of grace - only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us.” -Anne Lamott

“Grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected.” –Jonathan Edwards

(Some of the quotes in this post I found on this website - http://www.tentmaker.org/Quotes/grace_quotes.html )

Citas sobre la Gracia

Hace muchos años descubrí que mi nombre “Joanna” significa “Dios es lleno de gracia”. Y esta preciosa verdad de la gracia de Dios se ha convertido en la “canción tema” de mi vida. Para mí no hay una melodía más dulce.

Me encanta leer y escribir acerca de la gracia de Dios. Hoy quiero compartir algunas citas que nos hacen pensar, a la vez que son de ánimo. Encontré muchísimas buenas, voy a tener que hacer una segunda entrega pronto.

Espero que te sean de bendición, y ¡me encantaría saber cuál es tu favorita!

“La gracia es un favor soberano y libre para quienes no lo merecen”. Benjamin B. Warfield

“La gracia está en oposición directa con cualquier supuesto mérito de nuestra parte. Para decirlo de otra manera: La Gracia y las obras son mutuamente excluyentes. Nuestra relación con Dios está basada o en obras o en gracia. Con él no hay nunca una relación de obras-más-gracia”. –Jerry Bridges

“La gracia dice: ’te amo’, mirando hacia abajo. La fe dice: ‘te creo’, mirando hacia arriba” –Adrian Rogers

“Un hombre no puede tomar más provisión de gracia para el futuro de lo que puede comer hoy para que le alcance para los próximos seis meses, tampoco puede, en una inspiración, inhalar suficiente aire en sus pulmones para mantener la vida durante la semana siguiente. Se nos permite retirar del depósito de la gracia de Dios día a día a medida que la necesitamos” –D. L. Moody.

“Señor, me arrastré a través del desierto hacia ti, con incertidumbre, pidiendo una pequeña gota de refrigerio. Si te hubiera conocido mejor, habría venido corriendo con un balde.” –Nancy Spiegelberg

“Un estado de ánimo que ve a Dios en todo es evidencia de crecimiento en gracia y de un corazón agradecido.” -Charles G. Finney

“La Gracia te ata con cuerdas mucho más fuertes de lo que el deber o la obligación pueden atarte. La Gracia es gratis, pero una vez que la tomas, estás obligado para siempre con el Dador y obligado a captar Su espíritu. El Gusto produce gusto. La Gracia te hace dispuesto a dar gracia, el Dador te hace dar.” -E. Stanley Jones

“No entiendo en absoluto el misterio de la gracia – sólo que se reúne con nosotros donde estemos pero no nos deja donde nos encontró.” -Anne Lamott

“La Gracia no es más que la gloria comenzada, y la gloria no es más que la gracia perfeccionada.” –Jonathan Edwards

(Algunas de las citas en este mensajelas encontré en esta página web http://www.tentmaker.org/Quotes/grace_quotes.html)

A Servant (Una Sierva)

2011-09-27T13:23:00.002-04:00

Have you ever sung that little praise chorus, "Make Me A Servant"? We sang it a lot when I was growing up. I had a pretty small concept of what it meant to be a servant, which is probably why it didn't bother me to sing that chorus all the time.

As I've gotten older, my understanding of servanthood has expanded. Still, every time I read Matthew 20:28, my mind is astounded!

"just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." -Matt. 20:28

How can this be? The Almighty God of the universe came to serve us? He created mighty angels! He holds galaxies in place! Yet He became a Servant to unworthy sinners?

It's hard for me to wrap my brain around that.

But lately I'm starting to realize that Jesus wasn't just a Servant when He was on earth. No, He continues to serve us. He sits at the Father's right hand and intercedes for us.
What about the Holy Spirit? He also prays for us, comforts us, convicts us, guides us....
And the Father? He continually forgives us, provides for our needs, encourages our hearts, strengthens us day by day, and so much more.
Are not all these things acts of service?

How strange that the only one who truly deserves to be served, is the only one who is truly capable of serving.

God Himself is the Servant. We are simply His chosen instruments, that through us He might continually demonstrate His servant-heart.

The question is, do we want to be servants? Do we want to partner with our awesome God and let Him serve others through us?

During several years of chronic illness, my life has been pretty self-centered. I've been the needy one; I haven't had much energy for serving others. I confess that most of the time, I haven't even wanted to pray "Make me a servant." Until recently.

As the Lord has revealed more of His servant-heart to me, He's been changing my heart. I'm still not very good at living like a servant. But praise God, at least the desire is there. With Jesus living in me, I know He can take the desire to be a servant and turn it into a lifestyle.

Yes, Lord. Make me a servant.

Una Sierva

¿Alguna vez has cantado ese coro que dice “Hazme un Siervo”? Lo cantábamos mucho cuando yo era niña. Creo que, como tenía un muy pequeño concepto de lo que significaba ser siervo, por eso no me molestaba contarlo todo el tiempo.

A medida que me he ido haciendo mayor, mi comprensión de la servidumbre se ha expandido. Todavía, cada vez que leo Mateo 20:28, ¡mi mente se asombra!

“como el Hijo del Hombre no vino para ser servido, sino para servir, y para dar su vida en rescate por muchos” –Ma. 20:28

¿Cómo puede ser? ¿El Todopoderoso Dios del universo vino a servirnos? ¡Él creó ángeles poderosos! ¡Mantiene las galaxias en su lugar! Sin embargo, ¿se convirtió en siervo de pecadores indignos?

Mi cerebro no alcanza a captar la dimensión de esto.

Pero últimamente he empezado a darme cuenta de que Jesús no fue siervo solamente cuando estuvo en la tierra. No, Él continúa sirviéndonos. Está sentado a la diestra del Padre e intercede por nosotros.
¿Qué del Espíritu Santo? Él también ora por nosotros, nos consuela, nos convence, nos guía. . .
¿Y el Padre? Él constantemente nos perdona, provee para nuestras necesidades, anima nuestro corazón, nos fortalece cada día y, muchísimo más.

¿No son todas estas cosas actos de servicio?

Qué extraño que el único que verdaderamente merece ser servido, es el único verdaderamente capaz de servir.

Dios mismo es el Siervo. Nosotros somos simplemente Sus instrumentos escogidos; que a través de nosotros Él pueda constantemente demostrar Su corazón de siervo.

La pregunta es, ¿queremos ser siervos? ¿Queremos asociarnos con nuestro maravilloso Dios y permitirle servir a otros a través de nosotros?

Durante varios años de enfermedad crónica mi vida ha sido bastante egoísta. He sido la que está en necesidad; no he tenido mucha energía para servir a otros. Confieso que la mayor parte del tiempo, ni siquiera he querido orar “Hazme una sierva”, hasta hace poco.

A medida que el Señor me ha revelado más de Su corazón de siervo, ha estado cambiando mi corazón. Todavía no soy muy buena viviendo como sierva. Pero gracias a Dios por lo menos el deseo está. Con Jesús viviendo en mí, sé que Él puede tomar el deseo de ser sierva y convertirlo en un estilo de vida.

Sí, Señor. Hazme una sierva.

What We All Need (Lo que todos necesitamos)

2011-09-22T15:36:00.002-04:00

Don't you hate it when you do or say something without thinking (or acting in the flesh instead of the Holy Spirit), and you unintentionally hurt someone's feelings? You didn't mean to offend or wound them, but the damage has been done.

I really don't like those moments.

I would never intentionally wound someone I care about. But the fact remains that I am not perfect. I still sin. And as a result, at times I end up hurting people.

On the flip side, sometimes people I love unknowingly hurt my feelings. I try to remember that they didn't mean to, it was unintentional. But too often I hold others to an impossible standard. Especially when I view people as godly, mature Christians, I expect them never to mess up or make a mistake. But they are not perfect yet either. They still sin. And as a result, they sometimes wound me.

I think it would greatly improve our relationships if we could stay mindful of this concept - I still sin, you still sin.

Let's not expect ourselves or others to be perfect.
Let's be mentally prepared, knowing that hurt and conflict will happen.
Let's learn how to ask for, and extend to others, what we all need - Grace.

Grace says,
- I forgive you
- I won't hold this against you
- I love you regardless

Grace. What a wonderful gift!

In Christ, God has given us unlimited Grace. I pray we will keep learning how to receive and give Grace to each other. It's what we all need.

"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
-2 Corinthians 13:14

Lo que todos necesitamos

¿No te sientes muy molesto cuando haces o dices algo sin pensar (o actúas en la carne en lugar del Espíritu Santo), y sin querer hieres los sentimientos de alguien? No tenías la intención de ofenderlos o herirlos, pero el daño ya está hecho.

Realmente no me gustan esos momentos.

Nunca heriría intencionalmente a alguien que me importa. Pero sigue presente el hecho de que no soy perfecta. Todavía peco. Y como resultado, a veces termino hiriendo a la gente.

Por otro lado, a veces sin saberlo, la gente que quiero hiere mis sentimientos. Trato de recordar que no querían hacerlo. No era lo que pensaban, no fue intencional. Pero con demasiada frecuencia quiero que los demás mantengan un nivel muy alto, imposible de alcanzar. Especialmente cuando veo cristianos piadosos, maduros, espero que nunca estropeen una relación o cometan un error. Pero ellos todavía no son perfectos tampoco. Todavía pecan. Y como resultado, a veces me hieren.

Creo que mejorarían muchísimo nuestras relaciones si pudiéramos permanecer conscientes de este concepto – yo todavía peco, tú todavía pecas.

No esperemos que nosotros mismos, u otros, seamos perfectos.
Estemos mentalmente preparados, sabiendo que habrá heridas y conflictos.
Aprendamos a pedir, y extender a otros, lo que todos necesitamos - Gracia.

La gracia dice:
- Te perdono
- No haré nada contra ti,
- Te amo sin tomar esto en cuenta

Gracia. ¡Qué regalo tan maravilloso!

En Cristo, Dios nos ha dado gracia ilimitada. Oro que sigamos aprendiendo la forma de recibir y dar gracia a los demás. Es lo que todos necesitamos.

"La gracia del Señor Jesucristo, y el amor de Dios, y la comunión del Espíritu Santo sean con todos vosotros."
- 2 Corintios 13:14

Lone Ranger in Spanish

2011-09-15T11:50:00.002-04:00

Did you know that the Lone Ranger tv show also aired in Spanish? Pretty cool. =)

Today I'm including the Spanish translation of last week's Lone Ranger post.

Now that I'm caught up on the translations for recent posts, starting next week each post will be in both English & Spanish.

Thanks for your patience during this transition. =)

Adios amigos! =)

Sept. 9, 2011
El Llanero Solitario no estaba tan solo

Soy una gran admiradora del Llanero Solitario. Creo que he visto cada episodio por lo menos dos veces.

Probablemente hayas escuchado el dicho: “No hay cristianos llaneros solitarios”. Bueno, cualquier admirador verdadero te dirá que el Llanero Solitario en realidad no estaba solo.

Se le llamaba el llanero "solitario" porque fue el único llanero de Texas que sobrevivió a un cruel ataque de bandidos. Pero él sabía que no debía tratar de luchar solo contra la injusticia.

Tenía un compañero- Toro.
Tenía ayudantes – uno de ellos, su sobrino.
Contaba con apoyo - un banquero que cambiaba su plata por dinero en efectivo, y alguaciles y gobernadores que le daban cartas de recomendación para otros.
Sin mencionar que tenía un fiel corcel - Plata, sin el cual no podría haber cruzado la frontera o corrido en ayuda de los necesitados.

Ok, tal vez esta sea más charla sobre el Llanero Solitario de la que querías. =) Pero el principio que vemos en su historia es importante, y es algo que Dios ha enfatizado en Su Palabra.

Jesús envió a sus discípulos de dos en dos.
Pablo siempre llevó un compañero con él en sus viajes misioneros (y muchas veces ayudantes).
Los cristianos somos llamados “cuerpo” de Cristo, cada parte es necesaria para las demás.

Contrario a la opinión del mundo, necesitamos colaboración. Necesitamos ayudantes. Necesitamos apoyo. No puedo ser un show de una sola mujer. No puedes ser un show de una sola persona (o de una sola pareja de casados).

A pesar de que he escuchado esta verdad durante años, finalmente estoy comenzando a asimilarla.

Aunque va en contra de nuestro orgullo, creo que cualquier trabajo / ministerio que Dios quiere hacer a través de nosotros va a ser mejor, y vamos a estar mejor, cuando lo hacemos en colaboración con otros. Ese es el plan de Dios.

Así que creo que está bien ser un cristiano como el llanero solitario. Porque ahora sabes que el Llanero Solitario nunca cabalgaba solo. =)

"Y considerémonos unos a otros para estimularnos al amor y a las buenas obras." -Hebreos 10:24

Great News!

2011-09-13T15:26:00.002-04:00

Praise the Lord for my wonderful friend, Martha, who has agreed to translate my blog posts into Spanish! I'm very excited about this opportunity to encourage even more people! Praise God for the Body of Christ working together! It's a wonderful gift. =)

So if you have any Spanish-speaking friends, feel free to send them my blog address. You can let them know that each post in English will be followed by the Spanish translation.

Also, if you have Spanish friends who don't have internet access, feel free to print a copy of the post and share it with them.

Today I'm posting the Spanish translation of September 3rd's post - "Not To Us."

Thanks for reading my blog. I pray God will continue to use it to bless many.

In Christ's love,
-Joanna

No A Nosotros

Alguna vez has tenido muy grandes deseos de lograr algo por ti mismo, sólo para poder levantarte y gritar: "¡Lo hice!"

Así me siento yo a veces. Quiero sentirme bien conmigo misma. Deseo recibir el reconocimiento de los demás.

Pero me he dado cuenta que esto es realmente una forma de idolatría. Quiero tomar el crédito por algo. Quiero que la gente me alabe.

Pero ¡sólo Dios es verdaderamente digno de alabanza! Si trato de tomar el crédito por algo, estoy negándole la gloria que merece - eso es idolatría.

No sólo no merezco ninguna gloria, tampoco puedo hacer nada que valga la pena por mi cuenta. Jesús dijo: "separados de mí nada podéis hacer." (Juan 15:5 b)

Cuando trato de hacer cosas por mi cuenta, deshonro la gloria de Dios y me robo el gozo de dejar que Cristo actúe a través de mí.

A pesar de lo mucho que me encanta ver a Jesús vivir a través de mi vida, todavía a veces me siento atraída por esta tentación de actuar por mi cuenta. ¡Tal vez por eso es que Dios me da tan a menudo las tareas que no puedo hacer en mi propia fuerza!

Cuando estoy frustrada y queriendo golpear mi cabeza contra la pared, estoy aprendiendo más bien a caer de rodillas y orar, “no lo puedo hacer, Señor. ¿Lo harás a través de mí, por favor? ¡Yo te daré todo el crédito, la alabanza y la gloria! "

"No a nosotros, oh Jehová, no a nosotros sino a tu nombre da gloria...

Pero nosotros bendeciremos al Señor, desde ahora y para siempre.
¡Aleluya!" - Salmo 115:1,18
.

The Lone Ranger Wasn't So Alone

2011-09-09T18:34:00.001-04:00

I'm a big Lone Ranger fan. I think I've seen every episode at least twice.

You've probably heard the saying, "There are no Lone Ranger Christians." Well, any true fan will tell you that the Lone Ranger really wasn't alone.

He was called the "Lone" Ranger, because he was the only Texas Ranger who survived a cruel attack by outlaws. But he knew better than to try to fight injustice on his own.

He had a partner - Tonto.
He had helpers - his nephew for one.
He had support - a banker who exchanged his silver for cash, and sheriffs and governors who gave him letters of recommendation to others.
Not to mention, he had a trusty steed - Silver, without whom he never could have crisscrossed the frontier or raced to the aid of the needy.

Ok, maybe that's more Lone Ranger trivia than you wanted. =) But the principle we see in his story is important, and it's something God has emphasized in His Word.

Jesus sent His disciples out two by two.
Paul always took a partner (and often helpers) with him on his missionary journeys.
Christians are called Christ's "body," each part is necessary to the others.

Contrary to the world's opinion, we need partnership. We need helpers. We need support.
I cannot be a one-woman show. You cannot be a one-person show (or a one-married couple show).

Even though I've heard this truth for years, it's finally starting to sink in.

Though it goes against our pride, I believe that whatever work/ministry God wants to do through us will be better, and we will be better, when we do it in partnership with others. That's God's plan.

So I think it's fine to be a Lone Ranger-like Christian. Because now you know that the Lone Ranger never rode alone. =)

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." -Hebrews 10:24

Not To Us...

2011-09-03T18:04:00.001-04:00

Do you ever desperately want to accomplish something all by yourself, just so you can stand up and shout "I did it!"

I feel like that sometimes. I want to feel good about myself. I want to receive recognition from others.

But I've realized that this is actually a form of idolatry. I want to take credit for something. I want people to praise me.

But only God is truly worthy of praise! If I try to take credit for something, I'm denying Him the glory He is due - that's idolatry.

Not only do I not deserve any glory, I cannot do anything worthwhile on my own. Jesus said, "apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5b)

When I try to do things on my own, I dishonor God's glory and I rob myself of the joy of letting Christ act through me.

As much as I love watching Jesus live through my life, sometimes I'm still drawn to this temptation of acting on my own. Maybe that's why God so often gives me assignments that I can't possibly do in my own strength!

When I'm frustrated and feel like pounding my head against the wall, I'm learning instead to fall on my knees and pray, "I can't do it Lord. Will you please do it through me? And I will give YOU all the credit, praise, and glory!"

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory...

It is we who extol the LORD, both now and forevermore.

Praise the LORD." -Psalm 115:1,18
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The Presence

2011-08-20T17:54:00.001-04:00

"Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob."
-Psalm 114:7

How quickly I can forget that the Presence who created the universe, parted the Red Sea, and causes the earth to tremble, is right here, WITH ME.

"The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is with me; He is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies."
-Psalm 118:6-7

Words fail me....

Lord, help me live in light of your Presence.

"Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD."
-Psalm 89:15

Amen.

Epiphany

2011-08-05T11:55:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking...trying to reconcile complicated life situations with God's unchanging truth. Not having much success...until suddenly the Holy Spirit turned on the light and it made sense!

If the Lord is my Shepherd and I will not lack for anything...
(Psalm 23:1)

If the Lord withholds no good thing from the upright...
(Psalm 84:11)

If my God will meet ALL my needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus...
(Phil. 4:19)

If I shouldn't be surprised by painful trials...
(1 Peter 4:12)

If God works ALL things for good in my life...
(Rom. 8:28)

If ALL things are from God, and through Him and to Him...
(Rom. 11:36)

THEN - God will always give me exactly what I need in my life in order for Him to accomplish HIS eternal purposes!

...I will have the Health (or lack of it) that I need for God to accomplish His purposes.

...I will have the Finances (or lack of them) to accomplish God's purposes.

...I will have the Relationships (or lack of them) to accomplish God's purposes.

...I will have the Trouble (or lack of it) to accomplish God's purposes.

...I will have the Understanding/Kwowledge (or lack of it) to accomplish God's purposes.

on and on...

The purposes God desires to accomplish for us and through us are much bigger and broader than we usually expect. Thus, the tools He uses to accomplish His purposes are often not what we expect either.

This is so clearly illustrated in the life of Paul.

-He was beaten and put in prison - he was definitely lacking in some things, like freedom, water, food, sleep, etc. BUT he had exactly what He needed for God to accomplish His purpose of saving the jailer and his family. (Acts 16)

-He had an illness - definitely lacking in health in that moment. BUT he had the (lack of) health he needed in order to preach to the Galatians. (Gal. 4:13-14)

-He experienced a trial that made him despair of life - definitely lacking in hope and confidence. BUT he had the trouble he needed to learn dependence on God. (2 Cor. 1:8-10)

on and on...

This truth has been at work in my life all along. It just finally clicked with me. I may lack in things that are necessary and important, but I will never lack in what I need to see God's purposes accomplished.

The sovereignty of God rules over all.
He always gives us what we need, or He allows need to give us what is best.

I don't always understand God's purposes.
I don't always like the tools He uses to accomplish those purposes.

But I can rejoice in knowing that today, right now, I have all I need to see God's plan for me fulfilled.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." -2 Corinthians 9:8

Me-Attitudes

2011-07-13T15:31:00.002-04:00

Me-attitudes are different from beattitudes. But I think they are also important. =)

Me-attitudes are the attitudes I have toward myself, what I think about myself, how I see myself.

I noticed this week that many times I have a
- poor-me attitude
- sad-me attitude
- wimpy-me attitude

What I really should have is a
- I'm so thankful me-attitude
- I'm fully loved me-attitude
- I'm confident in God me-attitude

We all know attitude makes a big difference. I'm trying to pay better attention to the attitudes about myself that I'm carrying around. Because the wrong attitudes sure do weigh a ton.

Lord, help us to see ourselves as YOU see us. Give us me-attitudes that reflect your truth and bring you glory.
Amen.

What me-attitudes would you like to have this week?

Many Kindnesses

2011-07-08T15:54:00.001-04:00

"I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which He is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for [me]— yes, the many good things He has done for [me], according to His compassion and many kindnesses." -Isaiah 63:7

I don't think I speak often enough of the many kindnesses of the Lord toward me. I keep praying He will teach me how to live as the Psalmist did, who said, "My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long." (Ps. 71:8)

Today I want to remember and share with you some of the wonderful things God has done for me in the last few years.

- Three years ago God worked a miracle and I was approved for disability! With it, I was able to pay all my medical bills from the previous years, I finally had health insurance, and I receive a small monthly income.
This has been a huge blessing for me! And the Lord continues to faithfully provide for my needs.

- Almost two years ago, after "wandering" for more than a year, I was finally able to move back home! During my travels, some days I thought I'd never stop being allergic to our house. But the Lord kindly made a way, and I am SO thankful I can live at home again! =)

- A little more than one year ago, God worked a miracle in my heart and set me free from a lie that had caused bondage in my heart for almost 16 years! Without my health trial, I might never have recognized that deception. God kindly used suffering to bring freedom! Hallelujah! =)

- Seven months ago, God finally delivered my body from needing the Cortef medication that I'd been taking for over 7 years! I can tell you there were many months when I despaired of ever getting off that medicine. But the Lord worked a miracle, and I am Cortef-free! =)

These are only a few of the "many kindnesses" of the Lord toward me. Some days it's easy to forget how much He has done for me. Thank you for letting me "declare His splendor" and for rejoicing with me! =)

Blessings,
-Joanna

My Happy Place

2011-06-30T12:59:00.001-04:00

No, I'm not talking about the playground at MacDonalds. =)

For me the "happy place" is what some people call the "sweet spot of grace."
The place where David said "I sing in the shadow of your wings" (Ps. 63:7).
What Paul meant when he wrote "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation" (Phil. 4:12).

My "happy place" is where I find myself when God performs His miracle of grace in my spirit - so that my heart is truly happy in Him and I am "well content" with my circumstances, whatever they may be.

I wish I could say that I live here always. Unfortunately, sometimes my focus wanders and I become unahppy with my circumstances, wishing I was elsewhere, wishing I could change things that are beyond my control. It only takes a moment of wayward thinking to dislodge me from the "happy place." But thankfully, it only takes a moment of turning my eyes to Almighty God to bring me back "home."

I wish I could describe more eloquently what a precious gift it is to have this Refuge, this place of joy and gladness in my spirit, regardless of the storms that blow around me. But if you've ever been to your own "happy place" with God, then you know exactly what I mean. =)

Lord, thank you for the supernatural happiness you give us in You, completely apart from our circumstances. Please keep us in our "happy places" of trust and contentment, so that others might see how completely fulfilling you are!
Amen.

Gideon

2011-06-25T12:14:00.001-04:00

Have you read the story of Gideon lately? (Judges 6-7)

I think it's a story full of irony.
-God called Gideon a "mighty warrior" - even though Gideon was hiding in a winepress from enemy raiding parties.
-God told Gideon to tear down his father's altar to Baal - Gideon obeyed, but he did it at night because he was afraid of the townspeople.
-God told Gideon to lead Israel's troops - then God said, you have too many soldiers, send all but 300 of them home.
-Gideon overheard the enemies saying how afraid they were of him - when Gideon was the one who was afraid of everyone!

See what I mean? Ironic.

At the same time, this is a story full of grace.
-God appeared to Gideon and called him - though Gideon was the least important person in his family and the least likely leader.
-God told Gideon to go, but Gideon was afraid and kept asking for signs - God graciously gave him two specific signs.
-Even when Gideon was ready to fight, he still was unsure - God sent him to overhear a conversation of the enemy saying how afraid of him they were.
-When Gideon obeyed at last - God routed the enemy with ease.

Can you see the grace all over?

It's easy for me to judge Gideon's fear and need of constant reassurance. When I read this story, I think, "What a wimp!" But really, I'm just like Gideon. Ironic. Thankfully, God is still the same today in His approach to "wimps" as He was then. Grace.

Do you ever feel like a spiritual wimp instead of a "mighty warrior"? It's ok. God likes to choose us wimpy, unlikely people to be His "soldiers," so that He can display His grace - and so all of us will know that HE is the one who routes the enemy!

Hallelujah!

Pure Religion

2011-06-18T15:48:00.000-04:00

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being pulluted by the world." -James 1:27

I memorized this verse several years ago, and it comes back to my mind often.

I'm thankful to say that I have watched many people over the last 24 years who put this verse into practice by minstering to my mom and our family in our distresses.

I know what it is to be a father-less child, to rely on the kindness of others to help meet needs, and to see the love of the Father displayed through those with "pure religion."

What about me? What about you? What can we do demonstrate true religion to the orphans, the father-less, and the widows in our midst? We have been given so much. How can we share those blessings with others in need?

Our loving God wants to display His Father heart through us. This Father's Day, let's take a moment to pray for those who are without husbands and fathers. And let's ask God to enable us to live out Pure Religion, to His glory!
Amen.

Not to us...

2011-06-10T15:16:00.000-04:00

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness." -Psalm 115:1

"But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” -John 3:21

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." -2 Corinthians 4:7

"LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us." -Isaiah 26:12

Not to us, O Lord. We claim no glory for the good things you do through us. Thank you for using these jars of clay to display your awesome power and grace!

To God alone be the glory!

Compassionate God

2011-06-04T12:46:00.001-04:00

I was sitting in our backyard yesterday in the shade of our oak tree. The two mockingbirds who have a nest in the tree kept flying back and forth between the tree and the roof of the house. At one point, one of them came and perched on the lawn chair next to me and looked right at me. I figured they're just not used to having people in their "territory."

Then a few minutes later, I noticed a tiny rustle in the grass a few feet away. I looked closer and saw a little baby bird! He must have fallen out of his nest and was hiding in the tall grass. This explained why the parents were acting so nervous.

The poor little thing was so small and helpless, my heart just went out to him! I wanted to help him, but I knew there was really nothing I could do. If I got any closer the parents might attack me, and if I touched their baby then they would probably reject him.

So I did the only thing I could do. I prayed, "Lord Jesus, please take care of this little bird!" Then I left, hoping the parents would go feed him once I was gone. I kept thinking about him all night, hoping he was ok.

It's strange how in one moment a helpless, little bird completely captured my attention and filled my heart with compassion. I can't begin to imagine how much more God cares about me!

Isaiah 30:18 says,
"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion."

The compassion God has for us is infinitely greater than what we feel for others. Just like that baby bird, we are weak and helpless, but God LONGS to pour out His grace and love on us. He delights in showing us His compassion, in taking care of us, and loving us.

Just like the little bird, I'm on His mind and in His heart. And so are you.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." -Matthew 10:29-31

Words

2011-05-25T15:45:00.001-04:00

I love words...

- like a painter loves colors
- like a musician loves notes
- like a sculptor loves clay...

I love words because they instruct, encourage, challenge, and inspire.

I love rearranging words, combining words, and studying words.

I love it when God gives me His words - whether for an email, a journal, a poem, a chapter or a story.

I love the ancient words God gave His people centuries ago that are still blessing my life today.

And in those rare moments when there are no words, I love The Word - who knows all words, sees my heart, and loves me still.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." -John 1:1,14
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waiting...

2011-05-21T12:28:00.000-04:00

I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
-Psalm 27:13-14

Lead Me

2011-05-14T10:37:00.002-04:00

I realized this week that many times I feel "driven" to do something, like there's this pressure to do it now, no excuses - to take action, to accomplish a task, to complete a project.... But with my limited energy, there are a lot of things that I have to leave undone.

As I was praying about this, I believe God showed me that when I'm feeling "driven" to do something - that's probably coming from my flesh (sinful nature) or from the world's pressure. But when I'm feeling "led" to do something - that comes from God's Spirit and from my Shepherd.

I think this explains why I can do the very same task and sometimes feel stressed out about it, while other times I feel at peace and empowered to do it.

I don't want to be someone who is "driven" by my own voice or the noise of the world. Instead I want to listen to the Shepherd's voice and follow where He leads, knowing He will always enable me to do what He leads me to do.

I guess these days of limited energy are my "practice" time, learning how to listen and follow His leading in so many little ways. I pray I'll be ready for the day He leads me out of this little pasture into the broad fields beyond.

Lord, teach me to listen and follow. Lead me, faithful Shepherd.

"The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of His sheep...the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice." -John 10:2-4

Good books

2011-05-03T12:14:00.001-04:00

I've been enjoying reading a lot of different books lately.

A.W. Tozer is probably my favorite author, and I recently finished his book, "Pursuit of God," which is excellent. It's the kind of book I need to re-read at least once a year.

But I've also been reading "Seeking The Face Of God" by Gary Thomas and it's amazing! I read it several years ago and thought it was good, but I think I'm more ready now to appreciate its full impact.

He quotes many of the Christian classic writers, such as Fenelon, John of the Cross, Thomas A Kempis, etc. These Christians wrote centuries ago, yet they have so much insight that is lacking in our modern Christian culture.

So far the chapter topics have been things that are somewhat rare today - joyful surrender, cultivating the quiet, the value of humility, the sweet side of suffering....

I've been so moved, encouraged, convicted, and instructed by this book! If you can, I encourage you to get a copy and read it prayerfully. It's a feast for the soul.

I thank the Lord for godly men and women who put in the hard work, prayer, sacrifice, and perseverance necessary to write encouraging books!

What are you reading right now that is promoting change on the inside of you?

A Blessing

2011-04-29T13:12:00.002-04:00

When I was in college I went on a mission trip to Northern Ireland. One of my teammates had an interesting habit. Whenever anything difficult or bad happened, she'd just smile and say "What a blessing!"

* We get a flat tire - "What a blessing!"
* It pours rain - "What a blessing!"
* Our van was broken into and wallets stolen - "What a blessing!"

At the begining of the trip, most of us rolled our eyes whenever she said this. But gradually it began to affect us. By the end we were all saying it with her!

When I got home, I continued this habit...for a while. But eventually I reverted to my old habits of complaining or frustration. Ocassionally the Lord would remind me of this phrase and I'd try again to use it.

Then today I realized something - Jesus never had a bad attitude!
- not when He was mocked or persecuted
- not when His disciples did stupid things
- not when the Pharisees tried to "trap" Him into saying something wrong...

Jesus always had the perfect response to every situation. Maybe that's because He knew His Father is in control of all things. And living in the Father's care is always a "blessing."

Now, through Jesus, we have the same privilege as Jesus - to live in God's perfect care, love, acceptance and favor. Everything that happens to us comes through His gracious hands. And we even have Jesus living in us!

We have everything we need to be able to lay down our bad attitudes and to say at all times, in all things - "What a blessing!"

Will you join me? Let's start a "blessing" revolution! =)

"From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another." -John 1:16
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Overflowing...

2011-04-23T12:46:00.002-04:00

Lately I've been learning more about how powerful gratitude is. It seems it's the best remedy for just about every negative thought or attitude.

Maybe that's why God said to "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thess. 5:18)

Obviously thankfulness helps us combat complaining and grumbling. But I've also been seeing it work for -

- impatience: instead of wanting something NOW, give thanks that God knows the perfect timing for me.

- a critical spirit: rather than picking apart some thing or someone, thank God for it (or them) and for how He's working in and through it (or them)

- sorrow & grief: when my heart is breaking, thank my Father that He knows my pain, that He is my Healer, that my sorrow is only temporary because one day He will wipe away all my tears.

- worry: instead of fretting about things I can't change, give thanks that my Heavenly Father is in control of all things, and that HE can change anything!

These are just a few of the ways I've been trying to practice gratitude lately. I know it's so simple, I've heard it for years, but I thought it was just something I SHOULD do.

Now I think I'm finally beginning to see what a precious gift it is. Not that it's always easy, but when I do give thanks, it always brings good results in my heart and mind. Like God said in Psalm 50:23:

"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.”

Giving thanks honors God, but it also prepares our hearts for more of Him.

The passage about gratitude that continues to stand out in my mind is Colossians 2:6-7:

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

I don't want to just give thanks at meals or when someone reminds me I should. I want to OVERFLOW with thankfulness!

Lord, make it so. Amen.

Whatever you're experiencing today, I pray you'll have a joyful Easter, OVERFLOWING with gratitude to our Lord Jesus for His love and power!

Blessings,
-Joanna
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The "Right" Thing

2011-04-15T13:26:00.001-04:00

I love it when, by God's grace, I actually cooperate with Him and rely on His help to do the "right" thing.

Sometimes doing the "right" thing means choosing between what's "right or wrong." Other times it's deciding between "right or left." Either way, I believe God will always direct us in what HIS will is, through His Word, His Spirit, godly counsel, etc.

What are the benefits of doing the "right" thing?

Some specific times when I did the "right" thing, I -
- gained an unexpected but lifelong friend
- got an excellent Bible college education
- touched a life desperate for hope
- was freed from bitterness
- watched God do the impossible!

It isn't always easy to do the "right" thing. At times I've had to -
- humble myself instead of protesting my innocence
- take advice from that other person
- open my mouth when I was afraid to speak
- forgive though I never received an apology
- stand in faith, believing with God ALL things are possible!

Because of who He is, God will always give us the ability to do everything He asks us to do. And the cherry on top, is that then He blesses us with benefits we can't foresee from doing the "right" thing!

There's never been a single time when I've regretted doing the "right" thing. I guess that's why I love it when God helps me do it! =)

Whether you're facing a decision of "right or wrong" or of "right or left," I hope you'll remember (and you can remind me too) that -
The "Right" thing is always the right thing!

- What do you love about how God works in your life?
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Power

2011-04-06T13:24:00.001-04:00

Recently I was reading a publisher's blog, and he made the statement that unlike all the other forms of media, books can be life-changing. He commented that you never hear someone say "that movie (or TV show, CD, blog or twitter post, etc.) changed my life!" But you frequently hear people say, "that book changed my life!"

I heartily agree that books can change lives. I could list several books that had a life-changing impact on me. However, I think that all the other forms of media also change our lives, just not in the same way. Media like TV, music, & internet may not affect us immediately with a big punch, but they do have a very powerful cumulative effect.

How many movies have you watched in your lifetime? 217? 356? 1074?
We may not realize it, but all those movies (and songs, magazines, internet sites, etc.) , are communicating and reinforcing subtle messages. Depending on how careful we are about what we watch, read & listen to, we may be taking in all kinds of wrong thoughts - things like,
- when you find the "right" person, you'll be completely fulfilled and happy
- dishonesty and immorality are ok
- violence is justified
- disobedience and rebellion have no consequences
etc, etc, etc.

So while, reading one very good book can have a positive impact on our lives, often the cumulative effect of everything else we take in has a very negative impact on us, and we don't even realize it.

Jesus said, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)

Whatever we watch, read, or listen to becomes part of us, ultimately changing our thinking, our character and our actions. We don't see ourselves as evil, but if we keep 'storing up' evil things in our hearts, eventually they will overflow out of us.

I think it was Beth Moore who said that purity = power; no purity = no power.
God takes purity seriously, and purity starts with what comes in, not what goes out.

Lately the Lord has been continually pounding away on this theme of purity in my life. I wish I could go back 10 years and erase many of the things I allowed into my mind and heart. Instead, I'm asking God for strength to resist impure media and grace to 'store up' in my heart all the GOOD things He wants to fill me with.

So, by all means, let's keep reading those good, powerful, impacting books. But let's also resist the cumulative effect of stubtle, deceptive, worldly media.

I long to see God raise up a generation of Christians whose lives are Powerful in impact because of their pursuit of Purity.

Lord, let it begin with me.

"And this is my prayer: that...you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God."
-Philippians 1:9-11

Surrounded

2011-04-02T12:41:00.000-04:00

"Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds His people
both now and forevermore."
-Psalm 125:1-2

'Nuf said.
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The Desert

2011-03-26T13:24:00.001-04:00

Something that encouraged me this week was Luke 3:2, "the word of God came to John, son of Zechariah in the desert."

It's a simple verse, but it got me thinking. Where was John when the word of God came to him? I've learned that so often God speaks to us when we're in the "desert"!

Like Moses and the burning bush, the Israelites at Mount Sinai, Paul in the desert of Arabia, and even Jesus when He was tempted in the wilderness.

The "desert" is often a time of hearing from God. It's also a time of preparation for something greater that is coming.

Even though the desert is lonely, barren, difficult, exhausting...it's part of God's plan for us.

The Lord wants to speak to you in your desert. He wants to reveal more of Himself to you. He is preparing you for something grand, something He can only accomplish through you after you have walked through the burning sand and the scorching wind.

The desert is the road to the fruitful harvest.

I hope that encourages you today like it encouraged me! In everything you're going through, God is right there with you. And He has a good purpose for all things, even the desert.

Fragrance

2011-03-17T12:20:00.000-04:00

What's your favorite smell?
To me the best smell in the whole world is horse.
Yep, you read that right. I love the way horses smell!

Now, most people think I'm crazy. They think horses smell like dust, dirt, hay, etc. But any horse lover will tell you that horses have a special fragrance all their own.
I love to stand right next to a horse and breathe in their rich, earthy aroma. It always leaves me with a smile and a sweet sigh of contentment.

In 2 Corinthians Paul wrote,
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life." (2 Cor. 2:14-16)

To God, the best smell in the world is the life of His Son, Jesus. And God has chosen to use us to spread that divine fragrance.
However, just like non-horse people think horses stink, so non-God-fearing people will often think we stink. To them we are the 'smell of death.'
But not to worry. Other people will smell in us the 'fragrance of life.'

A horse doesn't worry about how it smells. It doesn't put on perfume or use scented lotion. It just lives as a horse. Those who love horses appreciate the smell. Others don't.

I think in the same way, we shouldn't worry and fret about how people perceive our 'smell.' As we focus on just knowing Christ, He will spread His divine fragrance through us, attracting some, repelling others.

I pray that those who do come, will be able to breathe deeply of Christ in us, and be left with a smile and a sweet sigh of contentment.

Question: What do you think Jesus 'smells' like?
(See John 1:17 for my opinion.)

my heart

2011-03-09T16:01:00.004-05:00

"I love the LORD, for He heard my voice" (Ps. 116:1)

"We love (God) because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19)

"I love you, O LORD, my strength." (Ps. 18:1)

"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy" (1 Pet. 1:8)

"Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." (John 21:17)

Yes Lord, I love you! You have my heart.
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Happiness

2011-03-04T12:13:00.002-05:00

Today I thought I'd post an excerpt from my book ("Grace In Time Of Need"). This chapter is about something I need to be reminded of often.
I hope it will be an encouraging reminder for you today too.
Blessings,
-Joanna

Happiness

When I was a kid, we used to sing a song about happiness that went something like…Happiness is catching a firefly, eating a pizza, five shiny marbles…. I guess as children it’s easy to find happiness in little things like fireflies and marbles.

I was a cheerful, optimistic kid, always seeing the rainbow in the storm clouds. Time and circumstances can change us though. After several years of non-stop trial, with no light at the end of the tunnel, I eventually lost all optimism. I had to work hard to find any cheer. Not that I wanted to be a gloomy, pessimistic person, but continual pain and hardship take their toll on everyone, even natural optimists.

One day I looked up and realized I couldn’t remember the last time I was happy – not just cheerful, but really, truly happy. It kind of scared me. I had concluded years before that God’s main goal for me wasn’t that I’d be happy but that I’d be transformed to be more like Jesus. I had accepted that. I knew pursuing happiness above all else results in more misery. Still, something inside me mourned that my life had gone by for so long without experiencing happiness.

For me, happiness was always connected with my circumstances. But if that’s what made me happy, I knew I’d have to say good-bye to happiness for a long time because my circumstances weren’t going to change any time soon.

One week as I read through Psalms, it seemed every Psalm had some reference to being glad. I was used to verses telling me to rejoice and praise God – that I could do, by His grace. Now I saw those other words, the ones telling me to be glad. That stopped me in my tracks. I actually tried to ignore it. Still, every day I read a Psalm, and every day there it was – God’s Word telling me to be glad!

"Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!" (Ps. 32:11)

I couldn’t take it anymore. I said, “Lord, you know how awful my circumstances are. I’ve accepted them as part of your sovereign plan. I’ve even given thanks for what you’re doing through them. I’ve experienced your peace and joy, knowing that I’m in your hands. But, please don’t ask me to give up my “right” to be sad. Please don’t ask me to be glad in the midst of this!”

I didn’t hear any audible response to my plea, and I continued to struggle in my heart. At last I told God that if He wanted me to be glad, He’d have to do it because I just couldn’t.

Later that week I was at the beach. As I stared out at the waves, I saw a group of dolphins close to shore. It looked like they were body-surfing. They would jump as a wave crested and “ride” it in before going under again. They seemed to be having so much fun! It was incredible! I know dolphins are supposed to be friendly, fun-loving creatures, but I’d never seen anything like this before.

Then I heard God whisper, “Can’t you be like those dolphins? Can’t you be happy in the ocean of my love?”

I began to cry. I had been mourning so much over my painful circumstances that I’d missed God calling me to a deeper level of happiness than I had ever experienced. 1 Peter 1:8 says, "Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy...." Even though we can’t see Jesus, we know Him. And knowing Him is the only source of inexpressible joy – of gladness – of genuine and lasting happiness.

I believe God does want us to be happy, but not with the shallow earthly happiness we experience from pleasant circumstances. He wants to give us His heaven-sent happiness – the kind that comes from knowing Him closely. His happiness comes from realizing that, like the dolphins, though we still have troubles, we are surrounded by an ocean of God’s love! Nothing can ever change that. So nothing can ever take away our happiness in Him.

"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." (Ps. 90:14)
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LOVE

2011-02-14T12:23:00.004-05:00

I confess, Valentines Day is not one of my favoite holidays. But this year I took some time to think through all the verses I know by memory about God's love. Let me tell you, it was a beautiful exercise!

God has told us so many times, over and over again, about His love -- His unfailing, everlasting, unconditional, surpassing, satisfying, perfect...(there are more adjectives in the Bible, but I'll stop with those)...LOVE!

Perhaps if we spent a little more time meditating on His love for us, we wouldn't spend quite so much time unconsciously looking for other things to satisfy our hearts.

And when we come to that place where we have nothing else, perhaps our eyes will finally see that God's Love is truly all we need.

I could never say it better than George Matheson, in the words of one of my favorite hymns:

"O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be."

Happy Valentines Day, my friends. You are dearly loved!

Blessings,
-Joanna

Signs

2011-02-04T12:52:00.002-05:00

As human beings, corrupted by the sinful nature, faith does not come naturally to us. It is only a supernatural act of God that enables us to believe in things we cannot see.

Faith is "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Heb. 11:1) At the same time, I think God often gives us 'signs' to confirm, strengthen, and encourage our faith.

For me, there are three basic 'signs' that I love to remember.

1) Creation is the sign of God's existence.
Anyone who spends even a few minutes studying nature must soon conclude that the vastness and intracacies of creation never could have just "happened." There must be a Creator who designed and made all these marvelous things!

Paul expressed this idea that God's existence is evident in His creation in the book of Romans.
"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Rom. 1:20)

Whenever you feel doubts creep in and wonder if God is there, just step outside and look around. You will see everywhere the sign of His existence.

2) The cross is the sign of God's love for us.
Also in Romans, Paul wrote this:
"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8)

Only a powerful, divine love could have kept Jesus on that cross...taking my punishment, enduring the pain I deserved, laying down His life for me.

If I ever start to feel like maybe God doesn't love me, all I have to do is look at the cross. There I see the greatest possible sign reminding me that, indeed, I am deeply loved.

3) The resurrection is the sign of God's goodness.
In 1 Corinthians Paul wrote,
"If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men." (1 Cor. 15:19)

If this life is all there is, then we can easily argue that God is not good. There's too much pain, heartache, injustice, and suffering in this world to justify a good God.

But the resurrection is our guarantee that this is just a temporary residence. For those of us who know Jesus as our Savior, we have the promise of an eternity of perfection with Him! The resurrection reminds us that one day God will make all things right. Every injustice will be taken care of, every evil destroyed.

In light of Jesus' resurrection, death is no longer an enemy, but a gift. Because of the resurrection, we are not stuck in this sin-cursed world forever. We won't just "disappear" when our bodies die. No, we will be brought into a new life - we will be made perfect!

The message of the resurrection often leads me to weep with joy! It is so full of meaning and gives us many precious promises to hold onto.

Anytime you wonder about God's goodness, spend a few minutes meditating on the resurrection. I guarantee it will completely change your outlook!

I think it is incredibly gracious of God to give us different 'signs' to remind us of what we know is true, to encourage us to press on in faith.

In Psalm 86:17 David wrote,
"Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me."

Daivd didn't ask for a sign for himself. No, he had already received God's help and comfort by faith. Instead he asked that God would give a 'sign' for his enemies to see.

Those who don't know Jesus have many of the same 'signs' we do - creation, the Bible, etc. But perhaps what they need is one more 'sign' - again described by Paul.

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory...." (2 Cor. 3:18a)

Read that verse again slowly.

We are a 'sign' to others of God's glory! Isn't that an amazing thought? Praise God for this awesome privilege!

May you be encouraged today by the 'signs' God has given you. And may you be a 'sign' to those around you of our glorious God!

Question:
What other 'signs' have you seen that encourage your faith in various aspects of God's character and work?
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Satisfied

2011-01-10T12:58:00.001-05:00

Psalm 63 is one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible. I read it often and continue to pray that God will make my heart more like David's.

Today when I read this passage once again, the Lord directed my attention especially to the concept in verse 5.

"(v.3) Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you... (v.5) My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you."

David's soul was satisfied in the love of God, "as with the richest of foods".

To me this presents a picture of someone so "stuffed" from a good meal that they couldn't possibly eat another bite. They are so full that they don't want or need anything more.

Am I that way with God?
Am I so full of His love for me that there's not even a single empty crevice inside me?
Am I truly satisfied in Him so there's nothing left in me crying for somethig else to satisfy me?

Honestly, this seems impossible to me. But Jesus said, "With God all things are possible." (Matt.19:26)

So...
I don't have to be healthy...to be satisfied in my soul.
I don't have to be married...to be satisfied in my soul.
I don't have to be productive...to be satisfied in my soul.
and on and on...

My soul can be satisfied - completely full and overflowing - in the love of my God.

Oh Lord, make it so.
Amen.

the Changer

2010-11-30T11:56:00.002-05:00

In John White's series, "The Archives of Anthropos" (similar to the Chronicles of Narnia books), he talks about the "Unchanging Changer" - his description of God.
I loved this concept when I read the books, but I don't think it really hit me until today.

- Only GOD can change things...anything, all things. -

I think intellectually I knew I couldn't change circumtances, but somehow I was still trying to change others, to change myself, to "change the world."

The reality is I can't change circumstances.
I can't change other people.
I can't even change myself.

Oh, I can try. I can exert my willpower and do things a little differently for a period of time. But I can't truly CHANGE myself.
Only GOD can change me. Only God can change my circumstances. Only God can change other people.

Isn't it fascinating that the only person who can change things is the One who never changes?

On the one hand this concept is frustrating. I have to learn to accept this truth - I can't change a thing.
On the other hand, this is freeing - I can ask God to change all things! -- me, circumstances, other people...anything!

And I can trust Him to change what HE wants to change in the way HE wants to change it and in the time HE wants to change it.
He has been patiently working over years and years to change me. He will continue patiently working to change other people over the years. He will change circumstances as He knows is best.
And one day He will make everything right and there will be no more need for change ever again! Hallelujah!

The Unchanging Changer is our Rock, our Hope, our GOD.
Amen.

Not Now

2010-11-03T12:38:00.003-04:00

Don't you love it when God gives you one of those "Aha!" moments? I had one just this morning.

I was reading a passage I've probably read a hundred times before, but this time a verse jumped out at me.

“You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

How many times have you asked God,
"What are you thinking?"
"Why would you do this?"
"What's going on here?"

Did you know He already gave you this answer? “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

You might be surprised to know where I found this verse. It's from John 13, when Jesus was washing the disciples' feet. Peter refused to let Jesus wash his feet. That's when Jesus said, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Instead of saying, "Ok, I trust you," Peter came up with a better idea - wash all of me!

Don't we do the same thing? When we don't understand something God is doing, we refuse to submit to the Lord, or we tell Him we have a better plan.

In those times when God doesn't make sense, what does He desire from us?
Trust
Submit
Do it His way
Trust

That's what Jesus wanted from Peter. I believe that's what He wants from us.

I don't think this verse is necessarily a promise that we'll always get an explanation from God or always understand what He's doing. But I do think it gives us a helpful principle. Many times God asks us to trust Him Now. And to wait for understanding to come later.

And when it comes, we'll know that it was worth the wait. =)

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Engaged

2010-10-04T16:29:00.002-04:00

...Before you start doing cartwheels, this post is not about a marriage engagement.

This post is about being engaged - fully present - in where we are, what we are doing, and who God is...RIGHT NOW.

I believe it was Jim Elliot who said, "Wherever you are, be all there."
This is a phrase that has stuck with me through many years. It's something I aspire to, yet something that seems so elusive, so difficult to put into practice.

At present, my reality is the four walls of this room. About once a week I leave the house to go to the doctor. Otherwise, my life is inside. It is small. It is hard to be all HERE. I'd rather take a trip down memory lane, to better days. Or dream about the future and what possibilities it might hold.

Yet, HERE, in this place, is where God has put me. This is where He wants me to be. This is where I need to be engaged. If there is a secret to consistently living life this way, I haven't found it yet. But I'm trying to start with this verse:
"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Ps. 118:24)

I know my Lord has the best plan for me. I know I am exactly where He wants me to be. I know He always does what is good.

So here I am. Rejoicing in today.

Proud Aunt

2010-10-02T18:05:00.003-04:00

Have I ever mentioned that I have the most adorable nieces and nephews in the world? =) They're also SO sweet to their Aunt Joanna! They pray for me, and draw me pictures, and just cheer me up with their tender hearts!
Here are some pictures of a few of them.

unshakable

2010-07-16T11:49:00.002-04:00

Hebrews 12:22-24 says,
"But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel."

This is what is waiting for us. This is our heavenly home. This is a picture of eternity.
Some days more than others, I need to be reminded of this.
Right now, we live with problems, unrest, uncertainties...a world that is shaking. But it is only temporary. Praise God a better day is coming!

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." -Heb. 12:28

let it rain...

2010-06-30T12:18:00.003-04:00

Hebrews 6:7 says,
"Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of the God."

When I read this verse, I picture myself as the land. And my trials are the rain. Do I "drink in" the trials? Do I let them soak into my soul as something useful that will produce a crop? Or do I resist them, causing the water to "run off" and be inefffective in my life?

Honestly, I don't want to "drink in" the rain. But this verse says the land that does so is the land that produces a crop and receives the blessing of God. We already have every spiritual blessing in Christ. But maybe we don't experience them all when we're resisting the rain.

Do you remember the scene in "The Emperor's New Groove" with the waterfall? Cuzco and Pancha are tied to a tree trunk that's floating down the river. Pancha says, "Uh oh."
Cuzco is in the back and can't see, but he knows what's coming. "Don't tell me, we're about to go over a big waterfall?"
"Yep."
"Sharp rocks at the bottom?"
"Most Likely."
Then Cuzco says, "Bring it on!"

I'm not sure I'm able to say "Bring it on!" but I do want to be land that willingly "drinks in" the rain that God sends me.
By His grace, I know He'll produce the fruit in me.
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My Prayer

2010-06-12T12:42:00.002-04:00

"You have granted him the desire of his heart...Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken." -Psalm 21:2, 6-7

This is my prayer - that the desire of my heart would always be to be glad with the joy of His presence and to TRUST in His unfailing love.

Think About It

2010-04-09T13:17:00.001-04:00

You've probably heard the statement "You don't know what you've got until it's gone." I think this is sad, yet true.

But have you ever considered the following statement?
You don't know what you don't know until someone tells you.

That's something I've been pondering lately.

You've probably also heard that "ignorance is bliss." Whoever said that clearly didn't know what they didn't know. Most of the time ignorance is actually harmful.

If no one had ever told you about Jesus and you were completely ignorant of His forgiveness and love, would you be living in bliss? Not hardly.
If no one ever told you that sugar is harmful to your body (causes inflamation, contributes to fungus growth, etc.), your mind might be blissful without that knowledge, but your body would still suffer the consequences.

So what's the point of thinking about these statements?

Learn to be a better listener. Be eager to learn new things.
(And feel free to tell me something I don't know.) =)

You might be surprised at what you don't know.

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Champions

2010-03-04T12:35:00.001-05:00

I really enjoyed watching the Olympics the last couple of weeks. It's always exciting to see people overcoming obstacles, working hard, and finally achieving their goal of winning a medal. I guess we all think there's something special about champions.

At the same time, I honestly cannot imagine devoting my life to a sport. Some of those athletes train up to 10 hours a day, every day, for years. They sacrifice all kinds of things in order to become the best at what they do. I can admire that kind of dedication, but it saddens me somewhat that it's all in pursuit of a sport.

Yet, most of those athletes put the rest of us to shame. They have a greater love and passion for something inanimate and irrelevant in view of eternity, than we often have for our awesome God.

I've been thinking about what it is exactly that makes them champions. I think the answer is that they in essence lay down their will daily. They die to their lesser desires in order to pursue their greatest desire. That is what enables them to work longer and concentrate harder than other people who give in to those lesser desires for relaxation, more sleep, unhealthy foods, etc.

Many times I've thought that I'd like to have the heart of a champion. But I just don't have the kind of drive and ambition for anything on this earth that it takes to be the best at something. However, after seeing things in this new light, I think God also wants me to have a champion's heart. He wants me to daily lay down my will to Him, dying to my own self-centered desires, and to have a greater love and passion for HIM than for anything else.

That's not something I can somehow "work up" on my own. It's something God has to work in me. Remember what Paul said in Romans 8:37? He said we are "more than conquerors" - how? "through HIM who loved us."

Through our own efforts or hard work, we still cannot be overcomers or conquerors. But through JESUS living in us, empowering us, I believe we can all be great Champions!

Vaentine's

2010-02-13T19:10:00.002-05:00

For us single people, Valentine's Day can be either very depressing - "I still haven't met that special someone..." - or it can be encouraging - "I have so many friends and people who love me! Not to mention the love of GOD!"
Personally, I prefer the second option. =)
The world has turned Valentine's Day into a commercial holiday all about cards, candy, and cute teddy bears for your "sweetheart." Not that promoting romance is a bad thing in itself. I think it's just too easy to focus only on that and forget about the true source of ALL love - God Himself.
I John 4:8 says "God is love." If God were not loving, I believe none of us would know anything about love. All love starts with God. John also said that we love God because He first loved us. I think it's also true that we love others and they love us, because God first loved us. Without God's love poured out on us, there would be no Valentine's Day, only "buy someone a teddy bear" day. =)
Because of this, I think it's only fair that God get more of the attention on Valentine's day.
In Ephesians 3:17-19 Paul wrote, "I pray that you...may have power...to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that supasses knowledge...."
The love of Jesus is beyond our complete comprehension, and yet Paul prayed we would know more about it. Oh how blessed we are to have the LOVE of GOD that is more wonderful and gigantic than we could ever imagine!
This Valentine's I hope you'll take a few minutes to think about what this world would be like without love. Then take lots of time to thank God for HIS love and for being the source of all love.
Happy Valentine's Day! God loves you!

7 Day Feast

2010-01-24T11:33:00.002-05:00

Yes, you read that right. I said Feast, not Fast.
With the start of a new year many people are doing a fast, and I think that's great. Unfortunately not everyone is physically able to fast. (Though I have fasted from things besides food, like TV, computer, etc.)

Last week I read these words of Jesus:
"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." -Luke 6:43-45

After reading this passage, I prayed, asking God to help me to store up good things in my heart. That's when He gave me the idea of a Spiritual Feast. It's so easy to let all kinds of things crowd into our lives and only have a little time to spend with God each day. Without realizing it, we often end up storing bad things in our hearts, not good things. Maybe instead of cutting something out of our lives, we need to put more good things in!

I think a spiritual Feast would mean taking little moments throughout the day (in addition to our daily quiet time) to stop and read a Psalm, or a verse in Proverbs or another book of your choice; spending a few minutes listening to worship music instead of the news or weather; praising God for some of His attributes while waiting in line or traffic; being still and quiet to listen for His gentle voice instead of filling the air with meaningless noise.

There are many possibilities for this Feast. Be creative. Just seek an attitude of 'How can I Feast on God this week? How can I fill each day with God's truth, an awareness of His presence, His thoughts and attitudes?' I know He'll guide us. He longs for us to be close to Him and to store up His goodness in our hearts!

So will you join me in a 7 Day Spiritual Feast? I know there will be obstacles and difficulties. For most people it's a lack of time. For me the problem isn't time, but limited physical and mental energy. I'm praying God will help me for the next 7 days to spend the little energy I have drawing near to Him, feasting on HIS goodness, enjoying His presence. I'm excited to see what a difference it will make. As I store up His goodness in my heart, I hope to see it overflow out of my life!

Happy Feasting! =)

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T15:18:00.003-05:00

2009 - What a year!
Yep, 2009 was a remarkable year - full of really bad things, and really good things.

From January to September I lived in 7 different "homes," traveled from FL to MO, to AZ, to ID, back to MO, then finally back to FL. I don' think I've ever traveled so many miles in one year.

Bad things - being "homeless," having to sleep in the car, running from smoke, asphalt, pesticide aerial spraying, more fires and smoke, herbicide, etc. Also, having trouble breathing, going to the ER, getting worse physically, etc.

Good things - getting to see family & friends I hadn't seen in years (in AL, MO, AZ, ID, NE, MT, etc.). Also getting to visit Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon.
- God's provision through every hardship, the love of His people, and His comforting presence.
- making new friends, writing a book, coming home again!

As you can see the good clearly outweighs the bad here. =) Praise be to God!

So now it's a new year - 2010. I wonder what this year will hold? I hope there won't be as many bad things as last year, but as long as there are plenty of good things, how can I complain?

Some of my goals this year are
1) to keep working hard on my health and Lord-willing see major improvements
2) to keep writing, as God leads and directs
3) to raise greater awareness about Environmental Illness

As part of working toward goal #3, I've written a "Frragrance-Free" Challenge for you all on my other blog. I hope you'll check it out and give it a try! =)

http://supereigirl.blogspot.com/2010/01/2010-fragrance-free-challenge.html

2010, here we come! =)
I wish you a wonderful & Happy New Year!

Grace & peace in Christ,
-Joanna

Happy Birthday Jesus!

2009-12-26T14:00:00.002-05:00

Well, I wasn't on the computer at all yesterday, so this post is a day late, but I still wanted to say Merry Christmas!
I didn't really get to do any of the usual Christmas activities this year. (Though we did get to put a tree up, thankfully that's one thing I wasn't allergic to this year!) =) Even without all the normal fun things, I tried to remember I could still celebrate Christmas in my heart.
When we lived in Colombia we had an unusual Christmas celebration. Our fake tree was about 2 feet tall, not much room for decorations. December is dry season where we lived so the weather was in the 80's & 90's. We got one trip to town in Dec. for our shopping, that's it. Neighbors shot off fireworks on Christmas Eve, etc. All those things were different from what would be considered 'normal' here. But honestly, those Christmases in Colombia were my favorite.
Christmas, after all, isn't the trimmings & trappings, (as the Grinch would say). It's a special day to remember that Jesus came to be Immanuel - God with us. I'm thankful for that truth every day!
So with or without all the fun activities, I can still say Happy Birthday, Jesus!

my book...

2009-11-25T12:42:00.003-05:00

Ok, it's official - the book is on its way to the printers! Praise the Lord!
This book has been a work of God's grace from beginning to end. He is so amazing!
Anyway, the book is called "Grace In Time Of Need - Encouragement For Those Who Are Suffering."
It has 52 devotionals and also includes several poems and some photographs from all my travels over the last year. I've copied out some excerpts below. I hope you enjoy reading them. =)
Ordering information is at the bottom of this post. Please feel free to tell others about it if you think they'd be interested. I'm relying on word of mouth to promote it since my publisher doesn't do advertising or marketing. Thanks & enjoy!

from “Never Say Good-bye”

... In His grace, God has made suffering a place of deeper communion with Jesus. We can experience that communion because Jesus is always with us. In every moment of pain, we can cry out to Him. With every breath of air, in each moment of peace, we can thank Him. We can listen to His voice and know He’s holding our hand. We can go to sleep confident He will hold us. We can wake up to His presence and to mercies new each morning. The best part of all is that we will never, ever have to say good-bye to Him! ...

from “A Sponge”

... God knows that I’m made of dust. (Ps. 103:14) I don’t think He ever gets tired of reminding me He loves me. Love is patient, after all. It’s not a bother to Him to repeat His promises over and over. He’s already repeated them from Genesis to Revelation. And His resources are unlimited. He can use any number of ways to send me encouragement again and again. I may be a porous sponge, always leaking out the encouragement God pours in and never getting quite full, but I know He will never stop pouring into me all that I need and more. ...

from “He Knows”

... Whatever situation I’m in, even though my circumstances may be different than His, I’m learning that Jesus truly does know. He can sympathize and share in my pain. That’s probably why Paul talked about the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings. (Phil. 3:10) In every hardship, we can find some common ground with Jesus. We can let Him take us a little deeper into knowing His heart and understanding what He went through – all for love of us. ...

from “Blessed”

... What better method does God have for drawing us near to Him than through suffering? It is through pain, hardships, and affliction that God draws us closer to His heart. We’re not being punished – we’re being invited! Granted, it’s not an enjoyable process, but the end result of closer fellowship with God is certainly worth it. ...

Ordering Info. -
You can order this book at the Deeper Roots website (Deeperroots.com). Just copy this address into your web browser to go right to my book -
http://www.deeperroots.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/24_37/products_id/732?osCsid=ca66bc409b39b7e01e1b896024cbaf5f

=)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T12:31:00.002-05:00

"...give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." -Psalm 100:4b-5

I love this holiday! I think it's my favorite (or maybe tied with Christmas). I love the simplicity and sincerity of Thanksgiving.
I have a lot of things to be thankful for this year. It would take more time than I have to write them all out. So instead I've got a "Top 10" list.

The Top 10 things I'm thankful for in 2009:
#10. 2000 Honda Accord - my "home" away from home for many months this year.
#9. Grace Livingston Hill (it's a long story) =)
#8. my digital camera
#7. all the doctors and treatments that have helped me this year
#6. being home again!
#5. the wonderful opportunity to write a book!
#4. the incredible privilege of leading a friend to the Lord
#3. the Family of God - especially all their love, encouragement & prayers for me this past year
#2. my amazing mom!
#1. God's grace that never fails!

There you have it folks! =)

I hope you have a wonderful celebration of giving thanks to our awesome God for all He has done, is doing, and will do!
God bless,
-Joanna

My new blog...

2009-11-22T18:25:00.003-05:00

Hey there, just wanted to let you know about my new blog - Super E.I. Girl!
It's going to be specifically about information, stories, and struggles that come from living with Environmental Illness. "Super E.I. Girl!" is my super-hero name. =) Well, I'm not exactly a super-hero, but it does take some special abilities to live with this disease, namely a sense of humor, a wonderful caregiver, and lots of God's grace! =)
Anyway, one reason I'm doing this is to help raise awareness about Environmental Illness. It's what I call the "invisible epidemic." Studies show that around 20% of the population are affected by sensitivity to everyday chemicals. Several hundred thousand people in the US are affected by E.I., even if some of them don't know there's a name for it. I hope this new blog will be helpful for anyone with E.I. but also for the many people who have no idea what a real and difficult disease it is.
Anyway, I hope you'll check it out from time to time.
Here's the link: http://supereigirl.blogspot.com/
May you day be healthy and joy-filled!
Because of Jesus,
-Joanna

It's done!

2009-11-21T15:33:00.001-05:00

Praise the Lord! I finished the book! It never would have happened without so many people praying and my mom's wonderful help. =)
Now, Lord-willing it'll be ready for publishing in about 2 weeks I think...thanks to my awesome publisher - U. Howard. =)
Excerpts and ordering information coming soon....

home at last!

2009-09-27T12:42:00.002-04:00

Yes, believe it or not I'm finally HOME! I've actually been here for a little over 2 weeks, but the first several days were pretty rough as I was still having problems with the house. Thankfully the new allergy treatment we learned in ID has helped tremendously! So now I'm somewhat settled in the guest bedroom (my bedroom still has a faint paint fragrance - hopefully we can finish airing it out once the weather turns a little drier & cooler).
After 14 months of "wandering" I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be at home once again! It was a crazy time, not without its benefits, but definitely something I hope I never have to experience again. God knows.
While you may think my situation was extraordinary, it actually isn't unique. There are hundreds of thousands of people in this country who are sick with similar problems to mine (a condition now known as "Environmental Illness"), and many of them cannot live in normal houses. I personally know several people who have gone through experiences similar to me, some even worse. One lady lived out in the woods of Montana for several months. Another friend of mine slept in his aunt's backyard in a sleeping bag for many months because he couldn't be inside without getting sick. One of my friends has about 6 air purifiers in her apt just so she can keep breathing. The stories go on....
So even though I'm home now, my heart is still thinking about those people who can't go home, who are still looking for answers, still struggling to survive in a toxic world. I'm hoping to share more thoughts and infomation about this as I have strength and energy. Maybe just promoting awareness will help somehow.
We have so much to be thankful for, so much we take for granted. If you're living in a house and not in a car or on the street - be thankful for your home! I know I am!
Sincererly,
-Joanna

almost home...

2009-09-08T18:44:00.006-04:00

Yes, I'm finally on my way home! It's been a crazy summer, but not without its good points. I enjoyed seeing old friends again and also seeing more of the country. Thought I'd share a few pix from my wild trip out west this summer. =) Enjoy!

AZ cactus

Mountains around Tucson

me being a tourist. =)

red rocks of Sedona, AZ

me at the Grand Canyon

I'm so glad we got to visit the Grand Canyon! It was great!

Me, mom, and another moose (this one was in ID).

Lake Cur D'Alane, ID.

Some hot springs in Yellowstone.

Big buffalo!

Me & the Yellowstone buffalo. =)

We spent a short day driving through Yellowstone, beautiful scenery!

Sunflowers in our friends' garden in Montana.

There were lots of horses in Montana, these two were quite friendly.

I got a real cowgirl hat in WY! =)

They have statues of moose everywere in the northwest. This one was in WY. Very interesting materials....

This beauty was growing in a pot on my friend's porch in Omaha.

Mom and the Shad Welsh family in southern NE.

My friend Katie was definitely the most beautiful sight in Nebraska! =)

This field of sunflowers was huge! with wild sunflowers right in front...

God's creation is amazing! Now it's back to flat FL...at least it's home. =)

ages...

2009-08-03T20:43:00.004-04:00

Wow, it's been forever since I've posted. The summer is almost gone....
Anyway, there's no way I can catch up the last 4 months. Suffice it to say I survived and God is still Good and Faithful! =)
Here's a few pix. =)

My 30th birthday in Sedona, AZ.

The Tucson desert in bloom.

My beautiful sis and adorable nieces who came to visit last week!

a few pix

2009-03-02T19:27:00.000-05:00

March already?

2009-03-02T19:19:00.001-05:00

Wow, so I totally missed posting in the month of February...mainly due to no internet connection for 3 weeks and then major health crises for another 3 weeks...oh well, such is life, eh?
Hopefully I'll do better at posting this month, we'll see. =)

2009

2009-01-31T21:03:00.002-05:00

Well, now that I've recapped last year, I can write about this year. =)
I've been thinking and praying about what God has for me in 2009. I don't do new year's resolutions, was never really into that. And I've temporarily given up setting goals. (It's too frustrating and discouraginig to set goals I'm never able to reach due to physical limitations and constantly changing circumstances.) Instead I've switched to thinking about my desires for the year and my prayers for the year.

#1. My desires - these are things I'd like to do or see happen. One of my desires for this year is to raise greater awareness among Christians of what it's like for people with health problems like mine. There's a huge number of "environmentally ill" people who are unable to go to church even if they wanted to. I hope to be able to share more informationi and challenge my fellow believers to find a way to reach out to these "unreached" people. I'll write more about this in coming days.

#2. My prayers - these are things I'm asking God to do in and through me. One of my prayers for this year is for greater fruitfulness. At the beginning of January I asked God if this could be the year I would finally have the privilege of leading someone to faith in Him. I've planted a lot of seeds over the years, but never actually saw anyone come to saving faith in Jesus. And guess what? Less than 2 weeks later God already answered that prayer! It reminded me of the verse in James 4:2 that we don't have because we don't ask! Maybe God was waiting all these years for me to finally ask! There's probably more to it than just that, but it certainly got me thinking about what I'm asking for.

As I've been praying for greater fruitfulness, God has been showing me some hindrances to fruitfulness in my life. Things that I used to think were "harmless" now seem wasteful and ineffective. Beyond that, God has opened my eyes to see how much of what I do (or don't do) each day is because it makes me feel good (or makes me not feel good). I didn't realize how self-indulgent I had become. It's very acceptable in Christian circles today to say we need "down time" or "do something for yourself," etc. But the more I've thought & prayed about these ideas, the more they seem to contradict Scripture. "Whatever you do whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus," (Colossians 3:17). "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (I Corinthians 10:31). If I am doing something because I want to feel good that's the opposite of doing it for the glory of God.
I know this probably sounds radical to you; it sounds radical to me! But it's what God is showing me. in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asked His disciples to watch and pray with Him for one hour. That doesn't seem unreasonable. But they gave into the weakness of the flesh and missed out on being with Jesus in His hour of agony. I think this life is a lot like that one hour. It's going to go by so fast. I don't want to "sleep" it away giving in to the weakness of my flesh. I want to learn to do everything - Every Little Thing - for God's glory. And only HIS power and grace can accomplish that in my life, but with Him ALL things are possible. =)

So to get started I believe God wants me to do a "wordly fast" for 40 days. And I'm challenging you to join me! If you want a deeper communion with God and greater fruitfulness in your life, this may be a good way of helping you fulfill those desires.
Specifically, I'm going to give up all secular/non-Christian music, reading material, and TV/movies for 40 days. I know there are other areas (computer games, internet, etc.), but these are the 3 I'm going to focus on. I don't think it will be too difficult, except maybe the TV/movies part. (I enjoy watching sports and re-runs of A-team. =) But if I get desperate for some tube-time I can always watch Narnia or Facing the Giants or something with positive, godly input.)
The reasons I'm doing this are so that I'll have more time for what is really important - prayer, fellowship, etc. And also because I'm seeing that even a little bit of "wordly" influence can still do damage in my thinking and my desires. I want to feed myself a steady diet of God's truth, character, life, etc. so that He can use it to make me more like Christ.
I plan to start this fast on Feb. 2nd, feel free to pick your own start day if you choose to do this. I think the 40 days will actually go quickly. My hope is that once I'm away from those distractions, I'll no longer want them in my life anyway. I hope it'll be like when you're used to eating fast food all the time, then you spend a whole month eating only homecooked meals. After that when you eat fast food you realize how bad it tastes and how awful it makes you feel. It just can't compare to the real thing. I hope that my heart will learn to disregard the "junk" and find delight in the "real thing" - Jesus!
I pray that you'll be drawn closer to Him too. And if you decide to join me in this fast, please let me know so we can encourage each other to press on in our desire to glorify God in ALL we do!
Happy fasting! =)
Because of Jesus,
-Joanna

2008 - it was the worst of years, it was the best of years....

2009-01-30T21:09:00.002-05:00

I know it's a little late to be reminiscing about last year, but I think it's still worth it even if it is almost the end of January. =)
2008 will go down as one of the worst years of my life - circumstantially speaking.
-It actually didn't start out too badly, but by mid-January I was having serious breathing problems which the doctor's couldn't figure out or help.
-Then I got the worst case of the flu EVER! I actually thought I might die, it was that bad. But I didn't die, Praise God!
-Once that ordeal was finally over (3+ weeks), I started a new adventure with accupuncture - only it ended up making me much worse! I don't remember how long it took me to get semi-recovered from that experience.
-I finished the accupuncture in time for my disability hearing, which will probably be remembered as the most stressful and awful 1 hour of my life. Not to mention that I got so sick from the building where it was held, that I could hardly even talk for 2 weeks.
-Next on the agenda was getting allergic to my house. UGH! It was one problem after another, me evacuating to a friend's house, going home a few days later, having another problem, evacuating again...until finally I said let's go to Texas!
-So to Texas we went, to a very special, highly recommended clinic for people like me. Except - I was allergic to the clinic!!! For 4 weeks we stayed in downtown Dallas, trying different doctors, different clinics, etc. with basically no help. At last mom and I said, it's time to go home!
-Only I really couldn't go "home" because I was still allergic to it! Thus followed 4 months of mom working on the house, me trying it out, still being allergic to it, going back to my friends' house, trying again, etc. Living out of suitcase for 6 months isn't fun. Though I must say I was VERY glad to just have a safe place to be, thank you God.

Those are the 'low-lights' of 2008, which in time I'm sure I'll prefer to forget. However, it is true that in God's economy nothing is wasted. God did 2 huge miracles for me in 2008, and lots of smaller ones too.
#1. Disability - Ok, so I'm still not sure why I had to get the flu that bad, but clearly getting worse from the accupuncture was a helpful thing in my disabilitiy hearing because I was so weak that the judge saw clearly how bad my situation was. And God did the most amazing miracle by causing him to approve my disability case! I still marvel over that and thank God every day. We prayed about this for 2 & 1/2 years, and at the right time God brought it about. Halelujah!

#2. Doctor - It was a long chain of events, but if I hadn't gotted kicked out of my house, I wouldn't have ended up in Melbourne in Sept. at the allergy-safe motel, where I met a man who recommended his doctor. And if I hadn't been through the whole ordeal of Texas, I might not have been so desperate to try someone so far away (2 hour drive). And if I hadn't been approved for disability I couldn't have afforded to see this doctor. So God worked ALL those things out to bring me at long last to the RIGHT doctor who truly is helping me! This is something we've prayed about for over 4 years! God was answering, just not in any way we would have expected. =)

As for the 'smaller' miracles God did, I really only mean smaller in terms of suspending natural phenomenon. In other words, to me they are the biggest miracles of all because they have to do with my heart. In 2008 God used all those awful experiences and trials to make some serious changes in my life. He set me free from resentment I hadn't been paying attention to. He exposed areas of idolatry and reclaimed His rightful place in my affections. He delivered me from fears by giving me precious promises to hold onto no matter what. He took me so much deeper in understanding His GRACE. He brought me to a place of true happiness in Him! And so much more!

Last January I prayed that Jesus would give me strength to keep following Him whatever happened in the coming year. He answered that prayer. He held onto me even when I was ready to let go. Through His grace I kept following each step of the way. And in the process He did great things and He was glorified! So while 2008 will definitely be remembered as the worst year on record in many ways, it will also hold a special place in my heart, a place where I am truly thankful for GOD's goodness in every circumstance. Only our great God can take something so awful and make it so beautiful. Praise His Name!

As I look ahead to what may be in store in 2009, I can't possibly predict what might happen. I can only pray that God will do even more good than I could ask or imagine, whatever my circumstances, for His honor & glory!

"And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." (I Peter 5:10-11)

good verse, beautiful creation

2009-01-29T21:46:00.002-05:00

"In that day they will say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in HIm, and He saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.'" (isaiah 25:9)

apology

2009-01-24T18:50:00.002-05:00

Hello, hello. I'm sorry I've been neglecting my blog lately. Believe it or not, I do have lots of things to say, just haven't had the energy or ability to post for a while. First I was sick for a week with a cold, then I was offline for a week, and now I've got a sinus infection, ugh. Hopefully my oh-so-important-and-meaningful thoughts will be soon forthcoming. =) haha
In the meantime I'd appreciate your continued prayers. Thanks!
-Joanna

Some Christmas Photos

2009-01-04T19:11:00.013-05:00

It was great spending Christmas day with almost all my family (we missed you Jaci & fam!). My sister Jen took much better pix than me, but since I haven't gotten hers yet, here are a few from my camera.

Jaime was definitely getting in the "Christmas spirit." =)

Undoubtedly, I have the cutest nieces & nephews in the world! =)

Mom and Josh & Kim (and baby James, coming soon) =)

Jane & Pete

Magnuson, aka Curious George

Morgan, the sweetheart (and soon to be heart-breaker no doubt) =)

Micaela the great tree-climber =)

"Grandma" & Marina

Jen & John

me with Jaime, Chiho, Evan & Alisha

Too sad that Christmas is over now. But it was a very special treat to be able to spend the day with my family. Thank you God! Now it's time to face a new year...yikes! 2009 is here and moving quickly. I pray it will be a year of great fruitfulness for Jesus' honor & glory!
God bless!
-Joanna

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T18:50:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm a day late, but just wanted to say Merry Christmas - Happy Birthday Jesus! =)
I read Psalm 117 yesterday and it seemed very appropriate.
"Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol Him all you peoples. For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD."

God showed His love in sending His son. I never cease to be amazed that Jesus would give up everything He had in heaven, to be born as a helpless baby, in a smelly stable even. What tender compassion and humble love!
Hebrews 2:11 says "Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers."
Now that is incredible! That Jesus, awesome as He is, is not ashamed to be called my brother, to acknowledge me as part of His family. WOW!

Thank you Jesus, for coming, for dying, for rising again, for saving me from sin and death and for calling me your sister, part of your divine family!
Amen and amen.

Singing trees, jubilant flowers

2008-12-13T15:53:00.005-05:00

"Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the LORD, for He comes...." -Psalm 96:11-13a

Isn't it amazing how creation is always praising God? If only we were as faithful....

"Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy." -Psalm 99:9
Amen.

Happiness

2008-12-10T18:47:00.002-05:00

Last week God gave me a very special gift. I was sitting by the beach, trying to breathe deeply in the fresh air. It had been a rough week (what's new?). I was gazing out over the ocean and suddenly saw a bunch of dolphins! (bunch=at least 5, maybe more, it was hard to tell.) It's been a long time since I've seen dolphins. It was so fun to watch them jumping and swimming. Then I saw two of them do something that looked like body surfing! They jumped into a wave right as it crested and rode it in for a bit. It looked like they were having a lot of fun. =)
I thanked the Lord for giving me such a special gift. It was a sweet reminder of His love as well as an illustration for my own life. Of all the animals, I always think of dolphins as the hpapiest ones. I think it's mostly because of the way God made them - they always look like they're smiling. =) If you think about it, a dolphin doesn't have an easy life. They face predators, finding food, etc. Yet they seem so happy just to be in the ocean!
I've felt convicted lately about my lack of being "glad" in the Lord. As I read through Psalms, I keep seeing more and more verses that command us to be glad in the Lord. When I feel so awful physically, it's hard to be glad about anything. But the Lord is indeed always wonderful, no matter how I feel. I felt like the Lord was telling me, 'Be like the dolphins. No matter what hardships are in your life, just be glad to be in the ocean of my love!'
Isn't it great to know that Jesus has provided not only eternal life, everything we need for this life and grace for each trial, but also the ability to be truly Happy in Him, regardless of our circumstances? This is something I'm learning more about...thanks to some very special creatures.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the dolphins, but I do have proof I was at the beach. =)

Happy Anniversary

2008-11-29T17:25:00.001-05:00

"Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for me." -Psalm 66:16

This month marks 4 years since I got really sick and had to quit working, had to give up "normal" life, and began a journey I never would have chosen. November has become a sort of anniversary for me...'celebrated' with sadness that it's been another year and I'm still not well, but also with gratitude for the good things God has done through this trial.
4 years...it's hard to believe. In the beginning I thought it would be a short-term problem, hopefully resolved in a few months. Gradually as time stretched out and I saw doctor after doctor who just didn't know what to do for me, I began to realize God had a very different plan in store than what I expected. (Basically there's more wrong with me than most doctors can fathom. How I got this sick is another story, but my health has been under attack from various things since high school. What happened 4 years ago was just the final straw.)
The first two years were like being in a tunnel with no light at the end. I kept praying and trying just to hold on to what I knew was true. Then two years ago at Thanksgiving God gave me a breakthrough, not in my health but in my heart. Finally I could see the light, not at the end of the tunnel, but beside me in the darkness illuminating the next step. The Lord showed me that His purpose was to use the physical trial to bring not just spiritual "growth" but spiritual transformation--deep change from the inside out! Until then I couldn't see just how desperately I needed God to change things on the inside of me (thoughts, desires, hopes, fears...).
Once again, I thought at first that this process would be a short-term one, a few changes and then I'd be good to go (not perfect, but better somehow?). As the months went by, the Holy Spirit kept revealing more and more areas of my life He wanted to transform. The Lord showed me that it's a life-long, continual process He does in me so that others can see His power at work. He always uses some sort of tool to do His transforming work. Right now for me it's serious health problems. It's not the tool I would have chosen, but it's the one He knows is best.
It hasn't been easy. I've had days of pure agony physically, emotionally and spiritually. There were days I didn't think I'd make it through and days when I didn't care if I lived or died. I questioned God, I wept, I begged for mercy, I despaired.... Through it all He never has forsaken me. He has also given me days of pure joy in Him completely apart from my circumstances, moments of insight, greater freedom and intimacy with Him...and so much more. For these things I am deeply grateful.
As I face another year of this trial (and possibly longer), I can't help but think of all the things I miss. I miss little things like walking to the mailbox, cleaning the house, going shopping, driving a car.... I miss having the strength to talk, the ability to think clearly, the enery to sing, the fun of staying up late.... I miss really important things like spending time with family and friends, going to church, being involved in ministry.... I don't know when I'll be able to enjoy these things again. But I am thankful for the greater riches Jesus has given me of inner transformation and deeper intimacy with Him. Whatever the next year holds in store, I know that my Heavenly Father knows what is best for me.
Amy Carmichael said, "So does our...Beloved, choose out of all possible circumstances (and they are all at His command) the best for the fulfillment of His purpose...However things may appear to be, of all possible circumstances, this in whose midst we are set is the best that He could choose." (from "Rose From Brier")
I believe this is true. I am confident that God will continue to use the hardships He allows to bring the transformation He desires, and thus bring glory to His wonderful name!
So by His grace, I can say - Happy Anniversary, glory to God!

"Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you." -Psalm 9:10

An Adrenal Analogy

2008-11-28T18:53:00.000-05:00

I've spent the last week under major adrenal stress (thanks to a strong allergy to something in our house). It's very difficult to explain to someone who has never experienced adrenal problems how awful and frightening it can be.
This week while I was resting, trying to concentrate on breathing and using as little as energy as possible, the Lord gave me an analogy which I think is pretty good. Maybe it will be helpful to those who are fortunate enough to have no clue what adrenal insufficiency is all about.
Simply put, the adrenal glands are like the body's energy generator. No adrenal function = no production of energy = thus no body function. I've been labled with "adrenal insufficiency" or "adrenal fatigue" which basically means my adrenals are barely functioning, thus I have almost no energy in my body, thus only essential body functions (things like talking, jumping, running, etc. are now luxuries, not normal life).
Anyway, my analogy is to think of the adrenals like a battery-powered generator. You have to plug it in to a power source at night to recharge it, then run on the battery during the day.
Unfortunately, my 'battery' doesn't recharge much at night, so I have very little battery power during the day. Every movement, every stress big or small, etc. takes a certain amount of 'battery' power from the generator. The worst part is that when the 'battery' is all used up (like with a major stress), then I feel the generator "sputtering" nearing the end of its reserve. Unfortunately, if the generator ever quits completely, that's it. No restarting it. That is the danger of adrenal problems. You have to know the warning signs and immediately stop using energy and find a way to recharge or you end up in adrenal crisis.
Thankfully I've never gotten as bad as adrenal crisis (which would put me in the hospital or worse). But I have experienced some of the warning signs like nausea and shakiness. That's when the body gets panicky, and it's hard to stay calm as you feel your inner source of energy 'sputtering.'
In God's grace, He reassures me that He will see me through those scary moments, but it's still hard. I'm thankful for the Cortef, which is an external way to 'recharge' my battery. Other than that I have to suspend all activity that isn't completely essential and just try to rest in God's hands. I certainly hope that one day my adrenals will be recovered, and I'll forget what it's like to be always thinking about the state of my internal 'generator.' Until then, I'm thankful for people's prayers and God's sustaining grace.
I hope this analogy is a helpful glimpse into what it's like for me at times. I'm glad that this is not common knowledge to people, because that means they have the privilege of taking normal function for granted. If you're reading this, I hope you're thankful for that. =)
God bless,
-Joanna

Thanksgiving

2008-11-25T15:43:00.003-05:00

"They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening." -I Chronicles 23:30

I read this verse today about the duties of the Levites. Can you imagine it being part of your job every day, twice a day, to stand up and thank and praise the Lord? On the surface it sounds easy, but what if one of them just had a fight with his wife, or had a sick kid at home, or his donkey just died? It didn't matter. That was their duty every day, twice a day, to thank and praise the Lord. I can't help but imagine that those Levites were probably the most blessed of the Israelites. How could you spend every day giving thanks and praise to God no matter what and not come away with a different perspective and a heart at peace?

This week I spent some time telling the Lord all the things I don't like about my life:
I don't like having dry skin because I'm allergic to lotions.
I don't like not being able to go shopping when I need a new pair of jeans or shoes.
I don't like being cold because I can only wear 100% cotton sweaters, (which are next to impossible to find).
I don't like being too weak to talk.
I don't like not getting to spend time with family & friends
I really don't like not being able to go to church and fellowship with my wonderful church family!
.....
I won't bore you with the rest. It was quite a pity party. The Lord is a kind listener, but He also helped me to change the direction of my thoughts and be thankful.
I'm very thankful that in Heaven I won't have to worry about dry skin r being cold, and I won't need to go shopping! =)
I'm very thankful that in Heaven I'll be able to talk all I want and it will all be praise to Jesus!
I'm very thankful that in Heaven I'll have forever to spend in fellowship with my loved ones, like an eternal church service!
I'm so thankful for the hope of eternity in Heaven, when all the hardships of this life will be a distant memory.

I wish I could get in the habit of thanking God for these things every day, twice a day. But until that small miracle happens, I'm really thankful for this week and the holiday we celebrate. Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday. No muss, no fuss, no commercialism, just a pure and simple reminder to be thankful. And even if I can't find much to be thankful for in my circumstances here and now, there is always much to be thankful for in what is waiting for me!

Then again, maybe not...

2008-11-22T21:40:00.002-05:00

...so sad...in less than 24 hours being home, I got very sick again! I knew I had to leave the house or end up in serious trouble. Thankfully, the Lord worked out some details for me to come back to my friends house in Orlando. So here I am again. My poor mom and I had a really rough day, but we're just trusting that God knows what He's doing. I hope & pray that my doctor's ideas will make a difference. I'm going back to see him again on Wednesday. We'll see. Thanks for praying!
Hanging on,
-Joanna

After 4 months...

2008-11-20T21:46:00.002-05:00

the good news is that I'm finally home!! I came home today, much to my mom's delight! No more driving back & forth for her from house to house. =) Unfortunately, this house is still bothering me a little bit, but I'm just hoping & praying it won't be serious. We'll see. If it gets really bad I can always go back to my friends for a bit (at least I think they'll put up with me again). =) I told my new doctor the situation and he thinks he can help us with it. I'm so thankful for his knowledge & insight about so many things! We'll see if his ideas work or not. In the meantime, I'm just trying to hang in there. One day at a time, and maybe a trip to the beach will help. =)
Thanks to all who are praying! Keep it up!
Resting in God's hands & His timetable,
-Joanna

Praise

2008-11-13T13:04:00.003-05:00

I've been reading Ecclesiastes and Psalms at the same time. There's such a contrast between the two. Solomon's words are depressing - life is meaningless, it's all chasing after the wind, everyone has the same fate-death, so who cares... David's words are inspiring - my soul finds rest in God, God will fulfill His purpose for me, I will praise you as long as I live.... I especially like that last one. No matter what troubles David went through he always came back to praising God. Solomon studied long and hard, had lots of wisdom, yet could find no greater purpose in life than eat, drink, and enjoy your work while your life lasts. Sadly, he missed out on the real meaning in life - enjoying GOD! David on the other hand, had a deep relationsip with God. I can almost hear him saying, "Lord, even if everything goes wrong in my life and nothing good comes of it, I will still praise you and that will make my life meaningful and worthwhile." I guess I can hear him saying that because it's something I'm learning to say. Even if I never "accomplish" anything in my life, if I can say with David, "I will praise you as long as I live," then my life will not be a 'chasing after the wind.' And maybe, like David, my simple praise will be something God will use to make a difference long after I'm gone. I hope so.

*Praise God - I actually got a refund from the clinic in Dallas! They sent me a bill in Sept, which I went over and it didn't seem to add up. So I called them and low and behold, they owed me money! (We paid for everything up front, then when medicare kicked in they adjsuted the prices for me, thus the refund!) God is so sweet to me! There's nothing quite like getting an unexpected check in the mail. =)

*Praise God - for my new doctor. He's so great! He said I'm never a bother when I call him with questions and stuff. And he hasn't even charged me for the phone calls (even though a lot of doctors do). I seriously had quit believing there were any kind and helpful doctors left out there. God knew better than me. =)

*Praise God - for His WORD! I can't even imagine how hard life would be without the Bible. Jesus said the truth will set you free; He knew what He was talking about. I'm so thankful for the way God continues to renew my mind in His truth - changing old beliefs and habits of thinking that I wasn't even aware were affecting me. His truth is so life-giving and as the psalmist said, 'has set my heart free."

*Praise God - for my mom! She is a daily expression to me of God's love, kindness, grace, mercy.... I know very few people experience the privilege of having a parent who is a real and true representation of God's Father love. I am so blessed!

(I could go on and on, but for the sake of my wavering strength I'll close with one more.)

*Praise God - for Flowers! I love taking pictures of flowers. Sometimes they turn out good, other ones not so good. But when I see a flower it's like a tiny window into the creative heart and mind of God. Such detail, such color, shape, etc. I love that God enjoys making beautiful things, because He is the source of all true beauty! Next time you see a flower, just think, that is a tiny revelation of the beauty of my God!
Here's some to get you started. =)

"Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands." -Psalm 63:3-4

Best Book Ever! (well almost)

2008-10-31T15:14:00.002-04:00

I just can't say enough about A.W. Tozer's book, "The Knowledge of the Holy." I've read it at least four times, and every time I pick it up God continues to speak to me through it. Aside from the Bible of course, I think this is the best bok I've ever read! Why is it so great, you might ask? Because it's all about GOD! Tozer had a gift from God for putting into words concepts that are beyond comprehension, let alone expression. In brief chapters he explains such wonderful truths as God's eternality, self-existence, soveriegnty, etc.
Unfortunately fallen human beings are completely and totally self-centered. All of our problems and sin come back to that one issue. This book, unlike any other I've read, not only describes who God is in detail with wonder and awe, but also shows how that knowledge should affect our lives. Through reading (and rereading) this book, my concept of God has been expanded beyond anything I ever expected. As my thoughts & focus have been more and more on God, I've seen Him at work transforming me to be more and more God-centered.
If I had unlimited wealth I would buy a thousand copies of this book and give it to every person I know, encouraging them to read it at least twice a year with an ever-growing hunger to truly KNOW our God. (As it is, I've already passed out several copies.) =) I agree with Tozer's message in his itnroduction:
"The decline of the knowledge of the holy has brought on our troubles. A rediscovery of the majesty of God will go a long way toward curing them. It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate. If we would bring back spiritual power to our lives, we must begin to think of God more nearly as He is."
I think he wrote this book in the '60's, but its message is still appropriate for us today. The writer of Proverbs knew what He was talking about when he said, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Prov. 9:10)
May we seek to truly know and understand the Holy One so He can transform our lives to be more and more GOD-centered.
To God be the glory!

Confessions of a Contrite Constituent

2008-10-29T15:15:00.003-04:00

I don't want to talk about politics on this blog, but I would like to talk about what God has been teaching me during this season of politcal upheaval. I have been surprised by my own attitudes and responses to the people & issues. I have this terrible tendency to think I'm always right (ouch). This past week has been very humbling as, thankfully, the Lord has been faithful to convict me. I have a few things to confess:

1) I have not been blameless in what I've said.
James wrote, "If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check." (James 3:2b) I don't think any politician in this country could claim to 'never be at fault' in what they say. However, neither can the rest of us say that about ourselves (any of you perfect people out there can feel free to contradict me). =) James also said "We all stumble in many ways." (3:2a) Lest I think I'm better than those who are often at fault in what they say...I too cannot control my tongue perfectly. In fact, I can't control it all - apart from the power of the Holy Spirit working in me. This applies to every day and every situation, not just when talking about politics. Somehow it seems more important in that arena, but in reality I should be a person of pure speech at all times.
Lord, may I continually rely on you to set a door over my mouth and to give me compassion and grace for those who are also at fault in what they say.

2) I have not sought truth as I should.
With the media, the adds, the contradictions in statements, etc. it has been very hard to find the truth about politicians and issues. I confess, I got tired of it. I only wanted enough truth to make a decision and be done with it. I didn't want to keep seeking and digging until I knew all the facts about every person & issue. "Proverbs 2:3-5 says, "and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God." Seeking truth and understanding takes effort and hard work, but it is worth more than earthly treasure.
How easy it is to be content with only a small measure of truth. I may think that's enough, that's all I need, when in reality I may be missing vital information, opening myself up to being easily deceived. Jesus said, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32) Without truth I am walking in darkness. Without a growing pursuit and understanding of truth, I might be easily led astray in many wrong directions.
Seeking truth about politics is important, seeking truth about life and godliness is even more important.
Lord, give me a heart that is passionate for Truth in every context, keep me from being content and complacent with the measure of truth I have, and strengthen me to continually pursue to know and live by the truth, your Truth.

3) I have at times not acted lovingly toward my "enemies" or my fellow believers.
Jesus said, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you." (Luke 6:27) I admit I have a hard time loving people who support actions and policies that I know gireve the heart of God. But how can I deny Jesus' words? He loved me when I was His enemy. Now it's my turn to love those enemies, perhaps by praying for them and not having anger or hatred in my heart toward them. Only a perfect God can love like that and give me His love for them.
I think even worse than not loving my enemies has been my lack of loving words to other believers who have different opinions than me. Oh how sad and humbled I have been to see my selfish & fleshly response at times. Praise God for His forgiveness and His grace in others to forgive me.
I believe it is important to stand up for the truth, but it is equally important to walk in love. Paul addressed this issue in Ephesians. "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is Christ." (Eph. 4:14-15)
This world is in depserate need of truth, but truth without love will have little or no effect.
Lord, teach me to love as You love, both my enemies and my brothers & sisters in Christ. Shine through me that others might see your love in me and be hungry to hear the truth you want me to share.

I don't like talking about politics, never have, probably never will. What is it about politics that can bring out so much ugliness in me? I'm not sure. But I believe that even politics falls under God's promise - "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him..." (Rom. 8:28) He can use it to remind me that I am just a sinner, saved by grace; that apart from God's grace and the power of Christ's life in me, I can do nothing good; and that politicians, no matter how good or bad, cannot save or destroy my soul. Jesus alone is able to save and transform me so that a watching world might see His love and grace displayed.

Thus ends my confessions.
Praise God for His greatness!

Marvelous Grace

2008-10-13T18:15:00.002-04:00

God has been teaching me so much about His GRACE! I just finished an excellent book by Jerry Bridges called "Transforming Grace." I highly recomend it! It's about how we are not only saved by Grace, but we must also live by Grace every moment. He brought up a lot of areas where we subconciously live with a 'works' mentality instead of being mindful of Grace. I was surprised how many of them I could relate to in my own life. It was so encouraging to meditate on all the ways God shows His grace...forgiving my sins day after day, giving me opportunities to minister, empowering me to minister by the power of His Spirit, extending kindness that I could never deserve...the list goes on & on. It's like a whole new world opening up, seeing the wonders of God's Grace and all it means in my life!
Wayne Watson has a song called "Grace" that kind of sums it up simply.
"Grace keeps giving me things I don't deserve,
Mercy keeps withholding things I do.
Words that seldom fail me
Leave me looking for the words
To express my gratitude..."
Those words have been playing over & over in my mind ever since I first heard the song, and it's a refrain I think I'll carry with me til I meet Jesus face to face and am transformed to perfection by His GRACE! Halelujah! =)

one more time...

2008-10-07T21:06:00.002-04:00

Well, tomorrow I'm going to yet another new doctor! I heard about this one from someone at the allergy-safe housing in Melbourne. I had a free 10 minute phone consultation with the doctor last week, and he sounded pretty good. So tomorrow we're diving to Sebastian (haven't been to a doctor there yet) to try one more time to find a good doctor. We'll see how it goes. I keep praying God is going to give me a doctor who can really help. Maybe this will be the one.
I've felt pretty awful for the last 2 weeks. It's hard to feel worse again after doing better for a bit, but I am very thankful for the short time of feeling better. Maybe it will come back around again soon. =) I think going to the beach really is a necessary health treatment for me. Strange, but that's what a lot of people with chemical allergies say - live at the beach! I guess it's detoxifying somehow with all that clean salt air. I guess it's a good thing I don't live in Kansas. =)
It's nice to know that God knows exactly what He's doing.
"The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne." (Ps. 11:4a)

silence

2008-09-29T15:38:00.000-04:00

I know I haven't updated this in a while, but there's not much new to report. I'm still unable to go home because the house makes me so sick. My poor mom is working really hard to find the problem and get it fixed. We just keep praying God will let me go home soon!
I'm trying not to be overwhelmed with options and decisions right now. I need to find a doctor - out of several not perfect choices, need to start some sauna treatment, have to find the right kind of sauna, need to try some new supplements, decide if the old supplements are helping or harming, etc. It's a good thing I only have to live one day at a time. I don't think I could handle more than that. =)
In the meantime, I'm very thankful that I do have a place to stay. My friends in Orlando just left on a long trip, so I'm 'housesitting' and trying to get used to the silence once again.
When I lived in Mexico by myself, it was really hard to get used to my house being so quiet. I finally learned to enjoy it though. God was able to get my attention and speak to me about a lot of things. So I know the silence is good, it's just different. It's a lot easier to have your life full of people, sound, activities, etc. But I'm reminded of what Jesus said about Mary, who sat at His feet just listening, "May has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:42) I don't know if I'd ever choose the silence over the more self-gratifying activity and noise, but I'm glad God knows what I need and He chose it for me. =)

May you hear His voice speaking in the silence today.
"Blessed are all who take refuge in Him." (Ps. 2:12b)

2008-09-21T18:26:00.000-04:00

I really enjoyed taking pictures when we were staying at the beach. God's creation is so amazing! Imagine how awesome the New heaven & earth will be. I can't wait to see them! =)

Devising ways...

2008-09-15T19:52:00.000-04:00

Last time I posted, I was having difficulty doing anything on my computer. But fortunately for me, I have a friend who devises ways to fix things...so I now have an attached mouse and an attached keyboard for my laptop! As long as I keep the laptop a little bit away from me, I seem to do ok with this new system, praise God! I really would go crazy if I couldn't do email and have some 'social life' online. Pathetic, I know, but that's how life is for me right now. I'm just thankful for the good ways God uses technology. =)
I'm also thankful my Heavenly Father is good at devising ways...
"But God does not take away life; instead, He devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from Him." -2 Samuel 14:14b
Imagine if our communication and fellowship with God were suddenly cut off completely with no way to restore them! I don't know about you, but I wouldn't last very long after that. Thankfully, we don't have to worry about that every happening because God has devised a way for us to be made right wit Him, and He has provided ways for us to always be able to stay in touch with HIm. What a wonderful God!
That's all for now folks. Have a great night. =)

Chopsticks &r Trust

2008-09-02T15:54:00.000-04:00

So here's the latest twist in my crazy life -- I'm getting allergic to my computer! Actually, it's a sensitivity to electricity, which a laptop puts out a lot of, unfortunately. At first it just made me tired, but then it started feeling like my fingers were birned, just from touching the keyboard.
I knew this was a possibility, as other patients I talked to had the same problem, in some cases severe. but I was really hoping God was going to keep me from this particular problem, since email is such a lifeline for me. It's just one more thing I ha ve to surrender to Him and trust that He knows what He's doing.
I am thankful that at least I've found some temporary aids. I got a mouse plugged in to my laptop so I don't have to touch the keypad, and I'm sitting jere typing with two pencils. (Let me tell you, it's not easy for this super-speedy typist!) I think maybe chopsticks would be more effective, but since I don't have any, I'm making do with the pencils. My life is never dull. (boring maybe, but not dull.) =)

Today God gave me a neat object lesson. I'm staying with friends while my mom works on making our house more allergy-safe for me. It's so hard not to be able to help her or ro have any control over what's happening there. I just have to trust that she has the strength & wisdom to do what needs to be done. It's the same with God. I can't see what He's doing, but I know He's doing what is best for me because He loves me. And some day I'll go to the Home He has prepared for me and I'll know He never wasted any time or pain I went through.

So here I sit, waiting, trusting, and wishing I had some chopsticks....

Precious Words

2008-08-27T16:44:00.000-04:00

Well, I think I'm slowly recovering from my trip back from Dallas. I still don't have energy for doing much of anything, much as I wish I could. It's a daily battle to be content with all my limitations, knowing that God has put me in this place for a divine purpose and reason. I know that in my head, but it's hard to accept it at times when I'd rather be doing 100 other things than laying on the couch.
I love the following poem by Amy Carmicheal. It makes me cry every time I read it - partly because I can identify with it so exactly, and partly because of the tender love God showed her in giving her these precious words. I could never say it better, so here it is: (from "Rose from Brier")

"Thou hast not that, My child, but Thou hast Me,
And am not I alone enough for thee?
I know it all, know how thy heart was set
Upon this joy which is not given yet.

And well I know how through the wistful days
Thou walkest all the dear familiar ways,
As unregarded as a breath of air,
But there in love and longing, always there.

I know it all; but from thy brier shall blow
A rose for others. If it were not so
I would have told thee. Come, then, say to Me
My Lord, My Love, I am content with Thee."

My Lord, my Love, I am content with Thee.

rubix cube

2008-08-17T17:27:00.000-04:00

At the moment my life feels like a rubix cube. All the colors are messed up, nothing is in line, etc. I work hard to turn the right corner and voila! one line of colors matches up! Then I turn the next corner and things are jumbled again. So I keep turning corners. Sometimes the colors line up, other times they seem more confused then ever. Some days I wonder, 'Why do I even bother? These colors will never be set straight.' But then God reminds me that the rubix cube is in His hands. I may think I'm the one turning things, but in reality He's the one who's in control. I can only trust that one day He will line up all the colors and everything will be made right.
As I've just illustrated, it seems like every day there's some new direction or change in my situation here. Last week I saw 2 new doctors, both of which had totally different ideas of what's wrong wtih me and what to do. After a misunderstanding over my bloodwork, one of the doctors dropped me. So now I'm down to one doctor again. He wants more bloodwork still. It seems every day I pray for wisdom about what to do with all these decisions. Tomorrow I'm supposed to get the bloodwork done, so tonight I have to decide which blood tests to do and which to leave out. I've also started the allergy skin testing for molds, which hopefully will be helpful once I get on the allergy shots. However, it will take at least 2 more weeks for me to complete the skin testing just for molds. So I have to make decisions about that too.
I've been talking with other patients here, which is also helpful, though at times confusing. The general consensus is that most of the doctors here have actually made people worse. There's only one doctor who so far I've heard good things about, but he's also the one who can see certain things around people (a little scary if you ask me). It's frustrating to see how many people have gone through so much and still not been helped. Most of them end up doing their own research and essentially treating themselves. I really don't want to earn my amateur doctor's degree through extensive study...but maybe that's something I should be doing.... Only God knows. I know He wants me to be willing to do whatever HE wants me to do. It's just a lot easier in theory than practice. =/ I have learned a lot since we've been here, but as far as what the outcome of all this will be, I'm still uncertain. I know my Father knows, and I trust His care even when it doesn't make sense.
Anyway, that's how things stand today, but you never know what will happen, 'As the rubix cube turns...." =)

Time

2008-08-10T20:54:00.000-04:00

I spent most of Thursday afternoon talking with another patient here. He's extemely sensitive to anything electrical (thus he can't use a computer, cell phone, etc.), so he spends a lot of time reading. He's very knowledgable about a lot of things related to his health problems. I basically just picked his brain for over an hour. And we talked about other stuff too. It was a good way to spend the afternoon. On Friday & Saturday I didn't feel very well, so I spent too much time watching TV and started to feel like a couch potato. It's funny, but since I've been sick, I've had more time on my hands and less energy to do anything with it, than ever before. It gets pretty frustrating thinking of all the things I'd like to do, but not having the energy to do any of them. So then I just start thinking about all kinds of things, and pretty soon I'm tired of even thinking at all! So the easy way out is to turn the brain off and watch TV. Then, of course, I feel like I've wasted the whole day, and it's time I'll never get back.
Time is such a strange thing. We are bound by it, we measure our lives by it, we can't live sanely without it. How it boggles my mind to think that God exists outside of time. It is His creation (invention), something He controls, not something that controls Him. I can't imagine God ever sitting around doing nothing, just waiting for time to pass. I'm very thankful that God is always at work, always available for me, always good.
I keep praying God will teach me to "make the most of every opportunity" even if the opportunity is to do nothing, wisely.

Tomorrow I'm seeing a new doctor, Dr. Kathrine. I hope she'll be a good listener and that I'll be a good patient. =) I also have my first appointment with Dr. Johnson on Wednesday, so it'll be a busy week. Hopefully in the in between times, I'll spend less time watching TV and more time talking with Jesus. I'm glad He always has time for me! =)
Thanks so much for your prayers!

Attitudes

2008-08-06T22:07:00.000-04:00

"On hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'" -Mark 2:17

I read this verse today and felt convicted by the obvious truth in it - that those who are sick need a doctor. After so many years of going to doctors who couldn't help me or even made me worse, I've developed a bit of an attitude toward doctors in general. Yet, the Lord reminded again that I do need a doctor. So I prayed He would lead me to the right one and help me to have a right attitude about it.
And of course, I immediately got an opportunity to put my prayer into practice. Yesterday my mom called a doctor who works part time at the clinic here, but she also has another office about 15 minutes away. She wanted us to come to her office today to see if I'd be ok there. So this morning we drove over. It had some chemical smells in it (carpet, etc.), but it didn't make me nearly as sick as the clinic does. Dr. Katharine was there, so we met her and talked for a few minutes. Unfortunately, in those few minutes she made a very bad impression on me, and my bad attitude quickly returned.
It's very difficult to explain to anyone who hasn't been through a similar experience what it's like to walk in my shoes. (I'm sure that's true of every individual going through hard circumstances.) Some of the doctors I've been to have been sympathetic and kind, even if they couldn't help me. Others have been insensitive, thus adding to my dislike of doctors in general. This doctor made the mistake of asking me if I really want to get well. (I told my mom if one more doctor asks me that I'm going to throw something at them!...well, maybe I won't....) It's just so frustrating to talk to a doctor for 3 minutes and have them imply that I don't really want to get better, that my negative attitude is what's making me feel sick, not an actual physical problem, etc. How can you expect a patient to have confidence in a doctor who thinks like that?
Anyway, after being mad for a while and venting to my mom, the Lord reminded me I needed to forgive. And I need to trust Him that if this is the doctor HE wants me to work with, then He will give me the grace for it. After all, it was kind of her to agree to see me at her other office, and maybe I misjudged her in those few minutes just like she misjudged me. (At least I hope so.)
Sometimes I get so sick of all the frustrations in my small life. I long to be set free from them. But I suppose in essence, that is a selfish attitude, because I know that God can display His grace through them, if I let Him. I definitely need prayer to keep a right attitude, mainly that it's not about ME. It's about God and what He wants to do. And even though doctors are far from perfect, I know God can still use them, if I can keep a good attitude toward them. =) Attitude truly does make all the difference.
So, my mom is typing a long letter to this doctor all about me. Maybe it will help her have a more accurate picture of my situation. She said she'll try to schedule an appointment for me on Monday. In the meantime, I didn't get in to see Dr. Johnson this week, so I'll be seeing him on the 13th after all. In view of that, and Dr. Katharine's comments, it looks like we'll be here for a couple more weeks at least. It's not what I wanted, but I know God's grace is sufficient to change my attitude so that I will want what HE wants. I sure am glad He puts up with me, bad attitudes and all. =)

In the meantime, we've been trying to find things to do here in Dallas so we're not cooped up in the apratment all day. Yesterday we went to see this special mustang sculpture in Irving. It was really amazing! I told my mom I need "horse therapy." =) I'd love to find a place where I could ride a horse for 15 minutes, but I doubt we'll find anything. We'll see. The adventure continues...guided by God's loving hand.
Sweet dreams!

Mustang Sculpture

2008-08-06T21:58:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we went to see a mustang sculpture in Irving, TX. It was great! The horses are huge! Hard to get good pictures of all of it though. There's also a museum, but it wasn't open yesterday.

the maze

2008-08-02T22:46:00.000-04:00

We've only been in Dallas one week, and it's been a crazy one! I feel like I'm in a maze. I turn one corner, think I'm getting somewhere, then hit a dead end...go back a few steps, try another route, hit another dead end, etc.
Yesterday was supposed to be my second appointment with the doctor at the clinic. He was going to meet with me in the hallway since I can't go into the offices there. I'd been waiting about 30 minutes when I started smelling something in the hallway too! I ended up sitting in front of the elevator while my mom had the appointment with the doctor. It actually worked out pretty well I think. My mom took notes on everything he said for me. Basically he recommended a few things I could do, but said to try those and then come back to the clinic in a few months and see if I can tolerate being in the offices then. So even though we were discouraged that there's nothing else they can do for me at the clinic at this time, at least we had some other options to try. BUT then as we've been researching the things he recommended, they don't look like good things for me to do.
So then I spent some talking with other patients about different doctors and felt like I could try a couple of them, UNTIL we talked to a few other people and found out more about those doctors. I know all this sounds rather nebulous, it's hard to explain, but apparently several of the doctors people are recommending might be dangerous in a spiritual sense. At least two of them say they can see energy fields or auras around people. That right there scared me enough to say, No thanks! I really had no idea that this kind of thing had creeped into the medical field so much. It's sad too. People aren't getting help from normal doctors, so they're desperate and willing to try anything.
Anyway, I praise the Lord for protecting me so far from actually having an appointment with one of these doctors. It's hard to know what to do next though. I'm still waiting to see if Dr. Johnson can get me in earlier than the 13th. If not, I was hoping to have something else to try this week, but we'll just have to see what the Lord brings up. Even though I feel like I'm in this maze, getting nowhere, I know He is in control and has a purpose even in all the 'wrong turns.'
Yesterday when I was waiting for my mom at the clinic, another patient asked if I was ok. She was very interesting. She said she was a Christian, but she also talked about having a few drinks, and she smelled like cigarette smoke. She was really sweet though and starting encouraging me to have faith. I was very humbled that God would send me such an unlikely encourager. I felt like I should have been the one witnessing to and encouraging her, but there she was reaching out to me. It was just the expression of God's grace that I needed to get my attitude back on track. God is so kind and merciful to us weak creatures. As Psalm 103 says, "He knows that we are dust." Yet His love is higher than the heavens! Praise His name!
So after we left the clinic yesterday I was still feeling pretty toxic. We ended up going out to this park by the lake that we found the other day. It was so nice to breathe fresh air and just watch the water with the Dallas skyline in the background. There's nothing like God's beautiful creation to restore a right perspective on life. =)
I hope when Monday comes and we have to make more decisions about what to do, that I'll remember that the one who takes care of the birds (and the squirrels) is taking care of me too.
Thanks for your prayers!
Keep following Him through the maze. =)
-Joanna

Dallas Pictures

2008-08-02T22:36:00.001-04:00

Here's some pix from our time so far in Dallas.

Cool house, eh?

My new friend. =)

We found a nice park by a lake.

Our 'allergy-safe' appartment.