Midweek Morsel: Loving Others, Showing Them God

7452197640_7c4d4e9aea_zDid you realize that when you show love to others, you are in fact showing them a bit of what God is like? Since the Bible tells us that “God is love” (1 John 4:8b), it follows that God can be reflected through our loving acts and words towards others.

In the book Bittersweet—Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way, author Shauna Niequist points out this truth especially as it applies to loving the heartbroken. Consider these words of hers and recall if this has been your experience as well:

“I believe deeply that God does his best work in our lives during times of great heartbreak and loss, and I believe that much of that rich work is done by the hands of people who love us, who dive into the wreckage with us and show us who God is, over and over and over.”

What a privilege to show God to a hurting soul, huh? Let’s remember that our expressions of love to the heartbroken can have deep and even eternal impact. Let’s show them love. Let’s show them God.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” 1 John 4:7a

*During your times of heartbreak, has someone reflected God to you through their loving deeds?

*Flickr photo by lucidtech, Creative Commons License

Midweek Morsel: Secure in God

Mount Moran from Oxbow BendMuch can happen in our lives to shake our security. On a national front, terrorists seek to steal any sense of security and safety we as Americans may have as we live our daily lives. On a personal front, serious losses can rock us to the core. Loss of a loved one, loss of a job and steady income, loss of good health, loss of a marriage. Rejection, failure, and betrayal can all leave us trying to make our way through life on wobbly legs.

What is the answer? Our only certain security lies in God, in depending on and trusting in him. With God by our side, we can indeed experience peace, rest, and joy as we depend on him, when we follow him and allow him to be our strength.

So what are we waiting for? Let’s place our trust in God. Let’s rest secure in him.

“I have set the LORD always before me,
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,” Psalm 16:8-9

*What do you do when you feel your sense of security slipping away?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early February. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*My photo (Mt. Moran in Grand Teton National Park)

Midweek Morsel: Prayer for the Hurting

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Do we know someone hurting today? Maybe we know someone grieving a heartbreaking loss (loss takes many forms, you know.) Or perhaps we’re thinking of someone dealing with chronic illness or pain or maybe someone wounded by deep disappointment or betrayal. Maybe we are the ones hurting.

We can help the hurting with our prayers. And if we are among the hurting, we can pray for ourselves as well. God hears our prayers and longs to help and heal. Let’s give the hurting—let’s give ourselves—the gift of intercession. Here is a prayer we can pray for those who are hurting today:

Lord, I pray today for a hurting soul you’ve placed on my heart. She needs you, Lord. She needs your strength, your peace, your hope, and your comforting touch. Father, show her your love. Comfort and carry her. Be her balm of Gilead. Be her refuge in the storm. I ask and pray this in Jesus’ precious name.

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

*When have the prayers of others helped you through a painful time?

*Flickr photo by allspice1, Creative Commons License

*Be sure to enter the Back At It Giveaway. Deadline to enter is 6 p.m. (Central) August 26.

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

Christmas Poem 2013: When Christmas Changes

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My tradition of writing an original Christmas poem lives on, friends. After losing my mom unexpectedly on October 21st because of injuries she sustained in a car accident, I didn’t know if I’d be able to write a Christmas poem this year. I usually write my poem in October or early November to help take the pressure off closer to the holidays, but could I do that this year? I could write a poem about grief, but one about Christmas? I wasn’t so sure about that.

God is good, though. When I turned to him for help, he graciously gave it. Just eight days after Mom went home to heaven, God helped me write the poem below. I pray it holds just the message that someone needs to hear this holiday season.

I’ll be taking a blogging break until the first of the year—unless I hop on here to share a photo. May you enjoy sweet times with loved ones and have a truly blessed celebration of our Savior’s birth, my friends. Enjoy the poem—and see you in 2014!

     When Christmas Changes

Christmas looks different to me this year
Maybe to you as well,
Life’s changes have me looking back
Have me caught in nostalgia’s spell.

Yearning for sweet times gone by
My memories become treasure,
I’ll savor and safe-keep them
For future joy and pleasure.

And though my heart may ache with loss
While looking back today,
I’ll turn my eyes to Jesus Christ
I’ll look to Him and say:

“Christmas on earth may change, my Lord,
But You are forever the same,
My Savior, my Friend, my Comfort, my Guide,
Ever worthy of worship and praise.”

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 NIV

*In loving memory of my mother, Charlene Hoy.

*Have you gone through a year when Christmas changed for you? How did God help you?

*Flickr photo by State Farm, Creative Commons License

Balm to a Broken Heart

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It’s no secret to most of you that I’ve been dealing with a broken heart the past few weeks. For those who don’t know, I lost my mom unexpectedly a few weeks ago as a result of injuries she sustained in a car accident.

My heart—and the hearts of our entire family—also sustained injury. They’ve been pierced and torn in two by the grief of losing Mom. My poem “Fragile” gave a glimpse into what that grief has looked like in my life and how God is helping me through it.

Today I’d like to tell you how God has applied balm to my broken heart and show you what it has looked like. It has looked like you. It has looked like every person who has reached out to me and my family in love.

Yes, God has ministered to me through his Word and through music, but the main avenue of healing balm has come through caring people—through words and gestures of concern and love.

Every word, every touch has been balm to my broken heart. Some of you came to be with us, to stand with us, to listen to us, to cry with us. Others sent cards or plants or flowers. Some gave practical gifts like food, stamps, and cash. And countless others showed their support and promises of prayer through comments and “likes” on Facebook or here on my blog. Each gesture has given comfort.

Thank you, friends, for showing your love and support. If you’ve ever wondered if a few words or a card or a comment on Facebook can help someone who is grieving, let me assure you they can. Each one makes a difference.

So join me, won’t you? Let’s be balm to the broken hearts around us. Let’s make a difference.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

*When has God used others to apply balm to your hurting heart?

*Flickr photo by Nina Matthews Photography, Creative Commons License

*It’s not too late to receive the new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter. It’s a special Advent issue this time. Sign-up is free and to the right!