[Written last Saturday]

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it. – Isaiah 30:21

My usual earrings are a modest-sized pair of little crosses that on close inspection each bear the word “Faith.” But yesterday I was drawn to another, more flashy pair, even though I was wearing my usual everyday jeans and a long-sleeved gray t-shirt that declared in somewhat muted red and blue, “America Needs Jesus.”

I had my reasons. On my list of mundane errands was “VOTE.” The way I see it, voting early is prudent, in case something “comes up” on Tuesday. (If something had “come up” yesterday, there would have been Saturday and Tuesday; hence my motto, “When in doubt, pick the earlier date.”) So, I impulsively donned these earrings, “just for funsies.”

After voting, my last mundane errand was to pick up a few things at the grocery store. On my way out, I was approached by an attractive young lady who asked what internet provider we use. As it is, we have one for Kentucky in the winter and a different one for Michigan in the summer. Me, I just click on the buttons and use it… Embarrassed to admit I didn’t know, I just said, “We’re happy with what we have, thanks.”

“I like your earrings!” she exclaimed as I started to walk away.

“Thanks,” I said, grinning. “I voted today.” She seemed impressed.

“I’ve been thinking about voting for the first time,” she said.

“Oh, you absolutely should!” I admonished emphatically.

As I walked to my car, I could feel the urging (of the Holy Spirit?) saying Go talk to her! Having just posted on my blog about the importance of voting, I knew I wouldn’t be at a loss for what to say.

When I walked in again, she recognized me and smiled. As I walked up to her, she looked at me curiously and expectantly.

“I just want to tell you three things,” I said, holding up three fingers. I hadn’t mean to get into “lecture mode,” but she seemed to recognize the retired teacher and smiled, ready to humor me.

“I just posted on my blog about this, so here goes …

“One: according to the Bible, whole civilizations have suffered the judgment of God based on the actions of their leaders, which they had no say in choosing. We do have a voice, so how much more are we accountable?

“Two: You may not want to vote for ‘the lesser of two evils,’ but it you don’t, you leave a vote for the greater of two evils unchallenged.” At this point, she said “the greater of two evils” along with me. I knew she was on board, so I continued …

“And Three: If you don’t vote, you forfeit your right to complain.” She laughed and nodded her agreement.

“You’re right,” she said. “I’m going to do some research and vote!” (I was very happy to hear her say she was going to do her homework before casting a knee-jerk vote!) “By the way, what’s the name of you blog? I want to read it.”

I was surprised that she had picked up on that throw-away line at the beginning of my “mini-lecture.” She was about to write it down, but I said, “Here, I’ll just give you one of my cards.” I dug one out of my purse and handed it to her. She took a careful look at it and was curious about the book pictured on the front. I told her it was my book about prayer and the hindrances to it, according to the Bible. She seemed interested.

“I’ve just been into that for a few weeks,” she said.

“You’re a new believer?!” I exclaimed.

“No, I’ve always believed, but I’m wanting to take it more seriously now.”

I asked if she’d like to read “BARRIERS.” She said she’d love to. I told her I might have a copy out in my car, and I’d be right back.

“I’ll be here,” she promised.

On the way to the car I prayed that I would have a copy with me – if it was God’s will for her to have it. It must have been, because I had one copy left. I wrote her a note inside and brought it back. She seemed thrilled and said she would definitely read it!

“Can I hug you?” we both said simultaneously. (If that’s not proof of a “divine appointment,” I don’t know what is.) We laughed and hugged accordingly.

Earlier that day I had been frustrated trying to find the place to vote, since I had never voted early there before, and apparently my GPS had never heard of the building. When I’d caught myself grumbling, I’d given the attitude to the Lord. I didn’t want to show up to vote in a grumpy mood, especially not with my t-shirt saying, “America Needs Jesus”!

Besides, I’d known for a long time that God’s timing is perfect, and when it doesn’t line up with mine, it means He’s up to something! It keeps life interesting, even when I’m just doing mundane things. Which might explain why I sometimes feel excited, but if you were to ask me why, I’d say, “I have no idea …”

I have never been a missionary, never even gone on a mission trip, for reasons I won’t elaborate on here. But that doesn’t mean God doesn’t direct my steps.

(My last three “divine appointments” have been at a gas station, a salad bar, and a grocery store.)

Prayer: Lord, Jesus, thank You for using me, although I sometimes look at “giants of the faith” and envy their platforms. I wonder sometimes, “what if …?” Forgive me for the times I’ve underestimated what You can do with me, right where I am. May I anticipate today – and every day – with the thought, “What if I were to assume I am exactly where God wants me?” Amen!

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – I Thessalonians 5:18

THANKSGIVING IS COMING SOON!

… and has, in fact, already passed in Canada. I want to be sure my readers know that my first children’s book, “Grumpy to Grateful,” is now available! It was written for kids who are just starting to read “chapter books,” with five short chapters and a generous number of illustrations by artist and friend, Roberta Dills. A while back I posted the chapters in a series of November posts. Feel free to preview a sample chapter, or the whole book:

From Grumpy to Grateful (A Story of Thanksgiving) Introduction

From Grumpy to Grateful (A Story of Thanksgiving) Chapter 1

From Grumpy to Grateful (A Thanksgiving Story) Chapter 2

From Grumpy to Grateful (A Story of Thanksgiving) Chapter 3

From Grumpy to Grateful (A Story of Thanksgiving) Chapter 4

From Grumpy to Grateful (A Story of Thanksgiving) Chapter 5

If you’re ready to order a copy – or more than one – for your child, grandchild, neighbor, or whoever you think might enjoy the story, the book can be ordered from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. And, as always, you are welcome to gather the family around and read “Grumpy to Grateful” right off the blog, as well. Happy Thanksgiving – every day!

Prayer: Generous and gracious Father, You have given us far more than we deserve. And, like little children, we sometimes need to be reminded just how blessed we are. May we have hearts that thank You every day, not only for what You give us, but also for who You are and who we get to be as Your children. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“You are the salt of the earth.” – Matthew 5:13

A couple of weeks ago I posted a piece about the relevance of Psalm 46 to the plight of Israel under attack from Hamas.

https://seekingdivineperspective.com/2023/10/13/though-the-earth-give-way/

Toward the end, I posed the question: If Scripture has prophesied that terrorism and wars will happen, should we still pray against them? Should we still oppose the prevailing evil?

Those of you who responded seemed to share my sentiment, that we can and should pray for the people caught in the midst of these situations. The End Times prophesies were made concerning large groups of people and unspecified times. Although we know there will be many saved and many lost, who knows if our prayers might be instrumental in bringing some individuals from one side to the other? Jesus Himself said we don’t know the day or hour when the end will come. We may not be able to stop the inevitable, but could our prayers postpone it, allowing more time for the lost to come to faith?

When Jesus told His followers, “You are the salt of the earth,” the general understanding is in the sense that salt was a vital preservative in the days before refrigeration. Salt did not make food last forever, but it did prolong its “shelf life.”

The God who created us, who called us to follow Him and carry out His will, doesn’t make mistakes. His timing is perfect, and just as Esther was positioned “for such a time as this,” to save her people, we entered this world exactly when our Creator wanted us to. We are likely not going to make the kind of visible impact that Esther did, but we have the secret, unfathomable power of prayer available to us. We have the opportunity to wield this power every day to help hold back the tide of destruction, giving our loved ones and others more time to repent and come into God’s Kingdom.

Another power/influence we have is the opportunity to vote. We should never take this right for granted! There are still many nations whose citizens don’t have the privilege of choosing their leaders.

I recently read a thread of comments regarding the upcoming elections in which one professing Christian had a distinctly cavalier attitude about the country and the world. He proudly proclaimed that Christ was all that mattered, that no candidate was good enough for him, and if America falls, America falls. – “Let it burn!” I cringed to think that someone claiming to follow Jesus would be so dismissive of his country and all the people in it, many of whom are lost souls desperately needing hope in these dark days.

It’s true that we have no perfect candidates, and for this reason many, in the name of Christian integrity, are refusing to vote, declaring proudly, “I won’t vote for the lesser of two evils!”

The mindset seems to be, I can’t save the country, so I’ll do nothing. America may be on the ropes; no doubt she will eventually lie on the ash-heap of history, along with every other great civilization that has ever enjoyed prominence. But that’s no reason to throw up our hands now, say “Oh well,” grab the marshmallows, and “let it burn.”

Maybe we can’t rescue America, but maybe we can buy her some time, time for lost souls to be saved.

We Americans have been given the task of choosing which admittedly flawed individuals are going to lead our nation. Yes, it’s frustrating, seeing the deficiencies of each candidate highlighted and magnified by his opponent, but I am pleading with you who don’t want to involve yourselves to prayerfully consider a couple of things:

1.) The Bible tells the story of Israel and other nations who either obeyed the Lord or, more often, defied Him. Whole nations bore the consequences of the actions of their leaders – leaders they had not had a say in choosing. We, on the other hand, have a voice. What does that tell you?

2.) You may be fearful that if you vote for “the lesser of two evils,” God might hold you accountable for that person’s flaws and blunders. But refusing to vote for the lesser of two evils is letting a vote for the greater of two evils to go unchallenged. Do you think you will escape accountability if the most ungodly are in charge and you have done nothing?

Election Day is fast approaching. If you love the Lord, if you love America,

PRAY.

VOTE.

PRAY.

(P. S. If you don’t vote, you forfeit your right to complain.)

Prayer: Lord, we live in a flawed, sinful world. Every day seems to bring another reason to give up hope. But You are our Hope. Your kingdom is not of this world, and we are not of this world. But You have kept us here to make the gospel known among the nations, for it is not Your will that any should perish. Guide us in our mission. Give us courage and perseverance to carry it out, harvesting every soul within reach, until the very end, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

“Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season…” II Timothy 4:2

This year our yard, my T-shirt, and the treats we’re giving out all have the same theme:

“SATAN’S WORST NIGHTMARE”

Happy All-Hallow’s Eve, everyone, and remember: Jesus is Lord every day – even October 31.

Prayer: Lord, help us never to shrink from sharing Your Good News at every opportunity. Even now, be preparing every person who will come to our door tonight, looking for something good. May they find Something – Someone – more wonderful than anything they could have imagined – YOU. And may we glorify You always, even when the enemy is working overtime, because we know You are the Victor, now and always, and in Your powerful name we pray. Amen.

This post first appeared three years ago, but I thought it bore repeating. Besides, I am about to take my laptop in for repairs, and I’m told it has to be “sent out” for a couple of weeks. Since my phone is a bit of a dinosaur, I don’t know how much commenting I can do on your posts with it, so please don’t take it personally if you don’t hear from me for a while. Meanwhile, I have an important and timely message scheduled for next week, so please be sure to read it when it comes out! See you (read you) in a couple of weeks. – Annie

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

This is the time of year that brings back some special memories for me, memories of fifteen years of the most ambitious outreach I have ever been involved in. For some background on my earlier dilemma with Halloween, the “AHA! moment, and our humble beginnings, see these earlier posts:

Preview of “Satan’s Worst Nightmare”

Satan’s Worst Nightmare preview #2: A Different Kind of Yard Display

Satan’s Worst Nightmare Excerpt #3: Small Beginnings

Over fifteen years our outreach evolved from a “different” yard display (tombstones displaying Scriptures about resurrection) to a dramatized presentation of the death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus from Satan’s perspective – “Satan’s Worst Nightmare.” Features included a live band, a large screen displaying song lyrics and scenes from “The Passion of the Christ,” dancers, and special effects such as a strobe light and fog. “Freebees” were added to the candy and tracts – hot cider, hotdogs, popcorn, and most importantly, Bibles.

After we discontinued our outreach, I decided I would at least make use of some of our scenery at our church’s annual “Trunk or Treat.”

In case the concept of “trunk or treat” is unfamiliar to my non-American readers, this is an alternative Halloween festivity for those who have misgivings about “trick or treating” for religious or safety reasons. A group of people gather their vehicles in one location (usually a parking lot) and decorate them – sort of “costumes for cars.” They open their trunks and give out candy to kids who come through. It’s a lot like trick or treating, but instead of going house to house, the kids go car-to-car (or van or truck).

I had never even been to this event at our church, much less had a car in it. I had always been busy directing the final intense rehearsals for “Satan’s Worst Nightmare.” I decided to transform the trunk of my car to show the Empty Tomb, draping the edges of the opening with stone-grey fabric, with “HE IS RISEN!” in sequined letters on a sheet of black cardboard inside. I took the big, round “stone” to lean against one side of the back bumper, and a tombstone declaring “He lives!” for the other.

I dug up one of the angel costumes – a long, white tunic with shimmering silver poncho over the top, silver sash, and a Christmas tinsel “halo.” (To keep warm I wore sweats underneath, so I was quite a chubby angel!) As the kids and parents paraded through, I gave them a jolly greeting of “He is risen!” as I handed out bags of candy and tracts.

One of the tracts was for the adults. It told about historical evidence for the Resurrection, along with an account of how the apostles died, begging the question, If Jesus’ Resurrection was a hoax, why in the world did His followers face excruciating persecution and death without one of them ever breaking down and confessing that it was a lie?

Looking around the parking lot that day, I was a little disappointed to see that most of the hundred or so other cars had secular themes, except for one trunk decorated as “God’s Garden.” This one had a little window just the size of a child’s face and a sign saying “Someone God loves!” A woman in overalls invited the children to peek through the window – into the mirror inside. I went over to express my appreciation of her creativity. She said it was what God had told her to do. I said I had sensed God’s direction for my trunk, too.

What I didn’t tell her was that this day seemed anticlimactic after the intense, directly evangelistic production I had directed for so many years. We had seen so many answered prayers, both providential and what seemed like “miracles,” such as the Bible some Satanists tried to set fire to that wouldn’t burn, or our outreach’s never getting rained out in fifteen years. (There were years it was raining everywhere except the block where we were performing.) I had decided to bloom where I was planted, in this relatively innocuous event. Surprisingly, things did happen later that day that may not have been “miracles,” per se, but nevertheless had Jesus’ name all over them.

The first bit of serendipity was when a woman dressed as an angel came up to my car, pointed a finger at me, and said with prophetic certainty, “The Lord will bless you for this!” I smiled, thinking, True, someday I will know what God is doing right now.

The second touch from God was when they announced the award for the best decorated trunk. (I didn’t even know they did that.) It was a name I didn’t recognize, but the title was “HE IS RISEN!” I was delightfully surprised that someone else had had the same idea, and I looked around to see who it was. Finally I went to the announcer, pointed to my car, and asked timidly if the winner was that car over there, by any chance? Apparently they had got the name wrong, and my car had won! I laughed, picturing Jesus standing there grinning and winking and saying, I was just messin’ with you.

The next little blessing was when I was handed the prize – a gift certificate to the grocery store I went to. Since I didn’t need help with groceries, I asked the Lord who He wanted to have it. He took me back to “God’s Garden” and when I offered the gift certificate to the lady in the overalls, she hugged me and tearfully exclaimed I had no idea what that meant. I learned she had spent her last $3.00 on candy for the kids.

(I also learned the angel lady had told her she’d be blessed for what she was doing, too.)

Happy “All-Hallows Eve,” everyone. Remember, every day is God’s, including October 31.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for giving the enemy too much credit. We know that You own everything – every day of our lives, every breath we take. Continue to reveal Yourself to us, and open our eyes to Your wonders, great and small, in Jesus’ name. Amen

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. – Ephesians 4:29

Maybe as a Christian, I should be outraged at the “unwholesome talk” that is rampant daily in our society. But with everything else that’s going on to be outraged about, I find this issue close to the bottom of the list.

Not that foul language isn’t something to be concerned about. It is, but not because it somehow assaults my delicate sensibilities. (I’ll survive.) The degree to which I’m concerned, and how I should respond involves why that kind of language is used. I can think of four possible reasons:

#1. Ignorance In general, people speak the way they learned. Their parents spoke that way, maybe the neighbors spoke that way, and when they speak that way, the people around them don’t think anything of it; it’s just the language of the day.

#2 Desire for attention There are others who use this language, knowing it’s offensive to “uprighteous” members of society in order to elicit a response. Seeing the shock on the faces of the holier-than-thou ladies clutching their pearls won’t deter these individuals; on the contrary, shocking these folks gives them a sense of power. They have one problem, though: is anyone seriously shocked anymore? “Shock” usually involves an element of surprise, and these days this language is about as surprising as manure on a farm.

#3 Anger/rebellion The motivation is similar to the attention-seekers, but more malicious. They deliberately speak in ways they know will offend, wanting to distinguish themselves from the establishment they despise, for whatever reason. Profane or obscene language is their way of expressing anger, and these people seem constantly angry.

#4 Laziness Then there are those who are just lazy. They know there’s a better way to express themselves, but honestly, it’s just too much trouble to come up with the words. So, they resort to the generic vocabulary of the uneducated.

These days, I see the social media pages filled with redundant f-words. When these are not enough to get a reaction, they relate the words to God or to mothers or some other attempt at making them even more “shocking.” But the rest of us aren’t shocked. Or impressed. Or angry.

Personally, I’m just bored.

Sometimes, I feel sorry for the “potty-mouths,” wanting attention so badly and yet lacking any creative originality. I feel sorry for the pearl-clutchers, too. Don’t these righteous people have a ministry to attend to?

Outrage, annoyance, boredom, pity -What is the Christian response?

#1 The Ignorant Getting angry at or judgmental of the first group is a waste of time. If people don’t know any better, they don’t know any better, and they are just as much in need of Jesus – and just as reachable – as any other sinners, including you and me. Trust me, giving them dirty looks isn’t going to cause them to fall on their faces, crying, “What must I do to be saved?!” It will only convince them that you’re an angry, hateful person. And who wants to be one of those people?

When I taught at a public high school, one day a student shouted across the cafeteria at another student, “JOHNSON, YOU SUCK!” He immediately felt a tap on his shoulder and found himself face-to-face with the assistant principal.

The man calmly suggested, “I think you meant to say, ‘You are behaving like someone possessing no redeeming qualities whatsoever.’ …?”

Visibly impressed, the young man pointed to the assistant principal and shouted, “… WHAT HE SAID!”

I don’t remember if this incident was the inspiration, but that semester I initiated a new game in my English class called “Say What?!” It was, in the words of the inventor (yours truly), “A way to utilize alternatives to those words your elders have come to know and hate.” For a few minutes at the beginning of class, we took a popular expression that I had put in the “jargon jail” with some of the letters hidden behind bars (Example: “b*t*h), broke up the class into small groups, and had them brainstorm to see which team could come up with the most alternative words (ex: “shrew”) or phrases (ex: “cantankerous woman”) to replace the incarcerated word. The kids not only increased their vocabulary, but they also continued using these words and phrases (in my class, anyway) after the game was over.

#2 Attention Seekers Psychologist James Dobson describes the “Law of the Soggy Potato Chip.” It says, basically, that kids want attention, even if it’s negative attention. (Eating soggy potato chips isn’t the best, but it’s better than starving.) When Jesus encountered the neglected and overlooked, their lives were transformed. You may not know why people crave attention, but Jesus knows. Before attempting to deal with their language, pray for them. Then ask the Holy Spirit to help you set a better example and lead you in how to reach out to them.

#3 The Angry Similarly, dealing with the angry speakers of obscenities, compassion may seem counterintuitive. But ask yourself, Why is (s)he so angry? If the reason isn’t evident, pray for that person. Then, if the situation allows, get to know him/her, setting an example of better communication.

#4 The Lazy As for those who know better, why are they not making an effort to communicate well? Do they feel there’s no point, because no one is listening anyway? Perhaps if we engage in some “active listening,” asking questions, or good-naturedly/humorously suggesting alternatives, the way the assistant principal did in the cafeteria, they might be inspired to be more articulate.

Prayer: Father, as Your Word says, we all fall so short of Your glorious standard. And while there are times we must deal with the sins of others, help us first to love them, the way You love them, the way You have loved us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

I recently posted a series on Christians and judging.

“Don’t Judge Me!” Part 1: To Judge or not to Judge?

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. – Psalm 46:2

“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10a) For most of my life I have heard that verse quoted by itself as a sweet reminder that the Lord is beckoning us to leave the everyday stress of life, come away and spend time with Him. And while that is certainly a good idea for each of us to practice daily, in the context in which it was written, it has another meaning that’s quite different.

This verse is taken from a Psalm that is both comforting and disturbing. It starts and ends with reassurance that as bad as things get, God is with Israel, her refuge (external) and strength (internal).

But these verses are interspersed with apocalyptic scenes – the earth giving way, the mountains falling into the sea, and the sea roaring and foaming. Along with these “natural” disasters are nations all around them “in uproar” and kingdoms falling, followed by the breathtaking statement, “he lifts his voice, the earth melts.”

Reading this Psalm, I can’t help thinking that this must be what the people of Israel are feeling today, as their world, which was not exactly peaceful and carefree before, has in one day broken out into the chaos, violence, and tragedy of an all-out war. (I won’t describe it here, as you’ve probably already heard enough details to be sickened.)

The descriptions that precede the well-known verse about “being still” are of the Lord’s making wars cease. He’s not bringing peace in a “Come, let us reason together” manner (Man has obviously not heeded that admonition.), but rather by breaking bows, shattering the spears, and burning the shields with fire. Clearly, this is a picture of a God who has seen Mankind warring endlessly and has had enough.

“BE STILL!” It’s not an invitation, it’s a rebuke.

” – and know that I AM God.” It’s a command from the only One who can make that claim.

Many of us who have read the scriptures concerning the “End Times” are seeing what’s happening in Israel as a fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus warned that “then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equaled again.” (Matthew 24:21) The prophet Ezekiel described events similar to Psalm 46 – see Ezekiel 38 and 39. What’s happened in the past week might look like the fulfillment of the End Times prophesies, but there are still pieces missing. For example, throughout the world there has been support and sympathy for Israel, but in the end, Scripture says, there will be none; it will be Israel vs the rest of the world.

(“But God … ” )

As many of you know, I was led nearly twenty years ago to pray daily against terrorism, and I have seen that prayer answered in some remarkable ways. I used to collect articles in a folder describing terror attacks that failed for one reason or another. (My favorites were the stories about would-be terrorists who providentially “failed,” came to know Christ, and are now evangelizing their world.) But one day as I was sharing this prayer mission with my sister, the conversation turned to the prophecies of the Apocalypse. My sister asked me if it made sense for me to be praying against something that God has already said is going to happen.

Good question.

In pondering these things, I have considered that praying for individuals isn’t counter to the predictions for the world in general, and that maybe the conversions of individual would-be terrorists are answers to my prayers. Foiled attacks on larger populations, such as the car bomb that failed to detonate in Times Square, might not contradict the general prediction of rising terrorism. Could prayer possibly be postponing the inevitable, while the Lord salvages a few more souls?

Whatever the case is, until I sense the Lord’s telling me otherwise, I will continue to pray against evil and for those whose job it is to protect the innocent.

I would be interested in your thoughts on this. Feel free to share them in the comments.

Meanwhile, here is the comforting, sobering Psalm 46 to meditate on today:

God is our refuge and strength,
       an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
       and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
   though its waters roar and foam
       and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
       the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her; she will not fall;
       God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
       he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us; 
       the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see the works of the Lord,
       the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
       he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
       he burns the shields with fire.
"Be still and know that I am God;
       I will be exalted among the nations,
       I will be exalted in the earth. 

The Lord Almighty is with us;
       the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Prayer: Lord God, we are in awe of Your power and overwhelmed by our own frailty. Our hearts ache for Your people in Israel and for the innocent ones on both sides who are caught in the conflict with nowhere to go. Bless those who are going to the war zone to help the hurting, especially those who are going in Your name. Help the victims of this world’s evil to find their hope in You, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

“And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)

It was an ordinary day, and I was out doing ordinary chores, which almost always included a trip to the grocery store. At my age, I should have perfected the weekly grocery run, but my brain still hasn’t reached that level of order and organizational skills. So, as usual, I was checking out with a few things I had forgotten to buy a couple of days earlier.

The self-checkout machine was arguing with me about something, and one of the cashiers came over to help. I recognized her as the lady who reminds me of my friend Nancy, who lives in another city. Nancy is one of those people you just instantly like – friendly to everyone, with a bubbly personality, constant smile, and hair-trigger laugh. This grocery store employee seemed to have the same affable personality.

I like her, I thought.

Then tell her.

Was that God’s “still, small Voice” I just heard? I don’t know, but I thought, Why not?

“Thanks,” I said after she had clicked on a few buttons and got the machine cooperating again. She responded with a joke about the machines, as if they were children with minds of their own. I laughed. “I like you!” I added. She seemed a little taken aback at my bluntness, so I explained she reminded me of one of my favorite people, who was always so much fun to be with.

“She thoroughly enjoys life, and you seem like someone who does, too.”

“I try,” she said, smiling.

I put on my best analytical face. “Something tells me you don’t have to try very hard,” I said. “I would guess you’re just a fun person.”

There was that hair-trigger laugh, and I had a feeling I had brightened her day.

As I was leaving, a somewhat elderly man in a wheelchair was coming toward me. I moved to get out of his way, but he motioned to me to come over, as though he couldn’t contain his excitement about something amazing he just had to tell me. I leaned in a little to hear what he had to say.

“Do you know,” he asked, “who’s been beautiful their whole life?” I wasn’t sure I understood the question, so he repeated it.

“You?” I guessed, grinning and pointing to him. (He did seem like the same sort of person as the cashier, who just brought sunshine into everyone’s day.)

He shook his head emphatically. “No!” he giggled, pointing back. “YOU!” Now it was my turn to be taken aback.

“You just made my day!” I laughed, and from the way he chuckled, I got the feeling that I had somehow made his, too.

“And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14) Two thousand years ago, Jesus – God incarnate – walked the earth as one of us. Today He walks the earth through millions of believers in which His promised Holy Spirit lives and moves. If we profess to believe in Him, then we should take seriously our admonition to affect the world around us with “the aroma of Christ.” (I Corinthians 2:15-17)

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. For man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:19-20) Maybe I have spent too much time online, but I’ve been under the impression that there’s a lot of anger in the world these days. But not everyone is angry all the time, as I saw the other day during an ordinary trip to get groceries. On my way home I marveled at how much my mood and attitude had been enhanced just by encountering a couple of ordinary people that the Lord is using to bring a little joy into the world.

Kinda makes me want to be one of them …

How can we “be Jesus” to someone today?

Prayer: Lord, there are so many things wrong in the world today, and people are rightly upset. But I’ve seen that getting angry rarely helps, unless it energizes me to be part of the solution. In the meantime, use me to bring light to dark places by showing Your love to my fellow mortals. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. – Galatians 6:9

A while back I wrote about some of the “firsts” in my life, which have been a bit of a surprise at my age – I’d thought at 70 I’d pretty much be coasting to the finish line, but clearly God has other plans. One of those plans was to get my books into audio form, since audiobooks have been gaining popularity.

Another “First” from 2022 – Expanding My Reach

On to Book Two!

At first, recording Vision, the second book of my trilogy, went a lot faster than the first book, ironically because I didn’t rush so much. Jeff, my recording technician and coach, had trained me well and got me to stop reading as though running a 50-yard dash. When I had finally “got the hang of it,” we did very little rerecording. Before we knew it, I was reading the epilogue, and that was that.

Or so it seemed.

Listening to the finished product, I thought it sounded … well, unfinished.

In one of the final chapters the story reaches a climax against a backdrop of a Christmas Eve performance of Handel’s Messiah. (Some of you may remember it as a Christmas story when I posted it in seven parts last December.) Listening to the crescendo unfold without the accompanying music sounded incomplete. (The kids would call it “lame.”)

I wanted to add the Hallelujah Chorus, the song that was being sung while God performed His miracle. When I posted the story in December, I had attached links to videos of the songs, so my blog readers could listen to the “soundtrack” of the story. But I learned I couldn’t legally use videos off YouTube in an audiobook, for copyright reasons.

Copyright laws can complicate things. I know that from my attempts merely to put song lyric quotes in my first book. One copyright owner of an old Broadway musical gave me permission to quote a couple of lines from one of the songs … if I would pay them half my royalties for the book! Needless to say, I wrote around the lyrics instead of quoting them directly.

Works that are hundreds of years old are usually “public domain.” Still, as old as Messiah is, recordings of choirs singing it are not public domain – unless they are more than 100 years old.

I remembered the church I attended as a child had a tradition of a Christmas Eve service that featured songs from Messiah, so I called them and asked the choir director if they still did that, and if so, do they ever record the singing? I didn’t get to the next step, asking permission to use their recording. I was informed that they don’t have any recordings, and they don’t do Messiah anymore. (What’s wrong with these people?!)

I checked with our choir director at my present church and asked if they had ever recorded their annual “Messiah singalong,” and if not, could they record it this year, and may I use the recording for … ? But I was told there was so much else going on, they wouldn’t be doing the event this year.

Next came a mad search for recordings that were over 100 years old. I found a few that were being sold online for hundreds of dollars, but I was reluctant to spend that much for something without knowing the condition or whether I could even use it.

Finally, I found a record with the Hallelujah Chorus for a reasonable price, so I took a chance and ordered it. When it arrived, it appeared in like-new condition, which is saying a lot, since it was recorded in 1918!

Now for the next challenge – finding a way to play it. Record players that play 78rpm speed are rarer than I thought. Jeff had a phonograph in the basement of the studio, and my son-in-law had one, but both of them played only 33 rpms and 45 rpms.

I emailed my church, a fellowship of believers that help each other out with pretty much everything, and asked if anyone had a phonograph that played at 78 rpms. Within 24 hours, two people responded, and I borrowed the equipment from one of them.

(I love my church. ❤ )

Since I already had recorded the narration, Jeff didn’t need me there, so rather than hanging around getting underfoot, I left the record and the phonograph at the studio, where he spent many hours working with volume levels and timing, all the while dealing with a bit of static, just by virtue of its being such an old record. There was also the matter of the sound of the phonograph motor, since there was no way to connect such an old device directly to modern recording equipment.

By this time, I was back in Michigan, but I received recordings via email which I listened to and suggested “tweaks.” Jeff was very patient with my nitpicking. He, too, was aiming for excellence, bless him.

I’m writing this today, because I just received the final recording, and I love it! Is it perfect? Probably not (especially with my voice). But considering what we had to work with, the completed work is, to me, miraculous.

I’m excited that, barring a disaster or the Second Coming, Vision should be available in audio form by Christmastime. I’ll keep you posted. 🙂

Prayer: Lord, thank You for inspiring Vision and for all who have been my support system in getting it published in hard copy, and now in audio! Thank You for Pam’s help with publishing, for Jeff’s recording expertise, and for the brother who trusted us with the antique phonograph. Please use Vision to bless readers and listeners with the story of an ordinary woman with an extraordinary God and use it to bring them closer to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Cast all you anxiety on him, because he cares for you. – I Peter 5:7

Back in the 80’s Marty and I moved from Michigan to St. Louis with our two children, Joanna and Benjamin. We arrived at our new home a week before Christmas to find the pipes frozen, but since my parents lived not far from us, this was only a minor glitch. We enjoyed the holidays with the grandparents and started attending a church nearby, where Joanna was enrolled in kindergarten.

Our daughter seemed ready for school. We had bought her some cute new clothes (At that age, everything was pink and purple.), ribbons for her pigtails, a lunchbox, and her most cherished accessory – a little pink umbrella with unicorns on it, which she insisted on taking to school every day, no matter the weather.

Shortly after school started, the women of the church had a luncheon in the fellowship hall. I had jumped right into this group and had found my new friends to be warm and welcoming. But that day I was about to realize it might not be as easy for a child to start a new school in the middle of the year.

Walking into the fellowship hall and passing the kitchen, I noticed that children could be seen through the kitchen window as they had recess, including one little girl I recognized. Her head was down, so she couldn’t see me, but I had a stabbing pain in my heart.

Unlike the other girls, who were playing in little clusters, laughing and apparently having a good time with friends they had known since September, Joanna was by herself. She was slowly walking around the perimeter of the playground, dragging her little pink umbrella with the unicorns on it.

As I stopped for a moment, the heartache intensified, now with tears. I whispered a frantic “mama prayer”:

Lord, Joanna needs You! Please help her to make some friends!

I don’t remember what we had for lunch that day. I only remember gulping it down as quickly as possible and taking my plate into the kitchen.

“Oh, you don’t need to do that!” a lady at the sink admonished good-naturedly, taking the plate from me. (Yes, I do …)

On the way out I lingered again by the window. Again, the tears flowed, but this time they were tears of gratitude.

It had started to rain, and a gaggle of little girls were crowded together, talking and giggling as if they were all old friends, including the one holding the umbrella they were under – a pink umbrella with unicorns on it.

Thank You, Lord!

Prayer: Lord, You know how our mama hearts can ache for our children. Sometimes we forget that You love them even more than we do. But they are in Your hands, and we can be confident that You won’t let them go. Thanks for what You did for Joanna that day by sending rain at just the right time – and for the kindergarten teacher who “for some reason” didn’t call everyone inside when the rain started! Thanks for answering my prayer so quickly, and for Your perfect timing in placing me right where I could see the answer for myself. Help me to trust You for hearing my prayers, even when the answers aren’t as immediate or as obvious. Help my faith in You to grow stronger every day, in Jesus’ name. Amen.