The Encourager – January 21, 2025 – Die Like Kris

I want to die like Kris. For years, Kris and her husband sat in front of us every week at church. We always spoke. She said she loved hearing several of us who sang in harmony behind her, and she enjoyed my occasional humorous quips during the service. Ten years younger than me, she was full of pep.

For a time, Kris was in remission for breast cancer. Then it came back. Her family, church, and friends supported her throughout the journey, with regular prayer and practical help. She had surgeries and treatments, but the disease marched on relentlessly, spreading to other parts of her body. The turning point came when she was told that there was nothing left to do. She could choose to have yet another surgery which might prolong her life for a few more weeks, or she could stop. Kris chose, in her words, “quality of life over quantity of life.”

And what a quality life she lived! Kris was an ordinary woman: not glamorous, not famous, not powerful. But there were easily 500 people at her funeral, and countless more who couldn’t attend, including many young people whose lives were affected by her passion for sharing the gospel via Young Life. Up until the end, she and John enjoyed every moment they could, doing life and ministry together. She continued to welcome family and friends, then took naps. She loved. She sang. She prayed. She kept the faith.

Our encounters at church were a poignant reminder of the brevity of life. We watched as Kris grew weaker and more frail each week. But we also saw something else: Kris radiated the joy of the Lord. She had an amazing testimony of unshakeable faith in Christ, no matter what! The last time I spoke with her, we had just heard a sermon about Heaven, our true and better Home. After the service, I asked her if she believed this. She said, “Yes, I do” with a beautiful smile on her face. Thanks be to God! That day and every day, she was just glowing with love and joy! And despite her diminished energy she took time to thank me for being “an unexpected source of encouragement.” God did this!

To the world at large, Kris was unremarkable. But to those who were privileged to know her, she had a remarkable testimony: a life devoted to the Lord and His kingdom, a life well lived. She was an influencer of the best kind. She knew Jesus personally, and I am confident that He personally welcomed her Home. Her seat in church is empty, but now she can sing with angelic choirs and all the saints who have gone before. Our loss is her gain.

Oh Lord Jesus, thank You for this dear friend. What a shining example of the Holy Spirit’s work! Let me live like Kris. Grow in me Your love and joy. And when my time comes, let me die like Kris. May I have that peace that shines with hope! May I encourage others in the faith. Thank You Jesus for preparing a place for us where there is no more suffering, only rejoicing in our loving Savior. Thank You for the love that never fails.

God is faithful,
j

The Encourager – Correcting Others in Christ

Two friends contacted me this week for advice about situations involving whether or not to correct another sister in Christ. The Scripture encourages us to “bear with one another,” and we know that “love covers a multitude of sins,” but it also says, if you see someone going down the wrong path, kindly try to bring him back. “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” – Galatians 6:1

How do we decide whether or when to say something? I try to use three principles in deciding whether or not to correct another believer: prayer, proper authority, and propinquity.

Is it more loving to put up with someone’s continual sin or to call them out? It depends. Have you prayed for the person, asking God for His wisdom and timing? Do you have spiritual authority over that person? Are you close to that person (close family or friend)?

Case #1: Friend A has a woman B in her church who uses foul language regularly and interrupts the pastor’s sermon every single Sunday. Certainly, my friend is praying for this sister in Christ, but she is not in authority over her. It would be the job of the pastor who is constantly being interrupted during public worship to correct B. (I can’t believe he hasn’t done so already!) If there are elders or other leaders in the church, they might also speak to the woman. If B were a child, her parents should correct her. If married, her own husband could speak to her. Thirdly, if friend A knows this disruptive woman B well, she may sit down and talk with her as a close friend and peer, sister-to-sister. Hopefully, whoever speaks with B would do it privately, prayerfully, humbly, and gently, pointing out the Bible verses which address the specific issues in question.

Then if B is a true believer, we would expect that she would confess her sin and make a sincere effort to change these bad habits, with the help of the Holy Spirit (we can’t do it on our own!) and without making prideful excuses. Her fellow church members could aid her in this by gentle reminders. The next time she calls out during a sermon, the pastor could say something like, “Sister B, I welcome your comments after the service.” The next time she uses curse words in conversation, my friend A could say, “I’m sorry, I don’t want to hear curse words. Can you say this in a different way?” All involved would let B know that she is loved and also accountable.

Case #2: Friend C leads a local group which is part of a large Christian association. Member D of her local group is struggling with a serious issue: D’s child is transgender and she is conflicted. She is crying out to the Lord in prayer, asking Him to bring her child back to Biblical principles, yet also calling the child “they/them” and wearing pride shirts. A higher authority in the Christian organization is asking my friend C to confront D about her sin and remove D from the group. Now I’m very sure that C is praying for D and her child. (As a side note, the fact that D feels safe enough to share her many difficult emotions with the group tells me that C is doing a great job as a leader.) However, C is not in spiritual authority over D. She is not this lady’s pastor, elder, or husband. She has organizational authority, which is not the same thing. Nor is she a close personal friend – yet.

C is creating a safe space for people to open up and share real concerns, and she is developing ongoing relationships with women in her group. Hopefully, there will come a time in the future when C feels close enough to D that troublesome issues can be addressed on a peer-to-peer basis, as a loving sister in Christ who has demonstrated care for D over time. Meanwhile, D is really struggling; she needs prayer and support from other Christians. I can’t imagine the pain in her heart! If D were in fact sinning by using “they” and wearing a pride shirt (no doubt trying to show love to her child but confused), what would Jesus do? He touched the untouchable lepers, He didn’t avoid them! He approached the unapproachable, He didn’t cast them aside! He spoke with prostitutes, embezzlers, and murderers, offering forgiveness and new life. If one of those sinners came to Jesus’ meeting, I am confident that He would not have kicked them out! He would want them to stay and hear truth proclaimed and see it in action. Jesus would lovingly befriend the person in order to have opportunity to touch the heart. I believe He would enfold this dear suffering mother in His arms and let her weep. He would love on her. Then He would gently tell her that there are better ways to show love to her child.

These are only a few thoughts on the larger issue of correction in the Body of Christ. I’ll have more to say later. If you have thoughts on what I’ve written, please feel free to share them in the Comments section below, so we can all benefit from the discussion. Thank you!

God is faithful,
j

Copyright 2024 by Janet A. Marney

The Encourager – Victory

I had a Satanic attack on Sunday morning. The moment I reached over to turn off my phone alarm, I saw a terrible text message calling me bad names with lies and foul language, from a woman who claims to be a Christian. Bam! Satan knew I was supposed to help lead worship at church that morning (I’m a singer), so he hit me with a whammy at a vulnerable moment when I was not quite awake. Formerly, that kind of text would have knocked me out for a few hours or days. But this time was different.

A little back story: this is a younger woman who I was mentoring in the past who turned against me when I set up some simple boundaries. We had a wonderful friendship until she came into town on a whim and expected me to drop everything to invite her to my house. I was feeling really terrible that day and told her that unfortunately I couldn’t get together with her. She was not happy, but I held firm. That was a great victory for me, to be able to say No to a needy person in order to take care of myself for a change. I’m learning boundaries; she doesn’t understand.

So on Sunday morning, I called out to the Lord and put my trust in Him. I was NOT going to let this attack paralyze me and ruin my Lord’s Day. How was I able to do that? Because, by God’s grace, I’ve been steeped in Scripture for several days and delving deeper into prayer, I could recognize this as an enemy attack. Because, by God’s grace, my own dealings have been good throughout the interactions with this woman, so I could be confident in that truth. Because, from conversations with others, I know that this woman creates drama wherever she goes and I’m not the only recipient of her sewage. Because, knowing some of the trauma she’s endured in her life, I feel only sorrow for her.

Guess what verses were in my devotional that morning? “I don’t use human plans and methods to win my battles. I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds.” – 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 TLB and “So use every piece of God’s armor...[and] stand firm.” – Ephesians 6:13 TLB The focus was on spiritual warfare, and I was winning! He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. “Crown Him with many crowns!”

Guess what the songs were about that morning? We sang “Oh, I'm running to Your arms, I'm running to Your arms, The riches of Your love, Will always be enough, Nothing compares to Your embrace, Light of the world forever reign!” and “Your goodness is running after, it's running after me, Your goodness is running after, it's running after me, With my life laid down, I'm surrendered now, I give You everything, 'Cause Your goodness is running after, it's running after me!” Even during the rehearsal before the service, I was already entering into worship in Spirit and in Truth. I’m running to Jesus and He’s running to me. The Lord provided just the songs I needed to sing at that particular time. They were literally right in front of me on the music stand!

Guess what the sermon was about? “Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once send me more than 12 legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled?” – Matthew 26:53-54 Christ had vast armies of angels at His command, yet He chose to lay His power down on our behalf, so that WE could have the power of prayer and the strength to stand fast. We now have all the power of Christ on our side, “and He must win the battle!” I knew I could call upon Him in any hurtful circumstance and He would be there for me. What looked like weakness on the Cross was actually strength, and now I am strong in Him! What a great victory I experienced on the Lord’s Day.

So every few months, I get another awful phone call or terrible text from this messed-up woman. Yes, I’ve stopped answering her calls, but why don’t I just block her? Because I still love her. It’s a regular reminder to pray for a very troubled person. She needs God’s help to escape her desperate dungeon. She’s a prisoner of the enemy, but I am a daughter of the King. Prayer is a powerful weapon. And He must win the battle.

Christian friend, when you are attacked, remember this: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous runs into it and is safe.” – Proverbs 18:10 NASB So run to Jesus. He’s running toward you.

God is faithful,
j

Copyright 2024 by Janet A. Marney

Songs quoted are “Crown Him with Many Crowns” written by Matthew Bridges and Godfrey Thring; “Forever Reign” written by Reuben Morgan and Jason Ingram; “Goodness of God” written by Ed Cash, Ben Fielding, Jason Ingram, Brian Johnson and Jenn Johnson; and “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” written by Martin Luther.

The Encourager – Pride Month

Facebook Warrior, Part 2. My cousin M, not a Christian, posted on Facebook after attending a Pride Month event in her town.

Original Post by M: To all my fellow Peacekeepers, be sure to take care of yourselves. It's a bit rough out there today. Thank you to Silent Witness Peacekeepers Alliance for letting me be a part of your awesomeness. To the "Christian" man who insisted on using a megaphone to loudly and vividly describe sex acts to children as they passed by with their families, shame on you. And to the man who told me "Jesus would rather you have a lode stone strung around your neck that you may die in the coming floods" I hope you can swim. Happy Pride, y'all.

Comment by L: Christians ruining Christianity since, well since Christ.

My response J: I'm a Christian, and I am truly sorry for the way these "Christians" acted! 😢 IMHO, they did not represent Christ well. I think there's a kind way to share one's beliefs without being rude, judgmental, or inappropriate to the setting.

Response by M: yeah, there was a lovely lady standing near me at one point who was just kind and wanted to share her beliefs. She seemed unhappy and embarrassed and surprised by many people’s actions and packed up and left. She heard Jesus’s teachings and knew this was not how to share them.

Comment by S: I despise Christians who only preach hate. That’s not my Jesus.

Response by M: yeah, these people had clearly not actually heard his message.

My response J: I feel sorry for them! Jesus sought out the marginalized and showed them love when most of society rejected them.

[End of thread]

Friends, Christians who act that way are well-intentioned but wrong! Kindness and gentleness are just as much a part of Christ’s message as sexual purity. The loud self-righteous attitude shown by some Christians is just as bad as having a proud attitude about a homosexual lifestyle.

And what about us reading this exchange right now? Did you get the irony of S who said “I despise Christians who only preach hate.” Isn’t despising someone another form of hate? But we are not superior to S in any way. We must remember that our enemy seeks to separate Christians from one another using tactics just like this. Beware of spiritual pride. Instead of despising or dismissing Christians who are doing questionable things, we should be praying for them and teaching them more effective ways to persuade people. Clearly at least they care about the issues, while I sit here on my sofa.

At the beginning of Pride Month, another friend posted, “How about a Humility Month?” 😂 Funny but true. The humble Christian will recognize his own sin as being worthy of eternal shame, suffering, and loss. My own sin put Jesus up on the cross! It’s not my place to judge either the proud homosexual or the proud Christian. My job is to love God and love my neighbor, whatever his condition.

Do you want to protest Pride (or something else)? Here’s your guidance from Scripture: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” – James 3:17

God is faithful,
j

Copyright 2024 Janet A. Marney

The Encourager – Facebook Exchange with an Unbeliever

Shortly after our June wedding anniversary, I went on Facebook and happily posted a chart showing several characteristics of a “Cycle Breaker,” such as “recognizes dysfunctional behavior in themselves and changes it” and “recognizes unhealthy familial patterns and chooses to not repeat them.” Along with the chart, I commented, “Pastor Steve Smallman told us in a pre-marital counseling session, ‘You can break the cycle!’ and he was right!”

An acquaintance I met through quilting responded in a way I did not expect. Despite her confrontational style, I tried to be thoughtful and gracious with her. I want to use social media to uplift minds and hearts and perhaps point people to Christ. In many cases, I’m not preaching the gospel per se but laying groundwork for future conversations. Part of preparing the soil for seeds includes digging up dirt. Many nonbelievers won’t even consider the gospel because they have such a negative view of Christians. Every tiny interaction I can have with someone hostile to the faith has the potential to dig up and overturn negative impressions.

Here’s that Facebook Exchange with the lady I’ll call C. My responses will be written as J.

C: All good and well, but is pastor educated in Mental Health treatment? If he triggers someone, is he educated to be able to move forward with the person? Or is the person just left out to hang on? Oh! I know, just trust.

Same with politics! Does pastor have a degree in political science? Law? Social sciences? Once the pastor tells the followers how to believe regarding political issues, is pastor going to be able to back step when congregant has a situation that doesn’t fit the religious rule? I really wish pastors would just teach theology and leave MH, abortion, medical, political, social work to trained professionals. I sure wouldn’t attempt to bring theology into my social work. I’m not trained and SW code of ethics requires that we not address issues that we aren’t competent to properly address. Wish pastors held to the same code of ethics! I’m verging on crossing into saying things that are better left unsaid in this response!

J: I think you may be reading too much into this. I agree that ministers should preach the word of God rather than political or social action advice. But God’s word affects all areas of life. Our pastor’s remark was made to us during our premarital counseling. This was not said to the whole congregation. Re: mental health, I did go through five years of individual and group therapy with trained, licensed, professional counselors. Our beloved pastor was just giving us hope that, in spite of many challenges in our family backgrounds, we could have a successful marriage with the Lord’s help. By God’s grace alone we have been married for 45 years. I am so thankful for Pastor Steve’s counsel and encouragement! 😊

C: and you are one person! Look at the division in this country…. Far right, ultra conservative preachers are playing a big part in dividing this country. And gods word plays no part in my life or the lives of many others. “All areas of life!” Please don’t include me in ‘all areas of life’

I could attribute my life to tinker bell, Cinderella or any other mythical creature. I chose to not believe in any ‘out there, imaginary creature!’ I’m still a good person. I still treat people better than I’ve been treated by many ‘self proclaimed Christians who would rather stab you in the back than love you. I have met a handful of self proclaimed Christians who really live and give their beliefs. Hooray for them. Most Christians don’t live what they preach. So yes, please leave politics, counseling. Medical and so much more… to the professionals trained in those fields.

There are several items in your list that I would get on my case load, who I’d have to work through the trauma triggered by those statements! Yep! Pastors keep preaching so we social workers stay employed!

J: thank you for your comments. By "all areas of life," I mean areas of believers' lives such as marriage, family, finances, work, leisure, etc. "All areas" does not mean "all people," so you're not included. Every religion has the right to make statements about these & other areas based on their beliefs. In this country, where we still have freedom of religion, we can choose whether or not to listen to pastors/rabbis/imams/etc. No one is requiring you or the people you see as a social worker to believe in any particular religion or to practice it. I agree that many leaders don't practice what they preach, but that happens with everyone on the planet at one point or another! Whether or not you believe in God or gods, none of us can live up to our own highest standard. We all fail. Yes, that keeps professional counselors and social workers employed, but it's still sad. My goal is to be part of the solution, not just complain about the problem. I have found that continually dwelling on the negative does not help. It actually can make things worse.(Obviously, it's important to acknowledge negative things in a therapeutic setting, with the goal of overcoming them.) I believe that happiness is a choice. I have found that Gratitude is life-changing.

C: I just really get tired of the rhetoric. I’ve started speaking up. Yes I have as much right to speak up and call out, as the next person has to brag. I wish people would keep their stuff to themselves. There are so many things kept private, in life. Why can’t that! I’ve lost friends (mind you, Christian friends) when I’ve finally spoken up. That alone tells me they don’t practice what they preach. Each and every friend was dear to me… not because of their religious beliefs… in spite of it And because we had other topics of similar interests… just like our love of quilting.

J: I'm sorry you've lost friends. I don't know the situations, but I hope you can find new friends that will support you and not judge you, yet speak truth to you in a loving helpful way.

C: I don’t need to hear ‘truth’

J: Ok, that's your choice. By "speak truth" I mean that I invite certain key people in my life to gently pull me aside if I seem to be doing something unkind, dangerous, or unhealthy. These relationships in which people are close enough to have honest (and sometimes difficult) conversations are very valuable to me. However, that may not be what you're looking for in a friendship, and I respect that. I just hope you will find whatever YOU need most in a friendship. I wish you all the best. 😃

C: from my experience, when someone says they hope I find the truth, it has always meant that I should accept their religious truth.

I believe I AM having an honest and difficult conversation with you! If our friendship, which originated around quilting, and not around religion, is strong enough for this conversation, then all is well. I feel like perhaps you are thinking differently of me, upon learning I don’t share your views. In which case, I’ve proven my point.

J: absolutely not! I have family and friends with a wide assortment of beliefs/non-beliefs, political opinions, lifestyle choices, etc. I hope I treat each of them with the same respect and dignity. As I've said before on FB, we can disagree without being disagreeable! (Our country was founded on that principle.) In fact, although I love my Christian friends, I am very grateful for the nonChristian friends and family who challenge me to examine and defend my views. I'm always willing to listen, and if it makes sense, maybe my views will change. In my opinion, we're never too old to learn something new. But you have to be open to it. As far as I'm concerned, all is well between you and me. I'm glad you felt free to truly engage in this discussion! (Maybe, others will read this thread and see that people of different viewpoints CAN actually talk to one another! Wouldn't that be amazing?) 😃

Thus ended the exchange. The following Sunday morning, a church member came up to me and complimented the way I handled the discussion. I was quite surprised! She had not only read it online, but then read it out loud to her husband, our assistant pastor! Thanks, Erin! I say this to underscore the importance of encouragement. Her words really lifted me up at a time when I needed a good word. And her positive feedback gave me the idea to reprint the exchange here.

I’m not always successful in my efforts to be gracious. But that’s my goal. Wouldn’t it be great if every nonbeliever had a kind Christian friend who treated them well?

God is faithful,
j

The Encourager – Heat Wave

We’re having a heat wave this week. There are consequences to growing things. The gas company was here two weeks ago doing an upgrade and they pulled out some azaleas on a very hot day, did some work, then plunked them back in the ground. Unfortunately, they installed the ugly new meter on the front wall of the house instead of the side, so they had to come back on another hot day to re-do the job. The same bushes got pulled up, sat out in the heat for a few hours, then got plunked back in the ground. Meanwhile, I have a row of hydrangeas that always need lots of water (with hydra in their very name) and won’t get any liquid nourishment for many days of dry heat.

The poor azaleas that were violently uprooted experienced two very stressful events in a row with enduring negative effect, while the longsuffering hydrangeas are subject to a high overall stress level which results in a steady drain on their reserves. In both cases, the plants are desperate for water! Therefore, I have my hose trickling at the base of each plant for 20 minutes each morning during this season of extreme heat.

I recently read the verse, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” – John 15:4 What’s the point? Rain falls to the ground, the plant’s roots suck it up and distribute it to all the leaves, and eventually the plant flowers and bears fruit. If no water falls near the base of the plant, it withers and dies. Jesus Christ is the Living Water, and we all need it, especially in a heat wave. Whether we’ve been shocked by a serious unexpected crisis (or two in a row), or there’s an ongoing difficult situation in our lives which is draining our energy, we need Jesus.

There’s a human tendency to move away from God during difficult times, to distract ourselves with our drug of choice (work, entertainment, food, relationships, alcohol, money, politics, etc.) but we actually need to move closer to Him. Ideally, everyone who belongs to Christ is spending at least a little time every day reading the Word, meditating on it, and praying. Regular fellowship with other believers is necessary fertilizer. But when we’re in the Refiner’s fire, we need extra spiritual refreshment on a daily basis. Our enemy is delighted when troubles occupy our minds to such an extent that they overpower our memory of God’s grace. Don’t let Satan win!

Let’s call upon the powerful name of the Lord. “The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!’” – Psalm 116:3-4. “I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live….I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.” – Psalm 116:1-2, 13.

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” – John 4:10 When we’re hot and thirsty, all we need to do is ask. Go directly to the Source! And let’s not forget that others are watching how we deal with a crisis or ongoing strain. “Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony.” – John 4:39 Let’s abide in Christ.

Time to water the garden…

God is faithful,
j

The Encourager – Maundy Thursday

What is Maundy Thursday? Maundy comes from the Latin for "mandate." On this day, stooping to wash His disciples' dirty feet, Jesus gave us the mandate to "love one another."

How do we love one another? I’m starting to see that love often involves sacrifice and service. My friend Gitta calls it “dying to self.”

I sometimes find that reading a different translation of the Bible makes a passage strike me in a new way. My devotional reading from the Living Bible this morning featured 2 Peter 1:6, 8. “Learn to put aside your own desires so that you will become patient and godly, gladly letting God have his way with you. The more you go on in this way, the more you will grow strong spiritually and become fruitful and useful to our Lord Jesus Christ.” The English Standard Version says the key traits we are to develop are “faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.” One trait leads to the next, with love being preeminent. If we continue to grow in these attributes, we become “effective” and “fruitful” for Christ.

In other words, as we grow in love, we serve Christ, and thus bring Him honor.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Jesus is the supreme example of humbly putting aside His own desires to give greater significance to others. Although He knew that the Cross would mean He must suffer great personal pain, He looked to “the interests of others” to accomplish our salvation. Jesus obeyed God’s mandate to love.

Lord Jesus, of all days, Maundy Thursday is about humbly putting other people before myself. How can I love others better today? I’m sure You will provide opportunities – You always do! By Your grace, please open my heart and mind to see these occasions for what they are: divine calls to love those around me, whether believers or unbelievers, and thereby love You more. May my first ambition not be to bring glory to myself, but to bring glory to God.

God is faithful,

j

The Encourager – When You Go Through Deep Waters

Today is my oldest son’s birthday. I’m reading the same devotional now as I was back then, and it’s good to remember what happened all those years ago. On February 14th, Dave and I took the tour of the hospital’s maternity ward, thinking we still had a month more of reading up on babies, taking Lamaze classes, and preparing the nursery. On Friday the 15th, I had my separation physical and officially got out of the US Navy that morning, then went to a church meeting that evening. At the meeting, my water broke, a full month early. Naturally I was a bit stressed: this was our first child, and I didn’t know what to expect. How would I deal with a premature baby? How would I get the nursery ready in a few hours? I didn’t even have a place for him to sleep!

That day, my devotional book reading started with “The mighty oceans thunder your praise” from Psalm 93:3, and continued with the water theme in several more verses. There’s no doubt that God has ultimate power over all the oceans. In particular, I was struck by the timeliness of Isaiah 43:2 “When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.” Coincidence? I don’t think so. I think the Lord knew exactly what was going to happen to me that day. He had divine encouragement ready for me from the Scriptures. All I had to do was to read the verses and ask God for the promised help. But it strikes me: I would not have received the excellent encouragement God had prepared for me if I had skipped the reading that day!

Fast forward to today. A dear friend’s husband had passed away at a young age, leaving her with two sons. A while back, the older son appeared to be struggling with his faith, so we prayed and we kept on praying. So hard to raise sons without a father there! Then, a few days ago, she was shocked when the younger son told her that he doesn’t want to hear her talk about the Lord any more. She wept and we prayed. Some time passed. Today her oldest son got accepted into medical school. I rejoice with my friend’s happy news, but I rejoice even more that this son is now concerned that his younger brother go to church and is even taking him there! If God is answering our heartfelt prayers for the older, won’t he also answer our prayers for the younger?

As the song says, “He knows our need. To our weakness, He’s no stranger.” We may not be prepared for what comes our way on any given day. But God is always prepared! Why? Look at the verses that surround the “deep waters” verse. He is the Lord who created us, redeemed us, and called us by name. “Do not fear...I am the Lord your God, the holy one of Israel, your Savior.” We are “precious and honored in His sight” and He loves us. Again He repeats, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”

I sent my friend the Isaiah 43 passage, because I believe it applies to her and her sons as well. And it applies to many other parents I know whose children are wandering from faith in Jesus Christ. And it’s encouraging in other difficult circumstances, too. Whatever trouble is shocking, saddening, or worrying you right now, if you belong to the Lord, He is with you. Read your Bible daily, keep praying, confide in a trusted friend. When we go through deep waters and great trouble, He will be with us. Thank You, Lord!

God is faithful,
j

The Quilted Heart Encourager – A Poignant Week

This is a poignant week. As I contemplate Christ’s journey to the cross and what it cost Him, I seek to apply that to my own life. My uncle died last Monday, and I want to offer some support to my aunt and cousins, so I fly out Wednesday morning (tomorrow). I have to admit that at first I was reluctant, due to the high cost of last-minute airfare and rental car. Also, I was loathe to renege on volunteer duties already scheduled for this week. Most of all, I didn’t want to miss our church’s beautiful Maundy Thursday service, a rich time of communion, quiet reflection, and songs of praise. Why did they have to schedule my uncle’s memorial during the week before Easter?! What bad timing!

Last year another elderly man we knew passed away on Easter Sunday. What a triumph for a man who had lived his long life faithfully for Christ! What a perfect time to go! Although we miss our friend, we rejoiced that he rose to meet the Lord on the day of resurrection celebration. By contrast, my uncle was not a Christian, so there won’t be any rejoicing. There won’t be a church service. Instead, on Thursday evening, the immediate family will scatter his ashes in a river, and then we will all go out to dinner and share remembrances.

How touching that this memorial will take place on Maundy Thursday, the night when Jesus washed the feet of His disciples before sharing the Passover meal with them, foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice that He would undertake. What is the message of Maundy Thursday? There is much to be gained from a study of that time, but what’s salient to me this week is service. Jesus, the King of Creation, took up a cloth to wash sinners’ feet. Shortly thereafter, He would give His body and His blood to save people like me from our sin. The least I can do is go and be present and weep with my aunt.

This man Jesus had so much sorrow for the lost! Do we share the same sorrow? He came not to be served, but to serve. Do we share that same desire to serve? Our church small group has been reading a book by Pastor John Piper, in which he exhorts Christians to have a “passion” for Christ, an earnest zeal for serving Him generously in every area of our lives. Pastor Ryan Laughlin, in his Palm Sunday sermon, spoke of Mary’s great outpouring of perfume onto Jesus’ body, anointing Him for service. The woman who poured this costly nard was “wasteful for Jesus,” giving generously as an act of true worship. Jesus poured out His life for us; do we pour out our lives for Him?

I have a feeling that this Maundy Thursday will be more significant for me because the Lord, in His perfect timing, has given me an opportunity to serve. I am praying that I may be a blessing to those gathered in sorrow. I know I’m already a good hugger, but I’m also asking the Lord to give me gracious speech, one of my greatest weaknesses. May the Holy Spirit show me when to speak and when to be silent. They are lost without Christ! May I share His love generously, bringing glory to Him.

What about you? Is Jesus calling you to serve in some way this week? Serve generously, as unto the Lord.

God is faithful,
j

The Encourager – Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs

Do you take time to encourage other believers? This is not an optional activity, but an exhortation to all who follow Christ. As Paul writes in Ephesians 5:19-20, we should be “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” But what if we don’t feel like singing?

Check out the previous verse: “be filled with the Spirit.” It’s a simple fact that we can’t encourage others until we ourselves have been encouraged by the Holy Spirit. When we are struggling to rejoice – due to external circumstances in this broken world or to our own internal sin – we have ready sources of encouragement in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs! Feeling down? First let the poet/harpist King David inspire your worship with his songs of pleading and praise. Then sing your own songs in prayer to the Lord. You don’t have to be a professional musician or even a good singer to make a joyful noise. If the Lord made you tone-deaf, you are not released from the command to sing. Find a prayer closet or a spot out in nature and go for it!

Last Sunday in church we sang a wonderful song. I woke up with it on my mind and Dave and I have been singing it all week. Thanks to YouTube, we can search for songs with lyrics and play them over and over if we want to. Eventually, we memorize the words and they become part of the free library of encouragement in our minds. As the Spirit brings these songs to mind in difficult times, the memorized words penetrate our hearts, as yeast is worked into dough or fertilizer is worked into garden soil. Our faith grows.

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” – Zephaniah 3:17 That’s right, God rejoices over us with singing. So let’s sing with Him! And from hearts overflowing with thankfulness, we can lift up others and thus fulfill the law of Christ.

God is faithful,
j

PS Here’s the chorus of the song I’ve been listening to and singing all week. May it encourage you as it has encouraged me.

“Holy, Holy, Lord God almighty.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!
Highest praises, honor and glory be unto your name, be unto your name.”

- “Be Unto Your Name” Words and music by L. DeShazo and G. Sadler, Integrity’s Hosanna! Music. I recommend this version on YouTube by CRC Worship: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSPwjMv_-5k

The Encourager – August 22, 2022 – A Prayer for Our Children

This past Sunday was Bless Our Schools Sunday, so we prayed for students, teachers, and staff members returning to school. Whether your children are just starting school, finishing a degree, going through a mid-life crisis, or raising children of their own, they could all use prayer. Even if you don’t have children yourself, you can probably think of some child to bring before the Lord. Remember, you may be the only believer in that child’s life, and your positive influence could be significant.

While it’s fine to pray that our children will work hard, do well in school, make good friends, and be successful in sports or music, we mustn’t neglect the Lord’s higher priorities for prayer. This is work with eternal consequences.

Nancy Guthrie, in tracing the theme of Offspring through the Bible, says, “we are in the midst of a spiritual battle….The Enemy wants you to be in league with him, not at enmity with him. He wants to claim you as his own for eternity. And if you have children, he wants them too. So what do we do? We take up spiritual weapons to fight this spirtiual battle.” Here’s how to pray, Guthrie says: “We saturate ourselves, and our homes, in the Word of God. Rather than presume upon God to save our children, we plead with God to save our children. We pray that our children will be at enmity with the Evil One and reconciled to God. We pray that they will not be deceived by the Devil’s lies, nor linger in rebellion against God. We pray that they will recognize the voice of their Savior when he calls to them, that they will be clothed by him in the righteousness of Christ. We pray that they will take hold of the grace that was promised in the midst of the curse. We pray that when Christ sees his offspring, he will see the faces of our children.” What a wonderful prayer, and one that is surely steeped in Scripture.

I’ve used Colossians 1:9-12 as a prayer for my children: Father, fill them with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that they may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please You in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Strengthen them with all power, according to Your glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience. May they joyously give You thanks, knowing that, through Christ, You have qualified them to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Parenting/Mentoring can be really challenging, but the Holy Spirit is there to help. The more problems you see, the more prayer you need. For gender-specific prayer, add Proverbs 31:10-31 for the girls and Psalm 112 for the boys. Or just pray through whatever Scripture you are reading each day. (You are reading every day, right?) You really can’t go wrong with the Word of God. And kids today really need our prayers.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” - Colossians 4:2

God is faithful,
j

I recommend Nancy Guthrie’s encouraging book, “Even Better than Eden,” if you’ve never studied Biblical themes as they are developed in the Old and New Testaments. These quotes are from page 119.

The Quilted Heart Encourager – May 6, 2022 – Mother’s Day Reflections

What a confluence of national news, personal news, and Mother’s Day. With Mother’s Day right around the corner, I just learned that a dear friend’s daughter and son-in-law have been able to adopt! God has been faithful and good to answer our prayers for this wonderful Christian couple. Praise God! In national news, a leak from the Supreme Court indicates that the fateful Roe vs. Wade ruling allowing abortion may be overturned by our current more conservative court. My social media is blowing up. Reactions have been strong and varied, with pro-abortion people enraged and pro-life people rejoicing. While it is not my purpose here to get into politics, I can encourage us all to pray.

When you think of Mother’s Day, who comes to mind? Do you think of your own mother or yourself? Whatever your thoughts, whatever your situation, you can choose to trust in the Lord, our Perfect Parent.

You may have been blessed with a good mother or you may have suffered under a bad one. Your mother may still be alive, or you may have lost yours. Or maybe you never knew her at all. One of my life verses is Psalm 27:10: “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in.” Those who know my story know that God used my parents’ failures as an instrument of faith in my life. Perhaps, like me, you were given godly mentors who became like mothers to you, showing the way with love.

You may be a mother yourself, with kids who are doing fine and walking with the Lord. If so, rejoice! And please don’t take that for granted. Motherhood is such a high calling. Or you may have the ongoing pain of children who have fallen away or wandered away. If so, you already know that all you can do is pray for them and trust in God’s perfect plan and timing. Or perhaps you have lost a child. You may wonder each day how you can go on with this crushing grief. If so, I hope you are comforted by the fact that Jesus knows your sorrow and weeps with you. And He promises that one day, there will be no more tears.

You may be pregnant by choice or by accident. You’re expecting your first child with joy or with trepidation. You may feel confident in your ability to raise this child, or be convinced that a baby is the last thing you need right now. This is where I must say, God created you and your baby. Psalm 139 says, “For you [God] formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Moreover, all our days are written in His book, which is an amazing thought! When I think of the young couple I mentioned above, I’m reminded that adoption is an excellent alternative to abortion. Support is available if you have the courage to continue your pregnancy. Please consider the joy you can bring to someone who longs for a child but is unable to have one. And, for the rest of us, let’s pray earnestly that expectant mothers in difficult situations will make a wise choice.

Lastly, you may be unable to have children, for a variety of reasons. Maybe you wanted to have children, but never had the opportunity. God loves you as well. Run to Him as your wise Shepherd who will lift and carry you home. My point is that there may be many different reactions to the idea of Mother’s Day, and we should be sensitive to those for whom it’s not a happy holiday.

Heavenly Father, we don’t always know why You allow hard things to happen, but we do always know that You are good and wise. We do know that You are all-powerful and yet You love us far more deeply than even the best earthly mother (or father) could. Help us to trust in You no matter what our circumstances. Thank You for your promise in Isaiah 66:13: "As a mother comforts her child, I shall comfort you." Thank You for being the Perfect Parent. We praise and honor You. We love You.

God is faithful,
j

As always, I welcome your comments below.

The Encourager – April 22, 2022 – Unity in Christ

I had a wonderful Easter! The worship service we attended (in person and masks optional) was so uplifting. It was good to ponder the greatest truth of the Christian faith: He is risen! Our singing was especially joyful. God is so good to have provided Jesus Christ as the way to forgiveness and reconciliation with God. By the power of the Holy Spirit within us, we can experience nourishing tastes of heaven in this earthly life.

After the church service, we were blessed to host 12 people for Easter lunch. It’s my practice to invite our sons and any people I know who may be alone or perhaps going through a rough time. The group is a little different each year, depending on who is in town and needing a place to go, but I believe that no Christian should be alone on the greatest holiday of the year.

After everyone had left, I started thinking about the people who came this time. Four of us attend a Presbyterian church together, and two more attend a sister church. We had one person from an independent Charismatic church, another of the Roman Catholic faith, and two who worship at a Messianic Jewish congregation. One Baptist has not gone to church in a while, and the last friend attends a church in Boston. Altogether we had seven churches represented at one celebratory meal!

I can’t help but think that this little assembly was especially blessed. Many of our guests hadn’t met one another before the meal, yet they all got along, thanks to our unity in Christ. At a similar gathering years ago, our friend Greg Smith said, “We’ll be living with these folks in heaven, so we might as well meet them now.” How profound. When we get to heaven, we will not only have the amazing privilege of seeing Jesus face to face, but many thousands of other believers to get to know and appreciate.

Have you ever considered that there are no denominations in heaven?! The Scripture says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” - Acts 16:31 Also, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” - Romans 10:9 So the requirement to get into heaven is faith in Jesus, not membership in a particular church or denomination. Now I’m not saying that membership is unimportant. The Bible is full of encouragement to commit to and grow with a local congregation of believers. There’s also a fair amount of exhortation on the importance of correct doctrine. We strive to know and promote the truth of the gospel as best we can. There is a great value in time-tested statements of faith to remind us of who we are under God and what we believe.

However, it seems to me that so many churches feel that they have a corner on the truth. Some Christians give the impression that their own denomination is superior to others in some way. We must all be aware that our understanding of the Bible may be flawed. In fact, since we aren’t the one omniscient God, it certainly IS flawed! I see the Christian community as a multi-faceted jewel. Maybe the Baptists have a better understanding about one aspect of God, but the Methodists have a better grasp of another facet. To each has been given a measure of grace, and we must use it well to benefit all of Christ’s church.

Meanwhile, let us treat one another with respect and love. Don’t let the acrid polarization which now characterizes our national politics to become your default stance toward other Christians. They are your brothers and sisters in Christ. We can all benefit from associating with those whose perspective might be different. For example, my church small group is currently reading a book that appears to have flaws, since it doesn’t seem to follow the Scripture in every point. Yet, exposure to this book is a good test for mature believers. We want to be like the Bereans, testing everything against God’s word. We are gleaning what we can from this book, focusing on whatever is true, honorable, right, and pure, as Paul exhorts us in Philippians 4:8. The bottom line is that the author of the book believes in the same Jesus as we do, and I feel pretty sure that we’ll meet him in heaven one day. There, all mistakes of interpretation will be corrected, all errors of implication revealed, all sins forgiven. And it will be done with grace.

Let’s be careful not to think too highly of ourselves, but remember the Lord whom we celebrate at Easter. The Bible says, in our relationships with one another, we should have the same mindset as Christ Jesus did. He did not try to preserve His exalted position at God’s right hand, but humbled Himself, becoming a Servant to die on a cross. He is the model of how we are to treat one another, in church and out. Jesus says, “Love one another.”

Paul writes, “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” - Philippians 2:1-2 Indeed, when Jesus prayed for all believers, He asked for unity. In John 17 we learn that Jesus prayed that we would be one, as He and the Father are one. I am confident that when we love other believers well, especially when we disagree, we are also making Jesus’s joy complete.

I thank God for a little taste of heaven on Easter Sunday!

God is faithful,
j

As always, I welcome your comments below.

The Encourager – April 15, 2022 – Maundy Thursday Meditation

It’s 3:27 AM and I can’t fall asleep. A thought occurs: I doubt that Jesus got any sleep on that fateful Maundy Thursday night so long ago.

We went to the Maundy Thursday communion service at church this evening. It’s always a special time to remember the last Passover meal that Jesus shared with His disciples. “Maundy” refers to a command or mandate. The Lord said, “A new commandment I give you, love one another as I have loved you.” He gave the command and then He fleshed it out. By washing His followers’ feet, He showed them what love does: it serves. By eating and drinking with them, He showed them what love does: it shares. By speaking words of comfort, He showed them what love does: it encourages.

The next day, He was crucified. By laying down His life for His friends, He showed them what love does: it sacrifices. The Lord of Glory was cursed, hanging on a tree, suffering unimaginable pain for our sins. God had given His Son to be the Passover lamb. In ancient Egypt, the lamb’s blood marked the homes of the Jews who trusted in God, saving them from the angel of death. By Christ’s blood, all who trust in Him are saved. How can this be? I struggle to comprehend this miracle.

A few days ago, I totally messed up. I was already tired and out of sorts when my dear husband stumbled upon a sensitive issue of mine, and I went into major attack mode. As an ENTJ, this comes naturally, but that’s no excuse for a Christian. While trying to explain my own weakness, I ended up criticizing his area of weakness in the most cruel way. My feeling defensive may have been understandable, but what I did was offensive. I know I hurt the person I love the most in this world.

Of course I apologized, and of course he said, “it’s okay,” but I know it’s not. When we love someone, especially in the close intense relationship of marriage, we put our heart in their hands. What I did was a horrible violation of that trust. I dishonored my husband and Christ. How I wish I could take back those words.

Oh Lord, pass over my sin! Pass over my sin that is worthy of death, and spare me from Your all-consuming righteous wrath!

Have you ever felt like this? All week I’ve been contemplating my failure, yet singing the songs of communion and joy. But this is what Holy Week is all about. My sin is too great to be forgiven by a holy God, yet that is exactly what He did! Apart from Christ I can do nothing. I have absolutely no hope of forgiveness in and of myself. I have no hope of love, no hope of a meaningful, fruitful life in any sense without Christ. Yet in His great mercy, He reached down and touched my heart with rich, abundant, overflowing grace. By His wounds, I am healed. By granting forgiveness, He showed what love does: it forgives. “My glory and the lifter of my head” is worthy of all praise! Thanks be to God! Crown Him with many crowns!

Wishing you a Blessed Easter.
God is faithful,
j

As usual, I welcome your comments below.

The Encourager – April 7, 2022 – A Fatal Genetic Disease and Its Cure

So much has happened in the last few months, I haven’t had time to sit down and write. Let me share one recent event: the death of Calvin, a sweet little baby who was born with a fatal genetic disease. This was a time of joy and heartbreak for those of us close to the family. Calvin’s parents, Stuart and Jen, were models of Christian faith as they cared for their child, knowing that his time on earth would be brief. Although there were many tears, there was also real joy in being given the opportunity to care for this child. Jen wrote beautiful statements of faith on Caring Bridge, bringing in scriptures which encouraged us all. These parents also taught their older children to cherish their little brother as he lay on the living room sofa with tubes attached, unable to lift his head on his own. It was touching to see the siblings greet Calvin and give him a kiss or a hug as they returned from school each day. Never has a child been more well loved than baby Calvin.

As we approach Easter, Calvin is very much on my mind. Why? The Bible says that ALL of us were born with a fatal genetic disease! God created us to be “very good,” but He also gave us free will, the power to choose obedience or disobedience. Adam and Eve, although given a rich life of perfect fellowship with their Creator in a beautiful garden setting, were tempted by the devil. They wanted to be in control of their own destiny, to be like God. They chose to believe the lie of self-sufficiency rather than the truth of God’s perfectly wise loving care for them; so they fell into sin. And because of their fall, we are also born into sin. It’s genetic, still being passed down through every generation to you and me and all who follow.

It’s natural to wonder, if God is all powerful and all good, why did He let this death happen? He could have cured Calvin in a moment! But we fell. We are all sinners in a fallen world, deserving of death. We can’t look into the inscrutable mind of God, but He does show us His heart. God loves us so much that He sent His own precious Son to be the cure for sin, our fatal genetic disease. Jesus, “gentle and lowly of heart,” left His exalted world to enter our debased one, enduring all the suffering and sorrow that we do, but magnified many times over. While He hung there, I’m sure some people taunted, “If you’re really God, come down from the cross” but He chose to stay. Jesus knew that His obedience would bring Him a far greater reward than escaping the suffering ordained by the Father. Jesus became our Servant that He might become an even greater Shepherd.

In the same way, we must choose to obey God through our own pain, always believing that God has a good purpose in mind and a glorious reward for us later. We may not see the purpose of each hardship as it happens, but I think all questions will eventually be answered. Meanwhile, if nothing else, let our joyful obedience to Christ be an encouragement to other believers and a witness to unbelievers as we humbly take up our cross. As I have seen in my own life, every loss is preparation for ministry. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” - 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 We do not seek suffering, but when it comes, we let God use it.

Our time on earth is short. Whether we die as infants or live for many years, death catches up with everyone. The greatest athletes can still get cancer or die in a car accident or just get old. EVERY death is a tragedy. We rage against it because we were not made to die! Baby Calvin looked just like his dad, and we bear the image of our heavenly Father. We were made for a rich life of full fellowship with God (and with other people) for eternity! Death is hard, but there is always hope.

Stuart and Jen showed us that every life is precious. Every life has infinite eternal value. The way they loved their son, carefully considering medical advice, praying, then providing the best possible care, gives us a small glimpse of the way God loves us. His love is compassionate, generous, all-encompassing, faithful, and forever. To access this love, we need only admit our need. We come as a little baby lying on the sofa, unable to lift our head, totally dependent upon the Perfect Parent. The tubes feeding us are conduits of the Holy Spirit. The cross of Jesus is the only cure for our fatal genetic disease. To enter His kingdom, come as a child. How blessed Calvin is now, basking in the loving care of God without having to endure any more suffering for all of eternity. “Let the little children come to Me,” Jesus told the disciples. How blessed we will be one day, in the land of No More Tears.

True faith is obedience with joy, out of thankfulness to our Loving Father. This Lenten season provides a golden opportunity to reflect upon the cross of Christ. Are we willing to accept everything from the Father’s hand, as Christ did by faith?

“Oh that rugged cross, my salvation, where Your love poured out over me!
Now my soul cries out, Hallelujah! Praise and honour unto Thee.”

Have a Blessed Easter Season,
j

The lyrics quoted are the chorus of “Man of Sorrows” by Hillsong.

The Encourager – December 2, 2021 – Unto Us a Son is Given

Last night I learned that a sweet younger woman whom I love has heard distressing news about the baby boy she is carrying. I have four good friends who have lost beloved sons well after birth. Several friends have had miscarriages. Others are suffering silently from the ongoing sorrow of infertility. Still more are single women who would love to have children, but have never had the opportunity to try. I know that Mother’s Day is especially hard for all of these ladies, but is Christmas hard for the same reason?

Here they are: reading the Christmas story, hearing sermons, putting up decorations, wrapping gifts, going to parties, and singing carols about a young woman having a precious healthy baby. But their cradles are bare. Oh how my heart goes out to these women!

My sympathy as a sister in Christ can only go so far. Of course I pray for these dear ones, and try to help if I can. But there is only One who understands fully, who sees into the very heart of pain and bathes it in His lovingkindness. He says, “Come unto Me.” But what if your heart’s burden is not children, but some other issue? Is it social, financial, spiritual, physical? Whatever is the one thing you cry out to God about, He hears. And He understands.

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” - Hebrews 4:15-16

In this vale of tears, my friend heard bad news about her son. Mary heard good news about the baby boy she was carrying, the Child who would be the hope of salvation for all who believe. As the angel said to the shepherds, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” - Luke 2:10-11 ESV Did you catch that? Unto YOU. For ALL people. This Son is for you.

I don’t know what to say to those whose hearts are breaking, except the words of Jesus Christ, Son of God. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

I can also say with full confidence that God loves you and He does all things well. We may not understand why, but someday we will. I do know that every trial brings us closer to “the quilted heart,” the suffering heart of Jesus, who was pierced for our transgressions. I also know that every trial is preparation for ministry. As you see God meet you in your need, you will be able to comfort others with the comfort you have received from Christ.

As joy comes in the morning, may you be encouraged in this season.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” - Isaiah 9:6 KJV

God is faithful,
j

Copyright 2021 Janet A. Marney
I welcome your comments below.

The Encourager – September 23, 2021 – Suffering and Sufficiency

I’m sorry I haven’t written in quite a while. I’ve jotted down many topics I wanted to write about, but I never seem to have the time or the energy. I may look fine on the outside, but inside I struggle with depression, insomnia, and the ongoing effects of trauma and abuse. And, sadly, I’ve never really regained my energy since having cancer four years ago.

I have good friends who must endure chronic pain, fibromyalgia, migraines, lyme disease, and/or various rare conditions. Others struggle with deep depression, PTSD, or other mental illnesses. Many of us have heard comments such as, “You shouldn’t park in the handicapped space,” or “What, you have to cancel again?” or “If you had more faith, you would be healed,” or “You don’t look sick,” or “Why are you still grieving - that happened years ago?” That’s why these are sometimes called “hidden illnesses” or “invisible illnesses.”

Christians, stop assuming that everyone is fine or should be fine! We need to ask one another what’s really going on, and be prepared to listen to the answers. I remember 2005, my year from Hell/year from Heaven when my husband was not getting paid at work, his brother Nathan died in a motorcycle crash, my mother died of cancer, two of my best friends moved very far away, we were dealing with multiple painful family challenges, there were problems at church, and I broke both feet, requiring emergency surgery. Guess what all the well-meaning friends and family asked about: How are your feet? How long before you can walk again? Most people only asked about and prayed about my visible illness: broken bones which required me to be on bedrest. To be sure, I did appreciate the many acts of loving service such as bringing wonderful meals, sending beautiful flowers, cleaning our house, putting up our Christmas tree, etc., but I also wished someone would just sit down with me for a half hour, empathize with my grief, read me an encouraging Scripture, and pray with me.

The apostle Paul was given a thorn in the flesh. Yet he was also given great gifts. I find this to be true of many of my friends who have a hidden illness. We know from Scripture that we live in a fallen world; there will be suffering. Yet His grace is sufficient for all our need. I sometimes wonder if our thorns are there to humble us. Perhaps we would be too proud if God never pushed us to our knees.

“And He [Jesus] has said to me [Paul], ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” - 1 Corinthians 12:9-10

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” - Psalm 34:19

I recently posted on facebook at around three in the morning that, again, I couldn’t get to sleep. Out flowed streams of well-intentioned advice from far and wide. Everyone had a remedy. But I’ve talked to the doctors, done the research, etc. I have excellent “sleep hygiene” and I’m on a prescription med for sleep. Yet there are nights when I do everything right and it still doesn’t work. There are some things in this world that Can’t. Be. Fixed. And we need to accept that. When lying awake in the middle of the night, I often use the time to pray for others. More importantly, God is humbling me through this regular reminder of my weakness. Not just my strength, but my every breath is dependent on Him, and I need to remember that. Afflictions push us to our knees. And we are to thank God for that!

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” - Romans 12:12

No matter how we are suffering, Christ is our strength and sufficiency. He gives us songs in the night.

God is faithful,
j

As always, I welcome your comments below.

The Weekly Encourager – June 3, 2021 – Here’s What I’ll Do

If you read last week’s Encourager, you know that I’ve been dealing with the issue of forgiveness, specifically as it concerns a friend who ghosted me 10 years ago and now wants to reconnect.

I’m glad to tell of the Lord’s goodness toward me this week. I have seen how faithful our loving Lord is to answer prayer! Although this has been a week of grieving over losses, it’s also been a time of rejoicing. The Lord has brought several scriptures to my attention, and some were about forgiveness.

God is “merciful and tender toward those who don’t deserve it; He is slow to get angry and full of kindness and love. He never bears a grudge, nor remains angry forever. He has not punished us as we deserve for all our sins, for His mercy toward those who fear and honor Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.” - Psalm 103: 8-13 TLB

“But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive you.” - Mark 11:25 TLB

A study of Revelation 18 this week made me more aware of certain idols in my life. Revelation 18 foretells Babylon’s fall in a single hour by God’s holy and just judgement. Babylon’s sin was idolatry, putting money and power above the true God. That led to the question: what are my own idols? One of the things I’ve always been proud of is my ability to retain friendships. So when someone ghosts me (it’s happened twice), that idol is toppled. I need to recognize that if I have any good friendships at all, they are a gift from the Lord. He could have made me a person with no friends, if that were His will. And I would need to accept that with grace.

Then, on Sunday morning, our church met with no masks for the first time since the pandemic began, and it was so wonderful to hear the congregation singing again! The particular hymns and songs chosen seemed to speak directly to my situation. You know when that happens that the Spirit is at work.

Pastor JT Tarter spoke about “strengthening grace” from Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3. His first point was Paul’s posture of humility before the Lord. In effect, Paul said, “You are God; I am not.” This struck a chord. In my heart the Spirit again spoke about forgiveness. It is human pride that wants to hold on to grudges and hurt. By contrast, humility takes account of the wickedness of my own sin and God’s tremendous mercy toward me. The Bible clearly says that we are not to judge one another. God will do that. If we refuse to forgive, we are usurping God’s role as judge. “Vengeance is Mine.” - Deuteronomy 32:35 “Love is not proud. Love keeps no record of wrongs.” - 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Now, here’s what I plan to do. By God’s providence (no coincidences in God’s world), I had already planned to drive down to Tennessee to sing at my uncle’s funeral this Saturday. On Friday, I’ll be passing right through the town where this friend lives! She has agreed to meet me in person and share a meal. Instead of angst, I’m full of forgiveness toward her. I’m excited about seeing her again and looking forward to this visit. Friends, God has done this! This dramatic change in my attitude is from the Lord alone, through the Holy Spirit’s work in my heart.

Does anyone besides me need to hear this today? “Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” - Colossians 3:13

God is faithful,
j

The Weekly Encourager – May 28, 2021 – What Would You Do?

I recently got a letter from C., a friend from the past who ghosted me almost 10 years ago. She says, “please forgive me” and writes about some of the wrong ways she acted then and how the Lord has humbled her and changed her heart now. What would you do?

I confess my first reaction was, Wow, you really hurt me and I want to tell you about all the pain you caused by your prideful selfish attitude. I can’t believe you’re coming back after all these years! I’ve felt the grief of losing a dear sister in Christ without a word of explanation, and I’ve moved on. Your actions have had consequences. I want a full and complete apology, and I want you to ask for my forgiveness, not assume you have it. Have you really changed? I want to discern whether you are worthy of my forgiveness and friendship.

But immediately the Holy Spirit (not the spiteful spirit) reminded me of Jesus’ parable about the servant who was forgiven a huge debt, then turned around and failed to forgive a man who owed him a much smaller debt. So I began to pray for the Lord to change my own prideful selfish attitude.

Lord, I know I must forgive her, but do I want to forgive her? Her betrayal tapped into my own serious issue of abandonment, and I’m very wary of trusting her again. However, the forgiveness God requires is not synonymous with irresponsibility. Of course I can still protect myself from harm, but I also need to recognize God’s care of me through any harm. God is an expert in using evil for good. “Trust but verify” is a phrase used in our DC area. I can still be cautious going forward, but I must offer my forgiveness freely.

Since I prayed for a more Christian attitude, I have been more aware of my own sin. How great is Christ’s forgiveness toward me! And of course, verses on forgiveness have been popping up all over. This came up in today’s devotional: “He saved us – not because we were good enough to be saved, but because of his kindness and pity – by washing away our sins…” from Titus 3:5 TLB. I thought of the prodigal son, who was welcomed home with open arms and abundant grace. The son was humbled and returned, just as C. is doing. The father was joyful and forgiving, just as I need to be.

We are saved not because we are worth forgiving, but because He has a loving nature. Forgiving C. is about me and my character and my walk with Jesus, not her, her character, and her walk. It doesn’t matter if she apologized or if she is worthy! It’s not for me to judge. This is a time to show my quality. As the old song goes, “Freely, freely, you have received; freely, freely give.” This is my opportunity to give a sinner a gift, and in so doing, give glory to Christ!

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” - Ephesians 4:32 ESV

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” - Matthew 6:12

What would you do?

God is faithful,

j

Copyright 2021 Janet A. Marney

The Weekly Encourager – April 26, 2021 – Have Your I.D. Ready

For several weeks, our church meeting place was also being used as a vaccination station for COVID-19. A security guard was posted at the front door, and as soon as we entered, another person would say, “Have your I.D. ready.” We would answer, “Good morning! We’re here for church. Have a good day.” Then we were free to bypass a multitude of tables with various people, papers, and equipment.

One of my favorite comic strips shows a long line of people waiting to get into heaven. They each have to give their name to St. Peter, who stands at an entrance podium similar to that used at fine restaurants. One guy in line turns to his friend and says, “We should have called ahead for a reservation.”

Exactly! Our government-issued I.D. is an essential item that we need to go places and do things in this world. We need it to travel. We need it to get vaccinated against deadly diseases. We need it to prove who we are and where we belong. But it won’t get us into Heaven. The only way to get into Heaven is by calling ahead for a reservation. By faith, we look at Christ’s death upon the cross and His resurrection on Easter morning. In heartfelt prayer, we call upon the Lord Jesus to forgive our sin. Because He is loving and merciful, He forgives us. He has gone ahead to prepare a place for us. He has set a beautiful table where all who are His will enjoy an abundant feast together. Fine dining, indeed.

God has issued me a permanent passport that can never be damaged, lost, revoked, or stolen. This I.D. now states to one and all that my new name is Christian, my new position in society is daughter of the King, and my new country is Mount Zion. This document certifies that I have believed in Christ and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. It’s the earnest of an eternal inheritance of joy, shalom peace, true love, and precious fellowship. This card gives me the right to travel directly to Heaven – do not pass Go, do not collect $200. It gives me the promise of complete healing from every deadly disease, sorrow, and pain man has ever known. Because of Jesus, I have a passport that will never expire. Do you?

Satan and his cronies are busy trying to convince people that we need something else to make it into Heaven. They say we need to be good enough, strong enough, smart enough, rich enough, popular enough, powerful enough, or whatever. But these are all lies from the father of lies. When Satan attacks, all we have to do is cry out to Jesus and stand firm. How do we do this? We pull out the passport and review our identity in Christ. If we belong to Christ, we are safe!

I love the final verse of “Jesus Lives, and So Shall I” by Christian F. Gellert:

“Jesus lives, and death is now but my entrance into glory.
Courage, then, my soul, for thou hast a crown of life before thee;
thou shalt find thy hopes were just: Jesus is the Christian's trust.”

Have your I.D. ready.

God is faithful,
j

Copyright 2021 Janet A. Marney
To hear a beautiful modern tune to this classic old hymn, visit http://www.newhymns.org/jesus-lives-and-so-shall-i/index.html