The Lantern for April!

Hey ladies!

 

Hope you're doing well and staying warm during this freakish cold spell!  Just wanted to let you know that our next large group gathering for The Lantern will be Thursday, April 14th, at 6:30pm and we REALLY hope to see you then!

 

If you would like to register your children for free, on-site child care, please just email thelanternclarksville@yahoo.com with their names and ages and plan to arrive at 6:15 on the 14th to get them checked in.

 

Please continue to spread the word about our monthly gatherings - it's never too early or late to get connected with military wives and there are literally thousands of women in our area who desperately need community and the hope that only comes from the Lord.

 

Have a great weekend and can't wait to see you on April 14th!

 

 

~ The Lantern Team

 

You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

Psalm 18:28 

Thursday Thoughts - Taming the Tongue

"A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare." Proverbs 15:1 (NLT)

It had been one of "those" mornings and I was behind schedule in preparing to teach the women's Tuesday morning Bible study at our church. I am fairly certain I did not exude peace and joy as I rushed around - as my Mama would say - like a chicken with its head cut off. The auditorium was set up correctly. The sound man had my power point ready to go and was waiting to do a sound check. The coffee pot was plugged in and doing its thing. Smiling ladies gathered to greet the Bible study members as they arrived. I paused and breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like everything was ready - everything except my heart.

I knew I needed to spend some time alone with God before standing to teach His Word, so I found a quiet room where I could escape for a few minutes of solitude. As I began to pray, the door flew open and crashed against the wall behind it as the husband of one of our group leaders burst into the room. I could tell by the look on his face that he was not happy and that whatever was wrong was definitely my fault. In a very loud and very angry voice, the man began to explain the problem, ending his tirade with the question, "And just what are you going to do about it?" 

Sidebar: Guess what lesson I was teaching that particular morning. Remember, God definitely has a sense of humor. The lesson title was "How to Tame Your Tongue."

I knew what I wanted to say to the man. I also knew God didn't want me to say it. In a rare moment of wisdom, I faced my accuser with a smile and whispered, "I'll tell you exactly what I am going to do. I am going to do whatever it takes to make you happy." 

I was completely unprepared for the man's reaction. His mouth fell open, his eyes widened in surprise - no, make that shock - and he stumbled backwards as if I had hit him. The silence was deafening. We stared at each other for what seemed like an hour before he finally whispered back, "Thank you!" Without another word, the man turned and literally ran out of the room. The most amazing part of this story is that from that day on, he has been one of my strongest encouragers. 

The Bible works, girlfriend! When God says that a gentle answer "deflects" anger, He really means it. The word "deflect" means "to change course" or "to force the alteration of plans." When anger is met with love, it is forced to change its destructive course. The plans of the enemy are altered when they are forced to comply with God's truth. A sweet response yanks the fuse right out of an emotional time bomb that is set and ready to explode. We need to choose our responses instead of allowing our reactions to dictate the words we speak.

Godly responses begin in the mind. I believe that our thought life is the front line of battle for the control of our entire life. Proverbs 34:13 warns, "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies." The word "keep" indicates action on our part. We decide. We choose what is allowed to take up room in our mind. It is literally the idea of a guard standing at the gate of the city, stationed there to keep watch. He is there by invitation only. If we want to live right and speak right - we must think right.

Godly responses come from the heart. If there is something wrong with our words, then there is something wrong with our heart. The truth of Proverbs 16:23 is profound in its simplicity, "A wise man's heart guides his mouth."

·         A judge utters a few words and a guilty man is taken to death row.

·         A friend speaks a word of encouragement and a desperate heart finds hope.

·         A mother lashes out with angry words and the light in her child's eyes is gone.

·         A wife offers a word of forgiveness and a marriage is restored.

·         A gossip makes a phone call and a reputation is destroyed.

·         A teenager says "no" and changes the course of her life.

Words are powerful. Words can destroy or build. We need to make the choice today - to respond in the right way to those angry words that are surely headed our way tomorrow.

Father,

I want to please You and encourage others with the words I speak. Clean my heart, God. Transform my mind and fill my mouth with words that honor and please You.

In Jesus' name,

Amen

Examine the words you have spoken today in light of the following verses:

Psalm 141:3 "LORD, help me control my tongue; help me be careful about what I say."

Psalm 20:14. "May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."

How did you do? I encourage you to memorize these two verses. Ask God to let each verse take root in your heart and work its way out in the words you speak. 

Imagine what your world would look like if your words were filled with encouragement and love.

The Lantern - This Week!!!

Hello!

 

With spring just around the corner, there isn't a better time to connect with other military wives and get refreshed by God's life-breathing love, strength, and grace.  Even if you've only come to The Lantern once or twice or you haven't been able to make it yet, we would love to see you this Thursday, March 10th, at 6:30pm!

 

In order to ensure that we can plan accurately for child care, we no longer have a recurring child care list.  If you would like to sign your children up for free, on-site child care for the 10th, please just reply to this e-mail with your children's names and ages and plan to arrive at 6:15 to get them checked in.

 

Thank you for your continued sacrifice as you support your Soldier.  We are SO thankful that we live in a free country where we can openly worship God...and, as you are well aware, that freedom doesn't come free. 

 

Have an amazing weekend and we can't wait to see you in the 10th!

 

 

~ The Lantern Team

 

You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

Psalm 18:28 

Thursday Thoughts - Take Your Job and Love It!

My heart took delight in all my work. (Ecclesiastes 2:10 NIV)

Contrast two workers.
The first one slices the air with his hand, making points, instructing the crowd. He is a teacher and, from the look of things, a compelling one. He stands on a beach, rendering the slanted seashore an amphitheater. As he talks, his audience increases; as the audience grows, his platform shrinks. The instructor steps back and back until the next step will take him into the water. That's when he spots another worker.

A fisherman. Not animated, but frustrated. He spent all night fishing, but caught nothing. All night! Double-digit hours worth of casting, splashing, and pulling the net. But he caught nothing. Unlike the teacher, the fisherman has nothing to show for his work. He draws no crowds; he doesn't even draw fish. Just nets.

Two workers. One pumped up. One worn-out. The first, fruitful. The second, futile. To which do you relate?

If you empathize with the fisherman, you walk a crowded path. Before you change professions, try this: change your attitude toward your profession.

Jesus' word for frustrated workers can be found in the fifth chapter of Luke's gospel, where we encounter the teacher and the frustrated fisherman. You've likely guessed their names—Jesus and Peter. Peter, Andrew, James, and John made their living catching and selling fish. Like other fishermen, they worked the night shift, when cool water brought the game to the surface. And, like other fishermen, they knew the drudgery of a fishless night.

While Jesus preaches, they clean nets. And as the crowd grows, Christ has an idea.

He noticed two boats tied up. The fishermen had just left them and were out scrubbing their nets. He climbed into the boat that was Simon’s and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Sitting there, using the boat for a pulpit, he taught the crowd. (vv. 2-3 MSG)

Jesus claims Peter's boat. He doesn't request the use of it. Christ doesn't fill out an application or ask permission; he simply boards the boat and begins to preach.

He can do that, you know. All boats belong to Christ. Your boat is where you spend your day, make your living, and to a large degree live your life. 

Your boat is God's pulpit.

I have a friend who understands this. By job description she teaches at a public elementary school. By God's description she pastors a class of precious children. Read the e-mail she sent her friends:

I'm asking for your prayers for my students. I know everyone is busy, but...

On and on the list goes, including nearly deaf Sara. Disorganized-but-thoughtful Terrell. Model-student Alicia. Bossy-but-creative Katelyn.

Does this teacher work for a school system or for God? Does she spend her day in work or worship? Does she make money or a difference? Every morning she climbs in the boat Jesus loaned her. The two of them row out into the water and cast nets. My friend imitates Peter.

Suppose you were to do what Peter did. Take Christ to work with you. Invite him to superintend your nine-to-five. He showed Peter where to cast nets. Won't he show you where to transfer funds, file the documents, or take the students on a field trip?

Holy Spirit, help me stitch this seam.
Lord of creation, show me why this manifold won't work.
King of kings, please bring clarity to this budget.
Dear Jesus, guide my hands as I trim this hair.
Pray the prayer of Moses: "Let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!" (Ps. 90:17 MSG).

Hold it there. I saw you roll those eyes. You see no way God could use your work. Your boss has the disposition of a hungry pit bull; hamsters have larger work areas; your kids have better per diems. You feel sentenced to the outpost of Siberia, where hope left on the last train. If so, meet one final witness. He labored eighteen years in a Chinese prison camp.

The Communist regime rewarded his faith in Christ with the sewage assignment. The camp kept its human waste in pools until it fermented into fertilizer. The pits seethed with stink and disease. Guards and prisoners alike avoided the cesspools and all who worked there, including this disciple.

After he'd spent weeks in the pit, the stench pigmented his body. He couldn't scrub it out. Imagine his plight, far from home. And even in the prison, far from people. But somehow this godly man found a garden in his prison. "I was thankful for being sent to the cesspool. This was the only place where I was not under severe surveillance. I could pray and sing openly to our Lord. When I was there, the cesspool became my private garden."

He then quoted the words to the old hymn:
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice so clear whispers in my ear
The Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known.

"I never knew the meaning of this hymn until I had been in the labor camp," he said. God can make a garden out of the cesspool you call work, if you take him with you.

For Peter and his nets, my friend and her class, the prisoner and his garden, and for you and your work, the promise is the same: everything changes when you give Jesus your boat.

Thursday Thoughts - Time for Rest

 Psalm 23:1-3 (NLT) "The LORD is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He refreshes my soul."

Life is so daily and often filled with uncertainty, a reality that can make me very nervous. I want to know what the plan is and how that plan is going to be implemented. Details! I need details! Instead, God calls me to rest. I don't want to rest. When I rest, I feel guilty. I have places to go, people to see and important things to do. I hear the quiet whisper of the One who knows me best and loves me most, "Mary, it's time to rest." I have tried to ignore that whisper on more than one occasion but it is only a temporary maneuver on my part. The Lord is my Shepherd, He is used to dealing with stubborn sheep like me. He will lovingly make me lie down in green pastures and firmly lead me beside quiet waters. Why? Because He wants to refresh my soul and give me the peace that can only be found at His feet. Rest is not really an option. It is a spiritual discipline that needs to become a spiritual habit in our life.

Admit your need for rest.  Many of us have bought into the lie that who we are is based on what we do or don't do. We fill every waking moment with something or someone in order to prove our worth. After all, we must be worthy if we are doing worthy things, right? Busyness does not always equal productivity. When we admit our need to rest, we are acknowledging the fact that we are imperfect and that our human power is limited. We need to rest in Him.

Turn to Jesus to find rest. Recreation is anything you enjoy doing while relaxation is any activity that slows you down. Restoration is an inside job and can only be found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We once had an Australian cattle dog named Dallas. Australian cattle dogs are extremely loyal to a master of their choice. Dallas chose our son, Jered, to be his master. When Jered came home from school each day, Dallas would greet him at the door and follow him wherever he went. If Jered was doing homework in his room, Dallas would find a spot under the desk. If our son was working in the garage, Dallas was with him. When Jered ran an errand, Dallas went for a ride. Dallas instinctively knew that the only place he would find genuine rest was at the feet of his master. The same is true in our life.

Lay your stuff at Jesus' feet. The number one stress is the result of bearing a burden that is not yours to carry. Exhaustion comes when we take on a responsibility God never intended us to have. The twin of exhaustion is emptiness that comes when we fail to take on a responsibility God does intend for us to assume. God empowers His plan and agenda for our life. When we step outside of that plan, we are stepping into our own power and depending on our own strength, both of which will soon be depleted.

Realize you are not alone. For years, our family vacationed in the mountains of North Carolina in order to escape the brutal heat of South Florida where we lived. We all had our favorite thing to do while on vacation. Dan loved to read and take long walks in the cool, green forests. The kids loved wading in creeks, looking for "gold." My favorite activity was shopping for antiques. Now let me define "antiques" and "antique stores" according to Mary. The best stores were nestled in the mountains on some remote dirt road and the "antiques" were what most people would call junk. One year, I walked into a shop and stopped in my tracks when I saw the yoke. Matthew 11:28-30 is one of my husband's favorite passages of Scripture where Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you and you will find rest for your souls." For years, I searched for just the right yoke to give Dan as a special gift. It seemed that every yoke I found was either too big or too small and in less than stellar condition. The yoke before me was in perfect condition and was just the right size and price. Upon closer inspection, my excitement faded. 

Yokes have two loops of leather or wood attached to a sturdy wooden frame. Two working animals wear the loops around their necks in order to bear whatever load they are given. The loops on this particular yoke were not the same size - one larger than the other. When I pointed out the flaw, the shop owner said, "It is supposed to be made like that. The stronger animal is placed in the larger loop to help the weaker animal pull the load. A shared load is a lighter load. 

Are you tired and exhausted from trying to live life on your own? Come to Jesus and find rest in Him.

Father,

Thank You for the promise of rest. It seems like I am always tired and every step is hard. Please forgive me when I turn to You as a last resort instead of running to You first. Today, I turn to You, Lord, for rest.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

        Read Genesis 2:2. How does this verse apply to your life?

        Read Lamentations 5:5.  How does rest apply to the difficult people in your life?

        Read Job 33:26.  Notice every "action" word in this verse. What does God promise when we choose to apply the steps He outlines in this verse?

Identify the areas of unrest in your life. Bring them to God in prayer and seek rest in Him.

Rest has always been a struggle in my life. Seriously? Fatigue is not a spiritual gift. In fact, when I refuse to rest physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, I am choosing to sin. When I think I have the least amount of time to rest is when I need to rest the most. How about you, friend? Isn't it time to find rest?

Thursday Thoughts - I Want, I Need, God Wants me to Have

"But godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6 NIV).

Mary Elizabeth was strolling down the cookie aisle at Wal-Mart with her three-year-old daughter, Sarah, riding comfortably in the "front seat" of the shopping buggy.  Suddenly, Sarah spied a box of sugar cookies, coated with pink icing and decorated with multi-colored sprinkles.

Her eyes brightened with enthusiasm as she put on her best cherub face.  "Mommy, I want those cookies."

"Oh, Sarah," replied her mom, "we don't need any cookies today.  We have plenty at home.  Maybe another time."

Ten minutes later, as Mary Elizabeth passed through the checkout line, Sarah tried again. "Mommy, I need those cookies."

"No, Sarah, you don't need those cookies.  We have plenty at home, and I'm not buying cookies today."

Finally, as they pulled out of the Wal-Mart parking lot, Sarah gave it one last try.  "Mommy, I think God wants me to have those cookies."

I laughed as my friend told me her story.  It was a nervous laugh.  For just a moment, I saw myself riding through life in a shopping buggy, pointing at first one thing and then another whining, "I want ...I need ...God wants me to have."

Sarah already had learned our mechanism for justifying our whims.  Whether its sugar cookies with sprinkles on top or a new red convertible, given enough time we can justify our wants following that same progression.  For Sarah, she went from I want to I need to God wants me to have in a matter of minutes.  For us, it may take a little longer, but the tendency is still there.

However, God is very clear that He will supply us with everything we need and that can be a far cry from everything we want.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Forgive me when I act like a child and want more, more, more.  Forgive me when I go from "I want" to "God wants me to have" in the blink of an eye.  I know You desire me to have a thankful heart - a contented heart that wants only one thing ... more of You.  I say with the Psalmist, "The Lord is my Shepherd.  I have everything I need."

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Have you ever justified your wants by saying that God wants you to have them?

Ouch!  That hurts, doesn't it?

Ponder these two verses today.

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19 NIV).

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness" (2 Peter 1:3 NIV).

The Lantern - Tomorrow Night!!!

Hi ladies!

 

How INCREDIBLE is this weather?!?!  Come on, Spring!  Tomorrow is suppose to be almost as warm so you can definitely count on us getting together for The Lantern at 6:30pm!  You're in for incredible worship, an encouraging and challenging message, the opportunity to meet amazing women, and a little break from your kids :).

 

If you signed up for child care for last week's gathering that didn't take place due to the weather, you don't have to worry about signing up again.  However, if you didn't sign up last week and would like to register your kids for free, on-site child care, just reply to this e-mail with their names and ages and plan to arrive at 6:15pm to get them checked in.

 

Can't wait to see you all tomorrow night and let us know if you have any questions!

 

 

~ The Lantern Team

 

You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

Psalm 18:28

The Lantern POSTPONED until next week!!

Hi ladies,

Due to the potentially hazardous driving conditions and the cancellation of school and community activities, we have decided to postpone The Lantern until next Thursday, February 17th. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to spending next Thursday evening with you.

Enjoy the snow day and stay safe out there! See you in a week!


~ The Lantern Team

You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
Psalm 18:28

Thursday Thoughts - The Family Resemblance

The following ideas about science were gleaned from essays, exams, and
classroom discussions. Most were from 5th and 6th graders.

* Q: What is one horsepower?
A: One horsepower is the amount of energy it takes to drag a horse 500 feet in one second.

* The law of gravity says no fair jumping up without coming back down.

* When people run around and around in circles we say they are crazy. When planets do it we say they are orbiting.

* South America has cold summers and hot winters, but somehow they still manage.

* Most books now say our sun is a star. But it still knows how to change back into a sun in the daytime.

* Water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees. There are 180 degrees between freezing and boiling because there are 180 degrees between north and south.

* Vacuums are nothings. We only mention them to let them know we know they're there.

* Some oxygen molecules help fires burn while others help make water, so sometimes it's brother against brother.

* Some people can tell what time it is by looking at the sun. But I have never been able to make out the numbers.

* We say the cause of perfume disappearing is evaporation. Evaporation gets blamed for a lot of things people forget to put the top on.

* To most people solutions mean finding the answers. But to chemists solutions are things that are still all mixed up.

* I am not sure how clouds get formed. But the clouds know how to do it, and that is the important thing.

* Water vapor gets together in a cloud. When it is big enough to be called a drop, it does.

* Isotherms and isobars are even more important than their names sound.

* It is so hot in some places that the people there have to live in other places.

* Genetics explain why you look like your father and if you don't why you should.

Oh, the wisdom of children! I especially like that last one. I would say that, in a similar way, the Bible explains why those of you who are Christians look like your Father, and if you don't why you should!

That's our goal, isn't it? To learn to love as He first loved us. To have the kind of patience that He has shown with us through the years. To grow in the wisdom to make right choices, as He is perfectly wise. To be holy, just as He is holy.

"Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."
(Matthew 5:48).

Here's a personal question to cause you some reflection: When people look at you, do they see the family resemblance?

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

The Lantern - Tomorrow Night!

Hi ladies!

 

We hope you're staying warm and safe during this crazy winter weather!  We are still planning on having The Lantern tomorrow, Thursday, night at 6:30pm at St. Bethlehem Christian Church (280 Dunbar Cave Rd.).  We continue to watch the weather and roads closely and will let you know our final decision about meeting, via e-mail and Facebook, around noon tomorrow.

 

If you need to sign your children up for free on-site child care, please send an e-mail with their names and ages and we will get them registered.  Have a great evening and we can't wait to spend time with you tomorrow night! 

 

 

~ The Lantern Team

Thursday Thoughts - The Velveteen Woman

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?  Or am I trying to please men?  If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10 NIV).

Most of us have read or heard of the childhood classic, The Velveteen Rabbit.  Perhaps you first heard the story snuggled in your mother's lap or like me, as an adult with a child snuggled in your lap.  For me, The Velveteen Rabbit is a treasure I discovered in motherhood, rather than in my childhood.  And like many children's books, the message carries a profound truth that resonates more with adults than with kids. 

The story begins... 

"There was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid.  He was fat and bunchy, as a rabbit should be; his coat was spotted brown and white, he had real thread whiskers, and his ears were lined with pink sateen.  On Christmas morning, when he sat wedged in the top of the Boy's stocking, with a spring of holly between his paws, the effect was charming. 

"The boy loved the rabbit...for at least two hours, but then he was put on the nursery shelf with all the other toys.  Because he was velveteen, some of the more expensive toys snubbed him.  Some of the toys boasted about being fashioned as smaller models of real things, such as boats and soldiers.  But the rabbit didn't even know that there was such a thing as a real rabbit.  He thought all were just as he was, stuffed with sawdust.  But one night, the rabbit made a fascinating discovery. 

"The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others.  He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces.  He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else... 

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room.  "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?" 

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse.  "It's a thing that happens to you.  When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real." 

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit. 

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful.  When you are Real you don't mind being hurt." 

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?" 

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse.  "You become real.  It takes a long time.  That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept.  Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby.  But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." 

The Velveteen Rabbit wasn't even sure what a rabbit was supposed to do.  He just knew there had to be more to life than being filled with sawdust and sitting on a shelf.  

Being real.  That's what really matters.  I don't want to wait until most of my hair has fallen out and I've lost my stuffing.  I want to be real right now.  So what if I don't look as shiny as the other toys in the nursery? 

Yes, sometimes it is painful to become real.  It takes courage.   But until we do, we'll find our existence sitting on the shelves a dim reflection of the freedom and jubilant dance that God intended in the fields of life.  


Dear Heavenly Father,
I know that You want me to be real and honest with those around me.  Jesus was.  He never pretended to be something that He was not and He didn't pretend not to be something that He was.  I am Your child with many faults, failures and foibles.  I made mistakes in my past and will make mistakes in my future.  I pray that I will always have the courage to be real with those around me and never participate in religious pretending because of concern over what others may think.  I'm just me: saved, sealed, delivered! 
In Jesus' Name, 
Amen. 

Being real is difficult at times, but God doesn't want us to hide our scars. He wants us to be real and use the scars of our past to impact those in our present. I believe that’s just one of the reasons God placed us all together . . .

Thursday Thoughts - Reaching and Teaching

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.  Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind..." (Titus 2:3-5a,NIV).

One day, following a church service, a fellow 'lead worshipper' approached me. She is a fabulously lovely, young, hip '20-something' chick who totally loves Jesus. To my surprise and delight, she asked if I would consider becoming her mentor. At first I thought...'but I'm way too young to be your mentor!' Then I woke up from my momentary dream and remembered that I am a wise-on-my-good-days, slightly-elder-ish 'almost 40-something' chick with a decade of life, marriage, and ministry on her. I was excited and scared at the same moment as I prayerfully agreed. I have been blessed beyond measure by many women in my life who are slightly more gray and slightly less green than I am!

Have you ever wanted life advice and didn't know who to talk to? I have. We all need a spiritual mentor to take our hand as we face life. Likewise, we all need to grab hold of a younger spiritual hand for the journey, to bring them along in Christ and strengthen their spiritual muscles, to encourage, teach and admonish. As runners in a relay race reach forward to grab the baton from their teammate in front of them, they also extend the baton back to a runner about to take off in her own race. We need to be reaching and teaching! Look at what the apostle Paul told his disciple, Titus, about women doing life with other women:

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God" (Titus 2:3-5, NIV).

The Bible says in Mark chapter 6 that after John the Baptist had died, his disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. I find it interesting that the word 'disciples' is used instead of the word friends or associates. The implication is that John had poured his life into guiding and instructing these men in the truth and hope of Christ. 

The Bible also tells us that Jesus revered John the Baptist as one of the greatest men to ever walk the earth. Interestingly, John did not consider himself even worthy to tie the sandals of Jesus. So even a man such as John the Baptist, who was set apart for a special God-mission to prepare the way for the LORD, needed to reach forward to Christ for guidance and wisdom. Though he was not one of the chosen twelve disciples of Jesus, John the Baptist was, indeed, a disciple of the Lord. What a beautiful example we see here. John was a disciple and made disciples. With God's help and a little effort, we can do both, too! 

Friends, daily devotions and inspirations can't be the only resource you've got in this area. Even though they may encourage and spur you on toward the heart of God, you need flesh-friends in your life for the same purpose. I challenge you to prayerfully connect with one or two women this week to discuss this mentoring topic. Reach ahead. Reach behind. When you do, deep blessings and growth will be evidenced in your life and in the life of those with whom you connect.

Dear Lord,

You are so good to instruct us toward relationships...both with You and with others. Would you help me to grow in faith?  Would you use me to make a difference in the lives of other women as well? Please lead me in Your will and in Your ways. 

In the powerful name of Jesus,
Amen.

Do you have a spiritual mentor?  

Are you mentoring anyone right now?  

If so, connect regularly.

If not, take a few moments to seek God's heart about this for your life.

Thursday Thoughts - Under the Influence of Love

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."  Matthew 5:22-24 (NIV)

My husband and I once lived in a neighborhood of predominantly retired people who became surrogate grandparents, aunts and uncles for our two children since both of our families lived several states away. The one exception was the older couple that lived behind us. They complained about almost everything we did. Our kids were too loud. Our dog barked too much. Our garbage can was six inches over their property line. It was not unusual to find cryptic notes and warnings taped to our front door or wedged under the windshield wipers of our car. I not only considered them to be sandpaper people, I thought of them as a nuisance. In dealing with these neighbors, our children taught me an important lesson about the power of identifying and meeting a need in the life of a sandpaper person.  

Our family has many family Christmas traditions. When our two children were young, we made Christmas cards for special friends and family members. Since we lived in South Florida, cold weather rarely ushered in the holiday season and I could not get past the idea that when Christmas rolled around, the grass was supposed to be brown - not bright green, and the climate was supposed to be cold - not hot and humid. Our solution was to turn the air conditioner on and lower the temperature until the house was cold enough to turn on the gas fireplace. We listened to Christmas music while baking sugar cookies and making our special Christmas cards. In the midst of one of those Hallmark moments, our son looked up at me and said, "Mom, are we going to make them a Christmas card?" I had an idea who them was but desperately hoped I was wrong. I wasn't. "You know, Mom, the Smiths,"  he explained.  

Being the spiritual giant that I am, I responded, "Son, why would you want to make them a Christmas card? They are mean!" How is that for loving your neighbor? But the Smiths had complained about something we were doing wrong almost every day that week, and I had just about reached the end of any patience I had ever had with them. "But Mom, I never see any kids at their house. Nobody ever comes to visit them and they don't even have a dog," he insisted. We made Christmas cards for the Smiths.

When the kids wanted to deliver those cards, I suggested that they wait until their dad came home so he could get in on the fun. I know. I am evil. Nope! Those cards had to be delivered immediately. I was clearly outnumbered. As we headed out the door, our daughter yelled, "Wait! I forgot the books!" Okay. I was clueless. Why in the world would we need books? With a sigh of exasperation, she said, "Because they might want to read to us, Mom!" She didn't say it, but I could hear the silent "duh."

Books and cards in hand, we once again headed out the door when our son suggested, "Mom, we should take them some of the cookies we made." Now that was asking too much! My sugar cookies are a "must" for every special holiday and considered by many to be "scrumptious." And now my children wanted to waste some of those precious cookies on people who would probably toss them in the garbage. 

However, the silent plea of our son's blue eyes persuaded me to add a Christmas tin of my delicious sugar cookies to our quickly growing stack of nice things to take to people who were definitely not nice. With every step, I prayed that the Smiths would not be home. I rang the doorbell and after a whole thirty seconds, turned to our children and said, "Too bad! They are not home. We can come back later." At that precise moment, Mr. Smith opened the door and barked, "What do you people want?" I could see the headline, "Pastor's Wife Arrested in Neighborhood Disturbance." It was one thing to be mean to me, but when someone is mean to my kids - well, let's just say it isn't pretty.

As I counted to ten for the second time, our son thrust the Christmas cards into the man's hands and said, "We made you something and it's free!" No way! It was not possible! I thought I saw the beginning of a smile on Mr. Smith's face. His sister chose that particular moment to hand Mr. Smith the cookies. "And these are for your mother," she said, her big, brown eyes sparkling with excitement. Great! With six words, my daughter had just aged Mrs. Smith by twenty years. 

And then it happened. Mr. Smith smiled, stepped back into the house and called, "Mother, we have company." For two hours, the Smiths read books, ate sugar cookies and raved about the beautiful cards the kids had made. When we finally left, Mr. Smith said, "Such lovely children. You should have more!" Mrs. Smith hugged the kids and asked, "Why didn't you bring the dog?" I was speechless. And I was ashamed. My heart cried out to God, "Lord, I am so sorry for being so blind to the needs of these people. Please forgive me." But that is not the end of the story.

The Smiths became friends and great neighbors. Weeks later, Mr. Smith had a heart attack and was hospitalized for several days. Dan was able to visit him and share Christ with a man who simply needed someone to recognize the deepest need of his life - and do something about it. Our children led the way and taught me a powerful lesson about the depth and height of God's stubborn love and what can happen when we are under the influence of that love.

Father,

Please forgive me for refusing to love the sandpaper people in my life. Right now, I choose to let Your love flow through me as I deal with difficult people. Let me see them through Your eyes. Show me how I can meet a need in their lives and then give me the wisdom and strength to meet that need.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

·         Ask God to let you see one need in the life of your sandpaper person that you can meet.

·         Pray for that person and then make a specific plan for meeting that need.

·         Read and memorize 5:22-24. How does this passage of Scripture apply to your difficult relationships?

We all need help in dealing with difficult people. Every relationship comes to our life with God's permission and has a purpose that will help us grow and mature as a follower of Christ. Right now, thank God for what He is doing in your life through your sandpaper person.