Blog – Know Him

Bloom Where You Are Planted

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 20:01:25 GMT

Does blooming where we are planted mean we need to redesign ourselves to match our environment?

Have you ever heard the saying "Bloom where you are planted?"

I have heard it a lot in my life. I've always taken it to mean that wherever or whatever situation God puts you in, you should flourish and grow.

It’s a good saying and a good thing to apply! But does that mean we need to grow in a way that we match our environment?

This week I am staying with one of my daughters. She lives in an apartment complex in a large city. There are lots of beautiful and fun things to see, do and eat, but Wisconsin Northwoods it is not.

It is also really hot this week. I went for a walk at 7:30 this morning and it was already above 80*...just another reminder that I'm not in Wisconsin anymore!!

Anyways...Yesterday I was sitting and looking out the window and I noticed a tree. The tree is set between a basketball court and one of the apartment buildings. It appears to be thriving and growing!

I started thinking about the times in life that we are planted in places and situations outside of our comfort zones. I mean, this tree, though thriving, definitely doesn't look like it belongs here. And it doesn't look comfortable. Yet, here it is...providing cover for the birds to nest in, obstacles for the squirrels to play on, and shade where basketball players can find relief.

The tree isn't trying to blend in. It isn't trying to look like an apartment building. It isn't conforming to the world around it.

It is just being a tree and doing tree things.

It makes me think of another saying based on John 17...We, as followers of Jesus, are in this world, but not of it.

This tree is "in" the apartment world, but it is not "of" it.

The word "of" usually denotes a relationship of belonging. The tree does not belong to the apartment complex, though it is definitely a part of it.

The tree belongs to the Creator. And its purpose, as determined by the Creator, is to bloom, and shade, and nourish, and provide refuge.

It is able to do what it was created to do, even in a situation that isn't natural.

I want my life to be like that.

Regardless of where I am, or what my circumstances are...I want to be able to grow, be a part of, and see the beauty in my situation and my surroundings. But, I want to always remember that I don't belong to that.

I belong to Him.

And because of that, I was created to love, comfort, bring peace and joy to, and share His beauty with those around me...regardless of where I am or what is going on.

So my prayer today is....God help me to never try to become an apartment building when I was created to be a tree. Help me to be a part of and pour your gifts into each situation as whom I was created to be...Your hands and feet in this world.

Christmas Countdown Week 2: Peace

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 15:00:00 GMT

"God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing." - CS Lewis

Week 2: PEACE

Day 1: Sunday

Activity

- Read 2 Thessalonians 3:16

- Write the word PEACE on a piece of paper. Now taking crayons, colored pencils, markers, or whatever you have outline the word with a different color over and over until you fill up the piece of paper.

- Put your PEACE paper somewhere that you will see it this week and be reminded of the blessing we have of PEACE in Jesus!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 2: Monday

Activity

- Read John 16:33

-Light a candle in a dark room and allow yourself some time alone in the darkness. Take notice of how the light of the candle overcomes the darkness and let it remind you of how Jesus has overcome the world. Thank him and receive His peace from that fact!

- Remind yourself throughout your day that PEACE in Jesus is offered to us regardless of what our circumstance is. Ask Him for it, and receive it!!

Day 3: Tuesday

Activity

- Read Isaiah 26:3

- Journal about a time in your life that God filled you with His PEACE. It is so important for us to take the time to record and remember what He has done in our lives.

- Be diligent today in reminding yourself and remembering God's faithfulness in your life and in the lives of others.

Day 4: Wednesday

Activity

- Read John 14:27

-Give $10 to a random person . Pray over where to do this, but tape $10 to a card and either hand it to someone or lay it on a shelf in a store. On the card write out John 14:27. Most importantly, pray for the person that God will have receive what you are giving. Pray that they will know and receive His PEACE.

- Memorize today's verse to keep it close to your heart!!

Day 5: Thursday

Activity

- Read Psalm 4:8

- Grab a pillowcase that you can write on. It can be one that you already have or pick one up at the store. Using a fabric marker or a permanent marker, write out Psalm 4:8 somewhere on the inside of the pillowcase. Spend time praying for peace and sleep for whomever rests their head on it.

You can use it for yourself or pass it on to someone that you know is struggling with nighttime rest.

- Rest in Him!!

Day 6: Friday

Activity

- Read 1 Peter 5:7

- Write an encouraging note to someone you know is struggling and send it to them. Make sure to include today's verse in it.

- Spend time praying for the person you wrote the note to.

Day 7: Saturday

Activity

- Read Romans 5:1

-Our faith in Jesus gives us peace! Find an organization that supports spreading the Gospel to the unreached. Give a donation to help support spreading Jesus and thus spreading PEACE to the world!

- Pray for the unreached people in our world.

Christmas Countdown Week 1: Hope

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 16:48:36 GMT

Let's switch things up a bit!!

Three days in and we already have changes!! Ha!!

Seriously though, I think that it will be best if I put out the week's readings and activities each Sunday. So I am going today, to put out our counts for the rest of this week. Then on Sunday, the 10th, I will put out the following week.

So here we go!!

Week 1: HOPE

Day 1: Sunday

Activity

- Read Romans 8:18-25

- Write the word HOPE on a piece of paper. Now taking crayons, colored pencils, markers, or whatever you have outline the word with a different color over and over until you fill up the piece of paper.

- Put your HOPE paper somewhere that you will see it this week and be reminded of the blessing we have of HOPE in Jesus!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 2: Monday

Activity

- Read Zechariah 9:12

- Look up 3 verses that remind you of God's promises and write them on the back of the HOPE art you created yesterday. (use Google if you need help finding some!)

- Be intentional today and put your HOPE in Him and what He promises.

Day 3: Tuesday

Activity

- Read Romans 15:13

- Tell someone about a time in your life that God filled you with His HOPE!!

- Be diligent today in reminding yourself and remembering God's faithfulness in your life and in the lives of others.

Day 4: Wednesday

Activity

- Read Psalm 42:11

- Write a letter to your soul reminding it of who God is and what He has done in your life. You might even include the promises you wrote down on Monday. Put it aside and open it on a day that you need a reminder of who He is!! (This has been a powerful tool that I have used to fight back against anxiety and depression)

- Memorize today's verse to keep it close to your heart!!

Day 5: Thursday

Activity

- Read Psalm 119:14-16

- Listen for at least 10 minutes to scripture being read to you via a Bible app or video.

- Engage your sense of hearing...delight your senses...in His beautiful Word!!

Day 6: Friday

Activity

- Read Psalm 130:7

- Pay it Back ... Literally!! Go through a coffee shop or fast-food drive thru and pay for the person's bill that orders behind you.

- Bring a note to have the cashier pass on to the car behind you. On it, write Psalm 130:7.

Day 7: Saturday

Activity

- Read Colossians 1:27

- Go outside and look at the night sky taking in the vast mystery of His creation.

- Be reminded of His beauty and majesty and the HOPE we find in Him!!

December 4-Day 2

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 15:00:07 GMT

Prisoner of HOPE....

Day 2:

" Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double." Zechariah 9:12

Let that verse sink in a bit... prisoners of hope .

Many times we think of prisoners as ones who are locked up in order to keep them out of the world.

But sometimes we are imprisoned in order to keep the world out of us.

We are prisoners of HOPE.

What an amazing thing to be captured and confined to!!!!

Today be captivated by His HOPE.

Activity

- Read Zechariah 9:12

- Look up 3 verses that remind you of God's promises and write them on the back of the HOPE art you created yesterday. (use Google if you need help finding some!)

- Be intentional today and put your HOPE in Him and what He promises.

December 3-Day 1

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 18:00:00 GMT

Light one candle for Hope...One bright candle for Hope...

"Light one candle for hope, one bright candle for hope, He brings hope to ev’ry heart, He comes! He comes!"

Every year, growing up, when we would sing this song, I knew it was time! Time for the anticipation of Christmas!

Really, my mind was on the anticipation of Christmas morning full of lots of presents, food, and family! But as I got older, I began to understand that the month of December was more than gifts, food, and fun...it was about thankfulness. Now, my Christmas season begins on September 1!! No, I don't put up a tree and decorations, but I do begin to be purposeful in concentrating on thankfulness.

When I lived in Texas, September 1st began a time to be thankful that the heat would subside soon. It was a time to be thankful for the past year, for health, for family and friends, and for all of the things that God had given me.

It began in September, slowly slid into Thanksgiving, then did a fantastically fast jog to January 1st!

But as I've jaunted down the road of life a bit further, I have had the opportunity to see that some years..

...it was still scorching hot in December.

...we did not have money or resources.

...we were not healthy

...we lost family

It was during those times that I began to realize that the things I'm most thankful for and most need to celebrate are things that can never be taken away from me.

And my mind goes back to that song we sang in church each of the four Sundays before Christmas...

Light one candle for hope....

Light one candle for peace...

Light one candle for joy...

Light one candle for love...

These things can never, ever be taken away from me.

My Savior, Jesus, offers me year-round hope, peace, joy, and love regardless of what is going on in my life.

If my comfort is taken away from me...I am blessed with the hope of Jesus.

If my health is taken away from me...I am blessed with peace in Jesus.

If my money and resources are taken away from me...I am blessed with joy through Jesus.

And if my family is taken away from me...I am blessed with love from Jesus.

So today begins a week concentrating on being thankful for the blessing and gift of HOPE !!

The Oxford Dictionary defines hope as a feeling of expectation for a certain thing to happen. A feeling of trust.

This expectation and trust come not from the confidence of seeing or from proof. No, instead they come from an assurance that is not tangible. Sometimes it isn’t even sensible.

But hope, by definition, must come from a place of need…of being without. Hope comes from a place of absence.

So, wherever you are in your life today...whether it is from a place of absence, or a place of plenty...be thankful for hope!!!

Activity

- Read Romans 8:18-25

- Put your HOPE paper somewhere that you will see it this week and be reminded of the blessing we have of HOPE in Jesus!!!!!!!!!!!!

***I'm no artist, but here is what mine looks like!!***

Activity Countdown To Christmas!!

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 15:43:56 GMT

Oh, how I love the anticipation that comes with the month of December!!

I remember when my girls were young, and we did Christmas countdowns every year! Sometimes it was geared more towards family activities. Other times we did Random Acts of Christmas Kindness to tick off the days. There were always lots of Bible readings and crafts!!

For over 20 years December became a time of expectation and excitement.

Regardless of what we did, I think I enjoyed the anticipation as much, if not more, than my girls did. And honestly, this is one thing that I really miss when it comes to being an empty nester.

This year I have been working on keeping my focus on Jesus. One way has been to purposefully do things throughout my day that glorify Him and bring Him pleasure.

So....I was thinking the other day about how much I love the expectation of December and I had an idea!

What if we have an online countdown activity calendar for grownups!! Not just that, but one that points us to our loving, magnificent Savior!!! There will be Bible readings coupled with simple activities that position our gaze on Him!!

Can you think of anything better and more exciting??!!

So, I will post something each day beginning on Sunday, December 3, starting with HOPE!!

The activities won't be anything huge and they won't take a lot of time (unless you want them to) or materials.

But I pray it is four weeks of beautiful and exciting anticipation and a sweet, sacrificial fragrance to our glorious Savior!!!!!!!!!!!

Please share the activities with your peeps as I know that the Lord loves it when we concentrate on Him together!!!

I'm so, so excited! And I hope you are too!!

See you on Sunday!!!!!!!!

Was It For Me?

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 18:17:46 GMT

Is it for Him, or is it for myself?

Today I was reading in Zechariah 7. The people came to God and asked if they should weep, fast, and mourn during the fifth month as they had done so for many years.

The way God answered them cut straight to my heart this morning....

"When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month, and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted ?" Zechariah 7:5

The things that I do each day..the things that I would say I do that are good, and holy, and true... Is it for Him that I do them ?

Or is it for Kristi?

I think it can be so easy to glide from one motivation to the other.

So easy one might not even notice.

Whether it is teaching, preaching, changing diapers, hosting gatherings, cleaning, serving, playing broomball...It is for Him that I do them?

Today I pray that the Holy Spirit will show me the selfishness and pride in my life and in my service.

Not only that, but I pray He will keep my heart pricked in a way that I stay aware of the danger of serving myself as opposed to Him.

I Can't Remember....

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 20:23:17 GMT

I can't remember our last Thanksgiving together....

We are preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving, a time set aside that we gather, eat, and spend time focusing on thankfulness.

Too often though it becomes more about the gathering and eating than the thankfulness. And that brings stress, pressure, and a bunch of feelings that look nothing like a thankful heart.

I know this because this is me.

This year is the first Thanksgiving I will celebrate after my dad died.

We moved out of state about eight years ago, so I didn't usually spend the day with him, though I will definitely miss hearing his voice on the phone.

But I keep trying to remember the our last Thanksgiving together before we moved, and I can't.

To be honest, I don't really remember any Thanksgiving with him as an adult.

This makes me really sad.

So today I want to share that with you...Because it doesn't have to be that way.

I know it is hard to not stress about the food, or the messy house.

I know it is hard to not worry about who might say what at the dinner table.

But I encourage you to try. Because honestly, though those things feel really big right now...one day they won't. They will be so insignificant that you won't even remember them.

And if you let them take over your day...you might not even remember that either.

I know my dad loved me and he knew I loved him, but I sure wish I could remember our last Thanksgiving together.

So this year I'm ditching the parts of the day that are stressful and embracing what brings us joy and what cultivates thankfulness.

This year I am going to really focus on Colossians 4:2 " Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."

I'm going to devote my day to thankfulness instead of trying to have everything look and taste perfect.

I'm going to pay attention to the laughter, sights, sounds, and smells.

And dwell in thankfulness for the moment. Whatever it ends up looking like.

And one day, I pray my girls will be able to look back and remember that.

Yahweh Is There

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 15:51:22 GMT

So many times we get stuck thinking Yahweh is a god of the future...of death...of tomorrow. But He is also the God of today!!!!

I was reading in Ezekiel the other day and as I wrapped it up I came across 48:35...

"The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be Yahweh Is There."

It hit me as I read it... Yahweh Is There!!! Ummmm....WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God is showing Ezekiel a future city that encompasses all of His people!! And the name of that city is to be from that time on...Yahweh Is There!! (Think of the incredible gift we are given through Jesus!)

I am having trouble finding words to express how beautiful this is. Think about it.

It could have been...Yahweh's People...or Yahweh's City...showing His possession. But instead it is Yahweh Is There.

Not only does that identify our belonging under the wings of Yahweh, but it identifies His presence with us.

His involvement.

Oh my goodness!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you aren't falling out of your seat in amazement at this, I beg you to take a couple of minutes and dwell on it. Ask Him to help you see.

Because this is a knock your socks off statement!

I know that sometimes God can feel far off. And sometimes we think of Him as a mighty being who set everything in motion and now just stands back watching us.

But, I hope you see the difference and the significance in finding our identity in not only being Yahweh's people...But in being "Yahweh Is Here."

It. Changes. Everything.

When I face various trials and battles throughout my day...Yahweh Is Here.

When I get a diagnosis that brings me to my knees...Yahweh Is Here.

When I am overwhelmed with everything around me...Yahweh Is Here.

You don't just belong to Him...He Is with you.

So many years I have found comfort in belonging to Him. That fact helped me with so many situations that caused fear in my life.

I belong to Him so I don't have to fear death.

I belong to Him so I don't have to fear the enemy.

I belong to Him so I don't have to fear hell.

But my friends, there is so much more. Because He is here!!

He is with me so I don't have to fear loneliness.

He is with me so I don't have to fear illness.

He is with me so I don't have to fear tomorrow.

He is with me so I don't have to fear ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!

So many times we get stuck thinking Yahweh is a god of the future...of death...of tomorrow. But He is also the God of today!!!!

This makes me think of the old hymn....

"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."

Walk with Him and talk with Him today.

Tarry with Him today.

Because Yahweh Is There.

Dear Weary Friend,

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 17:00:28 GMT

When you have done all of this, take one small step...

Dear Weary Friend,

You are seen and heard.

"The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry." Psalm 43:15

You are not forgotten.

"When I thought, "My foot slips," your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. " Psalm 94:18-19

You are valued.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. but even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31

You are loved.

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1

I know, you are so tired right now.

You are searching for the Light.

Right now the waves and the storm clouds seem to overshadow it.

But the Light is there.

The darkness will not...it cannot...overcome the light.

You feel like your cries are falling on deaf ears.

They are not.

It's okay to rest.

Let your brothers and sisters in Jesus know you are struggling .

God created His bride to care for one another. Let us care for you.

Hold tightly to His Word.

Read it, listen to it, cling to it.

When I was in a prolonged season of weariness, I slept with His beautiful Words under my pillow.

Cry out to Him.

Cry out in sorrow, sadness, anger, frustration, weariness.

The One who knows your struggles wants to hear from you.

And when you have done all of this, take one small step.

Then do it all again.

We are not promised that He will calm all storms...but we are promised He will get us through them.

So cling to Him and take that next, tiny step.

And with Him, you will find rest for your weary soul.

"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

Know Him and Rejoice!

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 16:17:38 GMT

Don't be afraid of what is going on around you. Look at Him.

Know Him and rejoice.

After writing a few times about brokenness, fallenness, and sin, I am so happy to be reminded this morning about who He is.

"I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!" Luke 12:4-5

Jesus is talking to his disciples while they are in the midst of a huge crowd when he reminds them that we are to have no fear regarding the things of this world. This is all temporary. It will pass.

When my first daughter was born...almost 29 years ago...someone told me to remember "This too shall pass." She said to remember it during the long nights of no sleep and also during the great celebrations.

It will pass.

And Jesus reminds us of the same thing in Luke...it will pass. This life is temporary. Don't fear anything here...instead fear the One who has power not just in this moment, but also in the moments and life to come.

There is something...Someone... more powerful than the here and now.

Fear Him.

Then he goes on to say, "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows."

Fear Him transitions to fear not!

What changes?

Don't be afraid of what is going on around you. Look at Him.

Yahweh is BIGGER.

Fear Him. Fear His power and His might. Fear His big-ness.

And Yahweh, in all of His power, might, and massiveness...

He knows you, He recognizes you, and He is familiar with you.

He values you.

So fear not.

Whatever may happen to you and I today, we are valued by the only One who is to be feared.

Find peace in that.

Find your worth in that.

Find joy in that.

Know Him...and rejoice.

War

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 16:23:29 GMT

I pray that safety is found, rest is given, and peace prevails.

I'm having trouble sitting in my warm, comfy, cozy house today.

I have candles burning and find that the flicker of the flames that normally brings me comfort, today brings reminders of people all around the world living in fear of or in the midst of war and turmoil.

I sit here with a high degree of assurance that all of my baby girls are safe, though scattered. But those flames remind me that there are mommas all around our world that are mourning, searching, grieving, and fearing for their own daughters.

The crackle of the wooden wick normally brings me back to nights around the campfire. Today it makes me think of so many that are walking streets of smoldering, burning buildings where just yesterday groceries were bought, weddings happened, and lives were lived.

Today I am at a loss of how to live my life knowing that so many are in despair and in pain.

I pray for them. The Iraeli mommas and the Palestinian mommas. I imagine most of them would give anything to be waking up this morning to crackling candles and a chance to have assurance of their babies safety. I pray that safety is found, rest is given, and peace prevails.

I pray that somehow through all of this horrible mess, they will see glimpses of Jesus. Maybe through a sunrise, a kind stranger, a page from a Bible, visions, dreams, or a even song. I pray that they will see Him, know Him, and be comforted by Him.

And as for me...

*I will continue to pray and cry out for moms all over the world.

*I will go throughout my day trying to be more aware that the comforts I enjoy are nice, but they are not permanent and not my focus.

*I will pray for the grace and strength to live my life in a way that I can be His hands and feet to those around me, yet also willing to go where He asks me to.

* And finally I will seek to live a life that is not so focused on MY here and now that I forget the world around me.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." -Acts 1:8

Know Him and Weep

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 16:44:08 GMT

Know Him and Weep...Because I am Part of the Problem

Know Him...and Weep.

Sounds like a weird way to begin an article on God's goodness doesn't it?

But oh, how my heart weeps and mourns.

Conflict, hate, sadness, war, suffering, killings, torture, fear...it all permeates the news today. I just had to turn it all off.

Not because I don't want to know...though turning a blind eye is easy.

Not because I don't want to hear...though hearing is so hard.

Not because I don't care...because my heart is breaking .

But I had to turn it all off so I could cry out to my Father...because I am part of the problem.

My actions, my words, my thoughts, my heart...have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.

There is no government, nor is there a system in the cosmos that can fix what is wrong in our world.

The thing we need...all of us...is the blood of His Son.

And through all of our filth...because all of us are guilty...He has made a way.

" What can wash away my sin: nothing but the blood of Jesus.

What can make me whole again: nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my hope and peace: nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my righteousness: nothing but the blood of Jesus.

O precious is the flow that makes me white as snot; no other found I know; nothing but the blood of Jesus. " -Robert Lowry

" Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. " James 4:9-10

Compassion

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 20:18:42 GMT

A mother and her nursing child. A mother hen and her brood. These are ways that the Bible describes Yahweh’s compassion. (Isaiah 49:15, Luke 13:34)

This compassionate nature is the first word Yahweh used to describe himself to Moses…

“The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out,

“Yahweh! The Lord!

The God of compassion and mercy!

I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.” ---Exodus 34:6

To know him is to know His compassion.

Compassion means seeing the suffering of someone and being prompted to helpful action. It isn’t just seeing someone hurting and feeling sad for them, but it is allowing that sadness to motivate you into action.

Our world is full of suffering people.

You might be one of them.

When we are suffering, we don’t only want to be seen, but we want it to stop. We want help.

Most of my life when suffering has occurred, I've spent much of my prayers begging God to make it stop. A few weeks ago, someone suggested that maybe I should ask Him to help me get through it instead.

I’ve thought a lot about this and though it seems like a minor difference, the shift in focus that occurred for me has been huge.

“Make it stop,” is saying I can’t do this. I don’t want to do this. I know better. I don’t trust you.

“Help me through it,” says it is hard. I might not like it, but I trust you. I need you. I will follow you.

A way that I have been able to make this change is by focusing on His compassion.

The Bible tells us that God’s compassion looks like unfailing love, faithfulness, and peace.

It tells us that sometimes God will stop the wind and the waves of the storm, and other times He asks us to step out of the boat and into it. But His unfailing love, faithfulness, and peace are unchanging.

Regardless of my storm.

It is who He is and that isn’t dependent of whether He moves the mountains, or he makes them disappear…He will not be changed.

What does Yahweh’s compassion do? Oh goodness…it changes everything!

When you are in a storm yet can focus on the one who controls it, and you know He is good, loving, and faithful…Then you can say “I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10

Knowing His compassion enables you to take the next step even when every fiber of your being is crying out that you can’t.

Knowing His compassion enables you to rest during the storm.

Knowing His compassion let's you know that He sees you and He is moving for your good.

Knowing His compassion let's you survive...and thrive.

Dusk...The time before nightfall

Mon, 01 May 2023 14:58:32 GMT

The pain travels from my throat, my body might break...

Mid February I was talking on the phone with my dad and he told me about some changes in his health that indicated he was most likely in the final season of his life.

We had a good conversation about what that meant for him, how he felt about it, and how soon it might come.

I spent that night trying to think through our conversation, and I just remember the pain in my throat and chest at trying to imagine a life without him.

The next morning, pen in hand, I wrote the following poem. It was one of those writings that started off with me expressing how I felt to my Lord and ended with Him expressing His faithfulness to me.

2/24/2023...my journal

It's so easy for me to get caught up in this world,

When the sorrow and pain feel like they were hurled

From a place far away, distant and unknown.

Thrown at me by someone who doesn't hear my groan.

The pain travels from my throat, my body, it might break,

Each breath I take in just feeds my heartache.

Every fiber of my being wants to take off and run,

Until i'm absolutely certain this season is done.

When my God whispers gently into my ear,

"Stay, don't go, you need to be here."

"Let me tenderly love you as you fall apart,

I hear your groans and the beat of your heart."

"Stay here in the moment, through all of the pain,

You don't understand now, but you need to remain.

I'll hold you and comfort you, I'll get you through,

Just staying in this moment is all you need to do."

"I know the outcome and I know where you've stood,

And though it is painful, I promise you good.

I'll tenderly be there for each step you must take,

And I'll make beauty from ashes when your heart does break."

My dad died a month and a half later on April 7th...Good Friday.

Abandoned

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 21:18:38 GMT

Being abandoned is one of my worst fears.

The veil of secrecy with our unexpected event was not intended. First, it was just hard to talk about. Then, it seemed a bit embarrassing. But it is, and it does.

Regardless, here it goes….

My youngest daughter, K, and I traveled overseas to central Asia to visit my oldest daughter, and son-in-law that live there. I was nervous to begin with. Not just for the plane ride, which was 14 hours total, but being in a culture that I wasn’t familiar with, a language that I didn’t know at all, and just traversing all of that with my daughter.

Having never experienced jet lag, I was quite caught off-guard by it. The other thing that caught me off guard was culture shock. Being in a culture and language so different from my own led to feelings that I have never dealt with and wasn’t quite sure how to navigate.

So already having a bit of a hard time, a few days into the trip, my youngest fell and broke her leg bone.

My son in law took her to the ER and they said she needed surgery that night. It was so stressful having to decide what was the best thing to do. But, we decided to wait and come back to the States.

The next day we began to look at switching our plane tickets to head home. It was one problem after another. Spotty internet and cell reception led to being dropped several times just as we were making payment. Because of the timing, the tickets were not purchased, but holds were put on my card.

We ended up, after several hours, finally finding tickets with another airline.

When I type this out it seems so easy and seamless, but it was incredibly stressful. All the holds on my card and the drops in internet and phone service led to me barely having enough money to purchase the tickets home. There was medication and equipment that we needed to get and due to it being so late in the day, we had a difficult time finding it.

The other thing was that I don’t often get to see my oldest daughter and son in law being that they live so far away, so we had planned on being there for two weeks. This was cutting our trip to barely five days. On top of that, my oldest daughter is pregnant and pregnant girls need there mammas sometimes. We had looked forward to spending this two weeks together for so long. It just was heartbreaking to have to leave so soon.

Finally, armed with new tickets, we were to be at the airport at 1am the following morning. Being that it was already after 9pm, we just stayed up and packed. Well…Everyone else packed, I mostly just walked around crying.

There were many people praying that things would work out and we would be able to get K home. And one by one, things did. The people that surround my kiddos there were just magnificent in helping us, people back at home were praying...but I was an absolute wreck (and really, REALLY tired).

Fast forward a few hours and a few gallons of tears and we are at the airport to check in to our flight. After approaching the check in counter, they told us that K couldn’t fly because of her cast. We were just overwhelmed and devastated. So close to have that door slammed shut.

My amazing Son in Law went to talk to another airline and a few hours later he had everything worked out where we could head home. They kindly even booked seats where K could have hope of being semi comfortable during the long flight home.

But this wasn’t before another huge money hold was put on my card and more frantic effort put into getting the money available to buy yet another ticket.

At the airport, the couple of hours that ticked away in between being told we weren’t allowed to fly and my son-in-law getting us a flight felt like an eternity. I prayed and prayed for peace, hope, or just anything God would send that would fill-in the absolute powerless hole I was in.

But there was none.

I have never felt so helpless in my entire life . I didn’t speak the language. I didn’t understand the culture. I didn’t have easy access to money for flights. I couldn’t find available flights. My baby girl was in pain, and we felt unsure as to what was going on inside her leg.

And when I cried out to the One that I was taught would always be there, I felt He wasn’t.

I felt abandoned.

And being abandoned is one of my worst fears.

I was frantic. I didn’t know what to do. I was completely helpless in a time that my daughter needed me to be mom and take care of her. And I couldn’t.

Like I said, my son-in-law worked things out with another airline and we were eventually able to head home. The flight was hard on her…imagine being packed in a tiny, cramped airplane seat with an unset, broken leg…but we made it.

I cried when our plane landed in DC.

Though I’d like to say this was the end of the story, it isn’t. I just haven’t been able to bounce back from that feeling of abandonment. And I don’t really know how to move forward from it. K ended up needing surgery on her leg because it wouldn’t heal. But we are very thankful to report that three weeks post-surgery, nine weeks post-break, it seems to be heading in a good direction.

Several times after our return, during the process of doctor visits and procedures, things would happen that were out of my control, and I would instantly feel back in that place of complete helplessness. I would panic and my thinking would get all mixed up.

Even worse, the feeling of abandonment would return.

So, I struggle. I question. I grieve. I struggle with what went wrong. I question why. And I grieve the loss of a feeling of control I probably never had in the first place.

But I know He is faithful and steadfast. And because of that I fight a battle.

I fight to figure out what next. I fight a current of anger that flows in my heart. And I fight a fear of living a life that is completely out of my control.

How am I fighting? I spend time in the Word and time just talking and listening to Him. Sometimes I talk to people about it, and sometimes I don’t want to talk to anyone.

I’ve spent a lot of time at home over the past two months. I have trouble being around people sometimes.

It is hard to hit a point in life and see that the foundation I have lived on might be wrong. It causes one to question everything.

When I say wrong, I mean wrong in the sense of not having the control I thought I did. Heck, I didn’t even realize I wanted that control!

So, I go back to the beginning.

He is the creator, and I am not.

Show me, guide me, instruct me…and give me the strength to follow.

I want to hold nothing from Him. I want to be willing to walk whatever path He might have for me.

But it is a lot harder than I thought.

Ugh!!

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 21:54:36 GMT

And it is a yuck day today. But a better day is coming…this I know.

I’ve been working on typing out the story of our unexpected event. I hoped to sit down today and finish it, but I just can’t.

I guess journeying this in this space is going to require me to at times be honest from a place that I just don’t understand.

This all sounds hugely dramatic, and on the surface, it isn’t. But it sure feels that way to me. And I’m learning that just because there are bigger and badder things going on around you, that doesn’t diminish your own struggle or feelings.

So today I’m just going to share my feelings.

And I feel ticked off.

Some of the anger I understand. Other of it I have no idea where it’s coming from. But I’m angry nonetheless.

Angry at my past…angry at my present.

I feel abandoned. I feel used. I feel like I’m not valued.

These feelings don’t represent truth, feelings can be deceiving. But it is the way my body, mind, and soul are wanting to react to my circumstance.

I know truth. I know there is a God that is bigger than everything going on around me. I know that part of the problem is I am focusing too much on myself.

But when you are hurting it is really hard to focus on anything else!!

This is not the way I want this journey to go. But I am a firm believer that if I invite you into the good stuff, I need to be honest about the yuck.

And it is a yuck day today. But a better day is coming…this I know.

Part of having faith in Yahweh is looking back in my life and seeing His steadfastness. And I do.

And that is what gives me hope.

I have hope. Not hope that things will ever look the way I want them to.

Instead it's hope that all my circumstances are first passing through the grasp of a good and loving God…and it will all, one day, be for my good and His glory.

So today, I soak in this prayer….

“Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” Psalm 90:14

And I also walk in the knowledge that in sharing the brokenness of my own journey He will display His grace and power.....

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

The Fight For Hope

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 14:44:10 GMT

I thought that when called out of the boat, I wouldn’t just walk on the water to Jesus, I would run...but instead, I sank.

The Oxford Dictionary defines hope as a feeling of expectation for a certain thing to happen. A feeling of trust. This expectation and trust come not from the confidence of seeing or from proof. No, instead they come from an assurance that is not tangible. Sometimes it isn’t even sensible.

But hope, by definition, must come from a place of need…of being without.

Hope comes from a place of absence.

Two months ago, I thought that, though not always as strong as I would have liked, I had hope and held tightly to the promises of the Bible.

I thought that when called out of the boat, I wouldn’t just walk on the water to Jesus, I would run.

But when an unexpected event happened, honestly, I sank. And though in theory I should be able to rebound from this, I am having trouble.

My trouble isn’t with faith in my God. My trouble is with myself and what feels like my failure to live out that faith.

I’m not telling you this because I need reassurance that mistakes happen, and it is a normal part of our walk with Christ. I know that this is true.

I am telling you this because it rocked the core of my faith so much so that I would be arrogant and careless if I did not investigate why. I would be arrogant and careless if I did not examine and make sure that my life isn’t built on sand and that my High Places aren’t still standing.

And to be honest, I don’t think I am alone. I believe that most people, when faced with a situation that is completely out of their control, will have at least a tremor of their faith, if not an earthquake.

And what I’ve discovered is that when that happens, we tend to do one of three things.

First, we can walk away from our faith. I know people that have done this. When their belief was tested by circumstance, they counted their losses and left.

Second, some choose to ignore the rumble and continue with business as usual. They don’t take the time to see if there might be faulty thinking on their part, or perhaps an opportunity for growth.

The third choice is instead of fleeing away or fleeing to the sand to stick your head in it, you stay in that horribly uncomfortable space and fight.

I’m not taking about fighting to find the HOPE that is promised. That is His to give.

I’m talking about fighting to pry open our tightly clenched fists and empty them of anything other than Him.

I am talking about fighting against my own flesh and the powers of this world in order to cling to His promise of hope when it requires me to let go of my sense of control.

And hope always requires us to let go.

Letting go of my security, power, wealth, health, and family.

Letting go of my safety, freedom, comfort, privacy, and privilege.

Letting go of anything other than Him.

Notice I am saying... Letting go . It isn't just being willing to let go. Because what that really means is… I will keep holding on and try really hard to be okay if You take them away from me.

No, it is letting go. We must be in a state of inadequacy to have hope.

And it is there that we find contentment in every circumstance.

It is there that we find HOPE.

I’m fighting to free up the space in my life to accept the Hope He gives.

I'm fighting to let go and trust that He is enough.

Fight For Faith

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 19:06:02 GMT

Will I have the faith that His truth stands even when every fiber of my being is screaming and feeling like something different is going on...

Once again, it has been a while.

I still find myself feeling a bit lost. I know Him whom I have believed, but what it looks like to live that out on this earth in 2022 has me a bit befuddled.

What to do and not to do…what it should look like…what my life should look like…had me very overwhelmed and feeling lost.

Then I took a trip overseas to see my kids. Something unexpected happened just a few days into my trip.

It was in the unexpected that I found myself feeling alone, scared, and helpless.

It was in the unexpected that I felt abandoned by the One who has told me for years He would always be there for me.

And now…over five weeks after returning home…the jet lag has gone away, the culture shock has subsided, but the feeling of abandonment has sunk it’s gnarly claws into my soul and I have yet to pry them off.

I always hoped and prayed I would be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego…in a time of trial I would know what my God was capable of and say…

”If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Daniel 3:17-18

But I didn’t say that. And now I struggle with knowing where to go from here.

I am beginning to see that my faith walk doesn’t look the way I thought it would. Sometimes it comes easy, but other times it’s a fight.

Not a fight as in having the faith that God CAN, but having the faith that His truth stands even when every fiber of my being is screaming and feeling like something different is going on.

Even if I am burning in the fire.

I enjoy the type of teaching and writing where God has shown me something really cool, and I get to share it with others. But it seems that this journey is going to be a bit different.

I have no profound or cool insight to share with you, but I have a journey.

I’m pretty sure it will be messy, sometimes three steps forward will be followed by five steps back, and lots of twists and turns.

But, I’m willing to take the journey because even more than the gnarly claws of abandonment that grip my soul…there is a truth that holds more strongly… He is worth it.

Many of you are on a similar journey.

Your unexpected event might be an illness, or a loss, or a frustration. Whatever it is, I know that we were given one another as a holy gift.

In our brokenness we need encouraged, and in our brokenness we bring encouragement.

I mentioned at the beginning of this that I still felt lost with how to live this life of faith out in 2022. That is still true.

But I think my unexpected event has shown me that sometimes when you feel lost, instead of staying where you are, you need to seek to be found.

Sanctuary

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 17:09:31 GMT

Sanctuary: a place of refuge, a holy place

I want to know Him more. I want to learn what it would be like to live like Jesus did and I want to walk that out in my life.

The more I learn about Jesus, the more I think that the life I live could reflect Him and glorify Him more.

The more I learn about Jesus, the more I see that there are things that have always felt “Christ like” but might be more “American” than Christian, or traditions as opposed to scripture.

The more I learn about Jesus, the more I see things that I should cling tighter to, things I should let go of, and other things that I should be holding onto with an open hand.

Sometimes as I learn more and see more clearly, I get overwhelmed.

My remedy in the past has been to put the thought or struggle away for a bit with the plan of coming back to it later.

Sometimes I do come back to it, and sometimes I don’t.

Today I was reading in Psalm 73 and verse 16-17 stuck out to me.

“But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.”

In the verses prior, the author was speaking about not understanding the way God works. He makes some observations of what he sees going on around him and he expresses a frustration and lack of understanding.

Then he figures it out. When he is weary to understand…which even though we will never understand it all, we always seek to know Him and reflect Him more…He goes to God.

The sanctuary he speaks of was where God met His people. It was the center of camp and set apart.

It was set apart as a place where God dwelled among the people and access to the Holy was granted.

When he was weary to understand, he went to God.

And that is what I need to do as well. Instead of setting something aside to come back to later, I need to take it to the sanctuary. I need to take it to God.

I am quick to research, read, listen, and think on the things I don’t understand…which isn’t bad.

But what is best, what is needed, what is required, is to take it to His sanctuary.

All the time.

Every time.

The sanctuary is also where we get to know Him.

We can read about Him, learn from other people and their stories, see Him in creation… but never fail to forget nor underestimate the power of going into His sanctuary …His presence…and being with Him.

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

-Psalm 46:10

Sit in silence and soak in His presence.

Talk to Him.

Ask questions.

Share your life with Him.

Go into the sanctuary and get to know Him.

He's There

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 23:50:22 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

I’ve started several writings for today and trashed each one. Then I went back to old posts to see what I might be able to just repost, but everything felt fake.

So here I am in all honestly…I’m tired.

We have decided that the pain and everything I shared with you last week isn’t just normal wear and tear due to aging. There’s something else going on. But we have no idea what. I have just gotten worse too quickly.

So, this week blood work was done trying to see if there is any indication as to why I am in pain.

As results trickle in today, I don’t know whether to be celebrating or curling up in a ball crying.

They all look very normal. I am about as healthy as a 50-year-old can be.

But I am in pain. And it is becoming more frequent that I spend the day unable to do what I want and need to do.

So not to be a downer or anything, but I am having a lot of trouble getting something on paper that is worthy of sharing with you guys this week. So, I think I will just share my life in this moment…It is part of my story, so may God be glorified.

God is good. I know this. In the increased amount of downtime I have, He is sweetly and gently reminding me of that fact.

When I feel discouraged and ticked off because I can’t do what I want to do, He reminds me of the blessings that come from lingering.

When I feel like I can’t take the pain, He has lovingly used it to remind me that I am in fragile form. This body is breaking down and will one day cease to work...for all of us. But He is steadfast, and this body and this life isn’t the end of the road. In fact, it is a beautiful path to the glorious day when I see the One I know and love face to face.

The times when I have felt very useless have been countered with Him incessantly showing me that my worth and value comes from the One who created me. It doesn’t change based one what I can or can’t do.

Sometimes I feel angry at myself thinking I should have taken better care of my body when I was younger. During those times he reminds me that His mercies are new every morning and His forgiveness is complete.

I pray that we figure out what is going on and that it is something that can be fixed. But if not, I pray that He will help me live a life that reflects Him through my suffering just as much, if not more, than it reflects Him in my days that are pain free.

My prayer is that my life might be like Paul’s where I can say… ” Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-12

Dealing with Pain

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 15:04:04 GMT

When Pain Makes it Hard to Focus...

I started reading about Moses in the book of Exodus on January 28 (I looked back at my journal...my memory isn't as good as it seems!!), and have read a bit of the his story each day since. This morning marked the death and completion of his earthly story.

The story of the exodus and of the life of Moses is one of my favorite stories to read. And every year, as Deuteronomy draws to a close and I finish up the books that tell that story I am saddened at the death of Moses.

I know it sounds weird. Especially considering the fact that I've read it and I know the end of the story. But I spend almost two and a half months out of each year learning about God through the eyes and voice of one so close to Him. And I learn a lot.

Today I read about his death in Deuteronomy chapter 34. As I finished the reading I started thinking that I was going to start praying verse 7 for myself and my own earthly journey… ”His (Moses) eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated.”

When Moses died, he was still at the top of his physical game.

I, however, am not.

I have been struggling lately.

I have been struggling with an aging body and eyes. I have reading glasses, but they seem to work less and less. I have arthritis in what feels like every joint in my body.

And frankly, many days, I just hurt.

I have had to stop doing some of the things I really enjoy doing over the past several months and that makes me frustrated and sad. I have gone for physical therapy and occupational therapy and am now to the point that I just go back in when I encounter something new that I can’t do and they will help me learn to adapt.

Do you want honesty?

I don't want to adapt. I want to stop hurting. Being in chronic pain is so tiring and frankly, it also messes with my mind.

So maybe you can see why this verse stuck in my head?!!

As I was writing about that desire in my journal, another verse caught my eye…. ”And there has not arisen since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” Deuteronomy 34:10

And I was struck by the question…Do I desire the greater thing?

First, is there anything wrong with my desire to be physically healthy and active…no! Not at all.

God gave me this body and has given me authority over it. It is important for me to care for it and desire the best.

But when my desire for health, a pain free existence, and longevity is stronger than my desire to know God, I run into a problem.

When my highest desire is for anything other than Him, I have a problem.

Call it a mixed up focus, choosing the lesser thing, messed up priorities, or worshipping the gift over the giver…call it whatever you want. But when it comes down to it, it is idolatry.

What I recognized today in my reading isn’t necessarily that I have made my health and well-being an idol, but I think I see now that I certainly could. And I could do it so easily that I wouldn't even notice it.

So today my eyes were open to a new reality due to just being where I am in life. A new temptation.

My body is breaking down. It's just part of the process of life. And it can be a struggle.

Maybe one that you can identify with?

What I know to do is to continue to ask God to heal my pain, but I need also to make sure I ask with just as much fervor that He help me to know Him more and more…even if it is through my pain. And that He help me to always choose the greater thing.

And may I walk into this season where instead of dwelling on the breakdown of my physical body, I use the temporary suffering of the season to remind me of a God who is good and who has a beautiful plan for me that continues when this life is over.

And I am encouraged today because even the desire to know Him more is a reminder that He isn’t finished with me yet!

M.E.T. Him: Loretta's Story

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 14:00:03 GMT

THIS is what I was made for....

Good morning! We are going to take a break from our Radical Relationships study to hear from my friend Loretta!! She has so many great stories to share and I am so excited for you to know God in a new way from this one!!

Take it away Loretta!!!------

The Holy Spirit gives different gifts to different members of the body; "Some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers".

And 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 states that; "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines."

Actually, I've learned that I'm still in the process of honing the skill of listening, or I should say "the art of listening", for it is indeed an art. And it's also a gift. As I'm listening, I'm also asking myself, "What does this person standing in front of me need to hear?" What have they been experiencing in their lives?

I remember an encounter I had as I was visiting Sanibel Island Florida. We had breakfast at one of my favorite little restaurants, "The Cracked Egg Cafe," and there were small gift shops lined in a row. ( I was picking up gifts for my girls back home).

As I entered one of the small little shops I noticed one of the shopkeepers appeared as if she had been crying. Throughout the time I was in the shop I kept getting glimpses of her. When I had finished selecting my gifts I walked to the register to check-out. As she proceeded to check me out the desire kept growing stronger to ask if she was ok. And, so I did.

She immediately began pouring out her story, the one that had her so agitated and downcast. Her young daughter had started seeing this man who was a drug user. And in the process got caught up in the life style.

She continued to tell me that she had received a call from the police stating that they had found her daughter, along with her friend in a parked car along the highway.

They had died from a drug overdose.

In that moment I felt such sorrow for this lady. I then introduced myself, telling her who I was and where I was from. I asked if I could pray for her. She immediately grabbed my hands and said yes.

She also told me that she AND her daughter knew Jesus. The gratitude she expressed was overwhelming.

We said our goodbyes and I promised to continue in prayer for her. As I walked away I knew, THIS, was what I was made for. ........allowing the gifts God had given me of "relational connecting" to share the most important gift of all with others......the love of Christ Jesus.

A peace, like no other, came over me, and I knew. I knew that I would continue and reenforce sharing this love with others. This love that had radically changed my own life.

Now, I don't know where this weeping momma ended up. But I do know I was obedient to what God's Spirit was calling me to. And I believe God was and is with her.

As I walked away I remember telling my husband that THIS, sharing Jesus in the mist of devastating circumstances, in the midst of ALL life, was what I was made for.

-Loretta

Radical Relationship with God: Tasting (Day 10)

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 14:00:10 GMT

It is so important to go to Him expectantly...silently...and frequently.

“The willingness to obey every word from God is critical to hearing God speak.”
― Henry T. Blackaby

This week we have spent time looking at what scripture has to say about God speaking to us. We read in John chapter 10 and learned that Jesus says that we should be able to recognize his voice in a way that causes us to come…to respond. He also taught us that we can know His voice so well that we won’t follow a stranger.

We talked a little about how having the type of relationship with Jesus where we can know His voice has unimaginable benefits. Some of these were allowing us to know Him more fully, granting us the ability to distinguish His voice from the voices of others so well that we can respond to it even when we don’t understand it, and it positions us to be ready to serve others.

At the end of our time, we were able to acknowledge that if we want a radical relationship with God…one that has an effect on the fundamental core of who we are…a fundamental effect on our homes and our communities…scripture calls us to hear His voice.

So today we come together with those precepts as our understanding. Now we get to explore what it looks like to function in those beliefs. And sometimes this is where we might head down different paths.

We are not going to be afraid of disagreeing, and I am not going to pretend that I fully understand this. On the flip side, let’s all be willing to be open to new things if they align with scripture.

A little about me...

I have heard God in a variety of ways… through His written word, in the voice of others, creation, and I have heard Him audibly speak to me.

But, I don’t think I would have recognized Him had I not already fallen in love with His Word.

The Bible tells us that …

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." Psalm 119:105

"The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." Psalm 119:130

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1

Reading and knowing His Word is so important in knowing His voice. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that to recognize counterfeit you must study the original. And that is true with knowing His voice.

So let’s spend some time today studying His Word. Read a passage in scripture and listen for God to speak through it. You can pick any passage you would like. If you’d like a suggestion, pick one of the Psalms.

Read through it three times. The first time, read like you normally would, without stopping. The second time read it through aloud. And the third time read it slowly and stopping to make notes in the spots that grab your attention.

You may have done this many times before, but there is one quick thing I would like for you to add… Pray Psalm 119:36 over it before you read…” Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!”

Now take time to allow God to speak to you through His Word.

This is how we can take the time to recognize His voice above all others…study it!

As we learn to discern and recognize, we can be sure that the Bible is true and active. But God also speaks in other ways…

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:27

"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." Isaiah 30:21

"The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn’t speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen." John 16:13

"Ask me, and I will tell you things that you don’t know and can’t find out." Jeremiah 33:3

The more we know His voice through scripture, the easier it is to recognize Him when He calls be it a whisper or a thundering voice.

Try and find another time today and go outside or into a space where you can be alone and sit in the silence. Ask God to help you hear Him.

Sometimes we hear Him through the words of scripture, sometimes it is through the Holy Spirit, and other times it can be an audible voice. But the important thing is that we ask for His guidance and take time to notice Him and pay attention.

I’m not saying every time you do this you will hear God, but what we have learned is that it is so important to go to Him expectantly, silently, and frequently. So let’s get into the practice of doing so starting today!!

Prayer:

God, draw my heart to Yours! I want to know you…I want to hear you! Help me to hear your voice alone. Help me to silence my flesh and the things around me so that I become more attentive to you. Amen – So be it.

Radical Relationship with God: Come and See (Day 9)

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 14:00:03 GMT

We are going to follow Him…to come and see.

“Get on fire for God and men will come and see you burn.”

― John Wesley

Yesterday we dug deeper looking at what scripture teaches when it comes to hearing God. We looked at three benefits of knowing God’s voice.

One was that it enables us to know Him more fully. Another benefit was that knowing His voice helps us to distinguish between His voice and other voices around us. And finally, knowing His voice prepares us to serve others.

So how can we learn to hear His voice?

There are four ways that I can see scripture tells us we hear God’s voice.

First is through His Word.

The next is through the testimony of other believers.

Another way is through Creation.

And the fourth way is what some refer to as the leading of the Spirit. The leading of the Spirit could be through thoughts, emotions, dreams, or even an audible voice.

I am sure there are more, but this is what we are going to look at today.

Just being granted the opportunity to hear Him in one way is knock your socks off amazing. But to be invited into all four is…overwhelming.

Take a little bit of time to think about experiences you have had with hearing God’s voice. For example…an audible voice, dreams, direction from the Spirit.

What about any frustration you have had with not hearing when you desired to do so?

We are going to continue to learn about this from the most incredible teacher ever, God.

There are going to be things that we don’t understand, and that is okay. There will be things that we don’t all agree on, and that is okay too.

In John 1 some of John the Baptist's disciples heard Jesus and began to follow him.

It says Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?”

They replied, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher,”} where are you staying?”

“Come and see,” he said.

That is what He invites us to as well, and that is what we are going to do.

We are going to follow Him…to come and see.

If we want to push further into knowing Him. If we are willing to at least acknowledge that we might have walls that need knocked down. If we want to have a relationship with the Creator of everything and know Him so well that others believe in who He is because of that, then let’s sit at His feet and learn.

Let us not pretend to know all of the answers but be ready to be amazed because we don’t.

Let us ready ourselves so that when he speaks, when we calls, we know Him so well that we can act even if we don’t understand.

Let us not mute our God…let’s prepare to shout His words to the world so that they will not only know of him, but believe in him.

He invites us to taste and see that He is good. My desire is that we be prepared to not just sip and taste, but to be consumed by what He has to show us.

Prayer:

I want to taste! I want to be consumed! Oh God, how I want to know you more and more. Please help me to hear you and know you. Amen – So be it.

Radical Relationship with God: Mute Idols (Day 8)

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 14:00:09 GMT

I think that much of my life I have put that same characteristic on God. I muted Him.

“What could be a greater privilege than to listen to the voice of God, and be granted by God himself the ears to hear? “

– John Piper

Scripture tells us that part of this amazing relationship that God calls us into with Him comes in hearing and knowing His voice.

was reading in 1 Corinthians 12 a couple of days ago and I was taken aback by verse 2. It says, “You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.”

They were led astray to mute idols. Mute means to refrain from speech, an absence of sound.

They were being led…being guided to a representation of God that didn’t speak.

I think that much of my life I have put that same characteristic on God. I muted Him.

I didn’t let Him speak for a lot of different reasons. I talked over him, I interrupted Him, I didn’t want to hear what He had to say, I didn’t like what I heard, I didn’t recognize Him…I could go on.

But I don’t want that anymore. I want to hear Him.

I will not understand everything I hear, but I want to know His voice so well, that I can distinguish it from other voices and I will be okay with not understanding because I do not want to serve a God that is like me. I want to serve a God that is greater. And He is.

What are the benefits to our relationship with Him when we can hear His voice?

The first benefit would be that we are able to know Him more fully.

It is in God’s fullness that we receive grace. And God wants us to know Him in that fullness.

John tells us in chapter one verse 16 that “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”

I so need His grace. And boy do I want to know him more! If learning to hear Him helps me to know Him more fully…God, please teach me!

The second benefit is the ability to distinguish His voice from other voices, such as the enemy’s voice, from the voice of my flesh, and the voice of the world.

I want to recognize His voice so well that when I hear Him call, I run full speed to Him.

I might not know why He is calling…maybe he’s calling because there is danger, or maybe it’s just time to rest??

But I will know it is Him and I. Will. RUN.

Finally, the third thing is that being able to hear His voice positions us to serve others . And that is what He asks of us. That pleases Him and it shares Him and who He is.

I can’t fully serve others without Him.

If we want a radical relationship with God…one that has an effect on the fundamental core of who we are…a fundamental effect on our homes…a fundamental effect on our community, I am convinced that scripture calls us to hear His voice.

Today, take some time to pray and think about the benefits we talked about of hearing His voice. Think of some other benefits that you can see in having this type of relationship with God.

Prayer:

I will never understand all Your ways, but I want to know You! I want to know you so well that when I hear you, I respond.

I know that can’t happen without your touch. Touch my ears God! Touch my spirit! Touch my life so that each step I takes brings me closer to You. Amen – So be it.

Radical Relationship with God: Demolition Day (Day 7)

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 14:00:05 GMT

I have learned that when God reveals new insight and it begins to push a bit on certain areas that I am uncomfortable with, I push back.

“Belief in Jesus does not come by the waving of a magic wand.

It comes by hearing the word of God through Jesus.”

- John Piper

Today we are going to do a little demolition. Let’s start with some basic understandings.

First in looking back at what we read yesterday in John 10:1-20, Jesus says from the beginning that he tells us the truth. What he is speaking, what we are reading when we read scripture is true…without a doubt true.

And that unwavering truth is that there is One who knows us, who gathers us, and who guides us. His purpose is to give us a rich and satisfying life. Not only that, but truth is that our shepherd is willing to give His life for us…and He did.

The other truth he tells us in this passage is that there is a thief. The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy.

Looking back at John 10, truth is in verse 14… He knows us.

Truth also is in verses 3-5… He speaks and his sheep have the ability to not just hear him, but know his voice so well that they will run from a stranger's voice. They can recognize the difference.

So how does God speak to us? And how can we know His voice so well that we not only obey it, but we can distinguish it from the other voices that we hear calling us?

And if we have truth…His written word…why do we need to worry about hearing anything else?

What I want you to know today is that I do not have all of the answers to these questions.

But just because we don’t have the answers does not mean that we shouldn’t press in and seek guidance.

Let me tell you where I am at.

I have for the past 10 years been desiring to know more about the ways God says He works through the Holy Spirit. It is not something I have ever spent much time learning about, and God has been showing me that there is so much He offers me here on this earth that I don’t engage with Him in.

I am a babe in this subject.

Lately I have felt an urgency of becoming familiar with what God teaches about the Spirit through His Word as well as through the testimony of other believers.

I want to also let you know that I have a LOT of automatic walls in this area. There are certain things I hear and read that my mind and spirit has been trained to reject. I reject it so quickly that I pop a wall up, not allowing God to even whisper into that area of my walk with Him.

But I want that to change.

So over the past six months, I have been spending more time trying to stay aware when I read the Word of times that God speaks into that. I have also had the opportunity to visit with people who are in the midst of allowing God to move through His Spirit in their own lives in ways that I don’t really understand.

And what I have learned is that I have very strong opinions that are not necessarily based on scripture. I have learned that if it begins to push a bit on certain areas that I am uncomfortable with, I push back.

But I don’t want that. I want to know God in as full a way as He will allow me while i am on this earth. I want to know more and more of Him. I don’t want to ever again think I know or understand it all.

Because I don’t…we don’t…and we never will.

But if we will slow down and listen…hover, if you will….He will reveal more.

One of Jesus’ last prayers was for you and me.

In John 17: 20 He says… ”I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one-as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”

He prays that we may know the Father just as he knows the Father.

That is incredible! I mean seriously…think about it…we can know God in the way that Jesus knew God. And not only that, but this is how the world will not just know who Jesus is…but BELIEVE.

There are people dying across the ocean that have never heard the name of Jesus.

There are people dying across the street that don’t know Him.

But God invites us to have a relationship with Him…with God…in a way the world will believe. I just can’t even find the words to say how incredible this is.

How can I NOT pursue this with Him?

And scripture tells us that part of this amazing relationship comes in hearing and knowing His voice.

Prayer:

Wow! God, you continue to amaze me. And please let that always be my heart toward you...one of amazement. Let me be one in you the way that Christ is.

Help me to hear you and to know you in a way that those around me can know you too.

Help me to hear you and know you in a way that always leads to a desire for more.

Amen – So be it.

Radical Relationship With God: Hearing His Voice (Day 6)

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 14:15:08 GMT

There is something else involved in this relationship between the sheep and shepherd that is really special... It is the ability of the sheep to recognize his voice.

“Few people arise in the morning as hungry for God as they are for cornflakes or toast and eggs.”
― Dallas Willard

Last week we talked about hovering…about taking the time to soak in creation and in God’s presence, taking the time to listen.

This week we are going to focus on hearing.

I want to begin today by acknowledging that we all come from different backgrounds, we have different beliefs, and we relate to God in different ways. And that is great! That is one of the really neat ways that God shows us more of who He is.

We celebrate our differences and learn from them because we need to recognize that we cannot see as much of who our God is on our own as we can when we display His glory together . He is just so much bigger and greater than we can even imagine.

The other super cool thing is that despite of our differences, we all love and serve the same God. We hold to scripture as being His truth, we acknowledge that Jesus is the son of God yet is God in a way that we can’t understand, and we walk in the truth that Jesus humbled himself to take on human likeness so that we can have a relationship with God…one that we could never have without Jesus.

So, with that being said, we are going to study something today that we probably all come at from different places and different experiences. We will base our study today on truth…on scripture. But we might end up in different places by the time we are done.

This isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s a beautiful thing. It is beautiful because our God can meet each one of us right where we are.

I ask that we enter with not an open mind, but an open heart. One that is open to God’s whisper, His gentle breeze, and His truth.

So grab your Bible and read John chapter 10 verses 1 – 21.

Incredible story isn't it??!!

Let’s start with some background info on the sheepfold. A sheepfold is a rock wall enclosure that was made up of loosely stacked stones. On top of the stones were usually thorn bushes. This helped deter predators.

It was a safe place for the sheep. The shepherd would be at the entrance and inspect each sheep as they came in, and many times the shepherd would stay and sleep with the sheep.

Jesus tells us about this sheepfold and shepherd. When the gate is open the shepherd calls to the sheep and they recognize his voice and come to him. But He doesn’t just call out…hey sheep. It says that He calls them by name . They recognize his voice and they come to him. He goes as far to say that they know his voice so well that they won’t follow a stranger.

In verse 14-15 he says that just as the Father knows him, he knows the Father…this is the same way that he knows the sheep.

These are powerful words. They certainly were then…the reading even ended with people saying he was out of his mind or demon possessed.

And these are powerful words today.

It is a beautiful story, the one of the relationship that the sheep has with the shepherd…a story of the relationship that we have with Jesus.

It is a relationship which is based on the shepherd’s willingness to sacrifice his life for the sheep.

But, there is something else involved in this relationship between the sheep and shepherd that is really special. It is the ability of the sheep to recognize his voice.

They recognize it so well, that they respond to it.

What does it mean to you when you think of hearing the voice of the Shepherd?

What do you think it means to respond to it? What might that look like?

We are going to explore this more tomorrow, but before then, it is good to spend time recognizing and understanding what thoughts you might have about the subject going forward. And remember, we probably all have different ideas on it.... And that is okay!!

Prayer:

Father God, I want to hear You! I want to know your voice so well that I will recognize and respond to it. Please help me to know You more and to crave You more! Amen – So be it

Spring...From a Skeptic's Point of View

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 14:00:05 GMT

Our God will adjust our seasons in a way that will bring us into His promise, but it requires a willingness to step into the season change.

Well, it’s March and you know what that means?? Spring has sprung…or it’s about to. The first day of spring in on Sunday, March 20.

In honor of that, we will take a break from our Radical Relationships study and take a look at spring!! If you missed the study last week you can find it here.... day 1 , day 2 , day 3 , day 4 , and day 5 !!

So....now back to spring!!

When I lived down south, spring meant spring break trips and garden planting. Cleaning the garage and spring cleaning the house. Pastel colored flowers, capri jeans, and swimsuit shopping.

Living in Wisconsin, there is a bit of a different meaning when I hear the phrase…spring has sprung.

Spring means warmer temperatures…sometimes. Melting snow…along with more snow showers. And finally, almost time for the Live Oak to drop it’s brown leaves.

Everyone here is super excited about spring. We have long months of cold and snow so people are excited to see the thaw begin. I say begin because it usually takes quite awhile to get completely thawed out.

People are stoked!!!!

Me?? Not. A. Fan.

Yup, you read correctly…I’m not a fan.

You might think this is possibly because the snow turns yucky looking as it thaws? Or maybe it’s because of the mud that replaces the snow?

And…you would be wrong. I’m not the biggest lover of grey slushy ground covering, but that’s not my issue.

The other day I was talking to my daughter who lives on the east coast. She was excitedly talking about spring, and I told her that I didn’t know why she liked it so much!! What’s the big deal??!!

She went on to explain that she liked what spring represented…new life, new beginnings. And I wanted to agree with her. I wanted to find joy in spring the way that she does! But…I didn’t…and I don’t.

It took me a bit of chewing on it until I figured it out…I don’t like spring because I LOVE winter. It’s not that I harbor ill feelings toward the spring season itself, it’s just that I adore the winter season.

The glittery snow falling to the ground gives everything a surreal sparkle. When the snow drapes the trees and lingers for a few hours longer it looks like I walked into Narnia. And when we get ice that clings to the branches it is absolutely magical.

I love the cold weather…even the REALLY cold, below zero, kind of weather. Snuggling up on my couch with a blanket, coffee, and a book while watching the snow slowly drift from the heavens is my idea of a perfect day.

Oh, and a full moon on a snowy night is something that is otherworldly!!

So I was puttering around my house the other day thinking exactly what I just wrote here..winter is great…when another thought went through my mind… ” And anyway, who cares about new life and beginnings when I like the old ones so much!”

Whoa!!!!!!!!!!!! Dang Girl!!!

I just went to a whole new level!!

After taking a bit to be shocked at my own thought I began to think about how I can see this in the rest of my life as well.

Change…not a fan.

New…not a fan.

Beginnings…not a fan.

I like what I know and I know what I like. I hesitate to move from one season to another because of that.

Right now, I’m in a season change in my life. I am quite uncertain of what the change is, but what I am certain about is that I don’t want to move into it.

Season changes in our lives can be outward changes like moving, marriage, changing jobs, having children, moving into life after the children leave home, etc. But sometimes the season changes are internal.

Internal season changes can be shifts of, shedding off, or taking on new mindsets. These may have an outward effect on the way we walk out our life, or it might be something others never see.

Either way, it is change. And what I am beginning to see for myself is that my dislike of leaving what I know is comfortable for me can hold me back from walking into what He has for me. Especially when there are unknowns.

The Israelites struggled with the same thing. Egypt, though not ideal, was familiar and in a way, comfortable.

“…and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” “ Exodus 16:3

We run TO familiar. But, we also run FROM change.

“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.” Exodus 13:17-18

Our God will adjust our seasons in a way that will bring us into His promise, but it requires a willingness to step into the season change. And many times, our flesh wants nothing to do with that change.

Romans 8 tells us that we, as followers of Jesus, are not in the flesh. We have the Spirit of Christ that lives in us and because of this we walk in the Spirit that bring us life and peace. But I sometimes forget to walk in that and instead I dig my fleshy heels in and fight stepping into a new season.

But I don’t want to do that! I want to embrace the seasons with life and peace and trust the season giver.

But it’s hard.

And God knows that.

So how do we change it? If you go to Romans 8:5 He shows us a plan… “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”

Set our minds on things of the Spirit.

I wish I could now write a paragraph of two and tell you exactly how to do that, but I can’t. The reason I can’t is because it is a struggle that I have as well.

I can, however, look at Israel with you.

In Numbers chapter 13 God told Moses to send some men to spy out the land of Canaan. This was the land God wanted to give to Israel. They went for forty days When they came back, this is what they saw…

“We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there.” Numbers 13:27-28

And this is how most of them responded to what they saw…

“We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim, and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them .” Numbers 13:31-33

They focused on things of the flesh. The land devours…they are really, REALLY tall…we are not.

But there were two who demonstrate to us what it looks like to focus on things of the Spirit…

“And Joshua the son of Num and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” Numbers 14:6-9

The land is good…the LORD will bring us into the land…do not fear because God is with us .

Do you see the difference?

They were all seeing the same thing. The difference was in their focus. And in the end, the people chose to disobey God because of a focus on flesh as opposed to a focus on Him.

I don’t want to do that!

I don’t know how the jump into my season change is going to go. And I don’t know what the new season will look like. But my prayer is that God will equip me with the courage, steadfastness, and trust to jump into it mirroring the Spirit focus of Joshua and Caleb.

It is good. It is God. And He is with me.

One. Two. Three. JUMP!!!!!!

Radical Relationship with God: Time (Day 5)

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 14:00:03 GMT

Our fallen, human nature is one that will inherently return to self-focus if we do not actively turn our minds onto something else.

“Earth's crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God;

But only he who sees, takes off his shoes—

The rest sit round it and pick blackberries.”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote in Aurora Leigh, Book Seven, (1856)

Our God wants us to be present with Him as He is present with us. We can’t do that unless we slow down, be quiet, and know that He is God. And knowing that he is God… takes time.

I have found in my own life that when I do not take regular time to slow down and be quiet for the sole purpose of getting to know Him mo re, I start to focus on myself and that focus grows into a consuming fire.

Our fallen, human nature is one that will inherently return to self-focus if we do not actively turn our minds onto something else.

2 Timothy 3:2 says people will be lovers of self. James 4 talks about the fact that we scheme and kill to get what we want because we only want what will give us pleasure.

Without God, our focus is on us.

Now we can read a plethora of books put out by great people telling us what taking time to do this looks like and how often to do it. But I think a lot of the “how” is a personal thing. We all have different personalities and styles that God created us with, and it is important to acknowledge and accept that. We are also in different seasons of our lives and we all know that different seasons make things look different!

But for this week, I would like us to focus on just taking some time consistently to be still and know that He is God. To slow down, quiet our environment and our thoughts, and listen to Him. How long?

That is up to you.

If you are like me, you might think…I don’t have time. I have such a busy life, kids at home, work, church, family, people….etc…. But the truth is, we make time for what is important.

Case in point…my day today is crazy busy. I am teaching a ladies Bible study from 9am – 11am, then I need to attend a hearing at the courthouse at noon, visit a someone in jail at 12:30, and a meeting at 1:30.

This is all followed by dinner and snow tubing with our teen group at 5pm. I won’t be home until around 11pm tonight.

And I’m guessing that looks like most of y’alls days too.

As I am typing this right now it is 6am exactly and I have been up for an hour and a half. I got up early because the ladies Bible study meets at my house today. I wanted to go over our teaching and change some things up. As I am doing this, I am thinking…I don’t really have time to sit with Jesus today like I might normally have. It is just a busy, busy day.

But the truth is…I have chosen to give my time to trying to straighten up what I am going to teach today instead of spending time with Him. I already have the lesson done, but I want to put finishing touches on it. You know, make it sound better.

And when I am done here, I plan on putting on a few dishes to wash and making sure things are picked up before they all arrive.

Do you see what I am doing? I am putting their opinion of me and my ability to teach and keep a clean house over spending time listening to God…over my desire to be with Him.

I am willing to get up at 4:30 in the morning to do what I can to cause them to have a positive opinion of me, but am I willing to get up this early to just be with Jesus?

Now, please understand that I am in no way saying that everyone should get up at 4:30am. Because as I just illustrated, you can get up at 2am and still not choose the greater thing.

There are seasons of babies, sickness, and a variety of other things that cause us to slow our pace and be present in our lives in other ways. But what I am saying is that before you say to yourself that you don’t have time to set aside for being with God…look at your priorities.

Today take time to be in His presence. Read His Words aloud and then take time to listen and soak in it.

Acknowledge that Jesus is Lord. “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is the word of faith that we proclaim) because 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 10:8-9

Confess. “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Psalm 66:18

Then ask Him to quiet your heart in order to listen to Him.

A way that I do this is to concentrate on a verse.

One I frequently use is found in Mark when Jesus questions the father of a possessed boy, the father replies in Mark 9:24 “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

Here is another one , “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” James 4:7-10

Take time today to approach God, not with a list, but with a listening heart.

Prayer:

I do believe, but help my unbelief! I know that to know You, I need to spend time with You.

Sometimes giving up times is a hard thing to do. But knowing You is worth giving it all up.

You are so amazing and I love You so much! Amen – So be it.

Radical Relationship with God: Quiet (Day 4)

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 14:00:06 GMT

When I spend 30 minutes reading the Bible and am not impacted, inspired, convicted, or touched in some way…the problem isn’t the Bible. It’s me.

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… We need silence to be able to touch souls. ” ― Mother Teresa

Listening is hard.

Why? Because listening requires silence on our part. Not just silent mouths, but quiet thoughts. And boy do we fight quiet!

The average person spends anywhere from 3-5 hours a day on their cell phone. I thought this amount was crazy high, so I set up a usage tracker on my own phone and unfortunately discovered that I am close to average.

We wait in offices either reading on our phones or listening to them. We find it difficult to just sit in the quiet for very long. And some studies show that the younger generations are beginning to find it near impossible.

We come in from a busy day and most people will turn on the television or get on their phones. And while these things aren’t inherently bad, if they always become a replacement for times of quiet, they can be.

Why do we need silence?

Because we cannot listen without it. And if we cannot listen to Him, we cannot know Him.

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

“See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.” Hebrews 12:25

Am I taking time to quiet my thoughts and listen for Him? Am I taking time to listen to His Word in a way that I can concentrate on it?

God’s Word never returns void. It is active and sharper than a two-edged sword. When I spend 30 minutes listening to a Bible app reading of the book of Micah and am not impacted, inspired, convicted, or touched in some way…the problem isn’t the Bible. It’s me.

And I have been there.

There have been times that I've been too tired, too angry, too anxious, or too bored to allow His Word to pierce my soul. But His Word was and is never the problem...I am.

Now, I hope that you don’t hear this in a way that sounds like I have all the answers, because I don’t.

But what I DO know is what scripture says.

And I DO know my own heart, and my own excuses.

And I know that just because I don’t always know how to do it doesn’t mean that it isn’t what God asks of me.

A couple of years ago I drove to Texas by myself over three days. My intent was to meander down, taking my time, and really be present to God, myself, and other opportunities that might arise. I had decided that I would listen to music a certain amount of time in the car, podcasts for a certain amount of time, and then have an equal amount of time set aside to sit in silence.

I thought I would love the silent part. At the time I had three kids living at home, and teens in and out of my house all day, every day. My life was one chaotic moment after another and the thought of being alone and quiet for any amount of time seemed like a little slice of heavenly pie.

It. Was. Awful.

The first 30 or so minutes were okay. My mind thought about things I needed to plan, made lists in my head, and stuff like that. But eventually those things quieted, and I burst into tears. I had no earthly idea why or what was going on. I had to pull over and pull myself together.

As I continued this pattern for three days, I finally came to the realization that I use noise…even good noise…as a coping mechanism.

Now, I already knew I did this to some extent because when I get angry or sad the most common thing I will do to calm down is to drive around with certain music blaring on my radio.

I have three songs that I listen to over and over. They have a strong beat and there is something about that beat that seems to help. My neighbor always jokes that he can tell what kind of mood I’m in when I drive up depending on how loud my music is.

So, I was aware that I used noise in this way. But what I wasn’t aware of was that I also used “good” noise.

I had no idea that it would be so difficult to be in silence. To be enveloped by the quietness of the moment.

And I don’t think I’m alone in this.

Do you have time where you allow yourself to sit in silence? Not just turning off stressful noise like crying kids, breaking plates, dogs barking, etc. But silence of all noise.

Do you love it or do you struggle with it?

Take a little bit today and sit in silence. It might be five minutes or an hour. Doesn’t matter!! Just give it a try.

Prayer:

There is so much in my head! God, please help me to quiet it all so that I can be with You and hear You. I want to know You in a way that I can distinguish your voice from any other noise in my life. Amen – So be it.

Radical Relationship with God: Slowing Down and Paying Attention (Day 3)

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 14:00:07 GMT

When Moses decided to be attentive to what was going on around him, God responded.

“When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” – Exodus 3:4

How can we be present in our relationship with God? How can we be fully focused on and involved in that relationship?

We are going to need to purposefully slow down and pay attention.

In the book of Exodus, we read about Moses having an encounter with God.

"Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet is was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God." Exodus 3:1-6

God was revealed himself to Moses in this bush. God was present.

But let’s take a look at verse 4 again… “When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!”

When did God call out to Moses?

God spoke to Moses when Moses chose to slow down and pay attention.

When Moses turned aside to see, God called out.

Moses was in the presence of God whether he paid attention or not. But when he decided to be attentive to what was going on around him, God responded.

Our American culture places an emphasis on getting things done, not so much on slowing down and paying attention.

We go on walks to get our steps in or to cover a certain number of miles or time. We drive our cars to get from point A to point B. We check off attendance sheets to mark our presence.

But when we are there, are we actually paying attention?

In a world full of attention stealers, and attention disorders, it becomes a battle to focus and absorb.

I know this is true in my own life.

It is incredibly difficult for me to sit through anything that goes longer than about 45 minutes. That includes when I am reading my Bible and praying. There is a battle that goes on that, if I am not aware of it, will consume my time and fill it with distractions.

Slowing down and paying attention in my relationship with God is one battle that is absolutely worth fighting. But I must have a plan.

For me, one thing I do is I have a notebook close by when I am reading my Bible. If something pops into my mind that I need to do that day, or anything that isn’t relevant to what I am reading, I will jot it down. This helps me to clear the thought away quickly. If I don’t write it down, I will keep thinking about it, so I don’t forget it later.

I try to be purposeful in having times each day that I slow down and look for God around me.

I have a large window in my living room with a bird feeder outside of it. I love to sit in my chair with a cup of coffee and binoculars and look at the birds. I watch them eat, I watch them fight, I watch them hop around. I try to pay attention to what they look like and what they are doing. I know their Creator, so observing them helps me see more of Him.

Another thing I do is that I put my phone away or turn it off for a certain amount of time each day. My mind will distract itself enough on its own…I don’t need any help from the dings and rings of notifications!!

I am working on being more attentive to people. Listening to learn as opposed to listing to refute. Again, I know their Creator, so the more I learn about the people around me, the more I will see Him.

And finally, I try to spend time meditating on His Word. I want to consume His Word so that His Word consumes me...my every thought...my every decision.

Think about your own life. What are some things that you can do to slow down and pay attention to God?

Prayer:

Oh God! My days seem filled to the brim with activities and thoughts, but I want them filled with You.

Help me to not only see the burning bush, but to stop and look at it. I want to see you in each moment, because I know you are there! I want my days to be filled with You! Amen – So be it.

Radical Relationship with God Day Two: Being Present

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 13:00:04 GMT

God’s first actions when it came to us wasn’t just creating, but also hovering…coming close…being present.

” Many of us are choosing to live lives that do not set us up to pay attention, to notice those places where God is at work and to ask ourselves what these things mean. …We slide inexorably into a way of life that offers little or no opportunity for paying attention and then wonder why we are not hearing from God when we need God most.” - Ruth Haley Barton

To have a radical relationship, one that affects our fundamental nature, we must be present. Being present is being fully focused on or involved in what one is doing or experiencing. (Oxford English Dictionary)

To see what that looks like, we are going to start at the beginning. Let’s take some time to read and absorb Genesis 1 beginning in verse 1.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

God has just created the heavens and the earth.

It is the most rudimentary, simplistic point that the earth has been at. It is the beginning. What do we see God doing?

Hovering.

The definition of hover is to linger close at hand.

Think about that. God didn’t just create and move on, thinking of the next thing on His to-do list…he hovered. He lingered close. He was present.

What is your tendency? Do you quickly move on to the next project, or do you hover for a bit?

Now look at John chapter 1. This is one of my favorite chapters in the entire Bible!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14)

God is creating and bringing life to the earth. Yet now we have a darkness that is not just a physical darkness, but a darkness that is caused by sin.

And again, He came. He was present.

When the earth as we know it was just getting started, He was present. And when we were all over it and making a huge mess of things…He was present.

God’s first actions when it came to us wasn’t just creating, but also hovering…coming close…being present.

Think about at least five ways that you have seen God’s presence in your life and write them down.

Let’s look at times that God was present in scripture.

Where was God during the Exodus? Read Exodus 33:14

Where is God within the Church? Read Matthew 18:20

Read Mark 1:9-11. Where was God during Jesus’ baptism?

Read 1 John 4:16. Where is God in our lives?

Why is God so involved?

“God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.” 1 Peter 1:20

God wants to be present in our lives to reveal himself to us for our own sake.

But he also wants us to be present to Him.

Being present is the first step that we will look at to having a radical relationship with God. And doing that may not be as easy as you think!

Prayer:

Thank you for being present!

Thank you for being present not just in the good parts of my life, but also in the mess. Help me to be more aware of your presence and to anchor my life in it. You are incredible and I love you so, so much. Amen – So be it.

Radical Relationship With God: Day One

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 19:58:07 GMT

Radical relationships are those that have a fundamental effect on who we are.

“Radical obedience to Christ is not easy... It's not comfort, not health, not wealth, and not prosperity in this world. Radical obedience to Christ risks losing all these things. But in the end, such risk finds its reward in Christ. And he is more than enough for us.” – David Platt

Today we are going to begin a study. We will continue over the next week to seek to know God in a way that allows us to trust Him fully. In a way that allows us to have a radical relationship with Him.

Let's get started!!

The definition of radical according to Google Dictionary is “relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something”. Radical relationships are those that have a fundamental effect on who we are .

I want you to take some time right now and think about someone in your life that has had a radical effect. Someone that impacted the fundamental nature of who you are.

Mine was a lady named Mary. When I met her I was newly married and had just given birth my oldest daughter.

After being married for just a year, we moved to North Dakota because my husband was in the Air Force. I had no idea what I was doing.

Soon after moving, I had a newborn baby, was thrown into military life, and had to adjust to a cold, and foreign climate all in the span of three months. This was also the first time I had been out of my home state of Texas for any length of time.

I remember going to a ladies Bible study and this lady named Mary shared something about what she believed the Bible said that was very contrary to what I grew up learning and I instantly put-up barriers. I remember even leaving the Bible study early because I was so upset about what she said.

I went home and talked to my husband, William, about it, but what she said stayed dancing around in my head for a couple of weeks. Then one day I ran into her at the grocery store. She came up and talked to me and asked me to meet over a lunch. Not much later I found myself having a mentor for the first time.

I didn’t always like what she said…I remember her talking to me about the way I addressed my husband in front of other people. She guided me in cleaning my house, loving my husband, and being a godly wife in ways that I had never heard of. She was also the catalyst that God used in my life to start a journey with Jesus where I was able to learn from His word and not just thinking I already knew it all.

About a year after we met, she moved away. The impact she had on me was huge, and still resonates in my life. Our relationship was radical…it affected who I was then and who I am today.

What about you? Take some time to think about someone you have had a radical relationship with. Someone that affected who you are today.

How can we have relationships that are not just on the surface but ones that impact the core of who we are?

What would it look like to have a radical relationship with God? One where we didn’t just give him access to the outside of us…what others saw…but we let him in to the deep parts of our soul. And once there, we would allow Him to change us in places that we might not even know exist?

And honestly, do we even want to?

What are some things that you think might be holding you back from having a radical relationship with God?

Exploring the dark crevices and closed doors of our lives is difficult and sometimes scary.

Do you know God in a way that you feel you can trust Him with those parts of your life?

Prayer:

God, I know you, but I want to know you more.

I feel a bit unsure about the process, but I want to trust you with it. Teach me how to allow you to affect the core of who I am. Amen – So be it

Sad Goodbyes

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 20:20:57 GMT

Learning to Say Goodbye

Today I write to you from the raw space that lies within my broken heart. It is a break that I knew was coming. A space where pain and joy seem to weave themselves together until the lines are almost indistinguishable.

For the past three weeks most of my days have been spent hearing the laughter, giggles, and sometimes yelling voices of my four daughters, son-in-law, and husband.

We have eaten, traveled, eaten, drank a gazillion pots of coffee, sang through the Frozen Sing Along movie, ridden in a train, gone to museums, eaten, taken hikes, gone to brunch, played in the snow…have I mentioned eaten? We have been together for most of those days. It has been wonderful.

One daughter in still in high school and lives at home while the others are spread out. One is about an hour away, one is on the east coast, and the other and her husband live overseas. All being together for so long was a delightful treat for this mama’s heart. We had been looking forward to and planning this time since before Christmas and it was so, so good.

Last Friday, the kids began their journeys home. One on Friday night, one on Sunday, and the other two boarded their flight yesterday. And as the house slowly cleared out, I sat in the living room today and cried. Sobbed would probably be a more accurate description.

My heart hurts for the familiar hum of a busy, chaotic house. It hurts for the way one of my daughters always likes to put her feet on me. Coffee times before the sun comes up. The singing of silly songs...loudly. And the excitement of sharing stories about friends and schoolmates.

Today it is just quiet. And I know that it will be a couple of years until we are all together again.

Then a thought came to me…Sad goodbyes lay the groundwork for sweet hellos. Though our hearts may be breaking, joy comes in the morning. The alternative to a sad goodbye would be being happy to part ways.

So today I will spend time soaking in the space. Where normally I would try and fight it, today I won’t.

I will cry, feel sad, and sometimes a little angry at life’s circumstances…but I will stay here. Because this is a space that is filled with a love and a joy so strong that it sometimes hurts.

Without the sad goodbye, I wouldn’t have the sweet hello. Today I keep the memories close, even as the sounds and smells fade away.

But most of all, I look forward to the sweet hello that is to come.

Psalm 30:5b “…Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

MET: Lynn's Story

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 19:00:03 GMT

God Shows Up

In 2005 I was driving home about 10:00 p.m. when a drunk driver got on the freeway going the wrong direction and hit me head on with his Ford F150. I would later find out that the accident happened right at the exact spot on the freeway for me to be taken to the hospital where the premier trauma surgeon in Dallas just happened to be on duty that night. A mile further up or back and I would have ended up at different hospitals. It was the beginning of God showing up for me in what would be 6 months in the hospital and over two years in recovery.

I had a near amputated left leg and a crushed femur in the right leg. While I was in a coma for three weeks the nursing staff was warning my husband that I might be brain injured when I awoke. That was the beginning of several miracles as I didn’t lose any brain function. Psalm 28:7 states “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.” When you are having to learn to do everything again (talk, eat, walk, etc.) you need a promise from God that you can hang on to. You claim that promise for each new task your physical therapist prods you to accomplish.

As days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, I needed more assurance than just physical strength. The nights were especially hard as all visitors were gone. Zephaniah 3:17 says “The Lord your God is with you…He will take great delight in you…but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Such a nice verse, right? I was 52 years old, and I don’t know that I had heard God sing over me. How does He do that? Well, I was to find out He does that like He does most things, through the hands and feet of His people.

One afternoon, I had a mother call me and she said “Lynn, Matalee wants to sing you a song.”

Matalee was three, how could I deny that request and I was prepared to hear “Jesus Loves Me” When Matalee belts out:

“I am a sheep and the lord is my shepherd watching over my soul. My soul to keep guarding over me ever watching wherever I go. And when the winds blow he is my shelter, when I'm lost and alone he rescues me. When the lion comes he is my victory! Constantly watching over me, He is constantly watching over me.” - I Am A Sheep (Dennis Jernigan)

God used a precious, three-year-old child to sing over me that day. I don’t remember the exact time frame, but there would be a second call from Matalee and this time she sang:

“Lay your burden down, every care you carry, and come to the table of grace, for there is mercy. Come just as you are, we are all unworthy to enter the presence of God for He is holy. Lift up your heart, lift up your hands, fall on your knees and pray; for the King of kings and the love He brings is here in this place…” - Here is This Place (ZOE Group)

This is just one way God showed up for me during that difficult time, I wish there was time and space to share more.

We are all loved by an amazing God. That doesn’t mean His love will protect us from hard times. But we can rest assured that He will be right beside us giving us strength and singing over us, if we will just take the time to listen and claim His promises.

As I close let me share my favorite promise, it is from Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” May each of us always walk each moment of each day in that very power!

A Broken Heart

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 19:30:03 GMT

His Love is the Heartbreaking Kind....

His love is the heartbreaking kind.

It's not just being filled, it's being poured out.
It's the healing but it also encompasses the breaking.

It's the wholeness but it's also the scattering.

"Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. " - John 12:23-24

His love is the ravaging, painful, passionate kind.
It brings life but it doesn't shy from death.

" No one has greater love than this - that one lays down his life for his friends." - John 15:13

His calling to love is a calling to scatter the pieces of our hearts.
It's a calling to give away pieces of ourselves.
It's a calling to lay down our lives for others, over and over again.

"Now my soul is greatly distressed. And what should I say? 'Father, deliver me from this hour? ' No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour." - John 12:27

We love because God first loved us.

In our filth, He loved us.

And He was broken for us, He poured Himself out for us.

The enemy of the Christian life is not brokenness. And love is not at enmity with pain or suffering or sorrow or heartbreak.

Love requires a breaking , it is the very act of giving away pieces of yourself. Even Christ was broken and He was broken for love.

A selfish heart hoards it's many pieces for fear of those who would trample it, those who would take and not reciprocate, those who would lay it to the side.

A selfish heart is ruled by fear of sorrow, by fear of the pain that must accompany the breaking.

But a selfless heart gives and expects nothing in return.

It scatters its precious pieces about the earth.
It is ever being poured out but it is always being filled.
It is ever being broken but it is always being healed.
It is ever scattered but always being made whole.

The selfless heart imitates its Savior.

Normal

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 19:30:03 GMT

The Danger of Normal

nor·mal

ˈnôrməl/

adjective

conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.

Such a sly, two syllable word! It sneaks up on you without calling any attention to itself. You really don't even realize that it is there until one day it has become your world.

Have you ever driven to work or school and just kinda tuned out until suddenly you were there? Then you wondered how in the world you managed to drive that far without really noticing anything around you!

You functioned on autopilot and went through your normal routine.

If you have experienced something like this you have fallen victim to "normal"... the usual, typical or standard way you function throughout your day.

At face value, this might seem like a good thing. You made it to your destination safely didn't you?

Yes, you did, but...what did you miss?

During the drive did you pass someone on the side of the road changing a tire or miss the sight of children playing in a field. Maybe the shop that you always drive past has put up an Annual 50% Off Sale sign.

Opportunities were missed because of functioning in "normal."

What about the times that you are driving in autopilot and you suddenly run over debris on the road? Or you don't notice traffic stopping ahead and you have to slam on the brakes....worse yet you rear-end the car in front of you.

Sometimes normal can be a distraction from obstacles in the road...things go unnoticed.

Our lives can start to function like driving a car on autopilot. We become so immersed and comfortable in our "normal" that we miss opportunities and we don't notice obstacles that arise. We can get so focused on what is going on in our own lives and our little world that we forget there is a bigger picture, a bigger world. And that bigger world is made up of people that are crying out for help....and we can't hear them because we don't notice them.

We go throughout our day, our routine, our normal, and we get distracted by the lists in our heads. Lists of things we need to do, things we need to buy, things we need to remember. These things all revolve around "we." Because in normal our world revolves around "me."

Many times these are good things! We plan activities for our churches, buy groceries for our families, and remember things we need to do for our health. But we get so caught up in our world and in our normal that we don't notice the abnormal until it is so big and so different and sometimes so horrible that we have to slam on our brakes.

Why is it that we have to see appalling pictures of ISIS killing people before we pray for those that are persecuted?

Why is it that we have to watch a disgusting, racist video of before we cry out to God with a heart softened to injustice?

Why?

It's because we are so caught up in our normal that we walk right past pain.

The world is hurting and crying out for help.

We know that politics can't heal what is broken and we know that humanitarian aid can only help so much.

The one, true fix is the love of a Father who sent His son to take on the burden and consequence of our sin. He did this so that through Jesus, we might have a relationship with the Father, know Him, and be saved from the hopelessness that fills this life and a hopeless eternity without Him.

Friend, I pray that you know the hope that supersedes the pain of this life.

But we should also be very aware that we are not saved by grace so that we can lead a normal life and make it safely to our destination.

We are saved so that we can go out to the world and share that hope, love and grace with others!

Normal is my enemy! I fight normal every day, because it is so, so easy for me to slip into it. Normal is comfortable. But normal keeps me from seeing people.

And when I don't see people, I don't love people.

And when I don't love people, I don't reach out to people.

And when I don't reach out to people, I take what my Father gave me and I bury it into the ground for safekeeping until His arrival.

And when I bury it in the ground, what type of greeting will He give me on His return?........

"... 'Well done, good and faithful servant!"

or......

"... throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." - Matthew 25:14-30

Normal is dangerous.

Pruning

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 19:27:05 GMT

The Choice is Yours

A new study has been posted!!!............

"As I took this to my Creator what began to happen is that I started to recognize that God is pruning me in this area. He is exposing under producing branches (faith) and overgrown areas (self-reliance) in my life that are either now, or will in the future, hinder my ability to bear good fruit."

Pruning

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 19:24:43 GMT

Pruning...The Choice is Yours

Do You See What I See?

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 17:03:17 GMT

Light changes our reality

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” – CS Lewis

The Bible teaches a lot about light.

Jesus is the light.

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” – John 9:5

We as Jesus’ followers have light.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. ”– 2 Corinthians 3:18

Light defeats darkness.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:5

“..the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” - Matthew 4:16

I thought it might be interesting to look at what light is?!! Well, at least a simplified version of it. (there’s a lot of light info out there!!!)

Light travels as electromagnetic waves…or waves of energy. There are two types of light sources that we will look at…primary and secondary.

A primary source of light creates light. It doesn’t need another source. Examples of this are the sun, flames of a campfire, fireflies, a flashlight, and even some animals.

Secondary sources don’t create their own light like the primary sources do. Instead, they diffuse or reflect light. They are sources of light only when there’s another light present. Examples of this type of light would be the moon, snow, mirrors, or any other object that that lights up only when it is lit by another source. That is why, when it is dark, you can’t see those items. To be seen, they must have a light source to diffuse or reflect.

Jesus is the light of the world. Spiritually, He is our primary light source. He creates light on His own. He creates light and needs no other source.

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12

We, as his followers, are secondary light sources . We shine a light that points back to our Father.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16

We reflect the primary light source of Christ.

But how?

How can we reflect Jesus’ light?

We need to be with Him...spend time with Him.

“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.” – Exodus 34:29

When Moses came down from the mountain his face lit up because he had been in the presence of God talking with Him. And that is what we need to do as well.

Spend time with Him, talk to Him, listen to Him. Be in His presence.

When we try to go through life being out of the presence of our primary light source, our Creator, we are in darkness. The more we are in the presence of light, the more we reflect that light allowing not only ourselves to see but others to see as well.

If you were to go into a room that is full of objects and shut off all light sources it would be completely dark. You would see nothing. But that doesn’t change the room.

The objects would still be there. You would still be there. The capability of seeing would still be there. But without being in the presence of a primary light source, you are in darkness.

The world around you is the same. Without being in God’s presence, our circumstances are still there. But we are stumbling around in the dark. That is our reality. But once the light comes, a new reality emerges. The darkness is overcome by the light. There is no fight from darkness that light will not win.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:5

Your circumstances do not need to change for darkness to be defeated.

You just need the Light.

You Did What?!

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Sat, 05 Feb 2022 15:54:47 GMT

What Exactly is Going On Here?!!

Being that it is LAUNCH TIME, we thought it would be good idea to give you a little backstory about the website!! Honestly, it has been in the works for a couple of years as we have felt God nudging us to do something with my love of writing.

I’ve never been very interested in book writing…though I LOVE to read other peoples!!...so I wasn’t sure what that meant. I have blogged off and on for quite a while and though I enjoy that, we didn’t feel like that was the entire picture of what we needed to do.

Fast forward about six months ago…it was then that He made it clear that the next step was to make the writings available to a larger audience via a website. I did some research on websites and ways that I could easily create one. After finding a platform that appeared to be doable, we decided to make the plunge in November!!

Now, we quickly ran into several snafus!! The first being we needed to pick a name so that we could purchase the domain. As much as I love naming things, we had no idea what to call the site as we really didn’t yet have a vision. A couple of weeks later I woke up in the middle of the night with a clear purpose of the site… to help others know Him more through His reflection in the writings.

The next day I looked up domain names to see if it was available, and it was! So now we have Know-Him.org!!! I was absolutely stunned that it was available. We were really thankful and really, really excited!

At this point we figured out our next hiccup. Creating a website on an “easy” platform, isn’t really easy…at least not for me!! I asked a few friends who I knew to have more knowledge in this area and came to realize we needed help. That help came in the form of a man from Texas and his incredible ability to not only create websites , but design logos, and an even more incredible ability… to teach me how to use the website!!!

William and I were riding in the car one day talking about what we might want the logo to look like. We had been told that it would be a good idea to do something that placed emphasis on the dash between the words know and Him to help people remember. It was on that car ride that the K-H brand was born! We pitched the idea to our friend in Texas, and he created the logo.

Funny thing…. a couple of weeks later it suddenly occurred to me that those are also my initials!!!!!!!!!!!

Our heart for Know-Him.org is that it be a free resource to help others know Him more. Right now, we see this being accomplished by putting out weekly posts based on three things…Knowing Him through His word, people’s God stories, and focused writings on His creation. Another aspect will be free downloadable studies for individuals as well as groups.

Over the past six years I’ve written close to 100 studies that I’ve used with retreats, teen and ladies’ groups, as well as small groups that I’ve taught. We are editing and adding those to the site for people to use as well.

Right now, I’m working on two new studies to put on the site for people to use individually. One is on Philippians, and the other one on Biblically Radical Relationships.

We are so thankful that you have chosen to check out the site, and our prayer mimics that of Paul in Ephesians 1:16-17… "I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God."

We pray that through His reflection in the Know-Him writings, we all might gain spiritual wisdom and insight so that we can know Him more…love Him more…and serve Him more.

Because how can we truly love the one we do not know?

M.E.T. Results

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 16:16:18 GMT

Test results...prayer results...faith results

In my last M.E.T.(miracles, experiences, and testimonies) post I shared a journal entry from a time in 2008 when I suddenly found myself in the hospital in isolation. You can read it here . This post is the continuation of that story….

On day six of my hospital stay, they performed a lung biopsy. During the procedure they cut out pieces of 6 different masses that were found in my lungs and sent them off for biopsy. The initial results came back indicating that it still appeared I had something called Mycobacterium intracellulare, or MAI. Though the bacteria itself is common, it can cause a rare lung infection like the one they thought I had. The treatment for it runs about 18 months and is a drug cocktail with several adverse side effects.

We waited a week for the more detailed pathology report to come back as they needed to allow the sample to grow. I still remember very vividly the day the pulmonologist called.

I had asked a few friends to come to my house and pray with, and over me. The doctor called during our gathering and said that though he still thought I had MAI, when looking at the biopsy under the microscope, the cells appeared to be healing themselves! He was surprised because this infection does not normally work like that.

Six weeks later they performed another set of CT scans and the lung spots were completely gone with no lasting damage. I still have pictures of the masses that they took during the biopsy and gave to me.

I remember how scary it felt for us and how lonely the hospital feels. I remember the terrified look in my girls’ eyes when they walked in to see me while having to wear face masks, gloves, hair covering and hospital gown because I was in isolation. I remember how desperately I wanted to touch them and feel their warm skin.

I remember what a blessing it was to have friends step in and do fun activities with my girls when I could not. I remember a special friend bringing flameless candles and food up to the hospital so William and I could celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary together, despite us being stuck up there!

I remember people bringing Christmas decorations and music up to my room to make it festive, as it was during the holiday season. There was even someone who brought up small gifts for me to give the girls to help them with the anxiety that hospitals seem to universally bring about.

I remember the lessons that I learned.

First and foremost, even when I am isolated from everyone else, God is there. Not only is He there, but He cares that I felt sad, worried, scared, etc. and He has prepared me to be where I am at.

I learned how important it is to listen to the gentle voice that tells you to reach out to people, and how much of an impact a small act of kindness can make.

I learned that life could change directions in a second and we absolutely canNOT take a single moment for granted.

And I learned that God hears us....ALWAYS!

My experience here had the ending that we hoped for. But… if it had ended differently, God is still good. I’ve learned that in the years since, as I have had other experiences where the ending was absolutely not what I wanted.

That is when it comes down to trusting that the road is taking me where I need to go, like I talked about in this earlier post .

And I do.

Regardless of the tourist traps, beautiful scenery, or inclement weather along the way… I trust Him .

Why?

Because I know Him.

And He wants YOU to know Him too.

Privilege

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 23:23:29 GMT

Are We Willing To Walk Away?

Privilege: a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group. (Oxford Dictionary)

I am granted certain advantages in my life because of where I was born and who I was born to. I also gain advantage based on what I own.

The culture and society that I live in places value on these things…I happen to have them…therefore, I have certain advantages. I have privilege.

Paul had privilege too.

There were certain things he had that his culture valued. He tells us about them in Philippians 3:4-7 and he acknowledged that those things were gain for him. They granted him privilege.

How he responds to his privilege is not common.

“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” Philippians 3:7

Paul was willing to lose whatever privilege the world gave him for the sake of Christ.

Privilege makes us comfortable. It makes life easier.

Sometimes, we tend to think that it’s our privilege that shows others who God is. We say we are blessed with…a home, our health, resources, a family, freedom, being a citizen of a certain country, etc...All good things and things we are thankful to have.

But the word “blessed," by definition, is saying that we are shown divine favor by having these things. Therefore, "blessings" are what we consider privilege in our lives based on divine favor.

Jesus, however, gave a totally different perspective of being blessed in the book of Matthew. It is a perspective that is very contrary to our culture.

"And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn , for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart , for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” - Matthew 5:3-12

We look at our lives as being blessed when we are in a state of satisfaction. A state of fulfillment.

Jesus speaks of our lives being blessed when we are in a state of longing. A state of need.

Those are different, aren’t they?

When you look at people in the New Testament who followed Jesus, they were imprisoned, tortured, killed, homeless, poor, reviled, and ostracized. Why would we expect our lives to look different, especially considering the way Jesus himself lived? Why do we consider it divine favor that we retain privilege?

Paul was willing to walk away from any advantage he had for something better.

Philippians 3:8 tells us that what was of surpassing worth to him was knowing Christ. And later, in verse 10 Paul tells us that true gain is knowing Him and the power of His resurrection.

He was willing to walk away from his advantage because his priorities had changed. His mind was set not on earthly things, but on Kingdom things.

And because of that, knowing Christ became the ultimate blessing.

Knowing God became of surpassing worth and value because his focus shifted from worldly gain to Kingdom reign.

What about us?

Are we willing to walk away from our special rights and advantages for the sake of knowing Him? Are we willing to give up our privilege?

It is a difficult question to answer.

In the end, it comes down to what is most important. What is our mind set on? What is our focus?

Are we willing to let our life and our prayer be “Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice?” – Philippians 1:18

Can we walk away from privilege for the sake of Christ?

Will we?

Undeserved Love

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 16:35:37 GMT

There is nothing you can do to earn less of His love and there is nothing you can do to earn more of it. Take a look at God's love through the eyes of Hosea.

Battle Plan

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 18:05:08 GMT

Ever feel held captive by your feelings and circumstances? Learn what the Bible says about how to fight back!

I-35

kristi_huckabee@yahoo.com (Kristi Huckabee) — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 17:37:06 GMT

Sometimes, It's Just About the Road

Ever hear people say they just want to get from point A to point B?

What about those who like to concentrate more on the journey as opposed to just the destination?

I had to take an unexpected road trip this past week from Wisconsin to Texas. I drove for 18 hours, over two days, to get there.

The first day of the drive was difficult. Though it was beautiful when I left my house, the road conditions slowly began to change. Where at first I was able to enjoy the scenery all around me, the road began to get icy and snow laden. When this happened I had to pay more attention to what was directly in front of me...ice patches, snow drifts, blowing snow, cars off the road.

Day two of the drive brought more ice patches, but as I drove further south I ran into fog. I had to slow down quite a bit and work hard to just keep the road in sight.

But, one thing I did not have to worry about was where the road was taking me...I knew.

From Minneapolis, Minnesota to Dallas, Texas, I knew that I could follow Interstate 35 all the way. I knew that it was going to bring me where I needed to go.

The road conditions on the interstate might vary due to weather, traffic, or construction, but this road was going to bring me to my destination. I had faith in the road.

No matter what the circumstances around the road were...

No matter what speed I had to drive...

No matter how long it took me to get there...

I knew where this road was bringing me.

My faith in the road and where the road was taking me was what I needed to continue my trip even when it wasn't going as expected.

Then I thought about my Creator.

Maybe this is what faith looks like in my spiritual life as well.

Sometimes I see my faith as a destination...a place I want to eventually arrive at in my relationship with God.

Other times, I see my faith as the journey...something with constantly changing scenery and stops along the way.

But maybe... my faith is more like the road.

What if faith in God is feeling so confident that He is going to bring me where I need to go, that I stay with Him regardless of what circumstances are going on around me.

When I am in a clear section of life, I can enjoy the scenery, looking around and appreciating what surrounds me. But at other times I might need to grip the wheel tightly and use all of my energy to make sure I can see where the road is at in front of me...to make sure I can see Him.

Sometimes I might need to pull over to the shoulder of the road and wait for a bit until I can clearly see again...not because the road is no longer there, but because my ability to see it is skewed.

We don't always have a clear weather report, clean restrooms, or great Trip Advisor stops along our life's journey... But through Jesus, we have a road.

We have a road that leads us to hope, peace, love, and joy. We have a road that leads us to Him.

I want to encourage you today to stay on the road...don't take the detour that seems like it might be easier or faster.

Is your life really hard right now??

It's okay to go slow. There's no minimum speed limit.

Are you so overwhelmed by your surroundings that you can't even see the road?

Pull over to the shoulder for a bit. Allow yourself time to rest and heal.

Perhaps you are tired and you feel like you need someone in the car with you to help you stay awake and on the road?

Get in the carpool lane! God gives us the gift of one another. Ask for help.

But stay on the road. Trust that the road is taking you where you need to go, and continue heading to your destination...continue heading to Him.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6

Junk in Your Trunk

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 19:50:44 GMT

Perfect? Me neither! I know someone who will love you and hang around no matter how much junk is in your trunk!!

M.E.T Him on Monday

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 20:54:00 GMT

The Bible talks a lot about how we need to share with others our stories and experiences with Christ. So…I am going to make the third Monday of each month… “I M.E.T. Him on Monday!” M.E.T. stands for Miracles, Experiences and Testimony. It will be a time I can share with you just a little of what Christ has done in my life in the way of miracles and experiences. I also hope to have guest writers share their stories as well!

I want to begin this series by sharing an experience that I had in December of 2008. It will probably take me two postings to share all of this incredible story.

I think the best way to start it is to begin with a journal post I have from then….

12/19/2008 (I was in the hospital when I wrote this)

God is absolutely amazing! Just the thought that He cares enough about us to WANT to spend time with us and communicate with us is unfathomable to me!

I am going through a fantastic book called Praying the Names of God by Ann Spangler. I love the book! Each week you learn one of the many names that God goes by in scripture.

Last week I studied Adonay, which means Lord, Master. The week was spent taking time to read scripture that points to what a blessing it is that we have Adonay as our Master and the promises that go along with that. The week was spent learning how I don’t need to know what comes next, I just need to know whom it is I obey. He is everywhere and will not leave.

This week I studied Yahweh Rophe, which is the Lord who Heals. Monday and Tuesday were spent studying the promises of healing and how sometimes we forget about the spiritual healing and dwell on the physical. I jokingly asked the Lord if he was trying to tell me something ��

Tuesday night I started spitting up a lot of blood. At one point we could not get it to stop so we came to the ER. While doing a CT scan of my throat, the scan happened to pick up a bit of my right lung and showed something suspicious. They sent me for another scan and told me that they thought I had a very severe lung infection and were bringing in a specialist to look at it.

We were completely shocked as I have no cough and feel great, other than the blood thing (which I thought was due to a recent bought of strep throat). They admitted me into the hospital where I have been ever since in isolation. The reason for the isolation was to rule out TB, which they have, but they won’t release me from isolation until 3pm this afternoon.

What they think I have is a type of lung infection that is not too common and is present everywhere and on everything. It is not contagious and usually people that are immune suppressed are the ones who get it.

They are going to biopsy it at 3pm this afternoon and we hope to be home tonight! The results could be in on Monday, but if they have to grow the culture, it could take 6 weeks. It is a slow growing infection so it is okay to wait that long.

The treatment is long, about 18 months, and not easy from what I understand. We are praying that when they go in today, it will be wiped away and we will not have to go down that road.

When we found this out on Wednesday, I could not breath from fear. We had not slept the night before because of all the tests and I was absolutely overwhelmed with fear and desperation at the situation. They said originally that I would be here until Sunday and I was so sad about all of the Christmas activities that the girls had that I would miss.

We chose to not let many people know because I just needed time to pray. I kept hearing the Lord remind me of what He taught me last week. He is my Master and knows the plan and result even when I don’t. I was not alone, nor was I left to toss in the wind.

Then over the past few days He has taught me more about the Healer that He is and has shown me so many promises that I can call on!

As I look this morning over this experience, I can’t help but thank Him! The Creator of everything, absolutely everything that is good and right and loving, cared enough about me and my wishy-washy feelings to show me answers before I even knew that I had any questions or needed any answers!

Me again….in 2021!! God moved in sooo many different ways during this experience/miracle! I will share more of the story next time. But just the fact that He had be preparing my heart to face this trial in the weeks prior was such an act of love, that it was hard to comprehend!!

Remember, take the time to share your story with others!

May peace be upon you all.

Ready or Not….

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 19:11:00 GMT

Today as I began reading the book of Job, I noticed that Job really knew God.

In verse 1 we learn that Job was a man of integrity and he feared God. He also knows what God likes and dislikes because it says he turned from evil.

“There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away form evil.”

In verse 5 we are told that he was continually aware of the fact that his children could be involved in things that displeased God.

“And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.”

In order to fear someone, know what they like or dislike, and what pleases them…you must know them.

Sometimes this knowledge comes through things we read, sometimes through others, and sometimes through our own experience. But being familiar with the preferences and character of someone requires knowing them.

Job knew God.

Once we hit verse 6 God has an interaction with the Adversary, Satan. During this time Satan tells God that Job chooses Him because God has only shown Himself in Job’s life in ways that Job would consider “good.” So we read that God gives Satan access to Job’s life with the restriction of not touching Job’s person.

Satan wastes no time. All in the span of one day, Job gets word of his donkeys, sheep, camels, servants, and children being struck down and killed.

When Job hears all of this verse 20 tell us that he arises, tears his robe, shaves his head and falls on the ground.

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground…”

Physically, he responds to the grief.

He must.

Our bodies respond to the situations of this world in tangible and physical ways. Jesus sweat drops of blood in response his feeling overwhelmed to the point of death.

We are created to physically respond.

But what Job does next in verse 20 was a choice.

…and worshiped.”

The word worship here comes from the Greek word shachah which means to bow down before God in reverence.

So many things in life come about by no choice of our own.

Death.

Destruction.

Abuse.

Accidents.

Desertion.

And there are some initial responses that can naturally come with those occurrences such as anger, sadness, fear, grief through no choice of our own.

But there are also choices that we DO have. We choose what we do with those natural feelings and physiological reactions.

Job chose to worship. Why?

Because he knew God. In verse 21 he says “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

He knew God’s power. He knew God’s sovereignty. He knew God’s goodness.

His feelings and physical responses were not bad or wrong.

But when he had a choice with what came next, he chose to place those responses at the feet of the One he knew to be powerful, sovereign, and good.

Can I do that?

Will I do that?

At one point or another we will all face uncontrollable circumstances in our lives. Circumstances that bring about painful responses.

Knowing God now, equips us to trust Him when things feel out of control.

Learn from Job’s story. Listen to the stories that others share with you. Examine your own life and become aware of His work in it.

And ask.

Ask Him to reveal more, to teach you more, to show you more.

Ask Him to help you know Him more.

The Bible tells us that we will have trials. I want to chose Jesus when those trials come. I want the peace, hope, and joy that He promises me in all circumstances.

So today I choose to know Him more.

You can too.

Trapped

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 19:58:00 GMT

This week my heart was fractured. And anyone who has broken a bone before knows that whether it is your pinky toe or your arm, fractures hurt.

And being in pain tends to send some of us into hiding. Trapping ourselves into our own aloneness…into the safety of our own head space…or so we think.

Sometimes what feels so safe can actually become enemy territory. And that is where I found myself.

As I sat in my pain, trying to protect myself from the hurt I was feeling I ended up being trapped. And all of the defenses that I was employing against the pain turned into offensive strikes from my enemy’s hand.

Being alone…I have no friends…

No one cares…I don’t matter…

I am not valued by anyone…therefore I am not of value…

I need to fix this…panic when I realize I can’t…

I am sure you have your own strikes that you have encountered. And it all feeds off of the thought before, until you become trapped in your own mind and it is full of enemy snares.

I’ve been here before and I began to recognize it. I know what Truth is and I started to have glimpses of the fact that this was not.

Knowing myself and knowing that I need sleep before action, I called it a night and went to bed at 7pm. The unresolved turmoil was churning in my stomach and as I lay there, I cried to God and told him…”I need to know you care. I need to know you care about me…That I have value to you.” Soon after I drifted into a fitful night’s sleep.

I awoke early the next morning and enjoyed the quiet and stillness over a cup of coffee. Then, as I do most mornings, I grabbed my soft leather Bible and after looking at the reading plan I follow I flipped to Psalm 139.

“O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.”

God begins to remind me that He knows me…each and every part of me…the good and the bad.

The Psalm goes on and talks about there is no where that we can go to get away from His presence. Nothing that we think, say, or do is hidden from Him.

“If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.“

“My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.“

If anyone knows me, He does.

Then I think of Romans 8:38-39…”For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.“

And He loves me.

Knowing Him helps me navigate the ups and downs of this life. Knowing Him sustains me

And He knows me…and loves me.

He reminded me that I am valued by the One who created me.

And that is more than enough.

Know Him

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 20:14:00 GMT

The Bible is full of examples and stories telling and showing us God’s desire to be known.

It is so important that He came to earth in a form that we can understand. He walked our streets. Ate our food. Was tempted by our temptations. And suffered our pain.

Why?

Because He wants us to know Him.

He wants a relationship with us.

So many times we make it about everything other than that.

We make it about saving ourselves from hell. Working ourselves to heaven. Being chosen. Having freewill. Who is the greatest? Who is the least?

Today, I want to encourage you to awaken and take hold of the One practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness. Because….In this is His delight.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.

My Jesus

Sat, 20 Nov 2021 04:02:00 GMT

Today is a wonderful day. It is a day of opportunity. It is an opportunity to use a gift that many people forget they even have. A gift that we can share with the world around us.

When we talk about God, sometimes we feel like we don’t know enough. We feel inadequate when it comes to sharing about Him.

We don’t always have the answers to people’s questions. And we won’t be able to explain everything about Him because scripture tells us He is bigger and higher than our thoughts and understandings.

But He gives us this incredible gift that enables us to tell people about Him in a very unique way…our stories.

Revelation 12:11 tells us…” And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”

The word testimony means a first hand authentication of a fact. People can’t argue with your testimony because it is your story.

Thirty-ish years ago I married and divorced a man that was physically abusive before I met my husband, William. I struggle with overeating. I am selfish, head strong, judgmental, and prideful.

I snap at my husband too often. I have struggled with resisting the urge to find comfort in alcohol when I am stressed. Sometimes the words that come out of my mouth would get me ban from Facebook if they were in print.

I am impatient with my children. I mix up my priorities. I am lazy.

I overthink things. I like to receive Amazon packages too frequently…much to my husband’s dismay.

I frequently bear in my life the fruit of worshiping things other than Christ.

But…let me tell you about my Jesus.

He is kind to me. He encourages me. He offers me not only a way out when I am tempted, but the strength to say no.

And when I screw up and give in to the temptation, he offers me forgiveness. He loves me even when I act unlovable. He is patient with me.

He is steadfast. And he…the God over all creation…the all powerful and all mighty creator of everything I see and know wants to have a relationship with me.

While I was still his enemy, when I didn’t know Him and hated Him, he died for me.

He is worthy of all of my affections. He is worthy of all of my praise. He is worthy of all my attention and all my energy.

We might have times that we feel inadequate, or that the job set before us is too much. We can experience despair or discouragement.

But my Jesus…he is more than adequate, and the job is absolutely too much for us to do alone, but let me tell you bout my Jesus!!

But there are times that it is hard to feel all of that. There are times that we are in a season that makes it difficult to remember who He is . And that time might be now.

You might be struggling with anger, sadness, loneliness, disappointment with God.

For you, I encourage you to stand tight.

I fell down a river a couple of weeks ago. When I say I fell, I literally mean I fell head over heels over rocks and under white waters…no control at all. Until I hit a rock.

I got stuck on the rock and it stopped what felt like an unending and overwhelming pull of the river. The rock hurt, but it stopped my freefall.

So to you, my friend that is struggling, find a rock. It might be a rock in the path or it might be rock bottom, but wherever you are right now recognize your rock and get stuck…stay steadfast where you are, at this moment…and let us, your brothers and sisters stand in the gap and praise him for you until you are able once again to bring your praise before Him.

And hear our stories.

Be encouraged by the stories of those around you and how God has displayed His greatness.

And if you are not in a season of freefall, it’s time to be real with your people, your family in Christ, your church. Be honest about your struggles because here is what happens when you display your weaknesses…He displays His glory.

All of the yuck that I have done in my life… when displayed with all of the magnificent things that He has done in my life, creates a beautiful song of praise that only I can offer Him. And it creates a story that I can offer others to show them who He is!!

And it isn’t just our personal stories that lead us to praise him, It is the story of creation all around us. Go read Psalm 96!! Seriously….go read it!!

One of my favorite verses in this chapter is 11 and 12….

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

let the field exult, and everything in it!

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy

So as you go today and live out your day, if you have the opportunity, share your story. Share your gifts and strengths…but don’t be afraid to share your weaknesses as well.

And join the trees and the stars and the seas and the fields and the forest around you in praising our God for how incredible He is.