The Necessary Process

Phil. 3:12b, Living Bible, "I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me for and wants me to be."

My house is forty-eight years old, and, when my husband died last year, parts of our home were long overdue for an update. I resolved at that time to tackle several much needed projects. Right now I am at the beginning stage of renovating the master bathroom. This week workers completely gutted the old bathroom, leaving its frame and insulation bare like an exposed skeleton. It makes such a mess in my house to redo a room, and I hate how it looks in the process. And yet I have completed some of my refurbishing plans, turning a bedroom into a playroom for my grandchldren and great grandchildren and refurnishing the master bedroom and the guest bedroom. I am delighted with the results, but the processes have been so disruptive that I dreaded tackling the bathroom and put it off for a long time.

One of my friends debated about adding a sun porch to her house. I very much encouraged her to do it, saying she wouldn't enjoy the process but would love the results. Her new sun porch is her favorite room in the house.

Sometimes if we want certain results we just have to grit our teeth, summon our courage and determination, and go through the process necessary to achieve what we want. After redoing the bathroom, I need to decide if I have enough courage and determination to renovate my kitchen!

My body and spirit are much older than my house and need renovating as well. Hopefully I will have the courage and determination to make the needed physical and spiritual changes that would give me the desired results in these areas of my life.

Father, direct me in the setting of worthy goals, and give me the courage and determination to persevere until the desired results are achieved. Amen.

Life's Little Frustrations

Any time a car has trouble

With its motor, its body, its tires,

The cost is sure to be at least double

As soon as the warranty expires.

Success from Perseverance

Hebrews 12:1b, "Let us run with perseverence the race marked out for us."

I have been reading a book by Debbie Macomber, who is one of my favorite authors. In this book, Knit Together, she tells of her years of struggling to have her writing published. She wrote, "I am a case study in how to be an overnight success in twenty years."

School was difficult for Debbie. Her third grade teacher predicted that she would never do well in school, and she was never an outstanding student. It was only after Debbie was an adult that she discovered that she had a learning disability, dyslexia.

Debbie married just out of high school and had four children between 1970 and 1975. She and her husband struggled financially during the early years of their marriage. Nevertheless, Debbie felt compelled to write, believing that God had given her this passion.

By 1992 Debbie had written four books that had never been published. She submitted one of these books at a Writers' Conference. The conference leader ridiculed the plot of her book in front of the class and advised her to throw the book away. Several weeks later Debbie sent that same book to a publisher, and it became her first published book. This success finally came after five years of constant rejections. Today more than 60 million copies of her books have been sold, with nineteen appearing on the New York Times bestseller list. Debbie Macomber's success story is one of countless others revealing what can happen when we have faith in God's purpose for us, work hard, and continue to persevere.

God has pledged Himself to persevere with us, saying, Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Our part is to have faith in God and His plans for us, to work hard, and to continue to persevere in our spiritual lives--to keep on praying, keep on reading God's Word, and keep on sharing God's great Good News with those we meet.

Thank You, Father, that You are continually working on us to transform us into the very likeness of Christ. May we be malleable in Your hands and cooperative in every way with Your work. Amen.

Life's Little Frustrations

Any time a car has trouble

With its motor, its body, its tires,

The cost is sure to be at least double

As soon as the warranty expires.

Success from Perseverance

Hebrews 12:1b, "Let us run with perseverence the race marked out for us."

I have been reading a book by Debbie Macomber, who is one of my favorite authors. In this book, Knit Together, she tells of her years of struggling to have her writing published. She wrote, "I am a case study in how to be an overnight success in twenty years."

School was difficult for Debbie. Her third grade teacher predicted that she would never do well in school, and she was never an outstanding student. It was only after Debbie was an adult that she discovered that she had a learning disability, dyslexia.

Debbie married just out of high school and had four children between 1970 and 1975. She and her husband struggled financially during the early years of their marriage. Nevertheless, Debbie felt compelled to write, believing that God had given her this passion.

By 1992 Debbie had written four books that had never been published. She submitted one of these books at a Writers' Conference. The conference leader ridiculed the plot of her book in front of the class and advised her to throw the book away. Several weeks later Debbie sent that same book to a publisher, and it became her first published book. This success finally came after five years of constant rejections. Today more than 60 million copies of her books have been sold, with nineteen appearing on the New York Times bestseller list. Debbie Macomber's success story is one of countless others revealing what can happen when we have faith in God's purpose for us, work hard, and continue to persevere.

God has pledged Himself to persevere with us, saying, Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Our part is to have faith in God and His plans for us, to work hard, and to continue to persevere in our spiritual lives--to keep on praying, keep on reading God's Word, and keep on sharing God's great Good News with those we meet.

Thank You, Father, that You are continually working on us to transform us into the very likeness of Christ. May we be malleable in Your hands and cooperative in every way wtih Your work. Amen.

Life's Little Frustrations

When you take a trip with children

Two things you'll hear, I bet.

The first one is, "How much farther?"

The second, "Are we there yet?"

Freedom

Galatians 5:1, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

The word "freedom" seems almost like a misnomer, because freedom certainly isn't free. It has come at a very high price in every stage of history. In fact, when I think of the word "freedom," I also think of the word "sacrifice." Many people down through the ages have sacrificed their time, energy, plans for the future, and even their very lives on battlefields around the world.

What do you suppose those who have sacrificed for the freedom which we have would tell us if they could? I believe they would exhort us to appreciate and enjoy our freedom, to live with meaning and purpose, and to share it with others.

Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice so we could have spiritual freedom from the tyranny of sin. Only He was qualified to make this sacrifice, but He made it for every person.

What do you think Jesus might tell us concerning our spiritual freedom if He had the opportunity? I think He would say we should appreciate and enjoy it, should live with meaning and purpose, and should share it with others. In fact, let's see if we can find some of these ideas in God's Word.

I Peter 2:16, "Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God."

Colossians 3:12-16, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as member of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."

Matthew 10:8b, "Freely you have received; freely give."

Father, thank You so much for both the physical freedom and the spiritual freedom which we have. May we be always grateful, mindful of the sacrifices of others which have allowed us to live in freedom, and may we live with meaning and purpose and share all You have given us and done for us with others. Amen.