Category: Meditation

Perhaps Today! Actively (and Expectantly) Awaiting Jesus’ Return

I’m a mug junkie. I have mugs overflowing around our house. Mugs in the cupboards. Mugs on a special shelf in our solarium-breakfast room. I even had my husband add another shelf to one of our kitchen cabinets to accommodate all of them. The cabinet right above the coffee maker. The cabinet stuffed with mugs, tea, and coffee-making supplies. It’s gotten to be a family joke.

I don’t remember when I started “collecting” them. I had a few mugs scattered around, special ones I’d picked up at seminars, (with conference logos and company promo material), national park mugs, and mugs from Hawaii with our Anglicized-Hawaiian names on them. But when I gave up collecting vacation-spot T-shirts, I gravitated toward mugs, which are much more difficult to haul home (unbroken) in a suitcase!

Now I have “retired” mugs on display on a special shelf, the ones I don’t want to break or wear down any longer through usage; and the noteworthy cracked ones I can’t bear to part with. And I have several secreted away that no one else is allowed to use but me. The mugs given as extra-special gifts, or the ones that remind me of sweet times Chris and I have spent together at some charming Bed and Breakfast.

But there’s one mug I’ve never used. It’s been prominently displayed on my writing desk for over 25 years. The blue marble-look mug I received after donating to a well-known ministry. The words on it remind me of something I should keep forefront in my mind. Every day. Words especially appropriate for this month when we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord.

Perhaps Today!

 

Can you guess what those words reference?

They’re a reminder that our Lord will return one day. They’re a hope that perhaps today will be that glorious day—when He’ll return, subdue the earth, vanquish his foes, and lift up and resurrect the faithful.

 

Jesus’ Second Coming—

Of course, not everyone believes He will return. And not everyone harbors the hope within his or her heart that He will. Some are terrified it might be true.

 

I thought about my “Perhaps Today!” mug when reading a chapter from Max Lucado’s book And the Angels Were Silent: The Final Week of Jesus. Reading that book has been my Lenten practice nearly every year the last 23 years.

The particular chapter that brought the mug to mind is titled “Be Ready.” The verse associated with the chapter is Matthew 24:42:

 

“So always be ready, because you don’t know the day your Lord will come.”

 

It’s a winsome (and stark) reminder that being ready for His return is a way of life. A critical one.

Jesus’ Last Sermon on Earth—

In his book, Lucado examines what Jesus says and does (and doesn’t say and do) the last week of His earthly life. It’s a lesson—when time and distractions are stripped away—on what’s important. This particular chapter looks at the topic of Jesus’ last sermon.

What would you think a last-sermon topic would be? Like Lucado, we’d probably preach on love, or family, or church attendance, ministry support. Spreading the Gospel. Doing good and being good. Marching for some social justice issue.

But Jesus focuses on something He evidently believes is far more important.

He focuses on being prepared.

Or, as Lucado bluntly puts it:

 

“He preached on being ready for heaven and staying out of hell.”

 

Hell. Now there’s a word many recoil at. “Does anyone believe in hell anymore?” you might ask.

Jesus is a firm believer in it. If you haven’t tallied up the numbers, He talked about hell and money more than anything else while He was on earth.

But it’s become a passé or quaint subject. An idea reserved for the undereducated or simple-minded. As Lucado points out:

 

“We don’t like to talk about hell, do we? In intellectual circles the topic of hell is regarded as primitive and foolish. It’s not logical. ‘A loving God wouldn’t send people to hell.’ So we dismiss it.

But to dismiss it is to dismiss a core teaching of Jesus. The doctrine of hell is not one developed by Paul, Peter, or John. It is taught by Jesus himself.

And to dismiss it is to dismiss much more. It is to dismiss the presence of a loving God and the privilege of a free choice.”

 

And that’s the point: we all have a free choice. To choose heaven or hell. And God will honor what we choose.

 

Where will you choose to spend eternity?

God talks a lot about what we’ll gain by going to heaven, how we can get there, and what consequences we face if we choose poorly.

And that leaves me with one more point Lucado made. An ironclad argument against this idea that there is a heaven but no opposite place—hell—in existence.

 

“To reject the dualistic outcome of history and say there is no hell leaves gaping holes in any banner of a just God. To say there is not hell is to say God condones the rebellious, unrepentant heart. To say there is no hell is to portray God will eyes blind to the hunger and evil in the world. To say there is no hell is to say that God doesn’t care that people are beaten and massacred, that he doesn’t care that women are raped or families wrecked. To say there is no hell is to say God has no justice, no sense of right and wrong, and eventually to say God has no love. For true love hates evil.

Hell is the ultimate expression of a just Creator.”

 

I’ll add one more thought: If there is no hell, why would Jesus have to endure humiliation, abandonment, torture, and a cruel Roman cross to provide a way for us to enter and enjoy heaven? Was that all just one big wasted event?

Surprisingly, staying out of hell and making the choice for Him and an eternal life in heaven, is the same topic he preached on during His first sermon.

He constantly warned people to be prepared. He focused on the subject the last week of His life, three short days before His death.

 

And I believe it’s a subject we need to return to today. Not by standing on street corners with signs, pointing angry fingers at people and shouting at them through angry, twisted lips and with blazing eyes that they’re headed for doom.

I think it’s something we need to continue talking about in a loving, firm way. With hearts of concern for the rejecters or uncommitted. As I’ve heard pastors say, “If you saw someone in a burning building, wouldn’t you try to do everything you could to save them? Or would you just walk by and say, ‘Oh well?'”

 

I know many think we believers-in-hell are feeble-minded, duped, or downright nuts. But that’s okay with me. I’d rather it weren’t true; I’d like to believe that God just says, “Okay. I’m going to let everyone into heaven, even if they’ve rejected me. Or just annihilate them so they’ll never know what they’re missing. That’s a belief to which many faithful are now subscribing. It just sounds nicer.

But I can’t have it my way. I don’t make the rules. God does. And I don’t think He would have spent so much time warning against it if it were just some big cosmic joke. A “just kidding” discussion.

 

What to do while we’re waiting—

Does looking forward to His second coming mean I do nothing but twiddle my thumbs until it happens? Many people that laugh at us, thinking that’s what we’re do.

But when I think “Perhaps Today!” my looking forward to it in anticipation should drive me closer to preparation, being found busy and active, as Jesus instructs us to be. Doing His work down here, like a faithful ambassador, until He returns.

So, along with the “Perhaps Today” thought, I try to start every day with a Jewish adage I learned some years ago: “Rise up like a lion in the service of the Lord.”

You never know when or at what hour you might be called. You might as well be busy during the waiting and anticipation process.

And then it will be too late.

 

May God grant you a happy, expectant “Perhaps Today!” heart as you prepare for the commemoration of His final week, crucifixion and glorious Resurrection, and live every day of your life until He returns!

 

Until next time,

Shalom!

Andrea

“Certainly there was an Eden….We all long for it, and we are constantly glimpsing it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien

A Birthday Self-Assessment and Vision

Do you ever think about the past, spend time thinking about the sweet memories of yesteryear?

Your birthday is a perfect time to do some self-examination, an assessment of the last year.

But we can fall into that pit of reviewing more of the bad things than the sweet ones—our mistakes, our sins, our really bad moments, and the bad things that were done unto us.

 

A week ago, I did the birthday self-assessment. I looked backward, and I sought God for the forward. And then I had a revelation.

As we age, we seem to spend a lot of time looking backward, at the regrets, the inability to measure up physically to the person we used to be.

Then the Lord in His graciousness revealed something to me that perhaps He’s already revealed to you.

Here are some notes I wrote in my journal—

 

“Lord, in some many ways, I hate growing old, even though I know with each passing day, month and year I get closer to eternity with You. And I suppose that should make me rejoice with each extra candle. Knowing how much joy You must take in knowing your children’s journeys on earth are winding down, until full renewal and the fullness of time results in a restored body and life that won’t flinch or pale at length of days.

“So why do I live and breathe and behave as though this is it? I want to walk toward You, in joy, in peace, in hope, in Longing, thrilled anticipation of that glorious, perfect day. I want to rejoice over moving toward perfection rather than wallowing in and lamenting my failures. I want to move on, with a heart saturated to overflowing with happiness and peace.

“…It is good. It is enough!”

 

The little red journal I’m using right now has Scripture verses at the bottom of each page. I read them after I’ve written that day’s inklings. The verse at the bottom of the first page I wrote on for my birthday was this:

 

“The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18).

 

A perfect verse for what the Lord had laid on my heart to ponder.

My path is a shining light. Only I can allow it to be darkened by my thoughts, attitude and behavior.

God is the light that shines on that path.

And that shining light will shine brighter and brighter as I move toward the perfect day—the day when the Lord will renew Heaven and Earth, and I will be counted among the happy citizens of His Kingdom. In a body designed to work and live and rejoice forever!

 

With those facts planted in my heart, why would I not enjoy the walk down the path, toward the brighter light? Why would I not look forward to that day when I will be absent from my body and present with the Lord?

Why would I not embrace every added year?

I should embrace every year, even as my body fails and abilities decrease. And that’s my goal this year: to be focusing on that light and have my heart set on eternity.

 

May your paths shine brighter and brighter, and may you be looking forward toward the brighter light, not at the dull one behind you.

 

Meditation Mondays will be going on hiatus until April 1, so I can focus on recovering from my recent knee surgery. I’ll have a way for you to sign up to receive these posts, and in return, I’ll have a freebie for you to enjoy!

See you back here next month!

Blessings,

Andrea

“Certainly there was an Eden….We all long for it, and we are constantly glimpsing it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien

How to Know When God is Speaking to You

This past Monday I spent a long time with God, seeking His will, looking for some much-needed encouragement and affirmation, and just abiding joyfully in His presence.

I was celebrating another revolution around the sun, and I wanted to spend the day alone, taking stock of my last year (which was a big one) and peeking (just a little) into the next.

I know a lot of respected Bible teachers believe God has already spoken to us through His word, and that’s it, but I’ve been conversing with Him enough for the last fifty years to know He still—through His Holy Spirit—brings us comfort, direction, dreams and “voices.” All you have to do is read the conversion reports flooding in from around the world.

Maybe some of us aren’t hearing God’s voice because we’re too distracted, we’re not listening for it, aren’t attuned to or sensitive to it, and we really don’t think He’s going to speak to us anyway.

But just exactly how do you know it’s God talking back to you when He does talk?

 

It’s probably one of the biggest and most frequent questions Christians ask: “How do I know it’s God?”

 

Getting some answers—

Guideposts addressed this question in their October/November issue of their Mysterious Ways magazine. They sought answers to “The Big Question: How do you know it’s God?” The answers were compiled by Associate Editor Hilary Ribons. Here’s what she gathered through her research.

 

“It is normal and wise to contemplate if a dream or an impression you’ve gotten in prayer is really from God. Merely ask yourself two questions: 1) Does it line up with God’s Word? If no, the message is not from God because he will never contradict himself. And 2) what feeling does it leave me with? If it is fear, it is not from God. His Word says he has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love.”

—Laura Harris Smith, Pastor and author of Seeing the Voice of God: What God is Telling You Through Dreams and Visions

 

“When people have dreams or visions from God, they’re unmistakable. I don’t think there’s a word in our vocabulary that can describe the feeling of peace and the all-consuming love that visions from God give us. The message will be immediately clear and personally meaningful. There’s nothing ordinary about them. It will be so impactful that it will awaken something inside of you.”

—Katherine “Kate” Hyland, author of 23 Years, 23 Minutes, 13 Angels

 

“The best way to confirm whether you’ve heard the voice of God is to compare it to the Word of God. If what you hard is echoed in the Bible, it’s likely the voice of God. It it’s not in his Word, it’s not his voice.”

—David R. Smith, Pastor and author of Christianity…It’s Like This

  

“We know it’s God because his guidance does not originate with our will or desire. God gives us other options that aren’t in our normal agenda. As we learn ourselves, and who we are, we also learn who we’re not. So when God’s voice comes through our thoughts, we can recognize it.”

—Shawn Bolz, author of Translating God

 

“In the New Testament, whenever God speaks, he confirms it through other people. That’s how we too know we’ve heard—when the Holy Spirit speaks to someone else at the same time. God’s way of confirming is through the safety of multiple witnesses in the community.”

—Tanis Harris, author of God Conversations

 

Spending a lot of time in God’s word reveals a lot to you too, at times when you’re ready to hear what He’s said in that Word and what He’s saying to you right here and right now.

 

My Monday time with Him more than served its intended purpose. Through His word, another believer, and an otherworldly sense of peace and joy, I was lifted up and am better able to face this next year. To move forward in faith, with complete trust in God.

 

Join me on Monday, March 4, when I reveal a little of what I learned. I know many of you will find His revelation to me helpful too!

If you’re reading this early Friday, March 1 morning, I’d appreciate a little prayer for the surgery I’m undergoing to repair a torn meniscus in my right knee and clean up some arthritis I have under my kneecap and on my femur. Thanks

If you’re interested in reading more quotes answering how you know it’s God speaking to you, head over to Guideposts.org/HowDoYouKnow.

 

Until next month, keep searching for His still small voice. The One C.S. Lewis referred to as “the hound of heaven.”

Blessings,

Andrea

“Certainly there was an Eden….We all long for it, and we are constantly glimpsing it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien

How to Escape the Calorie Counting Drudgery

Ever been a food calorie counter? Frustrating, isn’t it, recording all of those eaten calories?

For years we were taught that a calorie was a calorie—that they were all the same. So if a relatively active, 30-year old, woman needed to eat 1,800 calories a day to sustain herself, then it didn’t matter what food source they came from.

And then 40 years ago, when preventing heart disease launched into full tilt, we were taught that we needed to avoid fat because fat was the culprit causing heart disease and making our middles balloon.

So what’s the story now?

 

Calorie counting and recent research—

Through research, scientists are starting to figure out that all calories are not alike, and that some fats are good for you and your heart. And it may not be the number of calories eaten but the type of foods.

What type of foods are the biggest culprits? You probably know.

  • Chips
  • Pastries
  • Cookies
  • Soda
  • Crackers
  • White rice
  • Pasta
  • Processed foods, especially heavily-processed types, like the kind you find in your pre-made meal section of your grocery store

All of these foods cause a chemical reaction in our bodies that raises the insulin levels and causes the body to store the calories as fat. Dr. David Ludwig, an endocrinologist and researcher at Harvard Medical School, calls insulin the “Miracle-Gro for your fat cells.” Insulin causes the cells to snag the calories and immediately store them as fat cells.

And that quick process leaves you feeling hungry and unsatisfied. And if your body is subjected to this insulin-hiking cycle too often, your metabolism will change gears and start hanging onto the calories it’s stored. That’s not a scenario you want to encounter if you’re trying to lose weight or maintain a healthful diet.

The bottom line? It’s the quality of the calories and not the quantity that matters.

 

Calorie counting solution?

To break or snap this fat-storing cycle, you’ll need to replace processed carbs (pastas, ice cream, cookies, chips, crackers and snacks) with healthful fats (olive oil, fish, nuts). Yes, fats! And why fats?

Because fats don’t raise insulin so they aid weight loss.

Studies show that people on low-fat diets tend to lose less weight than those on low-carb programs.

And eating good fats, like omega-3s (salmon) and monounsaturated fats (avocados) doesn’t appear to cause weight gain.

 

The healthful diet Gold Standard—

For years scientists have known that people who follow what is known as the Mediterranean diet—a diet rich in vegetables, good fat and some fish—lose more fat and maintain healthier hearts.

One study showed a 30% reduction of heart disease in the group that were low-carb dieters when compared to low-fat dieters.

 

What’s the goal?

Your overall goal should be to go for the healthful fat and proteins and slash your sugar.

When designing or planning your meals, aim for real, natural foods that contain fiber, protein and fat. These are satisfying foods that fill you up and curb your hunger. They also result in a slower insulin level rise in your body. Foods like:

  • Veggies or whole grains
  • Protein like fish and eggs
  • Healthy fats—going for the olive oil to sprinkle on your salad rather than a processed, creamy one. Also avocado and egg in this category.

 

Some of the top food choices would be:

  • Fish
  • Avocados
  • Artichokes
  • Broccoli
  • Eggs
  • Quinoa or Millet
  • Almonds and Walnuts
  • Lentils
  • Yogurt, especially Greek
  • Bananas
  • Apples
  • Oatmeal
  • Lentils and White Beans and Black-eyed Peas

 

But BEWARE the peanut butter and almond butter scoops! Portion control is important, and this is where keeping an eye on some calorie counts may be helpful for you.

Think well-rounded meals. And when selecting proteins, like fish or chicken, it’s best to aim for no more than 3 – 6 ounces, the amount that would fit in your hand. (The number varies depending upon your age, activity-level, and sex. Athletes need more protein for muscle development, protein aids in healing, and, surprisingly, recent research indicates older adults don’t get enough protein.)

 

Slow down when you eat!
  • Think chopsticks. That’s what a dietary specialist told me during an article interview I did with her. You’ll eat more slowly and focus more on your meal.
  • And eat like kids tend to eat, minus the cookie binges, of course. They tend to graze and stop eating when they’re full. Don’t force yourself to eat everything on your plate.
  • It takes 20 minutes for the brain to register satisfaction and fullness, so scarfing down your meal can override the benefits of this trigger. You’ll end up eating too much before you feel stuffed.
  • Converse when eating, not with your mouth full, of course.
  • Chew thoroughly so the enzymes released in your mouth can start breaking down the food for digestion. It’s easier on your digestive system.
  • Put your fork down between bites, instead of taking a bite and then promptly re-loading your fork. You’ll end up forking in what you’ve packed on it, rather than waiting until you’ve thoroughly chewed what you already have in your mouth. You’ll end up looking like a squirrel when you’re eating.

 

Learning to be a mindful eater—

Finally, be more conscious of how your body feels and what it’s telling you about eating.

Don’t just eat because the schedule indicates it’s time to eat. Eat when you’re really hungry, when your body is telling you that it needs nourishment. You’ll feel more satisfied and more in control, which is usually what everyone strives for anyway.

So discard your calorie counting cards!

One a side note: I want to give a Happy Birthday shout-out to my baby boy, who turns 24 today! What a miracle and blessing he is to me!

Beginning next Wednesday, Workout Wednesdays will be going on hiatus until April 3, when I’ll be back with healthful body tips, a way for you to sign up to receive my posts on a regular basis, and a freebie for your generosity in wanting to stay connected!

 

I’m undergoing knee surgery this Friday, March 1, (as long as I can rid myself of this nasty cold), and I will be spending March recuperating.

Please mark your calendars for April 3 to re-join me!

 

Until then, have fun trying new foods and meals with your rediscovered fats and proteins. I know you’ll be happy you did!

Blessings,

Andrea

“Certainly there was an Eden….We all long for it, and we are constantly glimpsing it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien

4 Steps to Changing Your Defects: Renewing Your Mind and Retraining Your Brain

How are you doing with tackling the process of ridding yourself of pesky defects?

How did you do with last week’s first three steps of demolishing strongholds and deficiencies?

 

Are you able to:

  • Focus on ONE defect at a time, or do you get bogged down with every issue?
  • Focus on obtaining victory over one defect issue?
  • Focus on God’s power and not your own willpower to overcome and make those critical-to-a-successful and full life corrections?

I hope we’re all making headway with the process of acknowledging, confronting and dealing a punishing blow to our defects and hang-ups. It can be a lifelong process to conquer some of them. Yet every step forward counts toward healing and growing, so this week we’re going to cover four additional steps we can take to get the healing process moving forward.

 

  1. Focus on what you want and not what you don’t want.

One of the first things beginning writers are taught is to try to write in a positive rather than negative way. The same is true of effectively retraining your brain to master healthful habits. It has to do with reframing, or adopting a new perspective.

It’s easy to come up with a list of why you don’t want to do something, or why it’s hard to change. But try coming up with a list of all of the benefits you’ll receive out of making the change.

For example, some of your reasons, or excuses, for not going to the gym might be:

  • I don’t like getting sweaty.
  • It takes so long to drive there.
  • I have to take the time to get ready to go.
  • I have so many other things I need to do.
  • I don’t particularly like to exercise.
  • Other people at the gym are going to stare at me and judge me because I’m not in shape.

 

Try reframing your thoughts with comments like:
  • The sweat will help rid my body of toxins and I’ll feel better.
  • I can listen to uplifting music in the car during my drive.
  • I can enjoy the preparation process and maybe purchase a special gym bag and workout clothes to use.
  • Working out is important for me to have good health, and I am important—to myself, my family, and God.
  • Getting into an exercise routine may be hard, but I could exercise with a friend or in a class, where I can meet new friends and enjoy the camaraderie and encouragement of working out together.
  • I won’t be the only out-of-shape person at the gym, and others there started at the beginning like me. A personal trainer from the gym can help me get started and be the encourager I need to keep at it.

 

When you focus on the negatives, your thought life becomes a problem. When you catch yourself thinking negatively, stop and turn your resistance into a proactive, positive comment. Believe it or not, your brain will take notice and start thinking in a more positive manner.

 

  1. Memorize uplifting Scripture verses.

Having notecards in your bag, car, or purse and scattered around the house can remind you of good things the Lord has said and promised. Memorizing these passages or verses is even better because you renew your mind with them and affect your heart and spirit.

In fact, Scripture memorization is like good food for the soul! Feed yourself with as much of it as you possibly can throughout the day. And meditate on it at night before going to sleep. God’s word will permeate your thought processes and affect your actions.

 

  1. Focus on doing good things and acting in good ways not on feeling good.

I know, this is a tough one. But believe it when psychologists say that actions can drive feelings, just as feelings can drive actions.

It’s dangerous to wait until we feel like doing something to do it. When we live that way, we get stuck and often miss out on life. I can’t count how many times doing something I didn’t feel like doing ended up turning my feelings and emotions around to the positive.

 

  1. Focus on the people who help and support you in your recovery work and not on the ones who undermine or hinder you.

This step can be very difficult when it’s family members doing the stifling or resisting. But you must surround yourself with like-minded encouragers. Even more so if you live with people who tend to drag you down or feed your weaknesses.

Scripture is very clear about wisely choosing friends and NOT being unequally yoked (as in marriage or business) to an unbeliever. Unfortunately, so many people brush that wise admonition aside and end up living in pain and frustration for rebelling against it.

You are a precious being. Your time is a precious commodity. Pray about and choose wisely! You may find yourself having to pray about leaving a friend and drawing boundaries in order to protect yourself and heal.

 

Finally, wholeheartedly trust God to lead and change you. In our weakness He is made strong. Recognize and accept your current circumstances as they are and trust that God is working right now to help you overcome your frailties and faults; that He is working in you to finish your faith and help you run the race to a successful completion.

Don’t give up, because God doesn’t give up on you!

 

Until next week, list your steps, work your steps, take one step, one day at a time, and rejoice over even the smallest victories!

On a side note: I’m celebrating another complete revolution around the sun today and meditating on the year the Lord has given me. It has been anything but “normal.”

It has been full, it has been revealing, it has sometimes been fraught with snags and obstacles, and it has been life changing. I am spending the day reflecting on it and praying for insight into the next 12 months.

And I humbly request your prayers as I prepare for knee surgery this Friday, fallout from extreme athletics and my Camino journey. I’m hoping this is the last time I have to be cut open for a while!

Blessings,

Andrea

“Certainly there was an Eden….We all long for it, and we are constantly glimpsing it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien