Dispelling Assumptions and Misunderstanding: Explaining My Convictions On Masks

It’s been nearly two years since the Crown Virus came seeking to rule humanity. Her majesty has done a fine job of dismantling our former reality.

Nearly two years ago, I boarded a plane with my friend Julie. We visited our friend in her lovely home in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona, surrounded by towering palms and citrus trees. I was estatic to be leaving the snow-crusted Land of Frost for the Land of Summer I’d never seen.

Of course, we’d all been hearing and some had been fearing the ‘rona for several months. We’d heard a report of one case . . . if I recall, in Madison, WI.

After our week of fun-in-the-sun, eating oranges from the backyard, and talking well into the night (we even did a little dancing on the patio!), Julie headed for a business trip in California, and I boarded the plane back to Minneapolis.

At one point on the day of my departure, Dale texted me: “Just to let you know, I’m at the hospital being tested for pneumonia.”

Sickness Striking

“Well,” I thought, “I’ve just loaded up on the heavenly vitamins by eating fresh oranges in Sunny Arizona. I should be good.”

Just two months earlier I’d fought off a sickness I thought might be the death of me. I’d never been so sick in my life. At the time, I’d self-diagnosed bronchitis. But looking back, and having read that the virus was upon us as early as the fall of 2019 (proven by tested blood donations) I believe I may have been an early victim.

Corona Before Arizona

I’ll never forget struggling to breathe in the middle of the night and asking God, “Am I dying?”

I heard Him reply, “I’m giving you immunities.”

We’d all been sick off and on that fall, and I’d already fought off one dastardly worse-than-normal bug just before Thanksgiving.

Dale’s test for pneumonia came back negative. They sent him home with an inhaler; he’d never needed to use one before. His sickness lasted a good week, and the horrid cough continued for two more. We are pretty certain it was “it”.

Prayer Against The Plague

The Sunday after I came home, I went to church. My whole family was home sick. It was the first Sunday of March and that meant communion Sunday with healing-prayer after. I often joined the leaders in prayer prior to moving away. That morning we encircled three cancer-patients. I’m happy to report that two are still among us. Praise God.

When we finished praying for Jolene, Heidi, and Gary (who was in the hospital that day and has since gone to be with the Lord) Pastor Eric looked at me and said, “It’s good to have you back.” (We’d moved away and three years later, God moved us back.)

I agreed. It was good to be back; I had so missed my church family! I expressed, then, what I’d had on my heart all morning, “I think we need to pray that God’s favor will be upon His people for health. That we would be distinct . Just as Israel was distinct and set apart when the plagues came upon Egypt.”

And we prayed. We asked God to cover His people with His feathers and keep us healthy. I left believing He would. And in my experience, He has.

The Shifting And Sifting Began

The following Sunday, the church and much of our life closed.

Like everyone, I watched . . . processed . . . held my breath . . . had conversations . . . sought to discern. What is this Lord? Is this the devil? Judgement? What is actually happening in the invisible realm? Behind those questions was awareness of our call to watch, to understand the times in which we live, and to have God’s perspective on what was going on. 1 Chronicles 12:32; 2 Corinthians 4:18; Ephesians 6:12; 2 Corinthians 11:14; Matthew 16:17

Social Media Havoc & Impact

There’s no use denying it. We’ve all been impacted by the reality of the resurrected Tower of Babble. I’d seen it coming from the onset of online journaling. If God disrupted the speech of humans who wanted to play God to keep them from playing God, then, when they discover the capability of uninhibited communication, the sky is literally the limit. (And now they're thinking of living on Mars)

When I was invited to join Facebook by a friend in 2008, I was cautious. She encouraged me to be a light. When I created my account, I sensed the Lord telling me, “I’m callling you here. Use it for Me.” And I have maintained that foundational thought in all my years of posting.

Not that I haven’t blundered. One time I posted a sermon by Mars Hill Pastor, Mark Driscoll. In his message, he called Mormons “morons” . . . I’d overlooked it because the main point of the message resonated with me . . . but after church that day, I opened Facebook to receive a sharp rebuke from my sister. I immediately took it down and took note with the Lord that I need to consider all the content.

The lesson stung. But I was grateful for it.

Back to 2020

The messages came:
Close your church. Cover your face. Wash your hands. Stay home. Stay away.

I questioned it all with a friend who’d been a missionary for 14 years in Kazakhstan, “Could this be the enemy against the church?” Her and her family’s spiritual antenna were fine-tuned from their years across the ocean.

Soon after our conversation, my husband’s cousin posted an article by Vantiy Fair Magazine. Its essential message, which sounded quite proud and manipulative, was sumarized with the stark words, “Anyone who wont wear a mask is selfish.”

Wait, what?

I’d always had a funny feeling about masks . . . all the way back to seeing images of masses of them in China years ago. As I engaged in a discussion about the value of them on Facebook, another woman told me point-blank: “If you don’t wear a mask, you’ll be guilty of manslaughter.”

Sheesh. That’s quite an accusation based on conjecture. I smelled something fishy.

I brought up the subject (this was well before any mandates) with my daughter-in-law one day. “I’m not exactly sure what it is, but I don’t feel right about the masks.” She replied, “Same here. It seems like they are idols.”

“Yes. That’s what I think it is . . .

Idol: an object or picture that is worshipped as a god; an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship; a person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered. Something a person depends upon . . . puts their hope or trust in.

I Remembered A Sermon

Dale was living in Montana for work the summer of 2012. I would board my flight to Great Falls and stay with him in the camper for ten day stretches. While he was at work, I headed for the hills with my iPod, often listening to sermons. There was one particular sermon I listened to half a dozen times: The Spirit Against The Idols.

I had not yet personally met Pr. Porter, but had stumbled across his sermons when looking at the website. He was preaching through the book of Acts, talking about the Holy Spirit’s work through the church. The text was the story in Acts 19:11-32, in which God did extraordinary miracles through Paul. The healing and delivering power of Jesus was freeing people via handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul.

As a result, many were turning to Jesus by repenting and burning their idols and scrolls. It was a costly sacrifice, one which made those who sold idols very angry. (Acts 19:28)

"When idols are challenged, they will lash out," stated Pr. Porter.

As I considered the spirit I detected in the article in Vanity Fair as well as the venomous accusation of the woman on Facebook, the idea that masks were becoming idols for some people became indisputable.

Not All Who Wear Them Are Idolators

In saying that I believe masks are idols, I’m well aware that that statement can feel like an accusation toward those who wear masks. In fact, I believe some who’ve watched me form and express my convictions may have felt I was accusing them.

Nothing could be further from the truth.
I’m writing today to dispel that assumption.

While we have seen many act out in anger against those who don’t wear masks (idolatry), I also believe many have sincerely worn them as a result of their own conviction based on what they have experienced, read, and come to understand. Or as a requirement of their employer.

I have worn a mask when the Lord has led me to . . . as an act of honoring business owners. My conviction to never mask was only within the context of worship. I couldn’t wear what I believed was an idol and a lie on my face in the house of God. (More on that below.)

Disagreement Does Not Equal Condemnation

Counter to what our current cancel-cuture believes, humans are meant to be free. (Luke 1:74-75) Freedom is from God, and no one has the insight to judge another heart.

Fruit, words, and actions, yes. Hearts, no. (Matthew 7:16; 1 Corinthians 4:5)

Praise God He knows and sees all, and each of us will stand or fall before Him. (Romans 14:4)

Judge nothing before the appointed time . . . because we are all on different journeys. We are all at different levels of spiritual maturity. We are all surrounded by different neighbors which need different things from our experiences. We are all accountable to God for stewarding our stories. He is the revealer of light and it comes on His time clock. It behooves us to let Him be the One to make His will known to us individually . . . and when we come together, corporately.

We get to be free and we get to free others!

When The Church's Words Reflect The World's

The first Wisconsin mask mandate elicited an email from our church stating a similar message as Vanity Fair’s. I’d seen it touted all around the internet already, most people accepted the idea without reservation. But having arrived at my convictions, upon reading in the email, “As an act of love for your neighbor, we encourage you to wear a mask,” my heart sunk.

The insinuation, without them meaning to or considering another view, was that those who didn’t wear a mask were not loving their neighbor. (ie: selfish) I’d already discerned the subtle (and not so subtle) fume of manipulation by those of the world who were preaching the message. Within a short time, it had permeated nearly every major secular institution.

As a result of enduring the ongoing pain of the cultural narrative, I praised the Lord when the illegally extended mask mandate was struck down in our state . . . not as much about freedom from masks as about freedom from accusation and manipulation and that our court upheld the law.

And then our governor did a thing. He underhandedly reinstituted the mask mandate on a Saturday night just before a new liberal judge was stepping into the WI supreme court. And I knew I had to write a letter to the elders of my church who would be sending anther email to the congregation. I prayed for them to see that the resistance some have to masks is not resisting an inconvenience, but from holding a conviction.

I Was Heard

I received a reply that part of my letter was read at the elder’s meeting. The wording was changed in the forthcoming email to include freedom to have a different conviction. This relieved me much in my desire to honor those in authority over us, while staying true to my convictions before God.

Further Understanding & Depth Of Insight

Then came the killing of George Flloyd and the uprising of even greater division in our world. And more questions: What is CRT? Who is BLM? How has Marxism come to permeate much of the mind of America?

Daily, people sent me videos in my private messages looking for clarity themselves. I researched. I bought and read books like this and this and this. (Former from my church library)

It was in Marx and Satan where I first learned that the greek word for worship is proskyneö

Prosco means to bow low.

Kyneö means to kiss.

The author, Richard Wurmbrand, a man persecuted by Communists in Romania had a vested interest in understanding the spirit of the age and the satanic religion of Karl Marx. He shared one story revealing that communists targeted believers as they exited the house of worship where they’d fellowhshipped with God.

I suddenly understood the intimacy of our worship gathering on a whole new level. And how the devil hates it.

Additionally, I knew that upon salvation the veil is lifted from our face. (2 Corinthians 3:16-18) And our faces are meant to reflect God’s glory.

God’s very name in Hebrew, YHWH, sounds like breath. Worshipping the One who breathed life into us is a sacred union. I’m not sure we understand just how holy the assembly of believers is to God.

After the prayer God led me to pray in March of 2020, the processing of what I understood masks to be, and then reading about worship being a place where we “kiss” God, my convictions became more deeply rooted.

God's Heavy Use Of Signs & Symbols

It’s not popular in an age of “believe the science” to look at current events to discern what message God might be conveying. But I am continually on the lookout for what He might be saying to His Bride.

If you are even remotely acquainted with the Bible, you know God spoke not only through the prophet’s mouth, but through signs and symbolic acts. Jeremiah had specific instructions about underwear. (Jeremiah 13:1-11) Hosea married a prostitute. Ezekiel had to draw Jerusalem on a clay tablet and lay siege to it, then lay on his sides, each for 390 days. (Ezekiel 4:1-13)

God often speaks through the meaning of names. He speaks through dreams and visions. He speaks in so many ways, saying what He will say to those He speaks to . . . and to those who incline their ear to His voice.

Here are my notes in Nehemiah in August of 2020: Notice the names of the governors seeking to oppose God’s work: Sanballat’s name means “sin (moon god) is life” and Tobiah’s name means “The Lord is good” . . . clearly their partnership was anti-God in nature. I also noted the importance of the King having opportunity to see Nehemiah’s face and how it was part of moving God’s plan into place.

I believe that watching for His message and watching to see what He is doing is what He meant in His exhortations to “watch and pray”. (Matthew 24:42; Acts 20:31; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:6; 1 Peter 5:8)

I also have come to believe largely that masks are a sign of subordination to the spirit of the age which seeks to diminish God’s glory through His image-bearers, to suffocate YHWH, and to shut the mouths of the prophets (see John 10:10; 1 Peter 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16), to bind people in fear, and to divide us through stifling our communication which is the core of Christian unity and oneness. This graphic I found on the internet explains a bit more:

Come Near, Do Not Fear, You Are Dear

What God is always ultimately after . . . in whatever ways we are being tested and tried . . . is our worship and our trust and our devotion. Scripture is loaded with stories of pressure and testing which caused the hearts of the people to reveal where they placed their trust. Not to condemn, but to reconcile through repentance and faith.

God is always asking the question of every soul: “Are you here putting your confidence in man or in Me?”

God is constantly speaking through His word, His creation, His people, and through signs and symbols . . . “Come to Me. Come closer. Listen. Watch and pray. Seek Me. I came for you, died for you, and everything is meant to draw you Me. I want you to put your trust in Me. I love you.” This is the reason we must know Him and be known by Him, that we can know His voice and discern His will. (See Romans 12:2)

How To Check Our Hearts For Idolatry

I’ve found these questions to be beneficial:

What makes me angry? What is the root or reason for the anger?
Am I being manipulative of other people?
Where am I struggling to hold on and keep control?
What am I afraid of losing?
Am I resting and trusting in God to meet my needs for peace, happiness, safety, health, reputation, etc?

So, Be Free & Free Others to Be

All who follow Jesus are free to follow Him wherever He leads and to serve Him without fear. We are ministers of reconciliation. It all starts with God and culminates with Him. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last.

Are you watching? Are you praying? What is He saying to YOU today? Do you trust Him alone?

He wants you and He wants you to want Him.

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An old Chris Tomlin song sums it up: ENOUGH— All of you is more than enough for all of me For every thirst and every need You satisfy me with Your love And all I have in You is more than enough You are my supply My breath of life And still more awesome than I know You are my reward worth living for And still more awesome than I know All of you is more than enough for all of me For every thirst and every need You satisfy me with Your love And all I have in You is more than enough You’re my sacrifice Of greatest price And still more awesome than I know You’re my coming King You are everything And still more awesome than I know More than all I want More than all I need You are more than enough for me More than all I know More than all I can say You are more than enough for me
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Keep praying until you see the answer or believe the answer. Otherwise you might never see it. “Prayer is not only a calling upon God, but also a conflict with Satan.” ~Lottie Cowman Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12
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Recently, I’d asked a question in my frustration with not having received an answer to a question posed twice in my large family text thread. (It had been five days of silence.) The first sister to respond, after giving her valid answer, tacked on a reprimand with the words, “It would be nice if we assumed positive intent.” While I was not assuming negative intent, I just wanted an answer, I thought they were some of the wisest words and worthy of deeper consideration. The reality that we assume at all—and often—and the reality that our assumptions tend to lean toward negative are also worthy of our acknowledgement. Lord, help us! And then there’s the matter of ignoring texts. I’d like to talk about that—because from my end, it feels rude. I also admit I am occasionally guilty, because if a text comes in when I can’t answer it, I’m prone to forget about it—this is a problem. Where am I going with all this? I don’t really have an answer, maybe you do—but the two we came up with in our family: 1. We all need to offer grace (and we all need it). 2. We need to pick up the phone and call more. And, if we must assume, may we assume positive intent. Finally, the reason I thought about my sister’s wise words this morning is because I read Psalm 105:16-22— When he (God) summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread, he had sent a 💫man ahead of them, 💫Joseph, who was sold as a slave. 💫His feet were hurt with fetters; 💫his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what 💫he had said came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him. — Psalm 105:16-19 Most people assume Joseph was arrogant when he told his brothers and his father his dreams—I’ve always resisted that idea. He told the dreams because he was given the dreams as a prophecy. (They actually exhibited more arrogance in their indignation!) I see this validated in verse 19–he wasn’t being arrogant, he was a kid with a dream. His telling of it would validate God’s plan when the dream came true—what a moment that was!! It’s best not to assume at all, but if we must … remember 1 Corinthians 13 love … offers grace, honors others, is not rude … keeps no record of wrong …
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Soli Deo Gloria Academy of Ballet backstage recital 2024
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Soli Deo Gloria rehearsal 2024 🤩
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Had to stop at Ethan’s on our way to get mulch. Mama was planting the garden. Dad was planting trees. I didn’t have my garden gloves . . . but I saw this field of yellow . . . and I consulted Google to find out “how to” . . . and so we learned. 🌼 🌼🌼🌼🌼 When life gives you dandelions, you must make crowns.
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Ruth— One of my most favorite stories. In chapter one we read of Naomi’s husband taking his family away from the Lord. He sought relief from the drought in Bethlehem among pagans. [Have you run away from God’s discipline and found yourself in a worse place?] He and his two sons died. Ten years in, Naomi hears the drought has ended and decides to move back to Bethlehem. Her two widowed daughter-in-laws start back with her. As she goes, she thinks, “I got nothing for these ladies, I should send them back.” After both women weep and initially resist, she reasons with them further, “Go, I got nothing for you!” — Oprah returns to Moab, but Ruth is determined to move toward God. “Your God will be my God!” —a resolute declaration of intention to go toward God. Upon her return, the town is stirred and Naomi states her perception of her plight. “I was Naomi—pleasant—but now I’m Mara—bitter—I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty.” Those who know how the story ends are smiling inside as we know nothing could be further from the truth. And actually, the opposite is true. This is the most beautiful story—and I will leave you with this cliffhanger. Go read the book of Ruth—it’s living proof that anyone who moves TOWARD the LORD moves TOWARD divine and glorious LOVE and the “immeasurably MORE than all we can imagine”. And it is a daily turning we must do—so prone to having Naomi’s lack of insight to God’s heart. Turn today! Turning is learning. Daily turning toward God is daily learning His love. Turn away and you turn toward dark. Turn toward Him and you find a fierce embrace—so strong you won’t ever fall away if you just keep turning toward Him.
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Photos from yesterday’s rehearsal. 🩰💐
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You may have heard me talk about my sweetest bestest friend Holly and her ballet academy @kararballetacademy and you might remember I mentored her daughter Elizabeth @herdandbloom in youth group and you may remember me posting a video or two of their amazing ballet and choreography and costuming artistry over the years … but maybe you didn’t know Holly moved away and the academy up here went into the very capable hands of Wendy @wendd43 … and this past year I’ve had the joy of bringing my granddaughter Ona to learn from Holly’s former students. And today, to my great JOY we all were together for the Soli Deo Gloria Ballet Academy spring recital! 💐🩰 My heart is full! 💕
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Trees behind everything. A tree in a garden. A tree—dead tree on a hill. A tree beside water, its leaf does not wither. The backdrop of the seasons and of the Chapters. What will become of us? Without God ruling – there is always chaos – violations of humanity against humanity. Want and War. Underneath the rule of God – loving service. Peace and Plenty. Out from underneath God – selfish destruction. Self service devastates the earth. Serving God blesses the earth. O, the reality of the beauty of the earth God made and the Way He gave! And the beauty of stewarding the Earth his way, under his Lordship—all is well. Out from under it—all turns to chaos. It’s never predominantly political. It’s always spiritual first, then political. We will only ever see order and goodness rule when we seek God’s rule. “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand,” Jesus said. And that is His story.
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Sometimes we don’t advance or grow or do the thing we long to do because we get comfortable with something—but that something is in the way. Maybe your morning or evening routine is wasted on scrolling the socials … and those hours could be reclaimed for the thing you always want to do but don’t have time for. (Ask me how I know!) I have so many unread books and an unpublished, almost-finished Bible Study. This is my challenge to myself: USE your TIME wisely!
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Memories.
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There is God. God is good. There is a devil. The devil is bad. Ephesians six tells us our battle is not against each other, but against the powers of darkness influencing the earth (and her inhabitants) … so, if we remember this when we experience: CONFLICT … BITTER FEELINGS … INSECURITY … FEAR … ANGER … in our relationships—we will grant grace to others and to ourself and we will move toward one ➡️another⬅️ instead of ⬅️away➡️. We will honor one another 👑instead of scorn.😤 We will affirm one another 🫅🏼🫅🏽🫅🏻instead of criticize. We will free one another ✌🏼instead of condemn. 🫵🏻 Humility blesses humanity. Arrogance is a curse.
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In Judges 6-10 God appears to Gideon and gives us a spectacular story of using one man and a tiny bit of faith to lead a tiny army to deliver the nation of Israel from oppressive Midian. Because God chose Gideon, and God was with Gideon, the nation was at peace. But, alas, Gideon not only cast an ephod out of gold which became an idol for the nation, he also had many wives and one concubine from Shechem who bore a son, Abimelech. After Gideon dies, Abimelech’s mother incites him to kill all of Gideon’s other sons (70!)—but one escaped who prophesied what ultimately happened (9:20). Abimelech destroys the entire city of his mother and gets killed doing it. Every wise decision a leader makes has a blessed impact. Every sinful decision a leader makes has a negative impact. Decisions are seeds. We will reap what we sow. Everyone is a leader, even if only of the self. What is really beautiful in this sobering reality, is that whenever we turn to God—whatever bad seeds we’ve sown, whether from willful rebellion or ignorance, He will come in and redeem and restore and renew and rebuild what we’ve messed up. And that, my friends, is the reason Jesus is the (only) HOPE of the nations and the cities and the families and you! Lord Jesus, direct my steps today. Lead me in Your way that I will be a blessing. Amen.
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Isn’t our church pretty? My friend Holly draped the ceiling. I love that I am reminded of her artistry every Sunday since she had to move away. 💕 @hutchensholly @kararlady This is the Home School Co-op Spring Showcase. I’m so proud of the families that have worked so hard to make this happen—and I’m so blessed by those who’ve taught classes and who’ve blessed this community immensely. We have over THIRTY families and many on a wait list! I love that my three grandchildren are memorizing scripture together and when Ona forgets what she remembers—(as an old lady who sometimes forgets)—I feel less old (or more young!) and she gets to be an example of being “OK” when you’re not perfectly performing … then Anna came to her rescue … and this is what life is meant to be. GRACE! TOGETHER! Sowing and growing.
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He is holy! What does this mean and why does the idea of holiness conjure up negativity in many minds? As I read Psalm 99 today—the answer popped off the page! Imagine having been created by something less than holy love. Oh! You can’t! Why would anything less than perfect love create other beings to befriend himself? Nothing less than a Holy God would care to SHARE life! The Psalm highlights His power, majesty, love of justice and that He establishes equity. He answers us when we call! He cares enough to speak! He gave us His word! And when we rejected His love and were cut off from Him— He gave us His Son! He is merciful! He is gracious! He is faithful! He is steadfast in love! He never changes! And this is the REASON we worship the LORD with gladness: He is worthy! The only reason we would reject holiness is we still tend to doubt God’s love. The serpent still hisses in our ears: “He is not surely good.” And we still believe the serpent over a holy God. This is just stupid.
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Week’s Recap— 🌷Spring sprung. 🎖️Awards were given at Trail Life. 🗺️Bennett taught a class on map making at Sparrows Home School Co-op. (Lincoln’s sea creature is impressive!!) 🤾🏽Oliver and Parker in phy-ed.
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In the book of Judges, Israel kept falling into slavery and oppression because of their idolatry—until they cried out to the Lord—then God would raise up a Judge to deliver them. Judges 4-5 is the story of Deborah, a prophetess who was trusted by the people of Israel for her wisdom through her connection to God. (They were tight! 🤞🏽) One day she was summoned by God to summon the armies of Zebulun and Naphtali to take down the fierce oppressor, Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army (Jabin was king of Canaan who had oppressed Israel 20 years) of 900 chariots of iron. Through the willing (humble and trusting) army, the LORD of hosts took out the enemy. Sisera escaped and took shelter in the tent of a brave woman named Jael (courageous and faithful) who drove a tent peg through his temple while he was sleeping. The story ends with: “The land had peace for 40 years.” Because one woman had a relationship with the God of Angel armies, had influence because of her proven faithfulness and wisdom, and another woman had the guts to take out the head. 💥
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About Jesus, Dorothy Sayers writes that “the common people ‘heard him gladly’ but our leading authorities in Church and state considered that he talked too much and uttered too many disconcerting truths. So we bribed one of his friends to hand him over quietly to the police, and we tried him on a rather vague charge of creating disturbance, and had him publicly flogged and hanged … ‘thanking God we were rid of a knave.’ All this was not very creditable to us, even if he was (as many people thought and think) only a harmless crazy preacher. But if the Church was right about him, it was more discreditable still; for the man we hanged was God Almighty.” 💥 Yes, Lent and Easter is past, but the need for the story to be told and heard and understood is more imminent than ever. Do we love this broken world with its messy people and systems so much that we won’t spend time to consider the ancient story? What does it have to do with us? Why is it such a lasting, impactful story for so many? What effects has it had on history? Yes, his people are messy … yes, he is misrepresented by humans. But that’s largely due to the fact that people’s devotion is weak—we are prone to sleeping in the garden—and sleepy saints are not great representatives of the fire of Heaven. 💥 Sayers goes on to say, “‘[Jesus] had a daily beauty in his life that made us ugly,’ and officialdom felt that the established order of things would be more secure without him. So they did away with God in the name of peace and quietness.” 💥 May the same not be true for me and you. The Day of His return is coming. May we be found abiding in Him.
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Just a few captures of our niece @emily_leroux (and one of my sister @lerouxvv and her girl @jo_kriv ) from the shower today. 🤍 here comes the bride!! Can’t wait for the wedding!!!
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Weekending with grands. Dale took the big boys on a hike with Trail Life today. Tonight we had a fire and s’mores. Yesterday: When Granny slips out of the room for one minute, Oliver nabs her camera for slo-mo shenanigans.
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Sometimes looking up a word leads to greater clarification of what is being said. I think this is a good word for us all. #seekwisdom #dontbeinsolent #speakwisdom #bewise
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Grands … 🥰 And a PSA— I was set to get myself a bouquet of daffodils from the ditch after ballet. We learned a hard lesson last night—daffodils aren’t as innocent as they look. ☠️ While we were cutting, I let Max hold one. He basically destroyed the stem. Later he was crying from pain on his forearms that were turning red. After deliberating what might’ve caused the reaction, we looked up the daffodils and found this: “The bulb also contains chemicals called oxalates, which are microscopic and needle-like. When swallowed, oxalates cause severe burning and irritation of the lips, tongue, and throat. They can also cause skin irritation.” Since there was literal sap dripping from the stems, we realized they’re pulling much from the bulbs right now. Fortunately a bath and aloe applied to his skin took care of it. Also, Oliver doesn’t like smiling for photos. 🧐
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When we believe Jesus over our fears, we walk by faith, not by sight. Getting free does not mean never feeling fear. It means we RESPOND to fear with WISDOM in turning to Jesus, rather than REACTING from our own flawed understanding. When we walk by faith, we pursue; we do not retreat. When we walk by faith, we sow love by believing what is true of us; we do not fight. When we walk by faith, we glorify Jesus and will be rewarded in heaven. If we live by excises and allow our fears to hold us back, we lose ground that God means for us to take for our heavenly inheritance. Sit with Jesus and assess your heart. Ask Him to reveal the root of your fear and help you step out in courage to walk by faith. #buckyourfears #walkbyfaith #walkbyfaithnotbysight #heavenlyinheritance
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The Lord is good and His girls are gifts … and friends are friends forever if the Lord is the Lord of them … and these three amigos took a road trip down to see Mama Mary Ellen in Oklahoma …and also our dear friend Grace and her daughter and her grands … and we are Family …… I got all my sisters and me. And snacks and tales, memories and circus peanuts 😉😉😉 … and bouquets of love (and copious amounts of coffee) and hope and laughter and tears and Psalms … and singing hymns together … and His eye is on the sparrow … and we know He watches over His girls. 💕
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😭❤️‍🩹❤️🪴🙌🏼
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Jesus told the fishermen that followed Him—from the time they turned away from their former life—that they’d, from then on, be fishing for men. This is half the Kingdom mission. The other half is to teach them to obey everything He commands. The soul who “takes the bait” of Jesus, the word of God, is the soul that wins. When you shine your light and obey Jesus, you win souls who win! What do we all win? Him! Heaven! Home!
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Things you see in the country. Amos with a remote as a phone. Lincoln with the baby goat. …and a pretty rooster.
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Every morning when the sun rises, every day light dawns on me. When I look up at the sky, view the stars in the dark, watch the moon travel. The spring brings bursting buds and the birds and the song of rejoicing. Summer’s gifts, body’s bounty, on into fall with her bread and beauty. Alas, the rest of winter, we retreat to warmth of fire, wrapped up in wool in the wait. On we go into the day of seeing faces, friends and fools. Days filled with words, wondering and waiting, sometimes warring and warning, making and mending, seeking and sending our children out the door. And when my eyes meet the eyes of a baby, again and mostly then, I see God.
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HOPE The expectation that God is bringing new life from the cold-dark, and the certainty that nothing can stop Him.
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What now? We celebrated His death, we no longer need hide. Blessed resurrection, the gift to His Bride. Where does that leave us in yesterday’s wake? What will we now make of our life for his sake? Do we keep on with our empty pursuit? Will we ignore the offered new Root? Or will we see that the seed must die? And will we live for the One in the sky? Will we carry on His mission in this, His Earth? Will we receive His free gift of blessed New Birth? Will we receive His Spirit and live in His light? Or will we ignore Him and stay in the night? This is the question on this new Monday. Will we submit to God and live in His way? Are you defending and boasting and trusting yourself? Or, are you living true love with Jesus‘s help? So cast aside pride and bitterness and death; give Him your life; live in light of God‘s breath. Every word that he breathes is a love letter to you. Read and believe and tell God, “Yes.” And, “I do.” #JesusistheWay #wholeandfree #wholeandfreepodcast #bornagain #holyspirit #dietolive #trulylove #repentofpride
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A few of our crew. 🪴💐🪺 🐣 …when your daughter buys her husband and her father matching shirts for Easter …
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“Our disappointments, our lonelinesses and our defeats do not separate us from Him; they draw us more deeply into communion with Him. … In Him the despair that oppresses us becomes free to hope. … Beneath the cross of Christ hope is born again out of the depths.” ~Jürgen Moltmann
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This baby goat was rejected by its mother. When that happens, the baby must be bottle fed. Therefore he was brought to our Easter gathering last Sunday so he could be kept alive. Our sermon on Palm Sunday (the day we celebrated Easter) was about the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament and how it pointed to the cross of Christ. In Leviticus we read of the two goats offered on the Day of Atonement. One would be chosen as a sacrifice, the other, often known as a scapegoat, would have all Israel’s sins from the prior year imparted to it by the high priest laying his hands in its head and banishing it to the wilderness of Azazel—implying the sin was banished to the place of demons and death and the nation could continue in their relationship with God. In the story of the crucifixion of Christ, the high priest, Caiaphas, sent Jesus to Pilate who would send him to the cross. Jesus became the two goats. He became sin … He willingly took our sin upon Himself … was crucified on the hill of the skull … was banished to the wilderness of death … he banished our sins to the place of demons and death. He REMOVED our transgressions so we could be MADE WHOLE and SET FREE to become His Holy Family!! This is the reason today is GOOD Friday. His death is our liberation. Praise Him!
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It’s good to stop doing what you think you should do to do what you want to do. When we value performance and production over pleasure, we lack peace. ☀️Take a walk. ❄️Go snowshoeing. ☕️Visit a friend. 😁Sometimes simply smiling in the midst of a dark mood will swing your day toward the sunlight. #wholeandfree #wholeandfreepodcast #peace #takeabreak
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"I’m no longer ashamed that I am a big feeler. After a long time of feeling inferior for owning this burden, I came to terms with having been wired that way. One day a friend outright said, “Kathy, you don’t have to apologize for feeling deeply, God made you that way!” Immediately my mind shifted from shame to acceptance of my “weaker” self and I will love Diana Anderson forever for that service to my soul. Thank you, friend! (I wonder why we see feelings as weakness when feelings are part of our human make-up!)" [Read more on my Substack: Link in profile]
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Happy Sunday! Let’s fill the earth with praise! 🙌🏼 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love. — Psalm 33:18 To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song. May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him! — Psalm 67:1-7
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Thoughts on seeing (or not seeing)— Reading Luke’s gospel, I’m watching the religious leaders watching Jesus. They watch with an eye to destroy him. He does mighty miraculous works—the good things of restoring shriveled hands, healing men from leprosy, casting out demons and most importantly, freeing the captives from being dominated by sin and subject to death (ultimate separation from God) and they hate him. They seethe with fury. They seek to trap him. They are so blind to reality because of their pride. Too proud to acknowledge what they’re seeing is a better way. A powerful way. A glorious way. The right way. At once I see the whole world minus those who truly see Jesus for who he is—cannot really see. Cannot really see him as he is. Unless Jesus opens our eyes, we cannot see the obvious about Jesus—or about much of anything for that matter. He must pull back the veil. Seek Jesus and truly see.
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We need wise leaders. We need wise parents. Last week I posted on the importance of discipline. It’s essential to this life and the next. I believe our society and the church is suffering greatly from failure to discipline. Just like the Israelites that whined in the desert lost their lives, so are we (generally speaking)—losing for being so squishy with ourselves. Why do we understand this when it comes to winning in sports and making big bucks, but failing when it comes to developing character and self-sacrifice and integrity? Our priorities reveal what we worship. Fear God and you have nothing to fear. Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.
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Every Day. Everyday experience is learning. Every moment matters. Make the most of moments. 🩷🩷🩷
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They talked grandpa into making a fire. S’mores FTW!
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Jesus. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:21
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It’s not hard to see— He’s all fun and funny and charming personality. Or how in-demand he is, and why. (Pictures—worth a thousand words 😉and sorry, Caitlin, for using “that one” but, it’s so funny!) 😆 It’s such a joy to see my son grow into a man of integrity, a faith-filled faithful husband and father, who works hard to keep his priorities and balance life’s demands with nurturing his marriage and raising his children to love the Lord. Happy Birthday Ethan @dadbod_810 I love you!
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It’s quite amazing—freedom and life are synonymous. Let Him who is life (the way, the truth, the life, the light) rule your heart and you’ll be alive and free, eternally. 💜
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The Bible is, among many wonderful things, an invitation to seek and find. Reading the Word, like looking for the words … I just had to share this bit of light over here from today’s reading of my One Year Bible plan. God is so amazing!! How I love His word—and most especially the first two chapters of Luke!! Luke 2:36-52 After the glorious blessing by Simeon … we read one tiny paragraph about one tiny powerful prophet—Anna, faithful, devoted, and in tune with the Holy Spirit. I just think it’s so cool that there was a papa-prophet and a mama-prophet to speak the confirming truth over the baby-prophet. 🕊 Then, we see the boy, Jesus, lingering with the teachers, asking questions, seeking and growing in wisdom. He who was the Word at the beginning, the Wisdom that was there when the world was made, learns of Himself through the mouths of human teachers. He is like the earth that drinks the rain that comes from the clouds which have received their fullness from the earth.
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Thots and things— On the crucifixion. Illumination from “The Unseen Realm” by Michael S. Heiser (get this book!) Planters springed up at church. C.S. Lewis quote on repentance.
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Afternoon. While Dale collects sap (his new love), I read in the Jeep. Aaah, this refreshing air. The sound of silence between creaking trees. #naturetherapy #earlyspring2024
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A Mikhtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by. I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me. He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me. Selah. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth. — Psalm 57:1-3 🕊 Psalm 57 … I think I’ll tuck myself under Your wing again, Lord … I’ll feel your love … hear your kind-strong heart beat love. Oh, the consolation of Your nearness … the comfort of Your faithfulness to me. I remember. I remember all the ways You’ve been so good. You made my blind eyes see in the light of Your love. You surgically removed my self-reliance and tended the fear-fissure of my once hard and tender heart. You’ve heard my cries a hundred thousand times and You made my trembling heart … find rest. What miracles are these!?! It’s You! My Prince of Peace. It’s Your steadfast love that sustains me in this rugged-wild land—this world full of devils and dis-ease. I can be at ease? Oh, yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! For on that resurrection Day! You did it! You won my VICTORY!
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Spring 2024 The pond is nearly empty after a mostly snowless winter. These charming dilapidated structures have history. And history has meaning. People dreamed, decided, and did some stuff. I will be going to the house of mourning for the third time this year on Saturday. I also have a person close to me who has been entangled and has been entangling others (reminding me that ALL of our decisions have an impact!) by making costly decisions. It has been a very sobering year so far. It’s difficult to scroll the socials, watching people in their various pursuits (home reno, business building, political activity, etc) when I’ve been this close to death and to the cost of deception. Life on the surface of earth feels trivial—even though I’d rather dwell there, I’ve been forced into the deep. It’s also Lent—a time to focus on the reason for Jesus—HE CAME TO SET THE PRISONERS FREE from the self-destruction of our sin. He came to offer peace and joy and hope and freedom. And today, even in an impending earthly drought, a looming election, a staggering amount of gloomy stories—Jesus—His life, death and resurrection are all that matters. He alone is HOPE! Hope for Heaven instead of hell upon death. Hope for freedom for the prisoners from their bondage to sin. Hope for those left in the ashes of death or groping in the wake of another’s sin. Knowing Him who is our King of kings and Prince of peace and Savior from sin is assurance of GOOD coming from whatever difficulty or destruction or even death that He allows on the surface of earth. Do you know Him?
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In a garden, Jesus knelt in agony to pray. In this tension: Human impossibility combined with Divine infallibility— At once CLASHED in the soul of the God-Man in the Garden. And after surrendering his will to the will of the Father, Jesus stood up, courageous, knowing what he was walking toward. The blood of sweat spilled before the Lamb was killed. “Why?” Pilate asked when the crowd released a criminal and cried “CRUCIFY!” of the innocent. Why? Why did He have to die?
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Dreamy March day.
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Trouble? Are you having a hard time hanging in there? We see him on the cross, staying, every moment. When He has all power and authority but chose not to use it— And all the moments between Gethsemane and Golgotha—He stayed the course. This God of love who CAME DOWN so we could be raised up! Such love …
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Who is Jesus? Who is Jesus and why do Americans celebrate Easter if they don’t seek an answer to this question?! Kahlil Gibran illumines the way that many look at Jesus on Easter and then go on their merry way without being impacted. Most people think He is weak, a victim. Or they don’t think at all. He writes: “The Nazarene was not weak! He was strong and is strong! But people refuse to heed the true meaning of strength. Jesus never lived a life of fear, nor did he die complaining. He lived as a leader; he was crucified as a crusader; he died with a strength that frightened his killers and tormentors. Jesus was not a bird with broken wings. He was a raging tempest who broke all crooked wings. He feared not his persecutors nor his enemies. Free and brave and daring he was. He defied all despots and oppressors. He saw the contagious pustules and amputated them. He muted Evil and he crushed Falsehood and he choked Treachery.” ~Kahlil Gibran; The Crucified, entry 23 in Bread and Wine by Plough Publishing 📸 of a Sunday school class I taught —to women seeking to know Him who made us and loves us and died to redeem us. ✝️
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Why? Why did they? Why did we? Why did I crucify innocent Jesus? And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows. — Mark 14:65 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” — John 3:19-20 “Innocence accuses its accusers,” writes Walter Wangerin Jr. And just prior to that statement, “True goodness accuses true evil; the better the good one, the worse the bad one, and the more outraged for being shown so. To sinners, the mere presence of goodness can feel like an attack. It triggers guilt. Guilt hurts. Guilt forces us to notice ourselves, thereby to question and to second-guess ourselves; and such an internal process destroys the joy of an unconscious life. We are altogether too conscious, suddenly —too self-aware. Doubt destroys the thoughtless satisfactions. So: who provoked such complications and pain? Him we hate! Goodness is a spotlight. It shines on our shame, our filth, our deformities; it picks out the parts we hide from the world and even from ourselves. We will strike at that light. We’ll haul it into court, discredit it, and smash it in order to put it out. We’ll spit on it and belittle it. We’ll blindfold it, hit it, and ask it to prophesy—all to prove what a fraud this “prophet” is! (And to dehumanize him! Get it?) Where patience shines, impatience is revealed and hates the attention. Kindness shows unkindness to be hideous. True joy intensifies true bitterness; gentleness enrages belligerence; and self-control proves the pig to be nothing but a pig.” ~Walter Wangerin Jr. 🌟 The prodigal son came to himself in a pigpen. Then, he decided to run home to the Father and the Father threw him a party! Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame of it for the JOY of accomplishing our redemption. He is the LIVING HOPE for everyone who runs home to Him! Blessed are the unclean when we run Home to be bathed in Jesus! MERCY!
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beauty To you, we are drawn. You allure the eye to drink deep, the ear to listen, intent—and both land in the heart that considers, ponders, meditates upon what it sees and hears and delights in. The Creator reveals His heart through His creation. Wonder and mystery; the music of Heaven, given. The Word put on flesh and dwelt among us, He is the exact representation of the Creator—the Father who spoke it all to LIFE. And if He who did not spare His only Son, but gave Him up for us all … will not He who gave all—the sun and moon and stars, fields of bread, vines for wine, sunsets for love, oceans for wonder, mountains for awe, humans to co-create the arts of wonder with Him … will not He give us everything we need? Oh, man of dust who thrives on breath from Heaven—we can trust. Trust Him who lives among us, Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, Ruler of the Universe—He calls out with beauty, “Come, take your rest in my love. Enjoy Me. Live free from anxiety. Lift your eyes, incline your ear, let Peace rule your heart.” It’s hard. Hard for humans to “let” when we so desire love and are imprisoned by fear of not being, compelled to grab, compete, fight or flight. But the offer is in the continual call of beauty: LOVE … see and hear and understand … God. He is all the love you and I need. And when we are satisfied in Him, He pours through us, and earth is filled, not with war, but hearts ruled by Peace.
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The Set Apart Conference 2022 🩷
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Discern We live in a day of devaluing discipline which results in enabling. And enabling is not love. Enabling fails to move people to be productive, responsible citizens which erodes everyone’s quality of life. (Have you noticed this fallout?) We want to alleviate pain and hardship, which is a good desire, but the desire requires using wisdom. Ask, “Will my alleviating this pain help this person UP to be more? Or might it foster lazy dependence and ‘drain you to the dregs’?” Here’s the thing: we think we are saviors, but that’s self-worship. Every decision we make that makes us the savior PREVENTS people from depending on the only REAL SAVIOR: JESUS. You are not the savior! Don’t let your human love get in the way of people finding out that they need Jesus. Don’t be a pain-shield. Be a pain-steward.
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TRIAL— And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows. — Mark 14:60-65 The weight of darkness suffocates me when I feel it—You too, Jesus, until You prayed in Gethsemmane— “Take this cup of wrath, Father. Yet, not my will, Yours.” Dear God, Your wrath is to be feared more than theirs—and theirs is like cast iron on my chest. Thank You for saving me, Jesus. ❤️
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The Global Church is gathering on March 1, 2025, and I’m going to be there (hosting a gathering)! Christians from every nation will join together in prayer, worship, repentance, and commissioning. This is a gathering like never before. I hope you’ll join me at @Gather25 (For more info see Gather25.com)
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We cozied things up at church tonight at our Winter Refresher … it was delightful!! Food•Laughter•Conversation•Message by @JennieAllen “Find Your People”•questions for a panel of Seasoned Sisters •Games•Watercoloring•Snacks👌🏼🤩 We have found that @emilylexstudio watercolor guides are a PRIME activity for engaging hand and heart and conversation.
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Why? We must consider this question about Jesus’s death on the cross which stands as the marker of TIME. All our counting of our years centers on Him. Barbara Brown Taylor writes: “THERE ARE MANY WAYS to tell the story of what happened on Good Friday. According to John, it involved a collusion between religion and politics. While Pilate and the chief priests conspired to solve their mutual problem while managing to remain enemies, Jesus stood at the center of the stage like a mirror in which all those around him saw themselves clearly for who they were. One way we Christians have avoided seeing our own reflections in the mirror is to pretend that this is a story about Romans and Jews. As long as they remain the villains, then we are off the hook - or so we think. Unfortunately, this is not a story that happened long ago in a land far away. Sons and daughters of God are killed in every generation. They have been killed in holy wars and inquisitions, concentration camps and prison cells. They have been killed in Cape Town, Memphis, El Salvador and Alabama. The charges against them have run the gamut, but treason and blasphemy have headed the list, just as they did for Jesus. He upset those in charge at the courthouse and the temple. He suggested they were not doing their jobs. He offered himself as a mirror they could see themselves in, and they were so appalled by what they saw that they smashed it. They smashed him every way they could. One of the many things this story (of the cross) tells us is that Jesus was not brought down by atheism and anarchy. He was brought down by law and order allied with religion, which is always a deadly mix. Beware those who claim to know the mind of God and who are prepared to use force, if necessary, to make others conform. Beware those who cannot tell God’s will from their own.” ~Barbara Brown Taylor
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Concrete Hard, Dark Blind & Dead God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, They say. By asking him to yield his way. “Obey” He could have chosen the other way: To submit to God To serve God’s say. But hearts of stone are blind, you see. And hearts unborn are bound, not free. His will was set. His way, he thought best. He resisted God, And you know the rest. He and his soldiers, drown in the sea. His nation impoverished; Hard hearts cannot free. Moses was the sayer back In Pharaoh’s day. Now Jesus is here to show us God’s grace. “I will give you a new heart, one that is free! I will take your hard heart, give it to Me!” I’ll put My Spirit inside of you, Then you’ll do what you cannot do. Kill your dark pride. Surrender to Me. Drink in My grace and you will be free! And this is the way of the cross; it is hard. But the pain of surrender leads to joy in the heart. Beauty and vision and attachment to God. Hope, joy and peace forever with God. #LentenMeditations #poetry
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Why? Fleming Rutledge writes, “When you reflect upon Jesus Christ, hanging on the cross of shame, you understand the depth and weight of human sin. How do we measure the size of a fire? By the number of firefighters and fire engines sent to fight against it. How do we measure the seriousness of a medical condition? By the amount of risk the doctors take in prescribing dangerous antibiotics or surgical procedures. How do we measure the gravity of sin and the incomparable vastness of God‘s love for us? by looking at the magnitude of what God has done for us in Jesus, who became like a common criminal for our sake, and in our place. When you really come to know, the unconditional love and forgiveness of Jesus, then you will also come to know the depth of your own participation in sin. And at that very same moment (this is the glory of Good Friday) you will come to know the true reality, the true true joy, and gladness, of the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, our Lord.” Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
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Just couldn’t stop. #cuernavacasunrise
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Why the cross? Why do we celebrate Jesus and Easter? J. Heinrich Arnold sums up the reason in Bread and Wine; readings for Lent and Easter, maybe the most powerful answer to the whys and whats of all time: “Christ died on the cross to break the curse of evil and vanquish it once and for all. If we do not believe in the power of evil, we cannot comprehend this. Until we realize that the main reason for his coming to earth was to do this on our behalf - to free us from the powers of darkness - we will never fully understand our need for the cross. We can search the whole world, but we will find forgiveness of sins and freedom from torment nowhere except at the cross.” ~J. Heinrich Arnold
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Elements of beauty from Cuernavaca.
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Home.
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Bus ride to Mexico City with a sunrise. 🇲🇽
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Final workday. Hung the sign! Malegro de Vida Miracle Of Hope Children’s Home Cuernavaca, Mexico ❤️ Some of the ladies who heard my message on Wednesday brought us a yummy cake. 🍰 Gary with some of the children. Dale and Travis built the cabinets. Yours truly stained and polyurethaned them. Look at those two satisfied cabinet makers. Finally, a video of the children’s play area(!!) What a week!! •Curtain rods and curtains hung. •Doors painted and trimmed upstairs. •Kitchen cabinets built, installed and finished. •So much concrete poured!! •Three bathrooms painted. •Swing set built. •Children’s playground up. •Yard cleaned, gravel, black dirt, and grass seed spread.
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Familia. The Team. We were gifted a dinner at this lovely restaurant yesterday, which hosts a Sunday men’s gathering. Pastor Randy spoke at their gathering on Sunday morning.
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Day 3 Sunrise out my window. Ladies gathering … I gave a message about holding the Hand that holds you. Back at “the ranch” … The playground is coming along. The guys building it tell me they want a lounger up there for the view. Betty and crew making us a most delicious Mexican meal. Men on the concrete crew. Unfortunately the cement mixer crashed (in seeking to restart it, the pull-cord broke!) so they finished by HAND! Annalea helped flute the edges of the homemade tortillas.
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Day 2.2 Bunch of Dudes doing stuff. Or not. 😉 (It’s hot!)
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Day 2 Morning. Blackie. Children’s play area. Outdoor laundry. Children’s play area. Ready for school. Black dirt. Children’s play area. Annalea. Sidewalk prep.
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Cuernavaca Workday 1 📸 1 & 2 Annalea (16) and I painted three bathrooms. 📸 3 Gary & Mike ready for the day. 📸 4 Rod and Randy hung curtain rods and many of the curtains I brought down. 🎥 5 The men leveled a large pile of gravel to prep for black dirt in the courtyard. Concrete was poured for an outdoor laundry area. 📸 6-10 The men are building a play area fit the children in the courtyard while Dale and Travis build cabinets for the kitchen. The large pantry is installed! We are eating very well with Pastor Chaio and the family and the children. Ready for WorkDay 2!
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From Bread and Wine: “The status quo is too alluring. It is the air we breathe, the food we eat, the six-thirty news, our institutions, theologies, and politics. The only way we shall break its hold on us is to be transferred to another dominion, to be cut loose from our old certainties, to be thrust under the flood and then pulled forth fresh and new-born. Baptism takes us there. On the bank of some dark river, as we are thrust backward, onlookers will remark, “They could kill somebody like that.” To which old John might say, “Good, you’re finally catching on.” ~William Willamon (Link in stories)
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❤️ V A L E N T I N E ❤️ S N O W ❤️ I don’t know if I’ve ever been so happy to see snow (except for Christmas!) … and the walleye at @dallescafeandcoffeehouse was spectacular. Plus a 🌹?!!! 🥰 The man scored!
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The truth is, we atrophy without engaging challenges with faith and prayer and grit. Apathy, passivity, entitlement and unbelief reap death.
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Tomorrow is the start of Lent. Giving yourself to embrace the journey of these 40 days leading up to Resurrection Sunday will be good for your soul. (I recommend reading Walter Wangerin Jr’s rich work: “Reliving the Passion” as a companion) https://a.co/d/dkS24tv Today, I read Matthew 27–the crucifixion of our Christ. When I read verses 51-54 … my heart tore with the curtain, split with the rocks, broke open with the tombs and I MARVELED at the thought of the people coming out of their tombs and visiting Jerusalem! (And I wondered how they went back into eternity!!) Such anticipation for answers to all our questions!! Come, Lord Jesus!! TALK ABOUT HOPE!!! ✨💫✨💫✨💫✨ And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” — Matthew 27:51-54
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Living … always in fear of how we are perceived by fallible people—or grumbling about how those people are failing us—might be the most debilitating ball and chain there ever is. What can set the prisoners free from this bondage to human opinion or this bondage to putting our expectations on human perfect performance on behalf of our self? I wonder if the one key to freedom and to really receiving the radical, free, faithful LOVE of our One True God is understanding that we are humans made of dust who don’t deserve anything good … who, without God have no power. At all. Is it from that place in the dust that keeps us always looking UP and seeing the beauty of the sky with grateful hearts, and the clouds and rain and pain as gifts too? When we live before humans and according to what they do or see or say, we fear and fight. When we live before God, according to what He does and sees and says, we live free and rest. Live seeing humans see us and be in bondage to humans. Live seeing God see us and be confident we are His beloved. #wholeandfreepodcast #livefree #JesusSaves #turntoJesusandbefree
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Nothing quite like a pile of children! 🎈
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BELIEVE We are the Light of the world and the darkness will not overcome it.
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✨ I woke feeling anxious this morning, I told Jesus, “I feel like I’ve been bombed.” I’ve had too many fiery darts aimed at me too close together. When I am anxious I sit with Him who sees my heart and knows me better than I know myself. “Lord, I need Your peace!” The quest for rest involves QUESTions. A quest to get to the heart of the matter. I’ve used an @annvoskamp acronym from her Way Maker book to process what’s going on inside: SACRED Stillness to know God Attentiveness to hear God Cruciform to surrender to God Revelation to see God Examine to return to God Doxology to thank God This process asks questions and questions draw out the unbelief hidden in the heart that is causing unrest. The other tool came recently through a sermon from @fcchudson with a diagram of sun ☀️ and 🌳 and ❤️ The rays of the sun are “heat or pressure” in your life. Things like: Sadness Sin Sickness Satan Sinful people Suffering Success The ❤️ is the ROOT of the 🌳 The FRUIT on the 🌳 in your life stem from: Emotions Actions Reactions Which come from the ❤️ The QUESTions to ask to uproot unbelief from your heart: What do I want? What do I fear? What do I trust in? I most often find I am fearing failing to do my part, forgetting that it is God’s GRACE that enables me to do anything—which puts me in performance mode and then I become anxious. Galatians 2:20 is the remedy for performance-based striving. Remember: it’s never about you getting things right, it’s about BELIEVING GOD is going to make all things right. It’s never about you fighting the battle it’s about trusting He already won the battle. It’s never about you holding it all together, it’s about Him who holds all things together. I’m grateful to have learned (and I keep learning) this lesson: When I fail to steward my heart in the heat, I inevitably get in God’s way and suffer for it. Freedom comes through surrender. Be still and know that He is God and I am not. Amen.
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Life is war. Almost every day we meet our sinister opponent, unbelief. Discern. Engage. Win.
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My heart yearns … For people to be set free from destructive mindsets. The Bible calls them “strongholds” because they’re hard to break—like ditches in the brain—addictions. We understand addictions to drugs and alcohol. But we tend to label addictions of the mind with “mental illness” which, I believe, keeps people bound under labels. We even bind ourselves in these strongholds when we say or think things like, “it’s just the way I am.” Or, “I’m like my mother.” We bind others in faithless words like, “he will never change.” Do you know people can be “addicted” (chained) to anger, lying, laziness, cynicism, etc? The good news is —always— that Jesus told us the TRUTH (He is the Truth) will set us free when we KNOW and BELIEVE it. The beautiful thing is, He offers HOPE for everything to CHANGE by His enabling grace—through FAITH in the TRUTH. He came to set captives FREE! Truth and Light and Life are all found in the One who resurrected—He broke the prison chains! The word “repent” is much like the alcoholic at AA, admitting the sin is the first step to freedom. Then, offering the life to be transformed by the renewing of the mind. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. See also Isaiah 61:1-3 ❤️ Warning against deception and unbelief: Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. As I pray for freedom for captives, I was reminded of the stanza in my favorite hymn: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God “And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us: The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo! his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him.” It is FAITH in God’s power over darkness that enables us to form new grooves in our mind and be FREE!
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“The marvel of the Redemptive Reality of God is that the worst and the vilest can never get to the bottom of His love.” ~Oswald Chambers That person you hate? The one you criticize or complain about? (A President or a former one? Your nemesis?) Pray for their soul and your own will be humbled to know the love of God more deeply and purely.
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May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you. — Psalm 25:21 Waiting for the Lord is hard for us, no? Especially when what we want and are fighting for seems so good to us. But here we see that waiting on the Lord, which is born of integrity and uprightness, PRESERVES us. Waiting for the Lord preserves us because our actions without Him are most often destructive or lead to destruction. And when we fail to wait for Him we actually compromise our integrity and our ways become crooked. (For wisdom supporting this truth, see Proverbs 3:5-6) 📷 from last year when it actually snowed in WI.
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“Indeed, everything may be at stake in the saying: he wants to suffer us, and we are indeed suffered by him. Can we suffer those who are different from us? May the others suffer us? Can we suffer ourselves? Whom can we “not endure“? We are always causing suffering for each other: siblings, husbands and wives, parents, and children, neighbors, and colleagues. These spheres of suffering are deeply implicated in the church and politics. If we ourselves are not able to suffer, then, nothing can possibly please us. But if we are able to suffer, then we take nothing amiss. The love of God, which is infinitely capable of suffering, reaches us in Christ. His love is passion: passion for human beings, and their worth, passion for the creation and its peace. Through his suffering because of us and through his death for us, Christ has accepted us and brought us to the glory of God. We must again, and again become deeply absorbed in the passion of Christ, if we are to know that he suffers because of us, for he wants to suffer us. In the depths of his suffering, we perceive the greatness of his passion for us. We are disarmed, whenever we recognize the suffering of God, which has borne, and still bears his passion to us.” ~Jürgen Moltmann Called To Community; Plough Publushing
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So. Much. Fun!!! It was a happy birthday for Elliot and all of us!!
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Finding photos of Elliot on his birthday was a bit challenging because unless we have him alone, he’s off to the races engaged in adventure. In the past we called him Ferdinand because if he saw a flower (or a dandelion) he stopped to pick it for whichever girl was nearby. He is bent toward art, is quite gifted at drawing, but is equally eager about swords and saws and light sabers. (And camping, fishing, kayaking and swimming!) He is a hard worker who cares well for their goats and he loves to help grandpa split and stack wood. Happy Birthday Elliot!
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I never imagined I would announce my next speaking event is in Cuernavaca, Mexico. But it is! Of all the years—and there’re been a lot of years 😅—this year when I’m aching for sunshine, God already planned this blessed departure from bleak, WI, to sunny Mexico to serve Him. 💕
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John 3 is a favorite study for me, because conversations with and about Jesus are my favorite. He’s so amazing!
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“Called aside— Oh, knowledge deeper grows with Him alone; In secret oft His deeper love is shown, And learned in many an hour of dark distress Some rare, sweet lesson of His tenderness.” [1/22 Streams in the Desert] “Into the desert place apart” (Matthew 14:13) To move out, away from daily rhythms, to be with another. In the case of adults, to quiet your soul with your Maker. To be still and listen, to read His love letter and let Him speak, is to come to know. Is to come to BE like Him. Our time with our children and grandchildren—these mutually beneficial love-investments, produce. Reflection of the time spent together. Elliot (8) and Lincoln (6, pictured here with Grampa) asked Grampa if they could stay overnight and “help do wood”. They cut and haul it out using a rope hooked to the big machine that runs on twin tracks. I hijacked photo number two from my daughter’s story yesterday—of baby brother watching big brothers through the kitchen window—working. A reflection of the training they’ve been receiving by being WITH the fathers . . . and the mothers. I noted today that many on my prayer list who have deep needs this morning have absent fathers. Fathers who’ve left them by choice or by death. And I pray mostly that they know the love of our Heavenly Father who reparents us as we are called aside to His side to learn His ways through the gift of His eternal word. Re-making us, a beautiful reflection of Him. He is Father to the fatherless. And a wonderful, perfect father He is. Blessed are the ones who are called aside and come, spend time with God, our Father.
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TRUTH — We’ve all heard it even if we don’t have our nose in the Bible regularly: the truth will set you free. — I’ve always had an innate desire for truth and an inability to be comfortable telling lies. Though I have, at times, been more uncomfortable with something else which made lying my perceived best option ... until I found out it wasn’t. — Lies, in truth, will never hold up. We might try to hide behind them; people might try to imprison us in them; labeling us falsely with judgements ... but only the truth is real! The only times lies can hold us hostage is if we believe them! — TRUTH is the sweetest gift God gives (Jesus is the Truth) and it is the sweetest gift we give ourselves and others. Truth hurts sometimes, but always toward the good-for-us. LIES always hurt and if unconfessed, wreck lives and relationships. — When we FEEL something is true, we must sort out our feelings to find out if they are accurate. Often our fears, our discouragement, our anxieties are based on lies. Lies can be born from fears, from comparison, from repetitive badgering from bullies, or from listening to culture’s ever-shifting perceptions. — It behooves us all to search for and find the TRUTH. It is for FREEDOM that Christ set us FREE. Stand firm then, and do not be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
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I cherish these people. I’m extremely thankful for gatherings and photos. It’s really hard to minus one. (Peter) To minus two is horrible. (Dad) Minus 3 … really?!! (Janie) 💔💔💔 Not one will escape the minus. Thank God for Jesus! He is my certain HOPE!
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God has a goal within all of our disappointments in the humans who continually fail us. (Are you infallible? Why do we expect goodness from one another when we ourselves fail to be good?) Human fallibility is meant to shift our eyes 👀 upward, to move our hearts into Him, the only perfect Place of Peace because He is the only One Who is Perfect Love. So, every disappointment in people is an invitation to find satisfaction in God. The more we practice this, the more free we will be and the more people will feel free around us to be human and not gods. Blessed are those who can smile with love when they are struck by human sin because they’ve learned to abide in the love of God. To keep their eyes 👀 on Jesus. #wholeandfree #wholeandfreepodcast
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Subzero temps sting the skin like death the soul of those left behind. “I just want to get in where it’s warm!” and … “I just want to exit this dark hole.” Yet shafts of light beam into the cold-dark, and the soul somehow becomes … fortified, more sober in a world of war, reminded of temporality and hope of the truest, realest life: eternity.
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Spurgeon (continually) nails it. ✨ If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. ~ 1 John 4:20 ESV
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“It has been commonly thought that protected ease is the most favorable condition of life, whereas all the noblest and strongest lives prove on the contrary that the endurance of hardship is the making of the men, and the factor that distinguishes between existence and vigorous vitality. Hardship makes character.” (Streams In The Desert; 1/13) Discipline, I’ve heard, I’ve observed (!!) means “scheduling the pain of life, first.” Discipline is choosing the pain of self-denial and self control in favor of future unavoidable painful consequences.
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