A Child's Wisdom

My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by hurricane Sandy. I pray that God will give you the strength and the means to make it through this trying season and, despite your suffering, show you that there is a brighter tomorrow.

I composed this post four years ago, but its content is relevant for these times. I trust that you will be blessed by it.

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My seven-year-old granddaughter looked out the window at the swaying trees, driving rain and darkened landscape, and uttered these words: "Tomorrow will be a sunny day." I remembered this remark when, about half an hour later, the clouds lifted, the pounding rain became a drizzle and the trees were still. What wisdom from a child's lips!
Her words led me to think about the storms of life. They come in all their fury, with little or no warning, scaring us, reducing us to trembling shadows of our former selves, and then, they are gone. We breathe a huge sigh of relief. Why were we afraid? Why did we worry?

It's only natural. The human mind reacts strongly to any kind of stimuli to which it is unaccustomed. We crave the familiar comforts of everyday life. We do not want anything to disturb the normal rhythm of our existence. But what is normal? Is it never having dark, gloomy days and stormy nights? Is it always rising with the sun and trying to outdo the birds with our singing? Is it always having our eggs done exactly right and finding the right pair of socks?

I think not. Life comes at you fast, to quote a modern cliche. Lightning flashes out of a clear blue sky, the postman brings a packet that you want to hurl out the window, a telephone call sends your world spinning. Life comes at you fast. Storms happen. Your boat threatens to overturn. And Jesus is asleep. You wake Him up. He comes. "Peace, be still," He says-and peace returns.

It's that simple? Well, almost. First you must have Him in your boat. If you have someone else, it may not work. Then, you must stay close to Him. During the storm my grandchildren put away their books, play stations, everything and huddled close to me. That's what you do when the storms strike. Draw near to Jesus, and tomorrow will be a sunny day.

Versions Of The Bible

According to the American Bible Society, there are about 900 English Bible translations, some of them regarded as incomplete, depending on the religion of the readers. With such a wide variety of translations available, most people may possess more than one version, or they may prefer one over another. I was brought up on the King James Version (KJV), and it remains my favorite to this day.

When the New International Version (NIV)  came out, I found the modern language helpful in understanding some parts of the Bible more clearly. I have since acquired a Devotional Study Bible for Women (NIV) which contains devotionals written by women. Each devotional is placed in the book dealing with the scripture on which it is based. Some of the devotionals have been a source of encouragement and inspiration to me and I go back to them from time to time. I also  came across another version of the NIV called the Student Bible. Each book is preceded by a modern application of  the book along with cross references to similar scriptures and study questions.

Another Bible translation I have in my possession is the New Inductive Study Bible. The language is closer to the New King James Version, however, the layout of this Bible is for the person who wants to do a really in-depth Bible study. From maps, pictures, timelines and insightful passages, this Bible will make you feel like a seminary student. The study method of this Bible is observation, interpretation and application. In observation, the reader is instructed to find out the who, what, why and when. Interpretation deals with grasping the meaning of the scripture and application has to do with what the scripture means to me personally. I have learned a lot from studying the Bible this way and from what I've seen so far, there are no inaccuracies as in the NIV.

So which is my favorite Bible translation? It is still the KJV. Mine is the Scofield reference Bible which provides a lot of wonderful background information on the scriptures.  It has helped me to see that Jesus is not just referred to in the New Testament, as I heard someone say recently, but the WHOLE Bible points to Jesus, from Genesis right on to Revelation. It was also an invaluable resource to me in writing my book Women For All Seasons. But when I simply want to read the Bible without studying, just reading for the pleasure of reading God's word, to feel as if He is right there with me, I take up my KJV. For sheer poetry and imagery it cannot be beat.

Rape: Is It Ever Legitimate?

With the presidential elections just a few days away, both sides have already made their voices heard on a number of topics, including women's issues. One topic that always comes up during election time is the question of abortion and contraception. This year it went a little further when one senator used the term "legitimate rape," which, quite frankly left me scratching my head. Where is the legitimacy in rape?

One thing I love about the Bible is that it tackles every subject known to man. The Bible is relevant today as it was when it was written thousands of years ago. And so the Bible addresses the subject of rape. Deuteronomy 22: 25 says, "But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die." 

Fast forward to the story of Tamar, King David's daughter. She was raped, not by a stranger and not in the fields, but by her brother, Ammon, in his own house.
"And when she had brought them unto him to eat , he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. 12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly ... Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her" (2 Samuel 13 ; 11 - 12; 14).

Did Ammon have a legitimate right to rape his sister? No, he did not. The Bible says that immediately the act was completed, "Amnon hated her exceedingly ; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise , be gone" (v 15). No apology, no word of comfort, nothing. She was thrown out like a dog. King David was wroth at the news, according to the  Bible, but he did nothing about it.

The Bible says that Tamar tore her clothes, put ashes on her head and went out crying. From that time, no man would look at her, because she had been violated. She would be a desolate woman for the rest of her life. Not so Ammon. His life went on as usual. Until finally, as cunningly as he had plotted to rape his sister, his older brother, Absalom, plotted and had Ammon killed. 

Justice was served, you might say. But what about poor Tamar? She is never mentioned again in the Bible. Her life had just about come to an end. Society is much more lenient now. A woman who has been raped or abused may still get married, have a family and try to put her past behind her. But do the scars ever heal? 

The words "legitimate" and  "rape" could never belong together. They are on opposite sides of the coin. But if you have suffered that unfortunate experience, God can heal you. He can turn your scars into stars. He promises to give you  "beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" (Isaiah 61 : 3). Won't you call on Him today?

Separation Anxiety

My almost-four-year-old granddaughter has what I call separation anxiety. Jen does not like being separated from her mother for any length of time. She had a very difficult time adjusting to starting school and has only recently grown accustomed to her new routine. She no longer cries when my daughter drops her off. Still, at home Jen seldom stays far from her mother. Yesterday, we attended a wedding, and while the adults enjoyed the cool atmosphere on the front lawn, Jen ran around the lawn, swinging on a post here, stopping to admire something there. But ever so often, she would return to her mother before running off again.

As I watched my granddaughter at play, I thought how great it would be if we had the same anxiety about being separated from God. What if we could go about our daily routine but always kept Him in sight?  Psalm 16: 11 says, "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (KJV) Do we feel joy at being in God's presence?

"Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms" (Psalm 95 :2).  Jen shouts, "Mama!" when her mother enters the room and her eyes light up with love and joy. Do we react that way when we are in God's house, in His presence?  David said, "Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me" (Psalm 51 : 11). That should be our prayer day and night. Let us show God how much we love Him and never want to be separated from Him.

Stand Still

Have you ever noticed a bird standing still? I have the good fortune to live in a lakefront community where I can watch the birds as they skim over the water, perch on trees or rest on the bank. It is a very calming and restful sight. One of the things I always wonder about birds is why do they stand still at times. As I write this, there's a group of four white ibis standing still on the lawn just outside my apartment. What are they doing? Are they thinking? Contemplating their next move? Or just enjoying the view?

Birds are very intelligent creatures. They know how to forage for food, where to find the perfect living conditions and how to protect themselves and their young from predators. Man is also very intelligent, but sometimes I wonder if that intelligence isn't undermined by our constant busyness. When was the last time you stood (or sat) still without doing anything? And I don't mean while you are sleeping. In Exodus 13: 14 Moses commands the Israelites, "Fear ye not, stand still , and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever."

There are other places in the Bible where people were commanded to stand still so they could hear from God. Elijah had that experience after Jezebel threatened to kill him because he had slain the prophets of  Baal. Elijah became afraid and fled to a cave. Elijah, great man of God who had performed so many miracles, wanted to die because of fear. The Lord appeared to him and told him to stand on the mountain before the Lord. Now see what happens.

"And, behold, the LORD passed by , and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice" (1 Kings 19: 11 -  12). 

There's a lesson here for us. God does not speak to us in all the noise and confusion. We have to escape from the busyness, the hustle and bustle of today's life to a place where we can "be still and see the salvation of the Lord." Many times during His ministry when the crowds pressed upon Him, Jesus would call His disciples aside so they could "be still" and then return refreshed and renewed. 

What about you? Do you make time to be still so you can hear from God? Impossible, you might say. But there may come a time when you have no choice but to be still. What if you were lying in a hospital bed? The world will go on without you. Make time now, if only ten minutes out of your day when you turn off the ringer, close your door and be still. Quiet your mind and let the Holy Spirit infuse your soul, your spirit and even your body with His peace and calmness. Be still. You can do it.  

The Lord Shall Fight For You

The Lord shall fight for you and you shall hold your peace …Exodus 14: 14.

 

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that seems difficult and insurmountable? Have you been fretting and complaining and telling yourself there is no way out? Such was the position of the children of Israel. They had been toiling under Pharaoh for four hundred and thirty years, and they had become sick and tired of their situation. Have you been in a place for so long it seems it will never end? You may have even become so used to your discomfort that when deliverance comes you hesitate, you look to the right and to the left,  shake your head and say, “No, I think I may be better off where I am. At least I know what to expect under Pharaoh, but I don’t know what may happen if I leave here.”

Such must have been the position of the Israelites as they followed their leader, Moses, out of Egypt and into the wilderness. The Lord Himself went before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to give them light, and for a while everything seemed fine. But they were still in the wilderness when the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he decided to go after them. And when the Israelites saw the Egyptians in hot pursuit, they lashed out at Moses. “Are there no graves in Egypt? Didn’t we tell you to leave us alone? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die out here in the wilderness.” (Read verses 11-12). 

Photo credit: greyerbaby from morguefile.com

How easy it is for us to give in to fear, anxiety and anger when the chips are down. When God’s promises are not immediately fulfilled. When, in spite of the pillar of cloud and fire, we think God has deserted us. But Moses said to the Israelites, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord … The Lord shall fight for you and you shall hold your peace” (13 – 14).

 
Photo credit: elvin_jacob from morguefile.com

So, are you in the wilderness? Is the Red Sea before you and the Egyptians after you? Do not be afraid. Do not murmur and complain. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. He is ever present in the time of trouble. He will fight for you and He will deliver you.

 
Photo credit: xenia from morguefile.com

Do You Know The Lord?

I wanted to touch on something from my last post about the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt. When Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh to tell them what the Lord had said, Pharaoh replied, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go ? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go" (Exodus 5: 2 KJV).

Those words are significant. I know not the Lord. Do you know the Lord? Here are some ways you can tell if you know the Lord.

1. You listen and obey His voice. You might say you do not hear God's voice. God may not speak to you audibly the way He spoke to Moses, but He may speak to you in so many other ways: through His word, through another person, through a sermon or even through an incident. Moses first saw a burning bush before he heard the voice of the Lord.

2. You fear the Lord. Some say we should not fear God because God is love, and since He loves us we have nothing to fear. Proverbs 1 : 7 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" People who know the Lord fear His punishment, His judgement, His wrath. Most of all they fear being separated from Him as a result of sin. Jesus said, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10: 28 KJV).

3. You love the Lord. To know the Lord is to love Him with an all-encompassing love. A love that goes beyond anything you can feel for your spouse, parents or even your children. It is a love that makes you almost impatient to be with Him. Paul said, "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart , and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Philippians 1: 23 KJV).

4. You trust the Lord. Moses and other great men and women of the Bible knew the Lord and trusted in His goodness. He is the God who says, "And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me" (Psalms 50: 15 KJV). It is what made Paul say, "Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver : in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us" (2 Corinthians 1 : 10 KJV). And when the children of Israel grumbled against Moses he was able to say with confidence, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD" (Exodus 14: 13).

Pharaoh was right. He did not know the Lord, therefore he did not listen, he did not fear, he did not love and he did not trust the Lord. He didn't know there was a King far greater than he who would defend the Israelites and give them the victory. Do you know the Lord? If you do, fine. If you are not sure, examine yourself in light of the above. If you don't know Him, ask Him to come into your heart today. He will teach you everything you need to know.

God's Perfect Timing

I have been reading the story of Moses and how he tried to get Pharaoh to let the Israelites go by working all the miracles God commanded him to do. It's a story I have loved ever since I was a child, as it conjures up for me memories of The Ten Commandments, one of the greatest movies of all times.

If you read the story, you may recall that God sent ten plagues on the Egyptians before Pharaoh gave in and released the people. Actually, God had hardened Pharaoh's heart so he would not let the people go. And God knew exactly what had to happen and at what time Pharaoh would cave in. But something struck me as I read the chapter this morning. Exodus 12 : 40 - 41 says, "Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD's divisions left Egypt." NIV

God could have made Pharaoh release the people long before then, but He had a perfect timing arranged for the Israelites to leave. 430 years to the very day. Not a day sooner, nor a day later. Is God a God of order? Is He a God of precision? Over and over God uses expressions like "appointed time", "set time", "at that time", "in the fullness of time." God does nothing by chance. Although it may not appear that way to us, He has "an appointed time" for everything. Ecclesiastes 3 : 1 says: "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" And verse 11 says, "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end."

Have you been praying and waiting for God to do something in your life and it seems like nothing is happening? Don't despair. If it is His will, He will do it. He may have hardened Satan's heart against you in order to fulfill His purpose. But at "the set time" Satan will have to release you, your son, your daughter, your finances, your marriage. Whatever he is keeping in bondage, he will have to let it go in God's perfect timing. So, don't cease to pray or to praise. Just wait on the Lord.

Running The Race

As the curtain comes down on the 2012 Olympic Games, there are many events that I, and I daresay, the world will remember for a long time to come. But the ones that stand out the most in my mind are the track and field events. Maybe it's because I grew up watching track and field competitions and sometimes taking part just for the fun of it, not minding at all bringing up the rear. Or maybe it's because so many of the winning athletes hail from the Caribbean where I am from. Whatever the reason, I thoroughly enjoyed the track and field events.

But as I watched in awe and delight as "Bolts of lightning" shot to the winning line and one runner with no legs made it into winners row, I was reminded that the Olympics were first held in Greece and the Bible has some comments on running races. Here's what it says in Hebrews 12 : 1 - 2. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith..."

And in 1 Corinthians 9: "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all , but one receiveth the prize? So run , that ye may obtain . And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things . Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run , not as uncertainly; so fight I , not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection : lest that by any means , when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" ( 24 - 27).

The Olympics are over, but the lessons they taught us will live on forever.

Stay Up Chick Fil A

It's a sad day when a person is ostracized for voicing his opinion in America. No, I take that back. It's a dangerous day. Whatever happened to freedom of speech? This past week Dan Cathy, president of Chick-fil-A came under fire from gay rights groups for expressing his opinion on same-sex marriage. To counter this, anti-gay groups turned out in large numbers - 500, 000, according to one post - on Wednesday to eat at Chick-fil-A restaurants.

I support Mr. Cathy's statement that marriage, as instituted by God, is between one man and one woman. But even if I didn't, I think the man has a right to express his opinion without fear of reprisals from those who share opposing views. According to Mike Huckabee who whipped up support for Chick-fil-A via his radio show, "every American -- has a right to an opinion. You don't have to agree with it. You don't have to like it. But you ought to respect that people have that wonderful right. You don't have that in North Korea. You don't have it in Iran."

This morning I read part of the story of the Exodus where the children of Israel were made to suffer great hardship just because they said they wanted to go and worship God in the desert. Pharaoh piled on the pressure, ordering his foremen to require the slaves to gather their own straw and produce the same amount of bricks as they had previously. The enemy's tactic has always been to frustrate God's people to the point that they either forget about worshiping Him or they bow to the enemy.

The Israelites, to their discredit, became angry at Moses and Aaron and accused them of bringing trouble upon them. Moses, in turn, confronted God. Listen to him: "Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all" (Exodus 5 : 23). Sounds familiar? Blame God when the enemy persecutes us.

The Chick-fil-A president's troubles began the minute he declared his position for God. So far, government officials from Chicago and Boston have pledged to keep the fast-food chain out of their cities and one of their outlets was vandalized. As if that wasn't enough, gay activists decided to stage a kiss-in outside of Chick-fil-A restaurants. But Mr. Cathy has reacted to all of this in a Christlike manner. He told the LA Times, "...I feel God's going to be with us through this and he'll be with the opposer as well. He doesn't hate anybody."

The Bible says, "Blessed are ye , when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely , for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad : for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" (Matthew 5 : 11-12). Mr. Cathy, you are in good company. Thousands have already demonstrated their support for you, but more importantly, God supports you. Stay up!

Anger And The Colorado Tragedy

I had planned to continue with the last contributing factor in my series on Anger, but instead I thought I should comment a little on the latest tragedy to shake our nation. As police begin to release the names of the victims of the Colorado shooting, the country is still trying to come to grips with what gave rise to this display of anger. Because the shooter had to be angry at someone or something to carry out such a callous deed.

As I said in my post, "Anger can be a destructive force that prevents you from enjoying God's best and also land you in a lot of trouble." Whether this young man's anger stemmed from fear, frustration, exhaustion, worry or his environment we may never know. All we know is that twelve innocent people are dead and many more wounded.

Can we as a nation do anything to prevent these random acts of violence from terrorizing our society? Our first response to this question might be "Of course not." But think again. In the Bible we see many instances where God's people were besieged by other nations or they suffered pestilence or famine. But the minute they repented of their sins and turned to God, a change came about.

In 2 Corinthians 6 we see Solomon offering up sacrifices and inviting God's presence into the house he had built for Him and entreating God to hear from heaven and forgive the sins of the people. The whole of that chapter is taken up with Solomon's prayer. In the next chapter, fire comes down from heaven, burns up the sacrifices and the glory of the Lord fills the temple. Later in the chapter Gpd makes this promise to Solomon: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray , and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (v 14).

It is still God's promise to us today. We can have an anger-free environment if we would invite God's promise into our homes, schools, workplaces and, yes, theaters. We don't have to live in fear, worry or frustration. We have turned away from God but there is still time to humble ourselves and pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways. There is still sand in our hour glass but it's running out fast. We must hurry, and pray.

How Your Words Contribute To An Angry Environment?

We have all seen news reports on television of people fighting in the streets, throwing rocks or hand grenades, aiming machine guns at each other. We may look at them and think that those displays of anger only happen in foreign lands. We may even think they are justified, given the conditions that exist in those places. We never place ourselves on the same footing with "those people." But if we examine our lives a little more closely, we would realize that we too sometimes throw rocks, hand grenades and even machine guns at our loved ones and the people we come into contact with on a daily basis.

Take this scenario: Jane comes in to work one October morning, spots her co-worker Jill wearing a pair of white pants. Jane turns to Mary, another co-worker, and says loud enough for everyone to hear, "I have learned never to wear white pants after Labor Day." Is that a rock or a hand grenade? Whoever said, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words may never hurt me," didn't know what they were talking about.

But throwing hurtful words are not the only forms of anger that we may come across in our environment. There is the body language type of anger. The frigid atmosphere that pervades at the dinner table because Dad doesn't want to be disturbed while he's reading the newspaper. Or, the person who keeps her back turned to you while you are speaking to her. Or the door-slamming, pot-banging, foot-stomping behavior that goes on.

“Words can break someone into a million pieces, but they can also put them back together. I hope you use yours for good, because the only words you'll regret more than the ones left unsaid are the ones you use to intentionally hurt someone.” - Taylor Swift. Do you want your words to bless others or curse them? Lift them up, or tear them down?

Read what James says about the way we use our words: "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things . Behold , how great a matter a little fire kindleth ! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed , and hath been tamed of mankind : 8 But the tongue can no man tame ; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be" (v 5 - 9).

Are You Exhausted?

I'm back to the series on anger which I began a few weeks ago. So far, we have seen that anger is an emotion which, if properly channeled can be constructive. If improperly channeled, it can get us into a lot of trouble. We also saw that anger has underlying causes, and we have already touched on two of them: 1. Fear 2. Frustration. In this post I'll deal with the third cause on my list, which is Exhaustion.

We live in a world that is becoming increasingly tiring. Work, family and social activities leave us very little time for ourselves. We can organize as best we can, if we don't make time to rest, we will become frazzled and begin snapping at our children and those around us. This matter of rest is so important that God commands us to rest. "Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest : that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed" (Exodus 23: 12). Not only are we to rest, but even our animals and everyone who is in our house.

God takes it even further in the book of Leviticus when he declares rest for the land. "But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard" (25: 4). Fast forward to the New Testament and we see that even Jesus made time to rest and relax. "And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat( Mark 6: 31).

Long ago, before it became so common for doctors to give a pill for everything, we were ordered to rest: mentally and physically. Nowadays, when we take a vacation we cram it with daily and nightly activities and return home more exhausted than when we left. Can we learn to take some time off and do nothing? Sit or lie by a lake, close our eyes and let the world go away, as the old song said. Try it sometime. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

Do You Have The Courage?

Last night I watched one of the most courageous, hair-raising, death-defying stunts ever undertaken. Nik Wallenda walked his way on a tightrope over the Niagara Falls from the USA to Canada, in weather conditions that were less than perfect. Maybe you watched it too. What were your thoughts? Did you fear for his life? Did you think he was foolhardy to attempt such a feat? To put his wife and children through the anguish of wondering if he would make it alive?

Those and other thoughts must have run through your mind and the minds of the hundreds of thousands who viewed this history-making event. As this daring young man made his way on that wet, shaky rope, I was reminded of the story of Peter walking on the water. Peter was doing okay - until he looked down. Still, we commend him for having the courage to jump out of that boat on a dark and stormy night.

Most of us may never attempt anything close to what Nik Wallenda did last night, but maybe you are walking the tightrope of life and you feel like any moment you might fall off. The mist of uncertainty thickens around you so you can't see what lies ahead; the winds of adversity buffet you from all sides and you cannot trust the rope beneath your feet. We can all learn some lessons from Nik.





1. Trust God. Nik and his family prayed together before he climbed on to that rope, and while he was walking we could hear him saying, "Thank you, Jesus, thank you, Lord. I praise you, Father." As I prayed along with him, I felt assured that he would make it. Not only did he put his trust in God, but he acknowledged Him publicly. It is important to let others know where your confidence lies.

2. Garner support. Nik comes from a long line of daredevils, dating back to the 1700s. Only three Wallendas lost their lives during stunts, the latest being Nik's great-grandfather in 1978. Nik's family was behind him all the way, although Nik's eleven-year-old son caved in at the last moment as he listened to the media talk about the possible dangers. However, Nik's father, a retired wire-walker, spoke with Nik through a microphone for most of the walk, giving gentle reassurance and tips. Nik's uncle, an engineer, who worked on the wire was also present, as well as a host of government officials. When you are on a tightrope, it helps to have the support of your family, friends, your church and maybe even some community agencies. You cannot do it alone.

3. Don't give up. This was Nik's advice to the world once he'd landed safely on Canadian soil. He said that we should follow our dreams, despite the challenges that confront us. And again, he urged us to trust God to give us the courage and strength to fulfill those dreams. At one point when Nik's father asked him how he was doing, he replied, "My hands are getting numb and my feet feel weak," but like the apostle Paul, Nik kept his eyes on the prize.


4. Give God the glory. After we have got off the tightrope, some of us forget where we've been. But let's remember we couldn't do it without Him. Nik dropped to his knees just a few feet from the tower and blew a kiss to the crowd, then once he'd cleared immigration (yes, he had to do that!) Nik attributed his stunning success to God. He again urged viewers to trust God to provide whatever we need.

What Frustrates You?

This is the second post in the series dealing with anger. Anger, as we have seen before is a normal, healthy reaction. Even Jesus became angry, (See John 2 : 15), but the way we express that anger is what really matters. In our normal, everyday life we come across people and situations which, if we are not careful, will frustrate us and lead to anger. Psychologists say that people who have a low frustration tolerance are more likely to have difficulty dealing with their anger.

So, how can you handle frustration in a godly manner?

The first way, of course, would be to pray about it. "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Philippians 4 : 6). Turn that frustrating situation over to God. It may be something at home, at work, or even at church. Whatever it is, God can teach you how to handle it.

The second thing you can do is look for alternatives. Let's say you are frustrated by your daily commute to and from work. I know a lot of people are. What can you do about it? Can you take a different route? Leave home earlier, or later? Use public transport or car pool?

In some situations, you may have to practice being assertive. If it is a relationship problem, you may have to learn to assert your feelings. This means not allowing yourself to be a doormat, but instead communicating your needs- or frustrations- to the other person without becoming angry. "But speaking the truth in love ..."(Ephesians 4 : 15).

Another thing that may help is regular exercise. This releases endorphins in the brain, which help you feel good and combat the stress and frustration. Just half an hour of walking daily can clear your mind and help you deal with your frustration in a constructive way.

If all of these don't work, you may need to seek counseling. Your frustration and anger may stem from a chemical imbalance in the brain. You may need medication and counseling to help you restructure the way you perceive situations.

What Are You Afraid Of?

Last week I began a series dealing with anger and its components. Today I continue with the first component, FEAR. Recently I played a board game called Scattegories with a group of my patients. One of the categories was "What are you afraid of". We had to write a word with a designated letter. We came up with all sorts of things including, jellyfish, jaguars, Jaws etc. That was easy to do because it was just a game. But in the game of life, can we state our fears so easily and simply?

The Bible has a lot to say about fear. It has its origin in anxiety, when a person feels afraid of something which has not yet taken place. I remember years ago when one of my teenaged sons was causing me a lot of anxiety. I don't think there's any fear that can equal that which a mother feels when she sees her child going  down the wrong path. I would wake up during the night wondering where he was and I couldn't go back to sleep until I heard the door open and knew he was home safe. If you've ever been there you know what I'm talking about.

One morning I woke up and fear overcame me in such a powerful way, even though my son was home. My heart pounded so hard I thought it would  jump out of my chest. I took up my devotional and read it without focusing on what I read. Then I opened my Bible to read the scripture that went with the devotion. Immediately, my eyes were drawn to Jesus' words in Mark 5 : 36: "Be not afraid, only believe." I stared at the words and they seemed to stare back at me. At that moment I felt the Spirit of God so strongly in the room, it was as if I could reach out and touch Him.

After that day, every time fear overtook me, I would recite those words, "Be not afraid, only believe." They have brought me comfort, peace and calmness as only the word of God can. As my fear diminished, so did my son's bad behavior. So I ask you today, what are you afraid of? Are you like I was, afraid your children will come to harm? Afraid of losing your job, your home, your spouse? Whatever it might be, Jesus says, "Be not afraid, only believe." Believe that He is in control. Believe that His eye is on the sparrow and He is watching over you. Believe the promises He set forth for you in His word. Study and memorize them.

The Bible says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1 : 7). Like anger, fear used wrongly can destroy you.  Jesus said, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10 : 28).  As long as we fear - reverence, obey, follow - God, we'll have nothing to fear.

Why Are You So Angry?

Photo credit: lesterp4 from morguefile.com

It would seem that anger is everywhere - on the roads, in the home and in the workplace. Road rage has taken lives; in the home children and parents, husbands and wives scream at each other and violence often erupts in places of employment. Why is there so much anger? If you find yourself becoming angry very often, you may need to slow down and try to determine what are the underlying reasons for your anger.

Your anger may stem from one or more of the following:

1. Fear. Surprisingly enough, a person who is angry is usually afraid of something. This quote from a Star Wars episode states, "Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."

2. Frustration. Are you frustrated by your attempts to succeed at something and always coming up short? If you are always frustrated, pretty soon you'll become angry.

3. Exhaustion. Have you found that you become irritable when you are tired? That irritation can turn into anger if you don't slow down and get some rest.

4. Environment. Anger can also be learned. If you live in an environment where everyone is angry all the time, you'll soon follow their example.

5. Worry. This often leads to fear, which, as we saw above can turn into anger.

Anger in itself is not always a bad thing. It's how that anger is channeled that will determine whether you overcome it or allow it to overcome you. Ecclesiastes 7 : 9 says, "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry : for anger resteth in the bosom of fools." Ephesians 4 : 26 says, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:" However, there are many references to people in the Bible who became angry. Remember Moses? Great man of God, chosen to lead God's people out of the bondage of Egypt. But if Moses had a psychiatrist he would have ended up in anger management classes. Because he couldn't control his anger, he was not allowed to enter the promised land.

Is your anger preventing you from enjoying the promises that God has for you? If yes, you need to confess it before God and ask Him to remove it from you. Jesus warned, "whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say , Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire" (Matthew 5 : 22).

Anger can be a destructive force that prevents you from enjoying God's best and also land you in a lot of trouble. It can also be the catalyst that drives you to make positive changes in your life and the lives of others. In the coming weeks I will continue to explore other aspects of this emotion.

Like Father Like Sons

I've been reading from the book of Genesis about Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah. For those of you who have never heard of these people, Isaac was Abraham's promised son,who was born to him when he was a hundred years old and his wife Sarah was ninety. Isaac and Rebekah had twin sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob tricked Esau into giving up his birthright, then later, on Rebekah's urging, tricked his father into blessing him instead of Esau, the firstborn.

Fast forward a few years and Jacob is now married with children. He has twelve sons who will become the twelve tribes of Israel. However, all those sons, except Joseph, the father's favorite, turned out to be tricksters as well. Look at their track record. A young man named Shechem fell in love with their sister Dinah and slept with her. The young man went to his father and told him he wanted to marry Dinah. But when Jacob's sons heard about it, they were furious. Instead of confronting the young man about what he had done, they agreed to the marriage, but on one condition: Shechem and all the men of his city must first be circumcised. The men agreed, and when they were weak and in pain from the circumcision, two of Jacob's sons went and killed all the men. When Jacob heard what they had done, he was afraid for his life, because he thought surely the Canaanites would kill them.

Following that, Reuben, his oldest son, slept with Bilhah, his father's concubine. All the Bible says about that is that Jacob heard of it. Jacob's sons again brought grief to their father when they sold their younger brother, Joseph, whom their father loved, to some slave traders. They took the coat that Jacob had made for Joseph, dipped it in blood and told their father that a wild beast must have killed the boy. Jacob pledged to mourn for Joseph until he died. And even though they witnessed their father's grief, they never confessed what they had done until years later.

As parents we must be careful how we live our lives, because our children learn by example, and our wrong deeds can come back to haunt us. God blessed Jacob exceedingly, changing his name to Israel and promising to make his descendants like the sand of the sea, but that didn't stop him from suffering grief at the hands of his children. (Read Genesis 34, 35 and 37).

There's No Charge For Being A Mother

Mothers Day Graphics

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful mothers out there. Whether you are married, single, an adoptive mother, godmother, grandmother, wherever you fall on the spectrum of motherhood, I salute you today. My own mother is long gone, but I still wish she were here so I could tell her how much she meant to me. If you are fortunate enough to still have your mother, take some time off today to tell her how special she is.

As I wrote in my book Women For All Seasons, God could have chosen a different way for His Son to come to this earth, but He chose that He should enter the womb of a woman and be born as a little baby. What an honor! What a privilege! So mothers, take some time to celebrate yourselves for the great distinction God has bestowed on you - the means to bring another human being into this world. I'm not writing a lot today, but I'm posting two videos by Shirley Cesar that I'm sure will bless your heart as they have blessed mine. The first one is I Love You Mama and the other is the perennial favorite No Charge. Enjoy!