Living in the Now

By Susan Klein

“Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, ‘we have seen remarkable things today.”’

Luke 5:26 (NIV)

Do you consider yourself to be someone who "lives in the now”? Until recently, I thought I did. Then, I heard a message from my pastor that gave me pause to reconsider. He pointed out how the “now” suffers when we get stuck in our past or focus too much on our future. He also said our thought life and attitude will let us know how we are living “right now.” As I listened to these words, I felt a jab of introspection coming on.

I tend to be a planner. As soon as my consciousness arouses in the morning, my thoughts start running through the day, and even the week. My lists tend to grow by the hour. At night, I often struggle with sleep because my brain won’t turn off, evaluating the day’s events and scrutinizing my mistakes. Sometimes, I even miss out on pieces of conversation with people because my mind is already jumping to the next topic. Doesn’t sound too “now”-focused. And what about my attitude? Am I grateful to God for blessing me in the now, or am I worrying about future things that haven’t happened yet?

Reading the verse above, I can visualize that room full of people, attentively listening to Jesus and focusing on the healing He’d just performed. They were so filled with awe and wonder at His words and actions that all they could do was praise God and talk about it for the rest of the day. They were so immersed in the “now” that they probably mentioned it to everyone they encountered as they made their way home. I doubt anyone said, “Well, that sure was amazing, but I need to get home to make dinner and do laundry.” I’ll bet they were still in the “now” of God’s presence as they laid their heads to rest that night. What a pleasant way to fall asleep!

Let’s not miss out on what God is doing or saying in the moment because we’re too busy planning the future or dredging up the past. He’s let go of our past sins and He promises to provide for our future needs, so why waste time worrying about what hasn’t happened yet? Let’s try not to “get around to” or “schedule” our time with Him, rather let’s make a point to steep ourselves in His presence in every moment, relishing the awe of Him.

Are you living in the now?!!

GOING DEEPER:

1. What thoughts or attitudes might be keeping you tied to the past or fretting about the future?

2. Try walking through a whole day living in the “now.”

FURTHER READING:

Proverbs 16:9; Joshua 24:14-15; Luke 10:40-41

Susan is married to Mark, and has two adult children. She enjoys teaching Bible studies, writing, and tutoring with the Literacy Council. Susan is part of the Peacemaking Team at Oakwood.

Just Because

By Karen D’Amore

“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.”

1 John 3:18 (NLT)

It was an ordinary day: not a holiday, anniversary, birthday or any other special occasion. I entered my vehicle to leave for work and found a card taped to the steering wheel. The unexpected sentiment was left by my husband…just because!  It’s not the first time he’s left something in my vehicle, taped to the bathroom mirror, or in my suitcase when I’m traveling. These unexpected expressions of love have always impelled me to ask, “What prompted this?” To which he always replies, “Just because!”  Something always draws me to believe that these random expressions of love must be contingent upon something I’ve done!

I doubt that my husband even realizes how much those “just because,” unexpected displays of love warm my heart. Knowing that his actions are spurred by heartfelt emotion versus being dictated by a date on the calendar fills my love tank to overflowing! And I love that he always leaves these surprises someplace for me to find in his absence, allowing me to carry that piece of him with me when we’re apart.

As my relationship with Christ grows more personal and intimate, I’ve become more aware of His perpetual “just because”  personalized expressions of love. Knowing best how to fill my love tank, God expresses His “just because”  love for me…through the beauty, complexity and creativity of His creations. ^“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen…” (Romans 1:20a, NASB) Cognizant of how powerfully nature touches my heart and soul, God becomes visible to me through His creations.

Every time I gaze upon a masterfully brilliant sunrise or sunset, I see the signature… Love, God  woven into the tapestry of His hand-painted sky. When He nudges me to look out the window, just in time, to catch a glimpse of a grazing deer, my heart hears Him whisper…Love, God. With each expression engraved in my memory, an invisible God becomes visible through His signature, Love, God.

Scripture assures us that God’s love is NOT contingent upon anything we’ve done. “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8, NLT).  This powerful display of “just because”  love stretches beyond human comprehension. And to think that, still today, as undeserving sinners, God longs for us to experience His personal expressions of love…

…just because!

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Watch for God’s love notes!

FURTHER READING:

John 3:16; Romans 5:6-11

Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and Foot Care Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility. She’s on the Oakwood Women’s Ministry Special Events planning team.

Regifting
By Vernette Kureck

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)

To give an unwanted gift to someone else or to give something one previously received as a gift is called regifting. More than half the adults recently surveyed found regifting acceptable. In fact, even the etiquette experts at Emily Post Institute approve of the practice in some circumstances.

Here are some things to consider before regifting: What is the gift’s condition? Only new, unopened gifts should be considered. Don’t give items that have been owned for a long time. Generally, if you have to dust it off, it is not regiftable. Also, what are your intentions? Are you giving a gift just to give a gift? Is this something the recipient would really like or need, or are you giving it because you ran out of time or need to reciprocate? Also, common sense recommends that you only regift items to people who are not going to see the original giver.

What do you think the best Giver of the best Gift thinks of regifting? God’s best Gift, of course, is His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. For some people, Jesus is an unwanted gift. For others, He is the best gift they have ever received and they want to share Him with others. If that describes you, what condition are you in to share? Have you been allowing Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, to work in your life, or do you need to do some spiritual dusting? Generally, the longer Jesus resides in your life, the more the qualities of His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control should shine forth from you. What you have will be seen as a desirable gift, a wanted gift to those around you—and a needed gift, regardless. Beyond that, the beauty of regifting Jesus is that He is multiplied. It is spiritual math! “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV).

Jesus came as a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. Most people know the story. But a gift isn’t truly possessed until it is unwrapped and used. God gave His Son to save mankind. To save you. To save me. Someday, we will see the Original Giver and He will know what we did with His gift. Knowing the joy of His salvation, let us rejoice in sharing that truth with others. Give the ultimate regift.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Are you prepared to share God’s greatest Gift? If not, what’s holding you back?

FURTHER READING:
John 6:53-57; Hebrews 7:24-25

Vernette and her husband Ken have been married over 40 years. They have been blessed with eight grandchildren from their two sons and their wives.

A New Man

By Tracy Smith

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

Our church has a feature called “Stories” - - videotaped testimonies that are played during a sermon when it pertains to what the pastor is teaching about.

This summer, a man shared during the “Stories of Grace” series. He told us of some bad choices and unfortunate decisions he had made as a young man that resulted in his being arrested. He spoke of how he can look back at his life and see how he was pursued by God. He shared about his choice to follow Jesus and how his life has changed by that decision and how he lives his life in a completely different way now that he follows Jesus. [1]

Both of my sons know this man since he works with our youth group. My husband and I spoke to each boy about the video testimony and the first thing each of them said was, “He’s the last person I would ever think would have been arrested!” This comment allowed us to have an awesome discussion with them about how God can change a person. We discussed how a person can be living in a way that leads to bad decisions and heartbreak, but once they allow God into their lives to do His work, all of that changes. The video testimony showed this in such a beautiful way: As he talked, he was very serious as he shared his journey, but then, just before the video fades out, it shows him laughing and joyful.

The Bible has many examples of people who change once they encounter Jesus. Matthew went from a tax collector, who in the culture of the day was typically deceitful, to one of his twelve disciples (Matthew 9:9-17).  Zacchaeus, another tax collector, gave money to the poor and paid back all those he cheated four times what he stole from them (Luke 19:1-10). Saul/Paul thought he was doing God’s work by persecuting Christians, but after his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, he became one of the pillars of the early Church (Acts 9:1-19).

Of course, once we know Jesus we can still make decisions that are not in our best interest, but at that point, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us through those rough times. We have to remember that no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done, Jesus can make us new.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Read the stories of the individuals in Scripture mentioned above. Is there something about one of their stories that resonates with you?

FURTHER READING:

Romans 6:6-7; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9

[1] http://www.oakwoodnow.org/resources/stories/mike-belland.html

Along with being a wife and mother to two boys, Tracy is a ministry assistant at Oakwood, serves on the Women’s Ministry Special Events Team and works with a great group of Junior High girls.

All to Myself

By Jeannine Sawall

"I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.”

Hosea 6:6 (NLT)

Two years ago, some friends and I were talking about our quiet times with the Lord: when it works best for our schedules (morning versus evening) and how having routine quiet times impacts not only our daily lives, but our family’s lives as well. As we continued our conversation, the question came up about quiet times on Sundays. If you’re headed to church, do you need to have a quiet time on Sunday, or is your time at church good spiritual nourishment for the day. There were varying answers; neither right nor wrong. But there was an answer I loved the best. One of my friends said, “I still have a quiet time on Sunday because I love having Him all to myself.”

That answer has stuck with me.  Oftentimes, my quiet time gets pushed back in my day due to busy schedules and getting the kids off for school. Even Sunday mornings are gallant efforts to move everyone efficiently out the door to church, let alone have a quiet time before we go.  While I know quiet times are a vital part of my daily existence, sometimes they seem to be one more thing I need to check off on my “to-do list” before I can get on with my day. 

However, after hearing my friends answer, I’ve come to the conclusion that a change in my “heart-titude” will affect how I look at my quiet time. When I approach the throne out of dedication to “doing the right Christian thing,” yes, I get “credit” for having spent time with the Lord…and, more often than not, in His great grace, God fills me and meets with me, despite my “Quick! Let’s get it done” attitude.  But when I approach Him out of devotion, with the heart of one who longs to be with her Lord, I come away not just with enough to get me through the day, but I come away overwhelmed by His love and overflowing with His glory. 

The Lord desires our love over sacrifice. He wants us to know Him and love Him more than He wants us to do our duty to Him. Our heart attitudes should reflect the privilege He gives us when we come together. Rather than HAVING to have a quiet time, we GET to have a quiet time because there’s no greater joy than having Him all to ourselves!

GOING DEEPER:

1.  What does your heart reflect as you make time for your quiet time?

2.  How can you change your schedule to allow time to have the Lord all to yourself?

FURTHER READING:

Matthew 6:6, 31-33; Psalm 119:105

Jeannine is a wife and mother of four active boys. She works in the property management business. Jeannine serves with the Oakwood café and is actively involved in ministry to those walking through grief.

The Good Interruption

By Lexi Ellis

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once, they left their nets and followed him.

Matthew 4:19-20 (NLT)

I was always taught interrupting was bad. Being one of three sisters, we had to wait our turn to speak. My parents wisely adopted a system for when we wanted to interrupt a conversation they were having with another adult. We would put our hand on theirs and once there was an appropriate break in conversation, they said, “excuse me,” and talked to us. As we got older, they taught us how to politely wait for a good moment to enter the conversation.

Recently, God interrupted my normal routine. I had a plan, a system…and then God revealed something. It’s funny, I responded to God the same way my parents did when we interrupted them. It seemed rude, inconvenient and surprising. I desperately wanted to smile at God and say, “You need to wait.”

And yet, as I looked at Scripture, I began to realize that God interrupts our normal routine with an invitation to actively follow Him. And this is about the only good interruption I’ve ever seen. This invitation to enter an active relationship with Christ - - this invitation to come and follow - - often interrupts our normal routine and the plans we make for ourselves. God called Moses in the midst of shepherding. God called Esther for “such a time as this” in the midst of comfort and luxury in being queen. God called Samuel while he was sleeping. Christ called His disciples in the midst of their vocation. The angel called Mary in the midst of her engagement for a socially-daring and divinely determined task.

Throughout Scripture, we see God’s invitation to come and follow in the midst of our normal routine. It’s quite the interruption. And yet, it’s good. Because when we surrender, when we stop controlling and instead follow Him, we allow God to use our situations and our circumstances to not only shape us, but point others to Him. His Spirit begins a new work in our lives. When we allow God to interrupt our normal routine, we grow in Christ and as disciplemakers.

I’ve been a Christian for years and yet I still struggled to recognize that God’s recent interruption in my normal routine - - my way of doing things - - was good. If we have a relationship with God, then we trust He has a plan, one that includes interruptions of what we want. I’m thankful for the reminder that these interruptions are good. In fact, they’re invitations to come, follow Him and point others to my Savior.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Looking back, how have you typically responded to God’s good interruptions?

2.  How is God interrupting your normal routine now?

FURTHER READING:

Luke 1:26-38; Luke 5:1-11

Lexi is married to Andrew and has a puppy named Calvin. She serves with Oakwood’s Children’s Ministries, teaches sixth grade at Silver Lake Intermediate School and is the Fresh Start Coordinator.

“SON” Delays

By Karen D’Amore

“Be still, and know that I am God…”

Psalm 46: 10a (NIV)

When unexpected circumstances left us suddenly shorthanded, my work schedule was forced into over-drive...life accelerated at a constant speed of BUSY! Busyness perpetuated busyness as social events and commitments eventually mimicked my work schedule. Ultimately, that daunting schedule took its toll on me and my spirit descended into a constant flux of irritability and weariness.

One morning, while getting ready for work, a comment on the morning news caught my attention. The newscaster covering the morning traffic used a term that was unfamiliar and slightly comical to me. He warned early morning commuters to expect traffic slowdowns due to “sun delays.” With the brightness and position of the early morning sun blinding and impairing vision, drivers were forced to “slow down.”  Video footage of local interstates showed traffic snarled and crawling to a stop due to impairment caused by the sun.

I had never heard the term “sun delay” nor have I heard it since. However, I realized that I desperately needed a “SON delay.” In my busyness, I had neglected to slow down and fix my eyes on the SON of God.

I streamlined my schedule and carved out intimate time for Jesus. To reserve quiet time, I recorded “SON Delay” time blocks in my day timer. Now, as I look at my schedule, I’m reminded to slow down and fix my eyes on the Son! Becoming intentional at setting aside intimate time to “be still” and sit at the Lord’s feet has prevented my schedule from becoming overrun with busyness.

Living in the woods affords me the ultimate habitat for being still before God. The breathtaking landscape draws me to see His fingerprints in every corner of my serene surroundings. As sitting outside draws me into a constant battle with the blinding sun, I continue to work on being solely focused on the Son! By allowing Him to consume my focus, Jesus impairs my ability to see anything other than Him. And once I began to experience God, in those moments of stillness, my spirit of irritability and weariness was refreshed and replenished with peace.

God’s invitation to “be still” unlocks the joy of knowing Him. It allows Him to fill the reservoirs of our soul with true refreshment and equip us to face life’s challenges. As you acknowledge the importance of slowing down and “being still,” let every sunrise serve as a reminder to set aside time for…

…SON delays!

GOING DEEPER:

1.  What changes are needed for you to make time to be still?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 131:2, Psalm 62:5; Acts 17:27-28

Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and Foot Care Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility. She’s on the Oakwood Women’s Ministry Special Events planning team.

Never Say Never

By Susan Klein

“Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

Romans 4:8 (NIV)

Have you ever proclaimed, “I will never _____again!” (Fill in the blank with the action or sin you desired to never repeat.) Did it work, or did you do it again? Yeah, most of us are repeat offenders at one time or another. Too often, I find myself making a promise to someone (or to no one in particular) that I will never utter those ugly words or never repeat that offense again, only to end up breaking my promise.

“Never” is a very dangerous word to use, especially when issuing an apology to someone. Making promises we don’t end up keeping hurts our future credibility, no matter how honorable our intentions might be. It can also deeply wound the recipient. “I’m sorry, I promise I’ll never do that again,” might be better phrased: “with God’s help, I will try not to _______ again.”

Or, how about, “I would never think of doing _______!” Remember the Apostle Peter? He thought he’d never deny his Lord, but he did. Not once. Not twice. Yep, three times. And the Lord even told him beforehand he’d do it. (Good thing the “three strikes and you’re out” rule wasn’t implemented by Jesus.) As much as we’d like to predict our future actions, most of us do not possess prophetic abilities. In addition, sin is in our bloodline and is ever at the ready to rear its ugly head. Scripture warns us to not think of ourselves more highly than we ought (Romans 12:3). We all sin, and when tempted with the right circumstances, it’s amazing what our flesh will succumb to. Praying for strength to resist temptation is better than piously proclaiming: “I’d never…”

Not holding to a defeatist attitude, we do wield the power of the Holy Spirit and His Word to conquer sin, which the Apostle Paul refers to as a sword (Ephesians 6:10-18). That said, it’s never easy doing battle. It takes intentional prayer and concentrated effort on our part to be consistently walking in the Spirit rather than walking in the flesh. When we fall, we must get back up and engage the Spirit’s help in standing firm. And, a healthy dose of confession can release the soothing balm of forgiveness for our battle wounds. Thankfully, our Lord has promised to never hold our sins against us if we have a contrite heart and trust in Him.

Remember, the evil one delights in discrediting our testimony by having us be promise breakers rather than promise keepers. Let’s choose our words wisely, for they are linked to our future actions.

GOING DEEPER:

1. What negative actions might you be repeating?

2. How might your words be impacting those you love?

FURTHER READING:

Galatians 5:16-17, 25; Ephesians 6:10-12

Susan is married to Mark, and has two adult children. She enjoys teaching Bible studies, writing, and tutoring with the Literacy Council. Susan is part of the Peacemaking Team at Oakwood.

Give Thanks

Psalm 138 (ESV)

I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.

On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.

All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord, for they have heard the words of your mouth, and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Why I Love My Husband

By Lisa Boyer

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

A couple of months ago, someone nominated me on Facebook to list five reasons why I love my husband. I never did it. Not because I don’t love him - - I do - - but every reason I came up with that explained WHY I love him had nothing to do him, it was all about me.

I was struck by the reality that loving someone demonstrates the character of the person doing the loving, not the person being loved. I love my husband because I choose to love him. I made a commitment to love him years ago and I do so unconditionally.

Thinking about love so much led me to thinking about God and His love for me. God’s love for me is unconditional, He chooses to love me and He doesn’t change His mind no matter what I do or say or how I act. He loves me because of who He is - - because of His character, not mine. I do not deserve that kind of love. I cannot earn that kind of love. So why do I get to be loved like that?

Because God chose to love me… that’s it, there is no other reason. He made a choice to love me before I was even born. He was so committed to that choice that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die so that I could live! I cannot change His love for me; I can only bask in His love and enjoy being loved by Him.

I may not be able to list five reasons why I love my husband, but I can list five things I love about him: his sense of humor, his intentionality in loving our sons, his kind heart, his commitment to our family, his unconditional love and the way he makes me feel safe in our relationship. (Oops, that was six things.)

I’m thankful that Facebook nomination encouraged me to think of things I love about my husband, but more importantly, that it reminded me of God’s great love for me. 

GOING DEEPER:

1. I’m not the only one God loves that way. He loves you unconditionally, too. Are you basking in His love for you today or is there something that has come between you?

2. If something has come between you, will you take steps to fix that today?  

FURTHER READING:

Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:10; John 3:16

Lisa has been married to Ted for over 20 years and they have two teenage sons. Lisa administers Fresh Start’s Facebook and blog, serves in Quest 56 on Sunday mornings, and is a part of the WE Women’s Special Event’s team at Oakwood.

Giving Thanks

By Peggy Kleckner

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.”

Psalm 100:4 (NIV)

Two years ago, I spent some time pondering the words “come and worship.” They were printed on an invitation to a women’s Christmas luncheon at our church and stayed with me.  “Come” is certainly an all-inclusive invitation word, but what of “worship”? Is it just singing? Is it music? Is it being quiet or being alone? I think it’s actually more an act of bowing my heart to God’s headship - - to His right to sit on the throne of my life as King.  Yet not only bowing to His authority, but also fully accepting and receiving His great love for me, and then willingly loving Him back.

After that, I read an article that was speaking of the birth of Christ. How “imperfect” that birth looked to us. No room at the inn, a stable, no family nearby. That imperfection was part of God’s sovereign plan. It was His right to choose the setting. Into that very “imperfect” situation, God placed His greatest gift and He sent out the invitation to “come and worship.” He called all men to step away from their work, their worry, their hurry and find their answer in Him alone.

As we prepare to head into the Christmas season, how appropriate that we are first called to gather and celebrate Thanksgiving. Our thanksgiving ushers us through His gates and into His courts to worship and to bow our hearts to His headship and His great love - - as our Redeemer, our King.  Since most of the world does not know Him, is it any wonder that they run over this holiday and head straight to Christmas? As believers, shouldn’t we be setting our hearts first to thanksgiving? We have already received the gift of His Son, our redemption.

That first Christmas had the setting of rush and throng as well, and into its midst, God sent His peace, His gift to all mankind. May we use this day of thanksgiving to ready our hearts for true worship; let us live lives of gratitude. He abides in us and with us. Oh, that we would look and act noticeably different both at our Thanksgiving tables and then along the path to Christmas Day.

Today, let us bow our hearts - - grace-filled hearts of thanksgiving - - and worship our King…preparing Him room to display His peace through our imperfect lives.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  What “imperfect” situation is keeping you from thanksgiving?

2.  Where is He calling you to display His peace?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 51:15-17; Psalm 5:11-12; Romans 11:33-36

Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield. 

Are You Thrilled?

Psalm 98:1-4 (NLT)

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

Father, I thank You today for_____________________________.


to sing praises to the Most High.

Here’s my song for You today: ___________________________________.


It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,

Whom shall I tell today about how You’ve loved me? __________________________.


your faithfulness in the evening,

I recall that time you were so faithful to me: _____________________________.


accompanied by the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre.

I don’t play the harp or the lyre, but I can use my _______________________ to honor You today.


You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me!

What really overwhelms me about Your kindness is___________________________.


I sing for joy because of what you have done.

May the way I live be a life-song of joy to You today.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Start a running list of that for which you’re thankful to our God. Consider adding to it daily!
2. How are you training gratitude in your home?

FOR FURTHER READING:
Psalm 100

Rivers in the Dry Wasteland

By Brita Crouse

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland... Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed.”

Isaiah 43:19, 20b (NLT)

Do you ever have those amazing moments when your life and something you read in Scripture perfectly align? To me, this is one of the greatest feelings and reassurances of God’s love for us. It happened to me recently and I was blown away by God’s perfect timing and preparation.

I was listening to an album by one of my favorite bands, NEEDTOBREATHE. The name of the album? “Rivers in the Wasteland.” The name of the title track? “Wasteland.” Little did I know... A few days later, I was reading my Bible and came across the verses above. I had a freak out moment and thought, What a crazy coincidence!  It was a pretty cool “God moment.” A few weeks later, I learned a family member had received a severe medical diagnosis. Wow. Had this idea of a “wasteland” not been reiterated enough over the past few weeks? Now this? This was my “wasteland.” This is what God had been preparing me for with these verses and songs.

These verses were written to the people of Judah in anticipation of an inevitable captivity in Babylon. God is letting them know in advance that He is already preparing a way out of this captivity for them. He reminds them of when they were slaves in Egypt and how He rescued them from that. He provided all of their basic needs and He is telling the Israelites here that He will do it again.

It’s the same for us. God may be leading you through a “wasteland,” but He will provide rivers for you along the way. He will not abandon you. I am saying this not only for others, but also for myself because sometimes it’s hard to believe. Sometimes it feels like there is no hope or no way out. But, there’s always a light, there’s always hope.

“In this wasteland where I'm livin'

There is a crack in the door filled with light

And it's all that I need to shine.” [1]

There is a whole world watching to see how you respond to difficulties. So as a believer, remember how God has provided for you and prepared you. Wait patiently to be refreshed with rivers in the dry wasteland and shine for Him.

GOING DEEPER:

1. What “wasteland” are you currently walking through? How has God been providing for you through it?

2. Listen to “Wasteland” by NEEDTOBREATHE by clicking HERE.   

FURTHER READING:

Isaiah 52:12; Deuteronomy 20:4; Romans 8:28-31

[1] http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/needtobreathe/wasteland.html

Brita is currently working toward her Master’s in Counseling at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She has called Oakwood her home church for the past seventeen years.

The Clock is Ticking

By Carolyn Hulliberger

“LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.

Remind me that my days are numbered  - - how fleeting my life is.”

Psalm 39:4 (NLT)

Most of us are slaves to the calendar. We count down the shopping days to Christmas, the days to a vacation, or a birthday.

Recently, I was discussing with a friend how time was flying with our high-school sophomores. The comment was made that we have three years left with them at home…which turns into just over 1,000 days.

1,000 days doesn’t seem like much time to influence and mentor your child into young adulthood.

So I started thinking…here is the countdown to some of my upcoming milestones…

210 days until the last day of school

240 days until the next family reunion

660 days until my youngest starts high school

1,250 days until my 25th wedding anniversary

2,130 days until my youngest heads off to college

2,530 days until my next “decade” birthday

8,036 days until retirement

Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (NIV) I wonder if we all sat down and actually did that…numbered our days. I wonder how we could use that to influence others. Would we waste less time? Would we spend more time with things that matter? When we realize our time is limited, how would we change the way we spent our time with our loved ones, with getting to know our neighbors and co-workers, or volunteering in our churches and community?

1,000 days may seem like a short amount of time that my sophomore has left in our home. May we equally be aware and intentional in spending our limited time wisely.

GOING DEEPER:

1. Figure out the number of days to some of your milestones (hint: Google “countdown timer” for a help with this).

2. How can you resolve to be deliberate in impacting others?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 90:4; Psalm 90:12; 2 Peter 3:8

Along with caring for her family, Carolyn works as an insurance representative and serves in Oakwood Church’s Student Ministries with an awesome group of junior high girls.