Consistent and Faithful

May the God of all hope fill you with joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the seasons photoHoly Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

I love to know that my God is a consistent God. The sun comes up every morning. The moon comes out every night. The stars have their place in the galaxy. Every year spring comes after winter. Winter after fall. Fall after summer. There is a pattern and rhythm. Our God is consistent.

People say that if they can’t see God, they won’t believe. But I see God in the  seasons,  the snow clad Rocky Mountains and the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. I see God in the beautiful eyes of my students. I see God in my husband as he patiently helps this paralyzed body out of my wheelchair each and every night.

Because I truly believe that He exists, there is a joy and peace that has settled in my soul. Do I get tired? Yes. But the peace still resides. When Jesus left earth he left his Holy Spirit to be with each of us. This month, may you begin each day asking the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to His presence, His beauty. Seek to see three such instances every day and by the end of the month you will have seen close to 100 moments of God’s presence! By doing so, you too will be “abounding in hope” by the end of the month!

And wise they were…

Aside

Matthew 2:2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Some years ago, my wise friend Debbi told me that each Christmas she asks the Lord to show her something new in the Christmas story. I’ve never forgotten this and now each year I ask the same of Jesus. He never disappoints. It hit me last Thursday…Deep space background

At the school where I teach music, the kindergarten class was presenting its annual Nativity program for parents and grandparents. Aside from being absolutely 100% adorable, what caught my heart was after the three kindergarten wise men asked the question above and all the little ones pointed to a particular spot in the sky and began singing, “Let’s follow the star! Follow the star! It will lead the way!”

Something about all those eyes and little fingers pointing up in unison stopped me in my tracks. I asked myself, “Am I truly following the star – Godly people, consistent prayer time, clean thoughts – things that lead me to Jesus? Or is shopping, work, complaining and all-out busyness blocking my view of the star?”

‘Tis the season for the latter, of this I’m well aware. But I invite you to join the wise men, and those darling kindergartners, in following the star that leads us to Jesus. The Magi were indeed wise to do so! Perhaps begin today by reading more of the Magi story in the book of Matthew chapter 2.

From all of us here at Bondi Ministries, we wish you a merry, joyful and wise Christmas!

Take a breather and……

I’m in a great place now, but last week I was physically tired and struggling with staying positive. The haunting phrase, “If I had hands that worked, I could…” started worming its way back into my mind. It was not good and certainly not pretty as complaints started frequenting my lips. For many years when this phrase would take hold, I would immediately surrender my frustration to Jesus and then start doing as St. Paul suggests in Philippians 4:8 “whatever is true, noble, right; whatever is pure, lovely, admirable; if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.”

But for some reason last week I couldn’t hold on to it. I was tired of the mental challenge of “thinking about such things” and the victim mentality was taking over. I knew I was in trouble. Rolling into what I call my “prayer space” near the fireplace in our family room, I bowed my head. After sharing my aching heart with the Lord and telling him I was having a hard time reaching for what was true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, I took a big breath and quieted my mind. Lord, blow your grace into my heart and my mind this afternoon. I don’t want this worm to create a hardened heart. Your Word has always been my light, my guide. Why can’t I “think about such things” this afternoon as I have before? I’m here to rest in You.

After sitting quietly in His presence, taking several deep, slow breaths, a new sense of calm entered the room. The Holy Spirit flooded into my thoughts. “Be” what Paul says to think about. Be it right now. Don’t only think about it – be it. Be in the middle of such things. At first I didn’t know how to do this. But I simply centered my thoughts to the concept of all things true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable. What beauty came to my mind! What lovely images! Beautiful trees, sky, mountains, ocean, sun, peace, quiet, smiling friends. Your images may be different, but equally lovely when we center ourselves in God’s excellence.

Be.

Be.

Be.

Thank you Jesus for saving me once again from my own mental destruction and thank You for reminding me to come into Your Holy Presence.

Worldly or Holy Spirit wisdom?

bible-study-group-1Three years ago, Mike and I were trying to figure out how to fit bible study into our schedule. On Wednesday mornings I had been going to Community Bible Study but it was becoming increasingly more difficult to arrive on time. Being quadriplegic, I rely heavily on my morning caregiver to help me get out of bed and if she is new to the position, it’s not fair to push her to move fast in order not to be late. An evening study was an idea, but since I don’t drive and don’t have a caregiver in the evening, I would need to rely on my husband to drive me. Mike  works a high stress corporate job and often doesn’t arrive home until around 7:30 which is too late for a 7:00 study start time at most churches. So that was out.

So what were my other options?

Being paralyzed for 28 years I’ve had lots of experience in solving problems and refiguring how to function. I said to Mike, “Then we need to do a study at home. What if we start a couple’s study here at the house and I’ll go online to find good, reputable studies from name theologians and bible scholars.” He said, “That’s it! I haven’t been able to be in a study because of my job so this is perfect. Let’s do it!”

We’re in our third year and loving it. It’s a win-win because we gather couples in our life with whom we never seem to find enough time to visit AND we get to be in God’s Word. It’s been great.

In our current lesson of First Corinthians I’ve been focused on 1:17-24. Have you ever had God show up in your life in such a way that He is excitingly clear? It’s so cool! So you tell your friend who’s a nonbeliever and he/she looks at you with a blank look of, “Huh?’ And you think, “Nevermind. You’re not understanding what just happened.” Sadly, you change the conversation.

First Corinthians 1:17-24 explains the “huh?” well. You see, Greek culture prized worldly wisdom and rhetorical eloquence. For the writer of the letter to Corinthians, the Cross turnsed this worldly wisdom upside down. Paul is saying the source of Christian wisdom is the Holy Spirit. So if you’re talking with a friend who doesn’t place value in knowing God and hasn’t asked Jesus to take over his/her life, explaining what God did in your life today is going to be met with a blank stare. There really is such a thing as “Holy Spirit wisdom” in the heart of each believer, and conversely, it is absent in a nonbeliever.

Join me today in spending time in scripture asking the Spirit to teach ;you God’s ways. If you’re not in a bible study this summer, look for one nearby. Most churches studies are off during the summer months but will resume in September. If that’s the case in your area, then make plans to join in the fall and while you’re waiting, attend a church where the pastor breaks open the Word during the sermon. Before the mass or service begins, ask the Holy Spirit to teach you something as you hear the readings and during the sermon. Because you ask, I guarantee the Holy Spirit will give you the wisdom to hear something new in His Word!

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path. Ps.119:105

Lord, lead me to a church where I can learn Your Word. I’m open and ready.

 

I figured it out

Sorry I’ve been off the map for a while! A combination of a few things, really. I’ve been
trying to analyze why I’m just not consistent in the world of blogging. It seems it’s always placed on the back burner as other things get pushed to the front. Today I was finally able to analyze where the time goes and much to my “gosh, I guess I really am quadriplegic” dismay, I have to accept the fact that it takes me much longer than the average Jane to get up in the morning. Even though I’m super healthy, the fact is it takes time to do my minor medical care, showering, transferring from my shower chair, have my attendant dress me, then up into power wheelchair I go.

After that my attendant brushes my teeth, puts a little makeup on (a must), dries my hair and into the kitchen we go for breakfast. While nibbling on eggs or whatever, we come up with dinner preparation, open mail, or run an errand or two. By that time it’s 11:00 and I head into our ministry office for meetings. Finally I get time to myself about 1:30.

About 6:00 p.m. my kind, ever-serving mother of 92 yrs. old comes to our home for a visit (she lives next door) and to toss the salad so Mike has to do very little when he walks in the door from work about 7:00. clock

I share this with you not to make excuses in any way, but rather exposing the analytics of my mind. So there really is only 1:30-6:00 or approximately 4.5 hours each day to be productive which seems like it should be enough – at least in my mind it does. Yes, there’s speaking prep, responding to email, working on songs, peer counseling and checking in on friends all of which takes every bit of that 4.5. But the fact of the matter is, I’m not a big fan of being in front of the computer all afternoon! If I could chat with you over a cup of coffee in my living room, well, we would visit every day!

Here’s the reality – I am relational. I want to hear your voice, see your eyes, touch your knee, feel your spirit – and see how it’s all joined with the Holy Spirit. That’s how I’m wired. That’s how I communicate. The computer is just too one-dimensional for me.

With all of that said, I will indeed try to fit you all in my living room! It may be a virtual living room, but it is still living! So I recommit myself to you, my friends, and hope to chat with you in this virtual living room again, soon! In the meantime, fast from thoughts that weaken and feast on the promises that strengthen. Isaiah 40:29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

Amen!

Guide me in 2016!

Have you ever had a moment when something you’ve done over and over in your life suddenly is seen in a brand new light? That happened at church this Sunday while celebrating the visit of the Magi to baby Jesus, the feast of the Epiphany. As I joined with the congregation singing familiar Christmas carol “We Three Kings” I was thinking, “Well yes, we should be singing this today and boy, I’ve sure been singing this carol for a long time! Help me Lord not to go on autopilot and to pay attention to the words I’m singing.” The very moment I finished praying this thought, my lips were singing “guide us to Thy perfect light.”

“Guide us to Thy perfect light.” Yep, that’s it. Lord, will you continue to guide me to You? I love it when an old hymn becomes fresh and new again. The final phrase of the chorus hit me between the eyes! Think about it… In 2015 we certainly saw many dark, ugly acts staged by the human race. While singing, I couldn’t help but think how much we need to be guided and to guide others into Christ’s, indeed, perfect light. After all, light certainly shines brightest in the dark, doesn’t it?

So this year in 2016, join me in taking steps in sharing the light of Christ with those in our circle of influence. Are there family members or neighbors that you think, “Oh they’ll never accept the gospel!” Don’t be so sure. Pray for a Divine appointment in 2016 for you to speak tenderly and lovingly to the hardest of heart. Don’t worry. When I cover it in prayer, it’s never me doing the speaking but rather the sweet voice of the Holy Spirit. Most importantly, I’m asking Jesus to help me truly SHOW His love before speaking it.

Heavenly Father, guide me to Your perfect light, Your Son Jesus. I also want to share Jesus with others, but I don’t know how to speak of You to those with whom I’m closest. Please provide the right moment and give me the words in a way that will be heard.

Creating pockets of peace

iamthankful

As I look back over a year that has been rough in the world at large, I am reminded what a huge blessing it is to be given the opportunity to serve people like you.  Each morning I roll into the office knowing that everything we do that day will have Kingdom purpose – whether it be planning a speaking/singing engagement; spending time on the phone with someone facing a frightening challenge; or shipping a music CD or book of encouragement to a new friend in need.  It’s good to know that you too are doing Kingdom work and you don’t have to be working in a ministry office to do so! Each time you walk into a work meeting facing your least favorite coworker and offer a word of encouragement, or help a family member see a more positive perspective on their challenging situation or check up on a lonely elderly friend – well, that too is bringing the peace of Christ into your city. This Thanksgiving I am prayerfully thankful to God for you giving us the opportunities to create pockets of peace in this world. From all of us here at Bondi Ministries, we wish you many blessings this week and in the year to come!

Miracles happen large and small…

thermometerSorry everyone for not taking the time to blog as often as I should. We’ve been remodeling our kitchen after 25 yrs. of living in our home and well, feeling as though we’ve been camping for a couple months. Why does a discombobulated home rattle my brain? Nonetheless, I’m back and ready to chat. (Hey, that rhymes.) I’m loving that I get to begin by sharing a miracle with you…

Yes! I’m finally 100% again after a big physical battle with a bladder infection that really wanted to be a kidney infection. Allow me to share with you my miracle last Friday…. I had 102.4 temp and the doctor said to get to the ER. I didn’t want to go! I had been hospitalized for 4 days last fall with a kidney infection and was not looking forward to a repeat. I was praying in the car that I wouldn’t have to spend the night. One hour after taking my temp which gave me the 102.4, they took my temperature at the ER and it read 97.6. How in the world did it go down SO FAR in such a short time? Was our thermometer at home wrong? Couldn’t have been because we were using the old-fashioned Mercury style thermometer, not digital which can sometimes give a false reading. My sister who had driven me said, “Let’s blow this joint! You don’t need another ER bill.” Came home, checked my temp with our thermometer – 97.6°. Still don’t know how it could’ve decreased so fast except that God knew the desire of my hear and the estate of our finances.

He knows yours also.

Father, I continue to delight in You – Your creation, Your kindness, and your mighty works that show up when we least expect.

Happy Resurrection Day!

Easter crossWow! He is risen! What does Easter mean to me? Heaven. Heaven. And more heaven. Running. Twirling my arms up high in the air. Spinning around. Dancing. Crazy fast movement. The ability to hug our son like I’ve never been able to hug him before. But also… Awestruck. Falling down in worship. Enthralled. Deep peace. Perfect harmony. Penetrating joy.

But how? By Jesus’ cross and resurrection.

It all had to happen. And it did. We will benefit in heaven and we benefit now because He left us the Holy Spirit to guide us and give peace.

No words are deep enough to express my gratitude. My life needs to express it. So join me in loving someone at the Passover or Easter meal this weekend with patience, comfort and encouraging words. Let’s bless others in a new way this Easter season!

HE IS RISEN! HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY! HAPPY EASTER!

For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. John 6:40

 

Jesus and Simon on Good Friday

Growing up I always looked at Simon as an incredibly good servant or ideal friend that Picking up Your Crosswould relieve Jesus of carrying the cross through the streets of Jerusalem. However, as an adult comparing the four gospels, I see something different. Matthew and Mark say that Simon was “a passerby” who was “forced” or “pressed into service” to carry the cross. John doesn’t mention Simon at all. It was Luke’s account that made me stop and say, “Hmmm.” Luke says, “As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.” As Matthew and Mark portrays, Luke suggests that Simon didn’t know Jesus and was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But the more important part is “and made him carry it behind Jesus.” Behind Jesus. I sit on that word for a while. Not in front of Him. Not leading Him. But behind. There lies the picture I’ve had in my mind representing Jesus’ words in Luke 9:23 “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

I’ve never had anyone ask me to my face, but I’m sure they’ve thought, “Why do you believe in a God that says to follow Him with a painful cross? Why doesn’t He just take it away if he’s such a loving God.” He gave us free will to do what we want, when we want, otherwise we would just be marionette puppets with him controlling the strings. What choices would we have in that? Earthquakes, tsunamis – now that’s another story. I don’t have an answer to that except for the fact that it certainly WAKES ME UP to the fact that we never know when our time is up here on earth. That wake-up call always makes me ask, “Do I know where I’m going after this earth? Am I really ready? Jesus, I come to you. I’m sorry for the sins I have committed and I want to follow ever closer to you.” Not sure I’d be saying that if I didn’t have big shakeups in my life.

So regarding carrying your cross behind Jesus, try it. I encourage you to close your eyes, bow your head and with as little or as much as you understand who God is, speak to Him in your heart letting Him know that right now you are picking up your cross and following Him. It’s Good Friday……but Sunday’s coming. There are days I am trashed, frustrated and tired. But I have experienced His peace, His answers and His grace and it has only been due to responding to his challenge of “denying one’s self, taking up the cross and following Him.” If He endured crucifixion, I certainly can endure quadriplegia. Walk, crutch or roll beside me as we follow Him together.

Don’t know how? Begin with daily conversations with Him. Then ask Jesus to lead you to a church to join a class or Bible study where you can ask questions and learn more about your Savior.