When I was little, one of my very favorite birthday/Christmas presents was a full length mirror. Having a birthday so close to Christmas it was often hard for stuff to be really special – but my parents put together an amazing scavenger hunt that ended up with me face to face with myself. I was absolutely mesmerized. Here was this shiny piece of glass that did magic – it let me look right back at myself.

 
Today, I think a lot of people would love to live without the mirror because that reflection – that face — staring back doesn’t show them what they really want to see. There have been times in my life when I have been so completely different on the surface than I really am that the reflection would sometimes scare me. I would see a total stranger staring back in that glass.

When I first became a Christian I didn’t really know a whole lot. I knew I had radically encountered Christ, I knew my heart was fully His, and I knew He had given me a path to forgiveness and healing. He had provided me a way to step out of the shattered broken mess I was in into His healing. I knew, loved and praised God. People were another story. God was perfect – perfect love, perfect grace – just fully perfect. But people were where a lot of the brokenness had come from. People hadn’t always been so great.

I knew very little of the grace filled community I would be joining. I knew very little of the bible – words now written on my heart. I did know the 10 commandments. I think most adults could rattle off at least a majority of that list, that Christian “thou shall not do” list. Walking into the church where I knew I should be – where I would absolutely encounter Christ and where my life would eventually radically change — all I knew was that I wanted to be there and I couldn’t let anyone know where I was coming from. I walked into church that day knowing very little other than I didn’t measure up to those 10 commandments. I hadn’t broken one or two – I walked into church that day knowing I had very literally broken every one. And I was absolutely certain that if any of the amazing people that were surrounding me, talking to me, welcoming me; if any of them knew who I really was I knew I would no longer be welcome in those doors. I had intensely encountered Christ – I knew His forgiveness – but I didn’t give the people around me the same credit.

Those first years as a Christian, the mask began to form. I actually had a lot of personal growth, a lot of healing and letting go, a lot of tears and a lot of late nights with God… but no one else had a clue. To them, I was this happy, healthy balanced Christian – the “good” Christian I thought I was supposed to be. It wasn’t their fault – it was the elaborate mask I had created and wore all the time. Somewhere in there I completely lost externally the identity that was exploding in me. In me was life and light – I was forgiven and loved. Externally I was the “good” Christian without a past. And I was terrified that internal would break free. If that light was seen I would have to tell them. Tell them who I was, who I really was. REALLY! Only by knowing who I had been could that unbelievable light in me make sense.

And then I heard a scripture that changed me.

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

And I looked in the mirror. I had no idea who the person looking back at me was. The illusion was terrifying. Inside I felt like a person alive but the reflection showed lifelessness. I wanted that light inside of me to shine in my reflection. I wanted to see the person I felt like I was when I looked in the mirror. Instead I saw the person I had covered myself up with and that person was not alive. I was certain that person was in no way shining their good deeds and lighting the house. I was so busy making sure everyone never knew who I was that no one knew who I had become. The reflection was haunting.

I prayed. I wanted God to show me how to let my light shine, but I still hid. I believed I could somehow break free without everyone knowing. God knew better and through a very God planned sequence of events I found myself recording a segment for a video that would be played at my church for their upcoming building campaign. Honestly, I don’t really know how I got there, and I know that while I was sitting in front of that camera telling my story… my very real story… everything in my brain was firing warning lights and telling me to stop. But I didn’t. My story was told. My story was played for thousands who called my church home on a weekend. Sitting there in the audience, I remember just waiting for them to come ask me to leave, for them to shrink away from me after service.

But even in that fear, I remember actually being able to really breathe for the first time. There was nothing left to hide. The mask had come off and I was me – really me. And as the light began to emerge from me, an amazing thing happened. I was not asked to leave, I was not shunned. I was loved. I had people who knew me supporting me, hugging me, and giving me unconditional acceptance. I had people I didn’t know thanking me for my bravery, telling me they had been in the same places I had been and were so grateful that someone was strong enough to help them see that there was a home for them. That this house we all come to was the house God always intended, broken people who all had a past that only God could overcome.

Mark 2:17 “On hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’”

So what is the reflection you see when you look in the mirror? Do you like the person looking back at you – are you wearing a mask? Are you hiding who you are? Or do you know the freedom of real grace and love. The freedom of being a sinner who has been forgiven and whose light is shining freely for the forgiveness you have received. I love the reflection I see now – I shattered the illusion the mask had covered and can now see freely the real face staring back at me. And I know that my story is one that God is using – just like everything it is not about me. My story is one of victory – and being willing to share that story with others, to share with them where my hope and light come from, enables them to encounter God in the same way I did. My story enables them to know His amazing love and grace.

My reflection is one of freedom, and I pray that everyone’s mirror someday reflects the same for them.

So the conversation went something like this… His words are in my head; my words are in his head. That got me pondering that conversation – pondering thoughts – the title he gave me. Of course! My thoughts are in his head — or was it the other way around?

But really, what it got me focused on are thoughts. What we think – the games our minds play – shape so much of the reality that we really live every single day. Our thoughts can ground us, stop us dead in our tracks; or they can launch us, move us into the atmosphere of the dreams that we dream. They can build our faith, our daily conversations with God, and lead us to the path He has perfectly planned for us. Or our thoughts can run away from the reality God wants us in and cause us to take our plans into our hands and move perilously into the worldly; walking where I matter more than He. Thoughts are powerful. They have been shaped by every part of the lives that we have led, the influences that we have let in, and they have the power to really impact and guide our mood and the way that we view every situation, task, trial or opportunity. Those thoughts I have been pondering direct the attitude I have every day. It is a war up there in my brain – but the great new is — when I think about those thoughts — I can actually win every day.

My thoughts have run the gamut of the spectrum. I have found myself having arguments that never actually existed. A perceived slight, a hurt, poor treatment, and for days I argue with that person in my head over and over. I imagine entire scenarios where the person fights back with me and we have an entire verbal war that never actually occurs. That whole mental escapade shapes not only my relationship with that person, but also how I approach the day. I became more negative and combative in all my interactions because of the mind battle that is occurring in my thoughts. When I interact with that person – really interact with them – I act as if this imaginary battle that they know nothing about is real, causing our actual conversation to be negative and defensive.

Days when I don’t check how my thoughts begin I have entire internal dialogues. I shape every task I do by where my thoughts lead me. I am as productive – or not productive – as my dialogues have me being. I approach tasks with engagement – or disengagement – as I have thought myself to be. I am encouraging and loving to others – leading from a place of service, or I am closed and self-focused; all depending on the conversations I have had with myself.

And ladies – you know it is true! When I find myself attracted to someone, a whole romance can occur right there in my head. I plan an entire future in my mind without even the slightest encouragement from the guy. Suddenly – in my own thoughts – we are dating and I can imagine this whole future without ever having even the slightest hint that the guy has the same thoughts, or any thoughts, about us. And when that romance has thoroughly written itself in my mind – I let my guard down on how our interactions should be and try to live the relationship I imagine to exist. Worse yet, I try to force it and end up upset, hurt or angry when the guy doesn’t seem to be living the same romance I have scripted in my thoughts.

Here I am – pondering the power of my thoughts; the world that I can create entirely in my head. A world that more often does not reflect the real world that God has placed me in. Creating my own master plan and forgetting that I have a Master who already knows the plan that should be – a perfect, heavenly, all-knowing Father! He knows the thoughts I should be thinking.

So what does that perfect, heavenly God say about thoughts? What is His guidebook for me?

Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

Colossians 3:1-2 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

So how do I win my thoughts? How do I claim my mind for the good that God has for me? It is all about loading those thoughts with God. The more He is in my head, the less I am. And let’s face it; nothing good happens when I am in my head.

To accomplish this, I have to stock my mental arsenal with the Word of God. His Word is my instruction manual. When I start to take over – His Word can pull me back, refocus me, and reground me. I have to really know what His Word says about me, about others, and about how I should live my life and face every situation. When the storms occur, and they will occur, His word in my head comforts me, gives me hope and promise, and guides me to dance in the rain and not drown in the flood.

Along with His Word, I have to be regularly, unceasingly in conversation with God. The more I am talking to Him – the less I have my own internal dialogues that take over my life and actions. And with prayer, I also spend time worshipping Him — through service, in thanksgiving, in words, in relationships, and in music. Worship is the best defense when my mental war rages. When I find my mind taking over, I can turn on worship music and find myself instead singing along and He overtakes all the enemies I was creating in my head. I have never been able to sing along and praise my amazing God and still continue a mental battle against imaginary attackers. In fact, when I truly put my heart into praise and worship, I often completely forget the fight that was in my head, but I also forget the words, or hurt, or pain that launched the negative thoughts in the first place.

I personally also find that my writing helps. I keep a journal that is just a place to get those pondering thoughts out of my head. If I write through what it is that is consuming me, I often see where I have taken over and where God has a better way for me, a plan for me that when I open the door to Him – and close the door to me – works the issue out in reality and gets it out of my head where it controls me. If for some reason I can’t find it just by writing it, the writing at least gives me a launching point to see the response in God’s word. I see what the dominating thought is, take to the internet for reference scriptures, and then dive into the bible for what God’s Word is patiently waiting to teach me.

Finally, I use my friends – my faith filled Christian friends who I know guide their lives by writing the Word of God on their hearts and who ground themselves in prayer and worship. If I share with them where my thoughts are taking me over – the situations that I have begun to script out in my head – they help me get the words out of my head and actually deal with them. My friends help me see what is real, help me think positively about whatever situation I am in, help ground me in what is really taking place and what God has to say about it instead of my thoughts running away and creating an entire life of their own. My friends can tell when my thoughts are negative – and help me turn them into positive thoughts.

So where has all this pondering gotten me? Awareness of the thoughts I think is the first step to turning them into a weapon I can use to my advantage instead of a weapon used against me. Awareness of my thoughts helps me know when I am taking me over, and is a reminder for me that my role in life is not about me. It is all about loving my perfect God, loving people, and living a life God calls me to; the life He has always wanted me living in the first place.

Mark 12:30 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Psalms 68:5 “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows is God in His holy dwelling.”

I want to tell you about a woman I consider to be a hero. This isn’t introspective – I think her story teaches a lesson greater than my words ever could.

I have had the opportunity to travel with a phenomenal organization – Horizon International (www.horizoninternationalinc.com). The last three years I have gone to Cape Town South Africa where we focused on the children living in the Langa Township who have been orphaned by the HIV-AIDS pandemic. Horizon’s mission is to bring hope to AIDS orphans. In my work there, there have been several amazing women I could – would – call hero. Women whose faith and service I hope only to have even a small portion of. Women like Cecelia – who overcame her own prejudice and said yes to God’s call to go into the township and help these children – long before a partnership with Horizon existed — who gives all her time, energy and effort to serving these amazing kids. Or women like Coleka and Volyessa who live in the township and give everything they have to these otherwise underserved, forgotten children. Or any of the grannies / caregivers (often grandmothers, great-grandmothers, great-aunts) in their golden years, fighting their own health issues, and living with very little; women who should be taken care of, but instead are raising their grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews who have lost their parents to HIV-AIDS.

Any of them are worthy of being called hero; most definitely women for whom strength and love define the lives that they lead. But there is one woman in particular – Pauline – who I define as my hero. Pauline is 68 years old and is raising 5 orphans not related to her in any way. A woman who had four children of their own – 2 dead from HIV-AIDS, two simply “lost” to the party life. The oldest child that Pauline has – the first that she took in – is 21 year old Simphewhe. Simphewhe is an amazing young man; very smart and driven to help be the change so desperately needed to change Cape Town – inside the township and out. The amazing thing – we was literally thrown away in a dumpster. Pauline never hesitated to open her heart and her home – before child sponsorship was there to help (see more on this at the end). Since Simphewhe, Pauline has taken in 4 more amazing children. 3 boys and a great little girl who has spunk and attitude that given the right chance and opportunity will most definitely be a game changer in her world. Pauline has been able to open her home because of help from Horizon’s sponsorship and care programs – but in talking to her I simply know she would be caring for these beautiful children anyway that she could – even without critical help. I have loved getting to know her and her five amazing children each year I return.

There is a song I love – Pioneer by the Band Perry. There is a line I feel describes Pauline. “Pioneer, your work is hard, but the future of us all rests on, the shoulders of your heart.” Pauline is a pioneer – forging a new life, new hope, and a new love in the lives of amazing children who only need a chance to change the world.

This year, talking to Pauline – she said “I am 68 years old, and I am just thankful to God that I have my health. I promised these children a home and a family and if I am wasn’t here, they wouldn’t have that.” At 68 – having lived a hard, heartbreak-filled life, her concern is only for children the world threw away. And when she talks about these kids, her face is light. She finds joy in the family god has given her. Her laugh as she talks of their “adventures” is a priceless sound that remains with me.

And I know that she gives everything to these kids – you can see it in the way they thrive. In the way they embrace life. Khipro – the youngest boy and the last child that Pauline took in two years ago – is the best example. I first met him the first time I came to Cape Town but barely remember him. He was just quietly blending into the back. Last year he stole my heart (I think he stole all our hearts). He clung to us for love, but wouldn’t run or play. He wouldn’t smile, and definitely wouldn’t show his teeth which are rotted out. He was in no way a 5 year old boy. I began sponsoring Khipro shortly after that trip. This year, when I returned, I saw what an amazing difference just 2 short years in the loving home of Pauline and her “family” provided. It was night and day. Khipro amazingly became a 6 year old boy. He ran, he laughed, and he became a total boy with the other boys. My heart actually leapt with happiness every time I saw the huge smile on his face, no longer caring about the rotted out teeth but just enjoying being a child. Two short years with a loving family and Khipro got his childhood back.

I am so thankful women like Pauline have stepped up and said yes to the orphans – who desperately need only a chance to change the world. And I am thankful for her example of real sacrifice, real love – God’s love – in my life.

Philippians 2:1-4 “therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, If any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like minded. Having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.”

A note on child sponsorship:

Horizon International offers the gift of sponsoring orphans in their program – children who have lost both parents to HIV-AIDS – a disease that in many areas has wiped out an entire generation of adults. Sponsorship enables these children to go to school (a condition of the program) and provides much needed help to the children and caregivers graciously raising them.

Sponsorship is not a light hearted decision – it is a life commitment to a child who you will grow to love as your own. It can last 18-20 years depending on how young the child is when you begin – they remain in the program as long as they are in school. But if you think you have interest in changing the life of a child long-term, ask me for more information or log onto the website (www.horizoninternationalinc.com).

When I was in Italy, one thing I heard over and over from locals and guides – was how Italians recycled – everything. I’m not talking here about aluminum, plastic and paper. No – Italian recycling has a much larger history.

Ever wonder why there are so many holes in the part of the colosseum still standing? All the metal was taken out in later years to be used as weapons in war. That is Italian recycling– old things, or parts of old things, garbled and blended together to make the beautiful cacophony of history and present that meld together today and change constantly into tomorrow.

I feel like that is what my life is. This blended beautiful noise that all comes down to a glorious God who has given me an amazing gift of grace that I could never earn, that I don’t deserve, and a life that I want to live in total thanksgiving of His love for me.

I know it is surprising because I seem so young – but I have a lot of years of history. A building built stone by stone. Some broken, some burnt, some perfect and hole, but especially from those critical years, built with lots of metal in the foundation – metal of bad choices, disastrous decisions, pain. It was hard cold metal that held me together but in very wrong ways, metal that turned me hard and cold in the process. An awe inspiring building on the outside but filled with secrets and shame and cold dark pain on the inside. A building that appeared indestructible but was actually crumbling with every added weight.

And much like the death that marked the inside of the colosseum – I was dying inside. I was attacked by everything I kept pouring into my life, until I could no longer face the lions and the gladiators, and I screamed out for help.

And in that dark death, I found light. I encountered Christ – really encountered Him. A heart change, a life change – for the first time I felt life and hope. For the first time I saw life beyond the massive cold hard walls I had built around me. I found the love I had been seeking so hard – and found peace in true unconditional acceptance. My God who created me, loved me even as I kept piling the cold hard steel of sin into my life with each bad decision. My God who gave me a way out – unearned, undeserved grace – sacrificed for me on the cross even before I was born.

Ephesians 3:17-19 “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all that fullness of God”.

 1 John 4:16 “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in them.”

The building took years to create, and it took years to become a ruin – a memory of the past that was. As stones crumbled and the cold hard metal was slowly removed. Years of getting to know the God – the light – outside the walls. There were definitely times I retreated back in, a little scared that the new world was just too good for me. There were times I went back and put some of the cold bitterness back in my foundation. But eventually it became easier to live the new, forgiven, grace filled life – joy filled life – God has always intended for me. Much like the colosseum today – only the empty shell remained. No longer holding in the death and destruction – only silent memories of what had been. No longer the center of action, but a part of the bigger picture. Only by trusting fully in God – giving my life, my heart, my whole faith – into my heavenly perfect Father could the walls come down. No longer my effort, but His love that rebuilt a life of hope out of the destruction.

 Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

And here is where the recycling comes in. All that cold, hard sin that used to hold me in darkness was removed and melted into weapons for the new battle I had joined. They became God words on my heart that help me stand strong when the temptations of the world try to take me back to the past. God’s love and hope on my life that help me attack new challenges and trials as they arise. God’s truth that helps answer all satan’s lies that constantly pursue me.

That cold darkness became a new story – a story that is a weapon to help others as they fight to find the same hope and joy outside of the walls that hold them in. By reusing what once destroyed me to show other hurting hearts that there is a path out, my weapons became something much greater than myself. Because my story was never just about me – but about all the lost sheep desperately striving for their shepherd’s voice.

My Father has made me new. Nothing other than God in my life, nothing that I have done, not my own effort – fully God. He has made me new from the old that was. He has recycled my story from death and destruction to life and hope.

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!”

The old never fully gone, instead melted together into the new landscape. A sign to others locked in their old that there is a new waiting for them – just waiting for their hearts to break down the walls. For them to do the hard work of relying on God and removing the cold hard past.

My ruins recycled into God’s purpose.

My history recycled into His story in my life.

A friend of mine has me really thinking about words… he is actually in my head now as I respond to questions and situations in my life. It started when explaining a recent medical procedure – explaining when the results would be in. In my head, I knew I was expecting nothing but great results would be in, my words didn’t say that though. His immediate response was to gently correct me… “you mean you will get ‘positive’ results…” And really, that one word changed the whole tone and outlook of the message. I started over and corrected my words. Later, someone else asked when I would know my results, my knee-jerk response was my standard “I will get the results…”, I looked before hitting send, heard my friend’s gentle correction, and went back and changed my response.

Why?

Because words really, really do matter. Think about it. As a child we were taught that super catchy “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” to try and prove that someone else’s words were not actually impacting us. But I am pretty sure we all knew that to be a lie. Sticks and stones may have hurt for a moment, but the pain of words stuck. There are adults today still reeling from painful, hurtful words spoken over their lives decades ago.

Words have incredible power. Words can be life giving, life changing or they can be soul crushing. Words can give hope when there is despair or they can cause despair when someone desperately needs hope. The words we speak into our own situation can dramatically change the way that we focus on a task, opportunity or trial. What we say, we will believe. Even in my case, though mentally I was expecting nothing but good results, changing the words I used brought more reality – more hope – and actual joy into the situation than when my words didn’t speak it.

So what to do about words?

1) Use caution with the words that you speak!

This applies to both the words you speak into your own life as well as the words that you speak into the words of others. On a daily basis I am asked many times “how are you?” I have heard people answer this so many ways. “Blah”, “Good, you know; whatever”, “Fine”, “Can’t complain”. I respond with “Fabulous” (or some of my word-combo variations like fantabulous), or “Blessed”, or “Absolutely amazing”. Why? Because if I say that over and over in a day; I can’t help but be that. And I can see the lift / change in others as I say those words.

Words like a name have the power to change someone from invisible to alive. I actually first really realized this when some friends came to New York City on a delayed honeymoon. We had dinner at one of those greasy spoon diners (not the fancy kind, the plates stick to the table kind). Our waiter came to take our order and my friend started with “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name” – I’m pretty sure he hadn’t told us. He looked surprised and told us his name. My friend then used his name every time he came back. It was like it was magic word. Each time he came back, he was visibly happier — I think he even got taller. He was literally coming to life with his own name being spoken into his life.

 Matthew 15:18 “But the things that come out of a person’ mouth come from the heart, and these defile them”.

 Proverbs 12:18 “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing”.

 Colossians 4:6 “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone”.

And a special note here – parents, think about the words you speak into and over your children’s lives. Do they know they are loved 100% no matter what? Do they know they don’t have to be / achieve / win to be accepted? That they are God’s child and are worth nothing less than His amazing best. Be careful with humor, they won’t necessarily know you are kidding. Arm your children with power, love, grace, mercy and most importantly with their high value so that the words of the world won’t rob them of life as they grow.

There is a scene in Pretty Woman where Richard Gear’s character is having the first real “emotional” conversation with Julia Roberts’ character. He tells her he thinks she has tremendous potential. She responds though, “the bad stuff is just easier to believe…” Give others words to live up to and not words to crash down on. Be cautious also with words you speak about others lives. Gossip is only harmful. Discussing with a group the “help that someone else needs” only serves to build walls and divisions. Words about others can destroy friendships, groups and even entire ministries.

 Ephesians 4:29 “Do no let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen’.

 Proverbs 17:9 “Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.”

2) Make certain your life – your actions – speak the same message as your words.

As powerful as your words are, if you are not living the message you are speaking, eventually no one will believe your words. I can say you are a good friend of mine over and over again – but if I make no effort or time for you, you probably won’t consider me a good friend. You can tell your child you love them just as they are, but if you constantly try and change something about their appearance or if you show up only to celebrate big achievements and not in the every day – eventually the message they will actually hear is “I would love you more IF…” And that if is a game changer. That if means love is something that has to be earned – and if we fail – something that can seem unattainable.

Live the words you speak.

Speak life, but really mean it.

Speak love and live out love – even when it is not easy. Be careful not to put conditions on your love! What we do speaks loud and can prevent others from hearing what we say.

 Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

 Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

3) Use caution and discernment with who you allow to speak words into your life.

We can’t always control the people we have to listen to; your boss, your parents, teachers, or coaches. These are people who are and will be forces in our world. We can’t control having to hear them, but we can control what we choose to let their words speak into our lives. The best way is by really mastering point 4… so keep reading if you find yourself surrounded by people you can’t just walk away from whose words threaten to steal your life and promise.

I am not suggesting that we cut off everyone in our life who has not mastered using their words for good. But look carefully at your inner circle and make sure the people you really allow in are speaking words into your life and not against your life. Not that they never correct us or challenge us to grow (it was correction that got me onto this topic after all) – but those we let impact our lives should be able to correct and challenge us, provide accountability and advice to us, and they should be able to do all those things with building, breathing, positive life giving affirmation and not deflating our spirit and faith. Instead of encouraging me to use better words, my friend could have said “that sounds negative, guess you are expecting bad news”. And I can tell you, not only would that not have challenged me and helped me grow, it probably would have made me think bad news when that is not where I actually was.

Make sure those you are really allowing to speak into your life share your faith and convictions. Having them around helps when those who don’t try and talk you out of your faith and convictions with their words. Today’s society doesn’t understand – for example – someone who is putting purity first in a relationship and committing not to have sex outside of marriage. Even friends will mock that decision and try to convince you of all the reasons why you shouldn’t’ go that path. Having friends you can then turn to for help and affirmation can help you stay true to the person you have already decided you should be. Pray regularly for the friends you allow to speak into your life. Pray for discernment on the words being spoken into your life. God can use the words of people around you, but satan can too.

 1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character”.

 Proverbs 13:20 “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”

 Most importantly!!

4) Know what God’s word says about you.

God’s words are the only words that really matter and any words that don’t match God’s are lies. There is no better defense to the words of the world than to have God’s word written on your heart. Satan came to steal, kill and destroy… and he uses words in the world as a powerful weapon. He is the father of all lies – words that don’t align with God’s. Satan started with Eve by just twisting the words of God enough that it still sounded kind of right but was the open door to sin. Sin that has plagued us ever since. Jesus stood strong on the word of God when satan tried to tempt him – three times saying “it is written”. We must write God’s word for us on our heart so we can defend ourselves when satan comes attacking.

When the world says…

• Look at the life you have led, you are ruined forever

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

• You don’t have enough, look good enough, aren’t talented enough… to be worth anything.

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”

• You haven’t done enough to deserve the grace Christ paid such a high price for – you have not earned it.

John 1:12 “Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”

• You are unlovable.

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.”

• You cannot do what God calls you to.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

• You have nothing to contribute.

1 Peter 4:10 “As each has received a gift, use ti to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace”

• You are too week or insignificant, no one will listen to you

2 Timothy 1:7 “For the spirit of God gives us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

• You are hopeless.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

 The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy – but Christ came to give us abundant life. Know the voice of God. Know God’s word. Let only those words impact your soul – make sure your words are speaking only God’s life and light into the lives around you, and into your own life.

Words matter!

Use them with care.

I love the movie Cool Running about the Jamaican bobsled team. Great movie for all the right and wrong reasons! But one of my favorite movie quotes comes from this movie. The coach is talking to the team captain before the “big day”. Speaking about the gold medal, he says “if you are not enough without it, you will never be enough with it.”

I believe that this statement can be applied to absolutely everything in life – with one exception. Keep reading to find that out.

People today put so much emphasis on stuff; on identity – especially here in the USA. They want money, reputation, relationship, fame, power, the biggest, the brightest, the best, to be the most important, to win the most, or to have the most. People wrap their identity into something and believe they will be happier, at peace, content when they capture that golden idol dangling in front of them.

I spent years doing exactly the same. For me, relationships were the drug of choice. If I could just have the perfect someone love me – then I would be complete. I would be happy. Because this was my goal, my sure road to a perfect life, I was willing to sacrifice a lot of me for that quest. Things I can never undo, never get back, never totally forget. And amazingly with all that sacrifice, I still never had what I was certain would complete me. I never felt happy or complete. Actually, I usually ended up hurt, more empty and feeling guilty and ashamed because of the compromises to myself that I had made.

See, the problem is, we all have a space that needs to be filled and so many of us try our whole life to find the “stuff” that will fill that space. Or we self-medicate ourselves to try and forget that the emptiness we feel exists. But that stuff will never fill us, and no amount of self-medication will keep us from knowing the emptiness is there. We will never be enough with all the stuff we think will fulfill us.

This is actually a story of hope… probably didn’t feel like it yet. That thing we try to fill – that hole – it is the space that is meant for God in our life.

The way to be enough without all the stuff is to know the God who loves us more than anyone could ever imagine. To know what our Father, our Creator, says about us; reading His word, talking with Him constantly, walking daily held in His pure and perfect love. Walking in His grace. With that filling the being of who we are – all that other stuff just becomes a gift, not a need. It no longer owns us. It is no longer more important than our own self is. We no longer compromise what is right or what we feel in our heart. We no longer sell our souls for the gold medals – shiny trinkets that crumple in life.

Matthew 7:6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred, do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”

Matthew 16:25-26 “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

And there it is; the one exception – God. God doesn’t care if we are enough. He knew us from the beginning and loved us before we had a chance to do right or wrong. To God – we are already compete, already everything He loves fully. He is the enough that we need in our life. The reality is, with God – we are already enough.

Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Colossians 2:10 “and in Christ, you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”

So what are you chasing? What is your gold medal? What do you reach for everyday?

Reach for God. Let your world be filled with the love God has for you – the pure, perfect, amazing love of God. If you strive for that, if you walk daily with Him, you will find everything else enhances your life but does not define it. Everything else becomes a gift, but not an identity.

Recently a friend of mine used these words to describe our God. Explosively Majestic! I love those words. Our language is too limited to begin to describe God – but if words could do it, these would be the words. From the amazingly beautiful, complicated, scientifically perfect world He created – to the unbelievable, undeserved grace He gives us every day – and He gives us through a sacrifice unmatchable in this imperfect human world we live in.

I asked another friend what explosively majestic brought to mind – her immediate thought… Fireworks. That got me thinking of my July 4ths as a child. Most years I was at summer camp in Gnaw Bone (yes, real city name) Indiana. We would go to town (Nashville Indiana) – a whole camp of girls loaded onto a flatbed truck. We got to terrorize the town – pretty much for us being the candy store and the ice cream parlor. Then we would all go together and watch the fireworks. These massive bursts of fiery lights in all colors that exploded in the dark night sky seemingly from nowhere. It would be calm and quiet and dark – and suddenly – amazement dancing in the dark. The night lit up brightly like it was day – and these awesome designs filled all my senses. I would literally sit there completely in awe. And I never left a night of fireworks with anything less than happiness in my heart.

That is the God I love – more importantly the God who loves me. Even when it seems the world is dark as night, He explodes into my situation with light. Leaving me totally in awe and absolutely happy in my heart.

Just look around you and actually see this amazing world we live in. A daily changing gift; every breath, breeze, birdsong – all creation – shouting the praise of our God. Someone once said to me, I don’t know how you can look around and see the trees and flowers and such and believe that there is a God. My simple response, I don’t know how you can look around and not believe there is a God. The whole earth cries out His glory. His explosively majestic existence.

 Psalm 8 “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

Psalm 42:7-8 “Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life.”

 Hebrews 12:29 “For our God is a consuming fire.”

 In the book The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning, he explains how scientifically perfect this world is – and my mind can’t help but know only an explosively majestic God could create such a delicate balance. The world is no accident.

     “The slant of the earth, for example, tilted at an angle of twenty-three degrees, produces our seasons. Scientists tell us that if the earth had not been tilted exactly as it is, vapors from the oceans would move both north and south, piling up vast continents of ice.

     If the moon were only 50,000 miles away from the earth, instead of 250,000, the tides might be so enormous that all the continents would be submerged in water – even the mountains would be eroded.

      If the crust of the earth had been only ten feet thicker, there would be no oxygen, and without it all animal life would die.

      Had the oceans been a few feet deeper, carbon dioxide and oxygen would have been absorbed, and no vegetable life would exist.

      The earth’s weight has been estimated at six-sextillion tons (that is a six with twenty-one zeros). Yet it rotates perfectly at the rate of more than a thousand miles per hour, or 25,000 miles per day. This adds up to nine million miles a year. Considering the tremendous weight of six-sextillion tons rolling at this fantastic speed around an invisible axis, held in place by unseen bands of gravitation, the words of Job 26:7 take on an unparalleled significance: He posed the earth on nothingness”

                                (Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning; pp 33-34)

The whole earth screams of an explosively majestic God. Only god could have created this masterpiece – and He created it for you and me. He created it as our home – a place where His glory could shine, and where His name could be praised.

Fireworks!

Awe!

And in that state of awe, I wonder at the even more explosively majestic nature of God. That this God who created everything, loves me. Loves me as through I were the only one – and loves you just the same. That God gave up His majesty and came to the earth He created just for me.

 Hebrews 1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name He has inherited as superior to theirs.”

1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit.”

Romans 4: 24-25 “but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness — for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”

And He did that to save me. He did that because He knew I would fail at being everything He called me to be and that only by providing a sacrifice greater than anyone could even fathom could I have the most amazing gift. Grace! Life eternal with this amazing, awesome, explosively majestic God. He knows every minute detail about me, and yet He loves me still.

 Psalm 139:1-18 “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down, you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there, if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me”, even the darkness will not be dark to you, the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand – when I awake, I am still with you.”

 He knows me. And He has given me a way to overcome the punishment I deserve for constantly falling short of the glory of His name.

 Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.”

 John 3:16-17 “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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

 Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

My words will never quite be good enough to capture just how truly explosively majestic God is. His glory shines bright in this world – and His love shines light, hope and peace in my life. My imperfect, failing, life – overcome by His perfect, unfailing love. His totally undeserved, unmerited free gift to me and to anyone who believes in Him.

God is Explosively Majestic!

And I will strive daily to make my life a living sacrifice to Him – a constant praise to just how explosively majestic He is!

Don’t stop reading and text me. I am not describing my current emotional state. That, my friends, is absolutely amazingly grateful for this beautiful life I get to live. Maybe sometimes messy, definitely not always smooth sailing, but beautiful for all that it is… my gift from God.

So what is with the title?

It is something that has been on my mind and heart for all the single people out there, especially those a little older than the age where this world expects “singlehood” to cease. For those who have ever heard “aren’t there any cute guys at your church?” or “can’t you just blitz out the dating websites”. For those whose friends feel the need to fix you up with such high standards as “well, he is single and about your age”. For those who find everyone trying to “fix” you from your single affliction.

My friends, I feel your “pain”. At 29 for the 12^th time, I have heard them all and I understand how as each year passes – other people’s desperation for you seems to grow. And here’s the kicker, they seem to pity the terribly lonely life you must live.

So the title?

There is a tremendous difference between alone and lonely when it comes to relationship status. Alone is simply a description of your physical state of not being in a relationship. It just means you check that single box and sometimes can be found eating out – or folding sheets at the laundry mat – by yourself. Lonely is an emotional description of a mental state. Sure, they sometimes go hand in hand – but they are not synonymous nor does one mean the other is inevitable. Being alone — not in a relationship – does not mean I walk around the world lacking and feeling lonely.

I have my moments. Sure, there are times when the day has been especially rocky when it might be nice to have someone at home with a hug and support. Sure, there are days when you get news that is not so great that having that person who loves you right there would be nice. But I would argue, that even people not in that single state can feel that kind of loneliness. Being in a relationship – being married – does not guarantee you will never be lonely.

So why point this all out?

Maybe just to help those of us singletons, and those who are trying to fix us singletons really understand that single / alone…

     Is

     Actually

     OK!

This time is growing me, stretching me, enabling me to travel and learn from the world, and to travel inward and learn of me. It is God’s time to be in relationship with me. God’s time to help me learn and grow into the person I should be for the partner He is teaching and growing just for me. I know some won’t understand – some will still feel that my singleness is something in need of a fast cure. And that is OK. Just as I love you in whatever state you are in, please just do the same for me and all my fellow “loners”.

Because really, your pressure is dangerous. Too many people hear the message of “alone means something is wrong with you” and they become desperate to conform. To fit into what everyone else expects of them. Their focus becomes simply finding someone instead of patiently waiting with God and preparing for the one. When the focus becomes someone, we settle. We give up on God’s plan and His time and rush into the right now. We give up on the person God knows will walk through life with us and settle for someone who will simply walk beside us, and often who will walk away from us. When desperation leads, we compromise who we are to be who we think the other person wants us to be. Anything to not be alone – not to lose the someone at the high high cost of losing ourselves. We find ourselves away from God and we lose ourselves and we wake up lonely – even though we are no longer alone.

Make no mistake friends – the loneliest people I know are the ones who are tethered with the wrong someone. The loneliest people I know are actually not alone by the world’s standards but are alone by God’s.

God knows me better than any someone the world puts in my path.

Psalm 139:12-18 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them? Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand – when I am awake, I am still with you.”

And God knows the person who will add to my life. God’s plan has always been to make my life more full of love and joy – peace. Not ease, but comfort. God desires my heart to be protected and to give me His gifts. His promise for me is love and hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 “’For I know the plans I have for you’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future!’”

Proverbs 23:18 “There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.”

So my friends, take comfort. Know that I may be alone by the world’s standards – but I am not lonely. I don’t live for the world. I will wait for the man that God has perfectly prepared for me – while surrounding myself with friends who love me for everything that I am. People who lift me up and challenge me to grow. I know with these friends walking this journey with me, I may be single but I am never alone. I know that any instant when loneliness finds me – a simple cry for help and I am surrounded. And with that support, I can be truly content in my aloneness. I am perfectly the person God created me to be and with that perfection, I am worth only the best He has planned for me.

For him I will wait.

Praising God for all that I do have.

Praying to God for all that is to come.

Becoming the partner God wants me to be.

And because I wait for His time to reveal my him to me, I stand confident I will not be lonely when I am no longer alone.

While in Costa Rica, we saw three of the four types of monkeys that live in the country. Spider, Capuchin, and Howler monkeys. My extremely knowledgeable guide – Rolando – had so much to share about each monkey and how they live and survive in the rain/cloud/dry forests. Each so unique… all monkeys, but definitely living differently and finding their way to be specially, fearfully, and wonderfully the creatures that God created them to be. It was fun to figure each one out! And I realized they each had something to teach me.

I’ll start with the first ones I encountered. I say it that way because I didn’t actually see them first – I heard them! The appropriately named Howler monkeys.

It’s a sound I can’t even begin to describe – except to say the first thought I had was I hope that is an animal or it is an animal being killed. But because the sound persisted, echoed, and multiplied – it became apparent it was an animal. The Howler monkey, howling away, earning their name.

The Howler howls for various reasons. Always led by the Alpha male. They howl to announce incoming weather (as was the case early that morning in the rain forest). They howl to let others know they are coming too close, to warn of danger. The Alpha male may howl to let other approaching males know this is his family. But regardless of the reason – their howl is certainly their signature! They make a noise! They make a loud, emphatic; “I am here – take notice of me” noise. The world knows when they are around; their very nature proclaims it loudly. When they make their noise, there is no mistaking who they are and that they are claiming their space. Shouldn’t we be the same? Shouldn’t the world around us know who we are by the noise that we make?

Psalm 98:4 “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music”

Psalm 150:1-6 “Praise the Lord, Praise God in His sanctuary, praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with timbrel and dancing, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”

Shouldn’t our noise proclaim we are here! A noise for the Lord brought the walls of a mighty city down. The noise we make should tell others about the great God we serve so they too can know the amazing grace that we live in.

Romans 10:7 “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

Romans 10:14-15 “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”

Our praise in all situations shows God’s glory. We praise in good and bad times and others want to know the one who holds our heart and fills us with joy and hope. But our noise isn’t only verbal — our noise is also in the way we live. And there is no better noise we can make for the world than to love. To love everyone because we know that God loves them – they are all equally God’s favorite — just as we are. And our love will shine the light of faith and point the world to God. He is our Alpha male; He leads us in the loud life that we live.

1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us”

1 Corinthians 16:14 “Do everything in love.’

John 15:12 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

And then the Capuchins. Love these super smart, super cute monkeys. My first encounter was one Capuchin. As we sat in the dining hall (ashamedly using the Wi-Fi) he appeared on a tree right outside. He was looking in with a purpose. He came a little closer – then suddenly he burst into the dining hall, stood on the first table, scanned the room, found what he was looking for. He ran to a back table and in a single swipe grabbed all the sugar (and a few equal packets) from the table and in an instant was out on a tree happily putting the sugar packets right in his mouth. This whole escapade lasted probably a minute and was amazing fun to watch.

After laughing for a bit – and listening as the rest of the family came thundering across the metal roof to share in his spoils, I got to thinking about what I saw. We should attack our purpose in life like the Capuchin attacked his quest for the glorious sugar. Our sugar not in little white packets – but in the purpose that God laid before us.

The first step, approach with caution and purpose. My friend the Capuchin came near, but stayed far enough away to remain safe while he inspected the scene to determine if he should even try it. He did not start by blindly rushing in. He knew the passion in his heart, but that success would only come if he made sure the path was clear. As we should when the fire first burns in our heart. Maybe it is a fire for helping those in need, or for freeing victims of human trafficking, feeding the hungry, or loving the ones society has cast off. Whether it is a fire for the poor, the orphaned, the widow, the least of these. Or even a fire to start a new business, or a new career, a new relationship. Or a fire to move somewhere new or pursue a life totally different. Regardless of the fire, the approach should be the same. First, in prayer – hang out on a tree and look in – in prayer seek God’s will.

Jeremiah 33:2-3 “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord, who formed it and established it – the Lord is His name. Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Job 5:8-9 “But if I were you, I would appeal to God, I would lay my cause before Him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”

Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Once we know we are in line with God’s plan – we still can’t just rush forward without thought. My friend, having scanned the room and determined his sugar mission was worth pursuing – then came a little closer and stopped to check and ensure he was still safe. So often, when we feel we know wholeheartedly that we are on the right path we forget God and just go charging forward. We should remember to stop along the way and check to make sure we are bringing Him along with us. That we are still moving forward in the way He has planned for us – safely.

I have seen it through my work in Africa. Well meaning people who believe they have been called to help (in this case orphans of the HIV-AIDS pandemic) but forgot to check in with God on the how and don’t understand why they are not seeing results. Unfortunately, sometimes actually doing more harm than good in their quest. The reality is, sometimes God’s way doesn’t make sense the way we would think of it. Joshua had to have his troops march around a city silently for days to take the land God promised. Not a usual battle plan. Or Gideon, who truly thought a more powerful (not scared or weak) man would be much more suited to take on the evil in the world. But went forward with God because He told him to. He amassed what army he could because surely an army was needed — only for God to make him reduce the number to a measly 300. Not the plan Gideon had – but the plan God had. And because he went forward on God’s word, he had success.

But don’t mistake this prayer and checking in with God as fear, hindrance, or doubt. Just as the Capuchin – once certain of his safety – burst full force into his mission and boldly grabbed the sweet promises that awaited him – so must we go boldly forward with passion, urgency and confidence in the sweet promises God has for us.

Philippians 4:6-8 “Do not be envious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds; in Christ Jesus.”

Jeremiah 29:11-12 “’For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord’, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you’”.

So here I am making a noise and remembering that God has a plan and that with prayer and passion I should embrace the promises He has for me – when I encountered the Spider monkeys.

A more elusive breed, a little harder to find because they are built in a way that enables them to live further in the forests and to move much more nimbly through the trees. But our timing was perfect and we happened to catch a family crossing the river. Not as we do – but using the trees. Reaching from extended branches to extended branches, moving forward to the other side. It was fascinating to watch. Rolando explained that if there was a baby monkey that couldn’t reach between the branches – his momma would hold the branches at both sides and build a bridge that the baby would walk across.

Whoa

What a picture of selfless giving; sacrifice to make sure the smallest and weakest still had a chance to cross successfully with the rest. How many of the world’s problems would be solved if those of us who “can” stopped and built bridges for those who “can’t”? No matter how or where, it is what God reminds us over and over.

Psalm 82:34 “Defend the weak and the fatherless, uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Psalm 146:9 “The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.”

Zechariah 7:10 “Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.”

So next time you are crossing a river – feeding your family, serving, giving of your time or your money – take a second to think about who you can stop and build a bridge for. Who can you bring along on your journey, in your healing, your recovery, your success. Take a second to look back in the trees and see who is at risk of being left behind. And what you can do to stretch your arms across and make sure they come along with you. Your bridge might be the only thing they need to step into the amazing plan God has for their life.

So I contemplated each type of monkey.
And then I realized one last great thing. A lesson from them all. As different as each was, they all traveled as a family. They all had unique characteristics designed to help their family. No one was cast off, shunned, or left behind. And every family had a leader to protect them, provide for them, and guide them.

That is us.
We all are one family. Lead by our Alpha male, God! The Father of us all.

1 Corinthians 8:6 “yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live, and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”

Ephesians 4:6 “one God, Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

And we are all sons and daughters. We are family. We may look different, lead very different lives, have different privileges or challenges, we may be rich or poor, we may be young or old. But we are all traveling together on God’s journey and our lives should be focused on the family. We should be making a noise, steppng into God’s plan with Him and expectant of His sweet promises, and building a bridge all with the family in focus.

Ephesians 2:19-22 “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of His household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him, you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.”

John 1:12 “Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”

Galatians 6:10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Romans 12:5 “So in Christ we, though man, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

As family – we are called to love one another. To stand together, celebrate success, support through trials – praise for those who know our Father and pray for those still lost. Our lives should be living worship to God, worship shown by doing the one thing our Father calls us to do.

John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

1 John 4:11-12 “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.”

     It was an amazing Costa Rican day. I awoke about 4:30 a.m. to the sound of thunder in the distance. I knew the rain was coming – and it was going to be a good one. Then another sound that I hoped was an animal – and later learned was howler monkeys. There I was – so comfortable in a strange bed – totally relaxed as the monkeys howled and the thunder rolled and the rain poured in. As we had been warned, it was a torrential rain – but it lasted only a short time.

     In that state of calm and peace, I was off for some café con leche before heading out on a river cruise. A great way to start today – cruising the river and canals, seeing all kinds of flora and fauna; wildlife! We saw some really great things – caiman up close – probably a once in a lifetime. Iguanas and Basilica “Jesus Christ” lizards – so nicknamed because they run on top of the water – became almost a common site. We returned from our cruise to breakfast and a calm suggestion that we should take a “light” nature walk on the grounds. They suggested rubber boots – now known as a warning sign. Two of us couldn’t wear them because there were none that fit. But the guide said sandals were ok – they would just get a little dirty.

     No problem, right?

     My shoes clean up easily.

     It started out all nice and easy. Concrete paths and low hanging bridges. Then the adventure began. Mud. Really thick, wet, coarse, sticky mud. No way to move forward without a walking stick mud. But we were doing good.

     Until…..

     The first time my foot sank in. The combination of mud in my sandals and mud all over my feet created a horrific situation. The steps forward were no longer the challenge. It was keeping my feet in my shoes. The step itself was not bad, but I was growing fatigued and in pain just trying to keep the shoes on.

     What did I learn from the “light” nature hike where my shoes got “just a little dirty”?

     First, things are rarely what they seem at the beginning – often the storm is brewing just behind the happy intro. How many times in my life have I just gotten completely complacent about my place in life because it seemed happy and good? “I don’t need to go deeper in my faith, seriously – life is perfect right where I am”. “I don’t need to have more of a prayer life, things are good, nothing to pray for”. Only to be completely unready for the huge mud pit that lies ahead. I forget I should go deeper in my faith so I could stand stronger in the coming mud. I forget that I should always be talking to God so that when the mud comes, He and I already have an open line of communication.

     Instead, the mud comes and I am caught unprepared and I am unable to walk forward without pain and fatigue.

Exodus 33:14 “The Lord replied, ‘my presence will go with you, and I will give you rest'”.

Psalm 62:1-2 “Truly my soul finds rest in God, my salvation comes from Him. Truly He is my rock and my salvation, He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”

Psalm 91:14-16 “‘Because he loves me’, says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver and honor him and show him my salvation.'”

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight.”

     Someone in our group later asked – when we got to that first spot of mud why didn’t we just turn back? Great question. Did we believe it was really only going to be that one small section? We had already had a torrential downpour that day, that should have been a warning that it was only going to get worse. Were we just so comfortable from those easy first steps that we just didn’t realize how deep the mud we were walking into really was. How many times in my life have I let myself get so far into the place I really shouldn’t be in just because I was in complete denial that the mud around me was bad and only going to get worse.

     And so we ventured forward.

     Each step for me excruciatingly high pain and effort just to stay in the shoes. Until finally I gave up.

     Lesson 2!

     Sometimes you just have to ditch the shoes.

     See it wasn’t actually the mud that was holding me back. I mean, that was pretty tough – but really the shoes were the problem.

     What are the shoes in your life? Self-esteem issues, addictions, greed, guilt… we all have shoes that try to take us down in the mud. Shoes that try to sink us further in, to twist our ankles. So we are physically unable to get out.

Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery”.

Colossians 3:5 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry”

1 John 2:16 “For everything in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – comes not from the Father but from the world”.

     I ditched the shoes and immediately my walk was easier. Not easy, but easier. It was me and the steps God always intended me to take – no more fighting for my life on my own after every step.

     It was me and God without interference.

     And forward I moved.

     Happy to say – with a little help from my friends (because we all need that in every journey – especially when the mud fights us) I survived. Fairly unharmed, a little dirty, a bit wiser, a little less happy with what used to be one of my favorite pairs of shoes. But all in all, closer to God and happy that I left some junk back there in the mud.

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and that sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”