Seeing with New Vision

“One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” Psalm 27:4

Hair fell to the floor below the swiveling chair. Time and time again I had been here, in this chair. My hairdresser at the time was more of a mentor than someone who did my hair. She had a way with hair, but her hair-doing ability wasn’t what drew me back to her– it was her way with people. My time with her was like someone asking, “Would you like a counseling session with a hair cut and color thrown in for free?” Um—Yes please!

One of the things she would say often is how she loved seeing all the different facets of the Lord in His creation, mainly in people—His image bearers.

She would take delight in all her clients, seeing a piece of God in each person who sat in her chair. At first, I only came to add highlights to my hair, but the reason I continually returned was because she highlighted the beauty in me and called it out.

There are many expressions and beliefs about beauty. There are reasons these saying have stuck over time—truth tends to stick around.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is one of these sayings that holds familiarity. This truth has proven true since the beginning of time.

How we view others has much to do with how we view ourselves, outwardly and inwardly, which is greatly impacted by if we are “dwelling in the house of the Lord” and what is inside of us. This isn’t about going to a physical dwelling but rather a state of the heart.

In Genesis 1:26, God said, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” (“Our” referring to the Holy Trinity)

The different beautiful facets of God were embedded in the very DNA of man originally. This includes inwardly and outwardly. But how we view others often is rooted in how we view ourselves and God.

When looking at others, we can either notice the beauty of each individual creation of God, made and formed in His image and likeness, compare their likeness to our own, or make assumptions and judgments. The same is true for looking at ourselves in the mirror. We need to be kind to ourselves as well.

But if we are dwelling in the house of the Lord, or in other words, abiding in His love and loving ourselves in a healthy way from a place of identity in Him, then what comes as a result is new vision.

At this point, I can’t help but think back of all the vision statements at the beginning of 2020—The year of 20/20 vision. Could it be everything happening around us is so we can look at things with new vision –Vision that beholds the beauty of the Lord in others around us, starting within our own families and then extending to others around us?

Seeing the world with new vision allows us to put ourselves in the shoes of others and cultivates compassion, empathy, care, and kindness.

What do you see when you look at an elderly person? Do you see the beauty of a life hopefully well-lived and the years of service and pouring out of themselves to others? Or if on the outside they appear fragile and worn down, what then? Do you see the beauty in perseverance and the trials they must have endured to still be pressing on and daily braving the world?

The list of the people we encounter on a daily basis is endless: the clerk at the grocery store, the neighbor hurrying to pass by, the Uber driver, the pregnant girl who seems too young.

When we begin to see the beauty in the people around us that we pass on the street in the correct godly way, we see the beauty of the Lord in them and our vision changes. Then, it is no longer outward appearance that defines our vision, it is noticing they behold the very image of God and His likeness in some way. This new vision frees us from the bonds of judgement and opens the door for us to “inquire in His temple” (Ps 27:4b) or in other words—become curious. With these new eyes and curiosity, instead of making judgements, we ask questions, which opens the door for the Holy Spirit to work. Curiosity is the key that opens the door to compassion: Curious of what their life is like; curious if they know Jesus; curious how their day is going; curious of their story; curious of who God created them to be.

When we are inward focused, we aren’t curious. And when we aren’t curious and inquiring, we are missing the beauty—the beauty of every person God created in His image.

Father God, I pray we would see with new vision—that we would see every person with the eyes of the Lord, behold the beauty of the Lord, inquire in His temple, and be filled with compassion and grace. In Jesus’ Name.

Perhaps, like my hairdresser, we can help repair the split ends of this world and add some Jesus highlights to those around us–pulling out the light and calling forth the beauty within each person crafted and intimately designed by the very hand of God.

Today’s post was written by Sue Molitor. Sue works with the ministry of Deeper Still in International Relations. She lives in beautiful East Tennessee and loves spending time with her husband and 3 kids. She enjoys reading, coffee with friends, and taking long walks. She has been writing for the Deeper Still Devotions for 7 years and loves to encourage others and cheer them on towards finding freedom and healing.

Deeper Still is a ministry that offers free weekend retreats for women who have had abortions and the men who fathered children lost to abortion. If you have had an abortion and would like more information about our retreats, please go to www.GoDeeperStill.org to find a retreat close to you. 

 

 

Tired.

 

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35

Events over the past week are weighing heavy on many hearts. I have reached out to several dear beloved friends in the black community trying to hear their hearts and understand their pain. As a white American woman, I know I can’t understand the suffering of our sisters and brothers of color. But I want to. I want to understand at a deeper level. I want to listen and hear.

For me, this is a life issue. Life is dear, every life is precious. Every person is uniquely created in the image of God.

“And God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” Genesis 1:27

Then in Genesis 3, in walks the serpent.

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which Jehovah God has made.” (Emphasis added)

Subtle.

In the next verses, this subtle serpent tricked Eve and planted a lie into her mind that God was holding back on her. He tricked her, lied to her, and man fell. Just a subtle twist of truth led to folly and slavery and pain.

Over the years, many people groups have been targeted in hate and evil, all starting with a lie founded on one people group being more important or more valuable or more something than another. It is atrocious and horrid and downright evil.

One of my friends of color said it like this:

“It feels like having to prove that we’re telling the truth or that we’re worthy of basic human rights is a constant issue. People are tired. I’m tired. It is exhausting having to beg people to see your humanity or step out of their comfort zone for a moment to seek justice.” -Gloria Nolan

One thing I know and has been proven over and over again in the Bible and in history is that God will defend and justice will come—it may take time, but it will come if we join God as He brings justice and defends His sons and daughters.

Social injustice of any kind is a life issue and our hearts ache at the injustices and violation of human rights and devaluation of life.

We want you to know we love you, we value you, we see you, we hear you, and we recognize all lives are precious. It is sad we even have to say so. Forgive us. Forgive us for not being better listeners and not better learners. Lord, help our friends heal. Lord, heal your people. Heal our land.  

Dear Heavenly Father, our hearts ache over the pain and suffering of our brothers and sisters. Lord, we know Your heart is completely broken over the injustices your sons and daughters have endured. Lord, we ask for you to hear the cry of those suffering and in pain from injustice and fight on their behalf. We ask for You to break our hearts for what breaks yours and that the value of life would be fought for and upheld. Help us hear, listen, and love well. In Jesus, name, Amen.

*This post was written as a group effort from different voices in the black community and on the Deeper Still Devotional blog team.

Deeper Still is a ministry that offers free weekend retreats for women who have had abortions and the men who fathered children lost to abortion. If you have had an abortion and would like more information about our retreats, please go to www.GoDeeperStill.org to find a retreat close to you. 

Sitting in Discomfort

“For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11b-13

In my living room, there is a soft cushy oversized chair. Many mornings are spent sitting in my comfy chair reading the word, drinking coffee, looking out to the view of the forest through the glass doors to our porch. However, if I did that all day or too long, the chair wouldn’t be the only thing to be cushy. Resistance and pressure are needed for building strength.

My husband has some back issues and as a result, he cannot sit in this comfy chair. What is comfortable for me is torture for him. This is true for many people. Have you ever offered a comfortable chair to someone only to have them choose a hard, solid chair because that is actually more comfortable? When someone has pain, the comfy chair isn’t always the answer.

What if the hard chair is the answer?

So often we are looking for the comfy chair when what we need is to sit in the uncomfortable hard chair because that is what is best for our pain.

Sitting in discomfort isn’t comfortable at all, so we, as humans, usually avoid sitting in discomfort at all costs. But what if when it comes to emotional and spiritual issues, the answer lies in sitting in discomfort? What if that great paradox was true—that true comfort from the Comforter was found in discomfort?

The comfy chair for us may look like numbing with alcohol or other addictive substances, Nexflix, extensive scrolling on social media, food, or just checking out emotionally. It could be video games, music, or movies we are using as a way to avoid facing pain or escape. Even positivity or going to “happy places” in our minds or actual locations can be used to avoid pain.

What I am finding out, and the reason for this post, is the more I try to escape from pain, the more pain I feel. Sitting in comfort in attempts to avoid pain, increases pain; sitting in discomfort with pain, increases peace. Anxiety often comes for me from wanting to escape but there isn’t an escape. Now instead of fighting it, I’m embracing it. Embracing the pain, sitting in the discomfort, and inviting the Healer to come around me with the soft arms of His chair as I sit and rest in Him.

There is a paradox here that I cannot explain other than we live in an upside-down Kingdom—the more we give, the more we receive; the more we bless others, we are blessed; and the more we sit in discomfort, the more we discover healing, comfort, and peace.

This paradox occurs because when we aren’t trying to escape from the pain or numb, we are going to the Source for healing. Our salvation and healing are not in a TV show, a sleeve of chocolate chip cookies, or a cocktail at happy hour. There is only One Savior and One Healer and He isn’t found in fantasyland—He is in the hard places, when our fight, flight, or freeze kicks in, and instead of looking to escape or run, we sit, we feel, and we seek our Healer.

As I think of the Apostle Paul, I cannot help but think of all the times he sat in discomfort.

Beaten, stoned, shipwrecked. Sitting in a prison cell (not the cushy type we think of today, one where he was most likely sitting in sewage and filth). He “sat” in the deep literally for a night and a day. In perils of many kinds, sleeplessness, hungry, cold, naked, plus the concerns for all the churches (II Corinthians 11:25). All of that shouts uncomfortable. He knew what it was to sit in discomfort. That is why he could write with full confidence:

“For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11b-13

Lord, I hope I don’t have to be in the deep for a day and a night or be stoned and beaten in order to learn the things Paul learned. But what he learned through adversity is what enabled him to be able to sit in prison stocks with Silas and sing praises with peace instead of panicking. Sitting in discomfort will also transform the way we respond to pain from a place of panic to peace.

Sitting in discomfort is where Paul found His Source of strength—Christ. Similarly, as we are still and sit in discomfort, we will find our strength, healing, freedom, and peace. I know it sounds upside down, but it is in the hard chair where we find healing and peace from the only true Source of comfort.

Father, thank you for how you comfort us. Thank you Lord that when we sit with you in our pain that we actually find the peace that we have been searching for all along. Lord, we invite you to sit with us in the hard chairs, the hard places, and we ask for you to heal and strengthen our hearts. Only You can heal our broken hearts. And may we learn as Paul did to be content in all things knowing we can do all things through Christ who has strengthened us. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, amen.

Today’s post was written by Sue Molitor. Sue is on staff with the ministry of Deeper Still in International Relations. She lives in beautiful East Tennessee and loves spending time with her husband and 3 kids. She enjoys reading, coffee with friends, and taking long walks. She has been writing for the Deeper Still Devotions for 7 years and loves to encourage others and cheer them on towards finding freedom and healing.

Deeper Still is a ministry that offers free weekend retreats for women who have had abortions and the men who fathered children lost to abortion. If you have had an abortion and would like more information about our retreats, please go to www.GoDeeperStill.org to find a retreat close to you. 

 

 

A Coin Lost, Then Found

 

Today’s post was written by a Deeper Still Team Member on the Central Illinois Deeper Still Team.

“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:8-10

A coin has value. Maybe only a little bit by itself, but when paired with others, they can make a bountiful treasure.  When it starts out, a coin shines. Polished and without blemish. But as it’s passed around, spent, tucked away, forgotten, found, reused, left in the yard, spent again…the wear begins to show. The edges get worn. The shininess fades. The image blurred. The people, who pass that coin around, think nothing of it. Just a means to get whatever it is that they need.

But what happens to a lost coin?

Contrary to most, I have an uncanny ability to find my way around. I’ll study a location on the map, find where I need to be, and memorize the way. If it’s a difficult route, I’ll use my GPS on the first trip. But, if I’ve been somewhere, even only once, I will never forget how I got there. Like my first trip to Italy. I memorized all the tourist maps, studied the streets and took so many photos. My second trip, I didn’t need a map or to plot routes. I knew exactly where I was, and where I wanted to be. 

Even though I have this innate resourcefulness, which I’ll admit, my husband does not, I know what it’s like to be lost.

I spent 22 years of my life lost, and I didn’t even know it. Growing up in a small town was a blessing.  I knew everyone and they all knew me. They knew me by my father. My last name was a name that has toiled in that little town for generations. “Oh you’re Keith’s girl,” I would hear all the time. My father is a good man. Hard worker. Like his father before him. Pride is attached to that name. So I never had a sense of not belonging. I never felt lost. I always knew where home was. And when I needed home it was always there.

Until one day, when a series of very bad decisions landed me in a hospital bed. I heard a whisper from a father to his child. “Are you done yet?” Only this wasn’t coming from the hall or the room next to me, the whisper was to me.  This question was not one of condemnation for why I was there, but a question of love and concern. Awkwardly I said out loud, “yes.” This father reached down to his child, plucked out her heart of stone, and gave her a heart of flesh. And in that moment, I knew I had lived my whole life as a lost coin. And my father had just found me.

The new heart beating in my chest, made it obviously clear, what a worn coin I was. But this new clarity was not accompanied by fear. I knew now I was a worn lost coin, but that I made it back to the one who made me. That he scooped me up, put me in his pocket, took me home, and placed me gently into a box with all the other precious coins he’s found. And once in that box, I knew what it was like to truly be known.

Fellow coin. In this time of uncertainty and fear for many, know your worth. Know that when you were plucked up, in whatever state you were in, and brushed off by our Father in Heaven, the angels rejoiced with Him as he placed you safely in his arms. He is always with us, and never forsakes us. You are like the child known by all in a small town because of her father. You are loved, and cherished. And even though you were lost, you were found and restored to the one who made you. Walk in that certainty. Walk these troubling waters with that assurance. That the God, who made the heavens and the earth, has you found you and set you apart, for the day when he will restore ALL things to himself.

Father, thank you for your unfailing mercies. For seeking us out, and finding us wherever we were. Thank you for continuing to be with us, and never leaving us. As we walk these days and weeks of uncertainty, guard us and gird us with your truth. The truth that you are in control of all things. And that we are your treasured ones.

 

 

True Identity

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32

Everyone is being touched by the world crisis of COVID-19. Not one person is left unaffected by this pandemic, either in the form of physically having the virus, knowing someone who has it, losing a job, or being wrapped in disappointment and loss due to the virus.

Identity strings are being clipped leaving some feeling like a balloon floating up and up in the air without purpose or direction. Depending on perspective, this new ambivalence could feel uneasy or possibly freeing. Perhaps this is a time when the Lord wants to realign and tie new strings, anchored in truth.  

A common exhortation our pastor shares is “Know. Be. Do”

First, KNOW.

KNOW the Truth.

Jesus’ Words are, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32)  I added capitalization of T’s to the word truth because Truth is a Person. Jesus.

When Jesus was standing before Pontius Pilate, he asked Jesus a question, “What is truth?” (John 18:38) Pilate didn’t realize the Truth was standing right in front of him.

Jesus is the Word made flesh. Abiding in His word is to abide in Him, the Truth Himself.

There are small “t” truths and big “T” Truths, which is a post for another time, but basically small “t” is circumstantial. Big “T” is the Truth of Jesus. Big “T” trumps little “t” every time.

First we must KNOW the Truth—Jesus.

Then we can BE. It is only by knowing the Truth and believing the Truth of who we are in Jesus Christ that our spirits can settle and BE.

This is where many believers are finding themselves at this moment. I am no longer a teacher, a business owner, a salesperson, a waitress, a pastor, etc. You can fill in the blank, almost anything fits. Who am I if I am none of those things? Jesus is saying,

“Just BE. You are My son. You are My daughter. My BEloved.”

This time is a gift. A gift of discovering the Truth of who we are, of our original destiny, purpose and the reason we were created—to be His. He loves us just for BE-ing His. Our love, worth, and value isn’t based on performance or what we do or don’t do. It is found in Him—Christ alone.

Then, when we KNOW the Truth, are able to rest in BE-ing a son/daughter, then our DO will come from the correct place. No longer will our “DO” come from a place to earn love, acceptance, approval, value, or worth, but rather from the place where we KNOW we are already loved, accepted, are approved of, and have worth, not because of who we are and what we do, but because of what He did.

My friends, we have been given a gift—the gift of a reset. Resetting our “Know. Be. Do” back into proper alignment.  Praying we rest in who we are in Him today.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that we are Yours. Thank you for sending Jesus to die to be our Savior. Thank you for the gift of Truth and that we can know the Truth and rest in being free to be Your sons or daughters. Reset and realign our hearts with Yours so that all we do in unto You.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen

If you have had an abortion and you find yourself struggling with approval addiction or performance, we encourage you to go to the Deeper Still ministry website to find resources and information about our retreats that are free of charge. The Lord is calling us all to a deeper place. Amen.

 

 

 

Shelter in Place

 

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” Psalm 91:1-2

Many states have issued a “Shelter in Place” act in response to the pandemic crisis of COVID-19.  Until recently, many may have not even heard the term “Shelter in Place” or even understood what it meant. When looking up the term online, Wikipedia defines it as “to seek safety within the building one already occupies, rather than seek a community shelter.”

“The building one already occupies.” As believers, the Holy Spirit occupies us and God says that we occupy, or abide (dwell) in Christ.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15: 5

“If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.” 1 John 2:24

“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” 1 John 4:15

This Truth is comforting. Not only does Christ dwell in us but we are in Him.

Psalm 19:1 says, “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High…”.  Our shelter in place, our place of abiding or occupying, is His shelter, it is IN HIM.  What a comforting thought. What a beautiful and peaceful truth.

Praying we all look at “Shelter in Place” a little different today with this truth, that He is our Shelter, our Shield, our Refuge, and our Strength. We have a Shelter in Place and His name is Jesus.

Father, thank you for giving us the provision to abide in You, that not only does the Holy Spirit occupy us but that we also occupy or dwell in You. Thank You for this truth and comfort. Thank You for being our Shelter. We rest and trust in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Certain In Times of Uncertainty

“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Uncertainty is a big word that can cause all manners of chaos. We can be uncertain about something as small as how to dress for an occasion or where to eat dinner. But then there are greater uncertainties that test our hearts and bring us to the edge of the cliff of trust.

I know this cliff well and have stepped off of it many times. There are times I have done well with trusting in the midst of uncertainty, and other times, well, let’s just say it took a while to recover from the fall off the cliff.

Trust is a small word with big consequences. Merriam-Webster defines trust as: Assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something; one in which confidence is placed.

When God is asking “Do you trust me?”  He is asking, “Do you believe in my character, ability, strength and the truth of who I am? Do you have confidence that I will come through for you?”

Sometimes, we choose to dive off the cliff because we think we can handle the situation on our own. That never works out well, and that fall can leave the worst kind of scar that only Jesus can heal. Or He doesn’t come through in the way we thought He would and when this happens, we can get tripped up and nearly or completely fall off the cliff.

Trust is an ongoing lesson. And with each lesson, our trust either deepens or waivers. In my experience, the sooner I surrender to trust, the sooner I see the Lord’s hand of grace, rescue, and redemption. In contrast, the farther I go away from trust, the longer I stay in worry, fear, anxiousness, and doubt.

Trust and worry are archenemies. And uncertainty is a breeding ground for testing our trust.

In these uncertain times, my hope is that we will hold onto the One who is always certain. He never waivers and never changes. That we will cling to the challenge of trusting when nothing makes sense and we are uncertain of what the futures holds, whether that is a strange virus or a marriage issue or a job change or whatever…there are always things we may be uncertain about. Nothing is new under the sun, and there will always be reasons to be uncertain of the future.

Uncertainty has always been there, it is what we do with it and who we look to in those times that counts the most.

In the words of Jesus, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

He is our Rock and our sure Foundation. We can be certain of His love for us and the closeness of His presence to reassure us that He indeed is trustworthy.

Father, we thank You that You are trustworthy. That You alone know the times, seasons, and hold our lives in Your hands. We know and trust that You are good, loving, and kind. We look to You to be our Rock, strength, and shield. We love You and we trust You knowing that even in the midst of uncertainty, we can be certain of You and Your love for us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Growing the Garden {Prayer for Banquet}

 

Dear Readers of the DS Devotional blog

Thank you for your faithful prayers over the years. It is such a privilege to be able to share our heart with you for life, healing, and freedom. We wanted to ask if you would join us in prayer for a special event tomorrow evening. Thursday, March 5, we will be having our annual fundraising banquet for the national Deeper Still Ministry, which now has expanded to eighteen chapters in the United States and two chapters internationally.

Our theme this year is “This Garden’s Gonna Grow”, based on the Jason Upton’s song. One of our chapter leaders, Paula Jacobson-Mol, wrote the following post below and it goes along perfectly with our theme this year. This post is a perfect example of how the Lord has been planting and growing the ministry of Deeper Still. Thank you for partnering with us in prayer as we believe the Lord for all the resources needed for this “garden” to grow and flourish. He is a good Gardener. 

Thank you Paula for our contribution today!

Thank you Heavenly Father for all the ways you nurture and grow Your people, Your ministries, Your Kingdom. Father, thank you for being a good Gardener. We ask that Your will would be done for every provision needed for growing Your garden. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Since I can remember I’ve always had a garden and 15 years ago I found myself working more garden space than I’ve ever had, spending sometimes upward of 60 hours per week, keeping my yard and gardens rather immaculate.  I loved this work and I loved having a beautiful yard and gardens– I was in my glory, so to speak.

I’ve also enjoyed physical fitness, running being a part of it.  I would put carrots in front of my nose to help me accomplish new goals, so CrossFit, and races became part of my normal regimen.   I ran a marathon in the Fall of 2012 and had a deep sense throughout the race that it had spiritual meaning, more than I could see at the time.  I prayed through much of the race for everyone and anything that came to mind and I pictured Jesus at the tops of all the hills I needed to climb, including the finish line.  Talking to God the whole way through is truly what got me through. 

His ways are higher than our ways… eight years ago (January of 2012) God started doing a deeper work in my heart, prompting me to do something “pro-active” with the abortion that loomed in the depths of my heart from my past.  As I sought Him further, He led me to a Deeper Still Retreat in the Spring of 2012.   I came home from my retreat forever changed, having met God face to face (as humanly possible as that is) and in a way like never before.

As much as I felt light on my feet from my newly found freedom, I felt a heaviness of heart for the many men and women with abortion wounded hearts that needed healing.  There was much need for a Deeper Still in West Michigan.  I felt strongly that God was prompting me to pursue that, but I had no idea how or what that might look like and I certainly didn’t know how that would impact the other areas of my life.  However, I did know God had me in the very grip of His Mighty Hand.   Through the next 6 years, I continued praying, waiting on, abiding with the Lord as I went to Deeper Still trainings and serving on retreat teams as much as I was called.  As each year past, I was doing less gardening and a little less running.  Then last year God formed and brought the first Deeper Still West Michigan retreat into being.  There is still no garden planted in the natural as of yet and no Spring races on the docket.

As I’ve pondered, I have come to realize that God certainly has me working in a different soil.  I’m working the soil in His Garden, not my own.  He has been pruning and training me to go in a different direction and to help other plants struggling to survive with their abortion wounded hearts.  Rather than me pruning my plants, trellising them to grow in the way I want them to go, God has been and continues to prune me, training me to follow Him on a trellis in His Garden and where HE wants me to grow. 

So, this past weekend a culmination of my years of running came to mind as I sat with my Lord, I felt Him say in my spirit,  “not only do I have you working in different soil, but you are now running a different race.  The races you’ve been running you’ve received medals, but for this race, you will receive a crown.”

The Lord’s garden is the best place to be and letting Him do His perfect work for His glory…right where I want to be.

All for His Glory,

Paula Jacobson-Mol

If you’d like to contribute to this growing garden and life-giving, life-changing ministry, you can go to www.GoDeeperStill.org to give a tax-deductible donation. Thank you for all your support!

Honoring All Life

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”  Philippians 2:3

This Friday, hundreds of thousands will gather in Washington D.C. for the National March for Life. From all over the country, men and women will gather with one voice to declare to America and the world that we still value life, all lives, in America. 

What many do not understand is that life issues delve deeper than life in the womb. Although that is a huge stand, and important, it is but a fraction of the wholeness of the realm of all valuing life encompasses. We also need to with intentionality honor the marginalized and often forgotten members of society – the elderly, the isolated and lonely, and those with physical and mental disabilities. 

As a post-abortive and pro-life person, it seems paramount that every life is seen as valuable and cherished, as every life is created in the image of God and is valuable to our Father and Creator God.

Other ways the value of life is violated is abuse (all kinds), violence, racial prejudice, addictions, pornography (it is not honoring to reduce women and men to graphic images for selfish gratification),  gossip (yep, on the list), and sex trafficking. These are just some of the ways, we as a society have violated those created in the image of God. 

Those who oppose pro-life advocates, those who will stand against the March for Life, those who may even act out in violent retribution in response to the unbridled emotions deep within…all of them are precious in the sight of God, all are created in His image and He is deeply in love with every single one of us. 

As a pro-life person, I can be one to admit, we have not always honored every life well and have also responded in anger when misunderstood or mistreated. However, this is not the heart of God. I find it interesting, although I’m not going to go too deeply into this, but just interesting that the day we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day just happens to fall the same week as we nationally celebrate and honor life.  He was a man who advocated for honoring all people. As a nation, we have not done this well. Lord, I pray we can do this well, honor all life and all people well. 

As people all over the nation march this weekend for life, I pray the message of honoring life will ring loudly, and that all life is seen as treasured and cherished by our Father God, and I pray we can honor one another as well. 

Dear Heavenly Father, we pray protection over all standing and marching for life this weekend. We pray that people would recognize the importance of honoring all lives and would hear the heart of people waving the banner for life. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Related Scriptures:

“Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the King.” 1 Peter 2:17

“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.” Romans 12:10 

 

 

The Why Behind the What

 

“So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.’” John 8:7

There is something I have said many times when faced with people who act out of woundedness and are engaging in destructive behaviors…

”There is always a reason people act the way they do.”

There are many hurts, bondages, and sins we have committed or that were committed against us that shape our behaviors. Not just ours, but those around us. When we can learn to view the world through this lens of seeing others through their woundedness, their actions become more understandable and hopefully our compassion more obtainable.

The question isn’t “What is wrong with you?”. The question then becomes with compassion, “What happened to you?”

It is from this vantage point that we can begin to understand our fellow man and ourselves.

Grace begs that we look on ourselves with compassion as we seek to understand our past and how it impacts us and others, and then move forward in healing as we recognize these shortcomings and seek the Lord to show the way towards health and wholeness.

As we allow the love of Christ to penetrate and heal our deepest wounds, we can then show love to ourselves and then love our neighbors as ourselves. It is grace and love that allows us to look past the flaws of our neighbors, friends, and others. Love isn’t the same as trust. If someone has deeply wounded or violated you, you are called to love, but trust is only built over time and consistent actions that reveal change.

But it is grace that chooses compassion over condemnation.

Jesus demonstrated this in many ways.

He demonstrated it when He said, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first,” when the Pharisees wanted to stone the woman who was caught in adultery.

And at the well with the Samaritan woman when He saw behind the woman’s sins and saw her, and offered her a drink from the Well that never runs dry.

Jesus saw behind the actions and looked at the person. He separated the sin from the person. May we be able to do the same.

May this new year be one of love and compassion as we seek to love ourselves and others with the love of Christ, see the person behind the sin, and do our best to remember there is always a reason people act the way they do.

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to love like you do. Help us to see behind the why into the what behind people’s actions. Give us your eyes and may we look deeply into the wells of ourselves and others, give grace and find compassion for ourselves and those around us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.