We Aren't Called to be Robots

There have been times in my life, growing up in a Pastor's home, when I felt the outside pressures of people's opinion. We were told what was expected of us: A perfect pastor, a perfect pastor's wife, and perfect pastor's children. Perfect pastor's make everyone happy, they don't get emotional, they don't get upset, they don't cry. Perfect pastor's wives always smile, serve in every children's program, attend every meeting, and are meek and quiet. Perfect pastor's children dress properly, don't fidget in the pew, and get good grades in school. They are a perfect little family, perfect little robots that the congregation controls.

Unfortunately, this is a world-wide problem, not isolated just to my little town growing up. This is a church problem, an attitude problem, that, sad to say, many congregations still believe. But I want to say something, and I want to stand up and say in the defense of my family, and myself, that God did not call us to be robots.

God does not require us to be perfect little people, He requires us to be obedient, and for each of us, that looks different. We are all created in His image, for His unique purposes and plans. And because of that, we are all different, called to be different parts of The Body, and called to do different things. We all have different personalities, different backgrounds, different strengths, and different struggles. We each have different visions, and different dreams, and we look different than those who have come before us. We are all different, but we are all still people. We are not robots.

And we answer to God, not to man. We are called to be obedient to our God in Heaven, and to His Word, and to His plan. We are not called to fit into perfect molds, or to be perfect people, and we are not called to be robots, controlled by a congregation.

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Living in ministry, submitting your life to the service of others and the furthering of the gospel can be a very lonely, discouraging place. Most of the time, you are alone in your vision, alone in the fight, and alone in the spiritual battle. There may be a few people in the congregation who say they support you, but often, pews are left empty, jobs are left undone, and once more, the pressure falls to the pastor and his family to do it all. Some congregations rely on their pastor's to do all the work, content to show up on Sunday morning and get their fix, but neglect the church the rest of the week. This leaves the pastor on his own most days, seeing to the communities needs, and very rarely receiving any support or encouragement from his church family. Those days are hard, and take their toll not only on the pastor, but also on the pastor's family. Pastor's are people, they are not robots.

In any other "job" a person could go to their supervisor when they're being attacked verbally. That sort of thing is, after all, abuse. But pastor's don't have that freedom. Pastor's take verbal abuse all the time, and are told to grow thicker skin and not take things personally. In any other job, a person would get vacation time, a salary for the hours they put in, and benefits. But not for a pastor. Most pastor's get criticized for taking a vacation once a year, work full time jobs for part time pay, and receive no benefits and no retirement package. There is no overtime, there is no 401K, and there are no raises. On the contrary, usually the pastor's salary is the first to get cut at budget meetings. And it's true that the pastorate is a calling and ministry, but it's also a job, it also pays the bills and keeps a roof over the pastor's family, and despite what others may think, pastor's families still have expenses like everyone else. We are, in fact, real people. We are not robots.

And though we've answered our calling, and have entered into ministry and all that is expected of us, we are still people. We get hurt. We get sick. We have burdens, and we have joys. We have other responsibilities, we have other jobs, we have children and families, and friends that do not attend our church. We have lives. We are people. We are not robots.

So the next time you see your pastor tired, or discouraged, or even sad, keep these things in mind. Remember that he is just a person, and that he's doing the very best he can. Offer to pray with him, take him out for coffee, show up and ask him how you can help. The next time you see your pastor's wife stressed, running after her children, or trying to walk the fine line of expectations, offer her a smile, and more importantly, support her husband. She is, after all, his first, and he is her first priority, and when he hurts, she hurts.

Ministry is amazing, it is a privilege, it can hold the most joyous and exciting times. But it's also a huge responsibility, and burden to carry. It is unique, and it is individual. Just as individual as every man that enters into it.

We are called to be God's people, we are not called to be robots.

I say this in defense of every pastor, and every pastor's family, because I know we are not unique. I have been submersed in the inner workings of the church since I was a young child, and I know what I'm talking about. I've known a lot of pastors, a lot of missionaries, and I've seen the crushing effects that ministry can have. I've seen burnt out, I've seen broken, I've seen heartache. I know it first hand, and more than anything, I would like for it to stop.

God gives us strength to keep going. He gives us glimpses of spiritual breakthrough, He supplies our needs out of no where. He takes care of us, and encourages us to keep fighting. Our God is good, and that is why we do what we do. We love The LORD, and we long to serve Him with our lives, and we do the best we can. But God knows our hearts, He knows we are just people, and I'm so thankful He never called us to be robots.

Our Fortress

"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, 

The God we serve is able to save us from it, 

and He will rescue us from your hand, O king."

- Daniel 3:17

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I've long understood that following the political and world news would bring nothing but frustration and heartache, but being involved in our culture is a necessity, and burying our heads in the sand is just not a smart option. 

There's a lot going on in the Middle East right now, a lot going on in our world. A lot of war, murder, torture, hunger, disease, slavery, trafficking, turning from God, destruction and sadness. There are rumors of terrorists reaching American soil, attacks on our nation, and threats of more killings. There is a lot of pain, and no one in the media is able to offer any hope. 

It's easy to get discouraged, it's easy to be afraid. What if we do have another attack like 9/11? What if ISIS does reach America? What if we are killed for our faith in Jesus? What if our world is shaken and torn apart? How will we protect our children? These are questions that can keep us up at night, questions we struggle to answer and come to peace with. And just this morning, after reading the news, my own heart was heavy: "What if, God?"... "Will You allow this here?" 

And the answer my heart keeps hearing is: "Yes", heartache will reach my door. None of us can escape pain or fear, but as Christians, we are different from the lost world, because we know Who is in control, and we know that God Himself is our Hope and security, even in the most terrible times. 

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This verse in Daniel comes from the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, when they refused to bow down to the golden idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had ordered them to worship. The three men knew that the penalty would be death, but bowing down was not an option for them. I'm sure there were moments they were afraid, I'm sure they questioned God, they were after all, just people like you and I. 

These three men were not super heroes, they didn't have any special powers, and they certainly couldn't stop the king from putting them to death. But they did have one important difference, they had their faith in God Almighty. And when it came time for them to enter the blazing furnace, they declared: "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, The God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king!" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were just normal men, but their faith in God was sound, and they knew that God would save them, no matter what the king chose to do to them. 

And God did save them. He surrounded them with His angels, and He didn't allow even their clothes to be scorched. God delivered them for sure, and preserved them because of their faith. 

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Brothers and sisters, the reason I felt it was important for me to share this story today, is because we are promised to face pain and hardship in this world. We know that the world is fallen, and we are in uncertain times, but our hope is not in this world, or the powers that be, our hope is in God, and our hope is secure. 

The God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is the same God who watches over us today, and if He could save those 3 men thousands of years ago, our Good God Who DOES NOT CHANGE, is able to save us too. And no matter what the media says, and no matter what wars storm our walls, The Almighty God is our fortress, and He is our protector. 

We need to take comfort in that today. We need to shut out the voices of the world, and rest in the peace that God is in control, and that He will take care of us, whatever may come. 

Battle

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, 

but against principalities, against powers, 

against the rulers of the darkness of this world, 

against spiritual wickedness in high places." 

- Ephesians 6:12

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Thursday morning I woke with such a heaviness in my spirit, sadness in my bones, and I felt it deep down into the very core of me. I struggled to get out of bed, and right away I recognized that this was not a cloud of sickness or simple fatigue, but a fight with Satan, who was working hard to keep me down. 

There have only been a few times in my life when I have so obviously felt the cold oppression of the devil. There have been times when I've encounter someone, heard something, or seen something, but never before had I felt such an attack on my heart and physical self. But that's what it was, and I knew it, and even more so, I knew I needed to fight it. 

Brothers and sisters, our wars are not against flesh and blood, but against the ruler of darkness, and we must be diligent to see it, identify it, and fight. 

Fight with everything we have. 

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Andrew has had a really hard week in ministry, and because I see the pain, struggle and hurt up close and first hand, I've had a hard week too. 

Ministry is not for the faint of heart. 

Wednesday night, we had a particularly hard encounter, and after a restless night for both of us, Satan knew I was weak, knew I was vulnerable, and knew I'd be easy prey for his schemes. It makes me mad to no end knowing that Satan is out there, fighting against me, against my God, against all that is good and holy. It makes me mad that we toil so hard, and all the while, satan is working against us, making each step forward harder and harder to take. But stepping forward is not an option, and no matter the opposition we face, we know that God is with us, and we know He requires our dedication no matter how hard it gets. 

That's why identifying our troubles as spiritual warfare is so important: it gives us courage to keep going! 

When we see and understand that our troubles are really spiritual warfare, we come face to face with why we were created: to bring glory and honor God, and we will desire to keep toiling, knowing that we are working for Him and for His glory. 

Satan cannot beat us down, he doesn't have that much power, and do you know why, dear Christian?

BECAUSE OUR GOOD GOD HAS ALREADY WON THE BATTLE! 

OUR GOD HAS ALREADY WON THE VICTORY!

And no fallen angel is going to take that victory away from us. He's not that strong. 

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So I fought. 

I got up, I told Andrew what was going on, and we prayed. 

I called my cousin, talked with her, and asked her to pray too. 

I covered myself with scripture, surrounded myself with edifying people, and prayed some more. 

Some days all we can do in this battle is utter one more prayer, but that is enough, it will always be enough. 

Finding my Worth

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, 

there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 

And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, 

heirs according to promise.

 - Galatians 3:28-29

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My female heart has been struggling lately to remember where my worth comes from. Since getting pregnant, I have struggled with my changing body, and how I fit so far outside of what society tells me I need to be. 

I felt extreme pressure through my pregnancy to not gain too much weight, as if I needed to apologize for going up a pant size while Katelyn was growing within me. I remember feeling ashamed as someone I knew said: "You want to be careful, dear, you're not a small girl!", as if I shouldn't have children because of my size.  

When I learned I was pregnant, I told myself I wouldn't gain over 25lbs, and I would lose them quickly after. But when all was said and done, I'd gained 28lbs the week I delivered Katelyn,  and now 6 months into her precious little life, I still have not been able to shed 12 of those pesky pounds. 

Shame, embarrassment, and fear have crept into my heart these last months, and at times I've even felt unlovable in my new body, scarred from a c-section, and worried that Andrew and the girls would be embarrassed by me too. 

And though I have been exercising and eating healthy options, my weight loss journey has become a trial, and has been wearing me down little by little instead of encouraging me to keep going. And the answer to why this has happened is simple: I lost sight of who I am, and Who my worth comes from. 

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The Bible tells us that when we are in Christ, we become heirs with Christ, children of the Most High God. We are told that God adopts us as His own children, and loves us and cares for us, and that we will reign with Him forever.    

Do you realize what this means? I am a daughter of The King! The King of Kings, The Creator of the universe! God has called me His own, He has put His stamp on me, He has said I am enough. Just the way I am. 

And no, I may not look like Mom's I see at the store, I may never fit into a perfect size 6, but God has said I'm enough, no matter what size I am. God has given me worth, and no man on earth could ever take that away. 

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I'm sharing this deeply personal struggle with you all because I think there may be times in all of our lives when we struggle to find our true identity in Christ. There are times we feel worthless at our job, under appreciated at home, struggling to keep up with society, and placing false worth on things that are really fleeting and unimportant. 

In the end, all we will have are our souls, and I know that because of Christ and His sacrifice for me, my soul will reign forever with God, and it won't matter what my pant size was. When I am sitting at the throne of God, worshipping Him, and fulfilling the purpose of why I was truly created, it won't matter what status I held on earth. 

My worth lies in a greater place, my worth comes from my Savior, and I'm trying to keep my focus on that. 

When Hardship Comes

"For I am The Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand 

and says to you, 'Do not fear; I will help you'."

 - Psalm 41:13

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The season of life I'm now in, has been the most difficult and challenging by far. I laugh now, because when I said "yes" to Andrew's proposal, I knew I would be gaining two children that I had not birthed, but at the time, I thought it would be easier. I thought that everything would fall into place perfectly, because God had put me here. 

But the truth that I'm learning is, hardship is part of life, whether we're in God's will or not.  Life is not easy, even when we're doing what God wants us to do. We must have challenges, we must face adversity, or our dependance on God would never increase. 

If parenting was easy, I wouldn't be crying out to God for direction and help. If raising children whose natural Mom died was easy, I wouldn't be calling on God for healing, restoration, and peace. 

None of this is easy, but it's what I'm supposed to do. 

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Being in God's will doesn't make life automatically easy, because we live in a fallen world, and as fallen people, hardship comes. So just because I am facing challenges with my children, it doesn't mean that I'm the wrong Mom for them, it just means we're normal, because hard times come to all of us. 

The good news, and what I've been holding onto the last few days, is that God has promised to take my hand, guide me, and help me. He will help me connect with my children, He will heal raw wounds, He will pour out love, and He will be my strength when I feel like I'm at the end of myself. 

Our God is not a god who is far off. He is real, alive, and active in our lives. He has given us The Holy Spirit, and He dwells within us. Therefore, everywhere I go, God goes too, and every challenge I face, God is there too, able to help me and give me the strength I need. 

Our God is a personal God. He loves us, cares for us, and never leaves us to face pain alone. God tells us not to be afraid, not to get overwhelmed, not to feel defeated, because He will help! 

That's our promise to carry around with us. No matter what comes, no matter how hard life seems, God is with us, and He will help. He is our leader and defender, and He will never leave us on our own. 

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The beautiful thing about God too, is we know He has promised to work all things out for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28), and that is our promise that God will one day bring complete peace and complete healing. Our trials will come to an end one day, and we will see God's glory. 

As God's children, we are able to taste and see how good our God is, when we call on Him, an when we ask for His help (Psalm 348). He has promised to always show up, to give us victory, and to give our pain purpose. 

Through every trial, we are being drawn nearer to our Good God, and though it may hurt from time to time, is there any place you'd rather be? Is there any place better than on the lap of my Comforter, holding onto His hand for my very life? 

Dear Christian, this is where we need to be. At the feet of our Savior, drawing from His strength. This is where our hearts are safe, and where our God can hold us tight and heal us. 

Allow Him to draw you in, allow Him to heal your heart. 

Shine

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden." 

-Matthew 5:14

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I can't even count how many times people have said to me: "Wow, you're a pastor's wife? That must be a lot of pressure!" And though, I admit to you, that yes, there are times of pressure, overall my life hasn't changed all that much. 

Because being in ministry isn't any different than being at a normal job, I still live my life the same way, I'm still the same person, I still look the same as I always have…because long ago Christ came into my heart, and His light has been within me, and I spend my life trying to reflect His goodness. 

My light hadn't changed, but just it's location. 

I no longer go to a 9-5 job. I don't work in a cubical and eat lunch in a cafeteria, so my sphere of influence is very different now, but it's still up to me to find ways to let God's light shine through me. It's still my job to be a lamp to the dark world around me. 

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I've been trying to teach the girls that even at their young age, they still have a job to do for Christ. At their age, their job is to go to school, and while there, their job is to be a light to their friends. I tell them that they have to dress different, talk different, listen to different music, and have different standards, because they represent Christ, and He calls us to be different. 

It's hard to be a kid in today's world, but this is the stage they're at, and God has called them to be His little lights to their classmates and teachers. 

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A lot of times I hear people say that ministry is for pastors and missionaries, but that's a mistake. We are all called to minister, we are all called to be lights on a hill. 

Whatever line of work you find yourself in, and whatever stage of life, young or old, you have a job to do, you have a light to shine. 

Ministry has a way of changing as we transition through life, but the very way we live our lives becomes our ministry. We are walking witnesses to the glory and faithfulness of God, and it's our example that will catch people's eye. They are looking, and watching, and it's up to us to show them what they need: God's amazing love and transforming power. 

And because we carry our light within us, our ministry never ends. From a young child, to a grey-haired elder late in life…our ministry grows and matures with us, and it won't be complete until God calls us home. 

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As God's children, we are all in ministry, no matter our occupation or age. God has lit a light within us, and it's our job to shine. 

El-Olam: The Everlasting God

"Do you not know?

    Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

    The Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

    and His understanding no one can fathom.

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He gives strength to the weary

    and increases the power of the weak."

-Isaiah 40:28-29

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I keep telling myself that this is just the stage of life that I'm in, but can I just be honest and tell you all how hard it is to feel so tired all the time? There are times that I feel so stretched, pulled thin, and overwhelmed that I wonder how I'll ever get everything done that needs to be done. 

Tonight, I was feeling very much like a failure, realizing my own good intentions of being a good wife, good mom, good home-maker, good pastors wife, good daughter, good sister, good friend…and how often I fail to meet even my own standard, let alone those of my loved ones around me. 

It's easy to get worn down in this life, when it seems like pressure is closing in from all sides, but I was reminded tonight that my strength needs to come from God, not from myself. I am not capable of doing it all, I am not strong enough to handle all of the tasks, wade through all of the emotional drama, juggle schedules, and keep a calm heart through it all…but I have good news:

My God is. 

My God is El-Olam, another Name that's important for us to memorize. This name of God gives us the promise that our God is The Everlasting God, The God who does not tire, and does not grow weary. Not only that, but this name of God also gives us the promise that God will give us strength when we are tired, and give our spirits power when we feel completely drained. 

Our God steps in and saves the day, and gives us strength when we're at the end of ourselves. More so, what's so encouraging for me, is this promise that I don't have to do it alone. God is my strength, and He will give me what I need to do the work He has placed before me. 

There are times when I'll hear myself saying: "But what if I can't do it, what if I don't have what it takes?" and this verse comes to mind: "Do you not know, have you not heard? The LORD is The Everlasting God!" And I am reminded once again, He did this, He put me here, and He will equip me for every step that I will need to take. 

I am not walking this path alone. El-Olam walks with me, being my Everlasting God, providing me with the strength I need. 

This promise is what allows me to keep going, to try another day. Knowing that my God is with me, and doesn't slumber or sleep. He sees it all, is with me through it all, and will be my strength, no matter my need. 

My El-Olam, my Everlasting God, will always see me through. 

 

Jehovah-Rapha: The LORD Our Healer

We've had a really full weekend of traveling, visiting family, reuniting with old friends, church and camping, and now that we're back home, I feel like I need a weekend to recover from my weekend! Beyond that, Katelyn woke up from her evening nap yesterday completely congested and showing signs of a cold. This is the first time she's been sick, so I, of course, was a little concerned. Thankfully, the cold has stayed up in her nose and she is breathing fine and not at all congested in her chest. 

Last night as I was praying before bed, praying for my baby girl and her protection, I was reminded of the many names of God, and reminded that my God is Jehovah-Rapha, our Healer. I think so many times we look to God to heal our big problems, to heal our big sicknesses, but I'm convinced that God cares about our little problems too, even the stuffy nose of my 5 month old. 

I was comforted to know that my God, The Creator of the universe, The King of Kings, my Healer, cares about my baby, and is watching over her and keeping her safe. I told my Mom, I wish I could give Katelyn something to make the cold better, some type of medication, because then at least I would feel like I'm helping her, but at this stage, there's nothing that can be done except to offer love and comfort. Jahovah-Rapha is holding my baby girl, He is caring for her, healing her, and seeing to her problem. He is better at taking care of her than I ever could be, and I was reminded that I need to let go, and trust her again to The God who created her and loves her so deeply. 

Our God is our Healer. The Healer of our big things, and The Healer of our little things. He sees our broken bodies, our broken spirits, our broken hearts. He knows the places within us that need extra care and attention, and no matter is too big or too small for Him. He is our ultimate Healer, and He will always take care of our need. 

I wonder how many things we try to fix ourselves, how many problems we take on and try to heal within our own power, when really, we should be giving those sicknesses over to our God, and letting Him be our Healer and care-giver. I wonder how many times we actually get in the way of the healing God's trying to do in our lives. And I wonder, if life would be easier all around, if we were just able to surrender. 

Our God is our Healer, and His desire is to take our broken parts and make us whole in Him. 

Will you let Him heal you today? 

Stages

"There is a time for everything, 

and a season for every activity under the heavens." 

- Ecclesiastes 3:1

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On the way home from a bridal shower today, with Katelyn chattering in the backseat, Andrew and I were reminiscing about our own place in life. We are no longer newly-weds, no longer at the stage in our relationship when everything is new. Instead, we've jumped ahead to a busy, full life, with 3 children, sport schedules, instrument lessons, choral concerts, work, and budget planning. 

It seems like just yesterday that I was at my own bridal shower, still unsure of what marriage and motherhood would bring. But now I'm in full swing, up to my neck in laundry and house repair to-do lists, and my time is spent very differently now than it was in the past. Andrew and I looked at each other and smiled, admitting to one another how tired we were, but laughing just the same because we know that this is the stage we're in right now, and someday we'll look back on these busy days and wish we had them back. This is the stage of life we're in, and we recognize that we need to embrace it now. 

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It's important that Solomon wrote about this simple understanding in life: "There is a time for everything…" because though this is a simple truth, so often we forget it. So often we get bogged down in life wishing our situation would change, instead of embracing where we are: ..."I'll never get a better job", "I'll never sleep again", "the kids will never learn", "I'll never get married", "I'll never have kids"…but the truth is, God has given our lives stages for a reason, there is a time in our lives for everything, and God is the One in charge of that timing. And each season He brings us through is meant to help us, to bless us, and to draw us closer to Him. 

Our lives are full of seasons, they are always changing, and this reminder that Solomon gives us is important to help us to remember that, indeed, God is always working, and bringing us through stages in life. 

There may be seasons of waiting, seasons of pain, season of seemingly unanswered prayers, seasons of misbehaving children, seasons of sleepless nights, and seasons where everything seems to go wrong…but knowing WHO my God is, also assures me that there will be seasons of joy, seasons of good health, seasons of answered prayer, seasons of growth, seasons of blessing, and seasons of over-abundance. 

Our God is a good God, and His timing is always good for us. He knows exactly what we need, and what season we are in. He will sustain us, He will help us, and even through the rough seasons, He has us exactly where we need to be. 

No One is Immune

"Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." 

Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. 

You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, 

"If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." 

- James 4:13-15

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We had a funeral today for a man we met a little under a year ago. He was young, and leaves behind a wife and children, the smallest being a 2 yr old baby girl. In preparing for the funeral, I went with Andrew to visit with the family yesterday, and sat quietly across from the widow, a woman now left to raise her 4 children alone. She held out her phone to me, to show me a video she had recently taken at the park. The father swung on the swing, baby girl in his lap, and they were both laughing, looking up at the camera. I knew then that any strength I had previously had was now gone, and the tears began to fall. Tears for this widow, tears for her babies, tears for the milestones ahead where this father and husband would be missed, and somehow, even tears for me, as I came face to face with my own mortality, and that of my own husband. 

Death happens to us all. 

No one is immune. 

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On the way to the funeral today, I told Andrew: "I've always believed that Jesus will come back in my lifetime, and my loved ones and I won't have to die, because Jesus will come back before then." And it's true, I've believed that for a long time. But when I thought about why I believed that, it's not necessarily because our times are so much different than that of previous generations in comparison to the end-times described in scripture, but more so, because of my own denial over the fact that my loved ones will die one day. I've never wanted to face that. I've never wanted to entertain that thought, because my reality without my family is not a reality I want to live in. It hurts too much to even think about. So somewhere through my childhood, I told myself that Jesus would come for me, that He knew my heart, and that He'd make it all OK. As an adult, I still tell myself that, but, unfortunately, I'm no longer so naive to think that pain won't hit home. 

Pain does it home. 

No one is immune. 

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There's a certain urgency that overtakes me when I think about the possibility of dying young. I want to leave letters for the girls, videos of us laughing together, talking, singing. I want to say all of the things they've never heard, or the words I was too embarrassed to say. I want to tell Andrew how deeply happy I am, how he changed my world, my heart, how I never would have known true love and joy had he not entered my life. I want my family to know how much I love them, how blessed I am by them, and how thankful I am that God placed me here, in this life. 

This urgency pushes me to live life sweeter, to live life fuller. 

But the problem is, so often we lose sight of why we're really on this earth, and we lose sight of what really happens. We lose our urgency, and we go back to living lives that are overworked, under appreciated, and dull. We make plans to do things that don't really matter, and we fill our days with "stuff" instead of with the joy of living, which Christ intended for us. 

We are only vapors, here but for a moment. 

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Today we buried Dave, and he no longer has the chance to live with his family and friends. He can't come back and redo anything, and he can't come back for birthdays or holidays or lazy rainy days or just the mundane days. His time here was up, and God called him home. 

And fellow Christian, we never know when God is going to call us home too...

So shouldn't we be living in urgency? Shouldn't we be living these days as if they're our last, and being sure to live well, and love well, and embrace what God has given? 

Yes, we should. Because we never know how much time we have left. 

Death happens to us all.

No one is immune. 

Loving Those Who Hurt Us

"Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 

Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, 

but up to seventy times seven." 

- Matthew 18: 21-22

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I've got a dear friend who is going through one of the deepest pains that anyone could ever face. And in the midst of her pain, she has chosen to keep loving the person who has hurt her. The other night she looked at me, and said: "Why do I do that? Why do I keep loving people who hurt me? Why can't I be mean?" And I looked her in the eye, and said: "Because God told you to turn the other cheek, and you listened! You're being obedient!"

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As Christians, we aren't supposed to look like the world. We aren't supposed to love like the world. We aren't supposed to forgive like the world. We are supposed to reflect Christ, and He never did fit in here on earth. Christ was radical, living very differently than those around Him. 

The world would tell us to turn our back on those who hurt us, but Christ calls us to keep offering love. The world would tell us that love is temporary, and you can move on to the next fish in the sea, but to God, marriage is a holy union, and it isn't temporary. The world would tell you to hold a grudge, to get revenge, and to fight back when others hurt us, but Christ tells us to let it go, to forgive, and to keep forgiving over and over and over again. 

We are called to look different. 

But what happens when Christians fall into the same selfish trap that the world is in? What happens when our attitudes reflect pop culture more than The God within us? What happens when our hearts are broken, and we lose sight of what's really true? 

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This is when we have to go back to our Rock, The One who demonstrated pure love, true forgiveness, and a humble heart. We have to go back to Christ, and His words for us. 

As I said, Christ was different. He came into this world, and immediately, He didn't fit in. He taught radical lessons: forgive those who hurt you, turn the other cheek, don't store up riches on earth, don't look at the outside of a person, but the inside, love unconditionally. These lessons He taught were new, and were hard for people to understand, and sometimes, they still are. 

When Peter asked: "How many times should I forgive, LORD?" I think He was hoping for an out. He was hoping for a release, and we all know what that's like. We've all been there. But Jesus turns and says: "Always forgive". 

The human side of us wants to seek revenge, wants to do anything to feel better, even if just for a moment. But our spiritual hearts know better. Because as Christians, Christ has changed us, and our hearts now reflect Him, and these radical teachings. We are not content living as the world lives, and eventually, we must go back to Christ, and find our truth in Him. 

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He will help us live better. He will help us love better. He will help us forgive better. 

And when we go to Him, and obey His teachings, our hearts will always find peace.