Waiting For Supermom

Supermoms must be real!

I’ve seen them on pinterest and on their beautifully encoded blogs with givaways and perfectly lit photos of happy children and immaculately decorated homes.  I’ve see them with their capes and thriving careers, designer diaper bags, and 100% organic meal plans.  And they do all of this perfectly, all the time without fail!

But here’s the thing, I’ve never met one in person.  So, I’m beginning to wonder if they really do exist, because all the moms I’ve gotten to know get impatient and yell, have kids who pick their noses, have laundry piled on their living room couches, and serve hot dogs and Cheetos... every now and then.  

So, I've finally decided to stop waiting for Supermom.  More importantly, I’ve decided to stop wanting to be Supermom.  

Instead, I want to be supernatural mom!  I want to receive my super powers from someone who is truly out of this world:  God.  

I know supernatural moms exist because many of my friends in real life are supernatural moms, and they remind me of some of the Supernatural moms from the Bible (who we know were far from perfect.)

Like Eve, they are able to endure the pain of child-loss.

Like Sarah, they have faith that God can do the impossible.  

Like Hagar, God gives them the ability to see new resources to help their children when all of their other resources have “dried up”.  

Like Jochobed they are willing to do anything to protect their children from harm.  

Like Deborah, they live righteously in the midst of an evil and sinful culture when everyone else does what is right in their own eyes.  

Like Hannah, they entrust their children wholeheartedly into God’s hands to be raised up for His service.  

And like Mary, they treasure “all these things,” pondering them in their hearts.  

These moms are the real deal!  They are the first to admit that they are weak, but God’s power is perfected in their weaknesses, because they cling to the fact that His grace is sufficient for them!

So happy mothers day to supernatural moms everywhere who have found access to a supernatural source of mom-ability through Jesus Christ.  

I pray that we will have faith in the faithful One who has the ability to make us able.

And most of all, happy Mother’s Day to my own mom, who raised my two sisters and me in a military family, working full time to help support us and give us a bright future, who taught me to pray and sing praises to God, who never missed any of my events, who would do anything for her children, who taught me the value of hard work, faithfulness, and unconditional love, and who is hands-down one of the best grandmas in the world.  I love you mom!

Happy Mother’s Day!

The Selfishness Checklist: A Tool for Pursuing Peace in Relationships

"That's my rope!  Give it back!"  

How frighteningly territorial little boys can get over pieces of fiber and wood.  Sticks, rope, cardboard boxes, these are all commodities worth warring over when you're a five or eight year old with a Y chromosome.  

My oldest son was tying a small length of rope onto a long piece of bamboo which was to be the fishing pole that would supply his only source of food while he drifted on a small boat lost at sea.  His survival tactics were stopped short when his little brother demanded his rope back.  

Being that he would most certainly die of starvation without his fishing pole, I suggested that he let him play with it for 20 minutes.  Well, 20 minutes was too long for the rope owner and what ensued was a lot of crying, yelling, tugging, anger from both of them, and most of all selfishness!  

Finally, I had had enough.  I brought them both in to sit on the red bench.  Now, when they are called to sit on the red bench they know what is coming next.  I pulled out the big book with all the colorful tabs in it:  my Child Training Bible.  Without any further explanation I read: 

"Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Respect what is right in the sight of all men.  If possible so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Romans 12:17,18).  

"Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.  Treat others the same way you want them to treat you" (Luke 6:30,31).  

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.  Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interest of others" (Philippians 2:3,4).   

Then I ask, "When you demanded your rope back, were you thinking about what your brother wanted or only about what you wanted?"  The answer was obvious.  

I look at the older one, "When you refused to give the rope back were you thinking only about what you wanted, or about what your brother wanted?"  Again, it was obvious, they were both only thinking about themselves.  

I prayed that they would start to think more about what others want instead of only themselves.  I thanked Jesus for His unselfish sacrifice on the cross and prayed that we would be more like Him.  Then I told them to sit on the red bench until they thought of a solution that would make both of them happy.  In the end, they worked out a deal that they both were very happy with and they ran back outside to play with smiles on their faces.  (The deal must have involved a stick because I overheard one of them say, "Here's your happy stick!")

Solutions can be found when we stop thinking only about what we want, and start thinking about what others want.  We must each be willing to give up something in order to gain something far greater:  peace! 

Are you "at war" with someone in your life?  Do you find yourself getting into arguments or fights with people?  Or maybe you just need a tool to help your children overcome adversity with their siblings or friends.  The following selfishness checklist can help uncover selfish motives and actions, and reveal areas where peace can be pursued.

The Selfishness Checklist:  

☑ I am not repaying evil for evil.

☑ I am willing to share or give what is mine.

☑ I am not demanding what is mine.

☑ I am treating others the way I want to be treated.

☑ I am regarding other people as more important than myself.

☑ I am considering what other people want, not just what I want.

☑ I am doing all that I can to try to make peace.

Is God Too Weak To Defend Himself?

For all you Bible readers out there:  Do you remember Ish-Bosheth?  He was Saul's son who was crowned king after Saul died.  You may be thinking, "Didn't David become king after Saul died?"  Well, yes he did, but only over Judah.  All the other tribes made Ish-Bosheth their king.  Only, God had promised that David would be king over all of Israel so Ish-Bosheth didn't stand a chance.  

After Abner (the man with the real power) turned against Ish-Bosheth and got himself murdered, Israel realized that it was inevitable that David would rule and that he was surely coming after them for not following him in the first place.  (I think that's what they thought.)   Anyhow, it was chaos, people were running, hiding, killing, and stuff.  

But two brothers, Rechab and Baanah, decided that they would gain David's favor by killing his rival.  So when Ish-Bosheth was taking a little midday snooze, the two brothers came into his house on the pretense of just getting some wheat (why wheat?  weren't they afraid of wheat belly?) they snuck up to the sleeping king and skewered him in the belly.  Then, for proof, they cut off his head and hurried to give David the "good news."  

Well, if you know anything about David, you know that he wasn't impressed.  These two brothers should have paid attention to their history lessons, because then they would have known that David did not appreciate the news about Saul's death, and he had the messenger and supposed murderer put to death.  

So these two brothers come running up to David swinging Ish-Bosheth's head by the hair (I imagine) hoping for a reward or at least a pat on the back.  What was David's response?  How dare you kill an innocent man? (more or less).  He had these two over zealous brothers killed, had their hands and feet cut off (gross), then hung them by a pool in Hebron (even grosser).  

Here's the deal:  These two brothers assumed that David was as wicked as they were and that he was about the business of securing the kingdom for himself by any means possible.  They failed to understand that David looked to God alone for redemption.  He did not need a couple of lackeys to prove their loyalty to him by killing his enemy.  David perceived that God alone was the one establishing his throne and God didn't need any help in the matter. 

So it got me thinking...  I wonder, do we sometimes make the same assumption about God that Rechab and Baanah did about David?  Do we as Christians think it is our job to "slay" God's enemies in order to help establish and further His kingdom?  Do we assume that God is like us and that He might rejoice over the destruction of those who do not follow Him?   Do we think He is weak and somehow incapable of defending Himself or His Word?

More Questions...

Do you think God is pleased when we slander the ministry of others and make it our work to expose their fallacies and "execute" them with our sharp words and accusations?  How many people have been won to Christ by these malicious charges?  And how do we appear to unbelievers when they see us:  Christians accusing Christians; wrangling over words instead of trying to see someone's heart.  

Or do we know, like David did, that the battle belongs to the Lord.  Can we concede to the fact that God has not called us to be judges, prosecutors, or executioners.  "Vengeance is mine," He says, "I will repay." (Hebrews 10:30)

Don't get me wrong, I am zealous for upholding the truth of God's Word.  We must be good stewards of this great treasure that has been passed down to us.  We must do our best to present ourselves to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).  Furthermore, we should always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks us to give an account for the hope that is in us, yet with gentleness and reverence (1 Peter 3:15).  Can I emphasize "everyone who asks?" and "with gentleness and reverence?"

Our nation has experienced so much tragedy lately:  bombing, explosions, senseless loss, pain.  How much more should we as Christians be presenting our God as a God of hope, grace, and compassion.  

I believe we can do this without neglecting the truth of His whole character.  

How much more shall we strive to make Christ "attractive" to a world that is desperate for genuine beauty?  

I believe we can do this without watering down the gospel.  

What are we gaining by this seek-and-destroy method of exposing false teachers and heretics of the faith?  Can we be a voice of truth without being a voice of judgement?

I have more to say on this subject, but I would like to know what your response is...  What does the Bible say?  Is it our job to call people out and expose them publicly as heretics and false teachers?  Or is it enough to teach the Bible, share the truth in love, and let God defend Himself against His opponents in His own righteous and just way?

Jesus: Our Rock Of Escape

"Our God is the God of salvation; and to God, the Lord, belong escapes from death"

-Psalm 68:20

In the Bible there is a mountain in Israel called the Rock of Escape.  This is the story of how it got its name:

King Saul had a personal vendetta against David and had poured all of his time, energy, and resources into accomplishing this one goal:  to find David and kill him.  Finally, he receives some intel that David is hiding at the rock in the wilderness of Maon and now Saul and his men are in hot pursuit to overtake David and eliminate him... 

"Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain; and David was hurrying to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to seize them.  But a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land."  So Saul returned from pursuing David and to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place the Rock of Escape.  1 Samuel 23: 25-29

What a close call!  David could practically feel Saul breathing down his neck, but just when all hope seemed lost, Saul was forced to abort the mission in order to defend his land from invaders.  David's escape was such an intense moment in history that the whole mountain was named "The Rock of Escape."

Today we have a Rock of Escape.  His name is Jesus.  He is the rock that the builders rejected.  He allowed Himself to be beaten, bruised, and crucified for our wrongdoings.  We could practically feel death and punishment breathing down our necks, but just when all hope seemed lost, Christ died for us.  We ought to have borne that old rugged cross.  The nails in his hands and feet were meant for us.  The thorns on His head were supposed to be ours.  But He took it all for us, and through His death He provided our way of escape.

"How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"(Hebrews 2:3)  
This gift must be accepted!  

How will you escape the sentence of hell?"  (Matthew 23:33)  

There is no other way but through Jesus.

This Easter, as we are celebrating the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, let's thank Him for the salvation that He offers to us. Praise Him for being our Rock of escape.

"O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord.  Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation."   

How to Bear Fruit Gracefully.

‎"In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace." Colossians 1:6

It's apple season here in the great Northwest. The apples on our trees appear silently, without strain or agitation. They slowly take form, grow, and ripen naturally, with the right conditions. It is a peaceful, quiet process. 

How often do I ball up my fists, grit my teeth, and determine that I WILL bear fruit? I've got it all wrong. Bearing fruit does not come from my own determination or effort. That's the whole point of grace! I am undeserving, unable, unmerited, unqualified. But, God gives to me abundantly still. His Spirit fills my deficiency. 

It's only when I rest in this true knowledge of God's grace that He is able to cause my weak limbs to flourish, bear fruit, and offer abundant nourishment to others. A true understanding of God's grace is the right condition that allows for the peaceful, abundant bearing of spiritual fruit.

Angels Watchin' Over Me...

This picture used to hang in my room when I was a child.  I would gaze at it while I lay in bed at night and imagine being one of those children walking over that old rickety bridge in the darkness with no mom or dad to help me across.  If you know me you know that I have a very vivid and active imagination.  So you can only guess the different scenarios that these poor children went through night after night.  One would get his leg stuck where the plank was missing while the other would try to pull him out safely without losing her balance and falling off the edge.  On another occasion, they would dare to trust the unstable railing and it would break just as they put their weight on it.  Or else a troll would come up from under the bridge and provide another menacing obstacle for the poor children.  I could hear the thunder of the water rushing underneath them and the creaking of the wooden boards under their feet.  I remember feeling afraid, lonely, and cold.  But every night they made it across safely because that beautiful, majestic angel was always there to protect them.  If they fell, the angel would catch them.  If a board broke under their feet, the angel would lift them back up.   The children never failed to end up tucked into their cozy beds at home sleeping safe and sound.   

Today as I look at the picture I have that same feeling of worry and fear, because I now imagine that those children are my own two boys walking across that unstable bridge without me or my husband there to help them across.  I can't imagine that they would ever be in this particular situation, but I know that there will be times when when mommy or daddy won't be there to tell them what to do or to pick them up when they fall.  It's a thought that brings me to my knees, because it makes me realize that only God is the One who will always be there for my kids.  He alone knows what they need at all times.  He is the One who will see them through every trial and every fear.  He is the One who can send a host of angels to come to their aid at a moment's notice.  

I recently read this verse about angels in the first chapter of Hebrews verse 14.  "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?"  This particular verse says that angels are "ministering spirits."  To minister means "to serve," and comes partly from the Greek word "ergon" which means "to work."  I think of ergonomics which is the study of efficiency in a working environment.  Angels are also "spirits" which means they are (typically) not visible, they are like a breath or a wind.  You can see their power or their works, but they are immaterial.  Of course there are cases when people are able to see angles and even talk with them documented in the Bible, but I'm not sure how all that works.  

So these invisible workers are sent from God why???  Well the verse says that they are sent to serve those who will "inherit salvation."  That's me!!!  And I hope that's you too.  If you're not sure you if will inherit salvation please stop now and watch the "Ultimate Question" videos.   If you are sure of your salvation in Christ, then bask in the fact that God sends His angels out to help YOU!  Be thankful that every day, whether we acknowledge them or not, God's servants are helping us, guiding us, and saving us (and our children) from wreckage.  And just like those two helpless children in the picture, His angels guide us safely across our broken-down bridges that hang perilously over troubled waters.  All for God's glory!

Now, here's a little blast from the past for you Amy Grant fans.  "Angel's Watching Over Me" Video

I'm reading Hebrews now and I just came across this phrase:  “The deceitfulness of sin." Does that make anyone else shudder?  How creepy!!  Not only are we deceived into sinning, but our sin also deceives us!  What is this vicious cycle and how can I stay out of it?  After doing a little research on this topic I found myself going back to the very beginning in order to understand the source of sin's deception.


John 8:44 says that deceit is from Satan.  He is the “father of lies.”   In the garden of Eden, he questioned and twisted God’s commands to make them appear to Eve as legalistic and oppressive.  Once Eve started to buy into these lies, she “saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise”  (Genesis 3:6).  The deceit created a desire to have what was forbidden.  This lust was the product of deception.  Ephesians 4:22 says that our old self is being corrupted  “with the lusts of deceit.”  All sorts of desires spring up in us as we lend our ears to sources that question and twist God’s truth.  We are corrupted by them.  The tactics Satan used to deceive Eve are the same tactics he uses on us today.  He continues to use his craftiness to “lead us astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ"  (2 Corinthians 11:3).

James 1:15 tells us that we are then "carried away" by our lust.  We are "enticed" by it, and eventually lust “gives birth tosin.”  So not only does lust create more temptation and more deceit (for who does not lie to themselves or others in an attempt to justify their own desires) but, lust eventually leads to acts of sin.  Lust, if allowed to reproduce, will bear it’s natural offspring:  sin.

So that is how we can go from being deceived to committing sin.  The process, however, is not always so linear.  For lust produces more deceit, which yields more lust, which ends up in sin, which deceives us, and so on and so forth.  Deceit produces such a tangled web of lust and sin that even those who deceive others may not even realize that they themselves are deceived.  “Evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived”  (2 Timothy 3:13).

Finally, the ultimate result of sin is that it  "brings forth death"  (James 1:15).  I believe this death can be both physical and spiritual.  Romans 6:23 says that the “wages of sin is death.”  We have to work at it!  It is a job that comes so naturally to us that we don’t even realize that we are employed in this line of work.  We work hard at sinning day after day, until we are paid what we are owed.  Then we questions our wages.  “This compensation package is unfair!” we say.  “I didn’t agree to these wages!”  But we can’t file a lawsuit against God.  We can't form a union, go on strike, and demand better pay.  He is the lawmaker, the lawyer, the judge, and the jury.  He sets the pay scale and signs the check.  Our wages are just and final.


But, praise God, there is hope for us menial workers of iniquity.  The end of Romans 6:23 says, “but, the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!”  


If we go back to Hebrews 3 we see that the Israelites who were hardened by the deceitfulness of sin fell away from God and did not enter His rest because of disobedience.  I am not interested in wandering in the desert grumbling about how small God is only to end up dying before I reach the promised land.  I want to rest!  I want the free gift of life!  I choose to accept the work that Jesus did for me when He gave up His own life on the cross.  Would you rather work hard for death or accept the free gift of grace that leads to salvation which leads to life?

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast." -Ephesians 2:8

When we follow Christ our blinders are off, our guard is up and we can experience freedom from the deceitfulness of sin.  

If You Hear God’s Voice: Hebrews Chapter 3

“Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as when they provoked me, as in the day of trial in the wilderness.”  (Hebrews 3:7,8)  Since these people who “hardened their hearts” instead of responding humbly to God's voice are mentioned repeatedly throughout Hebrews chapters three and four, I thought it would be helpful to know exactly what they did do so that I might learn from their mistakes.  I went to Psalms 95, Hebrews 3 and 4, Exodus 17, and Numbers 20, and compiled a list of things I learned about them.  

• They were Israelites who had been freed from slavery in Egypt.
• They were led out of Egypt by Moses.
• They saw God’s miraculous works for 40 years.
• They became thirsty and thought they and their animals would die.  
• They quarreled with Moses and were so angry they were about to stone him.
• They questioned God saying, “Is the Lord among us, or not?”  (Exodus. 17:7).
• They did not know God’s ways.
• They went astray in their hearts, erred in their hearts, and sinned
• They were disobedient and unbelieving.
• They tested, tried, and provoked God.
• They hardened their hearts
• They died in the wilderness before reaching the promised land

There were a few things that amazed me about these people.  First, they saw God part the waters and drown Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea, yet they doubted He could give them a drink of water.  They ate manna from heaven for forty years, but they didn’t think God could provide for their thirst.  God told Moses to go before them with his staff to the rock of Horeb.  This staff had been turned into a snake and back again.  This staff turned the entire Nile River into blood and parted the Red Sea.  More accurately, it was God’s power that did all these miracles, but at the very least, upon seeing Moses’ staff, the people should have remembered the power God had displayed before their eyes on their behalf.  Apparently, thirst had not only dried up their throats, it had also parched their memories.  

The second thing that amazes me is that although they questioned and tested God, He still provided for them.  Numbers 20:11 says that water came out of the rock “abundantly” and not only did all the people drink, but all their animals drank too.  God's provision was motivated by His own faithfulness, not theirs.

The waters they drank were named Meribah and Massah which means contention and temptation, because they contended with God and tried Him.  According to my computer dictionary to contend means "to engage in a competition in order to win something."   Could I ever be so bold as to think I could contend with God?  Imagine the announcers voice:  "In one corner, God!  All powerful creator of the universe!  Able to measure the waters in the hollow of His hand!”  (Isaiah 40:12).  "And in the other corner:  Tennille, who has trouble measuring enough material to make a tablecloth.”  OK, that fight was over before it started!  Did the people realize that when they doubted and questioned God's ability they went to battle with the Almighty?

They also tried Him.  I am now imagining myself putting God on trial to prove whether or not He is worthy of my trust.  Who am I to test God?  Can I put Him on a scale or in a test tube to prove His worth?  All testing is rooted in disbelief.  Doubting provides the fertile soil needed for contention to flourish.  Instead of answering to their line of questioning, “God proved Himself holy among them” (Numbers 12:13).  God displayed His own holiness on His own terms.  

So here is what I learned from these "people who hardened their hearts:"

#1.  In the midst of pressing needs I must recall to mind God’s consistent faithfulness in my past.

#2.  God will provide for me because He is faithful, not because I am deserving. 

#3.  I foolishly contend with God any time I question His presence or ability.  

#4.  God proves Himself to me not because I summon Him, but for the sake of His own character.  

In short, the people did not listen to God's voice because they were focused on their own needs and desires, rather than on God.  And how about you?  When you are thirsty, do you believe in His ability to quench your thirst?  When you are hungry do you seek the One who has the power to provide?  When you see no way out of whatever impossible situation you are in, will submit yourself to God who has proven Himself to be faithful to the faithless? 

"Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart..."