Transforming Your Thinking

(While cleaning out a drawer, I came across some notes that I wrote a few years ago. Many of the words were crossed out and rewritten, but I will try to decipher the scribbling and express what I was trying to convey at the time.)

I am so grateful that 25 years ago, I was attending a church where my identity in Christ was taught with clarity. It set me free from a lifetime of a performance mentality and I have clung to this truth through many challenges since then. Until recently, I sincerely thought that I comprehended the fact that my true worth is found in Christ alone.

Many times we look to our own achievements for self-worth. When our children make wise decisions, we feel like we must be a successful parent. If we get a promotion at work, we know that we're doing a good  job and it boosts our self-esteem. When someone pays us a compliment, we might bask in the glow of our appearance or accomplishments. Many things can bring us a fleeting sense of self-worth, but our identity in Christ is the only foundation that won't crumble with adversity. One of my former pastors, John Glenn, used to say that we all think, "I will be worthy IF ______ (you fill in the blank), but the truth is that we ARE worthy because of the finished work of Christ."

Recently, something at the core of my being was called into question. Not just an accomplishment, but something that I believed defined who I am. And there's the rub. If I truly believe that my identity in Christ is where I find my security, then how can anything else take precedence over that? My insecurities were in a tailspin as I grappled with my true identity.

The only place to go when doubts plague your mind is to God's Word. Jesus Himself said, "The truth will set you free." (John 8:32) If we saturate our minds with scripture, it will help us put things into perspective, knowing that, "The Word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah 40:8) Lord, help me "treasure Your Word in my heart, that I may not sin against You." (Psalm 119:11)

I love the candidness of the Psalmist when he laments, "How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart everyday?" But a few verses after his expression of hopelessness, he reminds us that in spite of our circumstances, we can trust in God's unfailing love. "I will rejoice because You have rescued me, I will sing to the Lord because He is good to me." (Psalm 13:2 and 5-6)

Zig Ziglar said that "repetition is the mother of  learning." I must intentionally and continually remind myself that I need to "fix my eyes on Him, the author and perfector of faith." (Hebrews 12:2) I am grateful to God for His promise to "transform me into a new person by changing the way I think." (Romans 12:2) No matter what you're going through, I pray that God will transform your thinking and remind you of the freedom that comes when we remember who we are in Christ. 

God's Truths Are Timeless

(Preface: I wrote this blog on September 27, 2024. This was the day that Hurricane Helene hit our area and caused massive flooding. Many lives were lost and entire towns were swept away. I wrote this before the devastation, but for me, that exemplifies the fact that God's Truths are timeless.)

I don't think that anything challenges our faith as much as serious trials. It might be health issues, financial difficulties, broken relationships, or even the devastating loss of a loved one...you fill in the blank. For me, adversity sends me into a tailspin of self-doubt and this is where my crisis of faith comes in. I can get so focused on my problems that I forget Who is in control. That is why we have to be intentional about focusing on the Truth of God's Word no matter what our circumstances look like.

Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." What more could we ask for? God promises to give us His peace in the midst of our troubles. When life's challenges seem overwhelming, "Tell God!" (NLT vs. 7) We can confide in the God of the Universe!  "Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence." (Ephesians 3:12)

This is a much-needed reminder to myself, but I hope that it will encourage your heart as well. Nothing is too big for our God to handle. I appreciate Babbie Mason's lyrics reminding us that, "When you can't trace His hand, Trust His Heart." Because "if God is for us, who can ever be against us?" (Romans 8:31) (Found out a few months after I wrote this that C.H. Spurgeon originally penned, "When you cannot trace His hand, you can always trust His heart.")

My Beautiful Friend

Dementia. You probably have or have had a friend or family member who struggles with some form of this horrible disease. If not, surely you've heard about someone who does. My mother had Alzheimer's and I know that the grieving process starts at the onset of this disease and eventually, there are only memories of the person you once knew and loved.
My intention in writing this blog is to celebrate a dear friend who is struggling with this nemesis. Today is my beautiful friend's birthday. We have been friends for 50 years now. We raised our children together and although we live 1200 miles apart, in recent weeks, we talk on the phone almost everyday. I often have to read between the lines as she struggles to communicate her thoughts. She laments the fact that she's alone since her husband passed away last year. Of course, this is devastating for any widow or widower, but the disease complicates her ability to process the details. She just can't comprehend how she's supposed to move forward without her soulmate and protector.
Nevertheless, in her typically kind fashion, she has been genuinely concerned about my husband's current health issues. Each time we talk on the phone, she either prays for him or promises that she will be praying. My dear friend firmly believes that God is able to heal our infirmities and her faith never wavers. She prays with clarity and an eloquence that at times escapes her in everyday conversation. Her prayers inspire me to believe that God cares about every detail of our lives and is intimately involved in them.
I can't contemplate my friend's struggle with dementia without shedding a tear, but I try to remind myself of the impact she's still having in my life and the lives of so many others. I think of ‭‭James 5:16 "The earnest prayer of a righteous (woman) has great power and produces wonderful results." Her sincere faith challenges me to trust God with my current circumstances. And I hope that I will always remember that someone with mental limitations may still have the ability to connect to the Creator of the Universe in a supernatural way.
I thank God for the amazing gift of her friendship. She has been and continues to be a source of joy in my life. I pray that God will heal her, protect her from harm, and pour out abundant blessings in her life, on her birthday and everyday hence forth. 

Now and Not Yet Book Review

Ruth Chou Simons' previous books have encouraged and inspired me, but Now and Not Yet was probably the most timely for me. I was looking for answers to my "right now" because my husband was struggling with health issues and about halfway through reading this book, he had a stroke. 

Our faith is challenged when our circumstances seem overwhelming. I appreciate Ruth's vulnerability when she admits that "some of my most significant times of communing with God have happened when my life has felt the most out of control." She constantly looks to God's Word to encourage us not to lose heart. I claim along with Ruth that "I'm going to rejoice in the midst of this. This is hard, but God is refining me in this, making me more like Christ." 

Now and Not Yet will fortify your faith because "the truth about who God is and who we are in Him changes everything about how we think about right now."

"Pilgrim" Book Review

God has blessed Ruth Chou Simons with incredible talent, not only as an artist, but also in distinctly communicating God's amazing love for us. As I was reading her new book, "Pilgrim," I could hardly wait to turn each page to see the next beautiful work of art. 

I think we all struggle with grasping the fact that we are made righteous through the finished work of Christ on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). Ruth shares the truth of The Gospel with clarity and encourages us to keep our eyes on Jesus. "Perhaps you've tried to outrun lack and limitation with your own resources. Take heart, friend. God desires for you to rediscover, or realize for the first time, that He alone is your sustainer." (Pilgrim, page 150)

"Pilgrim" is a phenomenal book and I hope that you will take the time to read it. It will encourage your heart, challenge your thinking, and nourish your soul.

Walk by Faith

I was recently talking to someone who was struggling with adversity. They were convinced that God was punishing them for a past sin. I was reminded of my own shortcomings and the fact that we have to be intentional about keeping our minds on what is "true and right." (Philippians 4:8)

2 Corinthians 5:7 says "For we walk by faith, not by sight." That sounds simple, but it takes constant reminders from God's Word for the reality of that verse to permeate our thoughts. If we are constantly dwelling on our past mistakes, we are walking by sight and will consequently live in a state of discouragement. 

The Truth is that we are "the righteousness of God in Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:21) And when it comes to our sins, God has removed them "as far as the east is from the west." (Psalm 103:12) In other words, He doesn't even see them anymore. When He looks at us, He sees His precious child who has been washed clean with the Blood of the Lamb. "For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)

Walking by faith involves a constant renewal of our minds. And it reaps a reward of knowing God's will for our lives. What more could we ask for? "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Romans 12:2

My Big Brother, Tom

My biological brother, Glenn, died at birth, so I never had the blessing of knowing him. But somehow, I imagine that he would have been a lot like Tom Green...an endearing mix of annoying older brother with wise confidant and encourager. Tom and Sherry are precious friends and have walked with me through so many phases of life. I would even go so far as to say that their prayers and encouragement saved me during some of the darkest days of my life. For that I am eternally grateful.
God gave Tom amazing insight into the Word of God and he shared it with so much clarity. I was privileged to sit under Tom's teaching ministry for many years in South Florida. I was raised in a very performance-oriented home and had a skewed concept of God's expectations. I could never measure up to my own expectations, let alone God's. But hearing the Truth of how Jesus lived a sinless life for me, because I could never do it on my own was enlightening. The realization that He had to become a man and die a cruel death...taking the punishment for my sin and making me whole and blameless before God seems obvious now, but was a new revelation 40 years ago. I had never known such freedom and began to understand why Jesus said, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)
And so to my big brother, Tom Green, I will always appreciate the amazing gift of your friendship, but most of all, I am grateful that you shared the Truth of The Gospel with me in a way that changed my life forever. I know that Jesus is welcoming you with open arms saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant."