Leader's Journal
Photo Credit: Melinda PrinceShe left home pregnant and almost full-term, traveled about 40 miles by foot, and gave birth in a stable. It was really more like a stone cave than a wooden shack, but it was still messy and smelly and far from the pristine clean perspective we see on Christmas cards.
Nothing was as she imagined, no friends or family and isolated from those she loved at one of the most special times of life, the birth of her first-born child.
Yet one thing Mary knew was Immanuel — God was with her. He saw her. He saw who she was and where she was. This knowledge of Immanuel helped her to endure and do life different. The Bethlehem Star rose high in the sky marking the fulfillment of God’s promise. Hope had come into the world and rested in Mary’s heart.
As we conclude this month and reflect on 2020, let us remember the “Bethlehem Star” that appeared recently in the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. If there was any year we needed to see the star, it was this one.
Life is still messy, but Hope is still present.
Immanuel.
We have been separated from those we love at this special time of year, but God is near.
Immanuel.
We feel unseen, but God sees us.
Immanuel.
And we are tired, but we have been given the Power to endure.
Immanuel.
We, too, can do life different, because Immanuel—God is with us.
As we decorated our tree for Christmas, I realized there are many things that are the same this year. First, Mike put on the lights, as he always does. Next, I carefully placed the paper chain we have been using for 41 years, reminding us of our first Christmas, followed by the tinsel, also purchased that year. Then we hung TONS of ornaments, some dating back to childhood, others gifts from special friends, and then our favorites, the ones created with photos of our children, and finally, the star.
While spending several hours on the tree, I also realized there would be many things this Christmas that would be different. There would be no extended family Christmas party at my sister's. No cookie exchange with women from the neighborhood. No Christmas Eve singing with our daughter and her family, and no quiet dinners at home with friends.
Not only are we not going out to see others, others won’t be coming in to see us. It could be quite easy to feel unseen this Christmas.
Yet, as I reflect on the first chapter of Luke this Advent Season, if there is any one message that is conveyed through the lives of Elizabeth and Mary, it’s that we are not unseen; we are seen. God sees us. He sees us for who we are and who we are yet to be.
And the way God sees us is so different from that of the world.
The world looked upon barren Elizabeth with disgrace, yet God looked upon her with love. He saw her righteousness, her faithfulness and her obedience. When we realize God sees us in our place, we discover our true significance.
The world looked at Elizabeth’s relative, Mary, as young and ordinary, yet God saw her and called her blessed among women. Before He even came to her, He saw her potential to believe in the fulfillment of what would be spoken to her. When we realize God sees us in our potential, we understand that nothing is impossible for Him if only we believe and step out in faith, as Mary did.
Perhaps a reminder to us this Advent Season is God sees us. But let’s not stop there. Not only did God see these women, He looked upon them with favor and entered their lives to bring about change. Not change to their surroundings, but internal, intimate change in their lives.
As we continue to prepare for Christmas, let us remember that God wants to do the same with each of us. God looks upon each of His children with favor and enters our lives to bring about change. That first Christmas was all about change. The change God was making in the lives of two women and soon the world.
God sees you in your place, and God sees you in your potential. He sees your successes and your struggles. He sees your joys and your sorrows. He sees your faith and your fears. He sees who you are and who you are yet to be, but not from a distance. He is right there with you. With us.
So, this Christmas, as we treasure the memories that hang on our trees and reflect on Christmas traditions past, may we remember that although this Christmas will be different, we can rest in His love, comforted that God sees us.
Week 10 / Luke 10 - Mary and Martha
Recently my husband and I took a week-long vacation in upper Michigan with our daughter and her family. It was a perfect time to rest from our routines and reset our personal rhythms, as it coincided with the start of fall. Being surrounded by the beauty of God's creation in an isolated cabin on a lake allowed us to slow down and just be.
Fall is one of my favorite seasons as trees burst forth with their hidden color before shedding their leaves. It includes October, my most favorite month—although that hasn’t always been the case. When our children were young, I often grumbled because October was our most expensive month with back-to-back fees for schools and sports. Then one year, I noticed it was also the month we vividly saw God’s hand at work, meeting our increased financial need. Upon greater reflection, I realized that throughout our forty years of marriage it’s been in October when we have consistently seen evidence of God’s provision and healing power. It’s amazing. Without pausing to rest, I’m not sure I would have remembered the significance of October this year.
Pausing allows us a time to rest and reflect. It can be a time to praise God for all He has provided over the last season and pray over that which is to come. It can also be a time to remember how we have seen God move in our past and thank Him for how He will move in our future.
In this season of fall as the colors begin to change here in Virginia, I encourage you to take a day or two (or even an hour or two if that’s all you have) to intentionally rest and reflect—taking time to pause, praise and pray. Inhale God's beauty and exhale worldly concerns. Feel your pace slowing as you quiet your mind and still your soul. Listen to the cadence of your breath as your body assumes a position of rest. Close your eyes, and allow yourself time reflect on the Lord and His goodness. As you remain in silence, experience the feeling of resetting your personal rhythm by just being.
Your sister in Christ,
Katie
Week 9 / Luke 8 - The Woman Who Reached for Jesus
The woman who reached in faith for Jesus’ robe teaches us two important truths:
1. Jesus has the power to change lives. This woman had bled for 12 years and spent all her monies seeking the help of doctors, to no avail. No one had been able to help her until she reached for Jesus.
2. Jesus empowers us to share our stories. After touching the fringe of Jesus' robe, this woman tried to remain hidden within the crowd, but Jesus wanted to acknowledge her healing. Once she realized Jesus noticed her, she declared before Him and all the people present the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. She shared her story. It’s interesting to note that Jesus could have said, “Daughter, I have made you well (Lit. saved you).” Yet, He didn’t. Instead, He said, “Daughter, your faith has made you well;…” There is no doubt the power for her healing came from Jesus, but He affirmed the fact that she acted on her belief. Thank you, Lord, for the believing faith of this woman. What story of faith has Jesus given you to share?
Week 8 / Luke 8 - Jairus' Wife
This woman was more obscure than most, so it might be easy to miss the wife of Jairus, an official of the synagogue. Yet, she too was with Jesus. At first glance, it would seem we don't have any lessons to learn. It was to her husband Jesus had said, Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she shall be made well. But upon their daughter rising, Jesus gave orders for something to be given her to eat. In other words, “I have given her new life, now feed her.” Back then, women were the ones responsible for the meals, so this was meant for her mother. By giving her daughter something to eat, it not only confirmed her new life, it provided much needed nourishment. As moms and grandmas, aunts and friends, let us take this to heart as the next generation comes to faith. New lives need nourishment. They hunger. Let us not miss the opportunity to share the sustenance of Christ. Thank you, Lord, for transforming this woman from a bystander to a woman of purpose. Who are you "feeding"?
Week 7 / Luke 8 - The Women Who Traveled With Jesus
In this passage, we are reminded that Jesus’ disciples were women as well as men and an integral part of His ministry. These women, whose lives were changed by Jesus, changed their lives to follow Him. Once healed, (meaning to be set free), from their illnesses and evil spirits, they committed themselves to furthering the ways of Jesus, and their lives reflected His teachings. It’s very interesting to discover that the word Jesus used to illustrate serving or ministering in the Gospels is the same word for deacon and the same word used to describe the actions of the women in the Gospels who had encountered Him, including these women. They lived the life of a deacon, dedicating themselves to Jesus’ ministry and serving sacrificially. They gave from their own resources, contributing what they personally had on hand to support the proclamation of the Kingdom of God. They lived out what they believed. Thank you, Lord, for the transformed lives of these women, encouraging us to do likewise. How has following Jesus changed your life?Week 6 / Luke 7 – Woman at Simon’s House
What others see and how others think of us is so different from the thoughts of Jesus as evidenced by today’s story. Simon defined the woman washing Jesus' feet as immoral, identifying her by her sins. He wondered how Jesus could be “a prophet” if He was letting her touch Him. Then Jesus did what He often does, He answered Simon's questions before they were even asked. Jesus saw this woman and every action she took, from washing and wiping His feet with her tears and hair to kissing and anointing them with perfume. He understood her past, yet He saw her in the present. Simon saw her through what he thought she was bringing to Jesus—immorality, but Jesus saw her through what He was bringing to her—forgiveness. He didn't shoo her away; He accepted her acts of worship and expressions of love. Her gratitude. There is nothing that brings more tears to one’s eyes than feeling guilt and being shown grace. Jesus not only forgave her sins, He told her her faith saved her, meaning it brought healing to her life. Thank you, Lord, for the transforming faith of this woman—from brokenness to wholeness. How does the thought of Jesus bringing forgiveness and wholeness to your life make you feel?
Week 5 / Luke 7 – Widow of Nain
This woman in Luke 7, reminds us of several important truths. We are seen and known by Jesus. Each of us, individually and intimately. Even in the midst of the crowd, Jesus saw this grieving mother and knew all about her life. She was a widow and her only son had just died. Jesus is with us in our suffering. Jesus could have ignored her pain and looked the other way, but instead, He entered in. He saw her grief, moved with compassion and told her not to weep, letting her know of His presence. With Jesus, healing can arise from our hurt. With one touch, Jesus halted the natural progression of the situation, and then He commanded her son to rise. Although we may experience Jesus’ healing power differently than this woman, Jesus has the power to bring healing to our hurts. Jesus is the giver of life. This is the resurrection story at its best, new life empowered by Christ. But don’t miss this. When Jesus gave the resurrected son back to his mother, He changed not only the son’s life, He changed the mother’s as well. One life changed can change others’ lives. Thank you, Lord, for the transforming power of Your healing presence in this widow’s life. Which one of these truths resonates most with you today?
Week 4 / Luke 4 - Peter’s Mother-in-Law
Although Peter’s mother-in-law was a rather obscure woman, she gives us four important life lessons we don’t want to miss:
1) She listened to her body. Even though it was the Sabbath, because she had a high fever, she stayed home instead of worshiping at the synagogue.
2) She shared her situation. She let others know of her illness, and they petitioned Jesus on her behalf, interceding for her healing. Jesus responded to their request.
3) She believed in the power of Jesus’ spoken word. Unlike many others who came after sundown, Jesus didn’t heal her by laying His hands on her. Instead, she understood He was present and let His words bring about her healing.
4) She expressed her gratitude through service. Once she experienced healing from Jesus, she responded immediately with a desire to serve the needs of others. (The word used here for serving is the same Greek word used for deacon.)
This little-known woman has a lot to teach us about the importance of being honest with ourselves and others. It was her humble spirit that opened the door to her healing. Thank you, Lord, for the transforming power of Jesus’ words that took her from humility to health. What is something Jesus has spoken to you that has brought healing to your life?
Week 3 / Luke 2 - Anna
Women like Anna were often overlooked and undervalued, but not in the life of Jesus. She was seen for who she was and the purpose to which she was called. Anna was a prophetess, called to speak God’s message boldly to His people. She was an 84-year-old widow who never left the temple and spent her days and nights serving through fastings and prayers. She remained in continual communication with the Lord—speaking out what was spoken to her. So it should be no surprise that after hearing Simeon’s words to Mary, Anna would again use her voice. First to give thanks. Then to speak the truth of who Jesus was “to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.” God used Anna, a woman steadfast in prayer, to proclaim to His people their Redeemer had come. Thank you, Lord, for the transforming growth of Anna—from prayer to prophesy. In what way is God growing you for His purposes?
Week 2 / Luke 1 - Mary
If there is one word that describes Mary’s life, it’s belief. Not belief that she was going to be the mother of the Messiah (although she believed it) or belief that God could do the impossible (she believed that too). Mary’s belief was more than just believing in God. It was believing God and the message He sent through the angel Gabriel. “The Lord is with you.” Although this truth frightened her at first, it framed her faith. It allowed her to ask the question of “How?” instead of “What if?” It gave her confidence that nothing, even a miraculous birth, is impossible when we are with God. It prompted her to proclaim her submission to the Lord. And most of all, it gave her the ability to sing freely of God’s promises, instead of fearing the future. Thank you, Lord, for the transforming belief of Mary–from fear to faith. "Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (meaning God with us)." How does your belief that God is with you affect your life?
Week 1 / Luke 1 - Elizabeth
Despite her disgrace among men for being barren, Elizabeth was found blameless and righteous in the Lord’s sight. She served as an example of the Lord’s ability to do the impossible. And from that experience and through the empowering of the Spirit, she spoke encouraging thoughts into the life of Mary, a younger woman. “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” (I love this verse.) Elizabeth wasn’t a people pleaser, but a God pleaser. When her son was to be circumcised, those present wanted to name him after his father, but she declared his name would be John (as the Lord had instructed). Her son became the forerunner of Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for the faith and life transformation of Elizabeth—from disgrace to dignity. In what way can you relate to the life of Elizabeth?
Moses was in the wilderness tending sheep with his sights set on Horeb, the mountain of God, when the bush began to burn, and it didn’t faze him at all. It was common for bushes to catch fire in the wilderness, so the fact that one was burning near him didn’t strike him as odd, nor did it demand further thought.
It wasn’t until Moses realized the bush was burning but wasn’t being consumed that he turned aside to look. It had finally captured his attention because the fire wasn’t stopping.
Normally in the U.S., protests come and protests go. We see them on the news in cities far away and in cities close by, like our nation’s capital, yet we pay them little to no attention. We maintain our busy lifestyles, and eventually they die out.
However, instead of dying out quickly this time, the protests have ignited a nation-wide movement—a conversation focused on overcoming racial injustice that isn’t stopping. Working from home, separated from others due to a global pandemic, how can we not notice? It has gotten our attention and is causing many of us to turn aside to look.
Once God saw that Moses was looking His way, He called to him from the midst of the bush. Moses realized that day he wasn’t going to encounter God from some lofty height upon the mountain. Instead he was going to experience Him at ground level in the middle of a fire. His presence was within view.
Recently, feeling led to reread the story about the burning bush, I realized the same thing. God’s presence is within our view. As I reflected on that passage, what I heard Him say was, “Many people want this movement to stop. But it isn’t stopping because I am in the middle of it. I am working here. This is holy ground.”
I have learned that anytime people are being oppressed, we can expect God to be present, working on their behalf. Wherever there is injustice, God’s desire for justice follows. God heard His people’s cry in Egypt. He saw their affliction and their oppressors and told Moses, “I have come down to deliver them.”
This is something we often miss. God’s plan wasn’t to have Moses deliver His people. God’s plan was to work through Moses. The deliverer then, as it is now, was God.
Whenever we get this mixed up and think we are the deliverer, we begin to assume a position and claim power that isn’t ours to possess. Moses was always clear about his role. Anytime the Israelites turned against him, he let them know their anger was misdirected as it was God who had given them their freedom.
I can only imagine if Moses had claimed the position as deliverer, he might have felt he held the power to determine it wasn’t worth it to set the people free. He could have declared the work too hard, the journey too long or opposition too difficult. He might have decided it would be easier, at least for him, to just leave things as is. But God told Moses He had come down and was ready to deliver His people. Moses’ ultimate decision was whether he would work with God or against Him.
I think this is the same decision we have to make as well. Whenever there is injustice in our world, God is present wanting to work through His people to deliver others and free them from oppression. Anytime we justify our stance in not advocating for justice, we have to realize we are not working in opposition to others, we are actually in opposition to the Lord Himself.
Justice and righteousness are the foundation of God’s throne. Through the prophet Amos, whose name means burden-bearer, God told the people of Israel:
“I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offering or grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your hymns of praise! They are only noise to my ears. I will not listen to your music, no matter how lovely it is. Instead I want to see a mighty flood of justice, a river of righteous living that will never run dry.” (Amos 5:22-24, NLT)
It is no different today. God is in our midst wanting to work through His people to end racial injustice, so justice can begin to flood our nation and change the way we live and interact with people of color.
Author and pastor Henry Blackaby reminds us we must look to see where God is working and join Him there. The bush is burning, will you turn aside to look?
Trayvon Martin was killed in Florida, and I thought “They need to make this stop.” Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, MO, and I wondered, “When are they going to do something?” Then I saw the videos and heard the news reports of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and asked, “Why do they let this keep happening?”
When George Floyd died from police officer Devon Chauvin kneeling on his neck in Minneapolis, I finally understood. “They” haven’t done something because they means we and we means me. The real question is, why haven’t I done something? Why have I sat in silence, waiting and watching for someone else to act?
Years ago, while studying 1 Kings, I was struck by God’s response to the faithfulness and faithlessness of the kings of Israel. It ran so contrary to expectation. Surprisingly, God held both the faithful and the faithless accountable. The kings who were disobedient were accountable for what they did. But those who were devoted to Him were accountable for what they didn’t do.
I wonder if that is how it will be for Christians? Will we be accountable for what we didn’t do? Will we be accountable for not using our voice and speaking up when injustice occurs, including racial injustice?
One of the favorite verses Christians recite when discussing justice is Micah 6:8. “What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.” Micah could have reversed the order and said love justice and do kindness, and then we could easily love justice from the sidelines. But we are required to do justice, and it’s impossible to do anything by standing still. The “do” in do justice implies action. Instead of reciting the verse, it’s time to start living it.
As we do justice, it’s important that we approach this work with a posture of humility, openness, and courage. Our posture should show that we have a willingness to listen to others, convey an earnestness to learn, and project courage—a willingness to speak up and speak out.
Some ways to get started in addressing racial injustice include:
Listening
• Gather with others for honest and authentic conversations about racial relations.
• Learn from one another about hurts of the past and hopes for the future.
• Attend planned events where others share their stories.
Learning
• Read books, watch movies and listen to podcasts to better understand why, where and how racism and systemic racism began and is still occurring in our country.
• Study how to be an anti-racist.
• Educate our children on America’s dark history of slavery, Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights Movement.
Speaking up and speaking out
• Let others know we are offended when they make jokes concerning, unkind remarks toward, and racist generalizations about people of color.
• Expose redlining* and advocate for it to end in cities where it is still occurring.
• Petition lawmakers for equality in education, police and prison reform, and non-discriminatory practices.
How many more lives have to be unjustly taken before we do justice? We are God’s people, and we will be held accountable.
For me, it’s no longer what will they do, but what will I do? For I am they.
* Redlining is the practice of excluding whole communities of color and other minority groups from receiving services (government, financial, etc.) on the specific basis of race or ethnicity.
As a child of the 60s, growing up in a Northern Illinois city that was and still is very racially divided, I have been recently reminded of some of my grandparents’ closest friends. They would come to visit and often stay for hours. He always had a hat in his hand, and she was always clothed in a smartly fitted dress. They seemed more financially well off than many of the others who came to my grandpa and grandma’s home, but that difference didn’t matter to my grandparents. Neither did the color of their skin. Those differences didn’t define our feelings about them. What mattered was who they were—they were Kiki and Lena. They were friends.
Since the time of our country’s inception, we have long confused who we see with what we see. And that confusion has allowed us to classify and condemn individuals based on the color of their skin and their country of origin. The confusion is part of the disease that took George Floyd’s life almost two weeks ago, Ahmaud Arbery’s and Breonna Taylor’s lives, and too many others in the years and decades before.
That disease is one of the two powerful diseases we see erupting in the United States right now. Both are similar in their viral effect, but the difference lies in the length of time they have have existed and the way healing is to be experienced.
The novel coronavirus has only been around for a short time. Yet, in the not too distant future, a vaccine will be discovered, and healing will soon take place from “the outside in” through the medical community.
The other disease, racism, has been around longer than many of us really care to admit. It was woven not only into the DNA of our country at its formation, it became part of the genetic make-up and culture of many families, being passed down from one generation to the next. As pastor and friend Chris Davis said in his article, “‘I Can’t Breathe’: Reckoning With Our Racial Atmosphere,” it’s been in the air we breathe. And the air we breathe has everything to do with how our heart functions, the organ most affected by this dreadful disease.
Some have maintained that this can be cured from “the outside in” with governmental laws and guidelines. However, the approach has done little to rid us of the disease. We know this to be true because there are times in our lives when something will happen to reveal that racism is still very present today, causing deaths and wounds with life-altering pain that never goes away.
I took part in a Zoom call this week with pastors of our local churches and listened as several of my friends and colleagues shared their stories. What I heard grieved my heart and caused many tears to flow. The pain that these men have experienced in their lives and through the lives of their sons in this 21st century America is overwhelming. The cause of it is racism.
This is one disease that can’t be cured by the medical community, and it can’t be cured by the government either. The eradication of this disease has to take place from “the inside out,” as the change has to be made on the inside before it can ever be experienced outwardly. Inside our hearts, before it will be seen in our responses. “The inside” is where Jesus does His best work. A change of heart is where it has to start, and then it must manifest itself in our actions.
In his letter to the Galatians, Paul says that we are called to freedom, but not to “turn our freedom into an opportunity for the flesh,” to indulge our human nature. Injustice and oppression are about expressing power over others, and expressing power is an opportunity of the flesh. It contradicts not only what Paul said in serving one another through love, but it contradicts the words of Christ Himself. “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve” (Matt 20:28). Somewhere, somehow, many us have inverted the words of Jesus and called it truth. We want to be served more than we want to serve.
Now is the time that we, as The Church, must finally address this dreadful disease in our country. It’s time that we, both individually and collectively, sit down with our brothers and sisters in Christ and listen to the stories of those who have experienced racial injustice. We need to understand what we are facing—the depth of the injustice and the wide-spread oppression that still occurs in our society today. It’s time we acknowledge that racial injustice isn’t just a thing of the past, but it’s of our present, as well, and it’s time for The Church to act.
It’s time we start taking an active role in helping to initiate a cure for this disease. It’s time we, as Christ’s Body of Believers, step into Christ’s prayer for The Church—and come together in unity as a true family. We need to recognize our friends for who they are, our brothers and sisters, instead of letting society define them by what they see. We all look different, but most siblings do. But it’s up to us to start changing the culture; letting others know different isn’t wrong and different doesn’t mean bad. Different doesn’t justify racial injustice.
It’s time that we, as The Church, do what should have been done years ago. It’s time that we get down on our knees and repent. Repent of our desire for power. Repent of past actions. And repent of the hurt we’ve caused, even going back generations. It’s time we come before the Lord and others and ask for forgiveness.
It’s time to humble ourselves, and look for ways to serve others, instead of looking to be served—to come alongside others, stand with them and take action whenever we see injustice occurring. Our Father is all about justice, and as His children, it’s time we are too.
This is not the blog I intended to post this week, but after our Zoom call on Thursday with Richard Blackaby, co-author of Experiencing God, my thoughts changed. Richard encouraged us to see where God is already working and join Him there. With that insight in mind, I felt compelled to write a new blog and share what the Lord has recently shown me.
For years I thought that when God told Moses He wanted to send him back to Egypt, the fear he exhibited was about going before Pharaoh to seek the release of God’s people. But as I have continued my study of Moses and have camped out in the third and fourth chapters of Exodus, I’ve come to realize it wasn’t Pharaoh who gave Moses such fright. It was the Sons of Israel, the elders. He desperately wanted their approval and was afraid of their opinions. “What if they ask me Your name?” “What if they won’t believe me?” “What if they won’t listen to what I say?” He knew he had encountered God, but what if they didn’t believe it? He had such fear of failing. Fear was a primary cause of his struggle with God. Or so I thought.
Increasingly, I began to wonder, “What caused Moses to change from a timid shepherd to a confident leader?” “When did this change occur?” “How did he move from someone who was ignored by the Israelites to one being greatly esteemed?”
It always amazes me when we have questions on our heart, how God will often use others to convey the answers. Two separate conversations I had this week confirmed this truth. God was moving in our midst, weaving several thoughts together.
In talking with a friend, she told me about a book she’s been reading, The Relational Soul, by Richard Plass and James Cofield, and what she’s learned about trust. Basically, if parents are not emotionally available, children learn to not trust others. If parents are not emotionally reliable, children learn to not trust themselves, and it leaves them striving for the approval of others and worrying too much about other people’s opinions. And if parents are not emotionally available or reliable, children are considered “scattered,” as they trust neither themselves or others.
Later I spoke with our daughter who is a therapist and shared how the above information is reflected in my life as I too have struggled with “approval idolatry,” as Pastor Tim Keller calls it. Then I told her about trying to determine the significance of Moses interceding for Pharaoh in Exodus 8. It was after that incident that his life began to change, and I couldn’t figure out why. My daughter stated the answer so matter-of-factly that I almost missed it. “Mom, that’s because Moses realized he could begin to trust God when he prayed and God answered.”
In that moment, I realized what was really at the root of Moses’ struggle. It wasn’t fear; it was a level deeper than fear. It was a lack of trust, both in himself and in others. Moses was so scattered. He didn’t trust himself, which left him desiring the approval of others and being defined by their opinions. And he didn’t trust God, His promise to be with him and His ability to speak through him. Moses’ lack of trust affected his identity, who he was and how he saw himself.
As Moses entreated Pharaoh, he exercised his trust in God, and his trust muscle began to grow. He cried out to the Lord with a need and the Lord responded. Later again in chapters 8, 9 and 10, Moses made supplications and the Lord moved according to his requests, and his trust continued to expand. Isn’t that the same way our trust muscle begins to take shape as well? We pray, asking the Lord for a need, and as we see Him answer, our trust begins to build.
I remember the first time I started to use my trust muscle. I was only five years old and the doll I had just received for Christmas suddenly stopped walking. Instead of taking her to my parents, maybe because we were poor and batteries couldn’t be easily replaced, I took her to God. I remember getting out my rosary (we were Catholic at the time) and saying my Hail Marys as I cried out to the Lord. After praying for what seemed like hours, but was probably only minutes, I stood my doll on the floor, flipped the switch and she walked. My trust in God as a provider was born.
In the Amplified version of John 6:29, Jesus says that the work God asks of us is to “believe in the One Whom He has sent.” Believe, in the Greek, translates to trust, have faith in. As my dad always said, “Belief is an action verb.” Action is how most of the muscles in our body grow, and so it is the same with our trust muscle. The more action Moses took, the more his trust in God grew, both in His availability and reliability. Soon we see Moses living as the faith-filled leader he was meant to be.
Seeing the change that happened in Moses’ life, as he went from hiding in the desert in fear to becoming a mighty leader in the wilderness, is more than inspiring. And it’s all because he started trusting God. It makes me wonder, how deeply do I really trust and leads me to pray, “Lord, help me to trust you completely, just like Moses.”
I don’t know why the Lord gave me this understanding for this week, but I have to believe it’s for “such a time as this.” May it inspire you to reflect on the strength of your own trust muscle.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
Many blessings,
Katie
Years ago, as we were launching NorthStar Women’s Network, I felt overwhelmed and under equipped. Someone suggested I start praying on my armor each day. So, I did. And as time went on, I encouraged others to do likewise.
But now, 17 years later, I am done with that. I'm not advising women to pray on their armor anymore. Why is that? Because recently while rereading Ephesians 6, I was convicted by the Spirit that I had been advising women incorrectly. I realized there isn’t anywhere in Paul’s letter where he says we need to pray on our armor for daily protection. Instead, Paul advises us to “put on the full armor of God.” It’s God’s armor we are praying on, not ours. What a difference changing one word makes. It’s huge.
Our armor – our thoughts, our truth, our faith – has no power against the enemy. If it did, Adam and Eve would have remained in the garden. Everything we do, we do through the One who gives us strength. His strength. His power. His armor.
But in the end, does it really matter what we call it? Yes, it does. Because when we call it what it is, it reframes our perspective and gives us greater insight into Paul’s instructions.
Beginning with the understanding that the Holy Spirit is actually dwelling within us (given to us at the time of our profession of belief in Jesus Christ), we can see why Paul is telling us to be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might. If the Holy Spirit is indwelling, and He is, and if Christ is manifested through the Spirit and abides within us, which He does, then praying on God’s armor has little to do with us, but everything to do with Jesus. It is always about Jesus.
With that in mind, when we are praying on God’s armor, we pray on:
His Truth – It’s the truth according to what Christ lives and teaches, understanding things from His vantage point as He dwells within. The enemy wants to make us think truth is relative, believing all kinds of lies about ourselves and others, but Jesus has said He is Truth. Truth is not relative as the world states, Jesus is the plumb line. The belt of the armor is meant to hold in proper place those things that could easily trip us up. So it is with Truth.
His Righteousness - We have been made righteous—restored to a right relationship with God the Father through Christ the Son. Once Jesus begins to indwell our life, God no longer sees our sin. Our sins have been replaced by Christ’s righteousness. However, the enemy would like us to think otherwise, to believe we are still sinners deep in sin who can’t measure up in God’s presence. That’s why the Breastplate of Righteousness is so important— to protect our hearts from feeling unworthy or shame from the enemy’s constant attempts at condemnation.
His Peace - We often think this piece of the armor is all about the shoes of peace, but Paul says it’s actually the preparation of the shoes of peace. So how do we prepare to walk in peace? We do it the same way Jesus does as He lives and dwells within. The same way He did it when He walked the earth, by abiding in the Father’s presence. And the peace that protects is not our peace, but the actual peace of Jesus. Jesus told us, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you.” We can move forward without fear, resting in His peace.
His Faith - It would be great to think our faith is strong enough to stop the “fiery darts of temptation” aimed at us by Satan, but it isn’t. If it were, Adam and Eve would not have failed in the garden, but the saving faith that can protect us from ALL of Satan’s lies is the faith of Jesus. In a more accurate translation of Galatians 2:20, Paul tells us “The life we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God,” instead of faith in the Son of God. Somewhere over the years the word was changed from “of” to “in.” I am not sure why as it totally distorts the meaning. When we are clear about the fact the Holy Spirit indwells us and Christ is manifested through the Spirit, it’s easy to understand the Shield of Faith is about submitting to Christ’s faith as He dwells within.
His Salvation - Jesus came, died and rose again as the Savior of the world, to deliver us from the consequences of sin. He set us free from the penalty of sin; we are forgiven. He set us free from the power of sin; we are restored to a relationship with God the Father. And He set us free from the presence of sin; we are cleansed through the presence of His Spirit who dwells within. Our sins are forgiven and our guilt is removed. In the Greek, the word for salvation also means deliverer. As we pray on the Helmet of Salvation, the helmet of our deliverer, let us guard our thoughts and guide them with the knowledge and truth of His salvation.
His Sword - I love the translation of this in The Amplified version, “The sword the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.” The Spirit doesn’t speak on His own initiative, as Jesus tells us in John 16. But He discloses to us what is spoken to Him by God the Father and Christ the Son, so we can thwart the enemy’s attempt the same way Jesus did in the wilderness, by repeating God’s truth, “The Scriptures say....” The Sword is the only offensive piece of the armor; let’s remember to draw it often to stop Satan’s attacks and destroy his plans.
If you don’t already do so, I want to encourage you to pray on God’s armor every day, for yourself, for your family and even for your brothers and sisters in Christ. Over the past 17 years, as I prayed for “the power of God’s armor” to be upon those on my list, I have seen lives changed. “Therefore, take up the full armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” Ephesians 6:13 (emphasis added).
Many blessings,
Katie
Everywhere I turn I am hearing it. From online Bible studies to recorded sermons to parents with good intentions, people are saying, “Do not fear.” In this time of overwhelming disaster of global proportions, Christians are stating, “Fear not.” This phrase is then usually followed by the thought that as believers we shouldn’t be anxious or fearful because we trust in Jesus.
When we say to others they should not fear, we are saying there’s a right way to feel, and fear is not it. We are conveying that what you are feeling is wrong. And what we are often implying, without realizing, is if you are feeling fear, you are not being strong in your faith.
I think it’s well intentioned, but this can leave others not only trying to overcome fear, but now guilt as well.
I am a Christian leader, and I have felt fear. Not because I don’t have a strong faith in God or a deep-seated belief in the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, but because I do – to both. I have felt fear because our world is in chaos right now as this global pandemic is taking lives at such a rapid pace. So rapid in fact, that New York City had to bring in trailers at one point to hold the deceased.
I have felt fear because our son-in-law is a doctor who was testing on the front lines in Chicago and our daughter, his wife, is asthmatic and has had pneumonia twice. I have felt fear because our grandson is on a nebulizer treatment (which started before the pandemic). I have felt fear because our son lives with an immune deficiency. And I have felt fear from seeing people dying alone in hospitals without their loved ones nearby. What a tragic ending for so many families. Yes, I am a church leader, and I have felt fear.
Mostly, I have allowed myself to feel fear because Jesus showed me it’s okay to feel fear. We often forget that Jesus was FULLY human, as well as fully God, so as death drew near, he too felt afraid. On the night he was betrayed, he went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray because of his fear. He told his friends he was deeply grieved over what was coming, the known and the unknown. Then he asked the Father if it was possible to let this cup pass from him.
One of the most beautiful aspects about Jesus, described by Peter, is the fact that Jesus had no deceit found in his mouth. Some might say it meant he didn’t lie or tell an untruth, but I would also add that he didn’t feel an untruth. What he said he felt, and what he felt he said. He lived an authentic life with a singleness of heart; there wasn’t a division between what he felt and what he spoke. He shared honestly and openly, and because he was distressed over his upcoming death, he said so. He not only felt his feelings, but he expressed them as well.
It is right to express our feelings, not only feelings of love and joy, but also feelings of fear.
So, what can we say when others are feeling fearful? We can let them know their fear can be normal. We can assure them that even Jesus felt fear. We can pray with them, drawing them into the Father’s presence, and most of all, we can encourage them to take their feelings directly to the Father.
Contrary to the thoughts of many, it is actually by acknowledging our true feelings with the Lord, including our fears, that our faith goes deep and gives way to trust. We see this modeled time and time again by David throughout his psalms, and we see this in the conversation Jesus had with the Father in the garden.
Sharing our honest feelings with the Father invites Him into our struggles and opens our heart to hear His truth. He doesn’t tell us we shouldn’t fear because of our trust in Him. He shares His truth why we don’t have to fear. It’s the same reason He gave others throughout the scriptures. We don’t have to fear because He is near. It isn’t about our faith, but God’s faithfulness. He reassures us He is with us. Emmanuel.
Expressing our fear to the Lord doesn’t necessarily change the circumstance, but it can shift our paradigm to a place of peace. I have experienced this in my own life, and we see this in the stance Jesus took in the garden. He went from asking the Father to let the cup pass to surrendering to the Father’s will. He was able to say, “Thy will be done,” all because he acknowledged his fear. May we encourage others to be like Jesus and do likewise.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear” Ps 46:1-2a.
Never underestimate your ability to mother. Still in my study of Moses, this week I found myself reflecting on Moses’ earlier life - from the time of his birth until the time of his first-born son. As I replayed the scenes in my mind and listened to the Lord’s narrative, I realized when God called Moses to go and free the Israelites, He had wired him for this work. He had a heart for the underdog and a willingness to stand up and fight injustice.
As I thought more and more about Moses’ wiring, I realized that it was directly influenced by the women in his life - from the midwives who delivered him, to the mother who birthed him, to his adoptive mother who raised him. They too, were all willing to stand up against the oppressed. It’s no wonder we see this same trait woven into the character of Moses.
The midwives were commanded by Pharaoh to put the Hebrew baby boys to death. “But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.” They were willing to stand against injustice.
Since the midwives thwarted the plans of Pharaoh, he instructed his people to cast the Hebrew sons into the Nile and save the daughters. So Moses’ birth mother decided not to ignore the order, but to go around it and put her son in the Nile herself, her way. After hiding him in her home for a bit, she placed him in a protected basket among the reeds at the river, praying his life would be preserved. She too, fought for the underdog, who in this instance was her son.
When Moses was found by none other than Pharaoh’s daughter, we come to understand where Moses derived his determination in the face of oppression. Not only did she totally refuse to obey her father’s order, but she saved a baby from the river and brought him home as her son. And to continually remind her father that she stood against his order of casting little boys into the water, she named him Moses, meaning “I drew him out of the water.” It was like saying “I saved that which you were trying to destroy.” She stood strong and took action to free the oppressed.
All three of these women mothered Moses in their own unique way. All three influenced him greatly by not only standing for what was right, but by taking sacrificial actions to bring about change. This is how Moses came to have the raw materials that God could shape and use to set a whole nation free. Moses was mothered by three different women.
Like Moses, I’ve had many women who have mothered me along life’s journey. There was my biological mom who gave birth and raised me, my step-mom and my mother-in-law, along with so many other women who influenced who I am today. Some had children who were grown and gone when they entered my life like Kay, June, Mildred and Eloise. Others only had sons, like Karen, Jackie and Jan, so I was their “daughter.” Some, like my dance teachers, Helen and Denise, had no birth children, so they loved and “raised” me as their own. There were also so many others, too many to name, who mothered me spiritually, helping me to grow and mature in God’s Word.
I can’t tell you the number of women who have come alongside me in mothering my own children, like Margie, Nancy, Julie, Ruth, Annette, Joanne, Marilyn, Mary, Cindy, Pam and Kathy. Some were neighbors, many were Sunday School teachers and others family friends, but all of them have been great influencers in the lives of my children.As we approach another Mother’s Day, let us remember that whether you give birth to a child, adopt them, neighbor them or care for them in a class, never underestimate your ability to be a “mother” in another person’s life. We are wired for this work.
Many blessings,
Katie
The last six weeks have left me thinking a lot about this period of seclusion, especially as I hear our lives will be different when it ends. Our society will be different. Our culture will be changed. But a new culture is created by individuals, so my question is, “Will I be different?” Is this time in seclusion calling me to make any changes in my own life?
Before Moses ever led the Israelites into the wilderness, he had his own 40 years of seclusion in the land of Midian. He had fled there after killing an Egyptian for beating a Hebrew slave, hoping to hide and avoid trouble, much the same way we ran to our homes in March. Moses entered Midian as an eager-to-take-charge Egyptian and later emerged as a staff-carrying shepherd.
This time in seclusion was necessary for God to make monumental shifts in Moses. The first shift was from the production-oriented life of an Egyptian to the unhurried pace of a shepherd. Even Jesus as the Good Shepherd never hurried. God moves at an unhurried pace. Yet for most of us, our lives are quite the opposite. We are driven by hurry.
During the month of April, God initiated this same shift in my life as well; moving me from a hurried to an unhurried pace. But before you can move to where you want to be, you have to understand where you are. So, God began showing me I hurried not only my days, but my nights as well. From the moment I got up until I rose again the next morning, I hurried. Getting ready, getting things done and even going to bed were all hurry-driven. We all have natural rhythms, and I was totally ignoring mine.
As I set about understanding my natural rhythms, I learned I have three basic rhythms that give formation to my days and nights. My sleeping rhythm, my ramping up rhythm and my rhythm of ramping down. All of these are crucial and more important than I imagined as God is moving me from a hurried to an unhurried pace.
Sleep is fundamental to everything in life. As I learned from pastor and author, Michael Breen, we don’t work to rest, but we rest to work. I have learned during this seclusion that my body needs seven hours of sleep to rest well. I always tried to pretend I could get by with four to six hours, but the fact is I’m older now and need more sleep. Actually, I have probably always needed more, but forced myself to get by on less. Now I am sleeping more and find it easier to be more at rest in the daytime, as well.
My Sleeping Rhythm: Seven hours to rest well.
During this seclusion, I have kept my morning routine of showering, putting on makeup and getting dressed for work (a nice shirt and leggings every day—just because I can) to understand how long the physical act of getting ready takes. I finally accepted it takes me an hour. It. Just. Does. No matter how much I thought I could do it in a half-hour, when I was finally able to move about at an unhurried pace while listening to my morning podcasts, it‘s been an hour every time. And in not hurrying at this more even pace, I realize I actually enjoy putting on makeup and drying my hair, instead of thinking it to be very monotonous as previously professed.
My Ramping-Up Rhythm: One hour to get ready for my day.
Over this last month, I have also learned the importance of slowing down before bed. Like ramping up, I have finally accepted the need to give myself an hour to ramp down. The tasks of that hour include the normal brushing teeth and washing face, but they also need to include solitary time with music or a good book. The music calls to my creative side and gives expression to the dancer within. (Beginning ballet at age five and dancing for the next fourteen years, it’s always been “my sport.”) The other activity I enjoyed when I wasn’t dancing was reading. I was a voracious reader and still am. Both of these bring a stillness to my soul and a quiet to my thoughts.
My Ramping Down Rhythm: One hour to slow down from my day.
I have learned I hurried because I didn’t accept my natural basic rhythms. If I didn’t plan for my ramping down, it would still take the same amount of time to slow down. However, in order to compensate, I would either deprive my body of much-needed sleep, which would leave me operating at a deficit the next day, or I would sleep in and be rushed in preparing for the day. Days turn into months and months turn into years. We can see why it took Moses 40 years to be transformed.
Shifting to an unhurried pace wasn’t the end for Moses, and it’s not for me either. It’s just the beginning. There was so much more Moses had to unlearn and learn in seclusion. This next month may prove to be very transformational as this next shift takes me, like Moses, into long ignored territory. More on that later.
In the meantime, I would like to encourage you to start exploring the shifts God has started revealing to you during your time of seclusion. Share with me if you will.
Many blessings,
Katie
In this social media driven society, should we always share everything with everybody? Is Reality TV the lay of the land, or should we have filters for authenticity, vulnerability and transparency?
In answering questions like these, there is one source that can give us much greater insight than Google, and his name is Jesus. While on earth, Jesus not only came to restore our relationship with God, but to model life for us here in God’s kingdom.
In looking at Jesus’ life and reviewing the short, yet impactful, story of the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46), I believe we can find answers to the questions above.
In this passage, we see three distinct groups Jesus directly related to: his outer circle (a group of twelve), his inner circle (a group of three) and his audience of One (his relationship with the Father).
To his outer circle, Jesus told them, “Stay here while I pray.” He was open and honest about his actions and intentions. He told them about the bread and wine representing his body and blood, and he shared about the hard days ahead. He was being authentic, especially about his need to pray in that moment. Authenticity is being real and true to who we are with everyone. God doesn’t want us to speak lies, but He doesn’t want us to live them either. Being authentic is living and leading from our true self, not our false self. It’s not trying to measure up to look good, be good, do good, but living out of a place of humility and truth of who we really are.
As Jesus walked on further, he invited his inner circle to make this journey with him. He began to share his deep feelings of anxiety and distress. He told them about the sorrow and grief that was encircling his soul and feeling crushed from the thought of his bleak days ahead. He was being vulnerable, very vulnerable. Vulnerability is being completely honest with others and being able to share our deep feelings and struggles without fear of condemnation or retribution. Our circle of vulnerability is usually comprised of those who will speak truth to us in love.
After Jesus asked his inner circle to keep watch and wait with him, he leaned in to converse with his audience of One, our heavenly Father. He stretched out in front of Him in prayer and spoke his deepest thoughts, “Is there any way this fate can pass from me?” In this intimate time of communion, he was free to question. Free to doubt. Free to express fear for what lay ahead. Free to be transparent. In a transparent relationship, there is nothing hidden that remains hidden. We are free to put everything on the table. Things we are willing to face and tough things we’d rather forget. Like the relationship Jesus had with the Father, our transparent relationship is where we find our greatest source of strength. We can share everything with Him, knowing we are totally and completely loved, trusting that God always has our best interest at heart. “Not my will, but yours.”
Sometimes, we can cause more damage than good by sharing everything with everybody. As we come to understand the difference between authenticity, vulnerability and transparency, we can better discern what is appropriate to post on social media or discuss with others. I have often used these words synonymously in the past, but as I reread the passage about Jesus’ final hours in the garden, I now realize how important it is to understand the difference. We are to be authentic with all, vulnerable with a few and totally transparent with the One.
"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you.
Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful" John 14:27 (NASB).
My Peace
In the midst of this crisis,
Jesus, I look to Thee,
I close my eyes gently
In search of Your peace.
Don’t be troubled,
And don’t be afraid,
As I sit in stillness
I hear you say.
My peace is who I am,
My peace is what I give.
Abide with me,
Experience My peace.
Breathe in truth,
Breathe out doubt.
Breathe in trust,
Breathe out fear.
Feel the calming presence
Of My Spirit in your life.
It is My peace
I give to you.
© 2020 Katie Harding All Rights Reserved
Trying to Save Lives
I believe in the sacredness of life for ALL lives,
Because ALL life is sacred.
And if I believe ALL life is sacred,
Then I believe in trying to save lives
From this virus called COVID19.
I believe I must keep my physical distance from others
Yet remain socially connected,
because I believe in the sacredness of life.
I believe I must share my resources, like monies and masks,
with those who don’t have enough,
because I believe in the sacredness of life.
I believe I must pray fervently for those who are ill
and the medical community providing their care,
because I believe in the sacredness of life.
And I believe I must look upon ALL people with love,
and be willing to sacrifice for the good of others,
because I believe in the sacredness of life.
Let us follow guidelines, give generously,
pray fervently and love sacrificially.
Let us declare the sacredness of life.
Let us be willing to do our part,
Because God created ALL life
And ALL life is sacred.
© 2020 Katie Harding All Rights Reserved
This poem was inspired by Matthew's story of Jesus Walking on the Water and
a comment speaker and author Jo Saxton made on a podcast,
"When Peter got out of the boat, he was actually standing on the Word of Jesus."
It was written during this season of COVID-19.
One Word
In the fourth watch of the night
When darkness distorts our thoughts
And the waves make our footing
Seem so unsure,
We don’t even recognize Jesus when He comes near.
Then He speaks,
As the wind circles about our boat.
Reassuring us of His presence
And bringing calm to our fears.
His one Word
Propels us to movement.
His one Word
Gives us boldness in each step.
May we not be distracted by the wind.
May we not be overwhelmed by the waves.
May we find courage to stand strong
As we hear His one Word.
Yet, when our perspective
Gets distorted again
And we feel fear closing in once more,
Let us cry out in faith as Peter did.
“Lord, save me!”
One Word from Jesus,
That’s all we need.
One Word to stand.
One Word to step forward.
One Word gives us great courage
in these turbulent times.
One Word from Jesus,
“Come.”
© 2020 Katie Harding All Rights Reserved
Katie serves as the Founder/Director of NorthStar Women's Network and Associate Director of NorthStar Church Network.
This morning my mind is still fixed on a question my small group asked last week. “Doesn’t the word immediately contradict the phrase fighting hurry?” I had just told our group about a podcast series I’ve been listening to called “Fight Hustle, End Hurry” and shared that I also recently discovered in the first chapter of Mark, he uses the word immediately ten times. I love questions that make you pause for thought. After thinking on this, I realize it doesn’t contradict it at all.
Immediately is actually a key word that can unlock one of the main reasons why we hurry. We hurry because we don’t have enough time. And usually we don’t have enough time because we didn’t do something we needed to do when we needed to do it. We procrastinated. Most people who procrastinate are very busy people. We are just busy with the wrong stuff.
Instead of immediately doing what really needs to be done when it needs to be done, we focus our attention on tasks of lower priority, using them as escapist behaviors. Then when it almost becomes too late to accomplish those things which are most important, we hurry to complete them, often rushing around like crazy people. (And making the people around us crazy as well!)
I have discovered one of the main underlying reasons for procrastination is fear. Not the kind of fear you experience when there is physical danger; that is a healthy fear your mind initiates to keep you safe.
The fear I’m referring to is that of getting it wrong or not doing it perfectly the first time. Or the fear of failing and the embarrassment that accompanies it. Perhaps there is even fear of succeeding and not knowing what to do next. Fear of criticism, often from myself or others. Fear of rejection, of not living up to expectations—both mine and from others. And then there is the fear of the unknown. It can stall us every time. There are so many different ways fear can be a motivator to our actions or inaction. Fear is a small word, but it can have a big impact.
It would be great if we could say, “Just don’t procrastinate.” But it’s not that easy. Not only because it could mean we have to stop and acknowledge the fear, which often takes time and the help of others, but it’s actually hard to break the behavior of procrastination because we are accustomed to the hurry. Our bodies begin to crave the “rush” we get from the rush. We are addicted to hurry.
There are groups to help with most addictions, and there is probably one for those addicted to hurry. If there isn’t, maybe there should be. But in lieu of going to a group or starting one, I have found Mark’s word immediately to be most beneficial.
I have discovered the word immediately actually displaces the fear. It doesn’t necessarily get rid of it, but it renders it ineffective. It takes the fear captive by giving me something else to focus on. When I reflect on the word immediately, it prompts me not to put off, but to step into action — to begin to develop a life of responsive obedience. It makes me stop and ask the Lord, “What really needs to be done right now?” and then practice submitting as the Spirit redirects my thoughts to that which is most important and of highest priority. Immediately is a word God uses to reorder our steps. Now. Not two days or two hours from now, but now.
When we respond immediately to that which is of highest priority, it starts to eliminate procrastination, hurry and rushing in our lives. Soon our rhythm begins to change as we experience the peace of this new pace, and our bodies start rejecting hurry instead of craving it. Before long, we begin to feel very uncomfortable with the thought of hurry and at odds with the stress it causes and the physical ailments that ensue.
Without even realizing it has happened, we have experienced a paradigm shift called transformation. By refocusing our thoughts and responding to the Spirit’s promptings, not only have our actions changed but our desires as well. We have moved from procrastination to peace, from chaos to calm, all because of one word, God’s word - Immediately.
Katie Harding serves as the Founder/Director of NorthStar Women's Network and as Associate Director of NorthStar Church Network.
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The best Christmas present I received this year wasn’t one wrapped with pretty paper and a matching bow and found under the tree on Christmas morning. It wasn’t even one found in a decorative bag handed out at the office or given by a friend. The best present was one I received early Christmas Eve morning from the Lord Himself, as I studied the scriptures for that day.
That morning I followed the Spirit — starting at the first chapter of Luke with the announcement of the birth of John, on to the Mount of Transfiguration, then to the Mount of The Beatitudes and ending at the Cross. It was quite a journey, but it was also quite a gift.
In the first chapter of Luke, we are told that John will come in the spirit and power of Elijah. Elijah wasn’t just a prophet; he was the prophet noted for praying it would not rain, and it didn’t rain for three and a half years. He then prayed for rain and the sky poured forth. He was the prophet who turned the hearts of the Israelites back to God after challenging the prophets of Baal to a showdown between their god and his. Elijah was bold and prayerful, honest in his fears, and listened with a finely tuned ear to the voice of the Lord. He was one of two individuals mentioned in the Old Testament who never died, but was taken straight to heaven.
Focusing on John’s comparison to Elijah, the Lord brought to mind Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration, so I followed the Spirit there. Whenever I read this passage in Mark, I am usually taken by the fact that Peter, not knowing what to do or say as he suddenly sees Jesus standing on the Mount with Moses and Elijah, offers to build three shrines as if they were all staying. For some reason Peter always wants to offer an answer before a question is even asked.
But that day, what struck me most wasn’t what Peter and the others saw, it was what they didn’t see. After God proclaimed, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!”, they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus only. One moment there were three of them — Moses, the giver of the Law, Elijah, one of the greatest prophets of the old scriptures, and Jesus, all standing together in community. Then, in the blink of an eye, it was just Jesus.
In the past, I have not given much thought to their departure as I always focused on their presence and Peter wanting to build shrines. But that morning, I keyed in on these words “no one with them anymore, except Jesus only.” Except Jesus only. That phrase kept replaying in my mind, and suddenly I realized, it was as if God was showing them in the past the Law and the words of the Prophets were of prime importance. But now the time had come to listen and fully heed what Jesus says, Jesus only.
From there I felt drawn to Jesus’ words about the Law on the Mount of The Beatitudes, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets, I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17-18).
Jesus was telling his followers He wasn’t coming to overthrow the Law or the words of the Prophets. Instead, if we look up the word fulfill, what Jesus was really saying is that He was coming to complete the Law and the words of the Prophets. In thinking about the fact that His mission was to complete the Law and to complete something means to finish it, suddenly the next phrase that crossed my mind was Jesus’ words on the cross, “It is finished.”
“It is finished.” I had never given much thought before to what “It” was or is. Was it His work? Yes. Was it His life? Yes, that too. But what if He was referring to the specific task assigned to Him, to fulfill the Law and the words of the Prophets? What if for a moment, we view it from that perspective? Maybe when He said, “It is finished,” He meant the time of the Law and the words of the Prophets in being a governing force has ended. Moses and Elijah are no longer on the Mount. Just Jesus only, with the Father instructing His disciples to “Listen to Him!”
What God gave me that morning was a vision for Jesus’ mission. The importance of His work in bringing the Law and the words of the Prophets to completion before ushering in His new and indwelling presence into the lives of His disciples. Then there would be no question as to whom they should listen to. “This is my Beloved Son,” He told them, “Listen to Him!” Jesus understood His task, the Father confirmed it, and He brought it to completion before putting in place A New Way of living in direct relationship with the Father.
Many of us don’t understand the importance of completing one initiative before starting another, but Jesus did. And I am eternally grateful. There is no confusion about who to follow. It’s always Jesus. Jesus only.
What a beautiful gift I received this Christmas.
“What do you want me to know?”, I asked.
I recently attended a conference with many other NorthStar women. One morning before breakfast, I sat on the edge of my bed in prayer and asked, “Father, what do you want me to know?” After a short time of complete stillness, He lovingly answered with, “I see you.”
It was the first time the Lord ever said those words to me, but it was not to be the last. Throughout that day, God confirmed His word as various speakers made some type of reference to God seeing us. It was crazy. As I shared those words with a few friends, they continued to confirm the message as they heard it throughout the day as well.
Those three words, “I see you,” have been permeating my thoughts so much this Advent Season as I am beginning to realize how foundational they are in this season of Advent.
From the beginning of time, God has seen us.
He saw Adam and Eve in the garden.
He saw the Israelites in slavery.
He saw Moses by the burning bush.
He saw David shepherding his flock.
On and on throughout Scripture, God sees His people.
In the first chapter of Luke, God sees Zechariah, Elizabeth, and their newborn son, John. He also sees Elizabeth’s relative, Mary. God sees them as they are and more importantly, as they are yet to be.
And God‘s view of them is so different from that of the world’s.
The world looked upon barren Elizabeth with disgrace, yet God looked upon her with love. He saw her from the inside out. He saw her righteousness, her faithfulness and her obedience. Once Elizabeth discovered that God saw her, that was all that really mattered. When we realize God sees us in our place, we discover our true significance.
The world looked upon Elizabeth’s son, John the Baptizer, as odd. He lived in the wilderness, ate locusts and wild honey, drank no wine, and was clothed with camel’s hair.
Yet, God saw Him before he was even born, fulfilling his purpose as the forerunner of Christ, preparing people’s hearts and turning them back to the Lord. When we recognize that God sees us in our purpose, it fuels our focus and drives us forward.
The world looked at Elizabeth’s relative, Mary, as young and ordinary, yet God saw her and called her blessed among women. Before He even came to her, He saw her potential to believe in the fulfillment of what would be spoken to her. He knew she was the one. When God sees us in our potential, nothing is impossible for Him to bring about. If only we would believe and step out in faith. As Mary did.
Perhaps God’s reminder to us this Advent Season is, “I see you.”
I see you in your place. I see you in your purpose. And I see you in your potential. I see your successes, and I see your struggles. I see your joys and I see your sorrows. I see who you are and who you are yet to be – not from a distance, but up close and personal, because I am right there with you. Where you are, there I am also.
I see you.
As we await the coming of the Christ child, let us remember our God as the God who sees.
As I reflected on those words, my thoughts were drawn to a few very specific women in the Bible— those who went to the tomb that first Easter morning. They were leaders, women of influence, and they influenced not only each other, but their actions are still influencing us today.
These women were brave enough to journey with Jesus to the cross, despite the animosity of the crowd. They didn’t run away when they saw Christ being persecuted; in fact, they remained steadfast and focused until the end, even when others of His followers fled.
They were humble and caring and willing to do what needed to be done, when it needed to be done. They didn’t hesitate and weren’t timid. They were ordinary women open to being used by God for his extraordinary purposes.
After Jesus was laid in the tomb, the women went home that night to prepare the burial spices, and then they took a very important step. They stopped. Instead of rushing to get their task done, they rested quietly on the Sabbath and didn’t let their work get in the way of their worship. It gave them each the time to prepare their body, mind and spirit for what God had laid on their hearts to do. And when the sun rose the next morning, so did the women. They
went out early and without delay. They didn’t exhibit any fear or concern of how they were going to move the big boulder in front of the tomb.
Instead, they trusted, and their trust in God made them bold, determined and disciplined. It led them to be the first ones to hear the news of the risen Lord and to be able to share it with others. And even though the disciples first laughed at them when the women told them about Jesus’ resurrection, the men didn’t ignore their message. They still went to see for themselves.
That was influence at work. It’s called leadership. And the world was forever changed. By ordinary women.
Has the Lord put something on your heart to do? If so, what is your first step—to race to get it done or to stop and sit with Jesus? Today, I would like to encourage you to take a few moments to worship before work and see what a difference it makes.
Normally we look at the wilderness as a less than desired place to be. A place that we would rather run from than run to. However, as I reflected on the verses about John the Baptist, I realized that it was during his time in the wilderness that John received the word from the Lord that propelled him into ministry. It was similar with Joshua. It was when Joshua was in the wilderness that he received his calling and was given his marching orders. And then there was Jesus. Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit after a pinnacle moment in His life. His baptism. It was during His 40 days in the wilderness that Jesus hungered and was sustained by God's truth. He wasn't teaching or preaching, instead he was building up His inner resolve against the enemy by feasting only on what the Lord had to offer.
I have come to the conclusion that being in the wilderness is not necessarily a bad place to be, as we may often think. Instead it can be a very holy time, a time to listen much and speak little. A time to reflect and repent and renew. The past two months have been a very busy time in the life of our Network - both for our churches and for our women, so I had thought that it was just the busyness of the schedule that had made me lay my pen down. Now I realize that I wasn't meant to write during this busy season. I was in the wilderness, and it was a time for just listening. Listening to God's Word, feeding on His truth and discovering some of the next steps in moving forward. What I have learned has been incredible.
There may be times when you too will find yourself in the middle of the wilderness. I would encourage you to not be discouraged by the fact that you are not completing what maybe you think you should be doing with your time. Instead, embrace this time, let go of the unnecessary and just listen. Listen to what the Lord has for you, and then follow His leading. Let the wilderness be a place to recall or discover your purpose. Let it propel you on the next steps of the journey the Lord has planned for you.
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the LORD. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope'" Jeremiah 29:11.
Years ago, as we were launching NorthStar Women’s Network, I felt overwhelmed and under equipped. Someone suggested I start praying on my armor each day. So, I did. And as time went on, I encouraged others to do likewise.
But now, 17 years later, I am done with that. I am not going to advise women to pray on their armor anymore. Why is that? Because recently while rereading Ephesians 6, I was convicted by the Spirit that I have been advising women incorrectly. I realized there isn’t anywhere in Paul’s letter where he says we need to pray on our armor for daily protection. Instead, Paul advises us to “put on the full armor of God.” It’s God’s armor we are praying on, not ours. What a difference changing one word makes. It’s huge.
Our armor – our thoughts, our truth, our faith – has no power against the enemy. If it did, Adam and Eve would have remained in the garden. Everything we do, we do through the One who gives us strength. His strength. His power. His armor.
But in the end, does it really matter what we call it? Yes, it does. Because when we call it what it is, it reframes our perspective and gives us greater insight into Paul’s instructions.
Beginning with the understanding that the Holy Spirit is actually dwelling within us (given to us at the time of our profession of belief in Jesus Christ), we can see why Paul is telling us to be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might. If the Holy Spirit is indwelling, and He is, and if Christ is manifested through the Spirit and abides within us, which He does, then praying on God’s armor has little to do with us, but everything to do with Jesus. It is always about Jesus.
With that in mind, when we are praying on God’s armor, we pray on:
His Truth – It’s the truth according to what Christ lives and teaches, understanding things from His vantage point as He dwells within. The enemy wants to make us think truth is relative, believing all kinds of lies about ourselves and others, but Jesus has said He is Truth. Truth is not relative as the world states, Jesus is the plumb line. The belt of the armor is meant to hold in proper place those things that could easily trip us up. So it is with Truth.
His Righteousness - We have been made righteous—restored to a right relationship with God the Father through Christ the Son. Once Jesus begins to indwell our life, God no longer sees our sin. Our sins have been replaced by Christ’s righteousness. However, the enemy would like us to think otherwise, to believe we are still sinners deep in sin who can’t measure up in God’s presence. That’s why the Breastplate of Righteousness is so important— to protect our hearts from feeling unworthy or shame from the enemy’s constant attempts at condemnation.
His Peace - We often think this piece of the armor is all about the shoes of peace, but Paul says it’s actually the preparation of the shoes of peace. So how do we prepare to walk in peace? We do it the same way Jesus does as He lives and dwells within. The same way He did it when He walked the earth, by abiding in the Father’s presence. And the peace that protects is not our peace, but the actual peace of Jesus. Jesus told us, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you.” We can move forward without fear, resting in His peace.
His Faith - It would be great to think our faith is strong enough to stop the “fiery darts of temptation” aimed at us by Satan, but it isn’t. If it were, Adam and Eve would not have failed in the garden, but the saving faith that can protect us from ALL of Satan’s lies is the faith of Jesus. In a more accurate translation of Galatians 2:20, Paul tells us “The life we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God,” instead of faith in the Son of God. Somewhere over the years the word was changed from “of” to “in.” I am not sure why as it totally distorts the meaning. When we are clear about the fact the Holy Spirit indwells us and Christ is manifested through the Spirit, it’s easy to understand the Shield of Faith is about submitting to Christ’s faith as He dwells within.
His Salvation - Jesus came, died and rose again as the Savior of the world, to deliver us from the consequences of sin. He set us free from the penalty of sin; we are forgiven. He set us free from the power of sin; we are restored to a relationship with God the Father. And He set us free from the presence of sin; we are cleansed through the presence of His Spirit who dwells within. Our sins are forgiven and our guilt is removed. In the Greek, the word for salvation also means deliverer. As we pray on the Helmet of Salvation, the helmet of our deliverer, let us guard our thoughts and guide them with the knowledge and truth of His salvation.
His Sword - I love the translation of this in The Amplified version, “The sword the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.” The Spirit doesn’t speak on His own initiative, as Jesus tells us in John 16. But He discloses to us what is spoken to Him by God the Father and Christ the Son, so we can thwart the enemy’s attempt the same way Jesus did in the wilderness, by repeating God’s truth, “The Scriptures say....” The Sword is the only offensive piece of the armor; let’s remember to draw it often to stop Satan’s attacks and destroy his plans.
If you don’t already do so, I want to encourage you to pray on God’s armor every day, for yourself, for your family and even for your brothers and sisters in Christ. Over the past 17 years, as I prayed for “the power of God’s armor” to be upon those on my list, I have seen lives changed. “Therefore, take up the full armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” Ephesians 6:13 (emphasis added).
Many blessings,
Katie