Advent Devotional: Day 17

THE SET UP: One of my favorite Christmas movies is Christmas with the Kranks, starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis. The movie is based on a book by John Grisham, and in the story, Luther Krank talks his wife, Nora, into, “skipping Christmas,” by using all the money they usually spent on Christmas to take a swanky cruise. Their daughter, Blair, is gone for the holidays and they decide to do something for themselves. So, they diet, they tan, they plan, and they pack for their cruise. Then the plot twists. At the last minute, Blair announces she’s coming home for Christmas and all of the cruise plans go out the window. Now the scramble is on to throw together a Christmas full of family and friends and never let their daughter she ruined their plans. 

When all this happens, Nora gets excited, but Luther gets mad. He’s been planning and looking forward to this trip. He’s been saving money by not buying gifts and Christmas trees. And now his plans are out the window. He is reluctantly dragged into the last-minute, emergency Christmas planning. His cruise is gone and his Christmas is ruined.

But, then Blair comes home, and seeing her makes it a little better. All of the Kranks’ friends and neighbors pitch in and help them pull off a Christmas miracle. Luther experiences a change of perspective. He realizes how fortunate he is to have all of these people in his life, and his anger and frustration are replaced by appreciation and joy. He had been focused on how happy a cruise would make him, but when he lost that opportunity, he stumbled into true joy.

When you read the Christmas story, there are a lot of trade-offs like Luther’s. Mary’s whole life plan was changed in one conversation with an angel. Joseph thought his dream marriage was over before it started. The stable made a less-than-ideal birthing center. But ultimately Mary, Joseph, and so many others experienced joy at the birth of Christ.

PASSAGES TO READ: Psalm 30:4-5

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• Have you ever been disappointed to have your plans ruined or changed, only to be pleasantly surprised by joy?

• In today’s passage, we read, “Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” What does that passage mean to you?

• Is there someone that God has brought to your mind that could use joy this Christmas? Take a moment and pray for them.
  

PRAYER IDEA: “Jesus, I pray that my family and friends would experience true joy this Christmas season. Help them (and me) to focus on you as the source of true joy, hope, and peace. May circumstances not rob them of joy. In your name, amen.”

Advent Devotional: Day 16

THE SET UP: Have you ever heard the superstition that bad things happen in threes? It always seems that if something bad happens, two more bad things are going to follow.

I was at a friend’s house the other day when this exact thing played out. Earlier that week, the spring on the garage door busted. Her husband was planning on looking at it that afternoon after he helped his dad with something. As he grabbed the doorknob to leave, the doorknob popped off and fell to the ground. Thankfully, putting a doorknob back on is an easy fix, so we got that taken care of before he left. After about five minutes, her husband walked back in the door, saying, “You know what they say, ‘It happens in threes.’” 

Apparently, their car was making an awful thumping noise and jerked whenever he put on the brakes.

We all looked at each other and laughed. What else do you do in those circumstances? Thankfully, the problems were fairly easy fixes – more annoying and time-consuming than anything.

It is hard to find joy when it seems like bad things keep happening, though. The past couple of years facing a global pandemic and racial and political tension has proven that. How do can we choose joy when we can’t get a break from the bad things happening in our world?

There’s a man in the Bible that exemplifies this. You have probably heard of the story of Joseph and his coat, maybe even seen the musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. While I doubt the characters in the biblical account broke out in choreographed numbers, there’s a lot we can learn about finding joy in the hard times from Joseph’s story.

The life of Joseph takes up a large chunk of the book of Genesis. If I tried to retell all of his story, this would turn out to be more of a novella than a devotional, so I am just going to hit on some main snapshots. If you want to read the entire account, you can find it in Genesis 37-50.

Joseph was the favorite child of his parents, Jacob and Rachel. His father gave him a special coat, signifying his favoritism, which led to tension between Joseph and his other brothers. It didn’t help matters that Joseph shared his dreams with his brothers, dreams that he would one day rule over them. One day, the brothers’ animosity and jealousy boiled over, and they threw Joseph in a pit, later selling him to a caravan of slave traders. 

The caravan eventually came to Egypt, where Joseph was sold to a man named Potipher. Potipher was one of Pharoh’s ministers. Things start to look better for Joseph. Potipher was impressed by the young Hebrew, so he put Joseph in charge of his estate. Unfortunately, Potiphar’s wife was attracted to Joseph and pursued him, hoping for an intimate relationship. Joseph continually refused her. One day, he was so desperate to get away from her, that he slipped out of the robe she was holding and ran away. The angry woman twisted the story and told Potipher that it was Joseph who was trying to take advantage of her. This landed Joseph in prison.

While in prison, Joseph continued to be a successful, righteous man. The warden even placed Joseph as his right-hand man! Not only was Joseph the model prisoner, but he used his gifts of dream interpretation. A couple of years later, Pharoh had a dream that no one could interpret. Joseph’s gifts were remembered, and he was brought before Pharoh where he correctly interpreted the ruler’s dream. Pharoh made Joseph his viceroy, putting him in charge of preparing the nation for the famine that was predicted in his dream. 

Joseph rose from being the hated brother to the second-in-command of Egypt. His wisdom and trust in God allowed him to save countless lives by preparing for a nationwide famine. Eventually, Joseph would be reunited with his family and say his well-known line, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20).

Throughout all the negative events that happened in his life, Joseph never gave up his faith in God or set aside his values. His faith allowed him to have true joy, to see the good that God was preparing for him, even if it wasn’t happening at the time.

Bad things do happen, but like Joseph, we can find joy in the hard times. This doesn’t mean that we have to ignore the bad times or pretend like we aren’t hurting. Real joy isn’t fake happiness; real joy gives room for real emotions. Real joy allows us to feel the pain and sorrow in the moment, but helps us remember that this world and it’s troubles won’t last forever. It helps us hold on to the hope that we have about what awaits us in eternity. 

Things may be unbelievably hard right now. The holiday season often brings up hard memories and pain. Maybe you’re thinking of that spot at the table that’s going to be empty this year for the first time. Maybe all the tension going on in our world has affected your family, and this year won’t feel like a time of celebration, but a time of mourning over the relationships you’ve lost.

I want you to know that it is totally okay if you are mourning during this Christmas season, but I pray that you mourn with hope. Jesus’ birth can remind us of the good God has planned for us and that God does keep His promises. Even when the world is hard and everything seems hopeless, we can find true joy because we know that God is working out something amazing for us.

PASSAGES TO READ: Genesis 50:14-21

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• Is it possible to feel sad and be hurt yet still find joy? How?

• Have you ever experienced a time when you didn’t understand the hardship you were facing, but God worked it out? What was that like?

• What emotions would you say describe your feelings about this year’s holiday season? Why did you choose those?

PRAYER IDEA: “Jesus, You have a much grander understanding of our lives that we do. You see beyond the here and now, and know exactly how everything will work out. Thank you for giving me that to trust in. Even when I don’t understand the bad things that are happening in our world, I can trust that You will work everything out for my good and Your glory. Give me Your strength to enter into this holiday season with joy and hope, knowing that Your birth makes it possible to find joy in all things. Amen.”

Advent Devotional: Day 15

THE SET UP:  It has been said that happiness is an emotion, but joy is a decision. We feel happy, but we can choose joy. Happiness is determined by what happens around us, joy is formed within us. 

Five days ago, tornadoes ripped through parts of Kentucky and some surrounding states leaving devastation and destruction in their wakes. You have probably seen the footage of entire towns that were leveled. You may have also seen a viral video of Jordan Baize, choosing joy in the middle of a horrific situation. In the video, Jordan sits at the piano in his house, playing a song that says, “Jesus, Jesus, there’s just something about that name…” Jordan’s home no longer has a roof, and everything that was in the house has been thrown around the rooms or out into the yard. The piano has water damage and is missing a few keys, but Jordan plays finding a moment of hope, worship, and joy in the middle of one of the worst moments of his life.

I am sure Baize didn’t sit down and play because he felt happy (he was in the house to see what could be salvaged for his family). He had every right to feel sad, angry, and bitter, but, in that moment, he chose joy. The source of his joy was revealed in the song that he chose to play, a song that lifted the name of Jesus and gave thanks when thank had to be hard to find.

When Jesus’ birth was announced, it was described as, “good news that will bring great JOY to people.” As we count down to Christmas during this Advent season, we can choose joy because of what Jesus’ birth meant for each and every one of us. The holiday season may not be easy for you. The happiness and “Christmas spirit” that everyone seems to have might not be easy for you to find. But you can choose joy because Jesus came to give us joy that isn’t circumstantial or emotional. It’s a joy based in hope – the hope we find in his death and resurrection.

To help those affected by the tornadoes, we encourage you to give to Convoy of Hope, one of our ministry partners. You can do that here.

PASSAGES TO READ: 2 Corinthians 6:3-10

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• Do you see happiness and joy as the same or differently? In your opinion, is it possible to have joy even when you don’t feel happy?

• How do you associate joy with Christmas and the birth of Christ?

• What do you think Paul means when he writes, “Our hearts ache, but we always have joy.” When you read this passage, what is God showing you?

PRAYER IDEA: “Jesus, thank you for the gift of joy. Help me to choose joy today, despite my circumstances. In your name, amen.”

Advent Devotional: Day 14

THE SET UP: One thing I love about children is their unhindered emotions. No matter what a young child is feeling, you know it. Whether it’s unbridled enthusiasm, absolute terror, or an ear-shattering tantrum (all of which can be seen when a child meets Santa), it’s undoubtedly clear what emotion they are feeling. They wear the emotions on their sleeves and have no problem showing the world how they feel.

At some point during our childhood, we start to reign in those emotions. Our brains develop further to give us impulse control, and we learn more acceptable ways to communicate our emotions. We learn that it’s not okay to throw ourselves to the ground screaming in the grocery store aisle because mom told us we couldn’t have that candy bar. We learn that we don’t need to sob uncontrollably when our sock doesn’t fit right inside of our shoe. We gradually become better contributors to society because we learn how to problem solve and think about our actions rather than just impulsively following our emotions.

This is all well and good, but in learning how to control our emotions, we also become better at hiding them. We become aware of what we might look like to those around us, and as adults, we will shove down emotions to keep from looking overly dramatic or ridiculous. Small kids don’t care what they look like when they react emotionally; they just show how they feel, regardless of how it might look to those around them. They don’t care if they look ridiculous jumping up and down chasing bubbles. All they know is that bubbles make them happy and they have a physical reaction to that joy.

One of my favorite things in the world is seeing kids react physically to joy and happiness. They honestly have no concept of shame! They will dance when their favorite song comes on. They jump and clap and smile when they see a loved one. It’s like their joy is so big their little bodies can’t contain it all; it just has to come out somehow!

As adults, we lose that childlike joy and wonder. We’re so focused on keeping up our image that we don’t allow ourselves to find joy in the small things that make us happy. We’re too afraid of how we might look that we stop dancing and singing to our favorite songs. We stop showing how much we love another person because we see them every day and “they should know.”

In today’s reading, King David embodied pure childlike joy as he brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. The Ark of the Covenant (also called the Ark of God) was a special monument built by the ancient Hebrews meant to symbolize God’s presence with His people. The ark was essentially a large, ornate chest that held the tablets Moses wrote God’s law on, a pot of manna to serve as a reminder of God’s provision, and a wooden staff to symbolize God’s leadership.

Bringing the ark back to Jerusalem was one of David’s first accomplishments as the new king of Israel. He understood the importance of having the symbol of God’s presence in the capital city. This also made a very clear statement about his intention of being a godly king. 

David was so overjoyed about the ark being back in Jerusalem that he started dancing! Can you imagine a political leader setting aside all decorum to dance? How would people react if President Joe Biden became so overjoyed that he broke out the Electric Slide? There absolutely would be some confusion and bewilderment. 

David’s wife wasn’t just confused about David’s actions; she was irate! She was the daughter of the previous king and clearly had thoughts about how a king should act. Dancing in the middle of the street was not one of those, and she had no qualms about setting David straight. However, David ended up shutting her down. God had crowned him as king over Israel, and he would celebrate in order to worship God, even if it meant looking foolish.

David shows us that it’s okay to have a physical reaction to joy. Maybe you won’t start dancing on Christmas, but may this Advent season remind you of the childlike joy we can find in Jesus.

Jesus came to bring us everlasting joy which is found in knowing the eternity with Him that awaits us. But He also gives us joy in the everyday moments, too. We can worship Him unashamedly and enjoy this life He has given us because we are utterly accepted and loved by Him.

PASSAGES TO READ: 2 Samuel 6:14-22

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• What is something in your everyday life that brings you joy?

• When you are excited/happy/joyful about something, how do you naturally want to act? Do you hold back from that? Why or why not?

• How does Jesus bring us joy in the small things?

PRAYER IDEA: “God, You are the creator of emotions, and You created people to have feelings. We aren’t meant to keep everything tucked inside. May I always seek to glorify you in how I react to my feelings, and may I be wise in how I communicate my emotions. I pray that I also learn how to live joyfully without shame, knowing that I am fully accepted by You. May the joy that I have found in You impact my whole body and soul. Amen.”

Advent Devotional: Day 13

THE SET UP: The greatest Christmas of my life was in 1974. That is the year that I got the GI Joe Headquarters with a working spotlight. Ralphie may have thought that his Red Rider BB gun was the ultimate gift in A Christmas Story, but the GI Joe headquarters was what was up. 

I remember looking at the large box with my name on it that was parked next to the tree in our living room. I studied from every angle, weighed it on our bathroom scale, and shook it multiple times, trying to ascertain if really was the headquarters. There was this feeling in the back of my mind that it might be something else and that my 6-year-old dreams were going to be crushed. I dared to dream that I soon would be planning and leading missions with my team assembled at the headquarters. 

When the time finally came and I got to rip away the paper from the box, I experienced pure, unadulterated, second-grade joy. The thing that I had hoped, dreamed, and yes, prayed for, had happened. I was filled with joy.

Joy is one of the themes of Advent and is expressed throughout the story of Christ’s birth. John the Baptist was to be the forerunner that would announce the Messiah to the world, and his father was told about his birth, “He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,” (Luke 1:14). When the angel announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds, he told them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:10). 

As we anticipate Christ’s birth this Advent season, we can do so with joy. Not the temporary joy of receiving a GI Joe Headquarters (eventually, the spotlight stopped working, most of the equipment got lost, and it ended up in a garage sale), but the joy that remains and shows up when we need it most. A joy that is deeper than just being happy, joy that gives us a feeling of well-being and hope for the future. 

PASSAGES TO READ: Luke 1:1-38

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• What is the time in your life that you remember feeling the most joyful? Christmas as a kid? Your wedding? When your team won the Super Bowl?

• Do you think there is a difference between joy and happiness? How would you describe that difference?

• How can you experience joy this Advent/Christmas season? 

PRAYER IDEA: “Jesus, thank you for making it possible for me to experience joy in my life. May I not let circumstances or situations steal my joy this Christmas. Help me to choose joy today, despite what I may feel. In your name, amen.”

Advent Devotional: Day 11

THE SET UP: At Thanksgiving this year, I got a reminder of what peace really looks like. We were at my in-laws house and it was the typical fun, loud, holiday gathering. There were a lot of us all crammed into a relatively small space. Everyone was talking, laughing, or yelling at the TV while we watched football. The game was blaring as we kept turning it up to hear over all the talking we were doing. There were three large dogs running around; and we were trying to get tables set up, food on plates, and everyone to a spot to eat.

And in the middle of all that chaos and commotion, my one-year old nephew, Jaxxon, was sprawled out and stone-cold sleeping like it was nothing. When we screamed at the game on TV, he didn’t stir. When the dogs started barking and chasing each other around every time someone new showed up, he didn’t flinch. He, well, slept like a baby. What was going on around him had no effect on him. And I think that’s what peace looks like.

We tend to think that peace looks like a Bob Ross painting with “happy trees” and birds glide on the breeze. But I think peace, real peace, is something that sustains us in the middle of life’s commotion and challenges. Anyone can feel calm on a quiet day in a breezy meadow. But it takes real peace to handle the storms. 

That’s the peace that Jesus, the “Prince of Peace,” offers to us. The ability to turn to him in the middle of the darkest and most trying moments of our lives and rest assured that he will be with us in the storm and has the ability to bring us through the storm. Today’s Scripture reading is a reminder to us about the peace we have in Christ.

PASSAGES TO READ: Mark 4:35-41

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• Put yourself in the disciples’ sandals. What do you think they were feeling before Jesus spoke to the storm? What about after he spoke to the storm?

• Has there been a time when Jesus has answered your prayer and calmed a storm and brought peace to your life? What happened?

• Someone once said, “Sometimes God calms the storm, and sometimes he calms us.” What do you think about that statement? How would you define peace?

PRAYER IDEA: “Lord, that you for bringing peace to my life. I thank you that whatever storms I may go through, you will always be there with me. When I feel anxious, worried, or fearful today, remind me that you are the Prince of Peace and that I can entrust all of my challenges to you. May I be an agent of peace in the lives of others around me to as well. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Advent Devotional: Day 10

THE SET UP: On April 12, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. was arrested for a series of protests and marches against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. While sitting in his cell, King wrote one of my favorite works of American literature: “A Letter From Birmingham Jail.”

The campaign of protests that King led raised concerns with eight white religious leaders in the South. They criticized his methods, saying that his actions in Birmingham were “unwise and untimely,” and essentially telling him he was an outsider who had no business in Alabama because he was from Atlanta. His letter is a response to these religious leaders and describes the different types of peace: negative peace and positive peace. 

I think King’s letter should be read in full because there are so many good thoughts about nonviolent protests and civil disobedience (you can read it here), but this quote sums it up nicely:

“I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizens Councillor or the Ku Klux Klanner but the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says, "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically feels that he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time; and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.”

You see, we often mistake the absence of conflict for peace. While that is partly true, it’s not the whole story. True peace doesn’t just mean there isn’t any conflict or tension; true peace means that there is justice. The conflict isn’t just gone; it’s been resolved.

How many times have we ignored a conflict in order to have peace? We decide not to have that hard conversation because we don’t want to deal with the potential fallout. We choose not to stand up for what is right because we don’t want to rock the boat. When those are our decisions, things may appear peaceful, but did we really achieve peace?

One of Jesus’ titles is the Prince of Peace. This is absolutely true, but not because He sat down with everyone and sang “Kumbaya.” If you read the accounts of Jesus’ life on earth, you’ll see just what a troublemaker He was. That almost feels blasphemous to say, but He truly was a holy troublemaker of the best kind. He disobeyed hundreds of years of religious tradition and rules; He overturned tables; He spent time with those who were cast aside by society.

Jesus Himself said that He didn’t come to bring peace (Matthew 10:34), but what He’s referring to is what Dr. King calls negative peace. Jesus didn’t come to earth to ignore our pain and suffering and cover everything with a “happily ever after,” but to bring justice that would right all wrongs. He came to lay the groundwork for positive peace, the peace that will come one day when He returns and removes all of the conflicts that have plagued us since Adam and Eve rejected God’s command. 

As we think about the peacefully sleeping baby boy born in a manger so long ago, may we remember that He grew up to conquer death and will one day return as the Almighty King. When we remember God’s humble coming as a human baby, may we also rejoice in the promise that one day we will live in perfect, true peace with Him when He returns to right all wrongs.

PASSAGES TO READ: Matthew 10:5-39

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• How would you describe the difference between negative peace and positive peace?

• Has there ever been a time you opted to leave a conflict unresolved so that you didn’t have to deal with the potential fallout? Did that bring you peace?

• Why do you think Jesus said that He didn’t come to bring peace? How can that be true when He is also called the Prince of Peace?

PRAYER IDEA: “Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace. I know that even though the world seems chaotic now, one day You will bring perfect peace. You will come again to remove all sin and conflict, to bring justice once and for all, and right all wrongs. May I remember that You didn’t passively ignore conflict, You sought to restore relationships, especially my relationship with God. Give me the wisdom and courage to resolve conflicts in my life and choose to live at peace with others, even when it’s hard. Amen.”

Advent Devotional: Day 9

THE SET UP: My favorite American president is Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. I’ve always liked his “walk softly but carry a big stick” approach to life and leadership. Roosevelt overcame a lot of health challenges as a sickly child to become an outdoorsman, soldier, and ultimately the president of the United States. 

Long before Roosevelt became president, he served as the Undersecretary of the Navy. In that role, he was a big advocate for increasing the size and strength of our naval forces. Many people were turned off by his position and accused him of being a warmonger. They feared that a large navy would be an encouragement to go to war. Roosevelt saw it completely differently. He said, “A good navy is not a provocation to war. It is the surest guaranty of peace.” In other words, a strong navy would prevent other nations from wanting to go to war with America. 

In the same way, we can experience peace in our lives because of Christ. In John 16:33, Jesus said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” In the middle of many trials and sorrows (life), we can take heart and experience peace in Him. Why? Because like an overwhelming military force, he has already won the battle. Jesus overcame the world through his death and resurrection, as a result, anything we face, anything we go through, has already been defeated. We can find peace in Christ because the battle has already been won.

PASSAGES TO READ: John 16:25-33

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• What is the biggest threat to your personal peace? 

• What do you think it means to “find your peace in Jesus”?

• How does knowing that Jesus has overcome the world help you to find peace?

PRAYER IDEA: “Jesus, I pray that today you would help me to find peace in you no matter what the day may hold. When I feel overwhelmed, remind me that you have already overcome this situation and that I can trust you. I give my day to you, the ups and the downs, and I ask for your peace in every circumstance. In your name, I pray, amen.”

Advent Devotional: Day 8

THE SET UP: In Northern Ireland, there’s a city that’s so divided, part of the population calls it Londonderry and others call it Derry. In this city Protestants live on the east bank and Catholics on the west bank. Many of them don’t like to mix, so one of the solutions was to build a bridge. The 900-foot bridge curves like a snake and is for walkers, joggers, and cyclists. They named it “Peace Bridge.” That’s what they’re trying to do, build a bridge, build peace.

But is that really peace or is it just accommodation or a compromise? The bridge might “keep the peace,” but is it bringing any peace? 

When Jesus was born to bring “peace on earth, goodwill to men,” He didn’t show up to get people to play nice with each other. He came to bring reconciliation. He came to bring healing. He came to bring peace. That peace begins between us and God. The reason Jesus was born and ultimately died and was resurrected was to reconcile us to God so we could experience peace. It is that ultimate peace we can experience that allows us to experience peace with ourselves (internally) and with other people (externally). 

Until we have peace with God, which leads to a clean moral conscious, we can’t really experience peace with anyone else, and that includes the person in the mirror. As we await Christ’s birth this Advent season, we can experience peace with God and man.

PASSAGES TO READ: Romans 5:1-2

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• Do you think there is a difference between “getting along” with someone and really having peace with them? What’s the difference in your opinion?

• What do you think it means to have peace with God? With others? With yourself?

• Have you trusted in Jesus to bring you peace with God? 

PRAYER IDEA: “Jesus, thank you for coming to earth to reconcile us to God and make a way for us to experience true peace. Thank you that you didn’t just build a bridge so we could get along, but you became the bridge so that we could cross it and find forgiveness from God. I pray for your peace in my life this Advent season.”

Advent Devotional: Day 7

THE SET UP: I signed up for a women’s barbell competition a couple of weeks ago. While it’s not until April, I am a little nervous because it’s a new type of competition for me. I’ve been weightlifting for a while, but the idea of going up against other incredibly strong women is a bit nerve-wracking. Fortunately, I have some secret weapons - my team includes two of the strongest women I know, who happen to be friends of mine, and I have the support of my friends and family.

For as long as I can remember, having people I care about watching me perform has given me a sense of peace and a huge ego boost. Whether it was cross country meets in high school, instrumental performances in college, or athletic events now, there is something about having the presence of my friends and family that gives me peace of mind. I think it’s because I know that no matter how I perform, my people will be proud of me. I don’t have to perform well to earn favor or acceptance, so I can just enjoy whatever I’m participating in. The support of my friends and family means the world to me. When I know they stand behind me, no matter what, there is nothing I can’t do.

I’m sure you’ve experienced a situation where having a loved one present brought you peace and comfort. There’s something about having someone next to you that makes everything a little easier. It’s easier to push yourself when you have a partner, when you have the support of someone who loves you whether you hit a home run or strike out.

There’s a story in the Old Testament about three friends who supported each other as they made a huge, life-changing decision. Would they follow the king’s orders or God’s?

Nebuchadnezzar was one of the greatest kings in the ancient Babylonian Empire. One day, it seemed fitting to him to erect a gigantic statue. It’s unclear exactly what the statue represented, but a golden statue towering 90 feet high surely meant something. Whether it was intended to be a divine being or a statue of himself, Nebuchadnezzar decided that everyone must bow and worship the image. Three young, Jewish men – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – made the decision not to bow in worship. As Jews, they followed God’s law, and one of God’s commandments was not to worship any other gods besides Him.

When King Nebuchadnezzar found out about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s decision, he was furious. But they were good men, so he gave them an ultimatum – worship the statue or be burned alive in a furnace. They calmly told him that he didn’t need to give them another chance. They weren’t going to worship his statue. He could burn them if he wanted, but they knew their values and weren’t going to be swayed.

This did not sit well with ol’ Nebby, so he ordered the furnace to be turned up seven times hotter than usual. The furnace was so hot that the soldiers who threw the three men into the fire burned to death.

As Nebuchadnezzar watched on, he shockingly noticed that not only were the three men walking around the furnace, seemingly unharmed but that another person had appeared inside of the furnace as well.

It’s debatable whether the fourth person in the furnace was a pre-image of Jesus or if it was an angel. Regardless, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had a form of God’s presence with them in the furnace. Not only did God rescue them from the fire, but His presence came alongside them! And they had each other. They were each responsible for their own decision, but I’m sure it was easier to make knowing their buddies were standing with them.

Christmas is a time to celebrate Jesus’s birth. He would eventually die for our sins on the cross, but what I find most humbling is that Christmas is when the almightly God of the universe put Himself into the form of a man so that He could live life beside us. Christmas is a time to remember the peace we can have knowing that God doesn’t let us do things on our own. His presence is with us, offering us peace and comfort, no matter what we may face.

PASSAGES TO READ: Daniel 3:1-25

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• Has there been a time where having your friends supporting you made something easier or more bearable?

• How does God’s presence bring peace?

• Does knowing Jesus lived a life on earth just like we do bring you peace? Why or why not?

PRAYER IDEA: “God, Your presence is peace. No matter what I am facing, knowing You are always with me gives me strength and confidence. Thank you for the support systems you have placed in my life and the people who bring me peace and comfort by standing beside me. Help me give that same peace to others who might need it. Amen.”

Advent Devotional: Day 6

SET UP: My younger sister got married a couple of weeks ago. The wedding was beautiful and the reception was an absolute blast! But the best part of the whole shebang was getting to spend time with both my sisters throughout all the showers and parties leading up to the main event.

Like most families, the three of us fought like cats and dogs during our childhood. I was the oldest and often got annoyed that my younger sisters would follow me everywhere, which meant I received quite a few lectures from my parents about being a good example and being patient with my siblings (if you are also the eldest sibling, you’ve probably faced a similar experience).

What I realized throughout my sister’s preparation for her wedding was that my siblings and I aren’t just sisters, we’re friends, too. We enjoy spending time together - not just forced family time, but actually hanging out with each other. I’m thankful that we’ve put aside our childish arguing and bickering as we’ve grown into adulthood.

The Bible is full of dysfunctional families and siblings that try to stab one another in the back. There’s a story of two twin brothers named Jacob and Esau. These guys are the epitome of sibling rivalry. 

In ancient Israel, the oldest son was the primary receiver of the father’s inheritance - his money, title, and land. The firstborn son would receive the “birthright”; he would become the leader of the family and receive the judicial authority of his father. In the story of Jacob and Esau, Esau was the firstborn son. According to their culture and laws, he should have been the recipient of the birthright. However, thanks to family drama, Jacob and his mother tricked their father into giving Jacob the birthright. When Esau found out his blessing had been given to his younger brother, he lost his mind and vowed to kill Jacob after his father passed away. Their mother told Jacob what Esau planned, and Jacob fled.

Fast forward twenty years. Jacob was now married (to two women - the family dysfunction continues), and had created a new life for himself away from his brother. And then God told him to return home.

It’s no wonder that Jacob was terrified to return to his homeland. What if Esau was just waiting to kill him? If he followed God’s instructions to return, would he be putting his entire family and livelihood in danger?

Jacob chose to trust God and followed His command to return home. He was prepared for the worst, but when Jacob saw Esau, his brother ran and greeted him with a loving embrace. 

Esau had every right to be angry at Jacob. He could have exiled his brother when Jacob returned or attacked him as revenge for stealing his birthright. No one would have faulted him if he decided to seek justice for being wronged. But Esau chose peace and forgave his brother.

We’re not so different from Jacob. How many times have we acted against God in order to get what we want? How often have we decided to take things into our own hands instead of trusting in God’s plans?

Because of our sin, God has every right to exile us from His family. Instead, He forgives us and welcomes us back home with a loving embrace. Christmas is a reminder of when Jesus came to earth, but it also reminds us of Jesus’s mission while He was here. Jesus didn’t just come to die for our sins; He also came to restore our relationship with God. He came to bring peace between humanity and God so that we can return to Him without fear of rejection or retribution.

PASSAGES TO READ: Genesis 25:19-25, 27:1-46, and 33:1-4

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• What stuck out to you in the story of Jacob and Esau?

• Is there a relationship in your life where you would like to have peace and reconciliation? What would that look like to you?

• Jesus died to pay the debt for our sins, but also to bring peace between humanity and God. Why do you think both those truths are important?

PRAYER IDEA: “Jesus, You are the ultimate peacemaker. Thank You for wanting a relationship with us and sacrificing Yourself to make that happen. May this Christmas season remind me to seek peace with others. If there is someone I need to make peace with, please show me and give me Your strength to take any next steps towards reconciliation.”

Advent Devotional: Day 5

THE SET UP: In the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, there is a scene where Indiana Jones has to cross a seemingly invisible bridge. The only way that he will be able to cross it is by taking a leap of faith, by stepping out into nothing and hoping there will be something solid to stand on (it’s an older movie, but I won’t spoil it for you). That’s the way a lot of people view faith, especially the Christian faith.

Many people view faith as a “shot-in-the-dark” hope that God is real and that God is good. But that’s not the hope that the Bible talks about. The hope the Bible describes is a hope based on history. It’s looking back at what God has already done in our lives so we can look forward (even when we can’t see what’s up there) with hope. The writer of Hebrews says it this way, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”

As we hope this Advent season, we are not crossing our fingers and praying to get lucky. We are waiting in hopeful expectation.

PASSAGES TO READ: Hebrews 11:1-40

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• What is one way that you can see God’s faithfulness in your life? How does that help you to hope for the future?

• Why do you think we should put our hope in God’s promises? 

• Is there something that you are hoping for this Christmas? Have you shared your hopes with God?

PRAYER IDEA: “God, I want to thank you for the ways you have been good to me in the past and come through when I needed you. I believe I can trust you with my future as well. Christmas is a reminder to me that I can put my hope in you. Amen.”

Advent Devotional: Day 4

SET UP: The other day, one of my co-workers asked me if I was a “sneaker head.” I hadn’t ever considered myself that, but then I thought about my spending habits and the amount of money I throw down on sneakers (or really anything Nike).

A couple of weeks ago, a new pair of Jordans dropped at 9:00 AM. I was pumped! I had my notifications set up, my Apple Pay ready to go - I even went as far as asking someone to be on call for me at work so I could place my order the moment it went live. I did absolutely everything in my power to guarantee that I would have a fresh new pair of kicks. 

They sold out within seconds. And unfortunately, I was not one of those lucky owners of the newest Jordans.

It’s such a hard thing, isn’t it? When we wait and hope for something, when we do everything right, but what we wanted doesn’t come through? My obsession with shoes is absolutely materialistic, but when you really want something, it’s still a bummer when it doesn’t happen.

In ancient Israel, a woman’s status and reputation were often staked on whether or not they had any children, specifically male children. Today’s reading is about a woman named Hannah who faced hardship and cruelty because she wasn’t able to have children. Her husband was also married to another woman who harassed Hannah relentlessly because of her inability to become pregnant.

In her distress, Hannah begged and pleaded with God to give her a child, so much so that the priest who witnessed her prayers thought she was drunk. Her hope, humility, and desire to serve God sacrificially speaks volumes about her faith. She promised God that she would dedicate her child to His service if He would allow her to become pregnant. God answered her prayer, and her son Samuel became an advisor and friend of the mighty King David. Not only that, but God used Samuel as the one to anoint David when he was just a young teenager, forgotten and ignored by his family (not exactly what we would consider king material).

You might be hoping for a new pair of sneakers under your tree this Christmas. Or maybe you’re hurting because you thought you were doing everything you were supposed to, but nothing is happening in the way you hoped. If that is your current situation, it is so unbelievably hard - I don’t want to downplay that. This world can be so cruel. But please know that when your hope is in God and what He can do through a heart that desperately wants to serve Him, things will eventually work out. It may not be easy, but it will be greater than we could ever imagine. Hannah’s hope that God would answer her prayers gave her a son. She didn’t get to raise Samuel, which must have been heart-wrenching at times, but he went on to lead Israel in their faith and usher in one of the best kings Israel would ever know. 

Hoping in God’s plan isn’t guaranteed to be easy, but it is absolutely worth it.

PASSAGES TO READ: 1 Samuel 1:1-20

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• What are you hoping for this Christmas season?

• Has there been a time when something didn’t turn out as you hoped it would? Looking back at that situation now, are you thankful or disappointed?

• How can you find hope in disappointment or unwanted situations?

PRAYER IDEA: “God, Your plans are so much greater than mine. Thank You for giving me something better than my own abilities to hope in. When my hope is in You and Your abilities, I know that You will cause amazing things to happen, even when I don’t understand what You are doing. Help me trust in Your plans more than my own. Amen.”

Advent Devotional: Day 3

THE SET UP: At a recent funeral I heard a great story about the man who had passed away. One day he picked his niece and nephew up and took them to a toy store. He told them he wanted to get some toys for the kids who lived next door to him and wanted his niece and nephew to help him pick out the toys since they would know what kids would like. So, they walked through the store with their uncle, filling up a shopping cart with their favorites. They left the store and headed home.

As they hopped out of the car and headed for the house, they were surprised to see their uncle following behind them, carrying the bags with all the toys they had picked out. With a big grin, he told them that the toys were for them, and he hoped they really liked what they had picked out. They were surrounded by gifts the whole time and had no idea.

In today’s passage, two men who had pinned all their hopes on Jesus have a long talk with him on a road trip, not realizing who they were talking to. Sometimes hope is right in front of us and we just can’t see it. 

PASSAGE TO READ: Luke 24:13-35

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• Have you ever missed out on an opportunity that was right in front of you? What happened?

• Advent is the anticipation of Jesus’ coming, and Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ birth. Why do you think we sometimes lose the significance of Jesus’ birth?

• How can you “recognize” the hope of Christ’s birth this Christmas?

PRAYER IDEA: “Jesus, I don’t want to miss out on the hope that you bring this Christmas. Help me to see and hear through the noise and business of the holiday season to really experience your hope this year. Amen.”

Advent Devotional: Day 2

SET UP: When we think of someone’s lineage or when we share stories about our ancestors, we tend to share our ties to people who did amazing things. On my dad’s side, one of my ancestors is Daniel Boone. On my mom’s side, grandmother was a descendent of the Hohenzollerns, a royal family from Germany.

It was prophesied that Jesus would come from the line of King David. It would make sense that the Almighty Savior of the World would be descended from one of the most powerful kings in Israel’s history. But God often uses unexpected people to bring His plans to fruition.

In Jesus’ day, women typically weren’t included in the genealogy list. It was more important who your male ancestors were; however, in Jesus’ genealogy, God saw it fit to include five women - Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, the wife of Uriah, and Mary (Matthew 1:1-16).

The stories of these women are some of my favorite accounts told in Scripture. Not only does God highlight the faith of women in a time where their stories were rarely told, but He shares the stories of women who were looked down on by society.

Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and slept with her father-in-law as a weird version of revenge.

Rahab was a prostitute who hid Israelite spies and later joined the Hebrews.

Ruth was from a pagan culture looked down upon by the Israelites.

The wife of Uriah is never explicitly named, but her husband was killed by King David in order to cover up his affair with her.

Mary became pregnant out of wedlock while engaged to her future husband.

Sadly, if we met these women today, many of us would write them off as helpless cases. But God not only chose to change their lives around, He also used them to bring His Son into our world. They hoped in something bigger than themselves, and they are now recorded in God’s Word.

Maybe your heritage isn’t that fantastic. Maybe your family is the epitome of dysfunction. But God can use anyone as long as their hope is in Him and His promises. 

PASSAGE TO READ: Matthew 1:1-16

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

1. How does your family or your background impact your faith?

2. Does your hope affect how you interact with your family? How?

PRAYER IDEA: “God, thank you for using people who don’t seem that special in society’s eyes. Thank you for wanting to use us in Your work, even though it’d most definitely be easier to do it on Your own. I know Your plan for me is greater than my background and my heritage. No matter what my history is, I can hope in Your promise to use my life in a way greater than I could ever imagine. Amen.”

Advent Devotional: Day 1

THE SET UP: Have you ever worked the overnight shift? In college, I worked as a security guard to help pay my way through school. It was an interesting job – unless you were working the overnight shift. Then it became a game of survival as I tried to stay awake and semi-alert until my shift was over. Many nights I was sure I wasn’t going to make it and every flat surface I saw was a potential bed, and then the first rays of sunlight would appear as the sun came up. That light gave me hope.

Those first rays of light let me know the night was over, and pretty soon I would be punching out and grabbing some sleep.

In the Old Testament, one writer compares waiting for God to a night watchman waiting for the sun to come up (Psalm 130:6). When you have been stuck in darkness for a while, any little glimpse of light gives you hope. Hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah wrote, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned,” as he prophesied the birth of the Messiah. In the Gospel of Matthew, we read that Jesus was the fulfillment of that prophecy. As we consider the Advent theme of hope, we can give thanks that Jesus came as a light in the darkness, bringing us hope.

PASSAGES TO READ: Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew 4:12-17

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• What’s the darkest place you have ever been? A closet? A cave? A power outage?

• “A light in the darkness” seems like a good definition of hope. How would you define hope?

• As Christmas approaches, what is one way that Christ has brought hope to your life?

PRAYER IDEA: “God, thanks for sending Jesus into this world to be a light in the darkness. Thank you for caring enough about me to bring me hope through Christ. As Christmas approaches, help me to remember the light and to reflect the light to those around me. Amen.”

What's the Point of Galatians?

Buyer’s Remorse

Back in 1985, as I was mullet-ing my way through high school, hip hop stars RUN DMC released their King of Rock album, which included the song, “It’s Not Funny.” It opens upl ike this:

It’s not funny when you buy a TV off the street
You take it home, plug it in, BAM, you got beat
It’s not funny when you buy a house with all you got
And the day you go to see it it’s a vacant lot
It’s not funny! It’s not funny!

Maybe you’ve never been burned by a guy selling electronics out of his trunk, or an unscrupulous real estate agent selling you an empty lot to live in, but we have all had the experience of thinking that we had paid for one thing but received something else. For me, it was buying an autographed picture of legendary Bears linebacker Dick Butkus (yes, that’s his real name) and failing to see the fine print about it being a “copy” of his autograph on the photo. Live and learn. Buyer’s remorse is a real thing and it stinks.

That must have been how the first Christians in Galatia felt. The Apostle Paul showed up and told them about someone named Jesus who could change their lives if they would simply put their faith in him and His resurrection, no strings attached. However, soon after Paul left town, other Christians who were Jewish and still figuring out this new “Christianity” thing, showed up and told them the totally opposite. If they really wanted to be in a right relationship with God, they needed to follow Jewish practices. Those practices included observing the Sabbath rules, eating a kosher diet, and, for the guys, getting circumcised (that had to be a tough sell). This all caused the Galatian Christians to doubt the simple message Paul had given them, and they started down a different path of trying to work hard enough and be good enough to please God.

This is the whole reason Paul wrote a letter to the Galatians, which is now known as the book of Galatians in our Bibles. Paul wrote this letter to remind them of how they had received Jesus by simple faith but now they were trading that relationship for a rule book that no one could live up to. They wanted to live the Jesus + something life, and Paul told them that Jesus + nothing = everything.

A Little Background on Galatians and Paul

Many of the books that we have in the New Testament are letters. They were written by people like Paul, St. Peter, St. James, and others to churches or groups of Christians to tell them how to follow Jesus, to teach them solid doctrine, to encourage them, and to deal with problems or issues churches may be having. Galatians is one of those letters.

So, what is a Galatian?

Galatia was a territory or province in what is now modern-day Turkey. So the Galatians were not people in one particular city or town, they were people who lived in the territory of Galatia. They were mostly Gentiles (non-Jewish), although there most likely were some Jews among them.

On one of his missionary journeys, Paul traveled through Galatia and after hearing his message, there were groups of Christians in the towns and villages of Galatia. That was the audience Paul was writing to.

Speaking of Paul, who was he? Paul was a classically trained Jewish Pharisee (religious leader). He went by the name Saul (the Hebrew version of his name) and did not agree with Christianity. Okay - he didn’t just “not agree with Christianity,” he violently opposed it. He was responsible for Christians arrested, imprisoned, beaten, tortured, and in some cases, put to death. Then one day, as he was on the road to Damascus, Syria to persecute more Christians, Jesus revealed himself to Saul in a powerful way and Saul went from trying to destroy the church to becoming on of its most powerful voice in the Gentile (non-Jewish) world. Note: You can read his story in the book of Acts, chapters eight and nine.

So, back to Galatians: Paul went through Galatia, and people there received his message with joy. But after he was gone, other teachers showed up and started to load them down with rules and religion by telling them that in addition to trusting Jesus, they had to live like Jews. That’s what caused the problem and why Paul wrote the letter.

Choosing a Path

Paul was shocked that the Galatians would trade in their freedom in Christ for a religious system that they would never be able to live up to. Look at what Paul writes:

Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” – Galatians 2:16

Paul wrote the letter to tell the Galatians that there were two paths they could pursue: they could choose the path of freedom by trusting Jesus to make them right with God (justify them), or they could choose the path of religion — trusting themselves to live up to a code (the Jewish law), hoping that they could do enough of the right things to be justified to God. Paul’s input was that as a super religious Jewish person, he had tried the religious, self-justification path for most of his life, but could never be good enough. He always fell short. But, now he was trusting in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection to make him right with God, and he felt, for the first time in his life, free.

That was Then, This is Now

You might be thinking, “Yeah, but no one is trying to talk me into following the Jewish religious law or telling me I have to eat kosher.” While the particulars might be different, the principles of legalism still exist today. There are still people telling us that we need Jesus + something else. It might be Jesus + water baptism, Jesus + a certain version of the Bible or a certain denomination of church, or Jesus + anything else. For some people, if you don’t vote a certain way or follow a certain political party, you are on the fence with God. Usually, whatever they are into or already doing is the “secret sauce.”

That’s why we are looking into the book of Galatians at Journey Church this fall. It is easy for people who are not followers of Jesus or people who pursue God through another religion to feel that they need to rack up enough good deeds in their lives to outweigh the bad, but they’re never sure the scales are tipped in their favor.

One thing that all religions have in common is the need for you to do something or a lot of things to build that bridge to God. It’s up to you to do the work if you want to feel close to God. Even people who are Christians, those who have put their faith in Christ to make them right with God, feel the pull of earning it, of trying to do things to try and make God happy with them.

Here’s the really good news – the Bible says that God already loves us and likes us and wants us to know Him. That’s the unique message of Christianity. While other religions say you have to pursue God and build a bridge of good works to get to Him, Christianity alone says that God pursues us, and built that bridge through Jesus and His death and resurrection.

So I invite you to hang out with us on Sundays in October and November as we explore Paul’s letter to the Galatians and use it to experience the joy of a relationship with God instead of the dread of religion.

Made For Community

IT REALLY IS A SMALL WORLD

Have you ever played the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game? It’s based on the theory that every actor in Hollywood can be traced back to Kevin Bacon in six movies or less (if you want to give it a shot, go here).

I have no idea how tracing the connections of Kevin Bacon ever came up, but it is loosely based on the “six-degrees of separation” hypothesis that showed up way back in 1929. Six degrees of separation is the belief that you or I am only six relationships away from anyone in the world — you know someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, who knows anyone in the world. For decades this theory was held up as evidence that Walt Disney was right — it really is a small world after all.

As you might guess, the internet, social media, and smartphones in every pocket have drastically reduced the separation in our world. The world is smaller than ever. Research projects of Twitter and Facebook users have shown that the degrees of separation for most people have shrunk to 3.57 degrees. You are less than four people from anyone in the world. If social media platforms continue their growth, it is possible that in the near future, you will be only 1-2 degrees (relationships) from anyone in the world (insert mind-blown emoji here). 

WE’RE CONNECTED – BUT ALONE

While technology has helped us to be more connected than ever before, it has not led to a greater sense of community or relationship. We know what everyone else is doing (or at least what they want to share) but we don’t know them. And they don’t know us. 

According to a 2018 Nielsen report, “American adults spend over 11 hours per day listening to, watching, reading or generally interacting with media.” That’s nearly half of each day spent online. Despite all the advances to online communication — emojis, stickers, gifs, bitmojis — contact via technology still falls short and fails to deliver that personal interaction we as humans seem to require.

Recently, 20,000 people participated in a nationwide survey published by Cigna, a global health service company, and the results show that Americans are lonelier than ever, with almost 50% of participants feeling, “left out or lonely.” We are part of a connected society that lacks real connection. That’s why a study from Oxford University states that for every 150 Facebook friends you have, only 4 would show up at a time when you needed a real friend.

CREATED FOR COMMUNITY

When you read the Bible, you find that we were created for community. Scripture tells us that God Himself exists in a relationship (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). At the very beginning of the Bible, in the book of Genesis, God says, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). The Old Testament also tells us that God puts the lonely into families (Psalm 68:6), and the first Christians in history were known for their sense of community and being there for each other. Check this out:

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” – Acts 2:42-47

From its inception, the church was meant to exist in community. The phrase “one another” appears over and over in the New Testament, reminding us that following Jesus is not a solo act and that we go father when we go together.

At a time in history when people are more connected, yet also more lonely, than ever before, the church be a light by re-claiming and demonstrating true community. 

The author of Hebrews offers this encouragement to the early church (and to us):

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. – Hebrews 10:23-25

This passage, especially the part about, “not neglecting to meet together,” has often been used to encourage people to show up at church on Sundays. There is some validity to that, but I think the author intends more. It is about real relationships. Face to face, life on life, community. It’s about knowing others and being known. And you can’t get there online. You get there in real life.

BETTER TOGETHER

This fall, we are re-launching our groups at Journey. The purpose of our groups is not to add to your calendar or try to get you to show up for another church thing. Groups are for connection. For relationship. For knowing and being known. Whether your group gathers to study the Bible, share a common area of interest or activity, serves together, or participates in a class, the overriding goal of our groups is true community and connection. 

On Sundays in September, we are talking about how community makes us better and what true community looks like. We will also be kicking off our groups. I hope you will join us on Sundays and that you will find your way to a group to experience the connection that you are looking for.

When A Loved One Has A Mental Illness

In 2016, I was diagnosed with chronic depression.

Almost everyone I have shared that with has responded with confusion or shock, which I totally understand. Overall, I’m a pretty happy-go-lucky person, and my life is honestly going pretty well. I have a job I absolutely love. I have a solid friend group and good relationships with my parents and my sisters. I don’t have anything to complain about, really.

But sometimes my brain decides that none of that is true. 

While I know and trust that God is powerful enough to take away my depression at any time, I also accept living with a mental illness is my reality right now. Instead of miraculous healing, He’s blessed me when an amazing doctor who helped me find the right medication and dosage and the best therapist I could ask for. He’s also used my experiences to teach me how to ask for help and to share hope with those around me. I can’t explain how amazing it is when I tell someone that I take medication or see a therapist. It’s almost like you can see the weight fall off their shoulders when they say, “Wait? You too?”

Statistics At A Glance

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and while I feel like most of us are aware of mental health and the impact it has on our daily lives, I think we lose sight of how much mental illnesses affect the lives of those around us--and often, we might not be aware of the silent battles our loved ones are facing.

In 2019, 20.6% of adults experienced a mental illness (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness). In light of COVID and the social/political unrest, this number has only increased throughout 2020 and 2021. Anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses that American’s face. This includes illnesses such as General Anxiety Disorder, PTSD, OCD, and social anxiety.

Like anxiety, there are different types of depression. As a whole, depression makes up the majority of mental health illnesses in the United States. In 2017, 7.1% of US adults reported having a Major Depressive Disorder (https://www.dbsalliance.org/education/depression/statistics). Like other mental illnesses, the effects of depression reach far more than just the person diagnosed. Depression is the leading cause of disability in the workforce and the cause of two-thirds of reported suicides. Our news headlines, especially in our current climate, tend to focus on homicides and other acts of violence, but for every two homicides, three suicides occur.

I share this information to show the likelihood that you know someone who struggles with a mental health concern. Thankfully, talking about mental health is less of a faux pas than it once was, but it’s still not something that most people will broadcast. If someone has shared their struggle with mental illness with you, know that doing so is an extreme act of trust and vulnerability. While that should be seen as an honor and privilege, it often causes uncertainty and raises the question, “But how do I help?”

Supporting Those Who Struggle

When it comes to supporting someone who struggles with mental illness, many people are worried about saying or doing the right thing. The truth is, it’s hard to know the exact right things because each person is different and is fighting a battle unique to them. Mental illness is not one-size-fits-all. What is more important is choosing to have a ton of patience and love regardless of whether you actually understand what they are going through or not. 

Because each person and situation is unique, I can’t give an accurate checklist of things to do or say. Instead, I am going to focus on two ideas: words and actions.

Words

What we say matters, regardless of the context. If you hear something often enough, you’re going to believe it. In regards to mental health, if someone hears you complaining that they’re being dramatic or acting crazy, they could start to believe that. If you make jokes about mental health, you will instantly become an unsafe person to talk to about those concerns. In my experience, it was overhearing friends saying things like, “Why don’t you listen to some emo music and cut yourself?” or “I would kill myself if…” These weren’t directed at me and were said as a joke, but when those thoughts are already running around in your head, hearing people use them jokes makes it seem like your battle isn’t an actual concern. It’s just a punch line.

The Bible tells us that our words have the power to give life or cause death (Proverbs 18:21). Every time you speak (or leave a comment on social media), you have the ability to build someone up or tear them down. This is a huge responsibility, but also a great privilege When you share encouraging, loving words with a loved one who is struggling, you lend them some of your strength to fight their hidden battles. Believe me, fighting your own head can be exhausting. When I have hard days, it’s extremely difficult to remind myself of things I know are true, and I need the help of my support system to speak those truths to me when I can’t do it on my own. It’s helpful to have a friend who will give you some positive ammunition to fight off the negative thoughts.

The bottom line is that you don’t have to know exactly what to say, just reaffirm what you know is true:

You are loved.
You are valuable.
You have a purpose.

Actions

We have all heard the phrase, “actions speak louder than words.” Personally, this is true for me when I’m struggling with my depression. 

For most of us who struggle with mental health concerns, explaining how we’re feeling or why we’re feeling that way is difficult. Plus, trying to find words can be too much to handle at certain times. On my bad days, I’m so exhausted from going to war against myself, that even thinking about talking about what’s going on mentally is unbearable. I just don’t have the emotional or mental capacity to try to explain it.

Hot tip: Just show up. It’s really that simple.

I am absolutely not a physical touch person. I am not a hugger. I am super protective of my personal space. However, on my bad days, all I really want is someone to sit close to me. I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to do anything. I just want to feel someone beside me. The tangible presence of someone sitting with me helps me bring my mind back to the present, especially when it’s spiraling out of control and running in 50,000 different directions. 

A frustrating part about my depression is that I often can’t articulate or identify what I need in the moment. I know my loved ones want to support me and help in any way they can, and it’s incredibly frustrating for me when I can’t tell them what I need. To counteract that, I set up a “safety plan” of sorts ahead of time, so I’m prepared for when those days happen. It started when one of my best friends asked me what was most helpful for me during my bad days. That conversation has turned out to be huge for both of us. She knows how she can best support me, which allows her to love me like she wants to, and it makes me feel supported without the added pressure of having to communicate what I need.

The author of Ecclesiastes tells us that a person without a companion faces endless struggles, but a person who has someone in their corner always has a partner who is able to pick them back up when they fall and keep them warm when the darkness closes in (Ecclesiastes 4:8-12). Mental illness can be extremely isolating, but it is vital that those who struggle have a support system they can rely on. Like I’ve said before, there’s not an exact, right thing to do, but showing up with patience and love is more than enough.

If you’re a “fixer” and would like to have an actual thing to do that would be helpful for a loved one who is struggling, take the time to talk to them about their mental health concerns on a good day. Ask them what you can do to help them feel supported and loved, then when they are having a bad day, do those things without them having to ask. Knowing you cared enough to listen and remember what helps them is almost more important than the action itself.

Mental health is a concern for all of us, not just the few who have been diagnosed with mental illnesses. The important thing to remember is that we are all to treat everyone with loving-kindness and be an example of God’s love. Your words and actions could be what gives someone the push they need to make it through another day.

Rock Solid

“She was the rock of our family.” 

I wrote that statement down as I met with the family of a woman who had recently passed away. As we prepared for the funeral, different family members began to share stories and examples about how their mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt had been the one who held their family together and was someone they could always count on.

Maybe you know someone like that in your family or circle of friends. They are the person you can always count on. The one who always shows up. The call you can make day or night when you need someone to give you good advice or just listen. They are reliable. Steady. Consistent. When your life seems up in the air, they are down-to-earth.

THE ROCK OF AGES

Throughout the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, many people talk about God as the Rock, or “my Rock.” In Psalm 18:2, David, the king of Israel writes:

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.”

This is one of the dozens of references to God as the “Rock”. Biblical writers explain that because God is their rock, their feet won’t slip because they are standing on solid ground. The reality is that we all plant our feet somewhere, but the question is, where are your feet planted? Is the foundation you have chosen for your life solid as a rock?

Many of us have had the experience of having something we thought was a solid foundation for our lives turn to sand and wash out from underneath us. It may have been a job or career path that would provide you all the security you would need in life, until one day, it was gone. Or maybe you relied on your health until that foundation started showing some cracks. Maybe it was a relationship – he was your rock, or she was. Then things changed and they were gone. 

We all plant our feet somewhere, so where are you standing?

WHEN ROCKS MATTER MOST

A century or so ago, a ship in a storm was dashed against the rocks in Cornwall, at the South West corner of England. A fifteen-year-old sailor swam to safety on an offshore rock. He climbed up and waited all night until he was rescued the next morning. A reporter interviewed him and commented, “You must have been shaking all night as you clung to that rock.” 

“Yes,” the young sailor replied, “I trembled all night with fear and cold.” Then he added, “But the rock never trembled once.”

That was what David meant when he called God, “my Rock.” He believed that God would always be there for him, that He would be David’s fortress, protection, and shield. When you read David’s story, he went through some stuff. Wars on the battlefield. Betrayal. Struggles with his own lusts and desires. Failure. Rejection by his own family. There were times when all he could do was try to encourage himself in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6) and write songs where he poured out his fear, his anger, and his pain. But what kept him from giving up was the hope and security he felt in God, his Rock.

Maybe that’s the same hope that Edward Mote had when he wrote the song, “The Solid Rock” in the early 1800s. Mote was a cabinet maker and lay minister who liked to write songs of worship for his church. Mote’s parents were pub owners and many of his songs used the music of popular pub tunes with new lyrics. One day, as he went to work, Mote began singing to himself:

“On Christ the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.”

From there, he composed the song which has been sung in churches for almost 200 years. 

What Mote knew when he wrote that song, and what David knew thousands of years earlier when he wrote a psalm (song) about the Rock, is that all of us need a firm foundation in our lives. All of us need a solid place to stand. All of us need a place to turn in times of uncertainty or adversity. Throughout history, individuals, groups, and governments have attempted to create those places, with pretty mixed results. But, as the Bible reminds us, God remains the same, “yesterday, today, and forever.” That is the kind of rock to build your life on.