New Year Thoughts

     A new year may find you facing new decisions, new adventures, new changes.  Queen Esther found herself in an unexpected situation when God unfolded her true destiny. As you read her story, "A Beauty Queen Turns Diplomat,"I hope you'll find encouragement in a brand new year! 

Esther, “Hadassah” in Hebrew, is a famous Queen in the pages of biblical history. Her story reflects how one ordinary person responded to God’s call. Her obedience resulted in an extraordinary rescue of her Jewish community during Ahasuerus’ reign, also identified as Xerxes I, King of Persia. Persia is the nation of Iran today. The Persian Empire at the time was the largest ever, stretching across three continents; Europe, Africa, and Asia. Estimates suggest a 50 million population, 44% of the world’s people. It’s clear that Esther, an orphan, truly lived into the Persian meaning of her name, “Star.” Esther steps on the runway of history when the King decides to hold an ancient beauty contest to replace Queen Vashti who had displeased him so much that he demoted her.  Thus, the king’s messengers searched the empire for contestants for the King’s beauty pageant.

     Imagine for a moment; Esther lives in obscurity under the protection of her uncle/cousin Mordechai who is said to have adopted her since she had no family. While the numbers are lost to antiquity, some scholars estimate the Jewish population at 20% in the Persian Empire. Esther and Mordechai were among them.
     Esther competes in the beauty contest held in Susa, one of the King’s ancient capitals. The story heats up after the King chooses Esther, the winner, a shis new Queen.  Mordechai then overhears the plot of Haman, a high official in the King’s court. Previously, Haman and Mordechai had an encounter where He refused to bow to Haman. This seemed to light a fire in Haman against the Jews as a whole. It manifested in his plan to persuade the King to issue an edict to kill them. Mordechai then talks to his well-placed niece with news of the plot, asking her to appeal to the King.
     Through Mordechai, we hear God’s words spoken in Esther 4:14-“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (NIV) This is the moment where Esther must examine her courage quotient.
     Will she be known for her beauty or for her courage? Will she remain comfortable or step out into the unknown? She decides to become a “divine diplomat.” She consulted with God Who gave her the right strategy to reveal Haman’s evil plot to the King. King Xerxes responded by sending out a decree across the empire ordering the Jewish community’s rescue.

     God uses all kinds of people and contexts for prayer and strategy matched with willing believers to serve as His vessels. He can use a beauty

queen, a mechanic, a nurse,  a businessperson, a teacher, or a construction boss. We are not royalty like Queen Esther, yet we ARE royalty adopted into God’s family through our own King of Kings, Jesus.  Let’s stay alert to God for His directions in the new year. 

     "You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage
to lose sight of the shore."  Christopher Columbus

Cliff Notes for Prayer

     The Lord’s Prayer is like Cliff Notes. Short yet eloquent. When His disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray He compressed the most recited and essential Jewish prayers from the Old Testament and downloaded them to His disciples. Remember, the ancient Jewish people before, and few decades after Rabbi Jesus’ day, only the Old Testament existed.
      “Our Father Who art in Heaven” was Jesus’ prayer focus. Old Testament patriarchs didn’t "know" Jesus, although the Old Testament highlights many spiritual encounters and promises the hope of a future Messiah. Beginning with His call to Abraham, God created a culture where His word and chosen people would become the vessels for His world-saving redemptive plan. Jesus taught in synagogues unrolling Old Testament scrolls written in Hebrew. The New Testament remained to be written.
     The Lord’s Prayer is full of the essentials. We worship & adore God for Who He is. We confess our sins, ask forgiveness and forgive others. We ask for our daily bread and make requests to God for ourselves and others. We thank Him for his lovingkindness, goodness and mercy. It’s the DNA of a Christian’s prayer life.

     The Lord’s Prayer carries richer meaning when we study its Jewish roots. Here’s an example: When Jesus taught, "Give us this day our daily bread," the disciples instantly understood that concept since God provided manna every day during the 40-year Exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land. The Exodus story was and is deeply engraved into the Jewish culture. Jesus Himself says in John 6, “I am the BREAD of LIFE.“ He assures us of His presence in our own lives.  Eucharist/Communion is a weekly reminder. Every word in scripture was penned by Jewish scribes, except for Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
     When we pray we don’t always feel an emotional dynamic. Yet, the act of praying influences our souls & daily walk. The Lord’s Prayer appears in Matthew and Luke.  But there are many types of prayers.
     List Prayers-Writing down names and situations for prayer
The Lord’s Prayer- The most popular prayer in the world
Crisis Prayers- For troubling situations.
Intercessory Prayers- Praying  for others
Prayer Walking- Through neighborhood and cities
Warfare Prayers-Asking Jesus to dismiss the enemy’s activities. 
Listening Prayer- Sitting still giving God room to speak   
Immediate Prayer- Stopping to pray in the moment itself 
Praying Scripture-Read the Psalms
Short Prayers-“Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.” 
     In closing, there are 1,100 references to prayer in the Bible in 61 of the 66 books. Here are a few:
1 John 1:9- “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Psalm 113:3- “From the rising of the sun, to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.”
Jonah 2:1- from the belly of the whale: “I called out to the Lord , out of my distress, and He answered me...”
     And here is the profound prayer Jesus uttered while hanging on the tree as the Substitute for our sins and Redeemer of our souls. Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them for they know not know what they are doing.”

Even Albert Einstein was Wrong

     In the early 1700’s when astronomers were making advances in building to study the skies, stars and planets, they operated on the theory that only six planets existed; Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Then, in 1781, the Herschels, a British brother/sister astronomer team, discovered a seventh planet, Uranus. They viewed the new planet through a telescope they built themselves. 
     The discovery vaulted them into fame since a new planet had not been discovered since ancient times. Astronomy reached deeper into the skies with telescopes built to probe the universe and into the early 20th century much remained to be found. Scientists thought only one galaxy and one milky way existed; Ours.
   

Even the brilliant Albert Einstein declared in a 1917 paper on cosmology, “The universe is finite.” Then decades later with the space launch of the Hubble Telescope in 1990, the presence of galaxies stunned the world with awe and majesty compliments of Hubble's photos. 
     Even with the touted Big Bang Theory in 1927 and the massive constellations still coming to light, God’s artistry cannot be relegated to an accident of the universe. The Universe is too exquisite. Too complex. And too vast to be an accident. I take the creation story literally. Not only the creation of animals, trees, oceans, and skies but human beings when God creates new life in the womb. Psalm 139:13 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.”  Without much science, the ancients knew where life began and that God created the earth, moon, stars, skies, fresh water and everything else.

     In my opinion, I think it takes more faith to accept the “big bang theory,” than to look at the perfection and majesty of the universe and credit it to God’s Intelligent Design, His masterpieces. Looking into starry skies while standing on a desert or sitting on the beach watching falling stars, it’s an opportunity to think about our smallness and God’s vastness. It's a good piece of introspection to remind ourselves to honor God's opinions more than ours. As scientists look outward for discoveries-which I do appreciate-we must search our own hearts and welcome the Lord’s Presence and wisdom into the very small universe of our lives. 

     Some may think that I am simplistic or naïve yet Genesis is, in my opinion, more coherent than saying the universe is 13.8 billion years old. How is that measured?
     God has repeatedly proven Himself to me with His generous love, His sovereignty, trustworthiness, and rescuing me in all kinds of crises and problems. It makes more sense to me to trust Him with His track record than to trust a scientist with information that cannot be validated.
     If the brilliant Albert Einstein was wrong, then I’ve decided it’s wiser for me to trust the Creator of the Universe.
“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” Psalm 147:4
 “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.

The Right Clothes

    The television series  Downton Abbey has transported many of us into the fascinating world of Britain’s landed gentry.   We are now  anticipating the soon-coming release of the  Downton Abbey movie.  While the characters are fictional,  the British setting has provided lessons in history and culture before, during, and after World War I.  The Crawley family has become like our family as we’ve followed their joys and sorrows. 
     The costuming has presented  a beautiful array of the era’s fashions.  We’ve indulged in seeing tweed riding outfits for a fox hunt, a fur trimmed blue velvet coat, stunning jewelry, feathered hats, men’s dinner jackets, beaded wedding gowns, and  jeweled headbands. Clothing was wrapped in strict protocols and not to be violated. For example, when a male character showed up for dinner in a white, rather than black formal bow tie, guests reactions amounted to a small scandal.     
     The elaborate Edwardian era fashions demanded  staff who helped  dress and undress  the gentry. It’s said that women in an opulent world like Downton wore as many as seven different outfits a day.  It’s astounding to think  about the time and  help it took to rotate the appropriate outfits whether going on a fox hunt, high tea, church , or a festive ball.  Fashion held a prominent place in  society and governed behavior in many ways.
     Our clothing as Christians is important too but it’s clothing of a spiritual nature.  Colossians 3:12-14 describes the kind of clothing we are to don  each morning.  “Therefore, as God’s  chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. …and of  all these virtues, put on love which binds them all together in perfect unity."
     The clothing of character, compassion, and kindness is clothing that carries far deeper meaning than outward fashions. It’s the clothing that portrays the loving  character of our Lord and our part in allowing His love to shine on others around us.

Look into the Broken Pieces

    My husband and I are vacationing for a few days at one of our favorite South Carolina beaches.  We enjoy walking, feeling the gentle breeze,  and deeply breathing in the fresh, salty air. 
      This section of beach is not a great one for finding beautiful shells though. By the time they reach the shoreline, they are battered and broken into small pieces. Then every once in a while, a whole shell, often a small one, shows up in the middle of the broken  pieces. Walking along this morning, we found many sections of broken shells.
     My husband commented, “Look into the broken pieces.  We may find something of value.“ And there, in the middle of shattered shells, he picked up a small, yet whole shell.
     It wasn’t an impressive shell, yet finding it among an entirely broken array of shells, it seemed to stand out saying, “Look. I made it.”
     And therein is a lesson. Sometimes our lives are battered and broken by waves that are too big to handle.  We wonder, “Will we make it? How will I get through this?”  It’s at those times that even the smallest rays of light or smallest word of encouragement or help, make a huge difference. The good word of a friend. A bible verse. A tiny “I love you” gift.  A telephone call or email.  A small answer to prayer that helps us hold on as we wait in hope for bigger answers.
     Here’s a verse today that will help you hold on: “For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.” Hebrews 3:14
     Now...look for the small, whole shells of encouragement amidst any broken pieces of your life. Hold on! You will make it!

Passion Governed by Wisdom

     We're all aware that we are living at a time when passions enliven conversations which can easily transition into incivility, unkindness, and downright confrontational conflict.  We all know we have passions about, for example, what the Lord places on our hearts, pursuing lifelong interests, parenting, professions, goals etc.  Yet, when encountering injustice or mistreatment, this definition of passion can come into play: "a strong and barely controllable emotion.”  
     I easily identify with this definition since it is challenging to control emotion while simultaneously believing in something I view as important. And as a parent, I have marched into situations as a "Mama Bear" where I was defending my children. Now in my seventh decade of life, I remain an activist with strong opinions. I have grown to appreciate and embrace as best I can that my passions must be governed by wisdom. Wisdom requires self-control. And I cannot access self-control unless I ask for the power of the Holy Spirit.  
     The bible gives signposts, warnings, and promises: 
• Proverbs 29:11 “Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.”  Wise people will aim toward calm while simultaneously expressing passion about what or who they value.
• Proverbs 3:13 “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.”  It’s good to be reminded that blessings come when we find wisdom.
• James 1:19-20 “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”  This verse is also instructive.  Take note especially of these words HUMAN ANGER. Human anger will lead to name calling, abusive conversation, and yes, fights, murders, and wars.  
     Another kind of anger is RIGHTEOUS ANGER. Its definition is “a reactive emotion of anger over mistreatment, insult, or malice of another.” It rests on divine or moral law where anger rises up during unjust, mean, or unworthy situations.  Our best example for righteous anger- also called indignation- is Jesus Himself.    
     This story is told in all four gospels. Matthew 21:12-13 “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” He said to them,“ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” Scripture went on to say in John 2:13-16, “And making a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And He poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And He told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade."  It was clear that Jesus was defending His Father in heaven and was angry that the house of prayer had been overtaken by buying, selling, and commerce. The Temple’s purpose had been subverted from holy into profane. Religious leaders of the day had allowed the Temple to become a place of greed rather than glorifying God.   

     Might I add that Martin Luther King and Mahatma Ghandi displayed righteous anger-in civil and gentle ways- for just causes where others had suffered mistreatment but they displayed passion governed by wisdom! I found a quote by St. Thomas Aquinas, (1225-1274) who was a venerated theologian, jurist, and Italian Dominican Friar. Here’s his viewpoint articulated in his Summa Theologiae: “He that is angry without cause, shall be in danger; but he that is angry with cause, shall not be in danger: for without anger, teaching will be useless, judgments unstable, crimes unchecked.” His conclusion was that “to be angry is therefore not always evil.” 

     In summation, “Be angry but do not sin.” Ephesians 4:26

True Feminism: The Third Choice

My article published by Concerned Women for America on

April 13, 2018 

concernedwomen.org/true-feminism-the-third-choice

     Reading articles or listening to debates about abortion, I’m always left wondering, “Why isn’t adoption front and center in the national conversation?” Adding adoption as The Third Choice to the stunted “two-choice solution”-abortion or “keeping my baby”-holds promise for many thousands of women and couples. Together, unexpectedly pregnant and childless women can forge a new outlook on adoption. 
    Can cultural prevailing winds lift up adoption, The Third Choice? In the past few decades, our culture has shifted regarding unmarried pregnant women. In my generation as a Baby Boomer in the south, young women left town under some pretense and returned some months later “having lived with an Aunt” or they “ran off and got married” at the first inkling of a pregnancy hoping no one was counting the months. For this discussion, I simply want to address our current cultural realities and offer The Third Choice to save the lives of the pre-born baby.  

The loosening of shame in our culture has created a new environment where single pregnancy is most often acceptable. What is unacceptable is overlooking and not emphasizing the adoption option for unwanted pregnancies. It is tragic that too many birth mothers have been propagandized into thinking that the baby in their womb is not a baby but only a conglomeration of irrelevant tissue. Without presenting adoption as alternative choice, pregnant women more often than not live a life of regret and guilt. 
     The emergence of ultra-sound science is proving that a pre-born human is indeed beginning life in the womb. While science is serving women with a needed reality check to pierce the propaganda, many women who chose abortion pre-Ultra Sound technology face painful regrets that haunt them for a lifetime. The pro-abortion propaganda which has seeped into our culture has also robbed infertile couples of the joy of parenting. 
     The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 7.4 million women have difficulty getting and staying pregnant. And a 2008 American Community Survey estimated that 1.6 million children are adopted. Statistics indicate that childlessness is increasing. While abortion rates are decreasing, and pro-life legislation and tax breaks are increasing, “unwanted” babies are still erased from the population rolls leaving too many couples with empty arms and less possibilities to parent.        
     Here are two suggestions. Adoption is an option that must be rehabilitated. The adoption process is impaled in a bureaucracy that is complicated and expensive. Adoption must be elevated in our culture. Part of the process includes changing the national conversation to lift up birth mothers as heroes who-instead of sacrificing the child in their womb-choose to sacrifice 9 months of their lives to fill the arms of childless couples. 
     This is the essence of TRUE FEMINISM; a birth mother making The Third Choice to fill the empty arms of an infertile woman. I am one of the childless women blessed by two brave heroes. They are called birth mothers.  #TheThirdChoice