Merry Christmas!!

It has been a year of new things.

Tristan and Kelly moved to a new apartment.

Jessi started a new job at a daycare.

Tracy went on his first camping trip.

We remodeled two leaky showers.

And discovered termites.

I wrote two new books (that will be coming out soon).

Kevin, Tracy, and Jessi have taken up rock climbing

(in a rock climbing gym).

And most importantly, we got a new kitten.

Twix is sweet and adorable and wild and crazy and

tenacious and cute and makes us smile.

God always knows what we need.

Stand Firm 2

"Stand Firm. Be still."

Spoken by Moses at the edge of the Red Sea to a people fleeing an enemy. Their obedience resulted in one of the greatest miracles of all time as that sea split and they escaped that enemy on dry land.

Thousands of years later, Jesus was in a similar position. The Enemy of Enemies was determined to take out the King of Kings. He had him cornered in a garden, where Jesus was praying much the same way those Israelites of long ago must have prayed. "Is there any way out?"

We don't have God's answer, but we can extrapolate from Jesus' response. I believe the Father said, "Stand Firm. Be Still."

He could say that because, just like long ago, he was doing the fighting, and he would bring the victory."

Where the Egyptian army never caught up to the Israelites before they were swept away with the collapsing sea walls, this Enemy got his hooks into Jesus.

And he thought he'd won.

But not every victory looks the same. While the Israelites' victory split the sea and led them toward the promised land, Jesus victory split the veil that had separated mankind from the Father since the first promised land was called Eden.

But let's not rush past this. Standing firm was painful. It was bloody and awful, and Jesus didn't have to take it for a second. He stood still and let them whip him. He let them smash a crown of thorns on his head. He let them beat him and spit on him and pull out his beard. He let them drive nails with painful blow after painful blow through his hands and feet... How could he do it? How could he be still through all of that when he could have stopped it at any time?

Hebrews 12:2 says he did it "for the joy set before him."

And that joy is you.

Nehemiah 8:10 says "The joy of the Lord is your strength." Did you ever consider that the joy of a people redeemed was Jesus' strength in his greatest hour of need?

Jesus endured because he looked through that veil with the eyes of faith and saw you. He fixed his eyes on you in that dark garden, so that you would be able to fix your eyes on him in your long, dark night of the soul.

His eyes locked with yours. That's how standing firm begins.

Stand Firm

Are you feeling pursued? Is there an angry dog snapping at your heels? Is there something you can't outrun threatening to take you down?
Maybe it's depression and anxiety. Maybe it's a lousy job with a horrible boss you're stuck with at the moment. Maybe it's a loveless marriage. Or maybe it's a terminal illness.
There was once a people pursued by an army. They'd fled for days down a valley road between rough hills that would vie for the name "Badlands." And at the end of the road was a large body of water. If it weren't for that pesky army that wanted to kill them, it would have been a nice place to rest. The only place left to go was along the water's edge, and although they were exhausted, they would have taken to the beaches had their leader not told them something that was two steps beyond ridiculous: "Do not be afraid. Stand firm."
Huh? What? Did Moses just say what I thought he said? No, Moses there are only two responses that make sense in this situation: fight or flight. There is no "stand," firm or otherwise. Standing, when someone wants to kill you, leads to death. And since we have no weapons, well, we'll be seeing you. B' bye.
But Moses didn't stop with a command, he made some big promises: "Stand firm, and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you: you need only to be still."
Can you imagine the faith it took to actually "be still" in that moment? Yes, it took faith. And a whole lot of it. FAITH in the one who promises deliverance. FAITH in the one who promises the destruction of the enemy. FAITH in the one who says that he'll do the fighting.
So what will you need when the enemy is nipping at your butt?
Those plagues back in Egypt weren't just judgment on Egypt, they were also a show of power to a people who had completely forgotten that God is powerful. They showed His favor to a people who had forgotten that they were favored. They were proof of his word that never fails and his provision that is abundant and his protection when the storm is raging all around. It was "Who I AM 101." And you'll need the same thing--a steady diet of who He is.
And I love it that God was still showing them who He was when the angel of God and the cloud pillar moved from in front of them to behind them. He placed himself between them and the enemy.
And whether you can see it or not, he's done that for you.
"Still" is the new "fight." "Rest" is the new "battle." The new wine for the new wineskins is praise.
"I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and the rider he has hurled into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him."
It's hard to worship when you're running. It's nearly impossible to praise Him when you're swinging a sword. Stand firm and sing.
He's got your back.

For Such a Time as This

Do you ever think about your destiny? Do you ever wonder why God has you where you are in this time and place?

A few years back, we were all singing about "Refiners Fire," but now that a bit of "fire" is actually here, so many Christians are running scared. Now is the time to ask the hard questions. Do we believe what we say we do? Do we trust God or not? Do we trust Him when he says "Fear not"? Do we really believe He is our strong tower? Was Jesus a fool to tell us to pray for our enemies? Was God joking when he said over and over to take care of the aliens among you? Was Paul a lunatic when he said the most important thing we could do is love? Was Peter just gassing us when he said to "count it all joy when you suffer trials of various kinds"? Was James just plain wrong when he said our actions showed our faith more than words? Is the definition of true religion to take care of widows and orphans, or isn't it?

If you haven't cut all these things out of your Bible, then listen up!

Jesus said to give anyone who asks the shirts off our backs, to walk longer with them in their need than we want to, and pick up our crosses and follow Him. Follow Him straight to the grave where your self will die. If you think that you don't need or want any refugees here--you have not died to self. God is sending them to you! How dare you even consider turning them away. You are here, now, to be the word of truth, the light of the Kingdom, the salt of the Earth, the balm for a broken people. "What would Jesus do?" is still a valid question. Would Jesus turn anyone away? If you would, then here is the biggest question of all: Are you really a Christian?

Merry Christmas!!

Well, it's been quite a year! One that started off pretty bad and continues to be a roller coaster ride of incredible highs and deep in the mud lows. All the lows were when Tracy was sick enough to be in the hospital--that would be last Dec., April, July, and Oct. He didn't actually go into the hospital in Dec., but he had a picc line with the kinds of drugs they would use if he had been hospitalized. They had to pull it early because of a clot, and Tracy spent the next three month on a blood thinner on top of everything else.

He spent 2 1/2 months on our sofa because he had gotten so low by the end of Jan, we needed to keep a closer eye on him, and I was determined to get the 20 lbs back on him that he had lost. I didn't. He continued to worsen until he was hospitalized in April, spending three weeks at the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver.

A low for Kevin was the end of his contract with Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment, and being thrust back into the job market. A high for Kevin was the publishing of his first novel.

A high for me was publishing my 4th romance novel.

A high for Tristan was his new girlfriend, Kelly.

A high for me was a bit of stage acting, playing the part of Rahab in a church production.

Another high was my high school reunion in May.

And a high for Tracy was proposing to his girlfriend of a year, Jessi.

Another low hit in July when Tracy went back into the hospital. It is beginning to feel like a revolving door, as the effect of the antibiotics only seems to last a few weeks. He did, however, gain back at least ten lbs this time.

With Tracy and Jessi's wedding planned for the end of Oct., we began shopping, sewing, etc. in earnest! We had a Roaring 20's bridal shower in Sept.

The same day as the bridal shower, there was another engagement announcement: Tristan and Kelly will be tying the knot in the spring!

Then the worst happened--Tracy went back into the hospital a week before the wedding. We didn't have a plan B. The wedding had to happen on Oct. 25th, or Jessi would lose the money for the building rental. We prayed and went on with the plans. And God was gracious. Tracy was released the day before, and again, would have a picc line for awhile.

After nine months of unemployment and sucking our 401k nearly dry, Kevin got a job with United Healthcare. Hurray!

In early Dec.,I did a bit of painting, and published another book. (I did the artwork for both of the Rocky Mountain books with Tristan doing the title and layout magic)

There were other highs as well... I went up Pikes Peak twice this year! You can't get much higher than that around here! And the gals I hiked with 3 days a week all summer were a huge blessing! Tristan has been designing fabric through Spoonflower and making designer scarves when he's not working for Print City or an inventory company. And of course, Kevin, Tristan, and Tracy are still making people laugh with their QuipTracks (www.quiptracks.com)

Tracy had a wonderful month of health and gaining weight before the lung infections began their dirty work again. If he can stay off of antibiotics until Jan. 5, he may qualify for a trial drug that targets one of his mutations. We are hopeful.

And here we are ready to celebrate Christmas 2014. There's no doubt it's been a tougher year than most, but God is faithful, and I'm looking forward to a victorious 2015. Because that's what Christmas is all about--a light to scatter darkness, a name to bend knees, a hope for all eternity. Jesus.

Be Brave

I wear a bracelet that says "Be Brave." I wear this bracelet because I'm not brave. I'd have no need of the reminder if I were. Sometimes I'm so not brave that I'm nothing but a quivering mess on the floor, crying my heart out. My son has had CF his whole life--nearly 23 years, and while there have been times that I've been a bit frightened for him, and I've hurt for him and the various painful maladies and procedures he has had to go through, I've never really felt the possibility of losing him until last fall when he was suddenly fighting several kinds of bacteria in his lungs and losing twenty pounds off of his already slim body.

That's when bravery was required. And that's when I realized how far short I fell.

I know a few of you are thinking, "Well, that girl just needs some faith. Does she believe what she says she believes or doesn't she?" I know you're thinking this, because I've thought it. I've even said it behind the back of someone afraid of dying.

And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. And I forgive you if you've thought it about me, because you just don't know. And I pray you never find out.

Having been accused lately of being "sanctimonious," I've given this word some thought. The dictionary defines the word as "affecting piousness; hypocritically devout." And while I was initially offended, I have to wonder, do I believe what I say I believe, and do I believe it enough to say it out loud... to anyone and everyone. I go to a church that believes in the finished work of Jesus on the cross for the redemption of the whole man--body, soul, and spirit. It's a church that believes in ALL God's promises without sweeping the inconvenient or outrageous ones under the rug. It's a church that believes that God not only heals, but that he wants to heal EVERY ONE EVERY TIME. Sanctification through illness is not one of God's methods.

So here I am being real--being brave. I'm putting my faith where my mouth is.

I believed that I received this word from the Lord: "I will not abandon Tracy to the grave. He will live; he will not die. I will heal him, and his testimony will shine like the sun."

Every time I ask him "what can I do" in regards to my son's health, I hear, "Just praise me."

Why? Because, somehow, in a spiritual war that we can't see, that is our greatest weapon.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. Acts 16:25-26

So, I'm going to ask you to join me. Take a few minutes to fight this battle with me each day. I don't even care if you're a believer. Just sing. Then share this post. I'm putting my name and my faith out there. Be brave with me.

And it doesn't need to be all about me and my son. God's big enough to take care of your needs for healing, deliverance, provision, addiction, depression, anxiety, etc., at the same time.

Sing with me, and the chains will fall.

Spiritual Slavery to Spiritual Sonship

Jack Frost's book Spiritual Slavery to Spiritual Sonship should be required reading for every Christian. Frost, who was a fisherman and a sea captain before going to Bible school, uses his experiences on the sea to flesh out spiritual truths about living like an orphan or living like a son. He stresses that only a son receives an inheritance. An orphan receives nothing. His clear definitions and list of behaviors help us identify areas where we may be operating at less than our true position in God's family. We can be a son and live as if we are orphans. Frost

lays his own life open to scrutiny as he tells the story of how, even in ministry, he was living like an orphan for many years. He stresses that an "orphan spirit" can be part of the make-up of new Christians or those who have spent their entire lives in the Church. It's what keeps us from walking in spiritual maturity, and keeps us enslaved to our own mission instead of God's. Orphan thinking--not fully understanding and accepting God's love for us--keeps us from receiving the blessings he has for us. It can infiltrate every aspect of our relationships or just certain areas of weakness. This is an excellent book for finding and identifying those weaknesses so that change is possible. His eight steps take you from an orphan to a Son to live the life you were meant to live. I highly recommend this book. As the subtitle says, "your destiny awaits you."