"Yes, But Does It Have To Be So Hard?" -- Hope Chronicles 38

After reading the first 5 chapters of Lysa's book at Lelia's site, you have to believe that saying "Yes" to God is the right thing to do. God has our best interests at heart, so why is it so dang hard?

I could totally relate to Lysa's story of the catastrophes that befell her when Art hurt his knee and was laid up for weeks. The fall of 2006 I fell off a horse and broke my tailbone. (Don't laugh at people who need to sit on big, yellow, donut pillows. They totally help.) I couldn't do anything without being in pain.

Fast forward about 5 months. Aunt Amy decides to play Hide-and-Seek with Anna (age 5). I know that Anna has gone upstairs. I decided to sneak as stealthily as I could up those stairs and sneak up on where she was hiding and grab her and have her scream in glee. Let's just say, I was the one screaming and it wasn't in glee. Always use all of your foot when walking on stairs and not just tip toes. Sigh. I got to the top and slipped and tumbled all the way down to the bottom. I sprained an ankle, a knee, and fractured 2 fingers. I'm telling you, watch out for the cute 5 year-olds. They are dangerous! No. It was no one's fault....

So, I could totally relate to Art being laid up. The part that has freaked me out is that there is no one to take care of me! Art has Lysa . . . . .

Within a month, a friend had died suddenly. I did okay at the visitation and funeral. I was a wreck the week after. I couldn't go to work. I couldn't keep anything down. I lost 14lbs in 8 days. I had to go to the ER to get hydrated. Seriously.

I called two women from church. I told them exactly what I needed -- checking up on. I would call Becky at 8:30 AM and Mindy at 7:30ish PM so that someone knew I was alive! If the couldn't get me or I didn't get them -- call out the cavalry.

It was a very vulnerable feeling. I hated it. But it did teach me something about asking for what I need and God's provision. In the midst of it, my pastor and friend came and planted the prettiest purple flowers.....

I loved Lysa's point about needing to have God's purpose, His perspective, and persistence. She writes "A real sign of spiritual maturity is looking to God not for comfort and convenience but for purpose and perspective." When we do that, everyday things have more meaning. Lysa writes, "I am convinced that Satan wants to keep my perspective in a place where my heart is discouraged and my mind is questioning God." I can so relate to that. I've shared before that I struggle with depression. I think it is Satan saying "Look at this bad thing" or "Look at how awful this situation is" or (my worst fear) "Look you have to deal with it all on your own."

A wise man I was talking with tonight said, "There are 3 who know me: myself, God, and the devil. God works for my good. The devil tries to prevent Him. Whose side am I helping?"

The choices we make are so huge even in what seems like little things. Something bad may happen, but I can choose to find God in that situation. It might not be easy. It might take some looking, but God is in the middle of everything. When I am in sync with God, it often means I'm in the middle of messes too. But hopefully, I am working with Him to fix whatever situation is going on. Saying "Yes," to God is worth it, but some time I wish it didn't have to be so hard!

So, in closing, my prayer is for God to change that perspective from "But does it have to be so hard?" to "Thanks God for being here with me!

The choice I've been making this year is to focus on hope. I think the devil has tried to test that a little, but I'm still focused on it and the one who gives it. I'm working on changing my perspective long term.

Follow the Tracks -- Hope Chronicles 14

It snowed Thursday night and into Friday morning. And it snowed and snowed and snowed. (I probably shouldn't be surprised given that I live in Central Illinois, but I always hate it anyway!) I knew the forecast before I went to bed. It called for 6-10 inches, so I allotted time in the morning for shoveling and was digging my way out in the 5am darkness. Because of the dirfts it came 3/4 of the way up my calves.

I backed out of the driveway and into the alley. Since it is an alley, it is typically one of the last things on the list for the road department to plow. My wheels spun in the snow. I rocked the car backwards and forwards. At that point, there was only one set of tracks in the snow. I instinctively knew that if I wanted to get out of the alley, I needed to follow those tracks.

So, that's what I did. Even when the tracks ventured right when I would normally go left, I followed them to the right. Together we looped around the subdivision and finally spilled out onto a main street. It wasn't the way I would normally go, but I'm convinced that if I hadn't ventured out of them, I would have been completely stuck.


It seems like everything in life right now is pointing me towards hope. The tracks in the snow are no different.

Just like I needed to follow those tracks to get out of that alley, to follow them right when I would have gone left, sometimes I also need to follow the tracks of those who have gone before me.

One of my favorite Bible characters is the prophet Elijah. The story of Elijah can be found in 1Kings 17 and following. In chapter 18, God calls Elijah to a confrontation with Ahab and the prophets of Baal. It's a wonderful story. I would encourage you to read it! Here it is in brief: Elijah challenges the propehts of Baal to a contest. Whose ever god answers with fire on the altars they built, he would be god. Elijah lets Baal's prophets go first. They dance and scream and entreat Baal to answer them. As time drags on, Elijah taunts them. In verse 27-28 (NIV) it says, "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention."

Then Elijah has his turn. He digs a trench around the altar and pours water on it so it runs off the altar and into the trench. God answers in a mighty way with fire from heavent that burns up the sacrafice and even laps up all the water in the ditch! Elijah and the Israelites slay the prophets of Baal.

As is so often the case, after an emotional high, Elijah plummets emotionally. He hears that Jezebel is furious and wants to kill him. He flees. Emotionally exhausted, he sits in front of a broom tree and prays to die. God sends an angel with sustenance. Then he travels to Horeb for 40 days and comes to a cave. God calls Elijah into his presence in chapter 19. It says, "Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. "

God was not in the rock shattering wind. He was not in the eartquake. He was not in the fire. When God came, He was in the whisper! How often do I miss God because I am too busy or loud or . . . ? God is often in the whisper.

Elijah (as I probably would) immediately whines to God that he is the only one left and people are after him. Yes, the great prophet whines even after the miracles he has seen. God puts it all in perspective, He gives him a mission (go back) and lets him no that Elijah is not alone -- there are 7,000 in Israel who have not bowed to Baal. And God is sending Elijah a partner.

What tracks can we follow that God and Elijah lay down for us here?

• Rest when you need to. God provided a rest and sustenance for Elijah in the desert.



• Look for God in the whisper as well as the big things of life. Maybe find a quiet spot or quiet time when you can hear Him more clearly.



• Whining doesn't work! Keep things in perspective. How could Elijah think he was the only one when there were 7,000 of God's faithful still in Israel. He did what I often do, he looked at the surface of things rather than reality. He took his eyes off the God who had so miraculously came through and let fear get the best of him.



• Get moving. Energy breeds energy. Get back on task.

Where is the hope? God always leaves us tracks to follow. It's up to us if we will follow those who came before or get stuck in the snow.

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I did make it into work and worked for about and hour and a half before my boss called me at the office and let me know we would be closed due to the weather! So, I got to come home and do things around the house. While I was trying to take a nap, I realized that Katy had a lot of dandruff/dry skin. (It shows especially on her dark fur.) While cats do clean themselves, its recommended to give them a bath occassionally. It helps get rid of some of the extra fur and takes care of those hard to reach places. They weren't happy and left me to my own devices the rest of the day! I think they were mad I redid their meticulously done hair without permission!