Uncategorized Archives - Catherine Nelson

May 24
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It’s the First day of summer

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It’s the first day of summer.

It’s a fresh new beginning.

A time to relax and reflect on the ending         time

Of hard work,

And a completed job well done,

But it feels wrong to celebrate

When the race hasn’t been won.

I feel like I’m still running,

But there’s no real race pace.

How can I rest or re-start

When I don’t know my place?

How can Summer begin

When spring didn’t seem to happen?

I’m missing the sound

the crowd swells lead cheers in.

I’ve been told to go out;

It’s probably safe.

The world needs me to activate.

They’ve opened the gates.

But I’ve practiced isolation, deprivation and restraining,

How do I break down these walls I’ve been diligently erecting?

It’s the first day of summer.

I want it to be.

Every year before, I’ve known I was free

Of the routine I signed up for

Where I strived to achieve

I worked and I toiled;

I was ready for reprieve.

Repreive came too early.

I’m not sure what to do.

Does this weird spring carry on

And add more down time too?

On the first day of summer we always grilled out

We shopped for new swim stuff

And threw alarms out…..

But they’ve been off for a while

Except for the ones in my head.

Is it safe to go out?

Are we still counting the dead?

It’s the first day of summer

Will this lead into fall?

Can I pick up the pace

Or does that endanger us all?

I feel so unsteady,

But who CAN understand?

The people with strong opinions make such strong demands.

The decisions I’ve made are the best I know to do,

And still they wound some and validate other peoples truth.

It’s the first day of summer,

But no toes in the sand

My sand is still shifting.

There’s much I don’t understand.

The one thing I do know and will doggedly cling to

IS

My God is my Father and He’s asked me to lean into

The truth that He’s with me.

He’s not a little surprised.

The sand that is shifting has not escaped His eyes.

He made summer.

He knows it’s the first day.

This day is a blink in His timeline-

He will never sway

From His promise to be faithful.

He will stick to the end.

In the thick of my confusion,

He still calls me “friend”.

It’s the first day of summer-

No toes in the sand

The sand that I’m missing

Was made by the hand

Of the God of all creation

And His thoughts toward me

Outnumber the grains of every sand by the sea

His Power continues

As waves crash on that sand

And that will always be true

On every wet and dry land

On the first day of summer.

 

“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.” Psalm 139:17-18

 

“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”

Proverbs 30:5

 

 

May 20
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“Are you Hugging Yet?”

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Yesterday, I saw a sweet group of people for the first time in months. Every one of them greeted each other with a hug, and as one approached me with arms out, she watched me bristle and then asked me, “are you hugging yet?”.  I’m not. I hope to be soon. I really miss hugs.

As all of us have discovered over the last few months, there is no substitute for the Real Thing. Virtual college. Drive through graduations, zoom meetings, church in our living rooms, zoom prayer groups, the beach with no beach access, and relationships without any physical touch leave us longing. We keep asking the questions, “How long will it last?’ and “When will everything be normal again?”.

Of course, no one really knows if or when life will look like it did back in 2019, but no matter what our post-covid world looks like, we must not settle for that comfort.

Let me be clear and vulnerably transparent: I love comfort. I seek it out in food and nice bedding and pretty things. I am not a risk taker…. at all, but I am concerned and convicted that my longing for comfort and normalcy has blinded me to what I should be longing for.

The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church in Philippi warning and encouraging them to set their minds on eternal things and to not get deluded by the pleasures of this world.

“But one thing I do know: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.     All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.  Nevertheless, we must live up to what we have already attained. Join one another in following my example, brothers….  For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.    But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.”             Philippians 3:13-21 abbr.

By God’s amazing grace, those of us who love Jesus Christ are not bound for destruction, but as His beloved daughter, the last thing I want to do is be an enemy of the cross of Christ. My goal, every day, must be for His Glory, and not for comfort. I must rejoice in the sufferings that conform me to our beautiful Jesus. This is not just a calling; it is a privilege! I look forward to enjoying a full belly after dining out again and I will be very thankful for the return of some earthly pleasures, but Oh! Please save me from letting that be enough. Precious friends, please long for better things with me. May our aching be for God’s glory and his Kingdom and not the reclimation of our own earhly kingdoms.

I love you and CANNOT wait to Hug you!

 

 

Mar 16
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THE GENEALOGY OF A ROOT OF BITTERNESS GENESIS 36

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an article by www.cloversites.com

 

E. Stanley Jones said of resentment: “One of the most virulent germs which can attack the human mind is resentment and it is all the more dangerous because if often does its deadly work without being isolated and being recognized for what it is. It is one of themost evil things in the world.” Another name for such resentment is bitterness.

Esau is a constant reminder to the student of Holy Scriptures of the power of bitterness. We come to the chapter that has the genealogy of Esau. Twice in this chapter he isreferred to as, “The father of the Edomites.” This tribe of Edomites was a constant thornin the side of Israel throughout their history. You will not understand their constant antagonism to Israel unless you remember that they were descendents of Esau. The genealogy of bitterness can be traced through the attitudes and actions of these Edomites against the descendents of Jacob. The Edomites are the heritage of Esau – his major contribution to the world.

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It is worth remembering that this bitterness toward Israel worked its way down through history until it finally expressed itself in enmity against the son of Jacob – the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not often remembered that Herod who was such a threat to the life and ministry of Jesus was an Edomite. He could trace his genealogy back to Esau, the son of Isaac. The genealogy of bitterness should remind each of us that it should be avoided at all cost. Any one who allows bitterness to remain in their heart is setting himself up to leave a heritage of evil. The writer of Hebrews used Esau as an example to warn us aboutthe “root of bitterness”: “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy;without holiness no one shall see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause troubles and to defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessingwith tears.” (Hebrews 12:14-17) Let’s look at the life of Esau as recorded in Genesis and see what we can learn about the genealogy of bitterness.

I. THE BEGINNING OF BITTERNESS.

The experience of Esau is a reminder to us that bitterness usually begins over a small matter. It will grow out of what is perceived as a wrong or an injustice. The person who is the object of the injustice will harbor within himself resentment and bitterness toward the person who did the injustice. Unless it is dealt with it becomes a root of bitterness within and in time will affect the whole of the life.

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In the case of Esau it could be traced back to the day when in great hunger he came to his brother, Jacob, to find something to eat. Jacob was preparing some vegetable stew and Esau wanted a bowl of it. Instead of responding to the need of his brother with generosity, Jacob demanded of him his birthright for a bowl of soup. Being the kind of person he was Esau was quick to sell his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of soup. The selling of the birthright indicated that Esau lacked the spiritual perception that one needs in life. He was willing to treat something that was supposed to be very sacred as though it was a trivial matter. But the thing that Esau would remember through the years was the apparent injustice that Jacob had done to him. After all he was his twin brother and he had a right to expect something better from his twin brother than this kind of action. That became in Esau a streak of bitterness that ran through the whole of his life.

Most bitterness begins over a small matter. John Claypool tells the story about another set of twin boys. They were identical and from the beginning of life, inseparable. They dressed alike, they did everything together. As a matter of fact, they never married.
After college they came back home and took over their dad’s business. They worked soharmoniously that everybody in the community pointed to their relationship as a model of created cooperation.

On one particular morning, however, a customer came in to the store and made a little purchase. The brother who served him took the dollar bill, put it upon the cash register, walked with the customer to the front of their establishment and after he left went back to

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deposit the money but the dollar bill was gone. So he asked his brother, “Did you put a dollar bill in the cash register?”

His twin answered, “I didn’t see any dollar bill.”

The first brother was surprised. “That’s funny, I distinctly remember I put it on the cash register.” A little later he asked again, “Didn’t you take that dollar bill and put it in thecash register?”

His twin replied testily, “No! I told you before I didn’t see it.”

Tension developed between those brothers over that dollar bill. Every time they discussed the matter there were charges and counter charges. The charges and counter charges never solved anything but rather became more and more violent. Eventually they broke up their partnership. As a matter of fact they split the store right down the middle, each brother owning his own half. The community was drawn into the quarrel. For twenty years the business, the two men and dozens of other people were troubled by dark resentment and deep, smoldering rage.

Then, one day, a stranger drove into town. He came to the store that had been divided down the middle, walked into one side and asked the white-headed proprietor, “How long have you been in business here?” The brother told him, “Well,” the stranger replied, “Then I’ve got something I must square with you.” Twenty years ago he explained,

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unemployed and homeless, he had been wondering around the country. One morning he had dropped off the freight train in that little town and walked down the back alley hoping he could find something to eat. Through the open door of the store he had seen a cash register with a dollar bill on top. Nobody was there; only two men up at the front. He sneaked in and stole the dollar bill but brought up as a Christian, he had been bothered by guilt, so he finally decided to return, confess his theft, and pay what ever the store owners thought was due to them.

As he talked the white-haired man listened with tears running down his cheeks. When hewas able to recover his composure he said, “Please come with me. I want you to tell thesame story to my brother.” They walked into the half of that divided store and beforelong the white-haired twins were weeping in each other’s arms. Twenty years ofhostility! Twenty years of resentment! Twenty years of cold silence and lingering loneliness and it all began over a dollar bill.

Do you have bitterness in your heart toward someone or some group of people? Where did it begin? Can you trace it back to its beginning?

II. THE TRANSMISSION OF BITTERNESS.

This is the sobering lesson that we need to learn from this genealogy of bitterness. Bitterness can be passed from one generation to another generation and to another generation and to another generation. It has the power to perpetuate itself in one life after another. This is the lesson that we learn from Esau and the Edomites.

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We first become aware of this transmission of bitterness from one generation to another as we read the rest of the history of Israel. You may recall that when Moses was leading the people of Israel out of Egypt and back toward their Promised Land that they need to pass across the land of Edom. When Moses sent a messenger to the king of Edom requesting the privilege to cross through their land, the request was angrily rejected. Not only did the King of Edom reject the request, he threatened all out warfare if Israel set one foot upon his territory. The bitterness that was in him toward the people of Israel traced its way back to that little incident that took place between Esau and Jacob. The people of Israel had been in Egypt 400 hundred years so there had been no opportunity for any kind of wrong or injustice for four hundred years. Yet, there is still an intensity of bitterness that actually has produced hatred in the hearts of the Edomites toward Israel.

There is another piece of historical evidence in the Old Testament of this transmission ofbitterness from one generation to another. In the list of the chiefs among Esau’sdescendents you find a name that occurs a number of times later in the Old Testament. It is the name of Amalek. When Saul was crowned king of Israel one of the first opponents he had to face was the Amalekites. Most Biblical scholars believe that the Amalekites are descendents from Esau. They are still trying to get even for what Jacob did to Esau centuries and centuries later. There is a tremendous capacity to pass from one generation to another generation bitterness. The root of bitterness is not genetically transmitted, but it is spiritually transmitted.

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This should cause us to take a careful look at some of the resentments and bitterness’ wemay have toward other people, and especially, toward people of other nationalities, or races. Did you receive this bitterness toward people from other nationalities from your parents or grandparents, or is it based on some wrong or injustice they have done to you?It may well be that you have received from your parent’s bitterness that they receivedfrom their parents who received it from their parents. The bitterness may actually be traced back for generations. There is a tremendous power to transmit our prejudices,resentment, and bitterness’ to our children and our grandchildren.

Most of the wars that are going on in the world tonight are rooted in this reality. Whether it is the tribal conflicts in Africa, the ethnic conflicts in Europe, or the Protestants/Catholic conflicts in Northern Ireland, the reality is still the same. Forgenerations they had passed to their children and their grandchildren their bitterness’ justlike the descendants of Esau that last from generation to generation. The heritage of Esau is the Edomites with their bitterness toward the descendents of Jacob.

This makes it urgent that we deal with bitterness in our hearts. We don’t want to transmiton to our children and grandchildren something that is so potentially destructive.

III. THE FRUIT OF BITTERNESS.

This evil root of bitterness bears evil fruit. It may not prevent the person harboring the bitterness from knowing a relatively successful life. This chapter is about the prosperity and the enrichment of Esau and his descendants but there is something greater at stake.

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1. There is exclusion from God’s purpose.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that Esau in his bitterness sought a way to reclaim what he had lost when he had sold his birthright but he was never able to find a way to do it. He was never willing to pay the price that would have been required to find the placein God’s redemptive purpose. For all of his day and all the days of his descendants theyheritage would be a continual enmity to the activity of God.

It may well be that your bitterness can be passed to your children and grandchildren in such a way that it not only keeps you from knowing the blessing of God, but it prevents your children from ever knowing it. Just how deeply this exclusion of Esau from thepurpose of God is indicated by the statement you find in the prophet Malachi. “Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated.” God and Esau found themselves on different sidesof every issue.

The writer of Hebrews describes Esau as a “profane” person. This word literally meansthat he was a person who lived as though there was no God. In contrast to his brother, who had so many deficiencies, Esau never gave God the time of day. He was not interested in God, nor concerned about what God thought about anything. Bitterness put a wall between him and the God of the Covenant that nothing could ever tear down.

2. There will be final destruction.
When you take a concordance and you look to the references to Edom and the Edomites and the rest of the Old Testament it is a story of unfolding judgment. For example, the

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little prophecy of Obadiah in its entirety is addressed to the Edomites. It is a promise ofdestruction and judgment. That’s all that you can anticipate if you continue to harbor in your hear bitterness which separates you from God. The only thing to look forward to is the judgment and destruction of God.

A man came to Abraham Lincoln one day with a story of bitterness and revenge which he unfolded out of his own hate-filled heart. Lincoln responded to him quietly with adefinite understatement. “You have more of that feeling of personal resentment than I have. Perhaps I have too little; but I never thought it paid.” Of course, it never pays.One reason is that hatred and bitterness exposes us to God’s destructive judgment. It putsus on the wrong side. It brings us in opposition to the Lord God whose purposes will prevail.

Some times the bitterness is rooted in a feeling that God had dealt unjustly with you. The famous Methodist pastor W. E. Sangster told about people he has known that for one reason or another had bitterness in his heart toward God. Sometimes it was because they had been born illegitimately or maimed, or facially disfigured, or crippled, or odd in some other way. In their minds they may carry resentment toward God for what they believed God has done to them. But, some of the great saints of the past has been people who had such experiences in their lives and did not become bitter. Alexander Whyte, the great Scottish pastor, was born to an unmarried mother. In that day it carried a tremendous stigma with it. Yet, he allowed it to be something that drew him to God in humility and dependence rather than something that became a source of bitterness in him. Even Paul had his thorn in the flesh that God had placed upon him, yet it became a source

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of blessing in his life instead of bitterness. If someone has done you wrong, the way to avoid bitterness is through forgiveness. If you think God has done you wrong the way to avoid bitterness is trust. But know this, all bitterness develops a genealogy. Kill it! Kill it now! Kill it before it is able to pass from you to others with its destructive power and influence.

The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that there is plenty of grace available to keep you free from this destructive power of bitterness. Choose to allow the grace of God to do its work in your heart. You will bless generations to come by your decisions. You will not leave the world with a tribe of Edomites!

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Jan 24
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An uncomfortable introvert’s birthday

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Tomorrow is my birthday. It’s not a big one. I’m 48.  The birthday blues started setting in 2 days ago. I really have no idea why, except that Satan hates rejoicing. I am not sad about getting older. I feel the happiest and healthiest I ever have. I have great friends and kids and I’m married to my favorite person in the world. Many of “my people” have extended invitations to celebrate me with a dinner or lunch or party and I have turned everyone down. I’m not being self-deprecating and I’m definitely not unselfish. I’m just uncomfortable celebrating me. 

Honestly, literally…. My ears are bright red and hot to the touch as I type. The thought of focused attention on me makes me sweat. 

How does an introvert celebrate when the focus is on her? It’s a puzzler. :/

I’m truly my happiest when I am serving and listening to and just spending time with people I love. Some of that is my nature, but most of that is because it is the foundation of my life for the last quarter century. I actually love being the supporter, sweeper, sherpa, etc., and when that flips, I’m unsteady.

As I try to figure out this puzzle, I know that in order to serve these people well tomorrow, I’m going to have to figure out how to receive their celebration and this focus on me.

I also know that I am called to thankfulness and boldness and rejoicing. I don’t honor anyone by pulling the covers over my head and pretending that it is just another day. 

This is the day that the Lord has made. I WILL rejoice and be glad in it. My chief purpose is to glorify God and ENJOY Him forever. If I wake up tomorrow…. On my birthday…. That is a blessing. 

Instead of wishing me a happy birthday, Please notice the people in your life who celebrate you. Thank them and rejoice in this day. It is a gift that has been given to you.  XOXO

Sep 28
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Judge Kavanaugh and the Lion’s Den

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Judge Kavanaugh and the Lion’s den

I spent most of the day yesterday watching the Kavanaugh hearing. Like in  most of your houses, It was the topic of conversation over dinner and throughout  the night. Dr Ford’s testimony was compelling and Judge Kavanaugh’s testimony moved me to tears. Before I write another sentence, I want to make it clear that I know my opinion doesn’t matter, and as a conservative and daughter in law to a federal judge, I am predisposed to believe Judge Kavanaugh. 

After sending my youngest off to school this morning, I spent some time in prayer, journaling (a habit that got a great boost in affirmation yesterday) and reading my Bible. Today, my bible reading was Daniel 5 and 6. I hope you are as compelled as I am with the comparisons between the prophet Daniel and Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

Daniel was a righteous man who made worship a priority, and Kavanaugh testified that worship is as much a habit as brushing his teeth.

Daniel served faithfully and with excellence under 3 separate Kings (Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius the Meade). Daniel continued to receive promotions and power because of his integrity and skill. 

“Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.” Daniel 6:3 ESV

There was a struggle for power in the kingdom 

“Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. 5Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.” Daniel 6:4-5 ESV

Daniel was set up and exposed and then thrown into a den of Lions. The Lions were certainly scary and loud, but they did not devour him. 

“My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Daniel 6:22 ESV

Daniel and Brett Kavanaugh are 2 different people living centuries apart, and we can learn a great lesson from both of them. These men know who their God is and they put devotion to Him above all else. Nothing surprised their God and nothing can thwart His plans. I don’t know what Judge Kavanaugh’s future looks like on earth, but I do know what is eternal future looks like. What is happening in Washington is not a surprise to our God. He appointed Judge Kavanaugh for such a time as this. He is being conformed to Christ and one day soon, He will see Him face to face and will be more like Jesus because of this Lion’s den he has found himself in this week. Trials are a part of life if you love the Lord. Our God can shut the mouths of lions and be glorified anywhere. I pray that in my next trial, I will keep my eyes on Jesus, glorify Him and like Judge Kavanaugh, pray for those who persecute me.

“Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:

“Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,

for he is the living God,

enduring forever;

his kingdom shall never be destroyed,

and his dominion shall be to the end.

He delivers and rescues;

he works signs and wonders

in heaven and on earth,

he who has saved Daniel

from the power of the lions.” Daniel 6:26-27 ESV

 

Nov 08
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Nothin gonna steal my joy

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This morning, I watched the sweetest video. A 6 year little girl, singing in her children’s choir at church could not remain still as the gospel song was being sung. The rest of the children’s choir was poised and proper, but little “Lauren” was foot-tapping and clapping and singing and swaying to the beat.

Here are the words to the chorus that really got her going:

 

I got an Old Church Choir singing in my soul
I got a sweet salvation and it’s beautiful
I’ve got a heart overflowing ’cause I’ve been restored
There ain’t nothing gonna steal my joy
No, there ain’t nothing gonna steal my joy

 

Oh friends. Nothing should steal our joy! Our hearts should overflow all day long because we have been restored! Our feet should tap and our voices ring out!

I don’t know about you, but I am so disheartened and discouraged by my own sin. I want to be holy and find myself confessing the same sins every day. I’m ashamed and find it hard to believe that a Holy God would ever want me in His family, but Praise be to Christ, He does want me! Amazing Grace is mine. All my sins are forgiven because of Jesus. The heavenly father opens His arms to me and pulls me into his secure embrace every day. I am His and He is mine…. Always and forever…. No matter what.

What could steal my joy?

 

4” Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:4-9 NIV

“And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” Luke 1:47 NIV

 

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,” Ephesians 1:13 NIV

 

 

Mar 19
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Keeping Secrets

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I cannot keep a secret and it makes me crazy when someone keeps a secret from me. There have been plenty of occasions in my marriage when secret keeping has been a launching pad for hurt feelings and petty arguments. To be clear, the secret keeping isn’t sneaky or deceptive; it is keeping confidences and not sharing things pledged behind closed doors. Even though I am the most important person in his life, my husband doesn’t need to let me know every important detail in his life.

As I have wrestled with secret keeping, I researched Christian articles and commentaries on secrets in a marriage. I couldn’t find a single article that advocated keeping secrets. Most preached that there should never be any secrets in a marriage. The authors of these articles are all wiser than I am, and most of their positions can be summed up in this quote:

“Having a secret in your marriage is open segregation, encouraging separation, exclusion, defiance and an open insult to the husband. There is absolutely nothing that is too personal in a marriage.”

I understand and appreciate this position. At the same time, I think that 100% disclosure 100% of the time isn’t healthy for my marriage. How can I show my husband that I trust him if I demand to know every detail of his day? Why would I want him to compromise vows of confidence he makes with other men? He took vows on our wedding day to cherish and protect me; how can he do that effectively if I demand to know all the nuances and aspects of his existence? I made vows to respect him; isn’t it a testimony of respect when I give him the freedom to choose what he deems appropriate to disclose?

In marriage, we bear each other’s burdens. When my husband cannot share his burdens with me, I get to practice cherishing him through prayer. He takes his vow of protecting me seriously. He shows he cherishes me by being a man of character. When he keeps a confidence and doesn’t share it with me, he is leading with integrity and that adds value to our relationship.

When I can’t be included in the secret, prayer isn’t the consolation prize. Praying for my husband is the most effective tool for my healthy heart and our healthy marriage. Prayer is the ultimate way to honor and cherish my husband.

One of the most beautiful marriages in the Bible is the one between Ruth and Boaz. Ruth was a strong, loyal, prayerful woman of integrity. She trusted the Lord and trusted her husband. Boaz was a successful and honorable man and He cherished his role as Ruth’s protector. He didn’t include her in every detail. There were things she didn’t need to know. His lack of disclosure didn’t dishonor her… it honored her and showed how highly Boaz valued her. (See Ruth 2:15-16)

As women, it is natural to want to know every detail and every secret. We feel if we have all the information, we can control and fix things. This natural inclination is rooted in the curse Eve received in Genesis 3:

“And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” Genesis 3:16 (NLT)

Don’t lose heart or freak out in frustration. Our sin nature leaves us bruised, but Christ came to destroy sin and through His death and resurrection, He crushed the head of Satan and Satan’s curse. Our marriages are opportunities to glorify the Lord and enjoy Him. Bathe your marriage in prayer. Let your marriage be a reflection of the precious way God loves and protects you. Enjoy the gift of promised protection and celebrate it when all you can contribute is prayer.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)

 

 

 

 

Jan 20
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Floodwaters

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Have you ever had one of those weeks where you feel like you are drowning? Waves of heartaches, frustrations and disappointments keep crashing one on top of the other. It has been one of those weeks in our house. We have been soaked with insecurities and poor performance, the flu, bad grades, missed business opportunities and nasty locker notes. We have been aggravated by busted pipes and Internet failure. There have been more than a couple arguments and misunderstandings. In a house where the men are uncomfortable around tears, the Nelson men should be epically pitied.

Twice this week, I have had the opportunity to counsel a couple of my children with this verse:

“I will trust and not be afraid; for YAH the Lord is my strength and my song.” Isaiah 12:2 (NKJV)

The tears and fears come when we find our strength in something other than the Lord. I have beautiful, smart and talented kids and it is so easy for them to feel that their value lies in beauty or good grades or performance. I am guilty of misplaced confidence too. I often find my value in reputation and relationships. When we don’t preform up to par, or our worth feels worthless, we crumble. As I wiped away one of my daughters’ tears of rejection, I asked her to tell me who Jesus says she is. We listed His truths of how she is loved and beautiful and worth dying for and precious and perfect. This, dear friends, is where we find our strength. It can be easy to forget where our strength comes from when we are singing about how great all the other stuff is. That stuff is fluff and won’t hold up when the floods come.

This morning, I was reading in Genesis 8. Noah and his family had been on the ark for 150 days. They were safe because Noah had followed God’s boat building directions to the jot and tittle. They knew that “Yah the Lord” was their strength, but they were still surrounded by the ravaging flood. The rainy season that the Nelsons went through this week doesn’t come close to the trials Noah’s family was going through. I can hardly imagine the smells and noise and tears and arguments and fear that were wafting through the ark.

“But God remembered Noah… and the floodwaters began to recede.” Genesis 8:1 (NKJV)

The floodwaters didn’t recede all at once, but they did effectively and thoroughly all dry up. The ark eventually came to rest on top of Mount Ararat and not long after that, Noah and his family walked out of the ark singing a new song. Noah built an altar and praised the Lord for His faithfulness and He rested in the strength of God’s promises to him.

If this is a rainy season for you, hold on to this: the floodwaters will eventually recede. You are safe if your trust is in the Lord. He put you on this boat and He is not surprised by the chaos in it or all around it. He alone is your strength and your song, and He will become your salvation.

As the floodwaters continued to recede, the ark came to rest on top of Mount Ararat (Genesis 1:4) The Mountain that we have to look forward to resting on is better than Mt Ararat. When the last drop of our floodwaters recede, we will, like Moses, stand on our “Mt. Nebo” with the beautiful view of the Promised Land. When YAH is our strength and song and the one we trust for our salvation, we are promised eternity with Jesus.

The raging waters are all around us, but we are most certainly safe. As long as we are on this earth, the waters of pain and persecution will ebb and flow. Looking for our safety in other relationships, reputation or performance will leave us drenched with exhaustion and insecurity. Trust in the Lord. YAH remembers you too. The waters will eventually recede.

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

“I will trust and not be afraid; for YAH the Lord is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2

 

“Onward ye people, strive for the Light!

The light that The Lord has given us for our guide;

Who through murk and darkness of night

Hath led us safely unto our reward.”

…

“And the heavenly choir doth ring from Mount Nebo

Piercing the blue like a living light.

Onward ye peoples.

Onward, Amen!

Onward ye people.

Strive for the Light.

Salem!”

Jean Sibelius “Onward Ye Peoples” 1922

Aug 01
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Ready, Set, Launch!

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Today is the day. I have so many emotions tied up in this project. I have been pushed and I have pushed back. I have been encouraged by many and discouraged by a few too, but I am going to let this baby launch, because of the truth that I really only have an audience of 1. I am humbled that our generous Lord has given me a love for Him and the words and platform to write about it. There have been so many times that I have prayed for forgiveness, because I have willingly and purposefully disobeyed God. As I grow in humility and love for Him, I don’t want disobedience to be a pattern in my life. I believe that not moving forward in this would be disobedient, and so I move on.

God’s grace in my life is so huge. On my own, I am a mess, and many of you are witnesses to my messiness. The Amazing grace of God has cleaned up the mess that I am and because He knows all of it and adores me, I am flattened. That grace has taught me to fear Him, and to see that He is the only one I need to fear. Because, I am certain of who He is and how much He loves me and how big his grace is, the little fears of rejection and slander are relieved.

It is my sincere hope that you will visit my new site and be encouraged. I pray that I will remain humble and open to God’s plan here and that you and I will be able to grow and learn together. He is so faithful to teach me through His word and through the lessons He allows me to learn as a wife and mom and sister and daughter and friend. I love learning and I have so much more learning to do. If you are inclined to do so, please pray that I will be attentive to God’s teaching and vulnerable enough to let Him use me as an example. Thank you all for your love and support.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
 And grace my fears relieved; 
How precious did that grace appear, 
The hour I first believed! – John Newton, 1779.

“Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!” 1 Cor. 9:16 (NLT)