Speaking from the Heart

           This is going to be tough to write. But I feel like this is something I have shared with a handful of people in my life. And if you really know me, you are aware of the struggles I have been through to conceive a child with my husband. This is me pouring out a very intimate struggle, and in doing so, I’m asking each and every person who reads this to join me every single day for the next thirty days to lift me and Gary in prayer…

 There is no greater pain in the world than to want something that seems so simple, yet so unattainable.  This urge has become numbing. It has given me a roller-coaster of emotions that never seem to cease. After 6 years of attempting to get pregnant, I'm beginning to get weary. There were a couple times, that Gary and I both saw two lines. We were elated, but just as quickly as we learned we “were…” we suddenly weren’t. To say that losing a part of you is painful is an understatement.  As contrived as it sounds, there are no words to express the sheer magnitude of grief you encounter.

The desire to have a child is biblical. Psalm 127:3 states, “Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.” The Hebrews regarded children as a blessing from the Lord (see Gen. 13:16; Ruth 4:13-16; 1 Sam. 1:11). They are a reward and heritage, bringing joy to their parents. Rearing a child is a sacred responsibility, and parents must depend on the Lord to help them guide their children. I realize that the desire to have a baby is far greater than simply giving birth to a part of your own flesh and blood. It’s the most delicate and innate desire for a woman to have. Simply put, it’s the best gift you could ever have from Jesus.

I painfully read the scriptures of Sarah and her barren womb, along with the stories of Leah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, and Elizabeth. All these women were afflicted with the deep-rooted desire to birth a child of their own. Their struggles were very real, and also very excruciating.  I’m not going to let others tell me that I’m different than these women, because frankly we all share something very much in common. Our allegiance, dedication, and motivation are the same. We love and praise God, and this intricate yearning is a seed that has been planted in us from the moment we were also knitted in our own mother’s womb. 

            My aching is very genuine. Sometimes it hovers over me like a shadow, other times it seems like a distant dream – but all the same it has become an overwhelming desire that is bursting at the seams. I do not write this for you to feel sorry for me, instead for you to understand me, and to join me in this very raw journey. There are very many other women who understand what I am going through right now. They understand the depression that can creep up without warning; they understand the sleepless nights of wonder and prayer. They probably also understand the very private moments, when you are alone and sob until your cheeks sting. They know and understand how difficult it can be when your body can’t and won’t cooperate to create life. But I’m taking a stand, and I’m saying loud and with all the faith I can muster, and I quote these verses:

All Things Are Possible

LUKE 1:37 NKJ
37 "For with God nothing will be impossible."

MARK 9:23 NKJ
23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."

MATTHEW 17:20 NKJ
20 . . . if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, `Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

MARK 11:24 NKJ
24 "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

I am making a very strong request. And I am begging to those who take this seriously, to make a very strong commitment with me to pray and fast for the next thirty days. I need strong believers in Christ, to help me break bonds. To help me break any chain that is holding this blessing from Gary and I. I am begging for a community of believers like us, to join us and shout to the heavens, “God nothing is impossible.” This journey begins July 23,2012 – join us, and lets prove that miracles still happen everyday. 

Dry Bones

Romans 14 and the Christian’s Conscience

Photography By: Jessica Shaffer

Murder… adultery… theft… you won’t find any Christian who thinks those are God-honoring activities. Between Old Testament law, New Testament guidelines for Christian living, and the many righteous examples set by believers throughout the Bible, Christians generally know how they should (and shouldn’t) behave.

But what happens when we don’t know?

Christians have devoted huge amounts of time, energy, and prayer to figuring out what to do with the “gray areas”—behavior that isn’t explicitly addressed in Scripture and over which earnest, devoted Christians disagree. In the past, these “gray areas” have included dancing, rock music, alcohol consumption, movie-viewing, hair styles, and tattoos. The specific issues change with each new generation, but Christians continue to struggle with the question of what to do when different believers’ consciences lead them to different conclusions about a controversial activity.

Fortunately, Scripture gives us tools with which to tackle this challenge, most notably in Paul’s letter to the Roman church.

Romans 14

Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.

In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.

So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say,

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.’”

Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good. For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.

Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning. — Romans 14 (NLT)

Questions to Consider

1. The main “matter of conscience” described in this passage is related to diet. What are some modern-day “gray areas” that you’ve encountered in your personal life and in the life of your church?
2. What does it mean to be “weak in faith?” How does a weak believer grow stronger in faith, and how would that affect their attitude toward these “matters of conscience?”
3. How do we distinguish between issues about which Christians can safely “agree to disagree,” and behaviors or beliefs that are genuinely sinful?
4. The final part of this passage notes that an activity that’s not sinful for another Christian can be sinful for you if your conscience speaks against it. What’s an example of such an activity in your personal life?
5. Why do you think Christians (both ancient and modern) are so prone to arguing and debating the “gray areas?” What about Paul’s advice in this chapter makes it a challenge for us to put into practice?

We Are Citizens of Heaven

Photography By: Jessica Shaffer

Chances are that if you live in the USA, you’re probably on your way to the nearest lake or a family member or friend’s house for a classic Fourth of July cookout. Grilled burgers and sandy beaches await! In the evening follow fireworks, while families and friends shoot bottle rockets and light sparklers from the driveway.

Photography By: Jessica Shaffer

American Christians can be proud of their national history, and the hand they’ve played in shaping the United States over the years. It isn’t that either America or the Christians who live there are perfect. But Americans can be proud of the religious freedom that’s integral to their national identity, and American Christians can be grateful to God for the opportunity to worship Him without fear of persecution—a freedom that countless believers past and present have not enjoyed.

Christians approach patriotism differently. Yes, we can be proud to be Americans, just as any person of any nationality can be proud of their national heritage. But as Christians, we know that our true kingdom is not here on earth. We’re citizens of a heavenly kingdom. Philippians 3 says:

Photography By: Jessica Shaffer

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 bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

The national borders we know so well are only temporary. This earth will pass, and the kingdom to which we are called by God will replace it. We can celebrate the cultures and histories that shape us while looking ahead to a better world to come.

Whoever you are, American or otherwise, you have a plenty of reasons to be thankful today. Lets take this time to celebrate, relax, and enjoy!

Beautiful Things

A sweet reminder of who and what God is. He makes all things BEAUTIFUL...

Divine Discipline

Photography By: Jessica Shaffer

If God loves us, why is life sometimes so hard? It’s a simple question, but one that has challenged Christians since the earliest days of the church. Why would a God who wants the best for us allow us to undergo suffering and pain?

Hebrews 12 doesn’t answer every question you might have about suffering and the “problem of evil,” but it offers some important insight. As is often the case in Scripture, we’re challenged us re-think our assumptions—in this case, the assumption that there’s no purpose behind our suffering:

Hebrews 12:1-13

We are surrounded by a great cloud of people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back. Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. Think about Jesus’ example. He held on while wicked people were doing evil things to him. So do not get tired and stop trying. You are struggling against sin, but your struggles have not yet caused you to be killed. You have forgotten the encouraging words that call you his children:

“My child, don’t think the Lord’s discipline is worth nothing,
and don’t stop trying when he corrects you.
The Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as his child.” — Proverbs 3:11–12

Photography By: Jessica Shaffer

So hold on through your sufferings, because they are like a father’s discipline. God is treating you as children. All children are disciplined by their fathers. If you are never disciplined (and every child must be disciplined), you are not true children. We have all had fathers here on earth who disciplined us, and we respected them. So it is even more important that we accept discipline from the Father of our spirits so we will have life. Our fathers on earth disciplined us for a short time in the way they thought was best. But God disciplines us to help us, so we can become holy as he is. We do not enjoy being disciplined. It is painful at the time, but later, after we have learned from it, we have peace, because we start living in the right way.

You have become weak, so make yourselves strong again. Keep on the right path, so the weak will not stumble but rather be strengthened. — Hebrews 12:1-13 (NCV)

Questions to Consider

1. Does perceiving suffering as discipline, rather than oppression, make a practical difference in the way you relate to it? How so?
2. When you experience this “divine discipline,” do you think it’s appropriate to pray for relief from it? Why or why not?
3. Looking back at a specific point of suffering in your life, can you see how it’s strengthened you? Are you grateful for the experience of discipline, or resentful?