Category Archives: Christian Life

Christian Life, Personal

Health and Godliness

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https://i0.wp.com/www.sxc.hu/pic/m/c/cw/cwcav/489121_elliptical_trainers.jpgIs health and godliness the same thing? What I have seen recently makes me wonder if Christians are interlinking the two. The verse I have seen in defense of this is Proverbs 31:25 “She is clothed with strength and dignity.” The implied message is a godly woman is a strong woman, a fit woman. But does God really require women (and men) to be physically fit and healthy in order to be godly? I do not believe so.

In 1 Timothy, Paul tells Timothy, “On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7b-8 NASB, emphasis mine)

Why is that? I believe it is because exercise and healthy living can only go skin deep. It scratches the surface of who we are. Yes, it is of some profit; after all, science has shown that good health can lead to more energy, wellness, and potentially longer life. But healthy living does not reach the heart. And it is in the heart where many of our fears and worries live, such as:

  • Eating disorders,
  • The struggles we have with our bodies,
  • Images that bombard us the moment we are born (my daughter, 8 years old, is already STRUGGLING with this!),
  • Believing that God loves us because deep down, we hate ourselves,
  • The voices inside our mind that tell us if we just work out a little more, eat a little more healthy, get that plastic surgery/breast job, we will finally look good too.

Exercise and healthy living can also be temporary: sickness comes, or you have a baby and your body changes, the time you used to have for the gym is now taken up by your children. Or simply the world’s standards for beauty and health change.

However, godliness is permanent. It changes both the heart and the body. It frees us to be who God made us to be. And reminds us that God loves us. He loves us despite the lumps, the bumps, the extra folds of skin, the stretch marks, the love handles, the size 14 pants, the double chin, and the poochy belly. Time and age will not diminish godliness. In fact, it grows in beauty as we allow God to transform our hearts. Isn’t that so freeing!

So am I saying it is bad to be healthy? Not at all. But I do not believe it is a requirement of God. Godliness, contentment, a life of truth and integrity, a serving and giving heart, these are the things God desires and are worth pursuing, because they profit us both in this life and the next.

 

Christian Life, Personal

The Gift of Thankfulness

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This time of year, people start to reflect on what they are thankful for: houses, food, family, etc. I decided to challenge myself and come up with something I am thankful for every day in November. I did not want to just put something down. Instead, I really wanted to think about it, and search deep inside my heart: am I really thankful for this?

It occurred to me a couple days into November: the best definition of thankfulness is seeing everything as a gift, not as something I deserve or am entitled to.

When I began to see everything with this definition in mind, I realized how much I subtly think I deserve. I deserve a house, because my husband has a job and we have earned it.

Um. No.

I deserve a dishwasher for washing dishes because no one washes dishes by hand anymore, especially someone with a family of six.

Nope. Wrong again.

I deserve a car, or how else would I go places?

I deserve my turn to choose out the movie I want.

I deserve a clean house. After all, I don’t make any of the messes ;).

But when I began to see everything as a gift, it turned everything upside down.

I am thankful for a house. There was a time when Dan and I didn’t know where we were going to live. We don’t deserve a house, but God has given us one anyway. Thank you, God.

I currently do not have a dishwasher, and at first I wasn’t sure how I was going to get all those dishes done everyday. Instead, it has become a blessing. Every morning I wash the dishes as the kids eat breakfast and we talk. Wow, who would have thought?

We have a working car. We don’t deserve one and frankly, many people in this world don’t have one and still get by. But God has graciously given us a car. Thank you, God.

I’m thankful I have a family I can snuggle with on a couch and watch movies. We take turns choosing the movie and savor our time together. Love movie nights!

And as for a clean house, eh, it might happen someday. For me, a dirty house means I have life living here in my home: kids, dogs, husband. And I wouldn’t trade that for the world!

So how about you? What did you once think you deserved that God made you realize is simply a gift to be thankful for?

Christian Life, Personal

Thankful for a Dirty House

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I saw a quote the other day: “If insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, then why do I clean my house?” Am I right? I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like they are going insane trying to keep their house clean. I have four children, two dogs, and a cat who constantly keep me busy.

But something hit me this morning as I was looking around: a dirty house means I have something to be thankful for.

Huh?

Let me explain. Currently in my living room are about 5-6 blankets/quilts and all my dining room chairs. Last night my boys made a fort to sleep in. On the one hand, I have a mess. On the other hand, I have two active, imaginative boys. Which view do I choose? I choose the fact that I have two wonderful boys who will grow up to be amazing men. I am thankful for this.

I also have a bunch of dirty dishes, half which came from my oldest daughter who loves to experiment and cook: chocolate chips mixed with nutella and peanut butter with a handful of marshmallows thrown in for good measure. Sometimes she can drive me nuts with her kitchen experiments (which are not all sanctioned by me).

But seen in a different light, I realize I am the mother of a little girl who may grow up to be a famous baker (or just make some man a very happy husband with her cooking). I am thankful I have a daughter, and her messes remind that she is a unique gift given to me by God.

Leaves all over the yard? A memory of jumping in the biggest pile of leaves. Hair on the couch? I have two great dogs and a cat. A pile of dirty laundry next to the bed? I have a husband, who all though isn’t the tidiest person in the world, has the biggest and most forgiving heart, and doesn’t shriek when I put my cold feet on him (at least not much ;)).

I could have a clean, dazzling, can-eat-right-off-the-linoleum-floor house, where the towels are perfectly folded and the food cans are lined up in alphabetical order. But there would be no family, no kids, no life.

Instead, there are paw prints on my newly washed floor, missing flowers out front, now decorating my girls’ room. Tree branches broken, and turned into swords. Little fingerprints on white doors.

To some these would be marks on the house, something to be cleaned. And sometimes they do need to be cleaned (toothpaste all over the counter can get to me sometimes). But instead of seeing the mess, I choose to see life. Life lives in this house. Happy, joyful life. Memories are left. Someday the wall will be clean, the carpet perfect. But for now, they are marks of life. And I am thankful for that.

Christian Life, Personal

My Grace is All You Need

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This verse has been on my mind and heart the last few weeks:

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Why? Because I have felt weak lately. Burdens, fears, and disappointments fill my thoughts.

My house hasn’t sold yet.

My grace is all you need.

I’m afraid people might not like my book.

My grace is all you need.

I’m struggling with feeling out of place, different from everyone around me.

My grace is all you need.

When Paul penned those words, they were the words given to him by God after he had begged three times for a “thorn in the flesh” to be taken away from him. We do not know if that thorn was a physical ailment, a painful relationship, or a burden he carried. What we do know is that it was placed in his life to keep him from becoming proud.

Through that painful “thorn”, God revealed that all Paul needed was God’s grace. And His power works best in weakness.

Same with us. All we need is God’s grace. So everyday this month I am reading these verses because I need to be reminded of this over and over again:

My grace is all you need.

How about you? What are you feeling needs to be resolved or finished so you can move on in your life? Or what burden/fear are you carrying around? Remember what God is saying to you:

My grace is all you need.

 

Christian Life, Personal

Encouragement for Parents

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I am a mother of four kids, all of them surprises. Philip came along while Dan was going through seminary. We didn’t plan on starting a family until Dan was done, but there he was. Katie came shortly after.

A year later we debated having more kids. We already had two: a boy and a girl. Perfect, right? But it felt like our family wasn’t quite complete. I wanted one more. Dan finally agreed. I should have known another would sneak in. Instead of one, we got two. Twins!

So now I had four kids under the age of four. Philip had just potty trained, but that left a toddler and two newborns. This meant 25 diapers a day. No way to leave the house without another adult (they don’t make carts that can carry 3 children). No breaks, no sleep, no clean house.

I understand the life of a young mother. I was one. It is a hard job, one done behind the scenes, where no one sees what you are doing. No one thanks you, except maybe once a year on Mother’s Day. No one gives you a raise or pats you on the back. There are no strokes, no immediate rewards, and no bonuses.

As I like to tell people, “It’s the toughest job you’ll ever love.” (Slogan stolen from the Peace Corp).

So let me encourage you mothers (and fathers) out there:

-You may not be paid in money, but you receive an abundance of kisses and hugs. My youngest daughter we nicknamed Makissers (her real name is Makayla) because she loves to give out kisses. My youngest son likes to randomly grab my hand and hold it. Lots of hugs, tickles, and giggles happen around our house.

-They will be potty trained someday. It may take a long time, and through lots of messes (all my kids were over 3 before they finally caught on, and one in particular liked to play in her stuff, what a mess!). But we are finally out of that phase, and you will be too.

-You will have a clean house. Well, not really. I saw this on facebook: “Please excuse the mess, my children are making memories.” I should have that framed and placed on my door. A clean house is good, and I try to clean each room once a week. And with older kids, I can now assign rooms for them to clean too.

But I never wanted my children growing up thinking a clean house was more important than them. There will always be laundry to do, dishes to wash, and floors to vacuum, but my kids will be gone someday. I want to spend time with them now. For example, we cleaned the living room last night. Then we watched a movie and drew pictures. There are now pictures of unicorns, pegasus, and guinea pigs hanging around my living room. Is it clean? No. Is it fun? Yes. Will my kids remember it? Yes.

-You are not alone. It may seem like that, when you are the only one in a house full of babies and toddlers and no adult conversation for eight or more hours a day. When you live far away from family and can’t leave the house to visit friends. When you want to go to a Bible study, but there is no childcare. I know, I was there.

But God is still with you. It was hard for me to figure out how to stay connected to God with my sporadic and time intensive lifestyle. You would think a mom could find a moment to read her bible, but it seems kids know when you are sitting down with a plan to do something quiet. It would frustrate me. Until one day, I realized God understood.

He knows I’m a mother and that I will have interruptions. A weight lifted from my shoulders. When a kid would come to me with a question while I was reading my Bible, instead of feeling stressed and upset because my quiet time had been interrupted, I would ask God to excuse me.

Sounds weird, but it actually made my relationship with God feel more like a relationship. After all, when I have friends over and need to take care of my kids, I ask them to excuse me for a moment.

Also, long prayers went out the window. Kids just know if you are quiet for too long. But I found out what praying without ceasing really meant. I prayed all day long. Granted, many times my prayers were desperate pleas for patience and wisdom :). But I would also send up quick prayers for people who I knew were struggling, for the church my husband was serving at, thanks for what I had, and awe for the beauty God gives all around me.

I had never prayed like that before. Prayer had become a conversation from my heart, flowing throughout the day, rather than an item to check off my list of Christian duties.

Being a mother changed my relationship with God. I came to understand God’s love for me, because I love my children.

I am still a mother, but my children are older now. I do not have the same struggles and time constraints that I once did. They can actually hold a conversation now, sit for hours in a car, and go to the bathroom by themselves (hurrah!).

Take courage, my friends. The days are long (boy are they ever!), but the years are short. God will grant you patience and love during this time of diaper changing, snot wiping, and mess cleaning. You will survive, and actually come out a better person.

I know I did.

 

Christian Life

Words of Life, Words of Death

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I stood there and watched my son’s face deflate. In less than a second, my words had shot across the room, hit him in the chest, and let all the joy out of his soul. I wanted to take back what I had said, but there is nothing in this world that can stop a speeding word. All I could do was witness the damage I had done.

Ever done that?

This verse has been on my mind lately: “The tongue can bring life or death…” (Proverbs 18:21a). Am I pouring life into a person through my words? Or am I pouring bitter death?

You know that feeling, when a person pours life into you. Encouraging words, uplifting words, words that give you enough energy to move on, to take that next step. Your soul feels refreshed and ready to face the world again.

And I’m sure you know what deathly words feel like: disheartening, gut wrenching, like you were just stabbed in the chest and left on the ground. Instead of feeling empowered, everything looks dark and discouraging. And you can’t get those words out of your head, because they have been tattooed onto your heart.

Life. Death. All within the power of our tongue. Even the written word brings life or death. Emails, facebook posts, comments left on a blog.

There are times that truth must be told, but even then, the way it is phrased and the setting it is delivered in can bring life or death. Truthful words must come from a loving, humble heart. And delivered in such a way that shows respect to the person receiving it, even if they deserve less.

I am trying to be more careful with my own words. I want to bring life to people, encourage the broken, and speak hope to those in the dark. I don’t want to see a face again, stricken and wounded because I let my tongue fly without restraint.

After all, I may be the only one that speaks life into that person.

 

Christian Life, Personal

Scariest Words

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We can’t afford to keep you on.

I don’t love you anymore.

It’s cancer.

We’re not prepared for this kind of emergency.

Mom, I’m pregnant.

Some of these words I have heard, some of them I have not. They are scary words, filling one with the wish that they could go back in time and prevent them from happening. But let me share with you what words, for me, would be the most frightening to hear.

These words came to me a couple weeks before I went to a conference. They were not real, not yet anyway. But they lingered there in the back of my mind. At this conference, I was having dinner with a couple people and someone brought up the question: What is your goal in life? Being creative people with a sense of humor, everyone around the table began to say things like “Become dictator of the world,” and “Go on every roller coaster there is.” I smiled and laughed with the rest until it was my turn. Then I felt God urging me to share those words.

I took a shaky sip from my water, then put down the cup. I looked around the table, took a deep breath and began.

I do not want to get to heaven and have God say, “Morgan, you led a pretty good middle class life. Not many bad things happened to you, you had a nice house, nice car, nice family. But let me show you what your life could have been… if you had let me have my way with it.”

The mood at the table suddenly dropped a couple degrees. People shuffled their silverware around. Someone cleared her throat. I wanted to apologize, but those words were the true goal of my life. I do not want to hear God say those words. Those words would leave me feeling I had done nothing with my life. I lived, I died, and nothing came of it. I want my life to count for more. I want it to mean something.

Now don’t get me wrong. A nice life is not a bad thing. But if in pursuit of that life we miss hearing God’s voice, then we miss out on our lives being something amazing. What good is it to have a nice house, a secure job, a published book if in the end, it was all for me? No, I want my life to count for more. I want it to have maximum impact. And the only way is to hear God’s quiet voice, directing me towards His plans for my life.

And then having the courage to do it.

*I wrote this post almost two years ago and it is still the desire of my life: to be used by God.

 

Christian Life, Writing

Marketing for an Audience of One

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Many of us Christian writers have heard the term “write for an audience of One.” Our first audience is God. When God is our audience, we seek only to please Him, and to let Him do what He wants with our writing.

Recently, it occurred to me that the same idea applies to book marketing. I am not marketing myself. I am not marketing my book.

I am marketing God.

When I interact with a reviewer, I am connecting with someone who may or may not know God. Through my emails, phone calls, or letters with reviewers, I am displaying God to them, even if I never mention His name.

When I do an interview, the words I write or say go out to a group of people I will probably never meet. But through an interview I have an opportunity to share my life, my passions, and my writing. And through that, whether overtly or covertly, I share God.

And when I am invited to do a blog post, I am sharing God, even if the topic I write about is writing. This is because people are not just reading about how to write a scene, or how the theme of forgiveness is woven into my story. They are also reading me. And when they read me, they are reading God.

When I realized this, marketing took on a whole new perspective. If I am marketing myself or my book to drive up sales, that will only last temporarily. Sure, I might reap the benefit of more money or a higher rating on Amazon. But it will disappear, whether the next day, week, month, or year.

But when I view each thing I do as a chance to share God with this world, then marketing takes on an eternal value. Imagine that. Marketing as a way to be a light in the world :).

This is the passion and goal behind my marketing: to reach as many people as I can. I hope that by my words and actions, the people I interact with will see someone who is different. And that will point them to God, the one I really want people to embrace.

 

Christian Life

A Story of Greed

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There once was a little deformed creature that lived inside my heart. I rarely saw him; he preferred to live in a tiny out-of-the way hole inside my chest. He was smaller than his other brothers and therefore was usually able to perform his wicked deeds below my radar.

His name was Greed.

He seemed harmless enough. He never bit my hand and he actually made me feel secure. He told me if I had money in my savings account, then I could face anything life threw at me. He whispered how nice that new shirt would feel or how cool I would be with that cell phone over there. When money issues were brought up at church, he would remind me that I had responsibilities first and needed to pay the bills at home. Besides, God doesn’t need my money? Right?

I began to realize just how dangerous he was when I found my heart attaching to the things around me. My house, my car, the new dishware. He had thrown out ropes from my heart and wrapped them around the objects around me… and I never knew. Until those things were taken away.

And then I felt the pain of Greed.

Have you ever felt that? The roaring inside your heart when something you like is taken away or destroyed? The car gets scratched, the kids draw all over the walls, the dog throws up on the couch. My heartstrings were attached to the things of this world. And it was time for God to get out the scissors.

Snip. Snip. There went the house. Snip. There went the savings account. Snip. Snip. There went the TV, the furniture, the dishware. God took everything away (or put it in a storage shed) when my husband was unemployed. I was stripped down to nothing but the clothes I had and my computer (God didn’t take that away lol). But I have learned a huge lesson during those times God has used the scissors:

Greed lied to me. And Greed hurt me.

Nice salaries, large bank accounts, a hefty retirement (or even being debt free) is not a security in life. God is.

A beautiful home, nice cars, the latest cell phone, designer clothes only bring temporary pleasure. But God brings a fullness to life that nothing in this world can give.

But I don’t have any of those things, you might think. Yeah, actually, neither did I. But you don’t need things in order for Greed to move in and start attaching your heart to this world. You just need to want them, hold them tightly when you finally do, and roar when someone or something takes them away.

The poorest person in the world can still have Greed living in their heart. And the richest person can be free of the bondage of Greed. Why? Greed has nothing to do with possessions or money, it has to do with the heart (where Greed likes to live).

So how do you kick Greed out of its hidey-hole?

Well, you could get rid of everything you have. I wonder if Jesus saw a major infestation of Greed when the rich young man ran up to him and asked how he could inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17-27). Greed may be small, but the ropes it uses to tie us to the world can be iron solid. I love how Mark says, “Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him”. God doesn’t want Greed to stay in our hearts. In fact, Greed can keep us from experiencing the true fullness God wants to give us. Mark ends with saying, “At this, the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”

Getting rid of everything may be a bit farfetched, but here a couple more doable ideas:

1)   Ask God to reveal Greed. Like I said, he’s small and seems relatively harmless. So we need God to shine the light on his hole and expose him for what he really is.

2)   Give away stuff. There is nothing like thinking about giving away something to get Greed to come tearing out of his hole and shouting why you should keep it.

3)   Tithe. Yep, tithe. I have come to believe that tithing is like taking a pill to keep the Greed away. You give to God and His church every week with joy and Greed just can’t stand that. Why? Because I believe giving then trickles into the rest of your life. You start giving stuff away. You give money to other things. And the ropes Greed was using to attach you to this world strain under that weight until they snap and you find yourself free.

And lastly, think about a big fire. When Greed comes knocking on my door, I imagine everything burning up (ok, yeah, there is a bit of a pyro in me). But the truth is, everything is going to burn in the end. And we can’t take the stuff of this world with us when we die. So then why let Greed have his way and tie me to things that are not going to last? I’d rather have the freedom God gives and His fullness and pleasure. So snip away God, snip away. And Greed be gone!

 

(*Originally posted August 2010).

 

Christian Life, God's Character

What is Faith?

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Here is a quote I came across a couple months ago: Faith is not believing God can, but that God will!

But what if He doesn’t?

I couldn’t help but look at those words and ask what about the people who have lost loved ones? Or parents who prayed and prayed for their child to live, but their child died anyway? Or the man who lost his job and eventually his home?

Did they not have enough faith? Did they not pray enough? Or is faith something more?

Last year I found my faith stretching beyond anything I had ever known. For the first time in my life, I believed God could do anything, not just with my head, but with my heart. That faith carried me through some of the darkest moments of my life… until nothing happened.

God didn’t come through.

I couldn’t believe it. It was the biggest letdown ever. I had prayed, prostrated myself before God, and thought for sure that God was behind us. But He didn’t show up.

I felt alone and devastated. Was my little kernel of faith just not big enough? Mentally and emotionally I felt like I was being sucked down into a vortex of darkness. Could I trust God anymore? And what is faith really?

It was the story of three men that made me start to think there is more to faith than just believing God will do something. The men’s names were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Most people know them by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were three young men taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar and sent off to Babylon where they served him.

In Daniel chapter 3, Nebuchadnezzar creates a statue of gold and commands his people to bow and worship it when the music starts to play. The music plays, and everyone bows… except for those 3 men.

They are brought before Nebuchadnezzar. He tells them he will give them a second chance. But if they fail to obey and bow down, he will throw them into the blazing furnace. “And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?” (Daniel 3:15)

Here is their response: ”O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.

But even if He doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18).

Did you catch that? These men knew God could save them. They had faith. But their faith wasn’t based on what God would do; it was based on God Himself. That is why they could say even if He doesn’t. Even if God did not save them, they would still follow Him and not bow down. They completely put their faith in God to do whatever God was going to do, even if God’s plan did not include saving them.

Wow.

Do I put my faith only in what God is going to do? Or simply in God Himself? Do I trust God so much that I place myself in His Hands and know that no matter how dark the outcome, He has a reason for it?

That is a different kind of faith than the quote up above. A faith that has allowed Christians in the past to face torture and death. One that allows me now to see beyond my current circumstances. A faith in God alone, not in just the outcome we want from Him.