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Posted on November 24, 2021 by beverlyeash

When I was in junior high, I ran track. Sprints were my specialty and at the time I was pretty fast. For my school, anyway. I broke the records in both the 50 yard dash and the 100 yard dash. It was fun to be really good at something. Junior high was the end of my illustrious track career. I am quite sure I no longer hold those records.

There was something about standing at the starting line, hearing the cues to get set and ready to run. It was important to calm myself so I didn’t jump the gun, literally! At the same time, I had to be ready to push off and be moving as soon as the gun fired.

Today, it feels like I am standing at the starting line of the holiday season. Prepping for tomorrow, knowing that it is the “gun shot” for me in many ways. Friday I give myself permission to decorate for winter and Christmas. Fall decor will be packed away with care for ten months. My mind will turn to other holiday traditions of baking, wrapping, entertaining and puzzling. (Yes, puzzles are my winter tradition!)

So on this day, I take a deep breath and intentionally calm myself. I want to be fully present in every activity, every moment, every memory of the next few weeks. This day, I am baking pie with my daughter. She wants to learn; I am willing to teach.

The most challenging part of the next few weeks will be taking time to be quiet before the Lord and listen. It feels so compelling to get things done and there are so many things to do. So I set my intention now to take time for myself to be in fellowship with Jesus. Even if it means I don’t do something else.

. . . Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. 3Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.

Isaiah 55:2-3

I invite you to join me in pausing, taking a deep breath and listening, even if only for five minutes, before rushing into the day. Whether it is the holiday on Thursday or the days between holidays, give him the first five and see what he can do!

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Posted on November 23, 2021 by beverlyeash

There is a parable Jesus told regarding the final judgment. You can find it in Matthew 25 toward the end of the chapter. In this teaching, the Son of Man (Jesus) and all the angels gather in the throne room. All the people of the earth are gathered and Jesus, I assume with the help of the angels, separates the people into two groups. The ones on the right he calls sheep, the ones on his left he calls goats.

This separation in itself is a bit of foreshadowing. In ancient culture, the right hand was preferred, the place of honor and recognition. So, for those listening, they should hope to identify with the sheep rather than the goats. But will they?

Jesus goes on to say this to his listeners…

34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

Matthew 25:34-36

Jesus mentions five ways to care for those in need: give them food and drink and provide them with clothes are three ways. Check, check, check! All can be done with a simple transfer of funds from me to an organization or store and the goods dropped off at a pick up location. This is a tremendous way to help those in need. It is impossible for me to know every possible need, so developing a relationship with an organization that does know is an excellent strategy.

The last two: invite a stranger into your home and visit someone in prison. Those are much more difficult. They are difficult because they require me to invest my time and presence. It takes more of everything to invest in someone’s life in this way.

As I consider this shift in thinking, my response is to pray. I ask the Holy Spirit to give me greater awareness for those in need and the courage to meet the need, even if it means it requires my time. I am not where I want to be in this regard, but I feel like I’m turning in the right direction. And I believe that my desire to please the Father is indeed pleasing to him.

What about you? Is it easier to give time or finances? Does the investment of time prevent you from reaching out to someone in need? What will be your next steps?

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Posted on November 22, 2021 by beverlyeash

This week signifies the beginning of the 2021 holidays. It begins with Thanksgiving which melts into Christmas and ends with New Year’s Day. Between now and New Year’s Eve there will be invites to peruse, charcuterie boards to assemble, menus to devise and shopping lists to create. And that’s only the food part of the holidays.

The holidays can be so lonely and I wonder what I could do to make it better for just one person. There are plenty of opportunities to buy gifts for families in need through organizations like Angel Tree, Salvation Army, Toys for Tots and location specific ministries. I have done that. But, I admit — that is not my strength. I am capable and happy to take a list to the store and buy the items on the list to drop off somewhere. But if I have to decide what to buy, my mind goes blank. It freezes up like the Artic Circle.

I have also given financially to local charitable organizations that host Thanksgiving or Christmas meals. One Christmas, our family helped prepare and serve food at a Christmas dinner in a homeless shelter. All of that is great and necessary. In many ways, it makes the holidays less lonely.

But what about the person who lives next door? The one whose needs are not financial, but rather emotional. Those are more difficult to discern. There isn’t a form to fill out or a place to go for holiday support. Perhaps the reason my heart goes out to these people is because I found myself there quite often. It isn’t something I share after the obligatory, “Hi! How are you doing? Do you have your holiday shopping done?”

A few weeks ago in my writing, I focused on intentionality. I want to live on purpose, with intention. How can I be intentional with someone this year? What can I do to make the holidays just a little brighter and a little less blue for just one person?

15Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. 16And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

Hebrews 13:15-16

As we begin this holiday season, it is good to recall these two sacrifices that are pleasing to God: continual praise through Jesus and sharing with those in need.

Who around you is in need? How can your life be an offering of perpetual praise AND a source of goodness for those in need? What is your biggest obstacle to overcome when it comes to generosity with those in need?

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Posted on November 19, 2021 by beverlyeash

After years of praying, months of planning and weeks of hard work, The Cabin off 39 is officially a THING!

Designed especially to accommodate the needs of a private personal retreat, the once rustic space has been transformed into a comfortable, welcoming, warm space with all the amenities necessary to be cozy, peaceful and transforming. It’s like wrapping up in your favorite soft blanket, curled up in front of the fire with hot chocolate in one hand and your journal in the other. Light a candle, turn on some soft music and you are ready to be renewed and refreshed.

I have thought a lot about these questions, “Who should take a personal retreat?” and “Why should I take a personal retreat?”

Who should take a personal retreat?

That is easy. Everyone.

Why should I take a personal retreat?

We are busy people who value busyness. If we are busy, we assume we have value. But busyness robs us of what really matters. For instance, busyness robs us of deep relationship with not only God, but family and friends as well. Slowing down for a period of time – even if that is only 24 hours – helps bring life into perpsective. It allows a person to refuel, rest and gather himself to be his best self.

How is a personal retreat different from a vacation?

Vacations are taken with other people, perhaps an entire family or group of friends. Vacations are filled with activity such as sight seeing, hiking, sporting activities, shopping, hang gliding, zip lining or whatever the group is into exploring. One focus for our family when we are on vacation is meal time. We love to explore new restaurants and find fun food to enjoy.

A personal retreat is formatted around quietness, unplugging, reading, journaling, listening, letting go. For me, there is a lot of sleeping, especially the first day or so. If massage is available close to where I’m retreating, I try to get one. In an effort to eliminate distraction, I keep my meals simple while still enjoying my favorite foods. Often I have a focus for reading or study. My last retreat focused on the person of the Holy Spirit. Essentially, a personal retreat focuses on holistic self-care with an emphasis on the relationship between Creator and created.

A personal retreat is also helpful during times of change. When my husband lost his job in 2016, we took a week and went to Sedona, Arizona. We did a lot of hiking, ate fantastic food, slept A LOT and processed what we were experiencing.

Two images from scripture guide my thinking around personal retreats. The first is something Jesus said to his disciples when ministry was so overwhelming they hardly had time to eat.

31Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

Mark 6:31

The second image comes from Psalm 91. It is a picture of safety, refuge and comfort. Life is brutal at times and invariably, we need a place of refuge. Sometimes we need to retreat into the cave of God’s love. Too often, we take refuge in things that do not provide the refreshment or protection we desire.

1Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

Psalm 91:1-2

No matter if you are an experienced retreatant or a beginner, I encourage you to give a personal retreat some prayerful attention. Maybe coming to The Cabin off 39 isn’t your thing, but nearly any place can become a retreat destination. I highly recommend it! Click on this link to take a tour of The Cabin and schedule your visit today!

The Cabin off 39 awaits you!

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Posted on November 18, 2021 by beverlyeash

9I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

Philippians 1:9-11

Why does praying for someone seem so complicated? Unsure of what to say or how to pray for an individual, I stammer about. Or worse yet, I just don’t pray. This prayer, written by Paul to the church in Philippi, is an awesome go to for every situation, every person, everywhere.

Unpacking it a bit, this is what I find. First, the main concern is our love meter. How full is the tank? It should overflow! How recently have you prayed for someone’s love tank to overflow?

Secondly, our lives ought to show growth in both knowledge and understanding. Paul doesn’t expound on what we ought to know or understand, but the word translated knowledge here is the Greek word that means real knowledge. Let me explain.

There are things I know. I can say I know Joe Biden because he is our president and I know who he is. I would recognize him if I saw him on the street. But I don’t really know him. That would only happen if I spent time with him and had shared experiences with him. This is the kind of knowledge Paul prays for the believers. This knowledge of God develops when I spend time Jesus, when I am attentive to his interaction with me through the Holy Spirit. The more I experience God, the more knowledge I have, the more I understand who he is.

“Understanding” is expanded next — the understanding is growth in discerning what really matters. You see, much of what I am concerned about doesn’t matter. Much of what I invest my resources (time, money, energy) in doesn’t matter. As I grow in my understanding (of what really matters), my life takes on a different hue. The colors of my life soften to reflect the character of Christ rather than my own colors.

Finally, Paul is concerned that these dear people always experience the fruit of their salvation which is righteous character that develops as a byproduct of life in Jesus.

Now that is good stuff!! I would be thrilled and honored if someone prayed this for me. So, let’s honor one another above ourselves and start right here with this prayer! I believe we would see a revolution in our communities!

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Posted on November 17, 2021 by beverlyeash

When I left home to attend Bible School, my friends gave me a new Bible to take with me. It was a beautiful red, leather bound KJV with my name monogrammed on the front. Truly a thoughtful gift!

As it turns out, I didn’t use that particular Bible much for study while at school but I still have it and cherish the thoughtfulness behind the gift! Inside my friends highlighted Colossians 1:9-12 and told me they were praying this for me.

9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 

Colossians 1:9-12

If ever there was a premade prayer to use, this one is it. I was so honored that they took my journey seriously and were asking God to bless my life in this way. Read it again! The elements in this prayer are exactly what I need every day! I need: knowledge of his will, wisdom and understanding from the Spirit, a life worthy of the Lord, to please him in every way, bearing fruit, growing in my knowledge of God, strengthened with his power so that I can endure and be patient in this life, all while giving thanks to the Father who decided he wanted me to be a part of the family and invited me on this journey!

We think we need to know what is happening in a person’s life in order to pray effectively. We don’t! Just pick up the scriptures and put this prayer in action. Then stand back and watch God move!

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you who needs this prayer today and then speak it out for them! Be a part of the change the world needs by investing in someone’s life through prayer!

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Posted on November 16, 2021 by beverlyeash

Prayer and praying follow certain forms in different traditions. A friend, nurtured in the Catholic church, taught me a prayer she said in her home before meals. It sparked something in me and I committed the prayer to memory.

Thank you, oh Lord, for these thy gifts for which we are about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord. Amen.

While usually said before eating, it spoke to me deeply beyond mealtime. Let me explain. Six women sat together, listening as one mom shared vulnerably about a personal situation, after which we joined her in prayer. Free form praying is our go to method, but as we finished, I asked if we could pray the aforementioned prayer over the situation before us. As we did, I was moved by the gratitude and expectation expressed in these simple sentences.

Here we were, six women of faith, asking God to be present in the life situation of one of us. Before we saw any change, we 1) thanked God for what he would do and 2) expected it to come from his bounty (liberality, generosity). It is so consistent with his word to us!

3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. . . . This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7He is so rich in kindness and grace . . .  8He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

Ephesians 1:3-8

The next day we checked in on our friend’s life situation. In the overnight hours, God had done “immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine.” It was incredible to be a part of this experience and see how a simple, rote prayer spoken in faith at the right time expressed our desires, affirmed our faith and set us up for great expectations.

20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

Does prayer seem overwhelming to you? Do the prayers from your past seem overused and unoriginal? How can they be reframed to authentically express your heart and open you up to great expectations?

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Posted on November 15, 2021 by beverlyeash

31Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. 32So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. . . . 46After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

Mark 6:31-32; 46

My earliest memory of prayer is bedtime prayers with my mom and meal time prayers with my dad. Mom always prayed with us when she put us to bed. I’m sure at some age that stopped, but I grew up with the distinct impression that no one knew how to pray quite like my mom.

Dad always led the family in meal time prayers and devotions. Every morning, except Sunday, we gathered around the table for Bible reading and prayer before breakfast. We took turns praying after the Bible reading with the turns determined by age. Everyone had a turn so we all learned to pray aloud from a very young age. On Sunday, we all recited a verse in place of the Bible reading.

That was our breakfast routine. The noon meal was blessed by reciting “God is great and God is good. Let us thank him for our food. By his hands we all are fed. Give us, Lord, our daily bread. Amen.”

Our evening meal was always blessed by reciting the Lord’s Prayer. Sunday noon was blessed with the Lord’s Prayer and Sunday evening with the less formal “God is great…”

Dave and I didn’t follow that exact pattern with our family, but prayer is still an important part of our lives. For whatever reason, I am drawn to reflect on the place of prayer in my life, but more specifically prayer that is learned and recited; liturgical prayers and recitations. While rote prayers can easily lose significance after a period of time, there is sacred beauty and solemnity in worship that is repeated or used often.

The Bible records many prayers’; Jesus’ prayer — the Lord’s Prayer — is likely the most well known. In Paul’s letters, he often includes a prayer; these provide an excellent model in knowing how to prayer for others.

This week I’m going to explore some prayers. What is your earliest experience of prayer? Do you find it difficult to pray for yourself or others? How can prayer be demystified while still maintaining its mystery? How would you like to become more intentional in your prayer life?

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Posted on November 12, 2021 by beverlyeash

31Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” 

Mark 6:31

Today is an invitation to consider taking time away as a part of intentional living. This week as I hiked through the mountains of Sedona, I’ve thought about what it means to live intentionally. I’ve considered what it means for me. I’ve considered what it means for you. I’ve asked what areas a person might want to be more intentional.

Relationships – especially family – require intentional focus. Husbands and wives, fathers and sons/daughters, mothers and daughters/sons, siblings – all require attention in order to prosper.

Vocation – what will I do in this life that makes the best use of my gifts, skills and talents? Is what I am doing right now the best use of those? How could what I do be more focused?

Ministry – what does it mean to minister in this broken world? What do I have to offer?

Losses – how do I grieve the loss I have experienced in a healthy way? It might not be the death of a loved one – maybe it is the loss of a dream, a job, health, a relationship. I know to grieve if someone dies, but what do I do when I lose something else that is dear to me? How do I intentionally use the experience as a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block?

This and more is why Dave and I remodeled The Cabin. We want to provide a place for weary travelers to find refuge, shelter and a place to gather the fragments, allowing the Lord to create beauty from every part of life. It might be that you need extended time with a child or your spouse; you might be contemplating a major life change or you just need a place of quiet for a few hours or overnight. Whatever the need, find a place to retreat. Take time for yourself to be refreshed and renewed. Plan it into your routine. Be intentional. Do it on purpose.

Explore. Pray. Retreat.

Watch for the upcoming release of our website where you can check out what we offer and make reservations.

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Posted on November 11, 2021 by beverlyeash

1We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. 2People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. 3Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.

Proverbs 16:1-3

When my oldest daughter was young – maybe 14 years old or so – I felt disconnected from her. It seemed a great divide was developing between us and I didn’t know how to bridge the gap. Wanting to intentionally maintain and foster our relationship, I sought out an older woman for advice. Her wisdom gave me courage to reach out even when it didn’t seem my efforts were appreciated.

Later, on a Saturday afternoon, I asked my daughter if she wanted to walk into town and get some ice cream. This was when we lived in town and walking to the ice cream parlor was an option. That afternoon the older woman I turned to for advice happened to be driving through town and noticed my daughter and I walking. She applauded my intention the next time she saw me.

A best practice in developing an intentional lifestyle is to share with another person and invite wise counsel. As the wise writer of the Proverbs said, I might seem pure in my own eyes, only the Lord really knows. One way to commit your plans to the Lord is by sharing them with a trusted spiritual friend. When things go well, you have a cheerleader. When things flop, you have a comforter. It’s a win-win situation!

Who could help you make deliberate steps to more intentional, purposeful living? Does making your desires known feel scary? Does it scare you more to live accidentally? It’s your choice – what will it be?

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