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Posted on February 16, 2020 by beverlyeash

Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?

Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts.

Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.

Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts.

Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.

Psalm 15

David sets it out plainly in this psalm. Is there anything keeping you from worshipping today with a clear heart?

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Posted on February 15, 2020 by beverlyeash

Remember, change and growth aren’t easy. But you can be easy on yourself. Take a break from the negative self-talk and embrace the process of growing.

Have a great Saturday!

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Posted on February 14, 2020 by beverlyeash

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1 John 4:9-10

Although the history of Valentine’s day is shrouded in mystery, it is the day of the year set aside to declare love for that someone special.

Listening to the nightly news on February 13, I learned of Loveland, Colorado. It surprised me that every year hundreds of thousands of Valentines are sent there in advance of February 14 to be stamped with a special “Loveland” message. Boxes of red, pink and white Valentines were individually stamped and then sent on to their final destinations. That’s a lot of work for a Valentine.

I love the message of love we received from our Creator. When the time was right, he sent his son, Jesus, to buy our freedom. That’s an initiation of love that requires my response. Today, I celebrate and receive his unconditional love for me.

I celebrate not only God’s love for me, but all the people in my life who love me so unconditionally. This Valentine’s wish didn’t go through Loveland, but it’s filled with genuine gratitude for all those who fill my life with joy, love and laughter! And a special shout out to my readers! You fill my life with joy in a way I didn’t know was possible! Thanks for reading!

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

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Posted on February 13, 2020 by beverlyeash

As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind…

Mark 4:35-36

The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then 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. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.

Mark 6:30-32

Solitude. Not only did Jesus spend time alone, he taught the disciples to do the same. One of the most difficult disciplines for me to develop is spending time alone without feeling guilty. I fret about all kinds of things. Am I missing something? What if someone needs me? What if someone doesn’t like that I’m alone? Will my approval ratings drop if I am not immediately available?

Clearly these are not healthy thoughts. But it’s equally clear that time alone is healthy.

I am most successful spending time alone when I silence all the voices inside that would want me to do otherwise. And it is in the alone, the silence that I am refreshed and renewed.

Why don’t you give it a try?

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Posted on February 12, 2020 by beverlyeash

As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. 

Matthew 14:13

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

Matthew 14:22-23

Sometimes we need to be alone. And sometimes we need to be alone without anyone knowing we are alone.

Spending time alone was essential for Jesus. He went off by himself when he heard that John the Baptist had been killed. He spent the night alone before he chose the twelve disciples. He went into the hills by himself to spend time praying. He knew that he needed time alone to refuel and come back stronger.

I want to be able to do that. I want to leave the crowds behind, FOMO on the shelf and revel in time of quiet and alone to be recharged and come back stronger.

Do you struggle getting alone? What makes it difficult to leave the crowds?

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Posted on February 11, 2020 by beverlyeash

Someone once said if you ever stop growing you are dying. I guess that’s true. Can you be at a standstill for long periods of time? Or does decay sneak in undetected and begin to break down the foundation of who we are?

So a couple of weeks ago, I was with friends. Being an external processor, I shared some angst I was feeling. We discussed different solutions, offering suggestions on how conversations might be formulated. After one rehearsed conversation, my friend said, “That would make me really mad.” I said, “yeah, me too.” And then I realized we weren’t talking about the same thing.

She noticed that the content of my imaginary converstion was passive aggressive and that kind of interaction would be upsetting to her. It would be to me too.

I said, “I feel worse now.”

She said, “I didn’t mean to make me feel worse.”

I said, “It’s okay. I need to feel bad a minute.”

And she was right.

The conversation I rehearsed in my head, rather than being direct and loving, was passive agressive. That bothered me.

A few days later I was having a different conversation with a different friend. Again anticipating a difficult conversation, we rehearsed scenarios. At one point she paused, tilted her head and said, “You seem afraid. Are you afraid?”

“Yes. Yes. I am afraid. Afraid that if I am myself I won’t be accepted.” And there was the faintest flicker of light on the horizon of my mind. I saw that the two conversations connected.

There are times I look to the people around me to fulfill my core longings. Without realizing the subtle shift, I pull away from the Table of the Lord and moved toward the table the world sets.

And then dysfunctional behavior takes over. I am afraid others might not like what I say, do, think – so I withhold what I really want to say and convey through passive words meant to push you aggressively in the desired direction.

Today I confess that I’m not there yet. I haven’t achieved the maturity I look toward. Paul’s words are my anthem today:

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Philippians 3:12-14

Be encouraged! Growth is a process and, while we want it to be linear, it is more often an upward spiral. We spiral around back to the same issues but just a bit more mature than the last time. If we are alert and willing, we can always take one more step in the direction of wholeness.

Be patient! God isn’t finished with you yet!

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Posted on February 10, 2020 by beverlyeash

It was a random Saturday morning and we were meeting my daughter and her children for a casual breakfast. Dave and I arrived first, ordered and settled at a table.

We saw them first as they parked the car and unloaded the girls from their carseats. The oldest turned toward the coffee shop and noticed Dave and I through the plate glass window facing the parking lot. We waved and she paused just a moment. Then her countenance changed. Her little legs picked up speed and she moved toward the door with new purpose.

As she entered the coffee shop, she cried out with complete abandon, “It’s my GRANDMA!” Running across the room, she threw herself into my arms, hugging my neck.

That is what it feels like to be chosen! She chooses me every time she sees me with squeals of delight. Her thoughts toward me are pleasant. She asks every day if she can come to Grandma’s house. She believes being with me will be better than anything.

Scripture tells me that God is delighted with me as well, he rejoices when he thinks of me, he sings joyful songs over me (Zephaniah 3:17). His hand of blessing is on my head and his thoughts toward me are many and pleasant. (Psalm 139:5, 17-18)

This is what it feels like to be chosen by the One who created you. This is what it feels like to be complete in Him.

And it can be yours!

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Posted on February 9, 2020 by beverlyeash

Your help comes from Him alone! Pause, take 5 and listen!

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Posted on February 8, 2020 by beverlyeash

In the Ancient Near East, settling a new area required three factors to be present: water, food and safety. In 2 Samuel 5, David becomes king of all Israel and moves to the City of David. This city, according to antiquity was located in the foothills of the mountains surrounding Jerusalem. The drawing factor of this location was the presence of water fed by a spring. The disadvantage of this location was its location in the foothills. From this position of vulnerability, invading armies had the advantage.

David wrote Psalm 121 from the city of David. Imagine him sitting on the porch of his palace, or perhaps on the roof, looking UP at the mountains that surrounded him. Considering his position of vulnerability against invading armies, he penned these words:

I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

Psalm 121

Yesterday I closed with the question: where does your help come from? I would like to ask you that again. Where does your help come from? It isn’t from the systems of the world or from cleverly devised plans. Your help comes from the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot stumble.

Will you let him help you today?

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Posted on February 7, 2020 by beverlyeash

One major turning point in my journey occurred during a sixteen week healing care group. As we explored wounds and what we do to protect ourselves, I recognized that I used religion as an escape from the pain I experienced. Without realizing it, I believed the lie that if my behavior was good and my life was cloaked in scripture and all things religious, then I would be acceptable. I believed I could perform well enough to receive approval from God, my parents, my friends, my neighbors – anyone with whom I crossed paths.

So my mind was in constant turmoil because I was participating in the world’s way of finding fulfillment for my core longings. I didn’t depend on God’s love for me, but on my good behavior. You see, I believed that my goodness obligated God to accept and love me. But I struggled to embrace the truth that God loved me without any of my good works.

I remember the morning after I made this realization. I was journaling my discovering and exploring what it might mean if I let religious obligation fall to the side. What would happen? I decided to live on the edge and see! I laid it all down that morning as I sat on my deck in the morning sun. I let go of religious obligation and good behavior and anything else that I counted on to make me acceptable to God and others.

Oh, the joy and weightlessness I felt in that moment! The constant whirring inside my head came to a halt. Deep peace and overwhelming unconditional love flooded my heart and mind. For the first time in my memory, I didn’t think about anything. Scripture came alive in a way I hadn’t experienced prior to that moment. I understood what Paul meant when he said:

 I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 

Philippians 3:9

The call to holy living took on whole new meaning to me. No longer did I love and forgive others to gain God’s favor. I already had that! I did it to set others free and to be free myself. I did it because God loves me, not to earn his love.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Colossians 3:12-15

My wounds no longer reduced me. The cracks and crevices were filled with God’s healing and they became part of my beauty. As time passes, I continue to experience healing. I grow stronger in the knowledge of God’s love for me. His wisdom guides me to the next best thing. I smile more – not just on the outside but on the inside too.

Are you ready for something different? Are you ready to experience “peace that exceeds anything we can understand?” Where will your help come from?

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