Category Archives: Devotional

A Solitary Place

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A solitary place

A Solitary Place

40 Gifts of Lent | Gift 9
Reflections on Luke 1 – 4

At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place… Luke 4: 42

I would find her there, in a secluded place alone. As a girl, I thought she needed this solitary time because she wanted to get away from us kids. But actually she needed this space to get away with God.

My childhood home always had more people living in it than the family that resided there. We had extra cots and air mattresses when there wasn’t enough beds. Our supper table had extra folding chairs squeezed between and I learned to spoon soup into my mouth with my elbows tucked into my side. Mom served us all with joy and grace as our home became a lighthouse of escape for many.

Over time, even the good things will take its toll, clamoring for peace and competing for rest. There’s the danger of pride crowding humbleness, pushing it aside…tempting us to focus on ourselves, thinking we can do it all.  We focus more on the people needing our attention, their voices wanting to be heard and the food cooking on the stove while the sheets need to be washed and the children are asking for help with homework.

All of the good busy things crowd the one best thing.

Now years later, here I am repeating her life in many ways.

I think of my Mom going to a solitary place to unwind her crowded thoughts, to be refreshed and focus her energy off of herself (and others) and instead on to Christ. Taking time to be alone with God was a gift to herself and to her family.

Thank you Mom, your life is a gift that keeps on giving long after you’ve gone.

“Solitude molds self-righteous people into gentle, caring, forgiving persons who are so deeply convinced of their own great sinfulness and so fully aware of God’s even greater mercy that their life itself becomes ministry.” ~Henri Nouwen, The Way of the Heart

A Solitary Place 2

About 40 Gifts of Lent 

I am anticipating the arrival of Easter and celebrating the most amazingly good gift I’ve ever received. I want to focus my heart on the fulfilled expectation of Christ’s first coming and the glorious expectation of His second coming. I want to focus on the freedom I have in Christ to overcome strongholds, yet also to gain strength, hope, and peace as I lean into the trials…To continue reading, please go here: 40 Gifts of Lent

#LentChallenge

Five Minute Friday

Linking up at Five Minute Friday to write five minutes about the word: CROWD

Sacrifice is at the heart of real love

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The Shepherd and Scattered Sheep

The Shepherd and His Scattered Sheep

40 Gifts of Lent | Gift 8
Reflections on Mark 12 – end

“…for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.'”…Then everyone deserted him and fled. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him,  he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.  Mark 14: 27, 48 – 52

Like them, I would bolt in the face of persecution, terrified and fleeing to avoid the same scorn as Christ endured. I think back to the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve ran away from God, in fear and nakedness. Like them, I forget the safety of the sheepfold and turn away from the protection of the shepherd’s rod and staff.

…and the shame of that and the guilt of that is so hard to bare.

And the Shepherd takes all of that guilt and all of that shame upon himself.

Oh, the sweet gift of the Shepherd to call my name, over and over again. Calling my name to return back to him, for I am one of his scattered sheep in desperate need of the Shepherd.  So thankful that I know his voice when he speaks, “You are loved. You are mine. You are forgiven. Return to me. I will never forsake you.”

Sacrifice is at the heart of real love.

All the apostles had forsaken him. In the garden, at his most sorrowful hour, “They all left him and fled” (Mark 14:50). If you have forsaken him, let him down, offended him, take heart, he is not less eager to repair things with you. Seek his face. Ask him. Receive his grace. (John Piper)

He is a faithful and persistent shepherd.

The Shepherd

I weep over the sorrows and disgraces of our Lord,
and what causes me the greatest sorrow
is that men, for whom He suffered so much,
live in forgetfulness of Him.
~St. Francis of Assisi

About 40 Gifts of Lent 

I am anticipating the arrival of Easter and celebrating the most amazingly good gift I’ve ever received. I want to focus my heart on the fulfilled expectation of Christ’s first coming and the glorious expectation of His second coming. I want to focus on the freedom I have in Christ to overcome strongholds, yet also to gain strength, hope, and peace as I lean into the trials…To continue reading, please go here: 40 Gifts of Lent

#LentChallenge

Repentant Helplessness

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Repentant Helplessness 2

Repentant Helplessness

40 Gifts of Lent | Gift 7
Reflections on Mark 6 – 11

“I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.”  Mark 9:24

I’m trying to be brave but I’m full of doubts. I am helpless to cure myself, to stop repeating the same mistakes, and to fill my mind with peace. There are many times when I’m running through life at a very fast pace, doing my own thing without prayer…unaware of the danger that lurks around the corner.

The danger ahead is doubting and unbelief and failure to call out to God. I’ve created so many messes because of not trusting God’s plan nor asking for his help. I’ve picked up my own shovel to dig ruts and large potholes just for me to trip over and fall into face first. Why do I do this over and over again? It’s the pain of sin and helplessness that brings me to my knees.

The amazing gift is that I don’t need to wash off the dirt and mud or clean and bandage the wounds before approaching God, just a repentant helplessness. He has already washed me and healed the moral and spiritual wounds. When I am weak and cannot muster the strength to meet these challenges, all I need to say is, “Help me.”

I sense his embrace, my soul is brighter and I’m ready to walk (or run) around the corner to face what life has in store.

Repentant Helplessness 1

Additional Reading: King’s Cross by Tim Keller

About 40 Gifts of Lent 

#LentChallenge

Coffee-for-Your-Heart-150

A Really Good Story

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A Really Good Story

A Really Good Story

40 Gifts of Lent | Gift 6
Reflections on Mark 1 – 5

He did not say anything to them without using a story. Mark 4:34

We want to raise a generation who find their identity in the story of God. Tell them a story they will never forget, a life changing truth that is bigger and better than themselves. Teach them, instruct them…cause them to ponder and question, to want more of a really good story.

Thank you God for making us characters in and carriers of your great story of grace. You are the author, the narrator of this really good story, the hero that rescues us from ourselves.

Look for God in these coming days, to write stories of redemption that will reveal his glory and showcase his grace—leaving you reveling in his goodness and rejoicing in him.

We’ll grow in our lives what we plant with our love” ~Bob Goff

A Good Story

About 40 Gifts of Lent 2014

I love the anticipation of celebrating birthdays with my children and grandchildren and can’t wait to gather again with my family and friends around a brightly lit tree at Christmas. My focus for any event or special occasion is mostly on the gift I will buy and then tape it up with all of the wrapping and trimmings to make it a beautiful presentation to give away. I do enjoy watching them rip into the paper and toss the pretty bow without a care to get to the inside of that package.

It’s so much fun to be on the receiving end of good gifts!

I am anticipating the arrival of Easter and celebrating the most amazingly good gift I’ve ever received. I want to focus my heart on the fulfilled expectation of Christ’s first coming and the glorious expectation of His second coming. I want to focus on the freedom I have in Christ to overcome strongholds, yet also to gain strength, hope, and peace as I lean into the trials…To continue reading, please go here: 40 Gifts of Lent

#LentChallenge

Watch Wait…Be Ready

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Watch Wait Be Ready

Watch, Wait…Be Ready

40 Gifts of Lent | Gift 5
Reflections on Matthew 25 – end

Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”  Matthew 25:13

And the story shines on with light fighting the darkness, gaining victory over strongholds, giving strength through the trials. The king, the giver of life and bearer of true light is betrothed, he has gone on a journey, and he is going to return to be married.

We are his bride and a bride prepares to meet her bridegroom.

The bridegroom is coming!
Watch for his return
Wait…
Be ready!

We are called to watch for him, to do our work to prepare for him.  Do not lose hope in waiting. Do not fall asleep when there is work to be done.

The gift of readiness is to be alive and alert…to use all of the means God has given you to know him and love him and trust him.

“So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may stay away from temptation. Your spirit wants to do what is right, but your body is weak.” Matthew 26:40-41 (ESV and  Easy-to-Read version)

Lamp

Reflections on Matthew 25 – 28

About 40 Gifts of Lent

I love the anticipation of celebrating birthdays with my children and grandchildren and can’t wait to gather again with my family and friends around a brightly lit tree at Christmas. My focus for any event or special occasion is mostly on the gift I will buy and then tape it up with all of the wrapping and trimmings to make it a beautiful presentation to give away. I do enjoy watching them rip into the paper and toss the pretty bow without a care to get to the inside of that package.

It’s so much fun to be on the receiving end of good gifts!

I am anticipating the arrival of Easter and celebrating the most amazingly good gift I’ve ever received. I want to focus my heart on the fulfilled expectation of Christ’s first coming and the glorious expectation of His second coming. I want to focus on the freedom I have in Christ to overcome strongholds, yet also to gain strength, hope, and peace as I lean into the trials.

Lent is usually about giving something up to remember the sufferings and ultimate price that Christ endured on our behalf. But I’m not doing that this year. While I’ll never forget the price Jesus paid to rescue me, I don’t want to give something up in order to remember…to receive inner peace or a personal triumph of going without.

I want to anticipate and receive unexpected gifts during Lent. I want to rip open beautiful presents everyday to discover a different gift inside. When I discovered the link to #theLentChallenge to read the entire New Testament during Lent 2014, I immediately knew, by making this commitment, I would receive (at least) 40 gifts! My heart is bursting at its seams in anticipation for the gifts God will show me.

You are welcome to join me in opening a new gift everyday. It’s not too late to start.

More Grace,
Donna

#LentChallenge

Worry Dethrones God |Sunday Respite | 40 Gifts of Lent 2014

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Bird Matthew 6:26 Lent

The gift of being treasured by the one who sacrificed his life.
The gift of not worrying as the anxious thoughts fly away.
The gift of more grace and praying his kingdom come.

All worry dethrones God
All worrying says that we need to be King
because God is incompetent
When the King really rules your world,
you really don’t need to worry ~Ann VosKamp

Reflecting on Matthew 6:1-31
40 Gifts of Lent 2014

Jumping Tandem
SUNDAY STILLNESS 

About 40 Gifts of Lent 

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Being Neighborly

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Being Neighborly

Being Neighborly

40 Gifts of Lent | Gift 4
Reflections on Matthew 19 – 24

“[Jesus] said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” Matthew 22: 37 – 39

Love of God and love of neighbor are connected. I often forget that connection, especially if my neighbor’s dog barks at the moon all night long and then I must dodge the dog’s “land-mines” walking through my front yard to get the morning paper. There are no lovely feelings or happy thoughts about being neighborly.

Love of God and love of neighbor are connected when nothing but a wall of sheetrock and a thin layer of insulation separates you from the sounds of crying and screaming children over the beat of “thud-thud-thud…thud thud” from a subwoofer. I admit, I would deliberately avoid being neighborly towards them.

In both scenarios, my heart, soul and mind was bent, twisted and misaligned with anger and resentment towards my neighbors. I was also becoming a miserable neighbor for them to live next to. It continued to grow worse until my attitude began to change towards them.

My attitude began to change when I began to focus on God’s love for all of us. And I began to understand that in no way could I be neighborly without loving God first.

And when I gave God first place in my heart, soul and mind, his love enabled me to love my neighbor. Friendships developed and good things began to happen. I stopped to chat a few times every week with the lady who owned the dog and eventually I noticed my yard wasn’t a mine-field any more and the dog was brought inside at night. We became better friends, taking long walks together, with her dog on a leash…talking and doing life together.

We invited the family next door to come over for supper and to bring their kids too. We shared life with them to the point that we became best of friends. And I’m not sure what happened to that subwoofer because I never heard the thuds again. We had our first child while living next door to this family. I will never forget how they were the beautiful example of being neighborly to us.

To love your neighbor as yourself is a gift…this is the meaning of being neighborly.

Being Neighborly 2

About 40 Gifts of Lent 

I am anticipating the arrival of Easter and celebrating the most amazingly good gift I’ve ever received. I want to focus my heart on the fulfilled expectation of Christ’s first coming and the glorious expectation of His second coming. To continue reading, please go here: 40 Gifts of Lent

#LentChallenge

Our Comfort in a Desolate Place

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Comfort in a Desolate Place

Our Comfort in a Desolate Place

40 Gifts of  Lent | Gift 3
Reflections on Matthew 13 – 18

Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away…” But Jesus said, “They need not go away…” Matthew 14: 15-16

It would not be long before the disciples and the followers of Jesus would experience a very tragic and frightening desolate place that they have never experienced before. They don’t understand what is to come. They only know what they see and feel right then, at that time and place. They become agitated, restless, and worried…even with Jesus standing beside them.

Often we feel that there is no hope in the worst of times, that there is no one that will listen or understands the pangs of fear and anxiety that hurls when the evening approaches. Do not fear when the darkness shuts out the light and you are alone with your thoughts, do not turn away from Jesus to search for comfort elsewhere. He is with you.

If you want to believe but can’t, stop looking inside; go to Jesus and say, “Help me believe.” You will be comforted. You will be satisfied to overflowing.

Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.  Matthew 14:19 – 20. 

“The provision Christ makes for those who are his is not bare and scanty, but rich and plentiful; an overflowing fullness.” (Matthew Henry)

We should not be surprised when God goes above and beyond all that we would ask or dream.

Why I write about 40 Gifts of Lent 

It’s so much fun to be on the receiving end of good gifts! I am anticipating the arrival of Easter and celebrating the most amazingly good gift I’ve ever received. I want to focus my heart on the fulfilled expectation of Christ’s first coming and the glorious expectation of His second coming. I want to focus on the freedom I have in Christ to overcome strongholds, yet also to gain strength, hope, and peace as I lean into the trials…continue reading here.

#LentChallenge