It’s raining, so the window is cracked open to hear the steady rhythm. Sometimes the drops rush down so fast that the sky seems to be pouring out.
Funny how we’re so self sufficient in modernity but still rely on the heavens to open up for something as simple, yet vital, like water.
God is a Gardener not just to our souls but tends to even the basic physical needs too. No detail of our humanity and spirits is overlooked by the Sovereign Creator.
Grace upon grace,
April
“We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands.
The man who says, ‘I know Him’, but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in Him.
But if anyone obeys His Word, God’s love is truly made complete in Him.
This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”
1 John 2:3-6
The biggest lie we can believe is to deny Christ as Lord and Savior. Unbelievers embrace this by rejecting Jesus as the Son of God whether they openly admit it or not. Rebellion can be visible and loud, or a quiet hardening.
Let us live in the truth we know, resting in our confidence and freedom. Jesus paid for our sinful, helpless souls so that we could be free to love, trust, and obey Him for all eternity. This is the central truth to all of life – to know Christ and be in Him. Do you know?
Grace upon grace,
April
We were meant to be creative.
God’s first actions recorded in Scripture involve creating- the entire universe and us. We are His image bearers, the only thing made to mirror Him. It’s pretty amazing when you think about it. We have a gift inside of us we may never have considered before.
I started snapping pictures with my iPhone when Instagram came on the scene. Each square had the potential to be curated art. For someone who loves to create beauty, reflect the wonders of God, this was my jam. I discovered that I liked being an amateur photographer as a way to express the Lord’s glory all around us.
Some of the photos are everyday moments which are good too because life ranges from the breathtaking to the ordinary. It’s all a gift. Each day we get to declare the glory of God in some way, with the talents, abilities, interests He’s given us.
Imaging His creativity in us takes work and a little courage too doesn’t it? Some people may not get what you’re doing. Maybe you don’t even consider yourself this way, reasoning the “artsy” scene isn’t your thing. That’s okay.
Creating not only means to make something out of nothing, or a way of expression. It is also a form of order. God created the world into order (meaning we aren’t flying off the earth as it spins around). There is a certain rhythm, set by God, to sequence the days, nights, and seasons giving us structure for how we live. So isn’t is reasonable to say that those who like to file, organize, clean, and crunch numbers are creatives too?
This is all part of living into the identity Christ bought for us. In her book Made for More, Hannah Anderson says that we “exist to reflect and represent Him on this earth”, living Imago Dei, “in the image of God”. There is a level of vulnerability in living this way, working at something that means something to you, then sharing it with others. It takes a brave heart to do it. But more than that, it honors God when you use the gifts He’s given you.
We keep wonder and beauty alive in a world that aims to pervert what is good. What if creating is like waging war against our unseen enemies? What if we NEED to create as believers are called to fight the good fight? Sharing the Gospel and using your creativity go hand in hand.
So as we image Christ day after day, however imperfectly, we practice creating in our field. It’s how we learn to become people of truth. Because this is your offering to give to the Lord. We become who we already are, or another way to say it, we become more fully ourselves when we create.
Grace upon grace,
April
Every Wednesday afternoon I sit in a waiting room for close to an hour while my son has occupational therapy. There’s a bulletin board in the front office with their business public Wi-fi password, upcoming events, and articles related to children with special needs. One article in particular caught my eye since it was an interview from two parents with a special needs child. In it, they shared, “We grieve the dreams lost, but not our child”. I remember wanting to shout “Yes!” after reading that small but powerful sentence. Their words echoed something I had hidden in my heart for years but couldn’t even articulate without it coming off like self-pity.
The truth is, no one wishes for a baby with special needs. We aren’t wired to think that way. So when the diagnosis does come, whether in utero or well into toddler years, there IS a grieving process over future hopes that will never materialize.
But we’ve joined a club we didn’t sign up for and we’re here- so now what? Does it change the way I love my son? Of course not. It just means there will be a plan B that isn’t laid out yet, in which there is little control or foreknowledge. I know that sounds very much like parenting a typical child, but I’m convinced there is more of a blueprint for raising children without a disability than with one. It’s not to say that parenting in general isn’t soul-draining- it is.
Yet the future for most children is that they will one day tie their own shoes, converse in complete sentences so that others understand them, and become independent fully functioning adults in society. There is a broad but knowable path laid out here. Autism, Down syndrome, OCD, ADHD, or physical handicap is even bigger. No two special needs persons are alike in their diagnosis which makes parenting feel more like a desert wilderness. It’s harder to swap “what did you do when she was 3 and this happened…” stories to learn from.
I’d like to say that 7 years into this I never get sad. But just as the parents in the article said, you do grieve over broken dreams… and the daily struggles too. And yet, my son is a gift I can’t imagine living without. He teaches me how to see people, to not be so self-conscious and to love unconditionally.
My son is what I like to call, an upside-down blessing. God often teaches us through suffering and disappointment. This is part of the upside-down kingdom effect. I lean more into Him, cry out when I don’t understand, in the times I’m flailing because my faith is shaken.
It stretches my trust in God, the Sovereign Creator. I’ve even lately begun to see secondary infertility in a new light, because maybe my ministry is to take care of the one. Even as he gets older his dependence on me hasn’t changed- so maybe, just maybe he needs all of me right now and God knows that.
In the end, this piece of life and how we respond can be for God’s glory and our good. The growing pains are real, and will probably never go away this side of heaven. For me and my husband our Christian faith keeps us going. We believe that one day our son’s mind and body won’t be disabled anymore. One day he will be fully restored as will we. For the Christ-follower, there is always hope. Because hope becomes sight when we see Jesus face to face; and all the dreams I thought I wanted will pale in comparison to the very thing my heart always hungered for.
Grace upon grace,
April
For my birthday Jason and I rented Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, the recent documentary about Fred Rogers’ life. Most of us knew him as Mister Rogers from his children’s show, with the same name, on PBS. I was reduced to tears halfway through the film, seeing this man fight for goodness in a culture hell bent on being hell bent. Mister Rogers was a counter-cultural show, and relevant at the same time.
He purposely talked slower, keeping a quiet pace for his viewers, in reaction to the fast moving, in-your-face entertainment catered toward young consumers. Mister Rogers never dumbed down his message but instead spoke directly to children as people, not half-human martians. He also addressed the current issues of his day with subjects about assassination, politics and race. It was never overt but more like a gentle conversation, leading by example.
The documentary shows how Fred Rogers used his life to display kindness to all people. In essence, he saw every person with inherent value, choosing to treat others with dignity. Mister Rogers demonstrated what it means to show grace in an angry world. It’s a good lesson for Christians too.
It doesn’t mean we ignore the wickedness of our time, but first view each person as an image-bearer in need of God’s salvation and grace.
We start the good fight here, not for external moralism, but compassion for heart transformation. The greater war within each of us is spiritual. A person, a people, a nation cannot change without the inner man being renewed.
It is so easy to become disheartened in our current climate, to watch evil win. When everyone does what is right in his own eyes sin will prevail. We do what we want under the disguise of “tolerance” to justify our sin. Helplessness sets in for the Christian so we keep our heads down.
But Fred Rogers bravely and publicly lived out his conviction to reach children with the hope of transforming the next generation from hate to love, anger to kindness. And yet we go a step further because it isn’t enough. Outward change only results from inner change first. We operate out of our own regenerated hearts before engaging in spiritual battles/culture wars. Only then can we approach others from a place of sincerity and live out the Gospel message.
Friends, don’t grow weary in doing good. Even with mass chaos in our world we have the invaluable gift of giving the lost what they need most- Hope. We are the Light Bearers to darkness.
Remember who you are in Jesus Christ and fight the good fight right in your own neighborhood.
Grace upon grace,
April
Go deeper:
Revelation 2:2-7
Hebrews 12:3
Galatians 6:9-10
“Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different.” -C.S. Lewis
Yesterday Jesse had a half day of school, so I drove there to pick him up at 11am only to get home some time after 2pm. What happened in between was this.
I was buckling Jesse in the car of the school parking lot when another parent came over, remarking that I had something in my tire. Well you could definitely hear the air hissing out with a thin, sharp metal object pierced in the rubber. I called Jason to see if he could come check it out and later he determined the tire needed changing.
He changes the tire then makes the executive decision for all of us to eat a late lunch at Chic-Fila (which why would anyone ever oppose that?). After lunch and Jesse playing in their indoor jungle gym (I make a mental note to use a ton of hand sanitizer afterward), we head over to the car shop.
I’m informed that they can’t even look at the tire or replace it until tomorrow morning. So, weary and with a slight stress headache, we head home to watch Frozen for the hundredth time.
This was not a normal day for us, but not anything extraordinary either. It happens every day to people. Most of life isn’t flashy and exciting and like life on vacation. We get up, go to work or school, meal plan, buy groceries, laundry, clean, etc. All to do it over again the next day.
But here’s the thing. Sometimes the subliminal message in our culture seems to be that ordinary is boring and therefore to be avoided. There is a push to be “unique” and in one sense we all are because God didn’t create any of us alike. Even twins develop different personalities (ask me how I know). But if everyone is striving to stand out and be “different”, isn’t that just another kind of conformity?
In Paul’s letter to Titus he says, “Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives” (Titus 3:14).
We still have to work, eat and sleep. Our basic needs still apply and often this includes taking care of others too. My hope is that you and I learn not to despise ordinary living. That even being ordinary is okay even as you use the unique gifts God has blessed you with.
Because it really sums up most of our lives. The moments each day add up over time and turn into weeks, then months and years. It would be a tragedy to have wasted your one life, always seeking the next thrill and not appreciating the commonplace. Our worth isn’t calculated by how “exciting and interesting” we are is it? It’s so much more than that.
So what does Paul encourage Titus and the church to do?
Do good. Live your lives.
I think this is part of “keeping your eyes on your own paper”, to stay faithful right where you are.
When we are faithful to do this, we begin to realize that we are exactly where we need to be. You and I have a different ordinary, but it doesn’t make mine or yours less significant. Our kingdom work happens here.
Grace upon grace,
April
Part of the goal for Redeemed In Grace is to help you extend grace to yourself, as you learn to do this for others. And let’s face it, Mondays are the worst day to practice grace for most of us. The beginning of another week is a true gift, but it can also feel like the start to the daily grind. In order to help each other shift our gaze from the mounds of paperwork, laundry, phone calls, (fill in the blank), to an eternal mindset I have written a prayer for you today.
Because I believe that when our perspective changes so can our hearts. Gratitude begets a gracious spirit. So while the responsibilities and circumstances of life in general may not change, our attitude toward those tasks can. And hopefully you can discern this as a sincere effort to encourage you and not preachy. Because that is my prayer for you- to be encouraged here in this little online space.
Father,
May we rest in our salvation and pursue satisfaction in You.
Knowledge, love and faith are all gifts from Your Hand.
We acknowledge that our greatest gift is Jesus-
Prophet, Priest, and King.
He is worth following, worth living and dying for.
Christ is worthy of our worship at all times
from every nation.
Let us taste the fullness of joy that we already have in Jesus.
May we make You known by our choices, speech and actions so that this world sees the light of truth in us.
Awake us from the things that deaden our spirits and grace Your Church with zeal under the banner of Love.
Teach us to remember Your truth so that we sense Your Presence in this day.
In the strong Name of Jesus,
Amen
I know the rain is coming. People with bad knees feel it in their bones. I get a sinus headache 12-24 hours in advance.
The water leaks out of the sky first like tiny droplets. Then rain pours down harder and harder, as if someone climbed on top of the roof with an endless bag of pebbles to drop on my back porch.
Thunder is my favorite- it comes from the deep recesses of the earth, grumbling and booming to make its presence known. I believe God orchestrates each rainstorm like a symphony- the rhythmic order of rain falling from the heavens harmonizes with thunder and lightning.
Ping ping,
Pitter patter,
Tap tap,
Whoosh-
Boom!
Boom!
Flash.
The wind sometimes contributes with a howl. Its a grand theatre of the dramatic right in my backyard. Then all is hushed and the show is over just as fast as it began. The musical numbers are all alike, yet never the same are they? It’s part of the allure in watching a thunderstorm- the familiar sounds mixed with the unknown of when each part takes a turn.
I smile with satisfaction at His creative genius, the One who controls nature. His fingerprints are every where to shout out the truth we all know-
God is more real than the rain He lets fall on our faces.
Grace upon grace,
April
Words matter. They carry weight to last beyond your lifetime and mine (think the Bible, classic literature, letters, etc.). Lately though all of my words seem stuck, lodged firmly in my throat. It’s twisty and there are so many thoughts swirling about but no real connection to any of it.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I’m studying the book of James right now with a friend. It’s the go-to Scripture for warning against a hasty tongue. Sometimes we are to just hush our mouths. But there is also everything right with speaking out against injustice, speaking words of encouragement to someone in need, but what about when you can’t find the right words to say anything at all?
When this happens sometimes its best to wait and listen, trusting that words will come if needed. Sometimes we don’t need to say anything, but just be present with someone who needs you. I know it doesn’t feel that way but God really does know best. He understands the specific situation or season of life you’re in. God knows that our summer routine at home is a whole different beast from the rest of the year, so my energy is depleted more. I have less words, less time, just… less.
And there is grace for that. Grace to show ourselves as we recognize our limitations.
The truth is I’m tired and my memory is becoming more and more like the lovable but forgetful blue fish Dory. This post is just to say that yes words do matter, so we should be careful with what we say- in person or online. Sometimes it means we listen to a friend without interrupting (because a listening ear is healing for the one who needs to talk it out); or we wait before weighing in on a issue; or simply sit in the hush of God’s presence, receiving His Word.
So when words won’t come? When the verbal strait-jacket won’t budge? Listen. Be quiet. And wait. God is the Master Wordsmith- He gives us our words when we need them.
Grace upon grace,
April
Some mornings the day seems to begin without me. I’m not ready to keep up with the pace it demands. My body and spirit are a little sluggish and sleepy-eyed on those days. Like the time I tried a Zumba class with disastrous results- I fall behind in the steps and can’t keep rhythm. Some days feel like that leaving me frustrated, packing up 15 minutes into the class as I awkwardly dance toward the exit.
We weren’t meant to keep a fast paced life 24/7. Sometimes for the sake of our spirit it is necessary to take a breath and turn off the noise. Step away and bench ourselves to the sidelines, just for a while.
I recently took a break from Instagram this past winter to reset. I wanted to make sure my priorities were in order. Was social media serving me or was I serving social media? Saints will need to fight for fellowship with God even more as busyness and distractions invade our calendars.
These devices aren’t wrong when used in the right way. But they can easily become idols as they fill a desire in us to be worshipped or noticed. I’m afraid we will forget how to be still without something entertaining us. For believers this is a serious danger because God only carries us deeper with Him once the white noise is gone.
We risk a shallow existence with the Lord when the culture dictates our free time. My former pastor often said we need to “go hard after God”. I’ve mulled over that phrase, trying to see how that is practically done. I think part of what it means to “go hard after God” is to fight for time with Him. The world is already against God’s ways so our culture could care less whether you have quiet time with Him or not. It’s irrelevant to the unbeliever. But it is life for those who believe. To keep our souls fed, to direct our thoughts, and whisper prayers only for His ears, we need to get quiet and alone.
If you still have doubts just look to Jesus as your example. He was busy after His ministry became public with thousands of people wanting His time and attention. Yet He still made it a priority to slip away and pray to His Father. It was His lifeline. And it is ours too.
Cultivating a deep-seated relationship with the Lord isn’t an option but a necessity if we want to stand firm. And maybe your unbelieving friend, neighbor or co-worker will notice how you set boundaries for your free time, how you don’t subscribe to the fast-moving life the rest of society does. FOMO is not something that bothers you.
Stop, look and listen right where you are. You might be surprised to discover things you never noticed before. God’s wonder and message of redemption is all around us when we take time to see. Spend time nestled in Scripture and wrestle with a passage. Seek God and ask Him questions. Let’s not waste the valuable time we have here.
To quote the teenage guru Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Those seem like good words to adopt.
Grace upon grace,
April
redeemed in grace 