Month: April 2025

3,037 – But Who’s Counting?

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We joke sometimes and say, “but who’s counting?” but the truth is that I am counting.

3,037.  That’s how many days it’s been between the first day and today.   The day my world changed and hasn’t changed back. I feel it every day, a weight on my chest that makes it hard to breathe sometimes.  The days when I wonder if God can hear me – I’ve prayed over this more than 3,037 times – multiple times every day, countless now. 

I know He could fix it, heal it, solve it, restore it.  Beyond that, I even have faith that He will fix it, heal it, solve it, restore it. Maybe you have a prayer, dear to your heart, that is still on the “not yet” side of the column? Maybe yours isn’t 3,037 days – but I bet you know how many days it’s been since day 1. We understand each other.  We’re in this together. 

Joel 2:12-14 is a big encouragement to me on these days when I feel the weight of the 3,037 more than others.  Want to go get out the dictionary and the Strong’s concordance and follow a few rabbit trails with me?

12: “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart; With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” 13: So rend your heart, and not your garments;

I have to pause here, it’s too good: 

rend, Strong’s H7167: cut out or tear

heart, Strong’s H3824: heart as the most interior organ, comfort, courage, understanding

garments, Strong’s H899: covering, rag – from H898: to cover with a garment

Let’s remove the “cover”, remove any barriers between us and the Lord, remove any barriers between us and people.  Live heart open, arms open, wide open. The moment we get brave enough to throw away the pretense and pretending is the moment when we begin to heal. Back to Joel 2:

13: Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.”

Let’s go to the King James, where “relent” is translated “repent” and “return”:

repent, Strong’s H5162: to pity, console, comfort, ease

Doesn’t that sound like the Lord? Bringing comfort, as He always does when we allow Him to be our Comforter.

return, Strong’s H7725: to turn back, not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point; rescue, restore, retrieve, recover, fetch home again

I love the reminder that God’s perspective is not ours.  Let’s not wait for our lives to “change back” – what the Lord has for us isn’t behind, it’s ahead. Return here means to “turn back, not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point”. When there is a return (and there will be a return!), we’ll be better.

14: “Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him— A grain offering and a drink offering For the Lord your God?”

Here’s the best part: the blessing that He leaves behind becomes “a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God” when we receive it from His hand.  That means that these 3,037 days are not for nothing.  When God leaves a blessing, He’ll leave it in such a way that I can offer it all back to Him – and in His hand, my pain has a purpose. 

When we are able to move our “not yet”s to the “it is finished” column, we’ll be different for the experience and the testimony it brings – and that’s a treasure worth waiting for, even 3,037 days or more ❤ 

Are You Taking Him for Granted?

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You are familiar with the phrase, taking something “for granted”. We use this as an adjective sometimes, describing the action or item that is “taken for granted”: “the gift was taken for granted”, “her kindness was taken for granted”.  We have also used it as a verb, we might say that someone “takes” an action/item “for granted”: “Mildred took this gift for granted”, “Mildred took Hortense’s kindness for granted“. When we talk about something being “taken for granted”, this isn’t generally a good thing, we don’t generally have a positive feeling about taking something “granted”. It’s presumptuous, and we generally criticize presumption.

The dictionary defines “take for granted” this way: “to fail to properly appreciate (someone or something), especially as a result of overfamiliarity”.

A failure to properly appreciate – sounds right. Wait, sounds wrong.

Of course, like many things in life, there is another side, the other side of the coin, the other side of the story.  The dictionary has a second definition: “to assume that something is true without questioning it”.

Let’s take a “selah” right there, a moment to pause and think of that: to assume something is true without question. A deep breath, a release, a moment for peace. Assume something is true, without question.  Assume the possibility that something could be true without question. In our world where so much changes, the thought of something true without question gives me peace.

The Lord wants to be this one true without question in your life!

Imagine taking Him at His Word.  Imagine the peace that must accompany taking Jesus “for granted”. The second kind, not a failure to appreciate but living in the assumption/assurance that He is true without question. How would your behavior change if you were SURE, if you were CONVINCED? How would your behavior change if there was no possibility in your mind other than Jesus being absolutely true? Beyond salvation, truly experiencing the benefits of being His, enjoying the privileges of being a child of the Most High? 

Peace, not given as the world gives (John 14:27)

Healing, purchased for you, all you have to do is receive (Isaiah 53:5)

Joy, filled with all peace in believing and abounding in hope (Romans 15:13)

Restoration, of all the years you may have wasted in not truly believing (Joel 2:25)

And the list goes on and on and on and on…. 

Let’s do a smash-up of these two part of the definition (is a definition smash-up a thing or did you and I just invent it?):  “as a result of overfamiliarity, to assume that something is true without questioning it”. Let’s become so familiar with the Word of God, so familiar with the character of God, that we live in the abundance that only He can give as if He is true without question – because He truly is! Let’s also notice the part of the definition that we left out, and make sure that we never fail to appreciate His gifts.  

Jesus not only gives you what He HAS, He gives you what He IS. He will never be disappointed in you for presuming that He is true.  In this context, presumption is a good thing! The Lord never criticizes us for believing too much! I think that He is longing for you to take Him at His Word and receive His gifts to you with gratitude and praise.  Try it out – I think you’ll find result of taking Jesus for granted will be a treasure ❤

On the podcast this week, we are continuing the discussion about transitions.  You can catch up on part one here and the part two will come out on Thursday!

Catch and Release

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I think often about how we learn to catch before we learn how to release. It’s part of our physical development.  Consider that baby who grabbed your necklace and wouldn’t let go.  They weren’t being stubborn: they didn’t know how to release yet!  They were not unwilling, they were unable.

We have the same learning curve in our spiritual development: we learn to grab and then we must learn to release. Catch/grab the vision that the Lord has placed in your heart, that’s wonderful!  Release back into the hands of the Lord what He has entrusted to you – that’s even more wonderful!  Learning to release will increase your peace and multiply your capacity. 

To grow into what God has next for you, to transition into your next season, you must be able to release today back into the Lord’s hand. We have so many examples of leaders in the Bible who successfully navigated transition, here are just a few:

  • Moses transitioned from a prince of Egypt to a prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery into their Promised Land. 
  • David transitioned from shepherd boy to King of Israel.  Once Samuel anointed him as king, it was literally years before he would ascend to the throne. We can relate to his faithfulness to the Lord as well as his human shortcomings.
  • Esther was an orphan who transitioned to the throne of Persia.  Her bravery resulted in the rescue of an entire nation.
  • Paul’s conversion at Damascus was dramatic, from persecutor of Christians to key figure in spreading the Gospel of Christ. 
  • Our most important example for all we do, including transitioning well, is Jesus – He did not change from His original purpose, but we were witness to transitions in His life: infancy, young learner, ministry, betrayal, the Cross, the Resurrection. 

As you remember these histories, there’s one commonality in particular that I’d like you to notice:  in order to catch the next vision, they had to release the current one. I know – it seems so simple, does it even need to be said? Of course Moses could not remain in the palace and identify as Pharoah’s adopted son while he led the Israelites to the promised land. Of course David could not stay in the field tending sheep and lead Israel as king at the same time.  They could not accomplish the vision that the Lord set before them and stay where they were.

Let’s get some examples from our own lives: of course we cannot stay in high school and also leave for college at the same time.  Of course we cannot stay in one job and also accept the promotion or accept the new job elsewhere.  You have to let go of the old to move forward into the new. I mentioned earlier that learning to release will do two things: (1) increase your peace and (2) multiply your capacity. 

I notice that the more I try to control, the more I lose my peace. I’m unhappy and stressed when I am trying to control things that are not mine to control. We have to be able to discern when is our responsibility and what belongs to someone else. As a parent, it is my responsibility to communicate a curfew and take the car keys when curfew is missed too many times. It is not my responsibility to make my teen have a great attitude about it. I have to be at peace knowing I did my part (enforcing rule with love and patience), and leave their attitude (their responsibility) to them. As a Christian, I can communicate the importance of receiving Christ as Savior. It is not my responsibility to force my friend to receive Christ. I have to be at peace knowing I did my part (sharing the Gospel) and leave the Holy Spirit’s work to the Holy Spirit. If I make it my job to force the teen into a great mood or force my friend to receive the benefits that serving the Lord brings, I lose my peace. I’m operating in an area where I don’t belong. Give it back – or said in a better way: RELEASE that responsibility back to where it belongs. When I release responsibility that isn’t mine, my peace returns.

Secondly, learning to release will increase your capacity. I am able to do more, steward more, hold more with an open hand than a closed fist. As we grow, our influence grows and we learn to release one thing so we can catch another – then we release that thing so we can catch the next, and so on…. Release is required to go on to what’s next. There is always a next – memorize the words of the Lord in Isaiah 43:19 and repeat it to yourself daily, “Behold I am doing a new thing, even now it shall spring forth!”

Normalizing transition is also I’m talking about on the podcast today if you want to join me there!  (Surprise – the podcast is re-launching! Here’s the link) On the podcast, I want to encourage you in a couple more ways: even though transition can be painful, it is not a betrayal. This is an important distinction to make as you work through these growing pains.  It is also entirely possible to celebrate both the season that you are leaving while you celebrate the season you are entering. Once you understand these things, you will not only transition successfully, you will be able to help the people around you transition successfully as well.

If we are to grow, if we are to allow the things around us to grow, we must learn to catch and we also must learn to release. Praying that you will develop this skill and navigate transition successfully. The ability to catch is a gift – knowing when to release is a treasure!

Jennifer

A Time for Every Purpose

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“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, And a time to die;
A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted

My husband recently stepped down from his pastorate of 17 years.  When we arrived, our children were 11, 11 and 9 years old. This church has seen us raising young children, they were there when they got their first cars. They saw our children off to college, saw them married…. They were with Michael and I when we became “empty-nesters”.  They were with us when we lost a parent. They were with us when we became grandparents.  We were together through CoVid (it has to be said, it was such an epoch for all of us, right?). We were with them for the same seasons of their lives.  Births, weddings, healings, funerals…. Michael likes to call it the “hatching, patching, matching and dispatching”, and I smile every time he says it this way.  So true.  Comfort in that continuity of life.  Comfort in the people who became ours during these years.  Comfort in the faithfulness of the Lord through it all.

A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;

A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;

Professionally, lots of life as well.  This church was small when we came, hurting. Lots of debt.  Lots of past due bills.  Lots of weeks wondering if we would make the power bill, let alone payroll. We dug deep and trusted God – we remembered that He loved His church more than we did, and we became confident again. (And again. And again.  Some prayers are not a “one and done” – sometimes you have to press in and press in and press in….). Slow and steady, change came.  People came. Finances came.  Power bills and payroll were no longer a worry.  The church became debt free and healthy. Long hours and sleepless nights, sweat and tears, and those people who were ours stood with us and worked with us. We rejoiced in the blessing of obedience together, realizing this was truly a “look what the Lord has done” season.

A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;

A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;

A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

To be honest, when Michael decided on a new adventure, I wanted to hang on to the old. I couldn’t imagine anything better than the place we were at – the place we had worked so hard to arrive at. It sounds so easy and neatly packaged into the two paragraphs above – it wasn’t! However, I remembered God’s faithfulness in past moves. We had served churches before and moved before. I remembered that as the Lord is preparing us for a new adventure, He is also simultaneously preparing our church family for a new adventure, simultaneously preparing their next pastor for a new adventure, and so on.  

What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.

I rejoiced in today, this specific day: I realized that we were ending in a time to gain, a time to keep, a time to sew, a time to love, and a time of peace. We had experienced the valleys and hardships, and God in His great generosity and kindness was allowing us to end on the mountaintop. From this viewpoint, we could see that this “time to sew” resulted in a beautiful tapestry, a legacy that will last in our hearts forever. 

I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.

Peoples Church, you were a gift to me from the Lord, to be held lightly in an open hand. God did it, and we honor Him in the work. Today, you are the treasure. Thank you ❤

That which is has already been,
And what is to be has already been;
And God requires an account of what is past.”

Ecclesiastes 3 NKJV

Friend, let’s come together again next week! I’m excited to connect with you in this way again!