Today I was supposed to be married. I was supposed to have a really hot husband, kids so cute you could eat them, and my mom’s cheesy potato recipe mastered.

Today I was supposed to be an award-winning novelist. I was supposed to have my signature perfected, public speaking mastered, and money issues managed.

Today I was supposed to have insecurity knocked to the curb. I was supposed to have the jealousy and fear of missing out issues handled, self-confidence accomplished, and security in who I was managed.

--

I think humans have always walked through life with a mental collection of things they must accomplish in a certain amount of time. When things don't go right, we’ve looked to Someone higher and, eloquently or not, said, “But, like, are You forreal?”

You could pick any former age from 18 to 29, and if you would’ve asked me what I’d have at 30, I would’ve given the list above. Sisters, I am weeks from my thirty-first orbit around the sun, and not one of these things can be checked off.

I’m not married to a hot husband, I don’t mother edible children, and I still can’t make those cheesy potatoes like Momma Duff does.

I’m not an award-winning novelist, my signature still vaguely resembles fourth grade Steph’s who thought she was the next Leann Rimes, and budgeting still hurts me.

I don’t have insecurity figured out, I still struggle with jealousy, and I still want to be invited to things, even if there’s a chance my introverting will have me say no.

--

A life walking alongside Jesus means a life of waiting when we’d rather not.

When we meet the prophet Habakkuk in chapter one, brother is riled up. He desires help from the Lord and he’s wondering just how long things will continue before God steps in and does His thing. I don’t think anything Habakkuk is raising up to the Lord makes him especially unique. He is a human, which by default makes him unique, but his concerns are the skeleton roots of a hundred thousand prayers. Prayers uttered across time and miles from believers to their Father. Why? When? How long? Hurry. Please?

A life walking alongside Jesus means a life of waiting when we’d rather not. It means asking questions knowing the answers may not come with urgency. And hoping blindly with the understanding that what we want and what we need often rest on opposite ends of a spectrum. I see myself in Habakkuk as he’s pleading with the Lord, and I imagine how he might’ve felt when he received the Lord’s answer.

Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.
– Habakkuk 1:5

How many times have we been in Habakkuk’s very position – crying out to the Lord, and when we receive something vastly different, felt as if our mic wasn’t on?

But Jesus is at work, even when we don’t see or feel it.

When I was 27-years old, I desperately wanted love. And Jesus called me to India. I went kicking and screaming. I didn’t understand why I had to go around the world, because I was certain I wasn’t going to meet a man there. And I didn’t. But I met a boy. And he changed everything.

Can we live in wonder, waiting to be astounded?

There are only so many scenarios we can imagine, as humans. But God sees everything. And because He sees everything, His work, whether I feel it or not, is far better than any scene my narrow-mindedness can conjure. You see, I went to India, I met a boy, and my entire life flipped upside down. I learned what it meant to love someone you’d rarely see and talk to. I learned to say yes, not knowing what might come next. I learned all the things I’d hoped for weren’t bad, but they weren’t the best for me at that time.

I don’t know what you’re dreaming for or praying about, but I imagine it’s not coming as swiftly as you’d like. Can we challenge each other today, sisters? Can we live in wonder, waiting to be astounded? While I’m sure the thing you’re praying for is lovely and worth your prayers, I know Jesus has a bigger storyline, with bolder roles for you. And He’s just waiting to escort you onto the page.

We cannot imagine the joy He has for us, but He’s eager to offer it, just the same. It is His pleasure to offer us a life of wonder.

---

 Steph Duff wants to live in a world where every human, whether small or regular-sized, learns to use their voice and is seen and known. When she's not traveling and story telling with Back2Back Ministries, you'll likely find her drinking excessive cups of coffee, with her nose in a book, or daydreaming about India. Her favorite scripture is Habakkuk 1:5, and she prays for a world in which Jesus is the name on every lip. Learn a little more about her love for semi-colons, what stirs her blood, and the yearnings of her heart over at www.stephaniduff.wordpress.com.

Alan Jackson sings a song imploring listeners to ponder the question: Where were you when the world stopped turning? Up until that point, I had only heard my mom talk about how she’d never forget where she was, or what she was doing, when JFK was assassinated. In my naiveté, I felt certain that there would never be such an event in my lifetime, an event so atrocious that it would mark a significant change in what my generation believed about the world.

I was wrong, though. I remember exactly where I was on September 11, 2001. I was an eighth grader, in Mr. Graher’s American History class.Turns out, I, too, was a part of a generation who would feel the impact of  a  globally known, and felt, tragedy.

Events like that often raise a lot of fear. Everywhere I looked after the attacks, I saw fear – in the eyes of my father, in the whisperings of my friends on the school bus, even in my own reflection when I tried to maintain normalcy. Suddenly, I felt fearful of flying – something I’d never thought twice about before. I also found myself, as sad as it leaves me to admit this, instantly suspicious of anyone even remotely resembling the men who performed the attack on my country.

When events like 9/11 rock a nation, people often swing in one of two directions. They either process their fear and recognize a small group of people and their acts of hatred do not define a population, or they will categorize an entire population by that small group’s act, and never look back.

this was likely the birth of a heart earnestly seeking to find, and offer, justice to others.

I recall feeling deeply saddened by the events and the wreckage that followed, but I was also constantly questioning whether or not I had the right to mourn those I did not know. In the years to follow, I found myself with an intense desire to know people different than myself, to understand their stories, their cultures, and their belief systems. What I didn’t know then, but am continually in pursuit of now, is that this was likely the birth of a heart earnestly seeking to find, and offer, justice to others. I realized that I had a right to mourn for the lives that were lost, and also for the subsequent racial profiling that happened to people from Middle Eastern cultures, because I was responding to a lack of concern where justice should have been abounding.

Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
- Jeremiah 22:3

Justice can be defined as ‘a concern for justice, peace, and a genuine respect for people.’ And here’s the thing, I don’t think in 2018, justice should be a radical concept. I do not think, possessing a genuine concern and respect for people should mark someone as unique.. Unfortunately, we live in a very broken world, and this is still the reality.

People often fear what they do not know, but in God’s directive in Jeremiah 22, I hear an urgency in the Lord’s words: Take care of these populations, kiddos. Do not bring harm to the immigrant, the orphaned child, the widow, but be kind in an environment that often does not see kindness. Do these things because it is what I have done for you.

I think one of my favorite things about Jesus is just how much He does not care about labels. In a world often overlooking the very important roles women fulfill in day-to-day life, the risen Jesus makes His debut, in each of the four gospels, to women. He dined with lepers, not concerned with their physical appearance or communal uncleanness. He spent time with prostitutes, focusing on the heart of the human, not the acts that led to their labeling. He places the lonely in families. This is where justice begins.

As citizens of the Kingdom, sisters, justice begins with a smile

You see, I think Jesus is revved up when His kids step out of “normal” and seek connection with the “other,” even when it might be uncomfortable. As citizens of the Kingdom, sisters, justice begins with a smile, with a yes, with learning to eat food with your hands – because it’s not always going to be about our comfort. I need reminded of this often – if I lived my life simply for comfort’s sake, I’d still be in a little farming town, living with my parents, not writing any words. Change is scary. Taking a chance at getting to know someone different is frightening.  Being proactive about making change – however that looks in your narrative – is crazy intimidating. But I believe, as we can see through Jesus’ example, it’s where justice is birthed. Justice sounds like a big word sometimes – maybe because we don’t fully understand the simplicity of it – show up for someone, to smile, to ask good & caring questions, then repeat.

Therefore, may you and I wake every morning having justice at the forefront of our minds. May we have a steadfast devotion to make sure we will never leave somebody feeling like they’re anything less than somebody.

---

 Steph Duff wants to live in a world where every human, whether small or regular-sized, learns to use their voice and is seen and known. When she's not traveling and story telling with Back2Back Ministries, you'll likely find her drinking excessive cups of coffee, with her nose in a book, or daydreaming about India. Her favorite scripture is Habakkuk 1:5, and she prays for a world in which Jesus is the name on every lip. Learn a little more about her love for semi-colons, what stirs her blood, and the yearnings of her heart over at www.stephaniduff.wordpress.com.

The words of Hosea are still fresh in my mind from the DWITW summer study as I dip my toes into the writings of contemporary prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a prophet sent to the southern kingdom of Judah prior to the Babylonian exile. The familiar language of adultery and faithlessness brings to my mind all the warnings and sufferings that Hosea voiced to the Israelites in the northern kingdom leading up to their exile to Assyria. In chapter 3, Jeremiah is told to make a proclamation to the exiled northern tribes of Israel:

“Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say,
‘Return, unfaithful Israel.
This is the Lord's declaration.
I will not look on you with anger,
for I am unfailing in my love.
This is the Lord's declaration.
I will not be angry forever.
Only acknowledge your guilt —
you have rebelled against the Lord your God.
You have scattered your favors to strangers
under every green tree
and have not obeyed me.
This is the Lord's declaration.”
- Jeremiah 3:12-13 (CSB)

Though Israel had forgotten her true Husband and covenant Love, though she had pursued lifeless idols and foreign Baals, though she had been torn apart and devastated by the Lord’s righteous anger, she was not without hope. She was not forgotten. In this text, the Lord still calls her to return to Him with reminders of His unfailing love and reassurance that He will not be angry forever. Israel needed only to recognize and admit that she was guilty - guilty of rebellion, of idolatry, and of breaking her vows to her God.

Three times the Lord calls faithless Israel to return to Him (3:12, 3:14, 3:22). The third call is paired with a promise to heal Israel of unfaithfulness, a promise to mend the broken places within her. We, too, carry these broken places - places where we have sought out something other than the Lord to satisfy. We can be devastatingly forgetful and faithless, just like Israel.

There is redemption and life for you beyond what this fading world has to offer. 

I can see my own reflection in Israel’s missteps - in how I’ve bartered my love to feel less alone, in how I’ve pursued a pretty lie instead of a harsh truth, in how I’ve filled emptiness with fleeting comforts. I am all too guilty of forgetting the God who has performed great wonders of the heart and freed me from my enslavement to sin and self. By His grace and kindness, He allows me to see my own guilt and witness the ugly that faithlessness it breeds. And in that same grace and kindness, Christ came for me - knowing everything I have been and will be. Despite every idolatrous act I’ve ever committed and every loveless word I’ve ever spoken, He ransomed me from death and redeemed me from utter destruction by enduring them Himself. He took on all the pain, devastation and suffering, all to make a way for me to return to the holy God who is worthy of all my affections.

The call to return is for you too! The call is to turn from the things that have drawn you away, to return to the Lord, and to find healing and completeness in His arms alone. The way has been made. It is finished, sisters. There is redemption and life for you beyond what this fading world has to offer. Our salvation is found only in God. And through Christ, His wrath has been satisfied. His unfailing love stands waiting for us. What holds you back?

---

 Robin Zastrow wants to live in a world where coffee never gets cold and kindness abounds. When she's not discovering the wonders of construction paper and cardboard tubes with her two little ones, you can find her sneaking in another few pages of a book or jotting down bits of writing on scraps of paper.

One of her favorite Scriptures is:“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22 ESV

Have you ever felt utterly surrounded? Surrounded by burden - whether it be physical, financial, or relational? Surrounded by the daily stressors of life? Or, surrounded by threats and lies coming from the enemy?

At times, life in a fallen world can produce moments, even seasons, where we can feel utterly surrounded by hardship. These moments can press in on our doubts, our shame, and our unsaid fears. At times, well-meaning people can make it worse. And we, ourselves, can also make it worse by choosing to wallow in it all. But, what else do we know to do in our flesh, other than wallow? To me, the most shocking times of feeling utterly surrounded by hardship can be when we are just leaving a season of blessing, one where the Lord has done great work in and through our lives. This season of hardship surrounding us can then feel confusing, aggravating, and downright exhausting.

King Hezekiah can relate.

The Chronicler describes his story in 2 Chronicles chapter 31. King Hezekiah of Judah had just come off of an intense season of purification and restoration in the land. He had cleansed the temple, reinstated Passover, gotten rid of all the pagan idols, and was overall aiming to do what was right in the sight of the Lord. So, he should have received blessing and protection from the Lord, right?! Well, similar to our own lives, trouble was brewing just one chapter later.

Hezekiah was aiming to do what was right in the sight of the Lord, and yet... the enemy still came!

The King of Assyria decided that he was going to invade and pick a fight with Hezekiah and the rest of Judah’s inhabitants. The Word says he “intended to break into [the fortified cities]” (32:1, HCSB). He maliciously and selfishly sought to bring Hezekiah and all Judah down. Can we stop right here and acknowledge the unfairness?! Hezekiah was aiming to do what was right in the sight of the Lord, and yet... the enemy still came! Can you relate? I feel like that has been a description of the past year for me, I have intended to do what was right, and yet...the enemy has still come. It’s been taxing, confusing, yet also fortifying to my faith. I have come to understand like Hezekiah did, that there are always two choices: 1) Sit down, pout, doubt God’s goodness, and just plain quit...or 2) To get up, fortify the walls, and arm yourself for the battle ahead!

This second choice was what Hezekiah wisely selected! Similar to Nehemiah, when all the circumstances seemed to be against him, he did not choose to shirk responsibility, but instead chose to strengthen his position by rebuilding the wall. And after he got his defenses in place, he took up the offense against the enemy as well by preparing an “abundance of weapons and shields” (32:5). He wasn’t caught off guard. He didn’t sit down and just take it. He didn’t look inward, and he didn’t doubt Yahweh. He looked his situation right in the face and was ready to fight!

He even says to his people: “Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria or before the large army that is with him, for there are more with us than with him” (32:7, HCSB). At this point, I’m sure the people are thinking, “what, do you mean there are more with us than with him? Hezekiah, have you lost the ability to count?!” And Hezekiah would probably say, “No, friend, I have not. I just have perspective!”

My question is this: How is he able to be this bold? How is he so ready to fight?

The answer is found in what he tells the people in verse 8: “With him [the king of Assyria] there is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles” (AMP). Did you hear that? An arm of flesh versus the Lord our God! He calls it out for what it is! Just flesh. As a word-lover, the thing that really caught my attention about this verse was the preposition “with.” This is the hinge of the contrast that Hezekiah is drawing out. With the Assyrian king is simply flesh, while with Judah there is the God of Yahweh who made the heavens and earth. The word “with” literally means to be ‘accompanied by.’ So, while the Assyrians were accompanied by a lot of fleshly, earth-limited bodies, Hezekiah knew he was being accompanied by Yahweh-Sabaoth (the Lord of armies), El-Elyon (the Most High God), Jehovah-nissi (the Lord our Banner). Hezekiah had read the histories and believed that this God would be with Him in the midst of the battle.

Hezekiah knew what Paul knew - that this was not a battle against flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12), but that there was a spiritual battle being fought! He knew, like Abraham and Jesus, that while the cards looked as if they were stacked against them there was a much bigger story being played out. And he also knew like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that God would ultimately have the victory, even if they lost the physical battle. He knew that God would be WITH them either way.

In this moment, Hezekiah chose not to quit, but to allow his past dealings with Yahweh to inform his current circumstances.

The same is true in our worlds as well. There is always much more going on that what we can see with our finite minds and eyes. In this moment, Hezekiah chose not to quit, but to allow his past dealings with Yahweh to inform his current circumstances. He also disallows the father of lies to get a foothold over his heart and the hearts of his people. He rejects the lie that says that God is not good in this moment, or that He was not caring for them. Instead, Hezekiah chose to believe God’s character was good, that He was WITH them, and that He would help them fight their battle.

So what about you and I? Are we choosing to play the long game of faith and trust our good God is with us? Or, are we sitting down, doubting, and resigning ourselves to the sidelines? Personally, I want to be on the winning side of battle-fighting, and I want to know God better in the “with-ness” of life with Him! Yes, it’s messy and hard. It’s exhausting, at times. Sometimes, my flesh wants to give up because I feel utterly surrounded...yet, I know that God is with me. As a worship song has recently reminded me, I must choose to believe that although it may look like I’m surrounded I am surrounded by God’s good care for me - this is my declaration to the enemy! “Satan, you have no hold here because my God is WITH me!” I pray that you, too, would play the long game of faith by remembering that our good God is with you, ready to help you fight your battles!

---

 Bekah Brewer wants to live in a world where travel is quicker & cheaper, people are wisely vulnerable, and where discipleship is not just a concept but a thriving heartbeat of the whole Church. When she’s not editing for DWITW or her business (Words Redeemed), you can find her playing soccer, pouring into friends & family, or planning out more times of fun, rest, and growth. Her favorite Scripture is Philippians 1:27a: Just one thing: Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. (HCSB)

The book of Isaiah leads us through chapter upon chapter about God’s righteousness. This week, we continue to read many chapters about God as a righteous Judge, as well as His comfort and His promises fulfilled. In Isaiah chapters 28-34 we hear Isaiah proclaiming the judgment that will be coming - both for God’s enemies and His people (Isaiah 33:22). The language is harsh, and our first instinct can be to recoil and deny that this is the same God of love who gave us His Son, Jesus. We think, along with Isaiah, ‘Who is perfectly righteous? Surely no one is!’ However, as we continue to read, we begin to see a new message that Isaiah is proclaiming: a message of hope. A message about God’s comfort and how His promises are and will be fulfilled (Isaiah 43-48).

Israel is trying to follow their own paths and desires, and are not measuring up to God’s vision for their lives or to His standard for their holiness. In fact, they are not even attempting to live toward God’s vision for their lives or His standards! And then right in the middle of the book, we find the story of a king and his men who do choose to live up to God’s standards.

How were the Israelites able to decipher who indeed was speaking the truth?

Let’s take a closer look at Hezekiah’s story in Isaiah ch. 35-39. These chapters tell us about an incident that happened among the Israelites, and their enemy the Assyrians. The Assyrians had just captured the fortified cities of Judah. It seemed that evil was winning and that those who were not following God were having just as much or more success than God’s people. After conquering much of Judah, the Assyrians sent a message to the Israelites, stirring up doubts and raising questions about the truths of God (Is. 36:1-10; Is. 37:8-13). The Assyrians claimed to have a knowledge and power from God, and they claimed that the Israelites heard the wrong message! The Israelites had been told that following God would result in His blessings, and that not following God would result in His judgement. However, the Assyrians taunted: How were the Israelites able to decipher who indeed was speaking the truth? Was it Hezekiah or was it the Assyrian leaders? Which side was speaking the truth that came from God? How could they know which plan of action to follow? Let’s take a look at how King Hezekiah handled the chaos brewing amongst his people:

1. He did not immediately answer (Is. 36:21-37:1) - More than likely, he was able to immediately think of answers to give, of ways to defend himself, of mighty warriors to call on to prove his name, but instead he kept silent.
2. He consulted Isaiah, God’s prophet and spokesman (Is 37:1-4) - He knew he needed help to understand what to do, beyond himself; so, he sought wise counsel. He did not seek out all the other prophets and seers and people that he knew, but instead he turned to the wise man of God, whose advice he trusted.
3. He prayed (Is 37:14-20) - Hezekiah went by himself and prayed to the Lord, asking for wisdom, power and that the glory would ultimately go back to God.
4. He spoke truth to himself and his people (Is 37:18-20) - He declared who he was, who the enemy was, and who his God was - that his God, Yahweh, was powerful able to save!

We, too, live in a time where it is not easy to determine which voices we are hearing are speaking the truth. So many voices come at us throughout the day - many from people we trust, and many from powerful, successful people whom the world deems “right.” We hear messages that contain morsels of truth, but the message itself may be blasphemous to the God we follow. In these cases, we can take the simple yet profound approach that King Hezekiah took.

First, like Hezekiah, we can step back and take some time to be in silence before the Lord (Prov 29:20; Prov 18:2; James 1:19). We don’t need to have an answer immediately, even if we feel that we need to prove ourselves. This does not mean that we don’t ever do anything, but instead we are exercising wisdom by taking the time to step back and process.

We, too, live in a time where it is not easy to determine which voices we are hearing are speaking the truth.

Then, let us pursue wisdom from those who are more knowledgeable than us (Prov 19:20-21). This may be a husband or wife, a pastor, or a trusted friend who has proven themselves to be a servant of God. Remember, this is not seeking the opinions of anyone, but instead finding godly counsel from those who are seekers of God themselves. They may have insight into the situation that we do not have, and may be able to guide us to places in Scripture that bring God’s voice of truth and ultimately God’s glory to the situation.

Next, we must pray (1 John 5:14-15; Eph 6:18). We must set aside time to ask God for His answer to the question. We must take the time to explore the Scripture that He has given us in order to determine what His voice is telling us to do.

Finally, we must not forget to speak the truth to ourselves (Zechariah 8:16; Eph 4:25). The truth may be that someone is powerful and successful, but does that make their words right when compared to the Word of our God? It is true that someone may have some good points, but do they stand up to the truth that we have in Scripture?

We can keep all these things in mind as we seek to find the truth in our worlds, and seek to know that when we aim to live as God desires we represent Him well in those realms.

---

Suzanne Hines wants to live in a world where sunflowers bloom in eternal summer, where her children play instead of argue and where her family has an endless budget for travel. When she's not loving her husband, training and teaching her three children, and spreading education on the foster care system, you can find her writing, reading or running outside!

Her favorite Scripture is Romans 12:12 "...be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer..." (NIV)

As I sit here writing this, I am in tears. I recently lost a friend I loved just as a sister. She was young, only 31. She had fought cancer three times over the last ten years. I try to remain strong and resilient, putting on a fake face of “normalcy” so that people don’t see how sad I truly am. But today, I am losing that battle. My pastor sent me a text asking me how I was doing, and that was all it took to bring me to tears. She has been gone just over a month now. We met at church, so he had officiated her funeral. He loved her as deeply too, just as so many others. So, I know he is sad as well. But he reminded me of her largest goal in life - to love people and reach souls.

Let me explain a bit about my dear friend, Leslie. She was closer to God than she was to me. She spent her life in prayer, worship, and reading all about who He was. Her entire life was built around ensuring she was living the life He wanted her to live. To know Leslie was to know the love of God. It oozed out of her like lava, melting the hearts of the hardest souls. We told her the day before she passed that we believed she broke Facebook because every single person we knew was posting prayer requests for her. Even people who had never met her were inundated with her Jesus’ aroma because of the number of prayer requests shared for her miracle healing. Her viewing was one of the largest I have ever seen. Even in her passing, God saved souls right in the middle of her funeral. When I grow up, I want to be like Leslie -a beautiful sweet spirit who loved God like He held her in his arms each night and kissed her forehead while whispering “well done, precious daughter, well done.”

We have thought on your steadfast love, O God,
in the midst of your temple.
-Psalm 48:9

Now I know we are to get our direction from God. I believe wholeheartedly in His love and wisdom for us. But we can also learn from the people God places in our path. This happened in Scripture too! For instance, in 2 Chronicles 29, King Hezekiah purifies the priests in order to hold Passover. He knew it was necessary to obey God’s commands to present a pure sacrifice. After having been away from God under the rule of King Ahaz, Hezekiah was trying to work toward bringing the people back to holy reunion with the God who loved them. And the result was that his obedience changed the course of history for generations to come!

Further in this week’s reading, we see the writers of Psalm 48 discuss God’s unfailing love. In verse 3, they remind us of God’s strength as he defends Mount Zion. This reminds me of how I, foolishly, allow my fears to guide my sails at times. This is unnecessary on my end, and it only causes me headache and heartache. But if I were I to trust God, allow for His defense of my life, and therefore not steer away from His plan for me, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, I would be protected.

Later in the Psalm, in verses 9-13 specifically, the Sons of Korah remind us to praise God for the unfailing love that offers us shelter. In song, they command us to walk through life declaring God’s goodness during the trials that will come. In this, I am instantly reminded of Leslie and her ability to praise God during the worst moments of her cancer trial. She never allowed the cancer to beat her; instead she proclaimed that she was a winner either way. She knew that she would either dance in earthly streets singing the praises of a miraculous healing, or that she would dance in the streets of Heaven with her earthly father and her Heavenly Father.

And in His goodness, He is creating a community of people to lead all of us to hearts that look more like His.

Life is a precious balance of ups and downs. We are always experiencing moments of love, joy, grief, despair... and countless other emotions. However, we are fortunate that in Christ, God protects, defends, loves and holds us in His powerful hands. Because of this truth, we can rest easy knowing He fills our lives with people to help guide us; and sometimes we are the guide for others along the journey. And in His goodness, He is creating a community of people to lead all of us to hearts that look more like His. Our God loves us so deeply, and He has woven a fine web of silk attaching our hearts to others’ hearts within His glorious Kingdom.

So, for me, at this moment, that is a truly bittersweet thought. I am still grieving the loss of one of my dearest friends; yet I can see her smiling face, as she sings and dances with our Heavenly Father. And I know she is not sad for one second. She is exactly where she was created to be - in the arms of her Father.

---

Sonya Gentry wants to live in a world where being kind and loving means that when we encounter a need or brokenness, we say yes first and think about it second. This would be a world where walking with Jesus means trying to act like Jesus through loving, relevant acts of service; where Christians put their hands and feet in the dirty situations of the world in order to show people God’s love and grace; where we understand that comfort zones are meant to be broken because people need us to show up and be be the best portrayal of God’s love we can be. When she's not working, you can find her being silly with friends and family, playing games with her nephews, volunteering for various organizations and events with her church, or relaxing with a movie.

Her favorite Scripture is John 15:16-17: “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you. This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another” (AMP).

Are you dreading something or living in fear? Are you terrified of the future? Often times life’s circumstances bring us to places of great trepidation and uncertainty. Although we are not being pursued by a great nation such as Judah was in Isaiah 7 and 8, in some ways the spiritual warfare that we face is as real and foreboding. When we succumb to the enemy’s devices by meditating on and analyzing all the ins and outs of a situation, we are fighting against the Lord and His great grace over our lives. So often we, like Judah, listen to the report of our enemies and not what God is saying. We feel as though we are being conquered or terrorized by something or someone in our lives. We falter in our faith because we have our eyes on ourselves as the solution, rendering us unable to stand against the wiles of the enemy. God reminds us in Isaiah 7:9 that unless we stand on Him, we will not be able to stand at all:

“If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.”

How do we stand firm in our faith when we feel as though we are floundering? We grab hold of the Rock of our salvation! We anchor our hearts and minds on the One who condescended to our lowly estate in order that we may experience the power of His presence in our lives. We are ambassadors of Christ, made fit for royal service in our King’s great army. And yet, all too often we believe in the enemy’s strength more than in the power of our God - a God who moved heaven and earth to rescue us from darkness. God has ordained us and called us His own and we are to walk in newness of life. Many times that translates to laying down the old, worn path of worry, fear and anxiety and coming face to face with the living God, who by His mighty right arm has conquered all our foes! 1 Peter 2:9 confirms our position in His kingdom:

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

There is a high call on our lives to proclaim the excellencies of Christ to a people who do not yet know Him. How can we do that if we are in bondage to fear and dread? There is no reason to be afraid or filled with dread of the future because Jesus is our great hope and He is victorious! He rescued us out of darkness! What are we doing running back to Egypt, walking those old paths of sin that we died to? We have believed the report of men over God. We are so prone to wander back to the old ruins of our life before Christ, where we believed that we were sovereign over our own lives.

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
- Isaiah 7:14

Our culture spoon feeds us the demonic worldly ideology that we are to be independent and self sufficient. This ideology creates great barriers of unbelief that stand in the way of us viewing Christ as supreme in our lives. When we lose sight of God in our circumstances, we grow fearful and unbelief begins to propagate a whole host of lies in our minds. We are so quick to forget that God is with us. We must remind one another that we are not alone and we were never meant to do this alone but that God, in name and character, is with us. 

It was no coincidence that Isaiah was sent to prophesy to Judah immediately after he had seen the Lord (Isaiah 6). His assignment was to carry the true message that God IS with us to His people. They had believed the lie that their safety and security was dependent upon their own wits and strength, but God encouraged them with the hope of His condescension so that they would have faith and be able to stand in the face of great tribulation. Just the mention of His name, Immanuel, connotes a calming and quieting effect for God’s people. We have a peace that the world cannot offer, but we must continually remind one another that we are not alone. Jesus himself reminds us that we are not alone in John 14:25-29:

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe.” 

Jesus left the earth so that we could have access to Him 24/7! We must believe that He is with us and that knowledge will surely lead our hearts toward the path of peace. We must rejoice in the knowledge of this truth together, reminding one another daily so that our faith does not fail. It is essential to our daily lives that we walk in the mandate of Philippians 4:4-7 in order that our minds not be taken captive by the lie that we are on our own. We must believe that He is with us!

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.  The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
- Philippians 4:4-7

---

 Karen Savage wants to live in a world where Christ is Glorified. When she's not serving her family, you can find her serving others. Her favorite Scripture is John 15:7-8 ESV.

Timing. Much in life revolves around the right timing, and sometimes that timing can become a catalyst for changing the timing of other events in our lives.

I have to smile as I recall going to a discount overstock store to check out cheap carpeting options for a room in our home. The room had twenty-year-old threadbare carpet with several spots of decomposed pad peeking through in certain places. It was definitely time to look into options. After spending an hour trying to find just the right thing, we came out of the store and noticed a note on our car. Someone had hit our car - crushing the entire front passenger door! So, while we were originally planning on waiting a few years to save up money before trading in our car, this event became a catalyst that changed the timing of our plans.

On a lighter note, just a few days prior, my hubby and I decided to give a small end-of-year donation to an organization we support. Those who donated were entered into a raffle to win an all-expense-paid trip to Cape Town, South Africa. We won, and nine days later we found ourselves boarding a plane for a trip that we soon realized God had divine purposes for us being on. (Yep, that car issue had to wait until we got back.)

...and sometimes that timing can become a catalyst for changing the timing of other events in our lives.

Circumstances and timing affects all of us -- whether it is an unexpected phone call, a surprise gift, an open door, a military relocation, a foster care request, a change in employment status, or an illness complicated by insurance issues. Sometimes we groan over the timing of circumstances. Other times, we grin. In our reading this week, we get to experience both. I want to direct your attention to a beautiful connection I noticed as I was reading in 2 Kings 4:8-37 and then 2 Kings 8:1-7. In 2 Kings chapter 4, we are introduced to a wealthy woman who lived in Shunem. If you’ve never had the privilege of going on an immersive study trip to Israel, Shunem seems like just another two syllable name of a random town. So let me give you a little background as to what is going on here.

Shunem was located on the western slope of the Hill of Moreh in the region of Galilee, situated along one of two main trading routes connecting Africa, Asia, and Europe. News of any events happening in this area would have easily spread since it was positioned in a place of influence. It was here in the village of Shunem that the prophet Elisha met a wealthy couple. The wife invited Elisha to eat with them, and so he did each time he passed through. Recognizing him as a prophet of God, they built a small private room on the roof of their home where Elisha could stay whenever he traveled through.

After enjoying their hospitality for a period, Elisha sought what he could do for them in return. Understanding that the husband was old and that they had no son to be an heir, he prophesied that she would hold a son in her arms by the following time next year. Just as Elisha foretold, she gave birth to a son. The child grew into a young boy, but one day while out in the field with his father, he became suddenly ill and died. Distraught, the woman laid him in Elisha’s room, saddled a donkey, and set off on a 20-mile journey to Mount Carmel to tell Elisha, which took about 5 hours. Following the Shunammite woman back to her home, Elisha entered the room where the dead child lay. Then, by the strength of God, Elisha raised the child back to life.

As you can imagine, word of this amazing miracle spread like wildfire up and down the international trade route! The town, neighboring villages, and travelers passing through all would have heard. All would have been amazed to learn someone had been resurrected from the dead! From then on, Shunem would be renown for such a miraculous event. Interestingly, in New Testament times, just over the hill there was a town called Nain where Jesus miraculously raised a widow’s son from the dead. People in the region would have recounted the well-known story of Elisha’s miracle nearby and connected Jesus with the prophets of old. (Jesus did nothing unintentionally!)

But let’s skip ahead to the remainder of this Shunammite’s story found in 2 Kings 8:1-6. Here we read that Elijah warned the woman and her family to leave the land for seven years because God was going to send a famine. She and her family went away and stayed in the land of the Philistines (which was along the eastern Mediterranean Sea). Returning seven years later, she discovered their former property had been taken over by a stranger in their absence and went to King Joram to appeal for her house and land.

I am going to choose to be grateful that I serve a good and gracious God who is writing the narrative details of my story.

And here’s where timing comes in. At the exact moment, the Shunammite woman is there to appeal to the king, the king was making an inquiry into all the great things Elisha had done. And Gehazi (Elisha’s servant) was sharing how Elisha had brought the Shunammite’s son back to life. Talk about perfect timing! Only God could orchestrate that conversation at that moment between those two people while bringing the woman back into the land to see the state of things, journey to see the king, and present herself at that exact moment she came up in the conversation! The king listened to her story and not only restored her property, but also reimbursed any income she may have lost while being gone those seven years.

The next time I am tempted to groan (or perhaps grin) over the timing of events in my life, I am going to remind myself of this beautiful connection in Scripture. I am going to choose to be grateful that I serve a good and gracious God who is writing the narrative details of my story. He is quite capable. And His timing is always intentional.

---

Jackie Perseghetti wants to live in a world where every human realizes they are walking wounded and in need of God’s grace. Her heart is to be God’s person at God’s time in the life of another and she looks for God-given moments to breathe life and encouragement. When Jackie is not going on adfuntures with her hubby (adventure with fun at the center) or teaching drums or the art of papercrafting, you can find her digging in her garden, storytelling to her grandkids, or sharing the stirrings of her heart at  www.smallstepsintofreedom.wordpress.com  She takes great comfort in her favorite Bible verses: Isaiah 41:10 and Isaiah 46:4.

 Kol d’mama de kah. I remember the first time I heard the word spoken. I twirled it around in my mouth, and tried to braid it with my tongue before regurgitating it back to those around me. It was at another staff meeting at Back2Back Ministries, and our co-founder, Beth Guckenberger, was doing a short teaching on the Hebrew word.

Kol d’mama de kah literally means a gentle whisper. It’s also the word used to describe a mother speaking to her newborn baby or the unintelligible murmurings of two lovers together. In these tender moments, only mother and baby understand can each other and the two lovers would be completely in sync. Beth shared these meanings with us and then jumped to the book of 1 Kings where Elijah is called to God’s mountain, Mount Horeb.

To live in a broken world means each of us is head butting moments from which we’d rather escape.

When we settle in with Elijah in 1 Kings 19, he is at the end of his rope. He’s exhausted, he’s sick of running, and sees greater value in being called home than in continuing on. Most important of all, he’s searching for a moment of clarity with the Lord. The Message translation says Elijah shouts, “Enough of this God!” (v. 4.) The ESV translates it this way: “It is enough now; O Lord. . .” Now I’ve never had to run cross-country in order to try to preserve my life, but every fiber of my being wants to put my hand on Elijah’s shoulder and whisper, I see you, brother. To live in a broken world means each of us is head butting moments from which we’d rather escape.

God and His angels aren’t content to allow Elijah to make his exit just yet, though. They rouse him, begging him to eat more than once and then an angel instructs him to head to Mount Horeb, to hear from the Lord.

So, Elijah climbs the mountain to wait for the Lord. He’s met with a great wind, tearing down rocks from the mountainside, but he doesn’t find God there. Then, an earthquake shakes the ground beneath him, but still God isn’t there. Next, a fire. But He is not be found in the flames either.

And after the fire the sound of a low whisper (v. 12) - Elijah was met instead with a low whisper, or a kol d’mama de kah.

How often do we search for God in the major things? The Creator of the oceans and stars will surely show up in ways that are noticeable to many, right? I, like Elijah, have searched for God in the fire, the earthquake, and the strong wind – maybe not literally, but I am searching for cloud formation sentences, or the flickering of power in the midst of trial. I look for clear, obvious, obnoxious evidence of the Lord speaking to me. But when did I start believing that God was obnoxiously loud?

The more I read Scripture, the more I learn about Him, and the more comfortable I become with knowing Him as intimate God. He is intimate with me. I am His child; like a newborn cradled in the arms of its parent, focused solely on the voice of the One who knows me thoroughly. I am loved by Him; every intricacy He has seen, memorized, and still adored. I, like Elijah, wouldn’t have thought to quiet my expectations, be still, and wait for His tenderness, but goodness I am humbled and silenced when He shows up gentle and sweet for me.

“The Lord was expressing to Elijah that He is not always found in the big demonstration: the fire, the earthquake, or the powerful wind. [We] will find him in this intimate exchange where His face is drawn close to [ours] and all others are now blurred . . . this is where His voice is the clearest.”
- Beth Guckenberger, Start with Amen

I, like Elijah, wouldn’t have thought to quiet my expectations, be still, and wait for His tenderness

I want intimacy with God. I want to crave that more than any drawn out kiss from a man or guttural belly laugh with a friend. I want to come to understand His knowing of me and what that means for my narrative. I want fires and earthquakes and raging winds to pass by, and I can smile knowingly and say, “nah, He’s coming in quiet, just for me.” Because He always does come. I forget it often, and lose sight of this story and just how much Elijah and I have in common.

Praise God that we have a Poppa who isn’t fickle like His children. He continues to pursue us with tenderness and an all-encompassing love. I want a thousand tiny moments of me and Jesus, forehead to forehead, so focused on each other that the mental illness, the stress, the comparison, and the wondering where everything is going to end up blurs, and I just see Him. I want that, over and over again, for the rest of my days. I want a life defined by kol d’mama de kah – quiet exchanges where the world takes its rightful second place in comparison to my Maker.

Poppa, cultivate in me an insatiable desire for you. Lord God, slow my pace and help me remember just how much I desire intimate moments for just You and me. Amen.

---

 Steph Duff wants to live in a world where every human, whether small or regular-sized, learns to use their voice and is seen and known. When she's not traveling and story telling with Back2Back Ministries, you'll likely find her drinking excessive cups of coffee, with her nose in a book, or daydreaming about India. Her favorite scripture is Habakkuk 1:5, and she prays for a world in which Jesus is the name on every lip. Learn a little more about her love for semi-colons, what stirs her blood, and the yearnings of her heart over at www.stephaniduff.wordpress.com.

”As in water face reflects face,
so the heart of man reflects the man.”
- Proverbs 27:19

There’s something particularly breathtaking for me about a good metaphor. Whether it invites me to ruminate on how irises grow or the structural strength of triangles, those bits of imagery remind me to look for depth and beauty in the midst of the mundane and notice how little things can showcase to us a glimpse of God. There is so much that goes on around me that I miss, that I simply overlook. Why? Because I’ve believed the lie that simplicity lacks insight, and I’ve forgotten that small can still be significant. I’ve found what I need most sometimes is to just stop, linger a bit, and take a good look at the world around me.  A few words penned by Solomon in Proverbs 27:19 extended just such an invitation to me this week: “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.”

Every morning, at some point in time, I enter our bathroom. And there is no hiding from my reflection in the large mirror that is poised above the sink. Whether I deem the mirror unforgiving or unuseful, this has no opinion of what it holds. It simply shows me what is there. Today as I brushed my teeth, that little proverb from the Word converged with a sliver of Sylvia Plath’s poem The Mirror: “Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me, searching my reaches for what she really is.” I looked up from the sink and at the frothy-mouthed figure that stood looking back at me. What am I, indeed?

It’s a familiar yet haunting question. And it’s not one that can be answered with words or appearances, but with a heart, with a life. I am afraid of my heart, afraid of what it hides and what it loves. It can be unruly and wild - both terribly and wonderfully impassioned. And yet, what does it reflect? What am I? Who am I, really?

If I am what my heart reflects, how do I see it? How can I rightly see what I am?

I think of what the Lord said to Samuel when he was sent to anoint David as the next king: “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7)

I am faced with the reality that I cannot even rightly see myself without the Lord. It is His unimpaired clarity and unfathomable wisdom that I must ultimately rely on to even begin to look at my heart as it truly is, marred by errant desire and selfishness, inclined toward lesser loves, yet redeemed. Wholly redeemed.

I am faced with the reality that I cannot even rightly see myself without the Lord.

It’s somewhere in the mashup of what I was and what I will be that I find what I am. I was unholy, unrighteous, unfaithful, ungodly. But through Christ, these things have been overcome and put to death. He has completed His work - which now gives me freedom. I am being refined from the things that oppose God. The purity of His character is being etched in me and that which is unlike Him removed - this process continues until all that remains is a reflection of the perfect manifestation of His heart, Jesus. But until Jesus is all my heart reflects, my prayer must be as that of David in Psalm 51, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Confronted by the words of God through the prophet Nathan, David could no longer hide from his reflection. He hated what he saw and turned to God for forgiveness and redemption. For that was the only place he could find it.

So what am I? I have been broken, but I am made whole. I have been consumed by sin, but I am made holy. I was dead, but I have been made alive. I am a reflection of Christ at work, of a history of redemption, of insurmountable grace, of unsurpassable love. Due to Jesus’ sanctifying presence in my life, I am a re-creation in process.

And you, sister, all this can be true for you too! Because of Jesus, only ever because of Jesus. It is through Him that perpetual renewal is found and in Him that we can overcome our initial, innate reflection of a fallen world. We do not have to conform to what we see around us, but we can image something greater, something brighter. In this darkening world, our hearts can reflect hope.

God, as we carry on throughout the week, through late night shifts, meals alone, diaper changes and carpool lanes, help us to be unafraid and ask You to show us our hearts. We ask You to reveal to us the light and darkness that struggle within. We ask You to come in and renovate the places where we need to better reflect You in the core of who we are. May we turn to You first when we question our identities, when we wonder what we are. May we remember we are Yours, for Your glory forever and ever, we are Yours. Amen.

---

Robin Zastrow wants to live in a world where coffee never gets cold and kindness abounds. When she's not discovering the wonders of construction paper and cardboard tubes with her two little ones, you can find her sneaking in another few pages of a book or jotting down bits of writing on scraps of paper.

One of her favorite Scriptures is:
“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22 ESV