“So I say to you, seek God, and discover Him and make Him a power in your life. Without Him all of our efforts turn to ashes and our sunrises into darkest nights. Without Him, life is a meaningless drama with the decisive scenes missing. But with Him we are able to rise from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope With Him we are able to rise from the midnight of desperation to the daybreak of Joy. St. Augustine was right—we were made for God and we will be restless until we find rest in Him.”

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

Photo credit: Florida Memory on Unsplash

Connections at In-N-Out

Don and I walked into In-N-Out after my doctor’s appointment yesterday. We went to the counter to order, and the young male cashier wished us a “blessed day.”

“Thank you. God is good.”

His immediate response? “God is GREAT!” What a delight.

We ordered, then watched others come and go. A cute little button of a Hispanic girl, three or four years old, wore a lovely, long brown ponytail. I smiled at her when she tripped in with her mother and siblings. She hid her face, then continued to make eye contact with me.

A group of high school boys burst through the door, greeting each other with fist bumps and teasing. An African American with longish hair stood in line with the rest. As I walked over to use the restroom, I noticed his sweatshirt. On the back were the words:

ESSENTIALS

Fear of God

I tapped him on the shoulder. He turned, seemed wary to have a mature white lady approach him. “I like what your sweatshirt says,” I said.

“Oh yeah.”

Fist bumping him, I said, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” One of his buddies smiled and seemed to nod in agreement.

What fun to connect with people in various places and situations. Especially when we find something—or Someone—in common.

God’s More-than-Enough

In our devotions, Don and I are reading the Psalms. They speak so clearly to our needs as David and others write about their struggles, their battles (inside and out) and their worship.

Recently we read from THE MESSAGE, which is a paraphrase, not a translation. However, I love this statement from Psalm 4:6-7:

“Why is everyone hungry for more? ‘More, more,’ they say. ‘More, more.’ I have God’s more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees.”

When I am upset with Don, it is often because I’m not happy with myself. But when I walk with God, He is more than enough and gives me joy within my home and family, and in meeting others He has created in His image, which is varied and wide and beautiful.

Books

I just read Francine Rivers’ The Masterpiece. Wow!

A very successful artist, Roman Velasco seems to have everything. So why does he paint graffiti on LA walls in the middle of the night, risking capture and prison, and destroying all he’s worked for?

He hires Grace, who is coming out of a disastrous marriage, as his personal assistant. She has her own past to work through and, as she learns to know him, she realizes how Roman wrestles in his own soul. She begins to pray for him.

I felt I knew both Roman and Grace because of a strong plot, deep character development, and Rivers’ amazing skill in helping us see the flaws, and the possibilities, in every individual.

This book touched me in a deeper way than many. I recommend it highly.

Out of Russia

I will send the first three chapters of my book, a query letter, and a story synopsis to several publishers this week. I appreciate your prayers that God will find the right place for it to land, and that He will use it to encourage others with his faithfulness in the hard places we all experience. Thank you.

Listen to this awesome statement of God’s love from Isaiah 43:1-3:

“But now, this is what the Lord says… ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior …’”

So, whether we work, play, meet friends or strangers, let’s remember that God has called us His own, redeemed by His precious blood shed on the Cross.

How can I pray for you?