The Times We Have Been Given

“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

―J.R.R. Tolkien,The Fellowship of the Ring

Perhaps like Frodo, we have had the thoughts or feelings, “I wish I had not been born in these times.” Life is a bit confusing at this juncture, so much discord, differing opinions, despair, darkness in the world.

Early this morning as I rested in bed, pondering getting up, I was praying, “Lord, what role would you have me play for your kingdom during these times? How do you want me to serve you?”

I thought about this quote from Lord of the Rings. Gandalf reminded,“it is not for us to decide when we will be born but we must decide what to do with the time we have been given.” As I reflected, I was reminded again, that my purpose at this season in history is to trust Him, to hold fast to my faith, to choose in every way that I am able, to bring light to those I encounter, to write encouragement, to give hope, to choose loving generously in as many relationships as I am able, to forgive generously as I want to be forgiven, to cultivate a deeper love for God and His truth. I am called to hold up joy which means to rejoice in God, to worship Him in every situation and every day.

And as our children watch us making such choices, they will be drawn to do the same in their life time. Planting seeds of righteousness means reaping a harvest of righteousness. What we do during these times determines the history we will leave.

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This week found me on a journey to another land. The temperature turned cold, and as usual, we were walking to our destinations, so I took joy in purchasing the cutest hat I could find to keep me warm in these long, chilly ambles. Do you like it? It is a small token of me choosing to celebrate life as a commitment and it has brought me a smile to my heart.

Can you guess where I am? I will reveal it tomorrow. May God bring peace to your heart today.

Building A Home That Invites Life

Directing the music of a home not only is essential to building an atmosphere that invites life; it is also a delightful pastime. I have found so much pleasure over many years finding ways to make my home a more interesting place to be — searching garage sales, secondhand stores, local shops, and foreign marketplaces for the treasures that now fill my rooms.

How do you bring life to the music of your home? Do you also like to peruse secondhand shops like me? Tell me in the comments.

Sympathizing With Your Children

My role model as a sympathetic parent is Jesus, who came down to my level as a sinful human being and sympathized with my hopelessness, weakness, and immaturity. He came down to help me, not to condemn me. He knows me, and he loves me.

In the same way that Jesus was able "to sympathize with our weaknesses," we must be able to sympathize, to "feel with" our children, and understand their weaknesses, uncertainties, and immaturities. Why? So they will be confident to come to us, because they know that when they do they will "receive mercy and find grace" just as we do when we go to Jesus (Hebrews 4:16).

Children are going to face so many unsympathetic people in their lives. But when they are in your home, they will find a sympathetic mother who is ready at any time to listen, affirm, comfort, and guide.

We forget so many details about our growing-up years. But we remember the people and how they related to us. And for those who loved us and understood us when we were immature children, I think we reserve a special place for them in our hearts.

Read more about this in Seasons of a Mother’s Heart.

Tea Time Tuesday: May We Hold Fast to Hope

Click here to play today’s new podcast episode.

“Only a Christian has a right to hope, for only he has the power of God to give substance to his hope… Earth is bearable because there is hope."

-A.W. Tozer

As we prayerfully enter the next days and ask God to do His will, there is much room in our country for fear, despair or sadness. Yet, regardless of what party or person you support, our lives are much more about eternity than this present moment. And still, whatever the outcome, we extend His reality by choosing love, faith, humility, steadfastness, and hope.

I love this quote by Tozer. No matter what the circumstances, no matter what events, no matter what evil is boiling in the world, if we know our God, we understand that He is still at work, He is leading this world toward an ultimate celebration where all tears will be wiped away, all will be made new, all will be well.

My sweet friends, whatever you feel today, may you know that we have a future with a hope, and may you rest in the peace of mind of that hope.

“Be strong and take heart,  take courage, all you who hope in the Lord.”

-Psalm 31:24

On today’s Tea Time Tuesday podcast…

Today on my podcast, I am sharing a podcast I recorded last week that I made for my membership at Life with Sally.

Many people have asked me to have a peak inside at what takes place there. Every month, I record a special Bible study or share a message from my teachings from years gone by. I want those who are able to participate in my monthly offerings to feel encouraged and helped from God’s Word in their lives.

This particular message is about the meaning and call on our lives to be leaders through serving those priority people God has placed in our lives — servant leadership. My life changed when I understood this concept. I hope it encourages you. I wish you blessings and blessings of hope and courage today and in the days ahead.

Why God Made Us Mothers

Often times as mothers, we consider our tasks as being performed for the benefit of the children or babies. But God gave us children so that we might become unselfish, love generously, work more heartily, understand forgiveness, learn perseverance, develop endurance, grow in graciousness, expand our creativity, and learn the skills of life giving parenting.

To become this vessel where He is willing to dwell and to become the soul that reflects Him and his gentle love and powerful reality, we must submit to the building and crafting that He has designed by making us mothers after his own heart.

I did not know that this journey was about soul-making, but now I see that in the shaping of my soul, He also designed the end result to be deep fulfillment and happy pleasure. For being with my adult children is my greatest joy and brings me the deepest happiness in my days of living on this earth.

Read more about this in The Mission of Motherhood.

Home Is A Haven In A Weary World

The most effective discipleship, I learned, flows from genuine and deep connection, and such connection often begins in an atmosphere of fun, friendship, and both noticing and meeting needs.

As a single woman, I had many opportunities to talk to students about God’s love in the context of food, fun, and identifying with their student lifestyles. As a result, I saw many embrace a lifelong commitment to Christ. For lonely college students, having a space to laugh, meet people, and feel accepted was a profound answer to the deep longings of their hearts. Like Jesus, we were attending to their emotional, physical, and social needs as well as their spiritual needs and presenting the gospel as a personal appeal, not an agenda.

I carried this lesson with me when I started a family of my own. It was always my goal that our home be the place our children and their friends loved to be. Even now, in their adult years, their heartstrings are tied to home because it is a place where they know they will be cared for and known. A web of connection and love knits us together from the many fun times we have had as well as from our shared and growing faith.

Read more about this in The Lifegiving Table.

Tea Time Tuesday: A Thankful Heart Literally Heals

Click here to play today’s new podcast episode.

Tea Time Tuesday

I love this season of Thanksgiving — corn bread dressing, pecan pie, a cranberry and cream cheese gelatin salad, pumpkin pie, whipped cream.

We are also going to be living through the next days of finding out results of the election, wars and rumors of wars, and we all have our own personal pressures and issues to live with. We all need a shot of hope. Yet, I am convinced more than ever that when I practice gratefulness, that God is good and that He is at work in our world every day and in my life through every season, I find peace. But even more, my friends and children are watching my life to see how I am modeling that trust and thankful heart of faith.

Christian virtue is not just knowing the definition, but it is in putting virtue actively in the presence of every moment. The virtue of trust, thanks to God in all things, must be acted out in a real life to be understood and copied.

Every morning here in Oxford, I sneak downstairs to make a cup of tea before anyone needs me. I am staying with Sarah, Thomas, and my 4 grandchildren. But every morning, I have a visitor who slips quietly into my room, and with a sheepish smile says, “I’m here! Are you ready for me?”

Lilian, my granddaughter, sits on my chair with me. We chat, sip tea, and eventually she reads aloud and I marvel at her newfound skill. But always, we start out with, “What are the two things you are thankful for today?” It is my hope that this practice will give her the gift of learning to be thankful and choosing gratitude as a life habit.

Harvard psychology research shows gratitude is strongly, consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish, remember good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, build strong relationships.

I want to help train the pathways of my precious grandchild to grow strong in being thankful for her own long term well being — scripture tells us, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." Depression and a broken spirit literally make the body vulnerable to illness.

Thankfulness brings health, complaining destroys.

God bless you this week, friends.

Reflecting The Love Of Christ To Your Children

It is not in getting the rules right or in defining all of the rules and theology that will make our children want to serve God. It is in laying down our life for them, serving them, listening to them, loving who God made them within the context of a call to holiness, that will secure in them a desire to love God with all of their hearts. By seeing our love, they will more easily understand and receive God's love, as it will already be familiar to their hearts and brains.

How might you show your children the love of Christ today?

Well Lived Book

Reaching The Hearts Of Those Around You

While I was living in Oxford, Parliament decided to make a Minister for Loneliness to meet the needs of people who felt isolated, without community. I realized I needed to have in mind and prioritize reaching out to those in my normal walk of life.

Over the years, I cultivated friendships with baristas, women who came to my Bible study, a favorite waiter, and many more.

All of these friendships began with me pondering something I could say to open them up. "How old is your dog?" "You are the best coffee maker I know." "It was a comfort to come to your restaurant. Your food is the best in town."

Reaching people with the heart of Christ is simple — it just takes eyes to see the needs of those around you. How might you reach someone in your normal walk of life this week?

Order your copy of my new book, Well Lived, today.

The Mantle Of Motherhood Brought Me Peace & Capacity

By being accountable to God for the human beings entrusted into my arms, I had to grow in the direction of the ideals I wanted them to understand and emulate. And this personal character development influenced so many other realms of my life: my work habits, my writing and speaking, my willingness to accept the difficulties and bring light into the dark chaos.

What you practice in small areas of life impacts what you become in other areas. My own interests were stretched by the many inquiries and studies of my children, my education was broadened, my writing was enhanced by the countless books we read together, and my mind became stronger in and through ideas shared, discussed, and even challenged by my family.

Read more about this in my new book, Well Lived.