Tea Time Tuesday: Lighten Our Darkness

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Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.”

Darkness seems to threaten so many sacred places in our times. Morality is compromised. Marriage is being attacked. Children are not valued. People feel isolated and alone. And so much more.

The battle rages. Yet, we have a conquerer, a warrior on our side, one who has already won victory. He is with us.

Sometimes it does not feel like He is winning the battle, darkness can occasionally overwhelm. We may champion alongside Him and sing His praises as we watch Him bring a rousing victory, in time. But we are warriors in the midst of evil, to bring His light and truth to bear on our world and to show our children that reality daily, moment by moment. We are agents of His grace and light and have the privilege one time on this earth to sing, teach and tell of His ways and light, until the victory dinner when we see Him face to face.

Living wistfully in dream-land as a child, I was quite sensitive to beauty, to the “thin places” where heaven and earth almost meet, and was given to imagining worlds beyond my own. A light seemed to burn inside that whispered of a glorious beyond. I see that it was the Holy Spirit drawing me. And so it is with many children today. They have a God-given desire to believe beyond what they see in this world. They live in imaginary stories as they dance in the wind, admire the stars, pick a beautiful flower.

Yet, it is ours, as the curator of beauty of God’s art in this life, to help open the eyes of their hearts to see and experience the infinite, living God.

Christmas Eve in New Mexico, where I lived, was spent opening stockings and one present that my brothers and I were given after dinner. The grand finale, the whip cream of the evening was an event that delighted my little girl heart each year. Our family of 5 would quietly patter into our Southwestern stucco church inside the grand sanctuary that was covered over with heavy wooden beams and paneling. The lights would be dim and the pews crowded as we pushed hard to make more room for all the families who had visiting relatives, come to celebrate the coming of Christ.

My pastor was from Australia and had an elegant accent. He would read the passages from Luke which underlined the angels saying “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace amongst men in whom he is well pleased.” Angels singing in the night sky, a baby born and worshipped—it filled my little girl heart imagination. Even then I loved words and lived into the starry night and events that thrilled the shepherds and common folk who ran to see the newborn babe.

At that point, all lights (I mean all lights!) would be dimmed so that one couldn't even see a hand in front of one’s face. “This paints the picture of what life would be like without God, without His love, His life, HIs presence, His fatherhood in our lives. We are all dark and cannot even find the way to live life.”

Then my pastor would light one candle and say, “But Jesus did not want us to live in darkness, so He became the light in the world that brought us love, purpose, and forgiveness, and restored us to the love God wanted us to know from the beginning of time. When we share this light with others who were also born to know Him, we will bring back His light into our world.”

Then he would share his candle with the one next to him and everyone in the room would share with the people surrounding them and little by little the room would become bright, with the picture blazing in my mind and burning in my heart that I wanted to be a light bearer.(We must never forget the wonder that is growing deep inside each little one. )

“Come swiftly, O Lord, to the dark moments when we are lost. Make us aware of Thy presence. Strengthen us to resist the urges and pulls to deeper darkness.Stir us to move away from the dark moments of sinful selfishness toward the light of thy forgiveness. Come quickly, O Lord, as we call—or forget to call—and keep Thous close to us and keep us close to Thee this day and night and as far as the days and nights stretch before us, and we see you face to face, through Jesus Christ. Amen.” -James Kennedy, Holy Island

John 1:4-5 tells us, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness has not overcome it.

"If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light will be night," Even the darkness is not dark to thee, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to thee." Psalm 139: 11-12

"I am the light of the world. In me is no darkness at all."

“And the people who were living in darkness have seen a great light.”

“Let your light so shine amongst men that they may see my glory …” -Jesus

May our lights show forth today and may we walk in the light of His counsel.

Peace and grace to you today.

Motherhood Is A Worthy Sacrifice

Any mother who truly dedicates her life to the godly calling of motherhood knows, without having to be convinced, that her decision will require significant and possibly even life-changing sacrifices on her part.

I take some solace, though, in knowing that my sacrifice is like a seed that will produce fruit I cannot yet see. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." (John 12:24-26).

Fruitless? Only by the world's standards. By God's it is a worthy sacrifice that will yield a harvest of righteousness.

Tea Time Tuesday: Don’t Remove Ancient Boundaries

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Jeremiah 6:16: “Thus says the Lord, ‘Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you will find rest for your souls.’

Sipping tea in the candlelight of the twilight of evening found me cherishing time with a dear friend who has had a godly influence on my life for many years. We were reflecting  on many ways we have grieved over observing more compromise in the lives  of young Christians over the decades of our lives. A  weakening of the faith and of the faithful; too many stories of leaders compromising and Christians being yawningly boring, ineffectual, and weak has become epic in our lives—and in the news.

“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that  it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make  one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her  husband with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6

Discernment is the ability to judge well between truth and vanity. Discernment between good and evil, willingness to obey whatever God requires is evidence of a person walking in the power of the Holy Spirit and following God's word. However, many do not know what the word of God says anymore, so they follow cultural wisdom.

I am concerned about the extremes I see on the internet and in situations around me. God's word provides wisdom, boundaries, insight for each day of our lives. Boundaries, fences and hedges are established for the  protection of a land or home, serving as the definition of its realm. When you remove fences and borders, all sorts of havoc reigns. Boundaries provide definition and security. Daily, our culture cries out for the compromise and moving of boundaries in our lives. Without a depth of training in the Word, many are caught up in alluring messages of either legalism and judgment, or compromise and compliance with less-than-Biblical ideals.

As I have said many times, in the absence of Biblical conviction, people go the way of culture.

When you don’t know what to think, or how to think with righteousness and truth guiding, you follow whoever’s voice is loudest or most persuasive.


Much more on my podcast. I am planning a basic bible series for months ahead. Tell me what you think.

Make Your Domain One Of Light

It is my conviction that God designed a mother to be the essential life-giver in her home domain. We are the heart shapers, the formers of eternal souls and spirits. We are the hearts of our homes. Our love, our will to give life and celebration, to portray grace and goodness—these will be the factors that shape our children into adults who will love God and His kingdom, and who will change the world.

Read moor about this in The Lifegiving Home.

Pointing Your Children To A Perfect Savior

As I walk honestly before God, with my children watching, they will learn how to have a real relationship with him as well. As they see me apologize to them and pray in front of them to ask for God's forgiveness in my own life, my children will learn that God is a God of grace who forgives me and guides me. My worshiping him in gratitude for a beautiful sunset or a rainbow gives them a pattern for their own spontaneous worship.

As my children see me in the deep waters of life, being tested to my core and still holding on to my Lord and choosing to believe the best, this observation will prepare them for their own trials, which will surely come. They will know that he will guide and forgive them as they lead an imperfect but devoted life before a loving Father who has always met their mother's needs.

Tea Time Tuesday: Living Well Through Seasons Of Life

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“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” 
― Albert Camus

What a special time to be in Oxford, my beloved city. I even just ran into friends as I was walking through the cobbled streets of town. I’ll add some personal things to the podcast so you can know a little about my time there. 

Lately, in Oxford, I have been pondering the seasons of life.

I have been through almost all of them as a mom. It made me ponder what lessons I have learned. I am happy to answer specific questions you might have on the seasons with some special podcasts. Please let me know what subjects you would like covered.

There were many times in my life when I would feel, “I don’t think I will make it through this season. I am not strong enough. I don’t feel like I can make it.”

But then I would make it and come out of the season into another. But as I look back now, I realize that seasons—singleness, marriage, parenting, birthing, raising children, growing older, are all seasons of life that we pass through. God even built seasons into nature as a picture to us that mirrors our real lives.

Spring, a time of renewal and rebirth.

Summer, a time of planting and growing.

Fall, a time of closing and change.

Winter, a time of cold, barrens, roots going deep, appearance that all is gone when in actuality, deep growth is taking place.

Hope it encourages you today.

But remember, whatever season you find yourself in is eventually going to pass. But God is aware of your season and He will give you wisdom, strength, grace to walk through the seasons with Him by your side to provide you with insight and understanding into the ways he is working in the world.

What season are you in right now? I pray you will find hope wherever you find yourself. Praying for you all.

Directing Our Eyes To The Wonders Of God

God is more powerful, mysterious, and wonderful than we can ever imagine. He cannot be contained by our thoughts or definitions and is in a sense wild and untamable and bigger than we are in every way.

And yet he is also a God who goes to great lengths to reveal himself to us, to remind us that he is present in all the minutes of our lives. If we have eyes to see and ears to hear, the evidence of his power and presence is all around us.

And those moments when we see him revealed teaches us so much. Even in the darkest moments of our own small lives, he gives us reason to trust him, to anticipate the miraculous, to dream of resurrection life and the hope it brings.

Read more about this in The Ministry of Motherhood.

Hope Is Not Just Wishful Thinking

The God-given gift of hope is the best possible medicine for any hardship in life.

My hope says that I am willing to wait on God's timing, God's way and God's will with a belief that I will look back and be amazed at the ways He showed his faithfulness.

My hope is what carried me through health issues, struggles in my family, going five years without a salary, and so much more.

Hope is the physician of each misery, and God has given us this gift to heal us from our pasts so that we may have a future that is full of joy and light.

The Essence Of Home

Whether single or married, parent or childless, student, missionary, working away from home, traveling as a way of life, or in between places while being transferred—anyone can “make home” amidst the ever-changing circumstances of life. But it won’t just happen by accident.

The essence of home, you see, is not necessarily a structure. What makes a home is the life shared there, wherever that may be. And cultivating the life of home requires intentionality, planning, and design. There must be someone (or several someones) to craft the life, the beauty, the love, and the inspiration that overflows from that place.

Read more about this in The Lifegiving Home.