A Biblical Definition of Freedom

The Oxford Dictionary is wrong. It defines freedom as “the right to act, speak, or think as one wants.” But think about those words for a moment. Those words do not define freedom. Those words define selfishness.

All one has to do to recognize this etymological error is glance at the current condition of our world.  Senseless mass shootings…because someone feels like it. Children as victims of war…because one man desires to conquer a country. Me. My. Mine. Atrocities justified by “the right to act, speak, or think as one wants.”

In the United States, we would be quick to recognize those actions as infringing on other’s rights so we wouldn’t possibly defend those acts of violence in the name of freedom. Yet every day, albeit in miniscule manners, people trample on the rights of others or at least the dignity of others, using “freedom” as the justification. Ranting about the stupidity of another person—created in God’s image. Criticizing what someone else believes—without ever trying to dialogue about it.

Don’t get me wrong. I fully support freedom of speech, but I refuse to rationalize rudeness or treating another as “less than” because of philosophical or even theological differences.

Perhaps the solution can be found in applying an alternate meaning for the word freedom. A definition developed nearly 2,000 years ago in an environment similar to today’s—an era filled with political unrest, economic instability, and cultural uprisings. A definition penned by the Apostle Paul, found in Galatians 5:13:

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13 NLT).

Look at that. The Apostle Paul says freedom is not about what I want; rather, freedom is serving one another. Revolutionary.

Sometimes, when I’m trying to decide what a word “means” (finding the connotation as opposed to denotation—as in this case), I think about the opposite of the word. For example, the opposite of freedom is slavery. Slavery means I have to do something because I’m controlled by someone else. In other words, if I feel I “have to” rant about something because “I can’t help it,” that’s not freedom. That’s slavery. Scriptural freedom means you have nothing to prove—because your freedom is true and eternal. You don’t have to fight to “defend” it because the war is won. Instead, you can use your freedom to serve others, and by serving others, hopefully, they will want what you have. Freedom, not as the world knows, but freedom through Christ. 

After the fireworks have fizzled and the flags have been put away, let’s remember what true freedom is: serving one another. It’s not about doing what I want; it’s about not having to do what I want because I’m free.

I’d love to hear what you think. What’s your definition of freedom? Will you share?

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When God Doesn't "Answer" Your Prayer...

Have you ever been disappointed by God? You prayed for something and God didn’t answer your prayer? It was a noble prayer, a good prayer—for healing, for direction, for help. You had it all figured out. If God answered your prayer, you would live happily ever after, and God would get all the glory.

But the answer never came, and you felt confused and frustrated. You wondered, “Does God really answer prayer?”

Yes, He does, but God always answers prayer in a way that gives Him the most glory and us the most benefit. Even if we don’t see it at the time.

Sometimes, we’re so certain God should answer a prayer a certain way, when He does provide the answer unexpectedly, we don’t even see it because we’re looking elsewhere.

If God doesn’t answer our prayer by changing a circumstance, we need to know He has a purpose for it.  When my daughter went blind nearly ten years ago, I thought the only possible answer to my prayer would be a miraculous healing. But that answer never came. Instead, God used Amberle’s disability and her passion for marginalized people groups to create The Banquet Network, a non-profit organization that helped dozens of churches develop thriving disability ministries. He chose to use the circumstance for an eternal purpose rather than a temporary one.

Philippians 4: 6-7 exhorts believers to “pray about everything.” And we should. That includes praying about circumstances, but it also includes praying past them—for how God might use the hard situations in our lives to make us more like Him. To learn to trust Him day by day.

When it looks like your prayer isn’t answered, remember, God doesn’t allow one thing to happen to that He can’t use for His glory and our benefit as long as we cooperate. If God brings you to it, He’ll bring you through it. If your prayer isn’t being answered today, perhaps God has more than an answer for you. Perhaps he has Himself.

Now, it’s your turn to “hang out naked.” . What circumstance are you praying for? How can you pray past that circumstance for something more?

The Trapeze of Trust

As a kid, I loved going to the circus. I marveled at the daring performers in their death-defying acts. Walking out of the arena carrying a glow-in-the-dark toy I’d convinced my grandpa to buy for me, I’d wonder, Which performer do I want to be?  Sometimes it was a rope dancer; sometimes, the lady in charge of the poodle act, but more often than not, it was the high-flying, sequin-studded female trapeze artist. The reason for my choice was obvious. It was the costume. Bedecked in jewels and beads and oozing with confidence, the lady seemed invincible. She always had two or three impossibly muscular men catching her as she flew weightlessly through mid-air, and she never missed a beat. It was like a miracle happening right before my eyes. How did she do that?

I read once that the secret to a successful trapeze performance is the flyer. When she’s in the air between the trapeze bars, if she grabs for the person who is supposed to catch her, she will fall. The trick is for the flyer to simply hold her arms up and allow herself to be caught. This requires complete trust.

While I’ve never tried my talent on the flying trapeze (Full disclosure: I’m a little scared of heights), I can see a strong application in my land-laden life and my ability (or inability) to trust God.

One of the only things we can be sure of in life is change. Change is scary because it means letting go of what’s known and heading towards the unknown. A new job, a new home, a new church. It’s like being in mid-air, between two trapezes. But that’s where trust happens. Between the bars. Mid-air. As long as we keep holding on to the old, we will never move ahead to the new. The hardest part for me, however, in any sort of “mid-air” transition is not trying to be in control. Just keeping my arms up, trusting God to catch me. He’s the One who knows what he’s doing, who knows where I need to be—not me. I just have to let him catch me.

Many people equate trust with predicatability. Or certainty. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Trust means you don’tknow…otherwise, it’s not trust. Our God is trustworthy, and we need to learn to be more like the high flyer on the trapeze—letting go of the old and trusting God to catch us exactly where we need to be with the new.

I’m trying to learn how to trust God in this scary journey of writing. Why is it scary? Because, as I explained in one of my first blogs, I’m “hangin’ out there naked,” for all to see. To disapprove of my writing. To not read it. But this is where God has caught me, so this is where I am. I’m sure I’ll have to fly through the air a few more times in life, whether it’s in my writing journey or in some other aspect of life. And hopefully, with practice, I’ll get better with not knowing and just trusting.

What about you? Will you share in this dia-blog? How are you trying to trust God? I’d love to know, and I’d love to pray for you.

Hope Is a Choice

The last few weeks have been tough. On all of us. Looking at the news and the atrocities in the world, it would be easy to lose hope.

But we must not.

Hope is critical to life. In fact, it’s been scientifically proven!

Back in the 1950’s, Curt Richter, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University, performed a study now known as the “Drowning Rats” experiment. Richter placed several dozen rats in a bucket of water. They all drowned after only a few minutes. He repeated the experiment with another group of rats, but this time, right before the rats drowned, he picked them out of the water for a moment, dried them off, and then put them back in. The result? The rats that were momentarily rescued swam approximately 240 times longer than those who were not. The reason, Richter hypothesized, was that the second group of rats had hope.

Hmmm. If having hope can make that much difference in the life of a rat, imagine what it can do for us!

According to the Oxford English Dictionary hope is “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.” It’s not some wishy-washy, pie-in the sky, unsubstantiated longing. Hope is a logical decision, usually based on some sort of possibility. In other words, hope is a choice. Your choice.

I find that really interesting, especially in light of 1 Corinthians 13.

This celebrated chapter closes with the well-known words, “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV). 

Faith, hope, and love—three great virtues of the Christian life.

Think about those words for a moment and what each one means for the believer. Love is a command (John 13:34). Faith is a fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). But hope is a choice.

Do you ever have problems choosing hope? I’ve had challenges, but what ultimately got me through was the idea that I could either continue in the circumstance with hope or without hope. The choice I made wasn’t necessarily going to change the situation, but it could change me. I couldn’t control the circumstance, but I could control my response. So, I chose hope. What about you? What is it that threatens your hope and how do you make the choice to stay in hope? Share your words of wisdom.

When Failure IS an Option

The only “B” I received in high school was in art. It was devastating. So, although I loved beautiful things, I forever closed the door to creating anything visually attractive of my own. Today, a lifetime away from high school, when my home-builder husband asks me to choose color combinations or tile patterns, I emphatically reply, “No, I’m not good at that.” Because someone told me I wasn’t.

What’s even sadder than being told you’re not good at something, however, is actually believing it and allowing those negative evaluations to limit your life.

You see, I’ve always adhered to the old adage, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.” So if, after an initial attempt, I considered myself “not good” at something, I didn’t try it anymore. Athletics. Math. Dancing.

I figured no one could be good at everything, so I “stayed in my lane” doing things I was proficient at.  Maybe it was pride that stopped me from trying activities outside my “natural ability” or maybe it was discouragement. I don’t know.

What I do know, however, is that for over fifty years, I wanted to do art even though I wasn’t good at it. And I never did. Until recently--when I gave myself permission to ignore that old adage about “doing all things well” and allowed myself to be mediocre.

When my husband and I visited Italy last month, I found myself in awe of the local artists filling Florence’s main square. Each one was creating his own version of whatever he thought was beautiful, from bright orange poppy-covered fields to personal renditions of David. Something came over me and without thinking, I said to my husband, “I want to sketch.” I plopped down on a bench facing the huge cathedral and took out a pad and pencil. While Dee continued to peruse the local artists’ works, I sketched the scene for about thirty minutes.

Brunelleschi would have been appalled at my drawing of his Duomo because, in terms of art, it was minimal. But in terms of the joy I experienced, it was a masterpiece.

The topic of mediocrity, the idea of failure, is a tough one for me. Colossians 3:23 is one of my key verses in life: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

While I completely agree with that scripture, I wonder how it applies when you’re new at something…or when you’re really not that good at something in spite of your efforts? Is it possible to work at something with your heart and still not have a very strong result? Does that mean we shouldn’t do it all?

A case in point: I know a lot of people who don’t sing in worship because they’ve been told they don’t sing well, so they never fully experience that joy of praising God through music. I know others who are just as lacking, but they sing loud and long and produce what can best be described as a “joyful noise unto the Lord.” Personally, I don’t think God cares about the result nearly as much as he cares about the heart.

So, I do believe in excellence, but I’m also starting to see that “failure” can be an option. Because if you learn something or if you enjoy what you’re doing, it’s really not failure, is it?.

Visual art may not be my strength, but I don’t think that means I can’t enjoy it or shouldn’t do it. Even if it’s mediocre. For now or for always.

That’s what I think. Now, it’s your turn…

What haven’t you done because you’re not good at it? Gourmet cooking? Writing? Playing pickleball? Maybe you’ve become frustrated with your unsuccessful efforts to memorize scripture, develop a healthy habit, or start an exercise regimen. You have to start somewhere. Mediocrity is a good place to do that and today is a good time. Will you share something that you’re willing to try, even if it is mediocre?

A Harvest of Hope

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

Have you ever given life your best shot and felt like you failed? Your work was criticized or rejected, and you thought to yourself, “What’s the use?” Or worse yet, you (not your work) were rejected. A relationship failed. You were unappreciated. You wanted to dig a hole in the ground and stay there because nobody would notice anyway.

But Someone does notice. When life feels futile, it’s easy to think you don’t make a difference. That’s the lie Satan wants you to believe.

Satan does everything he can to discourage you…not because you don’t matter, but because you do. In fact, you’re a threat. You may not see the benefit of what you’re doing, but God’s Word promises “doing good” will ultimately yield results.

When “doing good” feels more like you’re doing nothing, remember, feelings are fickle.  Feelings are based on circumstances, and circumstances change.

The one thing that doesn’t change is your value. Your value was declared 2,000 years ago on a cross—when the Savior of the World died for you. Your value isn’t based on what you do; it’s based on what Jesus did.

We don’t gain value by “doing good,” but we do plant seeds. One day, the harvest will come. God promises we will reap if we don’t give up.

Now remember…this is not a blog. It’s a “dia-blog,”so I’d love to hear your thoughts.

My question to you: What seed will you plant today and what harvest do you hope to reap if you don’t give up?

My answer: I’m going to plant a seed of hope rather than a seed of expectation by using my writing. I usually evaluate my expectations through an emotional reaction of either delight or disappointment based on circumstantial results, but I want to move forward regardless of the result. I can do that by planting a seed of hope. It’s really depressing sometimes when I feel like my writing doesn’t make a difference, but I have to remind myself that if my words touch one person or motivate one person to “set your mind on things above” (Colossians 3:2), my job is done. If I am somehow glorifying God through the use of my time or talents (and that can be anything from having a conversation with a friend to cooking dinner for my family to writing an article…and on and on), then I am planting seeds God promises if I do not grow weary, He will eventually bring the harvest.

Disability in Heaven?

Do you ever think about your “forever home?” The place where all believers will dwell eternally in the presence of God, a glorious city with streets of gold and pearly gates, where there is “no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4)?

My vision of heaven was rocked several years ago when I watched a video called Disability in Heaven. I never considered the existence of disability in heaven, and, while that possibility may seem heretical to some, the film presented a range of views that made me examine my notion of disability more closely.

I’m not going to espouse a particular perspective regarding disability in heaven here (although I will share my view at the end of this blog), but the topic is worth contemplating. As Christians, we know there will be no suffering or sorrow in heaven, so any disability that does cause pain will not exist. However, we also have to realize that not every disability is a source of torment for the person with that disability. In fact, a person with a disability may consider his condition so vital to his identity that he would not be the same without it, as might be the case of a person who is deaf or has autism or Down Syndrome. Therefore, we might ask, in heaven, will he be stripped of that part of his identity? Scripture indicates we will recognize others in heaven, but how will we know them? Will their distinguishing characteristics be physical, emotional, spiritual, or something else altogether?

Of course, we will not know the answers to these questions until we are in the presence of Jesus, but the topic of disability in heaven is worth considering. Where we land in the matter says a lot about our how we view disability, people with disability, and even God Himself.  

So, in the spirit of transparent conversation, which is the whole idea behind this “Hangin’ Out Naked” blog, here’s what I think. I do believe it’s possible people may have disabilities in heaven, BUT none that cause pain or sorrow. In my opinion, many disabilities are simply differences—in processing, communication, or sensing—and just because one person’s manner or method isn’t the norm, I can’t label it as “less than.” I’ve really tried to change my view of disability over the last few years to look at disability in terms of degree of difficulty rather than degree of defect. So much of the pain surrounding disability on this earth comes from prejudices and our very imperfect, human ideas about the way things “should” be. I don’t believe disability was in God’s perfect design; it is a consequence of sin entering the world. All suffering has its roots in sin…and that’s where I get the idea that if the disability does not entail suffering, maybe it will exist in heaven. Additionally, people with disabilities seem to love so unconditionally, accepting others just as they are (like Jesus), that I can’t help but think they may be closer to a divine state than neurotypical people are. So…that’s where I land, at least for now. Disabilities in heaven? Possibly. Pain and sorrow? No.

What do you think?  Join me in the “dia-blog” by leaving a comment and telling me what YOU think…and why. The goal of entering your comment is to contribute to the conversation (not point out others’ mistakes), and since this topic that has to do with our faith, to show the truth we find in scripture. I’m not sure this question can be definitively answered this side of heaven, but we can get the conversation going and “set our mind on things above” (Colossians 3:2). Thanks for the transparent conversation and “hangin’ out naked.” Let’s be brave together.

Here and Now

4,108 weeks.

That’s the average life expectancy of an adult living in the United States. It doesn’t sound very long, does it? It certainly sounds less than its 79-year equivalent. But, if you’re average, and I’m not saying you are—most of my friends are far above average—you can expect to walk this planet for a little over 4,000 weeks. 

Seeing life in terms of weeks rather than years has made me think about how I can use my time more effectively and efficiently. I’m not a big TV binger or social media scroller, so I don’t feel like I waste my time that way, but what I have realized is I spend a huge percentage of my time thinking about the past or planning the future instead of living in the present. And before I know it, now is gone.

If you’re like me and you worry about the forthcoming “what ifs” in life (most of which never happen) or brood over the former “if onlys” (which you can’t do anything about anyway), I invite you to join me in a little experiment. As much as possible, stay present—just for today. If you find your thoughts wandering or worrying, stop and come back to where you are, at the crossroads of here and now.

Scripture seems to support the idea of staying in the present. You’ll find several examples in the Bible, but my favorite is in Exodus 3:14 when God introduces Himself to Moses. Moses sees the burning bush and asks God His name. God replies, “I AM.” Not I was or I will be (although He’s that too), but “I AM.” 

God is always in the here and now, and we should be, too.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we should never plan for the future or learn from the mistakes of the past. We just need to spend the majority of our time where it matters most, when we can actually do something with it. We can’t change the past or foreseethe future, but we can live right now. So, that’s what I want to encourage you to do this week. Stay present with people you love.

Now (yes, right now), it’s your turn. Since this a dia-blog and not just a one-way blog, I invite you to respond to one of these questions so we can “hang out naked.” Nothing to hide. No judgment. Go on, answer a question, and put the social BACK in social media. 

Let’s dia-blog:

If you had two days left on earth, how would you spend them? What is one thing you want to do before you die? What’s your biggest time-waster? How do you stop yourself from worrying? 

Worth the Risk?

I’m starting a blog. I need to work on my writing, so whoever you are out there in social media land, thank you for being my guinea pig.

My goal is to make this blog more of a forum than a blog. I’m much more interested in hearing your thoughts than in broadcasting my own. Sometimes I’ll post an observation, something encouraging or thought-provoking. I may write about college planning (my day job, in case you didn’t know)or share about disability (a subject that’s near to my heart). Whatever the topic, at the end, I’ll pose a question (or a few), and I hope you’ll offer me your thoughts. Then, we can have a conversation, and that will make it all worthwhile. 

You see, I’m not really looking forward to writing a blog. Even now, the voices in my head are screaming: Nobody cares what you have to say. You’re too busy to do this. What if people don’t like what you say? What if they disagree? You see, I don’t like taking risks, and when you blog, you risk both rejection and failure.

Every day, we take risks. The physical risks are obvious—driving a car, being in a public place. But to me, the emotional risks are most threatening. Every time I form a relationship, I risk rejection. Whenever I set a goal, I risk disappointment. With every decision, I risk regret. And with every action, I risk failure. 

Ugh. Is it worth it? 

Absolutely. Without risk, there is no reward. 

Someone at a writer’s conference asked me recently why I don’t like to blog. I said, “I never know what people will think about my writing. I feel so vulnerable—like I’m hanging out there naked.”

She looked me straight in the eye and said, “Well, Jesus hung out there naked.” 

Friends, the enemy wants us to be afraid. Afraid to risk. Afraid to love. Afraid to share the Gospel. The enemy knows the rewards, and he doesn’t want us to have them. 

Jesus wants us to take risks. To be brave. To be vulnerable. To be like Jesus. And if you think about it, if you’re truly following God and seeking Him every step of the way, is it really a risk?  

Okay, that’s enough from me. Are you ready to hang out naked? Here are a few questions. You can answer as many or as few as you want or you just comment. And…if you enjoy hanging out naked, sign up to receive my blog by email. My goal is to publish one blog every week.. (Okay, I said it. I’m risking failure, but at least I’m naked.) Share:

When was the last time you took a risk? What was the risk and what was the reward? Was it worth it?

What do you feel God is prompting you to risk right now?

What is the most difficult thing for you to risk? Why?

How do you respond when you risk something and you don’t see the reward?

The Empty Place

Most Christians have heard the explanation of our innate desire for God: He created a God-shaped hole in each of our hearts only He can fill.

Before we know Him, we try to fill that emptiness with money, human relationships, careers, and all manner of things. Ultimately, we realize the only thing that completes us is God Himself.

But think about this…if each of us has a God-shaped hole in our heart, is it possible the opposite is true? That God has a place in His heart that only YOU can fill.

It’s easy to minimize who we are in God’s eyes, especially when we’re just regular people doing regular things. We go about our business, living for Him, impacting friends and neighbors as God gives us opportunity. We’re not Billy Graham or Elizabeth Elliott.

When Satan tries to shame me by convincing me I’m not making a difference in the Kingdom of God or I’m not “that special” to God, I remind myself that Jesus counts by ones. Every single person is important. The mom with a 24-hour-a-day mlnistry to her two toddlers. The businessman who demonstrates integrity and grace. The empty-nester who checks in on her elderly neighbor down the street. One person doing one act of kindness demonstrates the heart of God. You have a one-of-a-kind calling, and you are the only person who can show His heart in the way you do.

YOU have a place in His heart—a place only YOU can fill. Let that thought sink in. You aren’t just on His heart; you’re in it. Feel His presence today.

Be Aware

My body usually wakes me up a few minutes before sunrise. I enjoy watching the sun appear over the Sandia Mountains and the desert landscape come to life as I prepare for the day..

But lately, I’ve found myself judging the sunrise. Not aloud. Just in my head, saying things like:

Yesterday’s was prettier..

If there were clouds, it would be better.

Is it picture-worthy?

Harmless, right? I mean, after all, everyone’s entitled to an opinion.

NOT.

Stunning sunrises, spectacular sunsets, blue skies, swirling snowflakes, towering mountains, roaring rivers, colorful hummingbirds, fragrant flowers…God’s creation shouts His love to us. But too often, we plug our ears and cover our eyes with pride, distraction, or busyness. Knowingly or unknowingly, we fail to experience what we need most: God’s continuing message of love, initiated in creation, assured through Christ’s cruxifixction and resurrection, and confirmed each and every day.

His love is there, but we’re unaware.

We’re like a television set that is turned off. Thousands of messages flood the airwaves, but until we turn on the technology and tune in to the right channel, we won’t receive a thing.

So, take a moment. Turn on. Tune in. Open your senses to see, hear, feel, taste, and touch God. More than anything, He wants you to know He loves you.

He is there. Be aware.