Episode 6: Jeremiah in Miami

What situation is impossible for you to face right now? Where is God asking you to go that you dread intensely, that causes you to cringe with fear? Can you for a moment imagine that the very situation you despise is the exact place God wants you to be. The one who calls you to endure hardship always has a purpose and He is fully aware of your frailties and your weaknesses. The terrifying fish that swallowed Jonah was actually his transportation out of the raging waves to the perfect destination God designed for him. The scorching furnace that enveloped the three Israelites was certainly the graduation exercises to a higher position of authority in King Nebuchadnezzar's cabinet. The poverty that forced Ruth to pick up stray barley stalks in a stranger's field was the window wealthy Boaz looked through to see her as the godly wife he needed. The prison Joseph languished in was the ivy-league university God used to prepare him for life as prime minister of Egypt. The uncomfortable spot you are squeezed into now can be transformed by the God who makes all things new. His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. He calls us to trust Him regardless, to remember who He is, to realize no difficulty is outside his scope of redemption. Go ahead. Walk by faith. Watch what He will do.

Episode 5: Major Malfunctions

Friends need help navigating through an emergency. Hang around with your pals every chance you get but make sure you stick even closer when trauma hammers nails right into their heart. Without our family and friends, our journey with James would have splintered us into a thousand broken pieces. But when love moved into action, God ministered to us and reminded us of His complete sufficiency. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
•Dispense hugs generously.
•Dispense advice sparingly.
•Listen without interrupting with your own story.
•Organize meals for the family at home.
•Bring a deliciously wrapped sandwich or salad to the hospital.
•Time stands still in waiting rooms. Your company will help nudge the clock.
•Borrow her house key and invite two other friends to help you clean and do laundry.
•Mail an envelope stuffed with notes from their neighbors, co-workers, small group Bible study or Sunday school class.
•Volunteer to care for the other children in the family and make their day bright with games, a special meal or a unique outing.
•Collect money to help offset unexpected expenses.
•Call and pray with her on the phone.
•Write out one meaningful Bible verse and tuck it into an encouraging note.
•Get him to smile. Do whatever it takes. Laughter is the best stress reliever.
•Gather a group of friends who will commit to fast and pray for a designated period.

Don't worry about not knowing exactly what to do to help. Just do something. During a crisis, the smallest act of kindness becomes a magnificent, wonderful, life-sustaining gift. Your friends need you. Show up big.

Episode 4: Unwelcome Intrusions

Unwelcome intrusions litter the landscape of our lives. After enduring one crisis, we foolishly believe we are safe and that life should somehow run smoothly now. But it rarely does. We are forced to learn and re-learn vital lessons at each stage as God tutors us in the basics of obedience and trust.
We are usually in a hurry for God to answer our prayers and fix our problems. But from God's perspective, solving the problem is never the point. Developing intimacy with God is His focus. He desires us to seek His face, to run towards Him, to pursue a loving relationship with our Heavenly Father. He allows challenges in our lives to teach us to trust Him, to show us what obedience is all about. Obedience is not so much following the rules and minding your spiritual manners. On many different levels, obedience is learning to surrender my will to His, to accept His ways without murmuring and complaining. To focus on what is unseen and eternal rather than the difficult circumstance blocking my view.
In today's episode, our family is once again enrolled in school. Join us as we learn more of His faithfulness and sufficiency right in the middle of unwelcome intrusions.

Episode 3: Pillsbury Dough Boys Wear Pacemakers Too

In today's podcast, I describe our stay at Boston Children's Hospital in these terms: "At times, hospital life resembled a jumble of clothes tossed about in a laundromat dryer. All the colors blurred together in a swirl of confusion, with no order or design. Where were the iron and sturdy ironing board to smooth out the details before we were deluged with a new assignment? Would we never starch our life back into some crisp, manageable dimension? I yearned for the smell of the uncomplicated outdoors, clothes billowing in a soft, clean breeze, strung together in an orderly line."
If you are in the middle of a complicated place right now, or you know someone who is, here are some specific practical steps to take to prevent the crises from crushing you:
• Call friends to pray for you
• When you can’t pray because you are overwhelmed, simply repeat the prayer, “Jesus, help me.” He will.
• Hide yourself in God's Word – keep your Bible nearby and read even one verse at a time and allow your mind to dwell on that one promise, one thought from God’s Word. Wrap your emotions of fear, anxiety, and panic inside the strong arms of Scripture.
• Ask those who stand beside you, call you on the phone, or sit next to you, to read the Scriptures aloud in order to focus your mind on God's faithfulness and provision.
• Speak your fears aloud. Share them with your spouse or a good friend who knows how to listen.
• Journal your deepest concerns and fears. Use your journal as a place to write out your prayers to the Lord.
• Slip away from the crises and take a walk. Squeeze in exercise somehow.
• Listen to Praise and Worship music as much as possible.
• Allow yourself to cry. Tears release tension.
• Make a list of everything you can be thankful for and thank God for them.
• Allow people to serve you, help you, and care for you. If they ask, “What can I do to help,” give them some specific task that would help you. Receive the gift of their love and know you will have the chance to serve others another day.