What a crazy season! On top of the ongoing pandemic and unsettling election time in the USA, many of our friends and family members have experienced a severe cold storm with days of long power outages and loss of water. Upheaval on many fronts ushers us into a place of opportunity if we are willing to grasp it. Oftentimes this opportunity looks like a place of simplicity.
Set apart. Chosen. Consecrated. Dan & I have recently been drawn to the Old Testament epic exodus story. You will remember many famous aspects of this drama such as the horrendous plagues brought upon the Egyptians, the totally miraculous parting of the Red Sea, the supernatural manna and quail feeding all the thousands and thousands of Israelites each day, and the water flowing from a rock. The list goes on and on. God does a lot in 40 years!
Guilt. Accusations. Shame. Regret. Many in the body of Christ are riddled with negativity, with condemnation—some even to the point of despair. This concept was made crystal clear to me earlier today. Dan and I choose to speak to each other with kindness and respect. In fact, he almost always makes me feel that I am a person of immense value. So, an episode that happened this morning might seem trivial to some, but it was a big deal to me.
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 (NSFLB) Immanuel. God-With-Us. Near. Personal. Jesus, the Son of God came with us in the flesh 2000 years ago that we could experience the character and the love of the Father. Today we can all encounter Him through the Spirit of Jesus. One encounter with the living God changes everything. James, the brother of Jesus, is a great example for us. His epiphany dramatically changed history.
The swans are migrating north. Recently we saw a pair of gorgeous, white swans on a small lake in Alaska. They were in very shallow water feeding. One swan swam away into deeper water. The swans began trumpeting to each other. The calls sounded like noisy honks, continuing until the second one joined its partner in the deep. These rare Trumpeter swans winter in the northwestern US and southwestern Canada, migrating over 1400 miles to Alaska en route to their final arctic destination for nesting each summer.
We carefully checked the weather before departing, a forecast of a 10% chance of rain. Then, off we went on our four-hour trip to lead a marriage conference in the hill country of Texas. After being on the road about an hour the clouds started getting darker and darker. Suddenly we were in a storm. A big storm! A big, unexpected storm. Heavy rain. Strong winds. Immediately, we disengaged the cruise control, lowered our speed, and made certain our lights were on. Our hearts were pounding. A powerful 18-wheeler was overturned, covering most of the highway.
Follow Up
