Pull out your notebook, your best pen… start writing …start listening… God wants to speak to you today.
Matthew 11:28
NIV: New International Version
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
AMP: Amplified Version
Come to me, all who are weary and heavily burdened ( by religious rituals that provide no peace) and I will give you rest ( refreshing your souls with salvation.)
ERV: Easy Reader Version
Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest.
TLB . The Living Bible
Come to me and I will give you rest – all of you who work so hard beneath a heavy yoke.
The Passion Translation
Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis.
The Message Version
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.
GO ahead… carve out some time. Write the words. Pray for the Holy Spirit to open you heart to what God wants to communicate with you.
And if you have an extra minute… I’d love to hear what he had to say.
Come to me and I will give you rest- all of you who work hard beneath a heavy yoke. Wear my yoke- for it fits perfectly – and let me teach you; for I am gentle and humble, and you shall find rest for your souls; for I give you only light burdens.
It happened again this morning. I woke up. Looked at my watch. Remembered what day it was. Then I immediately ran through my mental calendar and asked the question “Do we have anything tonight?” As a parent of an active high schooler, business owner and volunteer at church and school – the answer is usually “Yes”. I love all the activity yet on the days when I can answer NO I feel a sense of “ahhhh…. Home.” So this morning…. like the rest of the mornings of this last week… I silently asked myself the question…”Do we have anything tonight?” and , like you, the answer was NO. And I’m just not used to it yet.
I touched base with some members of my business team yesterday. Based on their answers to ” How are you doing?”, I think many of us are feeling the challenge of working through and into our new normal. Our eerily open calendars, our frequent thoughts of toilet paper and when is the predicted run out for our home and how the heck are we going to find more. Our workload, that for many, has increased in this season of running businesses, classrooms, families in a new format. Friday of the first week of this craziness and I’m sensing in myself and others … some weariness.
As we wrap up week one. and head into a weekend ( which will honestly feel a lot like the week!)… I am reminding my self of Jesus words, “Come to me…and I will give you rest.” These words help me release the tension in my shoulders and breath out a long exhale. This race, it appears, will be a marathon and not a sprint. Jesus is calling…
Come to me….
Come to me….
Come to me…..
Come to me…..
Every minute of all our days, all our questions, all our worries, all the news updates,
All.
The.
Things.
He promises REST.
Go to Him… I’ll meet you there.
Loving you where you are and pointing you forward to where He is,
Even though the Lord may allow you to go through a season of hardship and difficulty, he himself will be there with you. He will NOT hide himself from you for your eyes will constantly see Him as your TEACHER. When your turn to the right or turn to the left you will hear his voice behind you , to guide you saying – this is the right path , FOLLOW IT.
I can just bet every single person reading this has learned at least one new skill in the last 7 days. Not necessarily because you wanted to.. but because it has become a necessary survival skill. Many are learning how to work from home. Parents are learning how to teach their children – many balancing work and teaching. Teachers are learning how to teach virtually and create content to effectively communicate their message. Churches, businesses, restaurants have all been forced to pivot in their processes to continue sharing their messages and their products. For many it is shift or die. Learning has become a must.
I too have spent a chunk of time on phone calls, and zoom meetings as I transition my business to 100% virtual based as well as a bible study I help lead. We have discussed techniques and strategies to help us not only survive this season but to thrive in it. I have brainstormed with peers on voxer and text messages. I have listened to podcasts and read blogs about how best to navigate. It has been both exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. I believe many of our brains that have been on auto pilot have woken up. To be honest … despite the daily challenges we encounter.. I have to admit part of me is pretty darn excited about the whole thing. And I think God is too.
Me learning how to cook Serbian food over the weekend
Ok ok.. no … I do not think that our faithful, loving father delights in our suffering. I do believe he promises to show us his ultimate comfort in these times. I don’t think he enjoys our struggle.. but he does promise to show us the way through them. Way back in Isaiah – the book of the bible with the most prophecies of the coming Messiah Jesus, he gives us a picture of the both our roles and his when adversity hits.
First – we must acknowledge that God is fully aware and was fully aware of the season we are in. and he is allowing us to walk through it. He has the power to stop this virus today… but he is allowing it and us to run its course – and I believe learn some important lessons along the way. Isaiah 30:20 states – EVEN THOUGH THE LORD MAY ALLOW YOU TO GO THROUGH A SEASON OF HARDSHIP..
Second – OUR ROLE: We are to GO THROUGH – not stop, not hide, not pretend like nothing is wrong… and as we walk we are to LISTEN and to LOOK…. listen to our guide, Look to our worthy leader and TEACHER….because
THIRD – GOD’S ROLE: His role is to be with us and TEACH us….” HE HIMSELF WILL BE THERE WITH YOU, HE WILL NOT HIDE HIMSELF FROM YOU – FOR YOUR EYES WILL CONSTANTLY SEE HIM AS YOUR TEACHER – WHEN YOU TURN TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT YOU WILL HEAR HIS VOICE _ BEHIND YOU – TO GUIDE YOU SAYING THIS IS RIGHT PATH – FOLLOW IT.
When I was in college one of my professors said the greatest tools to prevent burnout and discontent in our future careers was to willingly participate in advance learning – by attending conferences, reading books, pursuing excellence through education in our profession or craft. Friends – I believe this can be one of the most exciting seasons of our lives. I believe we will be smarter on the other side. I believe we can eliminate much of our stress if we embrace the truth that God has put us each in a classroom, where he promises to show up and provide the wisdom we need. Pray for it . Look for it. Listen to it. The questions about how to take your business to the next level, better impact your students, share the gospel to the unchurced, understand your children, love your spouse.. they’re about to be answered as we participate in this laboratory called LIFE. Will we have days of frustration when the answers feel fuzzy and far away? – yes. Will we want to plop ourselves and our children in front of movies all day to escape? – yes. Do we have a loving God, a TEACHER we can trust that will invite us back into his classroom, his path for our lives and tell us which way to go? 1000% yes.
Friends – I hear the class bell ringing. Lets go.
Loving where you are and pointing you forward to where HE is,
justbeth:)
Teachers are working so hard in this season – extra prayers for them
Then Jesus became explicit: “Lazarus died. And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn’t there. You’re about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let’s go to him.”
John 11:33-35
When Jesus saw Mary (sister of Lazarus) sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. He said, “where did you put him.” “Master- come and see,” they said. NOW JESUS WEPT.
I shed many tears yesterday. They started in my sons dorm room. The one we cleared out. The one that should have stayed full of his scattered clothes, books and games he plays weekly at his dorm room Friday night game night – until May.
Jonahs CUNE dorm room
It continued when I learned that our schools Norweigan students had decided to leave – all 30 of them. Their departure would occur while I was out of town- moving Jonah out the above mentioned dorm. No in person goodbyes. No opportunity to give them American goodbye presents. No time to bake them cookies. A pic and text on FB messenger would have to suffice.
Our Norskies
Finally – I learned our High school ( like many) would move to online classes. The impact here is different though. Many of our students live in dorms- and these amazing people- would be going home – not to different houses in the same community. They went to different states. Different countries. Many of my daughters friends. Her peer group. The ones that have filled my house for movie nights and prom preparation. Meals and bonfires.
Brookes besties – the Senior Class of 2020 – God has great plans for them.
Just.
Like .
That.
I cried. I mourned. I was angry.
You see – a mommas heart- it just feels 1000% times more for their children then the average person. When something starts to impact my kids- all bets are off. So- yesterday I felt all the feels for my young adult children. All of them.
And Jesus says that’s ok.
One of the most comforting verses in the Bible is also the shortest.
Jesus wept.
On the news of the death of his friend Lazarus- he wept. Jesus- the man who could have healed his friend – and didn’t – wept. He showed us his humanity and gave us permission to feel all the feels when life takes things from us unexpectedly.
What I also love about this story is that Jesus shows us purpose in this hard. He moves onto the scene in what appears to be a “too little – too late” scenario and displays his glory. After Lazarus has been prepped and buried- Jesus raises him….
From
The
Dead.
He takes what all thought was lost and shows – ITS FOUND! He is alive. Not long before he would go to the cross and be raised from the dead himself – he gave a clear view into his healing power.
Friends- God has a plan. Just like he did in the death and resurrection of Lazarus – he does now as well.
We are in the waiting season. We will have days of mourning. We will have moments of anger and frustration – but we do not have to lose HOPE.
As I woke up today with another new normal- I read an Insta Post from one of our high school Students- one that I had cried for yesterday- and it made me smile. It renewed my hopeful spirit. If she can shift her attitude – then so can I.
Insta post from a wise SPLHS junior.
If you need to cry, Cry.
If you need to vent, vent.
But I encourage you to take it straight to the top- straight to Jesus who says “I know”, “I’ve walked your road before and I’m with you in this now.”
Let the tears flow…
Loving you where you are and pointing your forward to where He is,
Give your entire attention to what God is doing RIGHT NOW… and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
FUTURISTIC-it’s one of my top 5 Stengths on the CLIFTON Strengthsfinders assessment. Def:
This tool helps people discover what actions come naturally to them. The idea is to focus on spending the most time in your strongest talents. It’s fascinating and I highly recommend the book and the assessment http://www.cliftonstrengths.com
My natural bent everyday of my life, including the current season, is to think ahead, to vision cast for my self and everyone around me. It’s exciting and gives me hope as I move through each day. I look to the future and say —- let’s go!!!
So this week—- this crazy, topsy turvey week has me feeling a bit challenged. It feels like the beautiful table of events and plans I’ve set each night for the next day has been flipped on its side scattering everything – everywhere. The proverbial rug pulled out from under my meet. I’m trying to find solid, stable ground and I’m just not finding it. I know you are feeling it too.
As we look at Jesus words today- he gives us some really good, let’s be clear, the best advice for finding our footing on some ground we can depend on.
“Give your entire attention to what God is doing RIGHT NOW.”
Where are you seeing God’s provision – RIGHT NOW? Had you already stocked up on toilet paper before the world went crazy? Are you seeing a time with a quieter schedule as a gift? Are you already appreciating your work and your family and your daily grind more? That’s a God perspective and that only comes from him. That’s HIS provision. With each revelation of HIM in real, practical ways our ground becomes more stable, our next steps more clear.
I am quite certain God is trying to get our attention. He has cleared ALL of our schedules – the entire worlds- and he’s saying LOOK AT ME. RIGHT NOW. Stop worrying about tomorrow – we will deal with that when we get there.
Today- start your list of God Moments. The gifts of the season. The things you can see only if you’re paying attention- RIGHT NOW. Share them with a friend. Maybe these moments become the subject of your social media posts, your conversations with friends, the prayers you offer back to God.
Today- I like the sound of that- just do TODAY. Breath deep. 24 hours and then a restart. Exhale. Look to HIM.
Right.
Now.
Loving you where you are and pointing you forward to where He is.
When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said , “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and TOUCHED the man. “I Am Willing.” He said. “ Be Clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.
Schools closed. Tournaments cancelled. Music competitions delayed. Work from home. Online classes. Isolate. Isolate. Isolate. It’s the theme of our times…. but Jesus won’t follow those rules. He never has and he never will.
Jesus has been pushing the envelope from the moment he burst forth onto the earthly scene as a little baby born among cattle. What kind of king lays among hay in the middle of cow dung?
Jesus began teaching in the temple at age 12 and by his early 30’s he had created a following that not only moved the lowly but infuriated the political and religious rulers of the day.
Jesus also dared to do something else no one in his time was doing…. he spent time with and TOUCHED.…. the sick. Went right up to them, placed his hands on them and healed them.
People that were social outcasts.
Quarantined from life to prevent the spreading of disease and Often living in shame and sadness- the result of a life of isolation.
Jesus meets them right where they are with no fear and the healing begins.
There is the potential for all of us to quickly succumb to the fear that can enter when we isolate ourselves from the world. Today and the days following you need to know that Jesus has not left the building, or your home or your heart. He is walking with each and everyone of us. He is and will guide us into all truth. He will show us his power, peace and provision like you may have never experienced before. I have learned from past seasons of isolation due to family sickness, job loss, moves across the country that the one thing, the only thing I can count on has stayed…
Jesus – he shows up.
In his word…
The actions of loving people in communities….
In music….
In his creation. And so many other, often unexpected places.
Jesus – breaking all the rules to ensure he will always be right where you are. Reach out- grip his hand. He’s not going anywhere.
Loving you where you are and pointing you forward to where He is,
Justbeth:)
Our family loves to use technology to connect weekly. You may want to consider adding FACETIME with others during this season. We use Facebook messenger. Lots of resources available.
Pull out your notebook, your best pen… start writing… start listening…God wants to speak to you today.
1 John 4:10
NIV: New International Version
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
AMP: The Amplified Version
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation (that is the atoning sacrifice and the satisfying offering) for our sins ( fulfilling God’s requirement for justice against sin and placating his wrath.
MSG: The Message Version
This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about- not that we- once upon a time loved God – but that he loved us and sent his son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.
TPT: The Passion Translation
This is love: He loved us long before we loved him. It was his love, not ours. He proved it by sending his son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins.
The Voice:
This is the embodiment of true love: not that we have loved God first, but that He loved us and sent His unique Son on a special mission to become an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
GO ahead… carve out some time. Write the words. Pray for the Holy Spirit to open you heart to what God wants to communicate with you.
And if you have an extra minute… I’d love to hear what he had to say.
It made me do a double take. The scene outside the window to my backyard. The view of some of the most magnificent sunrises in the world. Today it was the contrast between the brightness of the sun and the darkness of the early morning sky. The drama caused my head to snap back and the shifting beauty kept me coming back over the next 30 minutes. This drama between light and dark immediately reminded me of the power of Jesus when he enters our darkness. It’s bold. It’s unapologetic. It’s clear. It impacts everything around it- making it more beautiful just by standing in its presence. The light of Jesus – you can’t feel the warmth without being changed.
Enjoy my photo journal of the beautiful start to my day.
Make it a point to look up to the east over the next days of Lent. In a world that feels like it’s changing by the minute let the power, beauty and glory of the sunrise remind you of our great Creator that loves his creation – always. No matter what the day holds-he is with us.
Loving you where you are and pointing your forward to where He is.
Matthew 27:20. Meanwhile, the chief priest and the religious leaders were inciting the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be freed and to have Jesus killed. So Pilate asked them again, ” Which of the two men would you like me to release for you?” The shouted, “Barabbas.” Pialte asked them, ” Then what would you have me to do with Jesus who is called the Anointed One?” They all shouted back ” Crucify him!” “Why?” Pilate asked. ” What has he done wrong?” But the kept shouting out, ” Crucify him!”
It made absolutely no sense. The crowd was out of control and Pilate knew it. He had just offered two prisoners to the people – leaving their freedom in the hand of a popular vote. One would go free. The other would die by crucifixion. An election that gave no opportunity for defense or rebuttal .
One prisoner a murderer The other innocent of ALL wrong doing. Not one black mark on his record. It seemed like a no brainer- why in the world would you want a proven killer set free? Why would you end the life of a man who had done so much good for the world?
Crazy things happen when a world falls into frenzy. Poor choices are made when group think grows to epic proportions and the fuel for the decisions are found in FEAR. It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last.
I have found myself fighting feelings of frustration today as I watch a world gone mad over a virus like others we have experienced in history. I turned the news off weeks ago as I found the dramatic music and even more dramatic news anchors reporting stories of the growing virus were causing anxiousness and fear in my mind over something I literally have zero control.
Last night I learned my company had cancelled one of our biggest sales force conferences of the year. My team is angry and frustrated. Today I read news of March Sadness- no fans except a few staff and family – at the annual NCAA basketball tournament. Fear. Fear. Fear.
I have spent much time today wondering what would Jesus do… if he were here On earth today?. Do we have any account from his earthly life that is similar to our current state of affairs?
Frenzy? Decisions based on fear? People missing facts and jumping on the loudest bandwagon?
Yes. Jesus can relate. And we can follow his lead. We can look to Jesus in the middle of frenzy. When the crowd was wild and lies were surrounding him as Pilate put him up against Barabbas-He did one thing. He kept his eyes on His father and his goal. He didn’t worry. He didn’t lash out. He didn’t defend. He trusted his all Powerful. All capable. All knowing Father.
As I move through however long this frenzied season lasts ( until the next one comes along)- Yes- I’ll wash my hands. Yes – I’ll drink lots of water and get good sleep, yes I’ll pay attention to how I feel. But I WILL NOT allow fear to dictate my choices. I just won’t.
If you are noticing a change in your behavior- less patient with your family, struggling to sleep, inability to focus…. you may need to shift your gaze. If you just can’t turn off the news I challenge you to spend equal if not more time reminding yourself of the promises of your Savior. He is
Almighty
Creator of the world
All powerful
All knowing
Loving
Kind
Just
Sovereign
Holy
Comforter
Counselor
Rock and Fortress
Look to Him. Follow Jesus lead. Step out of the frenzy and into his powerful arms. He is more the capable to hold you.
Loving you where you are and pointing you forward to where he is,
justbeth:) 