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Graduation Day…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

My oldest graduates from high school today. I am so incredibly proud of that kid because of the growth and maturity that I see in him. When I look at where he was in 6th grade, 8th grade, 9th grade, I can see how far he’s come. He has a good, compassionate heart, a sound brain in his head. He loves God. He loves people.

Philippians 1:9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.

I know that I have done what I could to give him a firm foundation, but I understand in a new light the protective mama instinct. I also understand in a new light the fact that my children are God’s, not ours. The hubs and I, our village, can’t truly protect them from life. All we can do is love them, root them in God, pray for them (A LOT), trust God with them.

Philippians 1:10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.

Lord, It has been an honor and a privilege to raise the young man who will walk across the stage this evening. Help him to know that You are with him, that we love and support him, that it’s ok to fail as long as you get up and try again, that You can use all things for his good and Your glory. Thank You for the village that continues to help us love, support, and nurture him. Thank You for the plans You have for him. Help him to know You are with him every step of the way. Amen.

Philippians 1:11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

Have a blessed day.

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Do not be anxious about anything… (devo reflection)

Philippians 4:6a Do not be anxious about anything….

Lord, You know I struggle with change, and everywhere I look at the moment I see so much change. But I trust You. I believe You. I know You are in control, even with so much change in store. Help me to live that belief. Help me to lay aside my anxiety and fear.

Philippians 4:6b …but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 

Lord, I know You are with me. You shower me with blessings daily. Help me to focus on You—Your presence, Your blessings, Your people—instead of focusing on my fear. Help me to lift my voice in Your praise. Help me to be so focused on You that I can’t focus on my fears.

Philippians 4:7a And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding….

Lord, Blanket me with Your peace. Help me to be still, to know that even in all the change that You are still God, still in control. Guard my heart and mind, guard those I love and all Your children, help us all to rest in Your peace. Amen.

Philippians 4:7b …will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Have a blessed day. I love you.

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The larger goal…. (devo reflection)

Colossians 3:23-24 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.

Today is the official end of my Spring Break. Tomorrow starts the final push to graduation. Teachers and students both are tired, and now we’ve had a taste of freedom, so these final weeks are hard. Ultimately, at this time of year, I have to remind myself that I do this job not to make it to summer vacation but because all those years ago, God called me to be a teacher.

Acts 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Finishing the race doesn’t mean finishing the school year, or my career, it is about the larger goal. And while, as a public school teacher, I can’t preach my faith, God shows me His presence with me in the classroom every single day in myriad ways. And so it is with you. He’s with you, guiding you, incorporating you into His ministry wherever He has you currently planted. Trust Him.

Ecclesiastes 7:8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Lord, Thank you for time to rest and renew. Thank you for unexpected opportunities and beach sunrises and time with family. As we head into this last eight weeks of the school year, give us all the strength and the will to finish strong. And help all of us, no matter what we do in life, to remember the larger end game–eternity with You. Thank You for the hope of eternity. Amen.

Philippians 3:14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Have a blessed day.

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While it was still dark…. (devo reflection)

John 20:1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.

Yesterday I read a devo from The Upper Room devotional. It referenced John 20:1, specifically the phrase “while it was still dark.” The writer talked about the fact that even in the darkness, God was already at work, already making a way.

Isaiah 43:19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

This idea—that God is at work, that He’s making a way even when I can’t yet perceive it—is why I love Isaiah 43:19 and hold tight to it especially in difficult times. For all my fear and worrying, I absolutely trust that God is making a way in my difficulties, even when I can’t yet perceive it.

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Risen Savior, Author of all creation, thank You for the certainty that You are at work in my circumstances, that You are making a way where there is no way, even if I cannot yet perceive it. Help me to trust to You always, “even while it is still dark.” Amen.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Have a blessed day.

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Like Jesus…. (devo reflection)

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.

Lord, I feel You calling me again to examine pride and humility. I know I get a little too smug sometimes when I’m mentally passing judgement about what someone else is or is not doing. Help me, Lord.

Proverbs 16:5 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.

Lord, You know I tell my students all the time that “we don’t know what we don’t know.” We have to stay open to listening, to hearing, to learning, or we will never grow. Help me to find that balance. I don’t want to be a doormat. I don’t want to be a know-it-all. I want to be compassionate and merciful and loving, like You. Help me, Lord.

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

Lord, You tell me again and again that if I seek You with my whole heart, I will find You. I know that if I am open to seeing You, to seeking You, I will find You, sometimes in the most unlikely places. Help me, Lord. Amen.

Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Have a blessed day.

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Near to us…. (devo reflection)

Philippians 4:4-5 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Lord, Thank You for being near to us. Always. Thank You for the reminder and encouragement to rejoice in You always—not because LIFE is always good but because YOU are always good, and You are always near to us—in our joy, in our sorrow, in our longing. Thank You.

Philippians 4:6a Do not be anxious about anything….

Lord, There are so many anxious thoughts that crowd around us in this life. Help us to block out the noise of the world, to concentrate on Your presence, Your voice. You are with us—in the joy and the fear, in the certainty and in the chaos. You are holding us securely in the palm of Your hand. Thank You.

Philippians 4:6b …but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Lord, Thank You that You are here, that You are hearing me as I try to draw nearer. Thank You that I can bring all my messy humanity and lay it at Your feet. Take my sorrow and my pain, take my sadness and my fear, take all my uncertainties, Lord. I lay them at Your feet. Help me leave them there. Grant me Your peace. Please, Jesus. Amen.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Have a blessed day.

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The Lord is near…. (devo reflection)

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

What strikes me in this passage is that Paul is encouraging them to rejoice in the Lord always and is modeling this attitude of rejoicing for them while he is in prison. There’s no irony in his words. He doesn’t say he’ll rejoice when he is released. There’s only joy and encouragement in the Lord.

Philippians 4:5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

And how is it that he can rejoice, even in his present circumstances? How is it that he can be anxious for nothing, pray about everything, be thankful? Because the Lord is near.

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Lord, Forgive me when I grump and complain. Thank You for the example of Paul’s attitude of rejoicing in and prayers and petitions to You in all circumstances. Help me to be mindful always that You are near. Wrap me in Your peace. Amen.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Have a blessed day.

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I want to know Christ…. (devo reflection)

Philippians 3:7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

The hubs and I have been married for 25 years, together for 26, and I’m still learning about him—who he is, what he values, how he changes. Because I love him, I seek to know him better, even as we both grow and change through this life.

Philippians 3:8a What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things….

My relationship with Christ should have a similar dynamic. Christ doesn’t change, but I do, and I need to continuously seek to know Him more, know Him better, as I learn and grow. That’s not impossible, but it does take time, effort, and intention.

Philippians 3:8b-9a …I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him…

Lord, This world offers lots of shiny, beautiful distractions, but I don’t want this world. I want You. I want to know You more, better, every single day. Help me be intentional in my pursuit of You. Amen.

Philippians 3:10 I want to know Christ….

Have a blessed day. I

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Less focused on myself…. (devo reflection)

Philippians 1:15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.

I admire Paul’s attitude in this section for a host of reasons. For one, in the verses just before these, he is rejoicing in all the good (the spread of the gospel) that God has brought from his imprisonment. Talk about beauty from ashes.

Philippians 1:16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

For another, he talks about all those spreading the Good News regardless of motive. Some were rejoicing in Paul’s imprisonment because they could be seen as more than or better than Paul. Instead of being angry or jealous about their motives, Paul rejoices that they are preaching Christ.

Philippians 1:17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.

Lord, in this day and age we aren’t geared to react as Paul did—rejoicing in the preaching of Your word, regardless of motives. Help me to be more like that, Lord—more focused on You and Your word. Less focused on myself, less focused on the motives of others. Amen.

Philippians 1:18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice….

Have a blessed day.

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God’s got me, no matter the trials I face…. (devo reflection)

Mark 16:1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.

Two thoughts and two verses came immediately to mind as I read this scripture this morning. The first thought is that Mary and the other women wanted to honor their Lord by preparing His body properly for burial, something there was no time for in the rush before Passover. This brought to mind Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Mark 16:2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb…

The second thought that struck me at verse 3 was that as they approached the tomb, they were worrying about how to move the stone that was much too heavy for them so that they could get to the body to prepare it properly. (I’m a worrier. Trust me, I get their worry.) This brought to mind Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Mark 16:3 …and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

Lord, Thank You for this beautiful illustration of Your truths in action. These women wanted to honor You by preparing Your body for burial. They were called according to Your purpose. You supplied their needs by removing the stone and by showing them that Your physical body was no longer in that tomb. You are risen. Help me to take these truths, this knowledge with me always, knowing that You’ve got me, no matter the trials I face. You will work all things to my good and Your glory and You will supply my needs. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Mark 16:4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.

Have a blessed day.