I sit here in my living room between a brightly lit up Christmas tree and a lawn mower. Yes, there is a lawn mower in my living room, as well as a weed eater, gas cans, miscellaneous hand tools, and an empty propane container. Why, oh why, you ask, is this stuff in my living room? Well, it is like this: we are in the process of painting the house. This necessitated pressure washing, which led to the discovery of rotten wood on the porch, and then the exposure of a plethora of termites. This, in turn, caused the porch to be torn down, which led to the lawn mower and other items from the porch coming into my living room.

Isn’t it interesting that we can start out with one plan and it gets drastically changed to another in a matter of moments? Just think of Mary and Joseph. I would presume the original plan was to go Bethlehem, take the census, visit some friends and family, and then return home. Having their baby boy born in a smelly stable was probably not on that script, yet it happened. Imagine Mary’s thoughts-God had done so many supernatural things from angelicvisitations, the prophecy from Elisabeth, and supernatural conception, and yet He did not provide a room for her in Bethlehem. But she continued to trust. Things sometimes just don’t work out as we plan.

Many times we get frustrated, angry, even depressed when our plans go awry, but God knows the end of a thing before the beginning (Isa.48:5). Mary and Joseph had no idea of the unforeseen ramifications from the birth of their son, the shepherds coming, or any of the other unusual events that later took place. We too, have no idea what the future holds or the understanding of the reasons why we are forced to experience certain things in our lives.  However, Father God does, and He uses all things for our good (Rom. 8:28) to shape us into the person that can fulfill the unique calling and destiny He has for each one of us.

So “Merry Christmas to all,” I say, as I sit back and enjoy my cup of tea, relishing the smells of pine and terra firma. Whatever God has in store for you this season, it is going to be good-unexpected maybe, but good.

By Cyndi

                Have you been “dissed” lately? You know-disappointed, disillusioned, discouraged, or disheartened? These days there are many reasons to be described by such large vocabulary words; but for me, on a personal level, I’ve gotten discouraged with my running.

                In March, I ran a great 15K race. I ran great, felt great, finished great, everything was great. I rested for a week, and then went back to running again. I knew better than to keep the same pace and level of running that I had been at, so I tried to ease back in slowly. But after just a few weeks, I hit this wall of pain. It seemed like my legs were sore all over. At night, they’d be hurting when I went to bed. In the morning, they were hurting when I woke up. All day, every muscle seemed to be in some sort of pain.

                I tried running through the achiness, thinking, once I got warmed up, the pain would go away. This worked for several runs, but finally the day came where I ran for only two miles and the agony was too much. My running form was suffering badly and I had to completely stop. I had been in anguish when I’d started, and I almost collapsed when I had finished. It was time to cease from running for a while and rest my body. How discouraging! I’d gotten bit by the running bug and almost felt addicted. (You runners understand, don’t you?) And now I had to stop. I was so disappointed.

                So the Lord brought me to the verses about the children of Israel going in to their promised land. When the Israelites left Egypt to go to the land God had promised them, they ran into one obstacle after another during their travels-the Red Sea, no water, multiple enemies in the land they would have to expel out, just to name a few. It was a long journey and scriptures record that “the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way” (Numbers 21:4).

                This was how I felt about running. In some ways, we all can get discouraged or dismayed by things that happen in our lives. Jesus even warned us that this was a normal part of living. “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows,” He said (John 16:33); but later, in this same verse, He states that He has overcome the world, and all the disappointment it brings.  

                And not only has He prevailed over those “disses”, but He has made us winners and conquerors too. Paul wrote, “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ” (Romans 8:37). Now we’re talking some encouragement here! No matter what obstacles I’m faced with-a job loss, a health problem, a financial crisis-God has promised to bring me to success. Sometimes that may mean I need to stop and rest for a while-to convalesce in His love and be strengthened-before I can “hit the pavement” again, but victory is attainable.   

                I know this is true because I started running again this week. I’m taking it slow and not very far, but at least I’m running. Over this last week I’ve gotten rested, rejuvenated, revived, and reinvigorated. It is so much better than being “dissed.”

By Cyndi           

               As I walked on the beach with my bare feet on the soft sand, enjoying the warm sunshine of spring in Florida, I could feel my body slide into a more relaxed mode and my spirit lift within me. Just the sound of waves crashing on the shore and seagulls crying made me forget, at least for a little while, about all of the challenges around me right now. The stress seemed to whiff off my shoulders with the cool gentle breeze that was blowing. My favorite places to be are always out in nature. I feel much more at peace with the world and much closer to the Lord there.

                My husband and son have dubbed me an “outside mom”, as opposed to an “inside mom”, because I prefer to be outdoors rather than indoors. Even when I have visited up north in the wintertime, I can’t help but want to take a walk in the snow, knocking down icicles off of trees and stomping on frozen places on the sidewalk. For me, when I’m outside in nature, I feel refreshed, revitalized, and rejuvenated.

                Nature has the capability to help us relax and get refreshed because it feeds our spirit, it nurtures us. Its natural state tends to bring us back to our natural state-at peace with God. In Mark 6:31, Jesus tells His disciples to “come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while.” So should we, yet, in the hurried lives we live in, it’s sometimes hard to find a lonely place-a quiet, solitary place to calm our spirits and regroup.  But finding this place is the very thing that will strengthen us to continue at our daily pace. God wants us to have peace in the midst of the chaos around us (John 14:27), and hope when there seems to be no hope (Romans 15:13). Communing with God is the path that leads to peace, joy, and hope; He has those qualities to impart to us. Nature, to me, is like God’s backyard; it’s His creation. When I’m out in nature, I’m with Him. Whether it’s a waterfall, a butterfly, a rose, or the ocean, I can see His incredible design and handiwork in all of them. And as I see His handiwork, I feel His presence-His Spirit touching mine. When I take the time to find a solitary place, I get rested and de-stressed.

                The Psalms have numerous references to nature, reflecting His glory, His majesty, His presence. “As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people,” reads Psalm 125:2.  If things are pretty stressful around you, maybe you need some communion with God-to go away by yourself and rest a while. Go for a walk on the beach, sit on a park bench, find a quiet place outside or with whatever nature is close to you, and feed your spirit.