Make A Joyful Noise: Just As I Am

Just before my twelfth birthday, after having lived in Hawaii for six years, my family was moved from Hawaii to Oregon. To say that we experienced culture shock would be an understatement; and it began within our first hour in the state.  The drive from Portland International Airport to our new home was over an hour and a half.  I could count the number of one and a half hour long drives I remembered on one hand and have fingers left to spare (if you are curious, the only one less happy about the length of our drive was our poor cat Whiskers, who was none too happy about her trip). 

As soon as we got to the town my Dad jumped out at a gas station to pump gas for our car.  All of a sudden, a very excited gas station attendant came running, yelling at him about not pumping his own gas.  As soon as he arrived pumpside, the attendant explained the illegality of pumping your own gas in Oregon. 

Next up, the grocery store.  In Hawaii, food is expensive.  And not "I will go with the generic" expensive.  It is "we cannot afford that item" expensive.  Also, since a large amount of food is shipped to the islands, consistent access to any particular item (at least at that time) was not a guaranteed thing.  So the first time my mom went to the grocery store, well, you know how you look at the candy bar aisle some times, and just can't decide? It was like that.  Except it was the entire store.

What I didn't realize was that the biggest culture shock was yet to come.  On my first day of school, I nervously approached the front door.  I had no clue what to expect.  I had been plucked out of a culture and social group I knew and transplanted into a world that was total foreign to me.  I sounded different than everyone around me.  I had no concept of local culture, fashion, or customs. I just didn't fit.  It wasn't until I met a friend who had also moved from a state much different than where we lived that I found the first person who understood me, and accepted me as I was.  Awkward, unaware of social norms, sad and homesick...none of it mattered.  I was simply her friend.

In 1834, Charlotte Elliott wrote Just As I Am.  The granddaughter of a well-known preacher in the area, Elliot was an author.  In her thirties, Elliott was left disabled after contracting a serious illness.  Understandably angry at this monumental change, her mentor challenged her to turn her anger to peace. It was then that she began writing hymns. 

As time went by, Elliott continued writing.  One day, all members of her family attended an event.  Due to her disability, she was unable to attend.  It was at this moment that she recalled the words of her mentor so many years before, and wrote Just As I Am.

One of the most beautiful, repeated messages through out the Bible is the message of love and acceptance.  So often, we feel that we are not ready to present ourselves before God.  Our clothes aren't clean enough.  Our children are noisy.  Our sin is too big, and we don't know how to stop it.  We feel broken. However, time and time again, we see Jesus meet people where they are, just as they are.  Be it the man with the withered hand (Mark 3:1-6), The woman bleeding (Matthew 9:20-22), the man from Gadarenes (Matthew 8:28-34),  or the boy possessed (Mark 9: 21-24).  God accepts and desires us, unrefined, unfiltered, baggage and all.

³⁷ All that the Father

gives me will come to me,

and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

John 36:7 (ESV)

Dear One, did you see that? No matter what, we will never be cast out! Can you imagine?  I don't know about you, but I have known a lot of heartache and rejection in my life.  The thought of someone who will never turn me away? It simply blows my mind!

Will you join me in prayer?

Heavenly Father, we are so thankful that you have given us the gift of never ending acceptance, exactly as we are.  There is no need for filters, changes, upgrades, or modifications.  You only ask that we come to You; You have rest already figured out.  Lord, we come to you today, just as we are, warts and all.  Pour your love and acceptance over us.

Amen                                                                   

In Love, JSB

Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidst me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
sight, riches, healing of the mind,
yea, all I need in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

Just as I am, thy love unknown
hath broken every barrier down;
now, to be thine, yea thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-just-as-i-am-comes-from-writers-struggle-with-confining-il

Make A Joyful Noise: Wayfaring Stranger

I was 26 years old when I had my first child.  After weeks (and weeks, and weeks) of prodromal and then early labor in the 110+ degree weather, my doctor was kind enough to induce my labor.  I was able to casually get ready to shower, paint my nails, pack in a relaxed manner, and show up a bit nervous but overall calm.  The nurses checked me in, went about getting me hooked up to monitors, and got Pitocin started.

Cue the end of my calm.

The pain was something I was not prepared for.  Don't get me wrong...I had watched the videos, read the books, attended friend's deliveries.  None of that, however, was a first hand experience.  My doctor just so happened to be on-call for both of our town's hospitals (a few miles apart).  He had put orders in for me to be able to have pain medication, but not an epidural. These I.V. pain medications were strong...very strong; which meant that I was asleep...deep asleep.  Nothing could cause me to wake up, save a contraction.  I would wake up right as a contraction peaked, panicking and in unbearable pain.  As soon as the contraction passed, it was back to sleep for me. This cycle repeated for hours until the doctor arrived and I was allowed an epidural, at which point it was peaceful sleep.

Until it came time for baby.

Pushing was painful.  Very painful.  My peace disappeared and was replaced with fear.  No matter how many weeks I had spent reading, learning, and preparing for this moment, I was hurting, scared, and vulnerable.  The nurse holding my hand kept whispering in my ear "just keep picturing baby Mary in your arms, this will all be worth it".  However much I was not happy for the rainbows and unicorns speech in my ear (I am by nature, not an optimist), I held on to her message.

And then she was there.  Seven pounds, thirteen ounces of beauty.  Within minutes, I had forgotten the last 19 hours of labor.  None of it mattered.  The amazing reward at the end of the suffering.  My perfect little baby girl was in my arms.  The vision of holding her had helped me get through the pain of the moment in order to make it to the reward.

The hymn "Wayfaring Stranger" reminds us of how clinging to the promise of a future with our Heavenly Father provides us with comfort and safety in the dark and painful moments of our lives here on Earth.

The hymn has been attributed to numerous sources and cultures in the region, and is believed to have been written as early as the  1780s. Most common amongst these, however, is the attribution to the Southern Appalachian region.  In a region that was overwhelmed by poverty, strife, isolation, and violence.  Dreams of a future without suffering provided the relief from the day to day hardships they lived with.

We see this hope is actually a promise made to us in Revelation 21:4,

⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,

and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning,

nor crying, nor pain anymore,

for the former things have passed away.” (ESV)

You see, dear one, while suffering is inescapable, God gave us the gift of promise.  A promise of an end to our suffering.  A promise of limitless love.  And peace, everlasting.  Even better, he designed the human brain to have the capacity to imagine.  And that ability to imagine allows us to envision our eternal home, and cling to His promises when the day to day of this world is so painful it feels like you cannot breathe.  I will never tell you that God has a plan for your suffering.  I will, however, tell you that God has a plan for comfort in the midst of your suffering.  All we must do is close our eyes and dream of our forever home.

Will you join me in prayer?


Lord, we come to you in prayer asking that peace be poured out over those who are suffering today.  Meet them where they are.  Offer them the love, healing, and peace that only You can bring.  When life feels so dark and painful that they cannot fathom taking one more breath, remind them that all they need is to close their eyes and envision the future You have in store for us.

Amen                                                                        

In Love, JSB

I am a poor wayfaring stranger
While traveling through this world below
There is no sickness, toil, or danger
In that bright world to which I go

I know dark clouds will gather o'er me
I know the pathway's rough and steep
But golden fields lie out before me
Where weary eyes no more shall weep

I'm going there to see my Father
I'm going there no more to roam
I am just going over Jordan
I am going over home.

I'll soon be free from every trial
This form will rest beneath the sod
I'll drop the cross of self-denial
And enter in my home with God

I'm going there to see my Savior
Who shed for me His precious blood
I am just going over Jordan
I am just going over home,

I am just going over home

http://www.manhattanbeachmusic.com/html/wayfaring_stranger.html

http://www.legacy-america.net/2012/01/31/spirit-heritage-in-song-wayfaring-stranger-c-late-1700s/

Make A Joyful Noise: It Is Well With My Soul

When push comes to shove, most of us will admit that suffering is a normal part (albeit awful and painful part) of life.  We encounter patches of life that are one awful disaster after another, with no end in sight.  For many, these times will push us about three time zones past our limits.  We will feel alone, despondent, and broken.

While there has never been a shortage of challenges in my life, there was one particular stretch that will always stand out in my mind.  A massive forest fire broke out a matter of miles down the road from our house, and beyond having to worry about evacuating my own family, most of us were on alert for the possibility of assisting emergency crews to evacuate vulnerable adults if the fire came too close to their homes.

After years of sexual harassment in the workplace, I was raped by a (the same) colleague.  I went through all of the "right steps" (completing a sexual assault forensic exam and reporting my rape to the police as a named victim), reported to our human resources office, and complied with every request.  The investigations became increasingly ugly.  Common friends chose him.  More and more people learned my story without my knowledge or consent.

Two years later, when the investigation finally concluded, I asked to view the report.  At the same time that I received the report (which was dozens of pages of theories which contradicted themselves, all blaming me), I learned I had lost someone close to suicide.  A few months later, a friendship ended.  A few more months and my Grandmother died.  It seemed like if it weren't for bad luck, I would have no luck at all.

Talk about a Job-Streak!

You know who else had a similar streak? Horatio G. Spafford.  While I am positive that the name doesn't sound familiar, you likely know his work,  Spafford wrote the famous hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" in 1873, after a series of tragedies that seems so cruel it could only happen in a movie, not in real life.

Spafford was a successful attorney with a strong faith, a large family, and financial prosperity. He was a devout Christian, a good and faithful servant.

Then, the suffering began.  In 1871, Spafford suffered tremendous financial loss due to the Great Chicago Fire.  Two years later, Spafford, his wife, and four daughters were to go on vacation to Europe.  A delay kept Spafford behind, but the family went ahead with plans for Spafford to catch up.  Within less than a day, the ship sank, and his four daughters died.  His wife survived, however, and Spafford rushed to meet her.  In 1878, Spafford and his wife had another child; a son.  Two short years later, he died from scarlet fever. 

Move over, Job!

Spafford's words provide a beautiful, bittersweet reminder that no matter our circumstances, we are alone.  He reminds us that we can find joy during our pain.

Dear one, please don't misunderstand.  There are far to many people in the world (some well-meaning, others, well, not so much) ready to tell you that you should stand up with a plastic smile and declare you are happy for your misery.  Not only is there no Biblical support for this, it is cruel.  When the circumstances of this world bring suffering and misery rushing into our life, God has no desire for feigned happiness, rainbows and glitter, or platitudes.

That statement that God won't give you more than you can handle? Garbage.

The platitude that God has a lesson in every heartache? Ridiculous.

Life just hurts some times.  It is painful.  No one can escape it.  Rich or poor; young or old; disabled or not.  Suffering is universal and doesn't discriminate. 

We are called, however, to live with joy in the midst of suffering; to accept joy (the fruit of the Spirit) and cling to it in the midst of our suffering. 

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing,

¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances;

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

Why? Because this world is not our home.  This is but a stop on our journey to our forever home with our Heavenly Father.

² In my Father's house are many rooms.

If it were not so, would I have told you

that I go to prepare a place for you? (ESV)

Dear one, as long as we are breathing, there will be pain and suffering in this world.  And God wants so desperately for us to bring everything...be it promotions and prosperity or death and heartache...to Him.  He has taken our sin.  He has taken our suffering.  It was nailed along with Him to the cross that dark day.  We simply have to choose to let that suffering remain at the cross.

Will you join us in a word of prayer?

Heavenly Father, we come to you today asking that you remind us that even in our darkest moments, when the pain and suffering seems so overwhelming that it threatens to drown us, that you are there.  You have promised to remain with us in our darkest moments.  Lord, fill us with your love and strengthen us.  Holy Spirit, remind us that we are called to choose joy always, even in the midst of sorrow.

Amen                                                                 

In Love, JSB

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul. 

It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-it-is-well-with-my-soul

Make A Joyful Noise: Revive Us Again

Early in my educational career, I made the decision to focus on psychology.  One of the first classes (other than introduction to psychology) that I took was Social Psychology.  It was by far one of the most fascinating classes I have ever taken.  Our professor was brilliant, and served as an expert witness on a regular basis.  One of her most frequent lectures was on why intuition could not exist. However much I loved her and this class, I struggled with what she argued.

As I continued through my education, and then moved into my professional career, the struggle became greater.  My education demanded fact.  I needed to have proof to reach a conclusion.  My career (working in psychiatric residential services) demanded I rely on intuition, because waiting for data driven confirmation meant the bad outcome had already happened.

I have to imagine that William P Mackay, medical director and author of Revive Us Again, was in a similar situation.  He grew up in a home with a devout Christian mother, but did not believe in God.  As the story goes, as he left home to attend college, his Mother worried he would stray even further, and gave him a Bible with his name in the front.  While in college, Mackay fell in with a rough crowd, began drinking, and sold his Bible to buy more alcohol.

Years later, as he was treating a patient that was dying, Mackay tried to find ways to comfort his patient.  The patient only wanted "the book" from his house.  Arrangements were made and the book was brought.  After death, a nurse approached Mackay about the book, asking what to do with it.  Mackay didn't know anything about it and asked to see the book.  As soon as the nurse handed it over, he realized this was his Bible, sold so many years ago.  Mackay rushed back to his office, accepted the Lord as his Savior, and wrote Revive Us Again.

While I have always loved this hymn (and all of the lyrics are beautiful), the last verse has always stood out to me:

Fill each heart with Thy love;
May each soul be rekindled
With fire from above.

What beautiful lyrics! A request for each one of us to be filled with love from the Heavenly Father, and for each soul to be set ablaze with the fire of the Holy Spirit. 

There is something else, however, that is striking in context to Mackay's profession.  Revive is defined by Merriam Webster to mean:

To restore to life or consciousness, give artificial respiration to regain consciousness · recover consciousness · come around, come to life, regain life, consciousness, or strength, give new strength or energy to, restore interest in or the popularity of, or improve the position or condition of.

For a physician, revive is a very special word choice.  It is an acknowledgement that God is our Great Physician; He promised a revival that cannot be matched by even the greatest physicians in this world in Ezekiel 37:13:

¹³ And you shall know that I am the Lord,

when I open your graves,

and raise you from your graves,

O my people.(ESV)

Dear one, we are all in need of revival.  We need God to breathe life back into our souls. 

Will you join me in prayer?

God, we come to you, humbled, admitting that we are broken.  Without you, we are not alive.  We are in need of resuscitation.  Lord, we ask that you revive us.  Breathe life back into our souls.  Refresh our spirits and set our souls on fire for you.  Remind us that You did not just share Your love that we might be saved, but that we might share Your love with all we meet, so that they may also be revived and know the gift of limitless love and eternal life with You.

Amen                                                           

In Love, JSB

We praise Thee, O God!
For the Son of Thy love,
For Jesus Who died,
And is now gone above.

Hallelujah! Thine the glory.
Hallelujah! Amen.
Hallelujah! Thine the glory.

Revive us again.

We praise Thee, O God!
For Thy Spirit of light,
Who hath shown us our Savior,
And scattered our night.

All glory and praise
To the Lamb that was slain,
Who hath borne all our sins,
And hath cleansed every stain.

All glory and praise
To the God of all grace,
Who hast brought us, and sought us,
And guided our ways.

Revive us again;
Fill each heart with Thy love;
May each soul be rekindled
With fire from above.

http://www.cobblestoneroadministry.org/2007/SermonStory_William_P_Mackay_FaithfulnessOfGod.html

Make a Joyful Noise: Precious Lord, Take My Hand

The human body is amazing.  Simply amazing.  There is, however, one part of the human body that surpasses it's counterparts in uniqueness, versatility, and role in both the physical and emotional health. Trying to figure out what I am talking about? Let me save you from the guessing game...

It's the hand!

Want to know how amazing our hands truly are? One source has created a list; here are some of those facts!

1. There are 27 bones, 29 joints and at least 123 named ligaments in the human hand
2. What sets our hands apart from other animals is our opposable thumbs—this means our thumbs and fingers can work together ( fun fact: koala bears also have opposable thumbs)
3. You cannot get a tan on your palm and underside of your fingers
4. Fingerprints are a completely unique DNA imprint that is different in every single human being. No two human beings in the world have similar fingerprints.
5. Fingers don’t have muscles—tendons in our fingers are moved by the muscles of the forearm
6. Your fingernails show your state of health—they can indicate problems such as mineral or vitamin deficiencies, liver trouble, thyroid or anemia. Some warning signs of deficiencies that show  up on your nails may be that they are brittle, pale or spotted.
7. The color of the nails and those small “moons” on each nail can identify the quality of oxygen level of the bloodstream and blood circulation
8. Our fingers are even more sensitive than the eyes—the fingertips have a large number of receptors responsible for sending messages to the brain.
9. The vein on your ring finger is called Venna Amoris—it has a direct line with the human heart and is known as the vein of love. That’s why we wear an engagement ring on the left hand’s finger!

Beyond the physical, hands are emotional.  Whether you have children or not, one of us can recall a moment in which holding someones hand helped calm us. What is more, when we are lost, when the path is hard, we often take the hand of someone else on the journey.

The hymn Precious Lord, Take My Hand will forever be special to me for a lot of reasons.  In June, 2017, after years of suffering and loss, my Grandmother went home to be with her heavenly Father.  The days leading up to her death will forever be etched in my mind.  My Grandmother had been transferred to a secure memory care unit the day that she was admitted to hospice.  The staff at the facility allowed my Mother, Father, Uncle, and I to stay with my Grandmother around the clock. For the week between her admission to hospice and her death, the four of us stayed by her bedside around the clock, making sure she knew she was never alone.  There were moments of laughter, tears, silence, and everything in between, as we loved and attended to a woman who had cared for so many thousands of women and newborns that it would be impossible to count (she had been an obstetrics nurse her entire life).

After her death, we went about finalizing the plans for her memorial service.  Video montages, flowers, food, and music.  Music was huge to my Grandma.  She had been part of the USO in her younger years.  One of her last lucid moments was when I sang to her...she opened her eyes and hummed to me, like she had through my entire childhood. We agreed I would sing.  But what could I possibly sing to honor her memory?  And the truth I never told my family back then...how would I ever be able to do this? How could I get through it?

I prayed.  And prayed.  And prayed.  And God spoke to me. "Precious Lord, Take My Hand".  I had heard it countless times before.  I heard it on the way to her care facility the day she was admitted to hospice. And hands? Well, her amazing hands had healed wounds, comforted grieving mothers, given strength to laboring mothers, and literally brought life into the world. It seemed right, dare I say even perfect.  I just knew I needed to know more.

Precious Lord, Take My Hand was written by Thomas Dorsey, a famous Band Leader, in 1932.  As the story goes, his wife was pregnant with their first child.  He had been asked to go to an open air revival.  Initially he had refused, but eventually agreed.  While he was finishing, he was brought a telegram...his wife had died during childbirth.  By the time he returned home the next morning, his baby was dead as well.  The two were buried together, along with Dorsey's desire to ever play or sing again.

A week later, a dear friend brought him to a music hall and put him in front of a piano, and he wrote Precious Lord, Take My Hand.  God used the gift He had given Dorsey (music) to heal his heart.  What Dorsey likely would never realize is how many that song would reach.

As her service, doubt filled my head.  I wasn't angry...my Grandmother lived an amazing, full life.  But it hurt.  I was grieving.  Could I do this? Could I be perfect enough to honor God and My Grandmother?  As I cried in my car after rehearsing with the accompanist, God spoke to me.  This song wasn't about honoring either of  them.  They didn't need that.  Much like the story of Dorsey, God was speaking to my heart, saying "Beloved, healing exists, right here".

God has promised us that we are never on this journey on our own...that He will lead us.  We can find His promise in Isaiah 41:13

For I, the Lord your God,    hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, “Fear not,
    I am the one who helps you.”

There have been so many times I believed I had to go it on my own.  There have been so many times I have said "No, don't worry God, I've got this.  Just relax in the passenger seat and leave the hard stuff to me".  Is it ego? Maybe.  More than anything, however, it is fear.  We can see, though, that we have no need to fear.  God has promised that He will hold our hand.  He will lead us. He will help us.

Dear one, can we pray together for a moment?

Heavenly Father, today, we thank you for the gift of music.  While we know that every creature has a way of singing out, we also know that you gifted us with a unique ability to utilize this gift to worship you and heal.  Lord, remind us that we need not fear.  Your limitless love and strength is always there.  Lord, take our hands and lead us home.

Amen                                   

In Love, JSB

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

When my way grows drear precious Lord linger near
When my light is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

When the darkness appears and the night draws near
And the day is past and gone
At the river I stand
Guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

http://www.wordwise-bible-studies.com/precious-lord-take-my-hand.html
http://www.deserthandtherapy.com/18-amazing-facts-about-human-hands/

Make A Joyful Noise...

I am not sure about you, but there is not a whole lot that I love more than music.  I performed for the first time when I was four years old. After falling in love with it, I continued to sing both in church and school.  There were choirs, combos, and solo performances. Voice lessons, and music conservatories.  Band.  Once I finished high school, I focused in on vocal performance.  Between vocal lessons, multiple choirs, and singing in church, I spent more time singing than working. Quite simply, it was my life.  I sang more styles than I can count, honestly, there are not many types of music that I don't enjoy.  Like many, when I didn't have words...when I couldn't name what was inside, music spoke for me.  It is one of the only things that can communicate feeling, move people, cross linguistic and cultural barriers, and bring joy...and that is just the beginning!

Did you know that according to the American Music Therapy Association:, music therapy has been found to:

• Lessen effects of dementia 
• Reduce asthma episodes 
• Reduce pain 
• Improve speech in people with Autism
• Improve sleep patterns and increase weight gain in premature infants 
• Increase motor function in people with Parkinson’s

While there are many types of music I have always enjoyed singing, there is nothing that feels quite like coming home quite as much as a good hymn.  We see in Psalm 100:1-2 how important it really can be:

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!²     
Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!

God wants to hear us! Whether our voice is amazing or should be reserved for the shower and the car, it is beautiful to His ears.

Another amazing aspect of singing hymns is how it impacts our memory.  I mentioned briefly above the benefits of music in general, but let's dig a bit more.  Singing has been found to reduce stress by altering stress hormones.  Singing also has been found to not only repair damaged areas of the brain, but protect healthy brain tissue.

Do you realize what that means, dear one? That means that the gift that God gave us to communicate our love for Him is not just a way to say "I love you" (which is healthy in and of itself, we all know how good it feels to communicate love).  It's health benefits transcend the spiritual and heal our bodies! God has provided us a form of healing that we can do anywhere, for free, at any time!

We look forward to starting this journey as we explore our favorite hymns! Check back soon for our first hymn!

In love,

JSB

The Dark and Stormy Nights of the Soul

Have you ever experienced total darkness?  As a self-professed lover of wide open spaces (and someone who hates living in "the city"), I have seen my share of darkness.  There has always been something magical and captivating about the darkness.

But what about a different kind of darkness?  Not the kind that captivates our imaginations as we look at the stars and dream, but a different kind.  An ugly, stormy kind of darkness. 

As a child, my family spent six years living in Kona on the Island of Hawaii (aka The Big Island).  During our time in Kona, the city had instituted rolling black-outs. Generally, we could prepare, but not always; and sometimes the timing of circumstances caused enough confusion to generate real fear.

Towards the end of our time there, our area was being hit by a significant tropical storm.  My parents, both pastors at the time, were gearing up to provide disaster services. As we tried wrap up, I was in the shower.

Now, I have to take a moment to side-step and explain something.  Kona (at least at that time) had H.U.G.E. numbers of bugs...and not run of the mill ones.  Scorpions and Centipedes.  We had our regular routines to make sure there was no creepy crawlers in shoes/bed/the shower (if you know me in person today and wonder why I rip the shower curtain back before jumping in, this is why).  While I always knew at the outset whether a critter was in the shower, every once and again, they found their way in mid-shower.  So power outages mid-shower were the moments that nightmares are made of.

Back to my story...as should seem screamingly apparent by now, the power went out mid-shower.  With all of the normal advanced planning skills of an 11 year old in the middle of a dark shower that was now (in my head) filling with every creepy, crawly, critter, I could not remember whether or not this was a rolling black out night, or something else.  I shrieked at the top of my lungs, and before my parents could reach me, the lights came back on.  The darkness had ended, but I had been terrified and totally unsure of whether it ever would (yeah, what can I say, I was a drama prone 11 year old).

Now that was terrifying, but what if that dark, ugly, storminess isn't outside? What if it is a dark, stormy night of the soul?

Have you ever had one of those nights?

Have you ever been kept awake by the screaming silence of that comes with the dark?

Have you spent hours acting as legal counsel, judge, and jury in the case against yourself?

Dear one, can I just tell you that I have? Way too many, enough so that I have wondered if the dark, ugly storm would ever end, and doubted I would ever see the light of morning again. I have laid awake, staring at the ceiling, lost in the pain of it all. I have cried...in my bed, in my shower, in my car.  I found myself angry at God for the dark and stormy nights. 

After all, isn't everything supposed to be rainbows and sunshine in our walk with Him?

Can I let you in on a (big) little (not-so) secret?  The Bible is filled with stories of dark, ugly, stormy nights.  Actually, I would say that it is almost harder to find a story in there that does not have a component of suffering woven in.  Why?  Are we all so terribly broken? Well, yes.  But that is not the answer. 

The answer is much more straightforward: this world is filled with it! We see in John 16:33 just how all-encompassing that truly is:

³³ I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Did you catch what was said there?  God acknowledges with total honesty that life is going to be hard.  Crazy hard.  But He gave us one heck of a spoiler...He has already overcome the world.  When we rest in him, we will find help!

So, dear one, if you find yourself in a dark and stormy night of the soul, remember that we already know the ending.  In Him can we find true peace.  He promises in Psalm 34:3 that:

I sought the Lord, and he answered me    and delivered me from all my fears.

All we need to do is seek Him.

In Love, JSB

If you are thinking about suicide, help is available...click here to talk with someone now!  

These Bones - Part Six: Never Thirsting Again!

Welcome back to our last chat about Ezekiel! Last time, we left off in Part Five talking about God revealing the real need to Ezekiel; and about the bigger picture overall.

Can we look one more time at this passage in totality?

The Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. ² And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. ³ And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” ⁴ Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. ⁵ Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. ⁶ And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. ⁸ And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. ⁹ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
¹¹ Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ ¹² Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. ¹³ And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. ¹⁴ And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.” (ESV)

Every time I read this passage, I am moved by the beauty.  By the never-ending, limitless love, peace, and redemption that God has to offer us.

Those bones on the valley floor? They are our bones. 

We are the bodies, left in the sun.  We are the dry, parched, dismembered bones.

If you are anything like me, there are moments when you feel forgotten.  We are beyond dead and forgotten on the valley floor.  We are so soul-thirsty that we are unrecognizable in our current form.

Maybe you have been abused.

Perhaps you are facing the seemingly never ending dark night of the soul that is depression.

A woman who has had to make a choice she did not want to make.

A broken soul with a past you are convinced is so sordid that God would never want you.

A weary mother (or Father) trying desperately to balance work, home, and the chaos in between.

Like always, God saved the best part for last.  He knew our need.  He knows our need.  We are living with a soul thirst that only God can quench; and y'all, he promises over and over through out the Bible that He offers the Water of Life, that He alone can quench our thirst.  Only God can breathe life back into these dry bones.  

And the very, very bestest (as my adorable seven year old would say) part is that God wants to breathe life into our dry bones.

Let me say that once more...

GOD WANTS TO BREATHE LIFE BACK INTO OUR DRY BONES!!! 

All we have to do is step out in faith.  We must believe that God wants to heal us, that we are worthy of healing, and then accept it.  That is it.


Dear one, will you take His hand? Let's join arms, abandon fear, and step out in faith to accept God's redemptive breath that will save us all!

~JSB

These Bones - Part Five: The Real Need

Welcome back! We are so glad to have you join us again.  In our last conversation (Part Four) we talked about Ezekiel's huge leap of faith, and the amazing vision of restoration.  Will you join us as we look at this last section of the passage, finally seeing God's plan?

Let's look at the last part of our passage, Ezekiel 37: 11-14...

¹¹ Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ ¹² Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. ¹³ And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. ¹⁴ And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.” (ESV)

Y'all, in the way that only God can do, He speaks to us in love and truth, reveals the source of our pain, and the solution, reminds us that with Him, all things are possible, and then shows us the big picture.  In the first 10 verses, we saw God speak to Ezekiel about bringing dry bones back to life.  And then, tucked at the very end of the story, God says that the bones left dry, bleached, and abandoned on the valley floor...that those very bones that He brought back to life, they were Ezekiel and his people; and that God was going to restore all of those in exile.  Y'all, God literally said he would open the graves and raise us...His People...from our graves.  He would breathe life back into us.

Here, in these four verses, God cuts through all of the chaos, the fear, the doubt, and the hiding from the pain and speaks truth to our real need.  Come back and join us as we wrap up this study!

These Bones - Part Four: Stepping Out In Faith

Welcome home, dear one! We are so glad to have you back as we walk through one of the most well-known prophecies of the Bible! When we left off in Part Three, we were talking about faith.

As I mentioned before, stepping out in faith is a bit of a challenge for me.  Like, cookie monster avoiding cookies, can't eat just one potato chip, challenge.  The inner monologue gets intense.  My inner critic tells me all of the terrible things that could go wrong and all of the reasons I am too horrible for the job.

I joke that part of this is a professional hazard.  In a previous job, each time I met with my clients, I had to review the risks they could face (some of which I literally had never considered myself before this job).  As my professional life evolved, so did my understanding of risk and need to look at the worst-case scenario.

The truth is that I have been looking for the worst-case scenario for decades.  I would like to believe that the work made me that way, and to a degree, that is true.  That said, I continued advancing through the profession I work in because my mind works that way; I see the worst-case scenario, and I plan for it.  That isn't super compatible with faith, and it has made my journey a bit tougher.  Abandoning my fears and the million bad outcomes and following the voice of God takes effort for me.

Ezekiel, on the other hand...he either didn't have the same struggle, or we don't see it in the text. Let's continue our reading: Ezekiel 37:7-10:

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. ⁸ And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. ⁹ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.(ESV)


Oh, that faith!  There was not even hesitation.  Ezekiel carried out God's commands, and he saw the bones became whole before his very eyes! Then came a second command: prophesy to the breath and command the four winds to "breathe on these slain, that they may live".  A second time, he followed through, stepping out in faith.  An even bigger ask...commanding the wind? Can you imagine? Ezekiel followed God's command and did so, and he witnessed the army come to life before his eyes.

I cannot even fathom what it must have felt like to see scattered and dry bones come back to life! From utter despair to total healing by stepping out in faith.

Tune in next time as we look at the last part of our passage!

These Bones - Part Three: A Prophecy and Command

Good to see you, friend! If you have been following along with us, we left off in Part Two with an in-shock Ezekiel wandering through a vision that could make some of the most terrifying horror movies pale by comparison.

Today, let's look at the next chunk of our Scripture text, Ezekiel 37: 4-6:

Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. ⁵ Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. ⁶ And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” (ESV)

Out of the whole text, no matter how many times I have read it, this part of the passage always strikes me as both the most uplifting and overwhelming.  At the same time.  God sees Ezekiel...He sees His children in exile.  He can see how they thirst...soul-thirst.  God speaks to Ezekiel and not only says He can see the thirst, but that the soul-thirst is so profound that they have become dry, bleached bones, turning into dust in a valley; and then God tells Ezekiel "but I have a solution". God's solution? All of those dry, bleached, dismembered bones floating around the valley floor? He can bring them back together.  While dead is less of a spectrum than most things in life, it doesn't get more dead than this.  God says "I've got this".

All that is needed? Faith.

I am not sure if is just me (and my incredibly stubborn, self-reliant approach to life), but it seems like every time the answer to my problem is "Jeanette, step out in faith", my response is "God, why won't you answer me?" Y'all, I seriously need a post-it that says "A different answer than what you wanted is not the same as no answer".

In our passage, Ezekiel finds himself facing this same challenge.  He has lost everything.  The problem has been pointed out by God.  The solution is literally words away from fruition.  The only thing required? The faith to speak the Word of God into the driest of bones, bringing them back to life.

Check back in with us to see Ezekiel's amazing leap of faith!

These Bones - Part Two: Setting the Scene

Welcome back! In Part One, we talked about soul thirst, and met Ezekiel, a priest with no church, a widower, and utterly broken.  Can we go back and take a closer look? 

I have to admit, there are few things I love more in life than a good word picture, and y'all, Ezekiel 37:1-3 does not disappoint!

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” (ESV)

Dang, y'all! That is a lot!  Can we break this down, verse by verse?

In verse one, we start out with a bang (talk about painting word pictures).  The Lord took Ezekiel and set him down smack in the middle of a valley filled with bones.

Let me say that again...a valley.  Filled with bones! Can you even imagine? How terrifying it must have been?

Verse two continues on, filling out the word picture with even more details...Ezekiel got a guided tour through this valley of bones.  Not only could he see how plentiful the bones were, he could see how dry they were.  Other translations of this text go as far as to say that they were bleached by the sun.

Nothing, however, would prepare us for the straight-up craziness that is verse three.  God asks Ezekiel whether these bones could live. 

I am not sure about y'all, but were it me, I can only imagine how I would respond...forced out of my land, trying to do my job without a place to do it, a dead spouse, and then transplanted (even if in a vision) into a collection of bones left to dry and decay in the sun.  In what I can only imagine was total numbness and bewilderment, Ezekiel manages to respond.  "O Lord God, you know".  In other words "what the heck do you want me to say? You are the expert and I am your numb and broken servant, trying desperately to stumble through this wasteland without desecrating the bones of anyone's grandma".  Or something like that...

Here is the great part...God never asks a question without already knowing the answer. Even more importantly, he always has a reason for asking us.

Tune in for Part Three to learn more about what amazing plan God had in store for Ezekiel. 

These Bones: A Need, A Vision, A Command, and a Promise

Have you ever been thirsty? I don't mean your run-of-the-mill, need a glass of water thirsty; we are talking about the deep, dire, deep down thirst.  Soul thirst.

It isn't the most comfortable conversation to have, is it? Talking about our lowest moments...the moments when your soul cries out, parched?

Let me tell you, I know I have felt this thirst.  Honestly, I have spent more time with a thirsty soul than I care to admit; and admitting it is the hardest part. We (and others) tell ourselves that there is no room for anything but a heart of joy in our walk with God. 

Y'all, it is only through owning and admitting our pain, our thirst, that we can escape the desert that traps us.

In my early 20s, I was in an abusive relationship.  The culmination of my attempts to leave were the stuff of horror movies: he held me hostage, I was drugged and gang raped.  Somehow, I survived the night.  Well, physically, anyhow.  Everything else died that night, when my body almost did. I was a member of the living dead.  I wandered around, battling through, and then, I decided I couldn't battle anymore.  A little more than a year after I survived that long, dark, night; I decided the outside should match the inside.  I tried to take my own life, and almost succeeded.  Four days later, when I finally was conscious and transferred from the intensive care unit to the medical floor, I woke up thirsty.  I don't want to short sell the wreckage that was my suicide attempt...I did not wake up thinking that life was a miracle.  I woke up angry; angry that I had failed, angry that God could not let my suffering end either time, angry at everything and everyone around me.  My soul was so thirsty I did not even recognize it anymore.

For years, I wandered around angry, I could not let myself move forward.  It was six years of wandering around angry before I made myself begin to face the past, to acknowledge the thirst.

All of those years ago, I had forced myself into silence and self-imposed exile. I felt so alone, I just knew that there was no room for someone as angry, numb, and broken to have a place, none-the-less a voice in God's story.

Lies;  but in the dark, loneliness of self-exile, the volume of our voice becomes amplified. 

Can I tell you a story about someone else who was in a very similar place?

While the Bible is filled with examples of brokenness, despair, and spiritual thirst, very few are as well-known as Ezekiel.  Ezekiel had been forced out of Jerusalem, and into exile.  He was a Priest without a place to call home. Just when things seem awful enough, Ezekiel's wife dies.

Y'all, life was pretty miserable.  Dry.  Thirsty.  Soul-thirsty.

That was not the end, however.  As we read on, in the 37th chapter of Ezekiel (verses 1-14), we read of a vision...a valley filled with dry bones.  Ezekiel did not know it at first, but God was about to share the problem and the solution; the solution he may not have even known he needed.

The solution that I needed all of those years ago...

Are you thirsty? Come back for more of the story in Part Two...

Dessert First: When The Ending is so Great You Have To Begin With It.

When I was 19, I packed up my belongings, and my parents dropped me off at my dorm. Our dorm rooms had a minimum of three people in each room. When I met my roommates, I knew I had won the lottery. Two sweet, smart, funny, young women. One roommate became a close friend and we began eating i together everyday our schedules allowed. 

Now, I should say that we were fairly lucky. Our community college not only happened to have a dorm, but also a culinary program. That meant that cafeteria food was amazing, and people actually WANTED to eat there. 

As my roommate and I ate lunch everyday, I noticed that she always picked a delicious dessert and ate it first. After a few weeks of lunches with her, I worked up the courage to ask her what the deal was. 

“Jeanette, somethings are just too good to be at the end of the meal. The stuff they make here is so delicious that I have to begin with it.”

Y’all, she was right. Here I am almost two decades older. I hope I am a little wiser. And I want to tell you...there are some endings so great you have to begin with them. 

What if I told you there was a story with an ending so great, it just HAD to be where we begin?

It’s a love story. The best and biggest love story with simply the most amazing happily ever after. 

Romeo and Juliet?

No. 

Lancelot and Guinevere?

Nope. 

Cleopatra and Mark Antony?

Not a chance. 

This love story ends with a promise of eternity together. Of a forever home, with many rooms.  

Will you pause with me to read a part of the end?

In John 14:2, we are promised an unbelievable end to the story of our lives. 

  

“In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” (ESV)

And y’all, brace yourself. That is just the beginning. The promises get even more amazing. In Revelations 21:1-4 we are promised that every tear will be dried, that death will be defeated, mourning will cease, and pain will be no more. 

A life with no more suffering, limitless love, and an eternity with our creator? Now that is an ending that is always worth beginning with!

It gets better yet! All of this amazingness? This eternal reward? The debt has already been settled. Our eternity secured. 

 We read of the amazing sacrifice in John 3:16...

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (ESV)

Did you catch that? All that is required for an eternity free of pain and suffering is to believe!

Right about now, you may be thinking “Jeanette, all of this sounds great, but I don’t have to have dessert now. And eternity sounds great, but right now I don’t have to worry about life after death”. 

I hear you. Really. Procrastinating is so second nature to me that it’s a running joke amongst my family and friends. While it is true that   tomorrow is never promised, I think a relationship with God based on fear of the afterlife is like life-insurance; it is reassuring, but offers you little more than a safety net. A relationship with God based on a desire to never walk through sorrows alone and to love without limits, however; that is the only kind of love story that can rival such an amazing end. 

Will you join me in establishing our place in our Heavenly Father’s family home for eternity?