Our Words... part 2

In my last full post, a week ago… sorry, life and nice weather just sort of got in the way… I spoke about some of the foundational truths of our faith that Piper and I learned over the years that just became a part of who we were.  In particular, I gave some examples of how the importance of our words seems to be solidly engrained into us.

I realized only recently that when Piper got sick, that I expected the same from those close to us within our circle of family and friends.  As we began to stand in faith for her, while delving into different courses of medical care, it literally shook, confused and frustrated me when some of them didn’t respond in like manner as us.  It turned out to be kind of funny when people of little to no faith or religious leanings agreed with us more than some of those with whom I expected to receive encouraging words and spiritual strength!

I concluded that last blog post talking about our sort of automatic response of speaking out words from our lips that line up and/or agree with the truth found in God’s Word.  But as I thought about that statement over the last few days, it dawned on me that some of you might not fully understand why that habit had become so important to us.  The answer came to me in the news when our President stood in front of a church in Washington DC in the midst of the recent demonstrations and riots and held up a Bible.  It was then confirmed when the House Speaker tried to imitate him by taking out another Bible and parading it in front of the news media.

In those two pictures I saw two completely different things.  To Piper and I, our Bible’s were/are more than just a good book filled with encouraging stories and sayings about God and His Son Jesus Christ.  To us, the Bible is a LIVING, BREATHING representation of Jesus Himself.  Hebrews 4:12 tells us that “God's word (ie; the Bible) is living and active. It is sharper than any two-edged sword and cuts as deep as the place where soul and spirit meet, the place where joints and marrow meet. God's word judges a person's thoughts and intentions.” (God’s Word ©)  The Passion Translations calls it “the living Word of God which is full of energy,” While the King James declares that the “The Word of God is quick and powerful.”

The word “quick” in the Greek is literally described as meaning “to live among the living and not be lifeless nor dead!”  “Powerful” is defined as “being active, operative, exerting force, power and influence and capable of having the desired result or effect.”  That doesn’t sound to me as if we are simply talking about a book filled with warm, fuzzy statements that make you feel good, but about a book with words that literally have the power and ability to change lives for the whole man or woman.  Words that have the tremendous power and anointing to initiate change in us not only spiritually, but also physically, mentally, emotionally and intellectually!

There is a small part in a Christian children’s movie, with a western theme, that we played for the kids years ago that has always stuck out in my mind.  In the scene, the bad guy throws a Bible that has been hidden in a treasure chest by his father down on the ground in disgust, only to be immediately retrieved by the Christian Marshal who was with him.  Upon picking up the book, the Marshal reverently wipes off the dust and says with deep conviction in his voice… “Don’t do that, that’s the Word of God!”

Now, like I said, it was a Christian kids movie and according to today’s standards… a little on the hokey side… but that instant response by the one character (who was then and still is a well-known Evangelist on the world scale) was sincere, honest and of the heart… and is exactly the same way that my wife and I have felt about our Bible’s for a LONG TIME!  When the character said that line in the movie, I could not contain myself from standing up in the darkened Children’s Activity Center where we were showing the movie on the big scene, and shout out “YES!”  But it really wasn’t as embarrassing as it sounds for the kids and parents there knew me enough to not be surprised by my reaction!

What I saw when the President of the USA lifted up a Bible in front of the church that day, was the leader of the free world holding up what should be the symbol of every Christian’s trust and belief in God and His LIVING and POWERFUL Word to overcome the anarchy that was breaking out in cities across our nation and in particular with the fire that was set in the church behind him.  What I saw with the House Speaker was a person making an empty attempt at showing how religious she was, and in doing so, was pointing all the attention onto her instead of onto the LIVING and ACTIVE, QUICK and POWERFUL Word of God.

My wife and I were always under the Bible based conviction that when a Christian speaks words that are in agreement with the Word of God, that they are in effect, releasing God’s LIVING, ACTIVE, QUICK and ENERGETIC words of POWER into the situation they are in the midst of, or are praying for in another’s life situation.  That’s pretty dynamic wouldn’t you say?  Kinda puts a whole new emphasis and meaning on the Word of God… On YOUR Bible…RIGHT?

What do you think about that?  Have a great week, and as you do, think about today’s post and then say with me… “I am expecting to have my spoken words line up in agreement with God’ Words that I study in my Bible!”

Am I Responsible for My Words?

I have to confess that on one level I am actually kind of thankful for the Stay at Home order during the Covid-19 pandemic.  During these last few months, I have actually used the seclusion to do a lot of introspection into my life… where it’s been, where it is now and where I would like it to go!  I have forced myself to open up the door to some subjects I had felt were too sensitive to explore since the passing of my wife about a year and a half ago.  But with the passing of time, I am personally finding that the raw pain is subsiding and a new confidence and hope has begun to rise up within me.

I discovered only recently, that there were certain subjects that I was actually scared to indulge in because I was concerned about losing some of memories of the intense closeness that Piper and I had between us. It felt like if I went there, that I would lose a part of her in me.  But through the hours and days of contemplation and prayer… and countless pages of notes, I feel like I’ve hit a point where I am ready to dive into the personal project of “re-activating” my life again!  It is also kind of funny in that my “re-activation” correlates to the exact timing of the Oklahoma Governor’s announcement that “Oklahoma will proceed to Phase 3 of the Open Up and Recover Safety plan beginning today, June 1^st.”*  

Within this new phase, most public restrictions are being lifted while still encouraging social distancing where applicable and the continued use of proper hygiene.  It does though, keep restrictions on the elderly, care homes and those with pre-existing conditions.  The Covid-19 numbers in the State have been steadily going down since the initiation of Phase One and Two over the past weeks and the health professionals in the area feel like the move into Phase 3 is justified.

I can sense many changes occurring in me, but I still struggle as the evening hours come upon us and things around the home begin to quiet down.  As I sat on the couch the other night watching TV, I suddenly found my thoughts drifting off into the memories of the physical closeness that Piper and I always enjoyed.  I’ve mentioned many times that Piper and I always tended to be “hands on” people when it came to our interactions with the churches we served in and with life in general.  Well… the same could be said for the way we interacted with each other!

We enjoyed holding hands pretty much everywhere we went together.  Piper had the (cool to me) habit of sliding her arm under mine and snuggling up to me when we walked into a restaurant, or a museum or any other similar establishment.  When we sat in the car our hands automatically met on the console between the seats, and whenever I left the house for work in the morning and came home at night, it would be very unusual to NOT find her immediately approaching me with a hug and a kiss... and many times with lipstick on my shirt! 

As I contemplated all of this, I thought about how much I missed touching her, and then it dawned on me that even more so than that… how much I missed her reaching out and touching me.  During the last years of her life when she couldn’t really move on her own, I still reached out to her like normal… but it struck that night, that I can’t even remember the last time that she actually initiated a touch to me.  That was a hard thought and I began to cry.  

I stood up about then and walked over to her piano in the living room and quietly looked at all the pictures of her and of us together that I put up over her Baldwin Acrosonic.  She literally spent hours at that piano and it just kind of radiates her aura.  Without too much thought I heard myself beginning to utter some words of self-pity when I suddenly caught myself and declared, “I can’t say that!” and immediately turned the beginnings of a negative confession into words of self-encouragement and faith.  Then I laughed and said aloud, “Boy!  That sure is engrained in me!

In Philippians 4:9 the Apostle Paul encouraged his readers to “Follow the example of all that we have imparted to you and the God of peace will be with you in all things.” (The Passion Translation)  Over the years of our marriage, since the mid-1970’s Piper and I have sat under a variety of men and women of God who have taught us, by precept and example, the Biblical truth of the importance of the words that we speak into the environment of our daily lives.  If you know me at all, then you know that I always strive to speak and then act upon words of faith and not fear and doubt.  In our Christian walk… I guess you could say that it was the way we were raised!  We were taught to be responsible for the words and the corresponding actions that we take in life.

The word translated “FOLLOW” in our verse above is also translated “PRACTICE” or simply “DO!” in other English translations.  In the original Greek, the word “DO” is defined as “to practice, to perform repeatedly or habitually, to be busy with, or to commit to do (in life).”  So, with that in mind, I guess that I could say that I have definitely formed a life-long habit and desire to always think, say and then do the right things... the things that are in line with the truth of God’s Word.

I have the habit of re-reading all of my texts, emails & letters before I hit the send button or drop the envelope in the mail box, as well as re-reading and editing my blog posts at least three times before I publish them.  I do my best to try and assure that people will receive my thoughts in the correct manner… although I do admit, that I am not always successful in that endeavor… but at least I’m trying!  

I’ll dig a little deeper into this subject in my next few blog posts, but for now, hopefully I’ve wet your whistle with the thought of taking personal responsibility for the words we speak… and beyond that, to put the positive truth of God’s Word, spoken in agreement through our lips, to work in the atmosphere and events of our daily lives!

Have a good week, be safe out there as restrictions are being lifted and take a moment to think about what you say each day!

*Fox23 News, Tulsa TV station headline report 6/1/20. 

OPINIONS

"Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make."  (The Passion Translation)

Opinion    (Oxford Online Dictionary)                                                                                                                      

[əˈpinyən]

NOUN

1.       a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

I found myself meditating in the shower this morning on the meaning of the word “OPINION” as translated in the Passion Translation of the Bible in Proverbs 3:5.  One of my most common ways of meditating is to simply repeat the verse over and over while I am thinking about it and recalling any information that I may have gained on its particular usage through my years of ministry training and experience… as well as through personal life experiences.   It is uncanny to me how, on many occasions, a light of understanding will suddenly pop into my senses and cause me to pause with a verbal announcement of “WOW, I never saw that before!”

Well, that happened again this morning when a couple of thoughts opened up to me.  First was the revelation of why (in the midst of everything that was happening) I felt a lot more at ease and at peace to share some of the deep sensitive things on my heart concerning Piper’s situation and what it meant to me… with somewhat strangers than with many of our family and friends.  I began to see this morning, that those people I shared some of my very personal feelings with had not known me long enough as to pre-form their own OPINIONS about us that would cloud their responses to me.

I realized that by the time we moved out of California in the summer of 2014, that I had become very guarded and selective with the information I shared with different people.  It was not a very enjoyable way to live, but after having so many things misinterpreted or seemingly not heard at all, I sensed the Lord leading me to become very aware of any personal subjects I spoke of, such as feelings that I was dealing with, finances, potential future plans and even the steps of faith we were taking.  

I was also warned to be more tight-lipped with the nature of any information concerning Piper’s worsening health.  These were some of the hardest directions that I had to follow as I always wanted to be open and upfront with those around me. But I was learning that my job in caring for Piper was not just in taking care of her physical needs, but also protecting her emotional and spiritual sides by being more aware of the words, actions, feelings and “OPINIONS” of others that came forth in the environment that surrounded her at any given time.

Secondly, I learned that those expressing negativity towards us were most times, basing their arguments strictly formed by their personal “OPINIONS” of us and were not necessarily, as the above definition explains, “based on fact or knowledge”.  The Lord also reminded me that in the year and a half following Piper’s passing, information has been brought to my attention that actually confirms these revelations.

As I thought on all of this while walking the dog just a little while ago, it painfully hit me that I have also been guilty, in the past, of basing my thoughts and/or discussion points about someone else’s situation partially on my own OPINIONS while not always knowing the full facts of the situation!  Oooh… that reality HURT!  It kind of reminded me of the (many) times I’ve smacked my head on a kitchen cabinet door forgetting that I had left it open! (Anyone else ever do that???)

So… What’s my point?  Well, I guess it would be for all of us to STOP and think BEFORE we utter anything about anything or anyone else and make sure that our input is based on fact and will be helpful to the situation at hand… and the best way to do that, is to follow the wisdom of the writer of Proverbs 3:5 and 

“With all your heart rely on Him to guide you, and He will lead you in every decision you make (as well as with the words and/or personal thoughts you share!).”

I’m learning that sticking with HIS OPINION on any subject is the best, smartest and most harmonious way to live by!  What do you think?

Safe, Free and Happy

Happy Memorial Day!  I felt bad last night when I realized that I still have not purchased a flag holder for the front of my house.  That particular item was always one of the first things that we bought whenever we moved into a new place.  Like my father before me, I have always felt it an honor and a duty to proudly display the Stars and Stripes during the major holidays that we celebrate here in the United States. 

It always kind of surprised me that just about every apartment or house that we rented over the years did not have a flag holder on the exterior of the residence.  The only respite I have over my recent forgetfulness is that it is raining out here today and good flag etiquette dictates that the American flag should not be raised in rainy or inclement weather.

And speaking of “out here,” I noticed as Fiver and I drove home around 9:30 last night, from a very pleasant evening spent with our youngest daughter and her family, that I was quietly and happily thinking about how peaceful I now feel in Broken Arrow.  As we drove down the road, I found myself thinking how familiar the various sights and sounds have become and that this place is really feeling like our home!  I don’t know why… but that thought just made me smile and relax!

While I enjoyed the beautiful home and property we owned in North Carolina, I think that because I was so (rightly) focused and preoccupied with Piper’s care, that I never had the time to just sit back and enjoy my surroundings!  I guess that I always had a sense deep inside, that Piper and I would eventually move back to Oklahoma where most of our family was slowly seeming to congregate, so I never really allowed myself to totally surrender to the feelings of home.

And now that we are here, and Piper has moved onto her heavenly reward, I’ve decided that this is home for as long as God wants us to be here.  I would really dislike having to move again, but the good Lord knows that if He directed to me to move somewhere else, that I would follow His commands.  Some of you may remember that I had made the declaration after we returned to California after Bible School, that I would not leave California again… and especially not to go back to the flat land of Oklahoma… and look at us now!

I made the comment to my younger son during a lengthy conversation we had earlier yesterday, that nobody and I repeat NOBODY knew me like his mother.  In particular we were discussing the strong, burning desire to respond to the Lord’s callings to ministry that was always aflame in me throughout the years of our marriage.  While some family and friends couldn’t figure out why I wouldn’t just “settle down with a good paying job” and spend a lot less time at the church, Piper intimately knew the inner flame that was driving my actions… and in fact, shared the same passions.

Jeremy and I were talking about that sense of emptiness, loss and loneliness that I’ve had that has accompanied the physical absence of his mom in my daily life.  The stark reality, that right now, I am without anyone who has THAT depth of insight and understanding of the real me, one who instinctively knew what made me tick, and especially without that one who always seem to know the EXACT words at the EXACT time to comfort whatever stresses I was experiencing at any given time and place!

Earlier in the day, I had been praying in the kitchen for some heavenly direction concerning some needs I am experiencing, when I turned around, looked at the pictures of Piper that I have taped to the refrigerator and yelled out, “Oh Piper I need you help!  I wish you were here so that I could talk to you about this and get your coveted wisdom and very practical understanding of the matter.”  Then, I kind of laughed and shrugged my shoulders and continued to pray for a few more minutes.

Following that, I walked around the counter separating the kitchen from the living area and paused at the old boom box that I have sitting there, when a light clicked on in my head.  So, I reached out and pressed the play switch on one of the two cassette players and listened to a few moments of Piper preaching a sermon she had shared back in 2000 with the church during a mid-week service.

I really don’t remember what she was talking about, except that she directed the congregations to turn in their Bibles to Psalm 119:130 and she read aloud where the Psalmist declared: “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” (KJV)  I can’t help but interject the immediate sense of peace and joy that came upon me as I heard her sweet voice.  She was also in true Piper form during this message with much laughter and her many funny and quant sayings… it always makes me laugh to notice that many times she would burst into laughter at her own jokes… and then the audience would follow suite in hardy laughter in reaction to her innocent but yet funny and sweet mannerisms!

She then read a couple more scriptures to back her point, but I didn’t hear them. Instead I said “Thank You Honey” while I ran into the bedroom to get a Bible to see Psalm 119:130 for myself.  A few minutes later, I took Fiver for a walk and spent the time meditating on that particular verse.  What it came down to, was the point that the entrance of God’s Word into my heart continually gives me the revelation-light that I need for what is going on in my life today!  The second part of the verse declares that His Word brings understanding to those who are HUMBLE, HUNGRY and SERIOUS about Him.

And while I realized that I may not presently have THAT one person in my life… and I doubt will ever again have someone (in this life) that knew me as well as Piper did after 48 years, that I do have THE ONE who knows me EVEN BETTER than Piper did… and HE is the Lord Jesus Christ who speaks to me through His living and active Word that is found between the pages of our Bibles.  For His scriptures have “been written by the Holy Spirit, the breath of God and will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness.  So that you will be God’s servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfill any assignment God gives you.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 God’s Word ©)

So, there you go!  The answer for both my particular needs and situation… as well as for you and yours!  So, as we spend today honoring those who gave their lives so that we could have a safe, free and happy present and future, likewise honor the ONE who died for our sins and presents us with THE WAY to live a life that is SAFE, FREE and HAPPY today on this earth… and tomorrow in Paradise with Him!

Faith or Fear?

Needless to say, I have spent a lot of time over the last year and a half since Piper’s passing, reflecting on my life, and in particular since 2006, when we packed up our belongings and moved to Oklahoma to begin a new chapter in life and experience another great adventure in Faith.  What we believed was to be the completion of an almost life-long dream of attending Bible school subsequent with the pioneering of a new church back in our home state… well… turned out to be a different kind of adventure that we never would have dreamed of.

That adventure that started to unfold less than a year after our arrival and very enjoyable first months, suddenly changed our focus from study, additional training and eventual ministry, to a focus on family… and in particular, the needs of my wife as she began to outwardly demonstrate the unmistakable symptoms of what would later be diagnosed as the Early On-set of Alzheimer’s.

It is interesting to note that as we swung into the initial stages of testing, diagnostics, visits to various clinics, specialists’ offices and hospitals, I cannot recall any times of panic, self-pity or fear, from either Piper and I.  In fact, I can’t recall having to deal with any of those symptoms (anger, frustration, exhaustion and sore muscles… YES! – but not the others!) until after she was gone and I had time to think about what we had been through for the past eleven years!

Ephesians 1:10 tells us that God “planned to bring all of (our) history to its goal in Christ. Then Christ would be the head of everything in heaven and on earth.”  A couple of verses later it goes on to say that “He planned all of this so that we who had already focused our hope (or expectations) on Christ would praise him and give him glory.”  These verses succinctly describe the mode that we automatically went into as we began to receive the preliminary explanations of what the doctor’s thought might be happening with Piper.  I say “thought” because we did not receive the definitive confirmation on Piper’s situation until two years later after we had finished school and returned to our home in California.

Ephesians 1:13 concludes the explanation of our reaction, when Paul encouraged his readers declaring, “You heard and believed the message of truth, the Good News that he has saved you. In him you were sealed with the Holy Spirit whom he promised.” (All verses – God’s Word ©)

Our first, foremost and to be perfectly honest, ONLY response to the dire situation was a total commitment to FAITH in God and His Word.  Again, looking back, you can almost say that God was preparing us for this particular situation since the early days of our marriage.  We began to study, grow in and follow the message of FAITH soon after we were married, and once we left the Baptist church, we ended up ministering in churches that taught a concentrated message of FAITH in God and His Word for over thirty plus years.  

And of course, it didn’t hurt that during our time in Oklahoma that I was attending a Faith-Based Bible School (many would say THE Faith-Based Bible School) and church and were thereby literally saturated in the Word for three years!  When the pressure was on… it was the only thing we knew to do!  The writer of Hebrews gives us a clear and succinct explanation of the Christian definition of FAITH.  Hebrews 11:1 states, “Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot (yet) see.” (God’s Word ©)

I learned through all the experiences and inter-actions with others throughout the years of Piper’s and my battle for her very life, that FAITH is driven by one’s conviction in God’s Word, while FEAR is driven by one’s conviction in their own words.  I saw unfold before my own eyes that FAITH focuses in on FULFILLMENT while FEAR focuses in on FAILURE.

In my experience… when you are so focused and committed to FAITH in God and His Word, there just isn’t time to even think about the FEAR that what you’re believing for and the actions that you are taking in correspondence with your beliefs, might not work!  We also experienced many of the positive “SIDE EFFECTS” of our faith in the midst of the fight from 2007 to 2018 when Piper moved her official residence from earth to heaven (Hummm… I wonder if she has changed her voter registration yet…).

Some of those “SIDE EFFECTS” included JOY in the midst of the difficulties, a deep inner PEACE while everything in life as we knew it shook and was drastically changed, an abundance of WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING and the ability to make ACCURATE DECISIONS and GOOD JUDGMENTS, FAVOR almost everywhere we went and with everyone we went to for assistance, FINANCIAL BLESSINGS and the LENGTH of DAYS for my wife in the midst of the situation she was dealing with.  (I mentioned in a recent post that Piper actually lived five or more years longer than what the experts consider to be the normal life span of an individual afflicted with Alzheimer’s)

And now I live with the PEACE, JOY and SATISFACTION in knowing that Piper is totally set free from the decimating symptoms of Alzheimer’s and is presently “holy, happy and perfect” in God’s presence! (Ephesians 1:4, Psalm 16:11 God’s Word ©)  Can you imagine how HOT she looks today???  Whew… now that’s something for me to look forward to isn’t it!

So, as our week concludes and we look forward to the weekend, I would hope to inspire and encourage each of you reading this post today to build up your FAITH levels by boning up on the Word of God and thereby dispel any attacks of FEAR that might be attempting to blur the important decisions you need to make every day in your life!  Let your FOCUS be on God’s FULFILLMENT of His promises to you, instead of any FEAR of FAILURE without His Word on the subject at hand!

The PREMISE

I can’t say that I actually remember a time in our dating days, or early in our marriage, when Piper and I took hands and verbally agreed that we would live our life together following the Lord’s Word, His directions, His love and most of all, His peace… We just sort of did it… and as far as I can recall, NEVER stopped.  It just became a way of life for us.  In the early days, I didn’t really know much at all about God’s Word but I wholeheartedly trusted my wife’s discretion, guidance and daily example.  I also had the fortunate opportunity to personally learn from the teaching and example of the Pastor and some wonderful men in the Baptist church where I began my personal walk as a Christian.

I guess that the Pastor and leaders of the church saw some potential in me as they asked me to step into a leadership role as the Youth Minister within a few weeks of Piper’s and my marriage.  In the previous five years to our nuptials, we had become increasingly involved in the church family and most of the 300 or so families in the church knew who we were.  I must also add the caveat, that from what I could see when I started going to the church with Piper, that she seemed to be “The Little Darling” of the church!  It felt like everyone and their uncle knew her and liked her!  (I mean… who could resist that sparkling personality, those cute freckles and her exuberant smile?)

Her parents, especially her Mom, were very involved in the lay church leadership and it seemed like Piper was introduced to most of the activities and many leadership roles at a very young age.  She was also active in many of the girl’s groups and in her teens, with the women’s adult fellowship gatherings and well as the women’s Bible study groups.  In the early days, I kinda felt like her side-kick, until we began to be seen as more of a tag-team in whatever activities we were involved with in and before the church.  After we left that church some eight years later, we became elders and/or Assistant Pastors in every other church we were a part of.

In the years that followed our beginnings together back in September of 1970, we developed a certain PREMISE that we choose to live by.  After awhile it just became a part of who we were.  I noticed earlier this morning that the Psalmist did a pretty accurate job describing Piper’s and my PREMISE that tended to guide our lives.  David wrote in Proverbs 27:1-2,

“The Lord has always been our revelation-light to guide us along the way for He’s always been the source of our salvation to defend us every day. (Therefore) we’ve feared no one! We’ve never turned back and ran from you, Lord; Thank You for the way You’ve always surrounded and protected us.  And when evil ones came to destroy us, they were the ones who turned back.” (The Passion Translation – personalized for us)

When I think about who Piper and I were… This Is It!  It’s what we STOOD for.  It’s how we THOUGHT and FACED everything in life.  It was the PREMISE by which we justified our life.  The Oxford Online Dictionary describes a PREMISE as, “A statement that an argument claims will induce or justify a conclusion. It is an assumption that something is true.”

I learned the hard way through much anger, confusion and frustration, that even though we followed this same PREMISE throughout our 48 years together… that there were some who were close to us that NEVER got it… Who NEVER understood (or took the time to understand) the PREMISE that guided us.  But in the end… when push came to shove… their response only made us stronger, and caused us to see the validity of our life-long, continued stand on this PREMISE.

Psalm 40:4 could be considered the proof to our PREMISE as described in Psalm 27.  It states that “Blessing after blessing comes to those who love and trust the Lord. They will not fall away, for they refuse to listen to arrogant people and those who turn to fantasies, frenzies or falsehoods.” (The Passion Translation/God’s Word ©/Apostolic Bible Polyglot)

As one of my bosses liked to say at Agilent Technologies, “Been There, Done That and Won the T-Shirt!”  That combined translation of Psalm 40:4 perfectly expresses what we saw throughout our lives and especially during the final eight years of Piper’s journey on this earth.  One of the special things that gives me great joy and peace about Piper’s last years, is that she went out EXACTLY the way she would have wanted it… EXACTLY according to the PREMISE by which we lived our life together!

Do you have a PREMISE by which you live your life?  We all know by the sudden upheaval in our lives due to the Corona Virus, that certain things can change almost overnight… but the PREMISE by which we live can and should be the solid foundation that holds us steady when it seems like life as we knew it is being turned upside down! 

Have a good rest of the week!  And as you do, say with me… “I’m expecting the PREMISE of my life to carry me through the rough times that are sure to come.”

Without Her… BUT With HIM!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!  Mine was a little on the quiet side, but the weather was wonderful and I enjoyed Fiver’s and my walks along the golf course and the errands that I needed to run.  It felt good to get out of the neighborhood and go to the store, to the gas station and even to KFC!  From what I can see, things are on a path to some state of normalcy here in Oklahoma!

When I went to my local Walmart this morning, I noticed a lighter atmosphere as soon as I walked up to the front door.  Most people that I saw looked happier and seem to be walking with a bit of a spring in their steps.  They were also more willing to smile, say “Hi” or even engage in a conversation.  I guess what I am trying to say is that most people that I saw and or talked to in my neighborhood and at the various places of business that I went to over the weekend, just seemed to project a sense of hope in their futures… which is something that I can’t honestly can say that I saw in people just a few weeks ago!

On our first walk to the park and pond on Saturday morning, we had no less than six people stop and tell me what a good-looking dog I had!  After that… I could have sworn that Fiver was actually holding his head up higher and prancing on the way home!  It was as if the mom’s walking with their kids and the men and women golfers were just looking for something or someone to share some happiness with!

With this in mind, I got to thinking during my Bible study times over the weekend and again today, about what it would take for me to experience some happy times again.  I came to the realization that there are still all kinds of things that I would like to accomplish, places that I would like to travel to and ministry opportunities that I would love to jump into… but the problem is that I want to accomplish, go and do all these types of things… with PIPER!  I also discovered that there is a great void in me when I read verses of scripture like Ephesians 3:20 where the Apostle Paul boldly encourages his readers to:

“Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. (‘this’ being our experiencing the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions, as stated in the previous verse) For He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest requests, your most unbelievable dreams, and exceed your wildest imaginations! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.” (The Passion Translation) 

For as long as I can remember, I have always been one to have goals set before me.  To enjoy dreaming lavish dreams, and explore the depths of a rather vivid and at times wild imagination.  There was a time where, at the drop of a hat, that I could write a song, draft a sermon or create a storyline to flow within the dozens of puppet skits, plays and lesson plans that I imagined and wrote for all the kids, youth, and adults that we ministered to over the years.

But, over the past year or so, whenever I think about the “infinitely more” of God in connection with my “greatest requests” my “most unbelievable dreams” and my “wildest imaginations” I’ve tended to draw a blank!  I'm learning though, that with time, comes healing and the beginnings of a clearer vision of continued purpose and life without her.  Piper often times talked about the scriptures that spoke of God knowing us before we were born, when ministering to people with low self-esteem or to those who felt like they had no special purpose in life. 

One of her favorites that came to mind today is found in Jeremiah 1:5 when the Lord spoke to a young and seemingly unprepared Jeremiah saying: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart for my holy purpose…” (God’s Word ©)  And I had the sudden thought on the way to Walmart this morning, that although I am positive that God had nothing to do with Piper’s illness, that in His omniscience, He must have had a plan for me after her untimely passing through the veil.  And while all of that brings up a lot of questions that I have no idea how to answer, I found peace in knowing that He knew me before I was formed in my mother’s womb and had… at that time… set me apart for a special purpose… just like I believe that He has for everyone.

So that gives me hope!  And even though my world was… and to be perfectly honest… still is turned upside down and inside out… I can go forward, I can be free to ask for things… with GREAT REQUESTS, to dream UNBELIEVABLE DREAMS once again, and to allow myself the luxury of having WILD IMAGINATIONS… knowing that according to His Word, that He’s been thinking about me… well, since before I was born… (remember that Psalm 40:5 tells us that “You think of us all the time with Your countless expressions of love”- TPT)  And on top of all that… that He still has a plan for me. 

The exciting part of these truths, is that He has also known you for a long time and has special plans for you!  So never give up and never give in to the lies that say it’s too late or worse yet, that you’re not good enough.  The Word of God says differently… and I think that it is about time that you and I believe IT instead of those nasty lies… and then go on and do something about it!  Are you with me?

Have a great new week, and as you do, say with me…  “I am expecting to ask God for GREAT REQUESTS, to dream UNBELIEVABLE DREAMS and allow myself to go WILD with my IMAGINATIONS!”