Janice Hanna's Blog, page 12

As Far as It Depends on You

Unified

Last night, one of my daughters (who shall remain nameless) was bemoaning the fact that, in spite of her kindness toward someone, that someone responded to her in a curt, short fashion. I encouraged her to just blow it off. Then, this morning, the very same thing happened to me and I found it difficult to blow off.

Have you ever done that. . .approached someone with such kindness and compassion in your tone, and their response was anything but? It’s hard, isn’t it? If you’re a softie like me, you replay the conversation in your mind, over and over, wondering what you could’ve said or done differently. You agonize over the misunderstanding.

I’m in the middle of a Bible study on Nehemiah, (written by my good friend, Donna Snow). Today’s lesson was all about unity, (about how we’re all gifted differently, but operate under the same Spirit). That’s hard to remember sometimes because people are just so different. Some are hands, some are feet, some are mouths (yeah, that’s me), some are eyes, some are ears, etc. We all have different giftings and callings, but we’re all supposed to live unified.

After I finished my study this morning (as I pondered that gal who doesn’t seem to “get” me) I poured out my heart to God. “WHY doesn’t she get me? What am I doing wrong? Will every conversation with her be like this? I’m trying so hard to say things the right way, but she’s just not responding as I’d hoped.”

I stopped moaning and started praying, and God led me to this familiar verse: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18 (NIV)

Several things jumped out at me as I read the verse: “IF it is possible.” That means there may be times when it’s simply not. There will be people we simply never get along with or agree with or share life with. And, as much as we wish it could be, it might not. There are toxic friendships, manipulative marriages, evil ties that need to be broken. (God would never ask us to align ourselves with evil, IMHO.)

Next, “As far as it depends on you” jumped out at me. I’m only responsible for me. But God really wants me to keep trying. If I know the one I’m at odds with has a vulnerable spot, I can’t keep hitting them there. I can’t send political posts meant to sway them. I can’t beat them over the head with Bible verses. I can’t push or cajole. “As far as it depends on me” I have to do my part to keep the unity between us. And that’s not always easy. I like to get my point across. I like to keep pushing until I get my way.

Finally, “live at peace with everyone.” This is a tough one. It’s hard enough to live at peace with the people in my tight circle. (We’re all so different!) But…everyone? Really? God wants me to do my best to live at peace with everyone? Ugh. That means I have to shift my entire focus and push love to the forefront, even when the responses aren’t what I’d hoped. And I have to see mankind–lost or saved–through the eyes of Christ. (Again, I’m not saying you have to stay in a toxic relationship or align yourself with someone intent on bringing harm.)

I don’t know who you’re struggling with today. I don’t know if you’re in the “It’s just not possible stage, needing to step away. Or in you’re in the the “as much as it depends on me” stage. But God wants you to live at peace. And let’s be real: Peace begins inside of you. Most of all, He wants you to come to peace inside of yourself (something that can only happen if you give your heart to Him). Doing so makes getting along with others easier. Not EASY….but EASIER.

Giants Will Fall

As I shared in my last post, I’ve been having some fascinating dreams over the past couple weeks. I’ve decided to write them down, to document them and to encourage fellow believers.

Giants Will Fall

About a week ago, I had a dream. In it, many Christians (pastors and others) were standing on the front lawn of a worn-down house. Out of the house lumbered a huge man—a giant, really. He was costumed in a bizarre outfit to make his size even more impressive. Out of his head, neck, and shoulders were branches (like a large bush/tree) shooting upward and outward.

The man-tree began to shout to the believers and to taunt them. In the middle of his shouts, he suddenly collapsed and fell to the ground. When he did, pieces of his costume fell away, revealing a small, frail, bald man underneath.

The believers quickly went to work, tending to this man’s needs. The took him to the hospital and cared for him and ministered to him, reviving him to health. The dream shifted and I was in a public area. A group of little children walked out, all dressed alike, like a choir. They began to sing a song of praise in the public square, so grateful to those older ones who had taken down the giant on their behalf.

I asked the Lord (because I knew, even in my sleepy state that the dream had some sort of spiritual takeaway): “Who is that man?” And I heard the words, “the mainstream media.”

To say I was shocked was an understatement. To me, most of the agenda-driven media outlets seem beyond redeemable. But I watched (in vivid Technicolor) the MSM giant tumble in the very middle of its taunts toward the church in front of it. I don’t know when. But I do know how. Prayer will change, well, anything. And everything.

Get Onboard the Ship

As individual believers we need to be like the explorers of old. Take Christopher Columbus, who, in 1492, was ready to set sail into places unknown. He had whatever equipment and knowledge was available to him at the time but above all of that he had a sense of adventure and he had faith for the journey.  God is calling us to have that same excitement in our hearts during these precarious days. We’ve got to be prayed up and ready to go wherever the ship, (our Savior), leads us. 

Get Onboard the Ship

In many ways the modern church is like the pilgrims who boarded the Mayflower in 1620. They were a remnant, not just escaping persecution, but  deliberately stepping onboard a vessel to take them on a journey that would open up doors to brand new experiences. They didn’t have to go. They could have stayed frozen in place and missed the opportunity altogether. Likewise, the church could sit frozen today and never realize its potential.  But, as a unit, those pilgrims took a step toward liberty. Things were not easy. They had to turn back twice because the ship they were traveling with (the Speedwell) sprang a leak. But they never gave up. They counted the cost and kept going, not for themselves, but for future generations they hadn’t even met yet.

Things might not be easy for us these days, either, but that can’t stop us from moving forward.  There will be those, like the Speedwell, who need our assistance and encouragement to make the journey. But they are meant to travel with us. God wants the church to make a conscious decision to step onboard the ship (into a deeper, more passionate relationship with Him) so that our children and grandchildren can have a future. And He wants us to do it with a sense of adventure in our spirits, not fear or trepidation. We don’t need to know where the ship will land. In that regard, we are more like Columbus than the pilgrims. But remember, he set sail anyway. Where he landed was a completely different location than where he predicted but the promise he received was so much greater than the one he thought he would receive.   

The same is true with us. God is going to pour out his Spirit once we board (commit to go deeper with Him) and the church is going to be the recipient of more power, more love, and more adventure than we have ever known in our lifetimes. But the only way we will see that happen is if we consciously get onboard the ship and head out to sea with Him.

Take a Step of Faith

These things always seem to happen to me when I’m in a twilight sleep. I dreamed I was on a busy city sidewalk (probably NY or someplace really crowded). I saw that a huge box truck was barreling down the lane closest to me, but I boldly stepped out into the street, directly in front of the oncoming vehicle.

In my dream I remember thinking, “What are you doing?” But I felt total peace. The second my feet hit the pavement, the truck was on me, just inches away. I lifted my left hand, palm toward the truck, and it miraculously stopped. (Can I just say that in the natural, there’s NO way a truck coming at that rate of speed could have avoided me….but in my dream it was an IMMEDIATE stop.)

Take a Step of Faith

Of course, when I woke up, I had to ask God to unpack that dream for me, so that I could make sense of it. As I walked the dogs I had plenty of time to pray and think, and this is what I think I’m supposed to share. The dream wasn’t for me, but for someone else. You’re facing something terrifying. It’s coming at you hard and fast. It seems there’s nothing you can do to stop it. God wants you to boldly take a step in faith. No fear. Step out, put that hand up to the enemy, say, “Halt, in Jesus Name” and rest assured of your safety. (Disclaimer: I’m not suggesting anyone step into a busy street!)

Whatever you’re facing, God’s already got the answer, the provision, the covering. But, face your enemy head-on, speak to him in Jesus’ name. He’ll have no choice but to halt so that you can safely cross over to the other side of the street (whatever that means symbolically for you). That “step” (into the proverbial street) is your act of faith to activate things.

He’s Working All Things Out

My story picks up on a Saturday. I’d spent the day prior baking and decorating the wedding cake you see in the photo. It was different from anything I’d ever done and required about 14 hours of intense work, much of that with poor posture and very little intake of water (a problem every time I bake…I forget to hydrate). Anyway, I woke up on Saturday morning with what I call a “killer” migraine. I somehow stumbled out of bed, took meds, and drove myself to my writers’ meeting at Lupe Tortilla.

Five minutes into the meeting I knew I was in trouble. I couldn’t eat (couldn’t keep anything down) and felt like I was going to pass out from the pain.

I somehow made it home and fell into bed. Still, there was that issue of delivering the wedding cake. I knew I needed to leave my house around 3:00 to get the four-tiered cake to Cleveland Texas….but there was just now way. By now, I was unable to keep anything down and nothing was touching the intense pain. I did what any mother would do….I called my kids. Within twenty minutes my oldest daughter (Randi Morrow) was there to deliver the cake. Her husband (Zach Morrow) just happened to be in the area, and stopped in to help her lift the cake into the car (something she couldn’t have done alone). And in the middle of all of that, my other local daughter (Megan Kimbrough) arrived on the scene, loaded me into a vehicle, and drove me to the hospital. A short while later, the cake was delivered and set up, and I was on my way into a private room in the ER for a migraine cocktail, (injections of Phrenagan, Imitrex, and Benadryl). These meds, of course, knocked me clean out. But when I awoke a couple hours later, the pain was manageable and I had the satisfaction of knowing the wedding cake had probably already been sliced and served. Everything ended well.

This morning, as I relived that horrible day, I was struck by something I’d never fully considered before: God was already working behind the scenes to meet my need before I even asked. The right people “just happened” to be nearby, ready to sweep in and do the very things I needed, (right down to the son-in-law, who was on his way somewhere else, but had just enough time to swing by and lift that cake). It made me wonder how many times God has worked behind the scenes in advance of my need? Zillions, probably!

I don’t know what you’re going through today. I don’t know what sort of crisis you might be facing. But I feel strongly led to tell you that He’s already working behind the scenes on your behalf. There’s no need to panic. He’s got everything in place. Rest in Him. Trust Him. This morning, as I laid there thinking all of this through, the lyrics to a song came to mind. I began to sing them (albeit silently) as an act of faith. Maybe you need to sing them, too.

I count on one thing

The same God that never fails

Will not fail me now

You won’t fail me now

In the waiting

The same God who’s never late

Is working all things out

You’re working all things out

He is, you know. Even in the waiting. He’s working all things out. He won’t fail you. He never has, and He never will. But while you’re waiting, go ahead and do what the next part of the song says:

Yes I will, lift You high in the lowest valley

Yes I will, bless Your name

Oh, yes I will, sing for joy when my heart is heavy

All my days, oh, yes I will

He’s already working on your behalf, friend!

Soak in His Presence

The sweetest thing happened in church this morning. The musicians started a worship song by Cody Carnes called Nothing Else. Instead of standing, I felt led to sit and soak in the presence of the Lord as these words poured out:

I’m caught up in Your presence

I just want to sit here at Your feet

I’m caught up in this holy moment

I never want to leave.

Soak in His Presence

Ahhh! It felt good to just sit there and soak, soak, soak! As I did, God showed me a word-picture. I saw a dried-up, pink sponge tipped up against a kitchen sink’s faucet. It looked completely useless. But then I caught a glimpse of that same sponge dipped into water. Those little “pores” were serving their purpose. . .allowing the water to fill them to the fullest extent. Once they soaked up the liquid, that little sponge grew to an impressive size and was completely useable.

I don’t know where you are. Maybe you’re feeling as dried up as that little pink sponge. Maybe you’ve been feeling small and useless. Maybe you’re in your golden years and wondering if there’s anything left for you. You’re trying to figure out why other people are having deep, spiritual encounters and you’re not. The answer (I promise) is to spend time in His presence.

You don’t even have to do anything. Just quiet your heart and let Him know that you’re ready for an encounter. Turn on some quiet worship music…or don’t. Just set yourself apart for a while with your heart set on meeting with Him. (Honestly? I wouldn’t even pray, beyond the words, “Meet me here, Lord.”) Open the pores of your heart and wait in His presence until that river begins to flow. He will meet you there, I promise. And if you keep going back to Him, even when you don’t feel like it. . .if you sit at His feet and soak, soak, soak. . .He will fill you until you’re useable once again.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

(Psalm 62:5 ESV)

This Might be Day Seven

Like so many others, I’ve been spending a concentrated amount of time in prayer, worship, and Bible study over the past several months. Every day I listen to a song that might be unfamiliar to most of you – Never Lost by Tauren Wells.

This Might be Day Seven

In the middle of the song he stops and does a little mini-sermon about the walls of Jericho. He references scholars, who say that when the walls finally fell, they fell in such a way that they became ramps into the city. Then Tauren goes on to say that the very thing the enemy has been using to keep you out (whatever walls you’re circling) will be the very thing God will use to take you to the finish line.

I don’t know what your Jericho is today. I have a few, and sometimes I feel like I’ve marched around those walls more than my fair share of days. When it comes to prayers for our nation, I feel like I’m on day 53,625. Approximately. And when it comes to more personal issues, I feel like I’ve spent years circling those walls and haven’t yet seen them fall. It’s easy to get discouraged.

This morning, when the Tauren Wells song ended, another song immediately came on. I’m sure you’ll recognize the opening lines:

Walking around these walls

I thought by now they’d fall

But You have never failed me yet.

I think God wants to remind us today to keep marching, no matter how long it seems to be taking. Joshua would never have taken Jericho if he’d decided to take a hiatus. We can’t stop, no matter how discouraged we might get.

Remember, the walls of Jericho DID eventually fall…and became ramps into the city. And also remember, God required MORE of Joshua on the final day than in all the days prior. (On that final day he had to circle the city seven times and then the priests were instructed to blow their horns, which is what brought the walls down.)

This might be Day Seven.

Victory ONLY comes to those who don’t quit.

Keep marching.

A Change of Perspective

I’ve been doing some work in my tiny backyard, trying to liven things up a bit. I replaced my broken bird bath (finally…yay!) and pulled out some paint to bring new life to a very old/rusted trellis, which I hung over a section of the fence that Bella (my ornery dog) has scratched up. I touched up the paint on my metal flowers and moved things around a bit.

A short time later, I decided to spend some time on my wicker bench, just soaking in the perfect weather. When I sat down, I glanced over at my new birdbath and smiled, so happy to have it in place once more. Then, as I got to looking a bit closer, I noticed the basin was sitting a bit lopsided in the base. (You might recall the last one fell and broke….hence the need for the replacement.)

In that moment, I felt God tug at my heart. I heard the word, “perspective.” From up above, everything looked fine. But when I changed my perspective, I could see the problem. Seated on that bench, all was revealed.

God wants to change our perspective today. He wants us to begin to see all that’s swirling around us from an eternal perspective. Too often we come up with non-eternal thoughts/answers to problems that really require a different perspective. We don’t see how lopsided the basin of our heart/thoughts/actions really are. We need to ask for His eyes to see and His ears to hear what’s going on–not just in the world around us, but in our personal situations, as well.

If we could catch a glimpse from his point of view, we would know better how to pray. We would fret less. We would expand our faith. We would walk in the assurance that He’s in charge. You know, my good friend Kathleen Y’Barbo always says (when things go wrong): “God hasn’t fallen off His throne.” It’s true! I repeat that phrase to myself when the world seems as off-kilter as my bird bath basin was. (Yes, I fixed it!) He’s high and lifted up, seated on the throne, and there He will remain, no matter what swirls around us, down here on earth. We’ve got to get our heads and hearts into that realm so that we can truly begin to trust the One seated on the throne with every single area of our lives.

We can, you know. He’s a trustworthy God. Let the mountains tremble. Let the earth quake. Let kingdoms rise and fall. He will still be right there, seated on that throne, seeing all of it in light of eternity.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.“

(Colossians 3:1-2)

Use the Red Straw

I have very few carbs in my life these days but what I do have are usually consumed in the morning in the form of a fruit smoothie. I use unsweetened frozen fruit, so only natural sugars. (I’m not diabetic or anything…just feel led to mention that in case someone wonders.)

Anyway, every morning I mix it up in my Ninja and reach for a straw (see photo). Every morning I see the red straw in the front, push past it, and grab ANY other color but red. Why? Because, when I was a little girl my mother once told me that red and pink don’t go together. For that reason, I can’t use a red straw in my pink smoothie.

I’m weird, I know. But I wonder, (since we’re all creatures of habit) how often we allow these random habits/routines to control our actions? How many times do we reach for a cookie, just because it’s there? Or, how many times do we order that goodie from Amazon, simply because we love to shop and don’t feel the unction to stop? How often do we curl up with a good book instead of taking a walk in the fresh air?

God wants our habits. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

If you’re struggling with the inability to give something up, remember that He’s ready to take that from you and to turn that habit around (and use it for His glory). Today I’m replacing the yellow straw in my pink smoothie with a red straw. I’m giving up that silly old habit and picking up a new, freeing one.

Shut the Mouths of Lions

One morning I found myself singing one of my favorite new songs, Famous For (Tauren Wells). I got to a line in the song that absolutely stopped me in my tracks. I let the lyrics settle into my heart and contemplated what the Lord might be trying to tell me about them. Here’s the section of the song I was singing at the time:

Make way through the waters

Walk me through the fire

Do what You are famous for

What You are famous for

Shut the mouths of lions

Bring dry bones to life and

Do what You are famous for

What You are famous for

The part that stopped me cold was the line “shut the mouths of lions.” I was reminded that God literally closed the mouths of the lions that tried to consume Daniel when he was thrown into the lion’s den.

All around us, lions are roaring. The enemy is skilled in the art of distraction, isn’t he? If he can’t stop us completely, he’ll just distract us with a loud, fake roar, intended to throw us off-course and make us lose our focus. He’s the king of chaos, and knows just what to do to propel believers into confusion and fear.

The Bible calls him “the enemy of our souls who comes to steal, kill, and destroy” and that’s a more-than-adequate description! He is the “roaring lion” whose voice is trying to steal our joy, our peace, and our hope and we need to remain aware of his tactics so that we can adequately tune him out.

There’s another lion, one we read about in Revelation 5: “One of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”

Jesus is the lion of the tribe of Judah, and His mouth is wide open, too. Only, He’s not speaking words of chaos and confusion. He’s saying, “Come to me, all of you who are weary, and I will give you rest.”

To get a full description of this lion, we need look no further than the very same verse that describes our enemy, John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

What a contrast! One lion brings chaos, death, hopelessness. The other brings life…and that to the full! Abundant life for those who follow the lion of the tribe of Judah, death for the ones who follow the thief of our souls. And yet, we so often blindly follow after the roar of the wrong lion. We let it rob us of our peace, and interrupt our thoughts.

He’s not worth it. Don’t give him a moment’s thought. “Shut the mouths of lions” is now more than just a lyric in a song to me. It’s my admonition as the enemy of my soul stares me down and tries to distract me from all I’ve been called to do. But he’s messing with the wrong girl here, and I’ve already told him so!