Lori Hatcher's Blog: Refresh Blog, page 44

When Life Hammers Its Way into Your Quiet

I can’t see the roofers, but I can hear them. Their noises intrude on my early-morning quiet. Eager to get started before the merciless sun fries them like eggs in a cast iron skillet, they scurry around on an ageing black roof just out of my sight. I hear their shovels scrape as, piece by piece, they chisel the old shingles off. One worker calls to another in a language I don’t understand. Hammers punctuate his words like exclamation points. 

I resent their intrusion. 

I was drawn outside by silence of the morning and the low clouds that shroud the sun today. The stifling heat will come, but for now, the clouds act like a beach umbrella, shielding me. Bible in hand, I envisioned a peaceful time with the Lord before the noise of the day elbowed its way in. 

But life thought otherwise. 

Oh, how we long for stretches of quiet and calm. Yet, inevitably, the noise of relationships, needs, and responsibilities intrude. 

Worry hammers around us, and voices call from every direction. The sounds of work in progress echoes in the distance. We try to retreat, but there’s no escape. This is our reality, until the work is finished. 

As I open my Bible, defying the distraction, I drop into another noisy scenario, one that took place not on a rooftop in suburbia, but on a sea in Israel. 

“That day when evening came, (Jesus) said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.” 

Isn’t this just like our lives? We do our best to follow Jesus, leaving the crowd of the world and its favor behind. Then one day he says, “Let’s go,” and we follow him – right into a storm. 

“A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.” 

Lord, I’m following you – shouldn’t you keep me from the storm? 

“Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.” 

Yup, that’s what it feels like, Jesus. I’m about to drown, and you’re sound asleep. 

“The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don't you care if we drown?’” 

Thanks, guys, for asking the question that we all want to ask. 

“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down, and it was completely calm.” 

You alone have the power, Lord Jesus, to quiet the storms that rage around us. 

“He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’” 

Why, indeed? Even the wind and the waves obey him. 

I don’t know where this day finds you. Perhaps you’re seeking quiet and calm while worries hammer in the distance. Or maybe you’re in the boat, terrified, while waves threaten to drown you. Either way, you can have peace, because Jesus is near. 

“Why are you so afraid?” he asks us. “Do you still have no faith?” 

We believe, Lord. Help our unbelief. 

In my little corner of suburbia, despite the sound of hammers and voices in the distance, peace descends on my soul. I pray it will for you as well. 

Peace. 

Be still. 

Jesus is near. 


This devotion is based on a true story found in Mark 4:34-41.



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Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

Why You Don't Have to Understand Everything to Believe

“Daniel’s a good man,” Catherine said, her dark eyes filling with tears. “He takes good care of his family, he works hard. But he doesn’t believe. Says it isn’t logical.” 

This mother’s heart was breaking for her adult son, and as we talked, I watched it crack open. Years of prayers, bucket-loads of tears, and nightly fears that her precious son would one day die and spend eternity separated from God spilled out in one frantic, slobbery, heart-breaking conversation. 

“He says it isn’t logical. . .” 

Tim, a college student at our Wednesday night Bible study, peppered my husband, our pastor, with questions—archaeology, science, biblical history. My husband is well educated and was able to present a sound defense of the Bible and its truths, but it was apparent that the young man’s questions were limitless.

“Faith doesn’t require us to set aside our intellect,” he finally said to Tim. “There are volumes of good, sound reasons and evidence for what we believe. But you’re never going to get all your questions answered. Ultimately, you’re going to have to exercise faith.” 

“Without faith,” the writer of Hebrews said, “it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Heb. 11:6). 

The thought that we should be able to understand everything about God is ludicrous. And presumptuous. And prideful. 

Daniel and Tim would never expect to fully understand everything about Einstein, or DaVinci, or Aristotle. 

“It’s impossible,” they’d respond. “They’re geniuses. There’s no way we could even begin to get inside their heads.” 

Yet they and others like him expect to be able to fully grasp the breadth and depth of God? 

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts,” says the Lord (Isa. 55:9). 

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you know I am a passionate student of God and his Word. I believe God calls us to dig deep and ponder long in our pursuit of him. Yet the hammock in which our lives must rest is trust—even when we don’t fully understand. 

Lord, we pray with the psalmist, my heart is not haughty, 

Nor my eyes lofty. 

Neither do I concern myself with great matters, 

Nor with things too profound for me. 

Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul. 

Like a weaned child with his mother; 

Like a weaned child is my soul within me (Psa. 131:1-2).

Quiet trust. Believing faith. 

What about you? Do you struggle with what you don’t understand about God, or is it easy for you to rest in faith? Do you think acknowledging the limits of our ability to understand God means we’re setting our intellect aside? Leave a comment below and join the conversation. If you’re reading by email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online, scroll down, and leave a comment at the bottom.



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Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

How to Banish the Dark Night of the Soul

Freedigitalphotos.netSaint John of the Cross first coined the phrase “dark night of the soul” in his poem, “The Dark Night.” Others, ranging from Mother Teresa, to F. Scott Fitzgerald, to the heavy metal band Fear Factory have all used the term to describe various degrees of spiritual struggle. Even soap opera stars Bridget Forrester and Brooke Logan discussed “spirituality and the purpose of human existence” in an episode of The Bold and the Beautiful  by quoting lines from the poem.*
Most of us fall somewhere between Mother Teresa and the soap opera stars, but what we have in common is the experience of spiritual struggle. Dark nights of the soul sometimes strike us unaware. They descend in all their inky blackness like the rapid onset of an eclipse. Other times they creep into our lives subtly, as lengthening shadows across a lawn, slowly stealing the light from our days.
Dark nights of the soul wear different faces, too. Death is a common one, with Disappointment and Depression competing for second place. Financial loss hangs in Dark Night’s wardrobe next to Illness and Infidelity. Fear and Hopelessness dangle like accessories to complete the outfit.
We reach a crisis of faith, and we doubt we can hold on another moment.
What are we to do?
King David experienced the dark night of the soul. “Save me, O God,” he writes, “for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help” (Psalm 69:1-3).
The apostle Paul did too. “We were under great pressure,” he writes, “far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).

These men point us to the light that has the power to banish the dark night of the soul:
“Unless your law had been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction,” testifies David in Psalm 119:92.   Here are 6 ways God’s Word banishes the dark night of the soul:   1.  It reminds us of God’s character. “You, O Lord, are good,”(2 Chronicles 7:30).
2.  It reminds us of God’s love. “. . .  and your love endures forever” (2 Chronicles 7:3).
3.  It reminds us that our trials are temporary. “Weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning”(Psalm 30:5).
4.  It reminds us that our trials have purpose. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
5.  It reminds us that we are not alone. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever” (John 14:16).
6.  It reminds us of our future. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

If you are experiencing a dark night of the soul, I encourage you to fill yourself with God’s Word. The Psalms are a beautiful place to begin. The more light you bring into your heart and life, the less room there is for darkness. Even a tiny candle bids the darkness flee.
And if your life is sunny, without even a shifting shadow, I encourage you to also fill yourself with God’s Word. The time to build spiritual muscle is not in the midst of trial. The healthier your spirit is, the stronger you will be to weather the dark nights that come to every believer.
What are some ways God’s Word has ministered to you during dark nights? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below:
For more encouragement, please visit this link: Reasons to Keep Climbing
*http://www.ask.com/wiki/Dark_Night_of_the_Soul?o=2801&qsrc=999



If you enjoyed this devotion, may I tell you about my new book, Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women?

 Today's women want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you. 

 
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Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

What Happened When I Prayed this 9-Word Prayer

Have you ever watched someone with the gift of evangelism share their faith and wished you were so bold? Have you heard people talk about spiritual conversations they’ve had with coworkers, friends, and family and wondered, why doesn’t God give me opportunities to share my faith like that? 


I’m not a fearless evangelist, nor do I have the spiritual gift of evangelism, but years ago I learned a prayer that has opened up more opportunities to share my faith than I can count.

Lord, show me where you are at work today. 

This simple prayer is part of D. James Kennedy’s Evangelism Explosion training that teaches people how to share their faith clearly and boldly. It’s based on Jesus’ words in John 5:17,

"My Father is always at his work . . . ."

When I ask God to show me where he’s working in the world, it reminds me that God is always drawing people to himself. There’s never a lack of opportunities to share my faith; I’m just usually too self-absorbed to see them. I bumble past people every day whose hearts are tender and receptive to spiritual things because I’m just not looking for them.

Praying this prayer and believing God will answer it keeps me alert for spiritual signs that God is using my neighbors’, friends’, and family’s life circumstances to open their hearts to him. This happened recently with one of my dental patients.

When I asked him what was going on in his life, his eyes filled with tears.

“My wife’s been battling cancer, and it’s not looking good.” 

“That must be very scary,” I said. My statement unleashed a flood of words, and for the next ten minutes we set aside his dental needs to talk about his greater need—to know that whether his wife lived or died, he would one day see her again. By the end of his appointment, I knew God had answered my prayer to show me where he was working in the world.

Maybe God had answered my prayer by bringing the man to our office that day. Or arranged for me to be assigned to him instead of another hygienist. He might have led me to ask the question that unlocked the deepest concern of his heart. Or perhaps it was all three. One thing I know for sure, asking God to show me where he was at work in the world encouraged me look for his answer. 

God is at also work in your world today. Will you have eyes to see it and be a part of what he’s doing in someone else’s life? I encourage you to begin your day with the simple nine-word prayer, “Lord, show me where you’re at work today.” Then be ready to join him.

 Father, I pray for the people reading this post. Help them care enough about this sad, sick world to share the hope they have in Christ. Give them eyes to see where you’re at work around them and courage to come alongside you. Give them tender hearts and gentle words. Use them to draw men and women, boys and girls to a saving knowledge of you. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.



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Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

How Stop, Drop and Roll Helps Me Stay Positive When I Feel Negative

Some days I bounce out of bed. Other days I drag. 

Some days my prayers soar to the heavens. Other days I struggle to ask in faith. 

Some days I speak encouraging words that build others up and inspire their faith. Other days I speak fearful, worrisome words that direct their eyes to circumstances and trouble their faith. 

Some days I focus on every good and perfect gift God has given me. Other days I catalog everything I don’t like about my life and my circumstances. 

I suspect I’m not alone. You struggle too. Staying positive when we feel negative is easier some days than others, and it’s almost always a battle. 

But it’s a battle we must fight. 

Negativity comes when we take our eyes off God and focus instead on our circumstances or feelings. Like a kitchen fire, it starts small but can quickly burn a house down. To tolerate or ignore it is to invite our own destruction. 


So how do we quench the fires of negativity? 

Here’s my three-step formula: 

1. STOP. As soon as your brain starts walking down the path of negativity, put the brakes on. Reign in those thoughts and don’t allow them to run away with your happiness.  
Negativity is sneaky. Like a looter during a power outage, it gathers everything that makes you happy and spirits it away. Then it heaps up everything bad it can find and presents the pile to you with a flourish and an evil grin. 

As soon as we recognize this sneaky joy thief, we must take action. Sometimes this is as simple as saying aloud, “NO, I’m not going to think negatively, fret, or grumble.” 

2. DROP. Drop the woe and replace it with wow. It’s not easy just to stop thinking negatively. We have to fill the void with something else. Philippians 4:8 tells us what that “something else” is: “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things.” 

Choosing to replace our negative, pessimistic, gloom and doom thoughts with positive, hope-filled, upward-looking thoughts is an act of self-discipline. If we practice, it will become easier and eventually become our default setting. 

3. ROLL. Roll your cares off your frail, weak shoulders and onto God’s big, strong ones. As the old hymn says, “Have a little talk with Jesus.” It sounds simplistic, but praying about what we’re struggling with is amazingly powerful in at least three ways. 

First, it moves us from powerlessly spinning our wheels to tapping into the greatest force for change available. Second, it forces us to acknowledge our helplessness and our need of God’s help. Finally, it opens the door for peace to enter our hearts. 

Philippians 4:6-7 commands us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

So the next time negativity threatens your happiness, I encourage you to stop, drop, and roll. By tapping into the strength of self-discipline, the truth of God’s word, and the power of prayer, you can quench the fire of negativity and embrace the peace and joy God intends for you.

What about you? Do you struggle with negativity? How do you fight it? I'd love it if you'd share your thoughts in the comment box. If you're reading via email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online, then scroll down to the bottom of the post to comment.



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Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

Why You Don’t Have to Fear the Future – Profundity from Winnie-the-Pooh

Profundity appears in unusual places, but this source didn’t catch me completely by surprise. As philosophers go, Winnie-the Pooh has long been known for wise-beyond-his-years serendipity. Disney’s latest version of Pooh’s adventures, a movie called, Christopher Robin, provides an ample supply of the short, fat, and proud-of-that bear’s snippets of wisdom. 
My well-loved copy from my childhood.
Here are some of my favorite lines from the movie: 

"I always get to where I'm going by walking away from where I've been." 

“Doing nothing often leads to the very best kind of something.” 

“There's always time for a smackeral of wonder.” 

But the quote that has reverberated in my heart since the last whispers of the movie finds its origin in Scripture. 

In one scene, an adult Christopher Robin awakens to discover he’s slept the night away. He’s late for a very important meeting. “Oh no!” he says. “It’s tomorrow.” Panicked, he rushes into a day filled with pressure, problems, and hopeless scenarios. A day devoid of joy and fun. 

Pooh remembers this exchange as the sun sets on the movie. “What day is today?” he asks. 

“It’s today,” Christopher Robin replies. 

“Oh, that’s my favorite day. Yesterday, when it was tomorrow, it was much too much day for me.” 

I have often felt Pooh’s angst. Standing on the precipice of Today peering through the thin veil into Tomorrow, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by what the future might hold. Cold fear clutches my heart. Will my resources be enough to handle what comes my way? 

Will my marriage go the distance? 

Will our money be enough to pay the bills? 

Will my children love God? 

Will my body be ravaged by some cruel disease? 

Will my retirement account last through my old age? 

Like Pooh, tomorrow is much too much day for me. 

Thankfully, Jesus knows the frailties of our hearts. This is why he cautioned, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Mat. 6:34). 

Don’t peer into the veil, he warns. One day’s challenges are enough. 

Isaiah, in the book of Lamentations, tells us why each day must stand on its own. 




“(God’s) mercies never end. They are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23).

Like the manna he supplied to the Israelites every day, God’s supply is inexhaustible – but the quantities are limited. Today’s mercies are only enough to feed Today’s growling stomach. There are no leftovers to vacuum seal and set aside. Tomorrow’s mercies remain safely stored in the warehouse of God’s supply until the new day arrives, and we cannot raid the stash. 

Yet we want to. Oh, how we want to. 

We want to stockpile a lifetime’s supply of mercy so we’ll only have to ask once. We long to shed our mantle of fear and uncertainty forever. We want to walk into our future with our mercy cloaks wrapped tightly about us, impervious to the fiery darts of our uncertain futures – the same darts that drive us to seek shelter in the shadow of the Almighty. 

But it doesn’t work that way. “Yesterday’s mercies are for yesterday’s burdens,” John Piper said, and it’s true. Today’s mercy check is payable to the bearer on demand, but it can’t be post-dated. 

Every day God invites us to sit at his feet and obtain all the mercy we need – but only for that day’s challenges. 

“Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence,” the writer of Hebrews says, “so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” 

This daily portion of grace and mercy tethers us to his side, where we are safe, instead of releasing us to the dangers of spiritual independence. 

God knows our hearts. He knows we’d jerk the coat of adequacy off the rack, shove our arms into its sleeves, and march off into the future with nary a backward glance. Clothed in our self-sufficiency, we’d have no reason to sit at his feet, learn from him, and allow him to work through us. We’d have no need for a relationship with him if he provided all we needed to live without him. 

Knowing our willful bent toward independence, God tethers us to himself by his grace. There we experience the freedom of knowing he’ll provide everything we need, exactly when we need it. 

What a gift. 

If you feel overwhelmed and frightened by the what ifs of the future, take heart. If you can’t bear the thought of tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, rest easy. As Pooh so wisely observed, tomorrow is much too much day for you. 

But today isn’t. Today you have God’s mercies – and they are new every day, abundantly sufficient for everything you will encounter. 

Today is all you have to face. And God’s mercies are already here.



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Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

How to Help a Hurting Friend

Someone you care about is struggling. Perhaps they're sick, or angry, or discouraged. Maybe a child has broken their heart or their marriage is in shambles. Maybe it’s not one big ugly, but a lot of little uglies that have them down. They've lost their perspective, and their faith is flickering. You know you can’t fix the situation, but you love your friend, and you want to help. What can you do? 

Here are four steps to take when someone you care about is hurting: 


1. Pray 

We are in a battle, and the enemy of our souls prowls around, seeking whom he can destroy. Thankfully, we have powerful weapons in our arsenal. Jesus, at the Last Supper, knew he would soon be arrested and separated from his disciples. He warned Peter of the coming trial. 

“Peter, Satan desires to sift you as wheat.” Then he said something profound and powerful. “But I have prayed for you.” 



The forces of evil in this world want to discourage and defeat Christians. But Jesus, the Lover of our souls, who is infinitely more powerful than Satan, is praying for his children. When we add our prayers to Jesus’, we join forces to support those we love.

Every time I pray for my loved ones, I can be confident that Jesus has gone ahead of me and is interceding on their behalf. And while prayer, on the surface, seems passive, it is the most dynamic thing we can do. 

2. Love them, even when they’re not very loveable. 

Hurting people hurt people. It’s sad, but it’s true. Ironically, those who are hurt and angry often direct their negative emotions toward those who love them most. When this happens, our natural response is to pull back and distance ourselves from them. Well if that’s the way they’re going to act, fine. I’ll leave them alone. 

Instead, ask God to enable you to love them even more. Try to see life through their eyes. Imagine how you’d feel if you were in a similar situation. Share those thoughts with them. If I had just lost my job, I’d be feeling pretty scared right now. This may open channels of helpful communication and direct them into healthier ways of expressing their feelings. 

Determine in advance that no matter what they say, you'll respond with love. Conflict doesn’t start with the first person. It is the second person’s response that determines the course of the conversation.  

3. Look for practical ways to serve them. 

Kathy, a patient of mine, lost her husband to cancer after an ugly seven-month battle. He was admitted to a hospital 90 miles away the week after Christmas. Shortly after they arrived, she received a series of text messages. When she opened them, she saw pictures of her three best friends--at her house. 

What are you doing in my house? she texted back. 

We’re taking down your Christmas decorations was their reply. 

Kathy’s friends couldn’t stand vigil at the hospital, but they wanted to support and encourage her. Instead of fretting about what they couldn’t do, they did what they could—something practical that still brings a smile to Kathy’s face years later. 

4. Leave room for the Holy Spirit to work. 

The Lord may give you the opportunity to share scriptural truths, promises to claim, or comforting Bible verses. Do it. 

But don’t be surprised if your friend isn’t ready to receive your words. If they respond negatively, take a step back. The Holy Spirit will continue to work, even if your friend appears to have closed the door. 

Watching a loved one struggle is hard. We feel helpless, because we want to fix their problem and lift their burden. Sharing words of faith from your own experience, praying, and listening when they feel like talking will help them heal. Continue to love them, and look for ways to serve them. Finally, trust the Holy Spirit to speak to your loved one’s heart and restore their joy. 

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). 

What about you? What do you find helpful when a loved one is struggling? Leave a comment in the comment box below. And if you’re reading by email, CLICK HERE and scroll down to the end of the post to share your thoughts.



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Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher

Andrew the Disciple and Patches the Cat -- Why Sharing Matters

I’ve been chased by a few creatures in my lifetime, but this attack caught me completely by surprise. 

Orienting myself to my new neighborhood, I’d walked down an unfamiliar cul de sac in the early hours of the morning. The eastern sky was turning pink and birds were chattering in the trees. Rounding the loop at the bottom of the street, I headed back up the hill. 

That’s when something came charging out of the bushes at me. In the pre-dawn light, all I saw was movement – an odd sort of half gallop, half hop. Too slow to be a Chihuahua. Too fast to be a skunk. To confrontational to be a bunny. 

I stopped, prepared to stand my ground, come what may. And the creature kept coming. 

Then I heard a sound. Not barking. Not hissing. Mewing. 

And that’s how I met Patches. 


I named him Patches (not his real name) because he looks like a patchwork quilt. As if God had pieced him together with scraps from the Cat Room floor. Stripes from an alley cat. An orange ear from a tabby. White socks of varying length. A multi-colored tail that sticks straight up. 

Patches was a sight to see, but that’s not what distinguished him that morning. What surprised me was how un-cat-like he behaved. After he charged out of the bushes, he followed me down the street until I stopped to pet him. 

Not sure if he was friend or foe, I hesitated to reach out a hand. I shouldn’t have worried. As soon as I scratched him behind his ear, he melted like a Hershey bar in the sun. 

Thus began our ritual. 

Every morning I round the corner to Patches' cul de sac. Every morning he runs to meet me. I scratch his ears and stroke his fur, then walk down the cul de sac. He waits for me to make the loop and head back up the hill, where I scratch him and stroke him some more. Content, he goes back to who-knows-where, and I turn the corner toward home. My walk ends on a happy note and puts a smile on both of our faces. 

Recently, however, Patches had a surprise waiting for me. 


He scurried across the road as usual, but he wasn’t alone. A beautiful orange tabby followed closely behind. Leaning down, I scratched Patches' ear and greeted the newcomer. 

“Hello, pretty thing, what’s your name?” Patches chirped an answer, and with that introduction, Puff and I were fast friends. 

The first chapter of John shares a similar account of a friend sharing a friend with a friend. 

“The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’ When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus” (v. 35-37). 

One of the disciples was Andrew, a godly man waiting for the Messiah. It didn’t take long for Andrew to realize Jesus was the real deal. And he knew he had to share him. Jesus was too wonderful to keep to himself. 

“The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus” (v. 41-42). 

Andrew and Patches are a lot alike. They both knew they had found something wonderful and were eager to share it with those they loved. 

We don’t hear much about Andrew after the Gospels. Simon, whom Jesus renamed Peter, on the other hand, became a shining star. After Christ’s death and resurrection, he fearlessly shared the gospel in Jerusalem, provided invaluable leadership to the fledgling church, and is credited with dictating at least two New Testament books. 

All because Andrew shared Jesus with him. In the amazing multi-level reward system of heaven one day, guess who’s going to share in Peter’s rewards? Andrew, who didn’t keep Jesus to himself. 

Most mornings these days, as I walk my neighborhood, two chirruping kitties greet me on my final lap. I scratch their ears and stroke their fur, which brings all three of us joy. As I reluctantly say goodbye and head back up the hill, I imagine Patches saying to Puff, “See, didn’t I tell you? Isn’t she wonderful?” 

It sounds a lot like what we might say about Jesus, don’t you think? Maybe we should take a page out of Andrew and Peter’s (and Patches and Puff’s) book and share him with someone today. 

Who knows what might happen?






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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Andrew the Disciple and Patches the Cat

I’ve been chased by a few creatures in my lifetime, but this attack caught me completely by surprise. 

Orienting myself to my new neighborhood, I’d walked down an unfamiliar cul de sac in the early hours of the morning. The eastern sky was turning pink and birds were chattering in the trees. Rounding the loop at the bottom of the street, I headed back up the hill. 

That’s when something came charging out of the bushes at me. In the pre-dawn light, all I saw was movement – an odd sort of half gallop, half hop. Too slow to be a Chihuahua. Too fast to be a skunk. To confrontational to be a bunny. 

I stopped, prepared to stand my ground, come what may. And the creature kept coming. 

Then I heard a sound. Not barking. Not hissing. Mewing. 

And that’s how I met Patches. 


I named him Patches (not his real name) because he looks like a patchwork quilt. As if God had pieced him together with scraps from the Cat Room floor. Stripes from an alley cat. An orange ear from a tabby. White socks of varying length. A multi-colored tail that sticks straight up. 

Patches was a sight to see, but that’s not what distinguished him that morning. What surprised me was how un-cat-like he behaved. After he charged out of the bushes, he followed me down the street until I stopped to pet him. 

Not sure if he was friend or foe, I hesitated to reach out a hand. I shouldn’t have worried. As soon as I scratched him behind his ear, he melted like a Hershey bar in the sun. 

Thus began our ritual. 

Every morning I round the corner to Patches' cul de sac. Every morning he runs to meet me. I scratch his ears and stroke his fur, then walk down the cul de sac. He waits for me to make the loop and head back up the hill, where I scratch him and stroke him some more. Content, he goes back to who-knows-where, and I turn the corner toward home. My walk ends on a happy note and puts a smile on both of our faces. 

Recently, however, Patches had a surprise waiting for me. 


He scurried across the road as usual, but he wasn’t alone. A beautiful orange tabby followed closely behind. Leaning down, I scratched Patches' ear and greeted the newcomer. 

“Hello, pretty thing, what’s your name?” Patches chirped an answer, and with that introduction, Puff and I were fast friends. 

The first chapter of John shares a similar account of a friend sharing a friend with a friend. 

“The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’ When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus” (v. 35-37). 

One of the disciples was Andrew, a godly man waiting for the Messiah. It didn’t take long for Andrew to realize Jesus was the real deal. And he knew he had to share him. Jesus was too wonderful to keep to himself. 

“The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus” (v. 41-42). 

Andrew and Patches are a lot alike. They both knew they had found something wonderful and were eager to share it with those they loved. 

We don’t hear much about Andrew after the Gospels. Simon, whom Jesus renamed Peter, on the other hand, became a shining star. After Christ’s death and resurrection, he fearlessly shared the gospel in Jerusalem, provided invaluable leadership to the fledgling church, and is credited with dictating at least two New Testament books. 

All because Andrew shared Jesus with him. In the amazing multi-level reward system of heaven one day, guess who’s going to share in Peter’s rewards? Andrew, who didn’t keep Jesus to himself. 

Most mornings these days, as I walk my neighborhood, two chirruping kitties greet me on my final lap. I scratch their ears and stroke their fur, which brings all three of us joy. As I reluctantly say goodbye and head back up the hill, I imagine Patches saying to Puff, “See, didn’t I tell you? Isn’t she wonderful?” 

It sounds a lot like what we might say about Jesus, don’t you think? Maybe we should take a page out of Andrew and Peter’s (and Patches and Puff’s) book and share him with someone today. 

Who knows what might happen?






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Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

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If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

WEEBS!

I’ve never aspired to be a killer, but the longer I walk the faith walk, the more I realize it’s sometimes necessary. My granddaughter, Caroline, helped me realize this. 

When you’re two years old, everything’s fun. She and her sister and I were in the backyard one day. They were fluttering around in their fairy wings, enjoying the coolness of the morning, and I was watching them. 

Glancing down, I noticed a big, ugly weed in the middle of my lawn. Grrr. I hate weeds. I grabbed my favorite weed pulling tool from the shed and dug it out. Then I noticed another. And another. 

Dig, pluck.

Dig, pluck. 

Dig, pluck. 

Before long I had a trail of dislodged weeds, their long tap roots pointing to the sky. 

“Whatcha doin, Gigi?” Caroline asked. 

“I’ll pulling weeds.” 

“Weebs?” 

“Yes, weeds.” 

“Why?” 

“Because weeds are bad. They kill the grass and make our yard look yucky.” 

Bad and yucky must have been the magic words, because Caroline sprang into action. Grabbing one of the clumps I’d dug up, she flung it into the air and cried, “Go ‘way weebs! You are BAD.” 

Her four-year-old sister followed suit. 

“WEEBS! WEEBS!” they cried, tossing clump after clump skyward. “Go away, weebs, you are BAD!” 

Caroline is right. Weebs are bad, not just in our lawns, but in our hearts. Weedy thoughts have more power to defeat and destroy us than any external influence. They are subtle yet powerful. 

Now a weed is pretty easy to spot in a patch of grass, but it’s harder to detect in our minds. 

Here are a few examples of weedy thoughts: 

This is too hard. I can’t do it anymore. 

God doesn’t love me or this wouldn’t have happened.

Nothing will ever change. Why bother trying?

I’ll never be happy again. 

When thoughts like these take root, they begin to uproot the truth and undermine our faith. 

I spotted the weeds in my lawn because I knew what good grass looks like. The same is true when we battle weedy thoughts. We have to know what truth looks like. “You shall know the truth,” Jesus promised, “and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:22). 

When we know the truth, because we’ve filled our minds with God’s Word, weedy thoughts have a harder time taking root. If they do, we can quickly spot them and sound the alarm. “WEEBS! WEEBS!” Then we can pluck them from the soil of our hearts and fling them far away, where they can no longer harm or hinder us. 

Second Corinthians 10:3-5 describes the battle plan:“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 

Four Steps to Conquer Weedy Thoughts: 

1. Learn the truth by reading and studying God’s Word. 

2. Compare every thought to the truth of God’s Word. 

3. Discard what is contrary. 

4. Keep what agrees. 

Now let’s give it a try. Ready? Here goes: 

Weedy Thought: This is too hard. I can’t do it anymore. 

True Thought: “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13). 

Weedy Thought: God doesn’t love me, or this wouldn’t have happened. 

True Thought: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness” (Jer. 31:3). 

Weedy Thought: Nothing will ever change. Why bother trying? 

True Thought: “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27). 

Weedy Thought: I’ll never be happy again. 

True Thought: “Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). 

The truth of God’s Word is the best defense to guard the garden of our heart. Beginning today, why not spend some time in God’s Word? Ask him to fill you with his truth and give you the ability to spot the weeds that have sunk their roots into your heart. Then sound the alarm. WEEBS! WEEBS! Pluck them from your heart and mind, fling them from you, and plant in their place good seeds that will bear good fruit. 

Father, help us discern what is true and what is a lie. Fill our minds with your Word so we can spot damaging thoughts and discard them. Give us the faith to believe the truth and set us free from the bondage of Satan’s lies. In the strong name of Jesus I ask, Amen. 

Now it’s your turn. What weedy lies have you believed, and what is the truth that helps set you free? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts. If you’re reading by email, click HERE to visit Hungry for God online and leave a comment.

Matthew West's song "Hello, My Name Is," is a great example of how to remove weedy thoughts and walk in victory. If you're reading by email and can't see the video, click HERE.







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Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

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If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher