Lori Hatcher's Blog: Refresh Blog, page 50

Christian Jargon and Super Bowl Bingo

Woohoo! First down and six at the 39 yard line. Running back up the middle. Breaks the double team. Bradley at the 39.

I was trying to be a good sport. Watching the first football game since high school and playing Super Bowl Bingo with a bunch of friends, I was struggling to keep up. The terms on my Bingo card were confusing and unfamiliar.

"Was that a punt?" I asked.

"No, that was a kick off."

"Did he just make a field goal?"

"Nope. That was the extra point."

And apparently, the box marked At the 50 Yard Line meant on the 50 yard line, not the 49th or the 51st. The box I'd eagerly crossed off was disqualified. The longer I played, the more stupid I felt.

Sitting there squirming, I wondered if this was how new believers felt in a room full of Christians. People who know the lingo and effortlessly banter it about.

"You should start by reading the Gospels."

"Uh, I haven't been able to find a book in the Bible by that name."

"Who would be willing to intercede on his behalf?"

"Is that the same thing as intervention? 'Cause we had to do that for one of my cousins once."

Many of us have been Christians for so long we've forgotten what it's like to be new to matters of faith. 

Thankfully, my friend Sandy, a football aficionado, took me under her wing. She patiently explained the confusing verbiage and coached me into the fourth quarter. 

Fourth down.

Field goal.

Penalty flag.

BINGO!  In 51 seconds of playing time, my three boxes lined up for the win. A generous gift certificate prize did much to ease my embarrassment and smooth over my display of ignorance in such a public venue, but new believers wrestling with similar emotions don't often receive such a prize.

My Super Bowl angst has made me more sensitive to visitors and newcomers at our church. Like my friend Sandy, I want to come alongside them, decode the jargon, and help them feel comfortable. That way, they'll want to come back. 

And the more they come back, the sooner they'll learn that not only do we love them, but God loves them, too.

And love is a word we all understand.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner

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

How to Pray the Right Way

“I’ve always struggled with prayer,” Katie said to me during a break in sessions. She had come from two states away to attend the “Let Prayer Change Your Life” conference I was leading. “I never know the right words to say. I feel awkward, I lose my train of thought, and I get discouraged.” She sighed. “I’m afraid I’ll never learn to do it right.” 

Thankfully, by the end of the conference Katie was feeling much better about prayer, but she’s not the first person I’ve heard express their doubt and frustration about their inability to “pray well.” They hear ministers deliver long, elaborate petitions during Sunday morning services. They watch how easily others pray, even with no preparation or warning and wonder why they can barely string two coherent sentences together when asked to pray over a meal. 

I thought of these struggling pray-ers this morning. Opening the fridge to get food out to prepare breakfast, a sweet sight caught my eye. It was a picture my 4-year-old granddaughter had drawn for me. I L-O-V-E Y-O-U, she had written in purple magic marker. 

“I picked purple because it’s your fav-rit,” she said. “And then I wrote my name, so you’d merember who it was from.” The letters on Lauren’s love note were uneven and sprawling. The A was twice as big as the L, and the E had four lines instead of three. 

On the back of the note she’d written my name, Gigi, with backward Gs and I’s that looked like lolly pops. Next to my name was a picture of a heart on a chain. 

Do you think I care that Lauren’s penmanship is less than perfect? Or that her E has four lines instead of three? Of course not. What matters to me is that my precious little granddaughter’s heart is full of love for me. So full, in fact, that she had to communicate it. Her love note to me was personal, thoughtful, and oh-so-special, and I will treasure it always. 

I suspect God feels the same way about our prayers. He doesn’t care that we don’t sound polished or perfect. It doesn’t matter to him when we don’t always use the “right” words or follow some pre-established format. All he cares about is that we love him and want to communicate with him.

Perhaps this is why Jesus often used children to illustrate spiritual truths. 

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child and had him stand among them.

“And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven’” (Mat. 18:1-4). 

I hope the next time you feel the urge to pray, instead of worry about doing it “right,” you’ll concentrate instead on telling God how much you love him. Share with him what’s heaviest on your heart and rest in the knowledge that he’s listening. 


This is the essence of true prayer.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner

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

The Difference between Christianity and Religion - And Why It Matters

Few realize that Christianity is diametrically opposed to any other belief system. Not only opposed, but completely opposite. Every belief system except Christianity requires people to do something to get to God – good works, penance, life-transformation, even martyrdom. They teach that we need to be good enough to merit God’s favor. Like Noah’s descendants as they built the tower of Babel, we need to reach up into the heavens with some outrageous feat to attract God’s attention. 

Christianity, however, turns this approach upside down. Instead of mankind reaching up to God, God reaches down to mankind. Listen to Paul’s description in Philippians 2:6-8: 

“Christ Jesus . . . Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!” 

Romans 5:6-8 puts it this way: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners , Christ died for us.” 

“. . . while we were still sinners.” I find great comfort in these five simple words. They remind me how God, because he knew we couldn’t earn his favor, do enough good works to outweigh our bad ones, or stand before him at the judgment seat, sent Jesus. Guilty only of loving us, Jesus carried our sins to the cross and endured the atomic blast of God’s wrath – in our place. 

“Love was compressed for all history in that lonely figure on the cross, who said that he could call down angels at any moment on a rescue mission, but chose not to – because of us. At Calvary, God accepted his own unbreakable terms of justice,” said Philip Yancey. And satisfied them. 

“Is it not wonderful news to realize that our salvation lies outside ourselves?” asked Martin Luther. It is wonderful indeed. Yet as amazing as salvation is, we still forget. 

We forget that Jesus was arrested so we could walk free. 

That he was wounded so we could be healed. 

That he was abandoned so we could be adopted. 

That he was forsaken so we could enjoy fellowship. 

We forget that we are the unworthy recipients of a life-changing, joy-infusing, eternity-securing seat at God’s banquet table where we will feast on God’s goodness forever. 

Amazing grace. How can it be? That thou, my God, shouldst die for me. 

“Come, and see the victories of the cross,” Matthew Henry wrote, “Christ’s wounds are thy healings, His agonies thy repose, His conflicts thy conquests, His groans thy songs, His pains thine ease, His shame thy glory, His death thy life, His sufferings thy salvation." 

As you enter this new week, I encourage you to ponder the miracle of your own salvation. Think back to how lost you were when Jesus found you. And then, with humility and gratitude, thank God for saving you. 

Salvation – we couldn’t earn it, we don’t deserve it, but we must be eternally grateful for it. 

Father, help us never take our salvation for granted. Remind us every day how much it cost you. Help us embrace you as the pearl of great price and the lover of our souls. And Father, help us not be greedy, keeping this great gift to ourselves. As you have freely given your grace to us, may we also freely share it with others. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, Amen.

Now it's your turn. What aspect of your salvation are you most grateful for? I invite you to leave a comment below or, if you're reading via email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online and share your thoughts.

And if you haven't yet entered into a relationship with Jesus. CLICK HERE to learn more about it.




If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner

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

What NOT to Write in Your Bible

In my last post I described how I often record promises, prayers, and significant life events in the margins of my Bible. Like a modern-day equivalent to the Israelites’ “stones of remembrance,” my notes remind me of God’s faithfulness and mercy throughout my lifetime. 

Today, however, during my Bible reading time, I encountered a different type of note – a note I wish I hadn’t written. 

This note, instead of filling my heart with gratitude and strengthening my faith, did the opposite. It transported me back to a time when someone had wounded me so deeply I feared I might never recover. It opened the door to painful memories and picked at the scab on the wound I thought God had healed long ago. 

I don’t know why, on that sad day, I chose to record the offense. Perhaps it was because I knew it was a life-altering one, a line in the sand akin to the one between B.C. and A.D., that testified that life, as I knew it, was forever changed. 

Whatever the reason, my note reminds me, every year, of the hurt and pain I felt that day. 

But today I said, No more. 

No longer do I want to be reminded, year after year, of an offense that broke my heart. No longer do I want to relive the hurt, betrayal, and pain of that day. I want to banish from my memory forever the doubt and fear that wrapped itself like a cloak around me, threatening to suffocate my faith and my future. 

In an act of obedience and submission, I picked up the blackest of black pens and expunged forever the record of that wrong. I inked over my handwriting so thoroughly that the words are now indistinguishable. One day, I pray, I will forget them for good. 

I must confess, part of me wanted to leave the memorial of my hurt recorded forever in my Bible. In a sad and sadistic way, reliving the sins others have committed against me keeps my righteous indignation alive and affirms my innocent-victim status. 

But the Holy Spirit whispered into my heart that there was another choice. Another way of handling the pain. 

Forgive.  

And when you have forgiven, he said, forget. 

“But, Lord,” I objected, “don’t you remember how they broke my trust? Lied to cover up their sin? Don’t you know what this has cost me?” 

I know, the Lord said. Because your sin broke my heart. Your transgression made me cry. Your willful disobedience altered the course of my life forever. 

See my hands? And my side? I was wounded for your transgressions. I was bruised for your iniquities. The punishment for your peace is upon me. 

Yet by my stripes, you were healed. 

Then he reminded me of Psalm 103:12: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” 

And Jeremiah 31:34: "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” 

I knew I had no self-righteous higher ground to stand upon. If the holy Son of God could forgive me for the sins that nailed him to the cross, and was willing to expunge the record of my transgressions, who was I to withhold my forgiveness from another? 

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you,” he said in Matthew 6:14-15, “your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” 

As I have received mercy, so must I give it. As I desire forgiveness, so must I extend it. 

So I picked up my pen again. Now, instead of a note that reminds me how someone sinned against me, I’ve written five new words, 

Today I choose to forgive. 

 Now it’s your turn. Are you struggling to forgive? I encourage you, don’t wait for the feelings. Obey God and trust that the feelings will come.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner

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

When You Don't Know What to Do

Several years ago I was laboring in prayer on behalf of someone I cared deeply about. He was in a dark place, and I was frightened for him. Circumstances beyond his control had sucked him into a vortex of physical, emotional, and spiritual turmoil, and there seemed to be no way out. 

I counseled. I encouraged. I did what I could to lighten his burden, but physical distance and finances prevented me from coming to the rescue. If I had been able, there was little I could have done. His troubles were too complex, and my power was too limited. 


One morning I sat before the Lord, feeling like King Jehoshaphat when he humbled himself before God and prayed, “Lord, we don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chron. 20:12).

“Lord,” I prayed, “you know what he’s going through. You’ve allowed him to be in this place, but he is not hidden from your sight. I love him, but you love him more. Be his advocate. Be his strong defender. Guard his life, his health, and his sanity. Unravel the knots that bind him, and help him see the truth. Silence Satan’s lies. Help him realize that his hope is in you, and it is a sure hope. You will not forsake him. Protect him from harm, self-destructive thoughts or actions, and the tricks of the devil. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.” 

I was reasonably certain nothing had changed in my loved one’s situation because of my fervent prayer, but I felt comforted. The weight I’d been carrying for him had been more than I could bear, but now it rested safely in the arms of Jesus. 

As was my custom, I followed my prayer time with Bible reading. I read through the Bible every year using the John MacArthur Daily Bible, so I opened my Bible to the reading for the day. When I reached the end of the selection, it was as if God shone a spotlight on the last verse in the passage. In my spirit, I knew God had given me a promise to cling to. 

I also sensed God was telling me that while the resolution to my loved one’s troubles would be slow in coming, a resolution would come. I accepted the promise with grateful tears, underlined the verse, and thanked the Lord. 

In the margin of my Bible I wrote, God’s promise to me for _________. Thank you, Lord. 

Today, years later, I read the same Bible passage. No spotlight shone, nor did I hear God’s voice whispering comfort and promise. Truth be told, I would have passed over the verse with little more than a cursory read were it not for the note I had scribbled in the margin. 

That note, and the accompanying underlined Scripture, reminded me that God had, indeed, kept the promise he had given me that day. Although it hadn’t happened immediately, he had faithfully worked in my loved one’s life, rescued him from the swirling forces that threatened to destroy him, and planted his feet on a firm foundation. He restored his joy and proved his faithfulness. 

If you're facing a situation where you don't know what to do, go to God. Tell him your fears. Ask him to work in ways only he can work. Then search his Word for an anchor to hold on to.

Not everyone feels comfortable writing in their Bibles, but today’s example is a wonderful reason to consider it. I don’t know what will be going on in my life next year at this time, but if I find myself laboring in fearful prayer for someone I love, my note will remind me of three things:

God speaks to his people through his Word. 

He hears and answers prayers. 

He takes delight in doing the impossible. 

Now it’s your turn. Do you write in your Bible? Why or why not? Can you think of a time when a note from the past strengthened or encouraged you? Leave a comment in the box below and share your story. If you’re reading by email, click here to visit Hungry for God online and leave a comment.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner

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

When You’re Up Against the Wall – 6 Powerful Prayer Principles

Jacob was scared. Really, really scared.

He was headed home, but that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. Twenty years earlier he had fled from his brother Esau’s presence and his father’s house. 

“As soon as Dad dies,” Esau had vowed, “I will kill you.” And he meant it. 

Now, after decades of self-imposed exile, Jacob was coming home. And he was bringing his family with him. Granted, he was a new man. Years of spiritual growth had transformed him from a conniving, self-centered mama’s boy into a man of integrity and courage. 

But Esau didn’t know that. As far as he knew, Jacob was still the manipulative weasel who had stolen his blessing – and the one he had promised to kill. 

It’s not surprising, then, that Jacob found it difficult to sleep the night before he knew he’d encounter his brother. The faces of his young children danced before his eyes every time he closed them. His wives’, too, women he’d promised to love and protect. 

But instead of figuring out a way to avoid an encounter with his brother, like the old Jacob would have done, he did what the new Jacob had learned to do – he prayed. And it wasn’t just any old prayer. It was a prayer we can learn from and apply. Let’s take a closer look at Jacob’s prayers, as recorded in Genesis 32:9-12. 

6 Powerful Prayer Principles 


1. Acknowledge God’s faithfulness in the past. 
Jacob began his prayer with "O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac.” By doing so, he reminded himself that God had been faithful to his family for three generations. He had kept the promises he had made to them. He could trust him. 

2. Acknowledge God has brought you to this place. 
Jacob recognized God as the one “who said to me, 'Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper.’” Essentially he said to the Lord, “I’m in this scary place, with my uncertain future, because I’ve followed you.” 

The same is often true in our lives today. Obeying God’s call on our lives doesn’t guarantee that we’ll avoid bad, sad, scary places. It does, however, assure us, as Billy Graham often said, that “The will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us.” 

But what if we find ourselves in a precarious place because we’ve disobeyed or ignored God’s direction? Are we on our own? Thankfully, no. God also hears and answers the honest prayers of a repentant heart. 

3. Humble yourself. 
Jacob understood that all he had, and all he had become, was because of God’s mercy and grace. “I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant,” he prayed. “I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups.” 

The same is true for us. Acknowledging that God is the source of our blessings protects us from an ungrateful, entitlement mindset. 

4. Ask boldly. 
“Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau,” Jacob said. Despite his precarious position and Esau’s superior strength, he boldly asked God to protect him and his family. 

Like Jacob, we sometimes find ourselves in impossible situations with the odds stacked against us. And we, too, can pray to the God of miracles to do the unimaginable. 

5. Be honest. 
“I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children,” Jacob confessed. There is no need to hide our fears from God. He knows our hearts better than we do. Honest transparency unburdens our hearts and draws us closer to the Lord, whose shoulders are broad enough to bear our burdens. 

6 Claim the promises God has given you. 
Jacob concluded his prayer this way: “But you have said, 'I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.'" By recounting to the Lord (not because God had forgotten, but because Jacob needed to remember) the specific promises God had given to him, Jacob’s faith was strengthened. 

When we pray back to God appropriate promises that fit our situation, our faith grows stronger, too. By claiming the promises in God’s word, we remember that God is a covenant-making, promise-keeping God who encourages his children to call on him. 

Unlike Jacob, most of us won’t be fearing for our lives today. Most of our problems fall somewhat lower on the fear factor scale. But regardless of their severity, we need God’s intervention. 

Whatever you’re facing today, I encourage you to remember God’s faithfulness, acknowledge that he has brought you to this place, approach him humbly, ask boldly, speak honestly, and claim the promises he has given you. By praying like Jacob did, we, too, can access God’s power on our behalf and watch him answer for his glory. If you’d like someone to pray with you, leave a comment below and share your request.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner

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

Are You Struggling to Make a Decision? 6 Tips to Discern God's Will

When I was 18 years old, the weight of the life decisions I had to make almost broke me. Where should I go to college? What career should I choose? Who should I date (and subsequently) marry? Where should I live? 

I suspect you’ve experienced similar anxiety. What if we make the wrong choice? 

I wish I had read Genesis 24 as a high school senior. I could have learned from Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, and avoided a host of sleepless nights. 

Abraham was living in Canaan, the land God had promised to give him and his descendants. At this point he only had two sons and one plot of land – the burial site of his beloved wife, Sarah. 

But Abraham believed God was going to raise up from him a nation of people to follow the Lord. So when the time came for Isaac, Abraham’s sole heir, to take a wife, Abraham knew he couldn’t marry a pagan Canaanite. He had to marry kin. (It was okay in those days. The gene pool hadn’t yet become corrupted.) 

So he dispatched his trusted servant, Eliezer, on a mission – find a wife for Isaac from among my family in Mesopotamia. This was huge, and Eliezer knew it. Abraham had just entrusted him with the continuance of his line (and the future nation of Israel). 

But Eliezer had grown up in Abraham’s home, and he had watched his master make wise (and not-so-wise) decisions in his hundred years of walking with God. He knew what to do. 

From his example, we can draw six principles for decision making. 

1. Follow the revealed will of your master. 
Abraham was very specific: Do not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, but go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac (Gen 24:3). When we face similarly-significant life decisions, we don’t always have such specific instructions from God, but we do have the general wisdom of the Bible. It’s a no brainer, then, that we should never violate any of God’s biblical principles or commands. 

2. Pray and invite God into the search. 
Eliezer asked for God’s favor and direction: "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.” This point seems simplistic, but it’s the one we most often forget. We consult friends and advisors, but we fail to ask the wisest of all Counselors to bless and guide our decision. 

3. Pray specifically. 
Eliezer didn’t ask for “some pretty girl to cross his path” that he could bring home to Isaac. Instead, he looked up, saw the young women of the city coming to draw water from the well, and asked God for specific direction. “May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too' – let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master" (v. 14). 

 And what do you know? “Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor” (v. 15). 

Notice he didn’t pray outlandishly: “God, please make a spotlight appear over her head and a host of angels surround her with rainbows and unicorns to show me she’s the one.” Instead, he simply prayed for God to reveal his will through timing and circumstances. 

4. Worship God when he answers your prayer. 
When Eliezer realized God had answered his prayer and Rebekah was the one, he bowed in holy awe. "Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives” (v. 26-27). 

5. Tell others how God has guided you. 
Sharing faith stories with others strengthens their faith and helps them trust God, too. When Eliezer described the details of his quest to Rebekah and her family and how specifically God had answered his prayers, they couldn’t doubt that the circumstances were from God. They surrendered eagerly and wholeheartedly to God’s will. 

 "Laban and Bethuel answered, 'This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has directed'” (v. 50-51). 

 6. Watch how God uses your obedience in far-reaching ways. 
Eliezer’s assignment was to find a wife for his master’s son, Isaac. We know that Isaac married Rebekah, who gave birth to twins, Jacob and Esau. Jacob had twelve sons. Their descendants became the twelve tribes of Israel. Through the tribe of Judah came a young virgin named Mary came. She gave birth to a tiny baby named Jesus, the Messiah, who brought salvation to every tribe, tongue, and people in the world. 

“Through you, God told Abraham, all peoples on earth will be blessed.” And blessed indeed are we. 

My fretful, tormented time of decision making as a young adult ultimately led me to see how much I needed God’s wisdom to guide me. I surrendered my life to his control and have never looked back. 

Each year I learn more about what it means to trust and obey him. I hope, as I share my flawed and sometimes fragile faith, others will be inspired to trust him, too. Like Abraham, I want others to be blessed because of what God has done and continues to do in me. 

How about you? Are you struggling with a decision and unsure what path to take? Why not follow Eliezer’s example? I’m confident that as you obey what God has already told you, pray specifically, worship God, and tell others about your experience, the same God who answered Eliezer’s cry for help will also answers yours. I can’t wait to see what he’s going to do.


If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner

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

Five Ways to Disagree without Being Disagreeable

“Whoever writes this stuff is very ignorant of the Bible and its meaning. . .”

“Someone who denies Christ and isn’t very educated wrote this *#%.” 


These are two comments I received lately in response to one of my articles, two of a long string of responses. Some were positive and kind. Others respectfully disagreed with a point or two I made. And others were rude, disrespectful, and abusive. 

The contrast got me thinking. 

We live in a country that allows its citizens to express their thoughts and feelings without fear of persecution or imprisonment. Social media, especially, gives the average person the platform to air their views on a far-reaching and even global stage. But does the freedom we enjoy give us carte blanche to say whatever we think however we want? 

I think not. 

Especially if we’re believers. God holds us to a higher standard than our civil authorities, and we answer to a higher law than that which rules our nation. 

Unless we live alone in a cave on a mountain in Tibet, we’re going to eventually encounter someone with whom we disagree. 

So how do we disagree without being disagreeable? 

Here are five ways: 

1. Examine our motives. 
Why are we disagreeing? To be contrary and stir up dissention? To demonstrate how smart we are? If so, Proverbs 16:28 has a word of warning: “A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.” 

If, however, we embrace a belief or perspective that differs from the person with whom we’re talking and have pure motives, we might have legitimate grounds to approach someone. 

2. Pray about the right words. 
The right words, carefully chosen, can unlock a person’s heart and open their mind to consider an alternative view point. The wrong words can cause someone to shut down or react defensively. The best hope we have to convert someone to our perspective is to speak thoughtful, intelligent words, seasoned with grace and truth. 

If we have a legitimate concern to share with another, and our motive is to educate or edify, Ephesians 4:15 gives us wise guidance: “. . . Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” Speaking the truth in love requires us to approach someone with whom we disagree gently, humbly, and respectfully, with the desire to educate, not insult. 

3. Choose our timing well. 
Especially if the point of disagreement makes you angry, don’t open your mouth (or your computer) immediately. Take time to think, pray, consider the facts, and examine your motive. Many times I’ve been convinced I was right until I talked to the Lord about it. If, after time and prayer, you still feel compelled to address the issue, choose a time that allows for a thorough, unhurried talk. “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,” James 1:19 tells us. 

4. Ask, does it really need to be said? 
Much of what we disagree about probably doesn’t need to be spoken aloud. But some of it does. How do we know? Here are a few things to consider: If you don’t speak up, will it harm the person? Does the Bible give clear biblical precedent or is it a biblically grey area? Is it a major point or a minor point, a matter of principle or a matter of preference? Is it any of your business? Proverbs 26:17 cautions, “Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.” 

5. Focus on the idea, not the person. 
The examples I shared at the beginning of this post are examples of attacking the person, not the idea. Name calling, defamatory statements, comments about one’s salvation, education, or personal life have no place in the discussion. Other readers who disagreed with me focused on the biblical reasons they took exception to what I’d written. This is healthy, helpful, and respectful discussion. I welcome it.

Philippians 2:3-4 gives us perhaps the greatest guideline for dealing with disagreement: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” 

So the next time we wonder if we should disagree with someone, we’d do well to examine our motives, pray about the right words, choose our timing well, ask if it really needs to be said, and focus on the idea, not the person. 

Then, we can successfully disagree without being disagreeable.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner

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

Satan's Favorite Question

When I was younger, I believed a lot of lies. And I’m not talking about the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and Santa Claus (oops, sorry, spoiler alert). 


I believed I’d be fulfilled if I chose the right career, happy if the cute guy in Algebra class asked me out, and secure if I earned plenty of money. 

I believed my parents were out-of-touch, my friends were all-knowing, and everyone else’s family was way cooler than mine. 

I believed education was the key to success, women’s liberation would set me free, and faith was quaint and outdated. 

Most of all, I believed I was the master of my destiny. 

Then I discovered the Truth. 

I discovered I’d been looking at life upside down and believing lies that originated in the dawn of time. Genesis 3:1 contains history’s first lie, one humanity has been happily swallowing since. 


“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?’” 

There you have it – the essence of mankind’s deception, in one tiny little sentence. God is lying to you.  

Such a simple plan, yet so fatally effective – get Adam and Eve to doubt God’s Word, and they’re sunk. Finished. Destroyed. And not only them, but their descendants to thousands of generations. Satan for the win! No wonder Jesus called him, “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). 

It’s easy to see Adam and Eve’s error from our 21st-century perspective. We look down our theologically-superior noses and wonder how they could be so gullible. Trust a talking snake instead of the God who made them? You’ve got to be kidding. 

Yet if we’re not careful, we eagerly sink our teeth into the same deceptive fruit as our forefathers. Every time we think or act contrary to God’s Word, we stand shoulder to shoulder with Adam and Eve, nodding our bobble-heads to Satan’s lies. 

You can’t afford to give to God’s work. Let the rich people donate. 

Stay in that difficult marriage? You deserve someone who treats you better. 

Believe God can soften that wayward child’s heart? Give up, and quit praying. 

Work hard, be honest, and put others before yourself? You’ll never get ahead that way. 

Trust God to redeem the bad/sad/broken parts of your life? Forget it. Your life is too messed up to fix. 

Pray instead of taking matters into your own hands? What a waste of time. 

A new year has begun, one filled with choices. At the root of every circumstance and situation is the question Satan asked: “Did God really say . . .? Who are you going to believe – me or God?” 

When I was 18 years old, I rejected the lies in favor of the Truth. I placed my faith in Jesus Christ and committed my life to following him. I acknowledged the truth -- that he was the master of my destiny. But that was only the beginning of walking by faith. 

Every day since, I face the same choice. You do, too. Who are we going to believe? Every decision we make and every action we take boils down to this question. 

Whatever you’re facing right now, God’s Word has the answer, and you can trust it. 

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). 

And so I ask, Who will you believe today?



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner

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

Look for Opportunities, not Excuses

Nell and Lairy Easterling are 93 years old. They are founding members of our church. For more than 50 years, they’ve served faithfully, given generously, and modeled the faith life to our congregation. 

Nell’s also a really good cook. 

As I sat across from her at a recent pot luck dinner, I asked for the recipe for the dish she’d brought. As with most good cooks, she could recite it from memory. 

But halfway through, somewhere between the cottage cheese and the Mandarin oranges, she stopped.Catching her husband’s eye, she tapped the tablecloth in front of her. 

“Honey, let’s take these home and wash them,” she said. He nodded. “We can’t do much anymore, but we can do that.” 

I wrote down the rest of the recipe, but came away from the conversation with much more than instructions for a new dish. Without realizing it, Mrs. Nell had shared a life lesson with me. 

I told my husband about it on the way home. “If I was 93 years old, could barely walk, and had been serving in the church for three-quarters of a century, I think I’d probably say, ‘I’m old. I’ve done my time. Let someone else do it.’"

"Instead she looks around and says, ‘I wonder what I can do to help?’” 

Mrs. Nell is living out 1 Samuel 12:24: "But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart."  

Her example challenges me to serve God with the abilities and resources he’s given me. To jump in wherever I see a need instead of waiting to be asked. To look for opportunities, instead of excuses. 

As we begin the new year, will you join me in pledging to serve God whenever he gives us the chance and the ability? If every church member served this way, imagine what God could do. 

Now it's your turn. Has there been someone in your life who has modeled biblical servanthood? I'd love to hear about them. Leave a comment in the box below and share your story.

Happy New Year!



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.



Delivered by FeedBurner

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