Lori Hatcher's Blog: Refresh Blog, page 64

Simeon

Simeon wasn’t a priest. He wasn’t a religious leader either. He held no formal office nor fulfilled an official role in the temple. He was just an ordinary man who loved God with all his heart. 

This is how the Bible describes him in Luke 2:25: 

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.” 

One day, God “revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.” 

Can you imagine? Having such a close relationship with God that he tells you what he’s going to do before he does it? Amos 3:7 testifies to this fact: “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants . . .” 

If I was Simeon, after I recovered from such an overwhelming statement, I think I’d wonder, how am I going to recognize the Messiah? What will he look like? The religious leaders of the day expect a conquering king. That shouldn’t be too hard to spot. But the holy books also refer to a suffering servant. That might be a little trickier. 

Then one day, the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit spoke to his heart. Go to the temple. 

Of course, the temple! It stands to reason that God would send his deliverer to the most holy place in the city. Perhaps there will be fanfare and a formal proclamation. Maybe a parade. Surely an entourage of Pharisees and Saducees, not to mention the priests. And King Herod. He’ll certainly want to welcome the deliverer Israel has been waiting for for centuries. 

Eagerly Simeon ran, if you could call it that, for his old bones didn’t move easily. His racing heart set the tempo for his feet, but his thoughts moved faster than all of them. The Messiah! Here! Oh, I’ve waited so long. Prayed so hard for his appearing. At last. 

Scripture whirled in his head. 

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2). 

“Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever” (Isa. 9:7). 

Simeon expected to have to push through the crowd, but when he arrived at the temple, there was no royal parade. No trumpets and fanfare. Just a few peddlers hawking their wares in the dusty courtyard and money changers haggling over a mite. 

And a craggy-faced tradesman with his young wife carrying two pigeons and a copper coin. 

And a baby. 


An ordinary, non-descript baby. Brown hair. Brown eyes. Cheeks just beginning to fill out. No halo. No angelic host.  Just a baby. 

He willed his feet to move faster, then slowed as he approached the couple. Timidly, reverently he held out his trembling arms and reached for the tiny infant. The boy's mother surrendered him without hesitation, trusting the ancient sage without knowing why. For a moment their eyes met, and the tears leaking from the corners of the old man’s eyes comforted rather than frightened her. 

Gently he gathered the child to his breast and raised his eyes heavenward. 

"Sovereign Lord,” he whispered, “as you have promised, now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." 

One last look into the sleeping child’s face. One soft kiss on his fuzzy head. One final glance into the wondering eyes of his parents as he returned the babe to his mother’s arms. And then he was gone. 


My prayer for you, ordinary men and women like Simeon, is that you will eagerly anticipate the coming of Jesus. May you marvel at what has been said about him. May you see with eyes of faith the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. May you remain faithful to the end. And may you receive the crown of glory, which God reserves for those who long for his appearing.

The only song I know of that tells the story of Simeon is Michael Card's "Now That I've Held Him in My Arms." Enjoy.

If you're reading by email, CLICK HERE to hear "Now That I've Held Him in My Arms" on Youtube.






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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

How to Have a Perfect Christmas

I’ve only washed dishes in the bathtub twice. Once was on Christmas Eve. 

Out of town family would be arriving soon and my eight-foot counter was covered with mixing bowls, baking pans, and kitchen utensils. I’d been cooking all day, and now it was time to clean up. 

Except the sink wouldn't drain. 

While we tried to locate a plumber to tackle the clog, Pioneer Woman kicked in. I hauled my dirty dishes to the bathroom. On my hands and knees, I scoured the bathtub, then scrubbed the dishes. A blast from the shower head rinsed the soapy pile. 

Christmas wasn’t perfect that year. 

Another year, I awakened on Christmas morning with the worst case of vertigo I’ve ever had. If I moved my eyes too quickly, my head spun. If I moved my body too quickly, my stomach heaved. And the smell of our family’s traditional holiday feast? I sequestered myself in the living room to get away from it. 

Christmas wasn’t perfect that year, either. 

Then there was the year I had to work on Christmas Eve. When I’d finally seen my last patient and said Happy Holidays to my coworkers, I jumped into my car, eager to begin the festivities. Maybe a little too eager. 

As I headed home, I took a curve too quickly. A car, coming from the other direction, was dangerously close to the center line. I jerked the steering wheel to the right, over correcting, and hitting the curb—hard. Jumping out and hoping against hope, I peered around the front of the car to check my tire. 

Flat. 

Flat as my hair after a rainstorm. Flat as a frog on an interstate. Flat as my spirits when I realized I’d be getting a tire for Christmas instead of something much more fun. 

That Christmas wasn’t perfect, either. 

The longer I live, the more I realize that perfect Christmases are something from a Hallmark movie, not real life. It’s no surprise, really, because real Christmases are never perfect. 

Consider the first one—now that was one for the history books. 

Mary, who could have been as young as 14, was 9-months pregnant. Out-of-wedlock pregnant, no less. 

Then came the census, which meant she and Joseph had to leave home and travel to Bethlehem. This journey would take four days if Mary rode a donkey, seven days if she walked. When I was pregnant, I could barely walk to the mailbox, let alone 70 miles—with or without a donkey. 

Then, when Mary and Joseph finally arrived, they found no lodging. No Ramada Inn. No Motel Six. Not even a Good Sam Campground. 

And then her labor began. Maybe Joseph was able to find a midwife, maybe not. Either way, he was a key player in his wife’s delivery. Think on that for a moment. 

And then she gave birth in a stable. Read that again. She gave birth in a stable. 

And laid her newborn baby in a feeding trough. 

But it still wasn’t over. Just as the little family was falling into an exhausted sleep, they heard a rustling at the door. Then voices. Then louder voices. As Joseph peered out into the darkness, he saw a motley band of shepherds babbling about lights, and angels, and a heavenly message. 

“They won’t leave until they see the baby,” he told his bewildered wife. “They say they’ve looked in every manger in Bethlehem.” 

When I think about it, I realize how imperfect Mary’s Christmas was. But it didn’t matter, because Jesus was there. 

This year you may be hoping for a perfect Christmas. Or you may already know you have no chance of one. Ill health, strained finances, or a broken relationship is making you struggle. Maybe you’re facing your first holiday without a loved one, or battling depression, discouragement, or despair. 

Maybe it’s time to change the channel on our Hallmark expectations of what Christmas is supposed to look like. Maybe Christmas doesn’t have to look “perfect” to be special. 


This holiday season, let’s ask God to give us the grace to follow Mary’s example. Let’s treasure the events of Christmas and ponder them in our hearts. Let’s give thanks for the journey, the stable, and the manger. And let’s glorify and praise God for all we’ve seen and heard, spreading the word to everyone we meet. 

I’m hoping for a broken-water-heater-vertigo-flat-tire-free Christmas this year. Maybe it will happen. Maybe it won’t. Regardless, I know Christmas will still be special, because Jesus will be there.





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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

The Christmas Gift You Don't Want to Give

 “Tell GiGi what you did yesterday,” my daughter prompted my 3-year-old granddaughter.

“I gave some of my toys away to a little boy who didn’t have any.”

A couple in their church was preparing to become a foster family. My daughter, in the process of de-cluttering and donating, knew this would be the perfect new home for some of her daughters’ toys. Lauren, who loves them all, was less enthusiastic.

“So when you gave your toys away,” I asked, “how did that make you feel? Were you happy?”

“No,” she said, with drooping eyes and down-turned lips. “I was sad.”

“Well I’m really proud of you. You did a very good thing.”

Lauren’s mama is a smart one. She knows it’s important to teach her young ones to do the right thing, even if they don’t feel like it. It’s good training for the Christian life.

It’s been my observation that it’s easy to obey God when we feel like it. We watch a tender commercial about the homeless, and we can’t wait to write a check to the nearest shelter. We hear a glowing report from a missionary and eagerly sign up to staff the next fundraiser.

But what happens when we know God’s calling us to do something we really don’t want to do? I mean really don’t want to do? Like forgive?

This may seem like an odd topic for a Christmas blog post, but it’s really quite appropriate. When you peel back all the layers, Christmas is all about reconciliation and restoration.

Mankind was estranged from God. We had sinned horribly against him. We’d willfully gone our own way, done our own thing, and were living apart from God. Titus 3 describes it this way:

“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another."

And then God, in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ, offered the gift of forgiveness:

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”

Once we accepted the gift of his forgiveness, God cancelled our sin debt and welcomed us into the family. Then he gave us an assignment: “Go and do ye likewise.”

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18-19).

“He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”

This means forgiving others the way he forgave us. Ephesians 4:32 puts it this way:

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Forgiveness, it’s been said, is the gift we eagerly receive and selfishly withhold. 

As we prepare to give and receive this Christmas, perhaps the greatest gift we can give isn’t one we want to give, but the gift we need to give—the gift of forgiveness. Are there people in your life who have wronged you? Perhaps the Lord has brought them to mind because he wants you to extend the gift of forgiveness—not just for their sake, but for yours.

And when the Lord calls us to do something, we don’t have the luxury of waiting until we feel like it. To delay is to disobey. 

If you do what’s right—what God is calling you to do, the feelings will come. But even if they don’t, God will give you the peace, and joy, and freedom that wholehearted obedience brings. And that is a mighty precious gift.

A wise man once said, “Forgiveness sets a prisoner free. And then you find that the prisoner is you.”

As you prayerfully bestow gifts this Christmas, don’t overlook the gift of forgiveness. It could be the greatest gift you give this year.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

My Christmas Gift to You (and your friends)

Happy Tuesday, everyone. I wanted to share the great news that my publisher is giving away (as in FREE) the Kindle version of my 5-minute devotional, Hungry for God ... Starving for Time. 

This offer is  FOR ONE DAY ONLY, Tuesday, December 6. At midnight, it's GONE. Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QHIKCRU/

The timing of this giveaway is extra special, because it allows me to give you, my faithful readers, and your friends (if you forward this email) an extra-special Christmas gift.

So if you don't have an electronic copy of my book yet, click on over and grab one, then forward this email or post on social media to share the news with friends and family who need a resource that helps them connect with God in just 5 minutes a day, wherever they are. It could be the nicest thing you do for someone today. 

Thanks for sharing the love!

~Lori





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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

4 Fun, Quirky Christmas Traditions

I’m a very intentional person, but I must admit that some of my family's nicest holiday traditions have evolved with no help from me. It's sad, really, since I’d like to get credit for some of the most smile-producing moments. I don’t know if you can intentionally recreate someone else’s holiday traditions, but perhaps reading my family’s bright moments will spark a few ideas of your own.

1. The stocking tradition. When our girls were young, we drew a line in the sand concerning how early they were allowed to wake us to open presents. I don’t ever remember having to wake them up because they’d slept past the magic hour. At least not until they were teenagers, and even then, they were usually more interested in presents than sleep.

But they were creative little geniuses, and while they knew they couldn’t open their presents until we were all awake, there was no moratorium on their stockings. Every year, one or the other, whoever awakened first, would haul her stocking into her sister’s room, and they’d open them together. Giggles, comparisons, and swaps while their parents sleep on created a tradition that lived on even into adulthood.

2. The Pillsbury cinnamon roll tradition. Pillsbury cinnamon rolls were a magic food from my childhood. My family lived on a tight budget with no wiggle room for prepared foods, but when I spent the night at my friend Linda’s house, oh my. On Saturday morning her mom would crack open that magic can of deliciousness, pop the luscious treats into the oven, and amazing smells would fill the air. Slather the finished product with sugary white icing, and Linda and I were in cinnamon roll nirvana.If you’d asked me, I’d have unequivocally declared that heaven smelled like cinnamon rolls. 

When the time came to choose a special food for our family’s holy day celebration, it was a no-brainer—Pillsbury cinnamon rolls—food of the gods. My children embraced them as eagerly as I did as a youngster, and for many years the tradition continued.

Now that my girls are adults and more concerned about unidentifiable ingredients and preservatives, the special food pendulum is swinging back toward homemade delicacies. Some years I make my own cinnamon rolls, equally delicious and less likely to kill us, at least from preservatives. Our favorite hash brown casserole usually puts us in a carbohydrate coma, and sparkling cider or grape juice tops off our Christmas breakfast.

3. The White Elephant gift tradition. This tradition began before we had children as a means to liven up our family's somewhat boring, all-adult Christmas Eve gathering. Let’s face it, without the excitement wide-eyed children bring, adults-only gatherings can be a bit dull.

One year we suggested a White Elephant gift exchange. “Everyone bring a wrapped gift, something you don’t want, but is still usable. We’ll draw numbers, take turns choosing gifts, then swap with and steal them from each other.”

My brother-in-law took the idea and ran with it. He’s the master of White Elephant gifts and loves shopping for crazy, silly, or unusual items. His signature newspaper or grocery bag wrapping paper only adds to the signature effect. One year I ended up with a can of mackerel and a box of crackers. My husband got a box of Good n’ Plentys, a coloring book, and a box of crayons, and my daughter bagged a month's worth of Ramen noodles.

[image error] One of our most memorable W.E. gift exchange took place the Christmas before my brother-in-law died. He was in the final stages of lung cancer, and the realization that this would be our last Christmas with him hung heavily over us all. 

We gathered in the living room for the gift exchange, and my youngest daughter chose a pretty bag from under the tree. Inside was the book, The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig , a delightfully skewed and quirky version of the traditional Three Little Pigs tale.

Sensing the heaviness of the evening and trying to introduce some levity, she launched into a dramatic reading of the book, complete with different voices and hand gestures. Before long we were all laughing uncontrollably. 

The White Elephant gift exchange had saved the day.

4. The chocolate-covered cherries tradition. When my husband was little, he saved his money and bought his mom a box of chocolate-covered cherries. He wrapped the box and proudly set it under the tree.

Christmas was still several days away, and one day he decided to open the box to check on the cherries. They were beautiful—creamy chocolate, gooey white filling, and a luscious cherry in the center.

Before he knew what had happened, he’d eaten one. He hastily wrapped up the box and put it back under the tree. The next day, he did the same thing, eating a cherry, then wrapping up the box again. When Christmas day finally arrived and his mother opened her gift, a single chocolate remained. 

Every Christmas thereafter, he gave his mom a box of chocolate-covered cherries—with one missing.

Last year was our first Christmas without my mother-in-law, but the chocolate-covered cherry tradition continued. This Christmas Eve, we’ll open a box in her honor, and, yes, there will be one missing.

Family holiday traditions knit our hearts together, give us a sense of family unity, and express our heritage and diversity. Best of all, they bind the generations together. They're as personal and unique as we are, and really quite special.

Now I'd like to give you a turn. What family traditions do you enjoy? Share your stories in the comment box below. And if you’re reading by email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online, scroll to the bottom of the post, and leave a comment there.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Gossip - 5 Things You Need to Know

“Did you hear what happened with the Fredricksons? I suspected something was going on, but I never imagined it was this bad.”

Gossip is everywhere—break rooms, coffee shops, the gym, and, sadly, even in the church. Sometimes it’s obvious, like the example above. Other times it’s much more subtle.

“Jean, I want to share a prayer request. Did you hear that John’s fallen off the wagon again? We’ve got to pray for him and Chelsea. I’m so afraid he’s going to lose his job. And then how will they keep the kids in Christian school? I heard that they’re paying $20,000 a year to keep them there. . . and I think they had to take out a second mortgage to buy that new minivan last month.”

Google defines gossip as “casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.”

Scripture has a long list of names for it: slander, backbiting, betraying a confidence, whispering, and tale bearing. However you define gossip, the Bible clearly warns us of its destructive power.

Here are five things you need to know about gossip: 

1. When we gossip, we break God’s greatest commandment, the call to love one another. 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34-35).

2. Gossip hurts our witness to the unsaved world.

“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:25). 

Wounding other believers with our speech (gossipy “prayer requests,” whispered “I’m concerned about so-and-so,” and behind-the-back conversations in the spirit of “care and concern” doesn’t demonstrate an accurate picture of how sisters and brothers in Christ should act toward each other. The world sees this, takes note, and determines that “believers” are no different than unbelievers.

3. God holds us accountable for every idle word we say.

“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Mat. 12: 36-37).

If we’re true, born-again believers, we have the assurance that Christ took the punishment for our sins, even the ones we haven’t committed yet, on the cross. So when the Bible talks about being judged, it’s talking about a different type of judgment. This judgment may involve a loss of rewards (because gossip is certainly “wood, hay, and stubble” that will burn) or experiencing the natural results of being a gossip, like loss of trust and broken relationships.

4. Gossip will cause you to lose friends. 

 "A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends” (Prov. 16:28).

The most obvious way we can lose friends is to gossip specifically against that person. When word gets back to them, and it will, your relationship can be permanently damaged.

Another reason gossip parts friends is because sharing gossip, even if it’s about someone else, destroys our friend’s confidence in our trustworthiness. If Cara hears you gossiping about Shelby, then she’s naturally going to wonder what you say about her when she’s not around. Because trust is the foundation of any deep and lasting relationship, without it, our friendships will be superficial and stunted.

5. Gossip will find its way back to you. 

“What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs” (Luke 12:3).

The very nature of gossip requires passing along information. When that “information” makes its way to the person being talked about, rest assured, the tale-bearing breadcrumbs will lead straight to your door.

Now that we’ve examined these five scary truths about gossip, here are six questions we should ask ourselves before we speak:

1. Is it true? 

2. Is it kind?

3. Does it really need to be said? 

4. What is my motive in sharing this bit of information—to build someone up, or tear someone down? Look deeply into your heart and examine your true motives.

5. Would I say this if the person was standing here in front of me? 

6. Do I have a right to speak on this matter? Am I part of the problem or part of the solution?

One of the best ways to break the gossip habit, according to Chip Ingram in his Bible study, Five Lies that Ruin Relationships, is to listen more and speak less. This is sound advice, straight from the Bible: 

"When words are many,” Proverbs 10:19 says, “sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”

I want to be known as one who uses my words to help others, not hurt them. I suspect you have a similar desire. As we pursue this noble goal, may the words of Ephesians 4:29 guide us:

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Now it's your turn. Why do you think almost everyone struggles with gossip? What steps have you taken to help break the destructive speech cycle? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts. If you're reading by email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online, scroll to the bottom of the post, and leave a comment.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

One Way to Share the Gospel with Your Unsaved Friends this Christmas

[image error] Dear Hungry for God friends,

I suspect there are quite a few busy women on your Christmas list. Friends, co-workers, fellow church members, and your children's teachers, coaches, and babysitters, to name a few.

If you'd like to give them a gift that will draw them closer to the Lord, encourage them to spend time in God's Word, and think biblically, Hungry for God ... Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is the gift you're looking for.

And what about those friends and loved ones who may not have a relationship with the Lord?

In the last devotion in the book, I share, in a winsome and non-threatening way, what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you give someone you care about a copy of HFG, you'll not only be passing along spiritual encouragement, you'll also be sharing the Gospel. Either way, you could change someone's life forever.

And that's what Christmas is all about.

I love the newly-designed, glossy cover!
For a limited time, Amazon.com has my book discounted from $10.99 to $7.95. That's a 33% discount!
Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time  is also available at  BarnesandNoble.com, and Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. 

If you live in the Columbia, South Carolina area, I'd love to autograph and personalize copies for your special friends. Email me at LoriAHatcher@gmail.com.

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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

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, college student at a 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 intelligence,” 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 2012 by Lori Hatcher

From My Home to Yours, a Psalm of Thanksgiving

Our family will be sharing this psalm of Thanksgiving as we gather around our table today. May the psalmist's grateful words echo in your hearts as well. 
Happy Thanksgiving!



Psalm 138 
I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise. 
I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. 
When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted. 
May all the kings of the earth praise you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth. 
May they sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great. 
Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar. 
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me. 
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever-- do not abandon the works of your hands.


To get your celebration started, here's "Thank You," by Hillsong United. Worship and enjoy.





If you're reading by email and can't see the video, CLICK HERE to hear "Thank You,"


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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

8 Things I Shouldn't Be Thankful For

As Thanksgiving hides behind Thursday morning’s door waiting to jump out and yell “Gotcha,” I’m preparing to count my blessings. As I make my list, I’m discovering something surprising—many of this year’s blessings have entered my life disguised as something bad. Or sad. Or hard. 

When I bow my head in gratitude on Thursday, I’ll be thanking God for: 

Unemployment 
My husband’s job loss reminded us that our jobs are not our provider, God is. We tend to equate money with security, but unemployment reminded us we are most secure in the center of God’s hand. I’m thankful for the lessons he taught us about his love and care. 

Need 
The needs that accompanied his loss of income showed me God’s unlimited ability to provide for his children. “My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches and glory,” he promises, and it is true. I’m thankful to have new stories of God’s faithfulness to add to our faith heritage and share with others. 

Sickness 
Family members’ illnesses reminded me how God holds our lives in his hands and every breath is a gift from him. I’m thankful for Jehovah Rapha, the God Who Heals. 

Drought 
Months of bone-dry days and scorching heat remind me not to take simple things, like rain, for granted. Drought teaches me how truly dependent we are on God’s mercy and provision. “He bestows rain on the earth; he sends water upon the countryside” (Job. 5:10). I’m thankful for rain that waters our land, sunshine that makes plants grow, and seasons that testify of God’s faithfulness. 

Closed doors 
The longer I walk with the Lord, the more I’ve learned, if God doesn’t open a door, I don’t want to force it. As Jennifer Kennedy Dean writes in her book, Live a Praying Life, “If God has the power to change your circumstances right now, and if God loves you and wants your highest good, and if the circumstances are still in place, then what is your conclusion, based on truth?” I’m thankful I can trust God to know what’s best for my good and his glory. 

Grief 
The ache of missing loved ones reminds me of the sweetness of heaven. It makes me homesick for the day we’ll all be together. I’m thankful “we sorrow not as those who have no hope,” (1 Thes. 4:13). 

Delayed answers to prayer 
Having to pray persistently, fervently, and faithfully because answers are slow in coming has grown my character and my faith. It has strengthened my spiritual muscles. I’m thankful for the promise, “They who sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Ps. 126:5). 

The convicting voice of the Holy Spirit 
You know the voice. The One that keeps you awake at night, troubles your thoughts, and reminds you of what is right. The same one that won’t let you sin and get away with it, even if no one sees you. The one that nibbles you like a duck until you cry for mercy and do whatever it takes to make it right. I’m thankful for the still, small voice of conviction, because it proves I am God’s child.  

As you prepare for Thanksgiving, I’d like to encourage you to look past the obvious. Look closely at the parts of your life that are bad, sad, and hard. Perhaps you’ll discover, when you peel back the layers, that these trials are some of the greatest blessings of all.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher