What's Next?

When I was a new mom, I often felt overwhelmed by my circumstances. The crying, the whining, the mess. I would look around at it all and just want to sit down and have a good cry. At some point during that time, I heard Elisabeth Elliot speak on the concept of "do the next thing." She talked about how, after her husband Jim died, she would have been overcome if not for this simple concept. When her emotions would start to run away with her, she would simply ask herself what the next thing she needed to do was. And then she would do it. And then she would do the next thing, and the next, and the next. And all those little "next things" made up her days.

I adopted this principle and began to whisper to myself, "Just do the next thing." Sometimes the next thing was to change a diaper, or start dinner, or return a phone call. Even now I move through my day doing the next thing. Sometimes my next thing is to homeschool my children. Sometimes it's to tidy the house. Sometimes it's to sit down and hammer out an article I have due. Whatever it is, I focus on that one task until it's done. And then I ask myself what's to be done next.

I always knew I learned this concept from a godly woman, but I never thought about this concept being from God. My reading in Oswald Chamber's timeless devotional, My Utmost For His Highest has helped me see that it is indeed a spiritual truth that God wants us to learn. Consider this quote:

"We look for visions from heaven, for earthquakes and thunders of God's power... and we never dream that all the time God is in the commonplace things and people around us. If we will do the duty that lies nearest, we shall see Him."

Chambers referenced the scene in I Kings where Elijah is running from King Ahab. He is hungry and tired and very depressed. (Ever been there?) In that scene God sends an angel to him who says simply, "Arise and eat" (I Kings 19:5). What was Elijah's "next thing" he needed to do? Get up and eat something! Sometimes just moving forward in the most basic way is all God needs from us. With our obedience comes the solution we are seeking.

What "next thing" is God asking you to do? Get up, do whatever it is, and find Him there.

Application:

Make a list of things you need to accomplish today. Now, instead of getting overwhelmed by your list, pray over it and ask God, What is the next thing I need to do? It might just be to cross some of those things off your list!


Marybeth Whalen

When life falls apart...

I have a friend whose life used to be like a treasured love letter. Each day she'd open up the well creased paper and live out the gentle familiarity with great joy.

Her life read of love, purpose, tradition, stability, respect, and faith. Day by day, layer upon layer her legacy decorated the edges of her love letter with strokes of consistent beauty.

Then one shocking day, she awoke to find that someone she trusted very much had knowingly and willfully torn her love letter in half. Shocked and hurt she asked this someone to tape it back together.

Though the letter would never quite look the same, eventually a heart of forgiveness and eyes of grace allowed her to see the letter as lovely once more.

Her little letter had been through a lot, but, strangely enough, didn't seem as fragile as it had years before. The paper felt more stable then it had ever felt. And she found that good could even come from the rips and tears of life.

Healing days turned into healing years and soon the paper's scar faded so much you could hardly tell it had been torn.

There was joy. But then sorrow returned.

One morning she awoke to find her letter missing. Frantic and desperate she threw open her front door gasping for air. And there, to her great horror, she saw bits and pieces of her letter swirling and being carried away in the wind. Her letter, her life, everything precious and seemingly protected, was never to be the same again.

This time it wasn't just tattered and torn. It was shredded beyond repair.

She collapsed in a heap of tears. Grief like she'd never known overtook her. She went to bed and thought she'd stay there forever.

The days were suddenly dark. The nights were way too long. The hours seemed to creep along in torturous spans. Each minute so painful she wondered how much longer her heart could continue its beat by beat rhythm.

Then one day she willed herself out of bed. Maybe it was the longing for her letter of old. Maybe it was wishful thinking. Maybe it was the purest form of raw hope. She walked outside among the pieces and parts of her life's letter.

Ragged edges on each torn piece spoke loudly of the state of the circumstances she couldn't escape. But looking closely, she discovered something wondrous. Though the torn apart letter couldn't be read in sentences and paragraphs, the individual words were still clear.

Piece by piece she picked up the fragments of paper and read them one word at a time. So many of the words were glorious. Absolutely glorious. Her life was still there.

And though the letter would never be read exactly the same as it had, for the first time in a long while she saw beauty. Gathering the pieces together, she starting lining them up in rows. Old words- new sentences.

The letter of her life took on a new meaning. All the truth that seemed to be shredded with the old letter, was still there.

Truth still meant truthful. Full of truth.

Grace still meant graceful. Full of grace.

Joy still meant joyful. Full of joy.

And beauty still meant beautiful. Full of beauty.

Which is exactly what God kept whispering to her but she couldn't seem to understand how anything so broken could ever be made whole again.

Sometimes whole doesn't mean put back together the exact right way. For if someone discovers fullness within each broken piece, each part takes on a wholeness of its own.

So, for the first time in a long while she smiled. And while she never thought she could be happy with a letter read in pieces one word at a time, she found the fullness in each word and rediscovered her life.

She closed every door to her old life, picked up her pieces, and in complete fullness walked on.

--Lysa Terkeurst

We need eachother

Last week I attended the Guardian of Light Awards Dinner at the Grand America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City. It was sponsored by the Lighted Candle Society, a national organization dedicated to the eradication of pornography and the increased enforcement of decency laws.

I did a book signing, and had the opportunities to talk to a lot of people concerning my book. I've been amazed at how many times I've been told "thank you" for sharing my story, even by those who know very little about it and don't know me at all.

Why is that? Why are people so appreciative to someone for letting them have a private glimpse into their lives? A glimpse of something painful, difficult, and life changing?

I think it's because it's real. How often have you been inspired by the story of a stranger saving a victim from death because of their quick unselfish actions? A story of someone with the financial resources to help someone needing a critical medical treatment and can't pay for it on their own?

Opening ourselves up to others--being real--not afraid to let them see inside. That is what touches people's hearts, that is what changes lives, that is what inspires others that they can triumph over difficulties, too. We need eachother. God can't be everywhere at once

She Taught Me...

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .
'If you're going to kill each other, do it outside.
I just finished cleaning.'

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
'You better pray that will come out of the carpet.'

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL .
'If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock
you into the middle of next week!'

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
' Because I said so, that's why.'

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .
'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck,
you're not going to the store with me.'

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
'Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're
in an accident.'

7. My mother taught me IRONY
'Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry
about.'

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
'Shut your mouth and eat your supper.'

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM .
'Will you look at that dirt on the back of your
neck!'

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
'You'll sit there until all that spinach is
gone.'

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
'This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through
it.'

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
'If I told you once, I've told you a million times.
Don't exaggerate!'

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE .
'I brought you into this world, and I can take you
out.'

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
'Stop acting like your father!'

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
'There are millions of less fortunate children in this
world who don't have wonderful parents like you do.'

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
'Just wait until we get home.'

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
'You are going to get it when you get home!'

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
'If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are
going to freeze that way.'

19. My mother taught me ESP.
'Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when
you are cold?'

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
'When that lawn mower cuts off your foot, don't
come running to me.'

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .
'If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never
grow up.'

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
'You're just like your father.'

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
'Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born
in a barn?'

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
'When you get to be my age, you'll understand.'

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE
'One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out
just like you.

Happy Mother's Day!

The sound of the bell

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.
From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse. But if you
stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite
amazing....

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind.
His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a
good home for him. This alone is amazing.
If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell.
Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it
comes from the smaller horse inthe field. Attached to the horse's
halteris a small bell. Itlets the blind friend know where the other
horse is, so he can follow.
As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see that the
horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that
the blind horse will listen for the and then slowly walk to where
the other horse is, trusting that he will not be led astray.
When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each
evening,it stops occasionally and looks back, making sure that the
blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.
Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just
because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.
He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us
when we are in need.
Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing
bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the
guide horse, helping others to find their way....Good friends are
like that...You may not always see them,but you know they are
always there.Be kinder than necessary, everyone you meet is fighting
some kind of battle.

Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly....
Leave the rest to God