Trusting in His Goodness: Week 7 - Chapter 7, Becoming One

Do you know the old song, “I come to the garden alone?” The focus of those words is the joy of being in relationship with God—spending time listening and talking to each other. Shelly and Mimi say on page 118 that God’s “plan is to enjoy our company eternally and for us to enjoy His.” It never ever ceases to amaze me that God desires my companionship. Amazing!

On the same page, they write, “Our sense of intimacy with the Godhead continues to grow as we find tangible ways to see ourselves in the center of the joyful, loving reality of the Trinity.” Our God enjoys being Father, Son and Holy Spirit—enjoys being in relationship with each other and welcomes us to be in that relationship with them.”

I love the quote on page 122, “Another blessing of living from within the Trinity is that we both have come to know a freedom from needing to present a false self to others, to be something we are not.” My question for us to post about this week-is what blessing do you receive when you live from the reality of your relationship with God? And, what Holy Habit do you think will help you live from the truth that God desires us to be “in” them?

Blessings on your reading—may each of us grow closer, deeper and together with our God through this week’s chapter.

Trusting in His Goodness: Week 6 - Chapter 6, Radiant with Joy

This morning, I opened our book to study Joy with a broken heart. A precious relationship I treasure is growing distant. It appears the physical distance between us has grown too far for my friend to navigate anymore and I’m so sad. This isn’t a huge grief—and grief from the death of a loved one, or deep suffering from a dreaded disease of injustice. But, it is a loss—one you may know all about.

How do we live with Radiant Joy when life’s sorrows and struggles show up like thieves in the night to steal our joy? Mimi and Shelly share amazing and important truths with us in this important chapter. As you read, pay attention to your heart. Do you believe what they write? Is joy a reality in your life?

On page 103, they write, “Our daily circumstances cannot be the basis for our joy. The foundation for joy is the belief that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He promises. We have been gripped by the quote, ‘The opposite of joy is not sorrow, it is unbelief.’” What we believe really is important to experiencing joy in our lives.

We would love to read your reflections on this important chapter. Also—it would be great if you could share lessons you’ve learned about living with joy—with a joyful heart.

I hope you will comment this week!

Trusting in His Goodness: Week Five - Chapter 5, Guilt Free and Spiritually Whole

Who wouldn’t want to live life guilt free? I have to admit that I struggle with guilt—it comes out in my manner all the time. And, that is probably because I’m not as spiritually whole as I could be. I wonder, as I read this week’s title, what insights Mimi and Shelly have to offer someone like me—someone like you?

I don’t think you will be disappointed when you spend time in this chapter. These pages remind us of God’s holiness and His view of us—plus, Mimi and Shelly give us practical ways to respond to God’s holiness. If you are like me, your lack of holiness, your propensity to certain sinful behaviors may overwhelm you. Learning how to view ourselves as God sees us and also take steps to put off, take off, remove, bind and purify our hearts, minds, words and hands gives incredible relief and hope.

Please allow plenty of time to sit in these truths, to choose and apply a holy habit and to respond to God’s Holy Word. In our brokenness, God loves us just the way we are while He desires for us to be holy as He is holy. This transformative journey that we are on is truly miraculous—exciting—and life changing!

This week:

• Please post how learning to be holy as God is holy, to live guilt free and spiritually whole can, does will impact your life.
  

• Encourage us by sharing how you are going to apply one of the holy habits to your life. Thank you! It will be a blessing to each of us to hear from you!

Response:

I really like the idea of practicing turning from temptation to God. This reminds me of what Jesus taught about the emptiness of a soul cleansed needing to be filled or the evil would return 7 times over. I am working on remembering what I really want when I’m tempted.

Do I really want to get mad, or do I want peace?

Do I really want to believe lies, or do I want to believe truth?

This is the holy habit I’m working on this week—and believe me, I have a long ways to go. I’m very thankful though that I have been forgiven, cleansed, made whole—that I am loved and accepted—that God hasn’t given up on me but is confident of His transforming work in my life—these are truths that I cling to as God’s holiness overwhelms me and my enemy seeks to get me to live in condemnation. I’m so thankful I don’t have to listen to those lies or live in defeat. Yea, God!

Trusting in His Goodness: Week Four - Chapter 4, Swept Off Your Feet

Have you ever been swept off your feet with love? As a new bride, my husband swept me off my feet—in fact he still does. From my children’s conception they owned my heart. I’ve also been swept off my feet with friends who’ve claimed my love. Strangers living in distress have broken my heart and won my care. This chapter asks me to consider whether I realize how much God desires to sweep me off His feet with His love. Writing that sentence overpowers my heart with the realization that the God of the universe is courting me!

It would be easy for me to make a long list of the many ways God has wooed me—but I’ll just stick to today. He gave me breath this morning, welcomed me to the day, strengthened me for the task, and blessed me with wisdom and insights for my work. I felt Him speak quietly to me when words were missing and gently remind me of what is important when I was tempted. And this is all before 4 pm! I’ve been rested, fed and cared for even as I live with my weaknesses and chronic pain. I feel His love as I sit in His presence. Reading this chapter and soaking in the holy habits draws me even closer to Him.

There are dark nights of the soul—you may be in one right now. One of my friends has been in one for as long as I’ve known her though she continually faces God, waiting for Him to lift her from this place of disconnect that feels so distant from Him. Can we trust that even in distance He is loving us? Can we believe that in pain, suffering, injustice and hardships His love is never-ending? These are hard questions and as I read this chapter I had to confront them. Life tries to teach us to be wary of “God’s Love.” Is it for real?

I would love to hear how you respond to this chapter. Maybe you’d like to comment on how you are engaging with one of the holy habits to help you grow in realizing God’s amazing love for you.

Trusting in His Goodness: Week Three- Chapter 3, Dancing in Life-Giving Light

You will want to dance your way through this life-giving, encouraging chapter. Mimi’s and Shelley’s personal stories reflect the wonderful truth they are presenting in this chapter. I had taken the book to my bedroom where I hoped to read a bit before resting on this hot afternoon. Instead, their words woke me to a truth too exciting to read while lying down. In fact, I wanted to get up and dance when I read the prayers they suggest for spiritual and heart sight. “Shine your light in me so that I may see what you see. Use my eyes.” (p. 44) Though I often pray to see life from God’s perspective, I think there is a difference in their prayer and mine.

I also loved the words about our transformation into being the Light of the World that Jesus talks about in Matthew 5:14. Not only can God help us see what He sees, He can use us to show the world Himself. He is so gracious to use us in our imperfection and so powerful to transform our willingness to be light and reveal Himself to those who need His light. This is exciting stuff to live!

This week, as you read and ponder this chapter, please let go of “shoulds” and “oughts" that may cause you to assume you already know this truth. Let God take you deeper into dancing in His life-giving light. When you post, please share any new insights you’ve gained or the holy habit you wish to develop to help you grow in this amazing truth.

My Response:

It is really amazing that God’s power and light is great enough to shine through us to the extent that we are called to shine our light for the world to see Jesus! Amazing! One of the fun parts of our recent move from the West Coast to the East Coast has been learning to make friends with people who are from the “Big Apple.” Their no-nonsense reputations and lack of friendly exterior made them a bit intimidating to me—but as I started being who I really am, a pretty friendly child of God, people have begun to respond. We say “hey” as we meet someone on the street—they glance at us in surprise—and then they smile and greet us. That is pretty cool.

Looking clerks in the eyes and calling them by name with a kind word also gets a surprised response—but then a smile and some connection. This is just a small way for me to be light in my community—but I think it is a fun way to bring LIFE into the world around me. This has become a holy habit for me—one I hope to continue to practice!

Trusting in His Goodness: Week Two - Chapter 2, Out from Behind the Curtain

I will try to tell this story succinctly. My aunt had to move to a dementia care facility last fall. She was able to take her beloved cat with her. But, about a month ago he bit a fellow resident and was kicked out of the home. My nephew, Caleb, took Simba to live with him but his roommate’s allergies made cohabitation impossible.

My family lives in Washington and I live in New Jersey. I’m my aunt’s durable power of attorney—her happiness is my responsibility. Where to put Simba became the dominate topic of cross-continent phone conversations. Suggestions were often DOA, they just didn't work. Phone calls, posts of FB and conversations with friends only yielded suggestions to put the cat down, lie to Aunt Corrine and be done with it. But, my Mom and I just couldn't get peace about taking one of the last things my aunt has left and ending it with an injection. How could we dishonor her wishes? What would we say to her? Would we be able to find a solution? We agonized and we prayed.

God, who has allowed my aunt to have dementia, to lose her ability to live in her beloved condo surrounded by her life-long friends in her favorite city, found a home for her cat. God, who knows my aunt's sufferings from the indignity of loss of control, provided a way for us to honor her love for Simba. God, who sees my aunt surrounded by people who don't know where they are or remember who they are and who say really strange things, said yes to our plea for a solution for Simba. It seems incongruent to me. In the unwanted mess of aging, His goodness shows up in the attention He gives to a cat my aunt loves.

Somehow this encourages me in a baffling kind of way.

Why didn't He say yes to our prayers for my aunt to not have to walk this path? Why another burden for my Mom's slender shoulders? Why all the loss of dignity, health, home and friends? Why? I don't know... But, I see His love for her and even my mom when He gave my mom the idea of calling my cousin Sandy and she said yes to an aging, grumpy cat. I feel Him lifting my chin, forcing my eyes to look into His to see His goodness, His love, His care, His sorrow, His presence. In the incongruent He is here.

This afternoon, my Aunt Corrine rode with Simba, Caleb and my Mom to the old family farm. Sandy assured them Simba, a 15-year-old cat, is welcome to live with her and her 14-year-old cat. In fact, she'd wanted a new cat. I spoke to Aunt Corrine tonight and she sounded so happy to have spent part of the afternoon with Simba, happy that Simba has a new home. I'm happy, too. Thank you, God, for showing up in the discordant elements of my aunt's journey.

One of the Scriptures Mimi and Shelly will take us to this week is, "Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy” (Acts 14:17). The truth they write about in this chapter can be summed up in that verse.

God is good—we can look and see His goodness in creation and in His Word and in His care for us. I wonder, how you will read this chapter from the context of your setting. Where do you see the goodness of God this week? I look forward to reading your comments. I hope you’ll enjoy and be challenged by this week’s reading. Be sure to leave enough time to practice the Holy Habits and thoughtfully respond to the questions.

Where I’ve Seen God’s Goodness:

• This week I have seen God’s goodness in the healing of a friend whose heart was broken after her second miscarriage of a baby she has tried years to conceive. As I talked with her today, months after she lost the 2^nd baby, I’m hearing her be able to respond to God’s love and care and life that is all around her. The pain is still there, but there is also healing which can only be God’s amazing goodness.

• I’ve also seen His goodness in conversations on my couch with women who are really hurting. As l listen and cry with them, I also see God meet them right where they are and bring healing and hope to their troubled lives. I’ve started looking at my couch as a very sacred place!

• I’ve also seen God’s goodness while Skyping with my 2-year-old, precious grandson—such a gift to our family.

• I’ve seen His goodness in the strength He gives my Mom, the help He gives Kevin for his huge job as Executive Pastor at our church, and me with my work at Link Care.

I have so much to be thankful for—even my little window sill herb garden that is finally starting to thrive. God’s goodness has been in the hard places this week—and in the life-giving moments, too. I love Him so very much.