The Chief of Staff at Nashville Rescue Mission has challenged many of us to send a note of gratitude to someone who has influenced our life and to do this daily for the next thirty days.  Here’s mine for today: I would like to thank each of you here at Nashville Rescue Mission who has been courageous and transparent enough to share your story.

I say courageous because I come from a tradition where everyone puts on a show of having it all together, which in retrospect seems rather cowardly. It reminds me of Garrison Keillor who would say as he welcomed listeners to Lake Wobegon, “Welcome to Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.” Yeah, right!

I can remember from my youth that my mom and grandmother didn’t especially like my uncle (by marriage). I would ask why, but they never let on until much later that it was because they thought he was an alcoholic. That would never have been admitted in my family. I didn’t know until she was in her later stages of life that my mom herself was on antidepressants. It just wasn’t discussed. I remember a teenage friend from church who went to “live for a year with her aunt in California.”  It never occurred to me why until much later when it was acknowledged that she had a child. And I can remember how inferior I felt when it seemed that all my acquaintances had such perfect families and all the kids were getting college scholarships to the schools of their choice, etc. etc. etc.  It was only later that I heard (and not from my friends) about drug problems, eating disorders, jail time, etc. in the lives of these same acquaintances.  However, when I did hear about it years later, it was in the form of gossip, though, and not real confrontation or edifying, transformative discussion/interaction.

How and where do you go for help when it seems that yours is the only family that is struggling?  How do you learn to help others when you have never witnessed help in action?

So just in case you are wondering because I know how compassionate you are, I am really okay now.  But I suffered depression for way too many years of my life because I refused to acknowledge it and seek help.  I had no example, no precedent.  It just wasn’t done.  And in that depression I made lots of serious mistakes.  I have learned lots of lessons from my experience.  I have learned to forgive myself; I have learned to forgive others.  I am more compassionate because I know that no one is immune from similar struggles, no matter how put-together they look and act.

The Bible tells us that a hypocrite is someone who puts on a mask and pretends to be something he is not.  “If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves” (Galatians 6:3). Ephesians 4:25 reminds us that as members of one body, we believers should be honest with ourselves and with each other.

So circling back to the beginning—I cannot begin to express how transformative it has been for me to work alongside you who have been so open about your own life struggles. Your honesty and your life story have encouraged me.  You are strong, you are courageous, you are loving, you are my heroes of the faith.

I thank you.  I hope you know what you mean to me.

Blessings,

Judy

Many of us have been impacted by the loss of a loved one in the recent past.  Losing someone important to us changes our lives.  It’s not something that we get over quickly, if ever.  I’ve been on a mission to learn more about grief because of my own journey and because so many of my friends and colleagues are dealing with grief.  Below are some things I have learned, or have had confirmed from the GriefShare website:

• Grief is not an enemy or a sign of weakness. It is a sign of being human. Grief is the cost of loving someone.
• “Some people think that going through the losses or crises of life are the exceptional times,” says Dr. H. Norman Wright. “I see it differently. I see the times of calm as the exceptions. Life really is going through one loss after another, one crisis after another.”
• Joseph Stowell says, “Even though your heart is breaking and tears are clouding your eyes and staining your cheeks, God does give us something worth trusting in tough times. And that’s Him, and Him alone.”
• When your heart is breaking, you can place your hope and trust in the Lord. “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.” (Psalm 31:24).
• Anne Graham Lotz defines hope: “Biblical hope is absolute confidence in something you haven’t seen or received yet, but you’re absolutely confident that whatever God has said is going to come to pass.” She also declares that “Jesus is your hope for the future. One day Jesus Christ will come back, and He will set all of the wrong right. Good will triumph over the bad. Love will triumph over hate. Righteousness will triumph over evil. He’s going to make it all right, and you can have absolute confidence that that’s going to take place. That’s your hope.”

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31).

 Lord God, teach me to embrace my grief and not fight it, so that I may experience the true healing that comes from You.  Amen.

Blessings,

Judy

Death puts the final period on one’s life story.  For sure, a person’s influence can extend beyond the grave, but once death occurs there is no further opportunity for a person to change one’s life story.

Mark Twain gave us a unique perspective on this in his book, Tom Sawyer.  After one of his adventures, Tom is believed to be dead so the town has a funeral for him.  Tom sneaks back in to the church to attend his own funeral.  Can you imagine yourself at your own funeral?

Better yet, imagine how you would like for your funeral to be.  What do you hope that your family and friends and coworkers would say about you, or at least think about you after you are gone?

You know you don’t have to leave this to chance.  You can be intentional about the life you live and the impact that you have on those around you.  Stephen Covey tells us to “begin with the end in mind.”  He even recommends that we write a personal mission statement now to help us to focus on the legacy we want to leave for our family, church, friends, neighborhood, and workplace.

Don’t put this off.  God has numbered our days, but it is not for us to know so that we will focus on being ready NOW.  “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:13)

How do you want to be remembered?  What will you do with your life right now to allow those you leave behind to genuinely say of you, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21)

Blessings,

Judy

“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.”  2 Corinthians 5:1

We have all lost a friend and ally on this earth.  Janet was a payroll expert, a loyal Mission employee, a UK (and really all sports) fan, and she was our friend.  Those who knew her realized that her body, her earthly tent, was in the process of being destroyed.  In some respects, that is no different from all of us, but her situation seemed to be on a more speedy track to destruction.

While her body was wasting, her spirit was only getting stronger.  She had such a love, such a passion, for each of us.  More importantly, she had a passion for the work of Nashville Rescue Mission, and a love for her LORD.  Janet has been such a rock for us, and such a rock for her family.  She will be missed.

At times like this when I seek understanding, it is helpful for me to turn to those wiser than I, and so in my reading I came upon this article by John Piper that I want to share with you.  Here is the reference for those of you who would like to read it in its entirety.

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/plunge-your-mind-into-the-ocean-of-god-s-sovereignty

Below are some excerpts:

• “Sometimes we need to plunge our minds into the ocean of God’s sovereignty. We need to feel the weight of it, like deep and heavy water pressing in against every pore, the deeper we go. A billion rivers of providence pour into this ocean. And God himself gathers up all his countless deeds — from eternity to eternity — and pours them into the currents of his infallible revelation. He speaks, and explains, and promises, and makes his awesome, sovereign providence the place we feel most reverent, most secure, most free.”
• “Sometimes we need to be reminded by God himself that there are no limits to his rule. We need to hear from him that he is sovereign over the whole world, and everything that happens in it. We need his own reminder that he is never helpless, never frustrated, never at a loss.”
• “Sometimes we need to hear specific statements from God himself about his own authority. We need God’s own words. It is the very words of God that have unusual power to settle our nerves, and make us stable, wise, and courageous.”
  • “Whatever I please, I do, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.” (Psalm 135:6)
  • “I work all things according to the counsel of my will.” (Ephesians 1:11)
  • “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’” (Isaiah 46:9-10)
  • “My times are in your hands.” (Psalm 31:15)

• “And as we listen, let us praise him. There is no other fitting way to listen to God’s exaltation of God. This is what happens to the human soul when we plunge into the ocean of God’s sovereignty.”

God surely blessed us by allowing Janet to be a part of each of our lives, and for that I know I will be forever grateful.

“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” (Psalm 59:16)

Blessings,

Judy