When Troubles Weigh You Down, Look Up Unto the Stars

We are almost three weeks into the new year and there have definitely been some hard knocks for many people already. Devastating diagnoses, death, divorce proceedings, distress, grief, sickness, debt, loved ones slowly fading away or homeless and lost in shelters and mental illness or out at sea.

These troubles are more than enough to weigh any soul down.

Oh, there have been exciting things, too, like babies born and birthday celebrations, healing taking place in bodies, hearts and souls.

We are a forgetful people though and when the days are long and the nights are dark and the bad news tips the scales, just as we need air to breath, we need words of comfort and assurance.

On those dark nights, look up. It won't take away the pain, but it will give you new perspective. It will help you breath when life has knocked the wind out of you.

Lift up your eyes unto the stars. Your troubles will grow smaller and you will behold the greatness of God. In God, you will be comforted.

We get to the end of a cold day in January; the saddest day of the year, some say. 

The schoolwork has been spread open all day, the books that were used are still scattered, dinner was prepared while the kids squealed and sledded down the little hill to the side of the house, and the rosy-cheeked and famished kids came in and devoured their steaming lasagna and then scrubbed all the dishes clean.

After the noise, the laughter and the fresh-out-of-the-oven snicker doodles with mint tea, and Bible reading, we settle down in the silence of the evening. Long after the sun has sunk in the Western horizon and the bright stars have been strung once again on the black canvas of the night, the boy and I, we read another chapter out loud from a biography of Nathanial Bowditch: the self-taught, brilliant American scientist and mathematician born in 1773.

We are almost half way through the book, and Josiah tells me he loves the book, but there has been too much dying and he's not sure it can be a favourite book of his with so much death—Nat has already lost five people in his young life. It's not a feel good novel, but a lot of life doesn't feel good.

"Sometimes if you look at the stars long enough, they sort of shrink your troubles down to size." Nat Bowditch thoughtfully advised in "Carry On Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham.

Mikko Lagerstedt


I pause.

Did you hear that? I read it again. There is something there that we all need know. 

"Sometimes if you look at the stars long enough, they sort of shrink your troubles down to size." 

Nat knows all about death, disfunction, and shattered dreams, but he presses on and "sails by ash breeze". He teaches himself math, science, astronomy, Latin, French, and navigation while he's been indentured for 9 years and is prisoner in his apprenticeship.

We are all dealing with shattered dreams, broken pieces of our lives, challenging circumstances, and demanding people.



Sometimes, if you look away from your day-by-day troubles and look up to the stars that God hung in place, it sort of shrinks them down.

There, in the darkest night shine the brightest lights.

Mikko Lagerstedt

"Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these [stars]? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing."

These words are words of comfort and assurance to the people of God that would be taken captive by their enemy, but God would never abandon them even when they were deeply afflicted. He brings good news to a people who just received devastating news and He promises through His prophet Isaiah to send a Deliverer—the Son of God would come and redeem His people and call them to Himself.

You cannot know all of His ways, His understanding is unsearchable, just as you can't see all the stars in the sky. But He brings each star out, every one that He has named and in His greatness He will do exactly the same for His people—He will call them by name and will renew the strength for everyone who waits on the Lord.

Look up to the sky tonight. See the greatness of God, trust in His Word; for the starry heavens you gaze up to will pass away, but the words of God will never pass away.

The New Year Dawns Bright ~ And My One Word for Sweet '16 {2016}

"Seek the LORD and his strength;

seek his presence continually!"

{Psalm 105:4}

We had a green Christmas, but the new year dawned with a fresh covering of white in our world. The year ended with a silent night and we woke to sweet '16 full of promise, expectancy, hope. Many of us are ready for a fresh start.

I spent the last few days working on an old, tired credenza that I picked up at the local second hand store, 'Alliston's Attic', years ago with every intention to refinish it. It sat in its worn, original state in our front hall and was a useful piece of furniture, but not at all pleasant on the eyes. 

Last winter, I could also call it the Long Winter, I spent much time recovering from open-heart surgery surrounded by dark, depressing brown walls in the living room and I longed to be able to get rid of all the dark and depressing and let the light in.

So, as the year was getting tucked in for its final days, we drove down to the paint store to get some paint to make things brighter and, simply, whiter. And right there in the store was a display for Cottage Paint—no sanding, no dust, just brush on the paint and 'antique' your boring furniture. I grabbed a quart of 'cloudy white', some matte sealer, a new brush and was all set to begin the project that had been waiting for me for as long as I had been it's rightful owner.

We've covered all the dark and now the bright light pours in and simply reflects off all the white, like the sunlight on the freshly fallen snow. The light always shines brighter and overcomes the dark.

This new year, 2016, is pregnant with good intentions, plans, purposes. There's no better time than the start of a new year to dream up resolutions, goals, and commitments. Except, I've never really been good at keeping New Year's Resolutions and found something that works better for me—naming my year with 'One Word'.

Jon named it, 'Endurance', for me last year. The year before that, the year Dr. David agreed to take my broken, hardened, calcified heart and restore it as best he could, the year I clung ever so dear to the precious truth that God is with me, my One Word, was 'With'.

It's been a handful of years now that I've been naming naming them and this year the One Word seemed obvious.

As we painted away for a few days—my husband and daughter working on the dark walls, me on the dungy wood cabinet—we had hours of sharing things burdening our hearts and on our minds. When I mentioned to Jon that I was thinking about what I might name the coming year, he told me what he thought it should be and it was exactly what I had been mulling over.

Strength.

He reminded me the doctors told me that my recovery was going to be at least two years and the second year was going to be one for gaining strength.

Last year brought us so far along and this year I'm looking ahead with so much more excitement of what is to come.

As I look back at the wonderful deeds of the Lord, I am anticipating that God, in His faithfulness, sovereignty, love and wisdom, will do many great things this coming year.

I am trusting that as I seek Him more He will increase my faith and strengthen me.

Here is another exciting thing: this is the year I turn 40!

Many dread that year, but when you have lived through childhood cancer, lifelong health struggles, multiple surgeries, and face severe heart failure in your late 30's and undergo high-risk open-heart surgery and 'beat the odds' many times over, turning 40 is a time to give thanks to God and celebrate!

Each of our days are numbered and each one we have here we need to surrender to the Lord, trusting in Him in the days of adversity and in the days of ease and in all the days in between. Look at the birds of the air—the ravens, the sparrows, the bold cardinals, the little dark-eyed juncos that flit about—even these your heavenly Father feeds them and not one falls to the ground without Him knowing. 

It would be great to say that I have been fully healed, but that simply is not the case. I will always face difficult health struggles and not one persons knows what lies ahead.

When I look ahead this year, fear is not my constant companion, but weakness is. I have improved greatly, but when I wonder about what might be in store, I know that I can not accomplish anything on my own. 

I also know that my strength will come from the power of God, through seeking Him in His Word and in prayer.

For now, I can laugh at the days to come, eagerly anticipating God to work all things out for His glory. 

You only turn 40 once and I hope to be purposeful in living this year out as full as possible, strengthen by the Lord. I've been thinking about 40 things, a bucket list of sorts, to accomplish before I turn 40: My 40 Things Before 40.

There are some small as well as some pretty major things I am dreaming up and scratching down that may or may not come to fruition . . . memorize 40 Bible verses, read at least one book a month, refinish a piece of furniture, read through the Bible, share what God has done/is doing in my heart/life, review a book, paint a picture, pray for 40 people who don't know the Lord, see the ocean, make a family photo book, hike, blog at least 5 times a month, take a pottery wheel class, pray with others more consistently, work through a photography book, get-away with my sisters, write…

And I can dream up a plan, and purpose to make it happen, but it is in God's will and purpose that I ultimately place my trust. 

In my weakness, I look forward to seeing how God will strengthen me. Like Paul, who called himself the least of all the Apostles, God's grace is sufficient for me for his power is made perfect in my weakness.

His grace falls down, grace upon grace, covering me, always a fresh start, and His mercy is new every morning.

Let us sit in the silence, the stillness of a new year, wait on the Lord, earnestly seek God, surrender all our weakness, rebellion, anxiety and He will grant us His power and be our strength.

Oh, it is not only a mere covering that is here today and gone tomorrow or an outward display of morals, good intentions and our abilities that we are in desperate need of this year but that Christ may dwell in our hearts and that we could know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge and be filled with all the fullness of God.

Seek the Lord and His strength this new year. Seek His presence continually. There is your hope, your joy, your strength.

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 

and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, 

that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." 

{Ephesians 3:14-19}

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, 

according to the power at work within us, 

to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, 

forever and ever. Amen." 

{Ephesians 3:20-21}

{PDF free printable for anyone else turning 40!!!}

The Way to Look Forward Into A New Year {and a Brief Picture Recap of 2015}

The sun is setting on this year. In a few short hours it will all be mere memories and stuff that history is made from. It has been a hard year for so many around the globe and it is sobering to realize that there are many who have suffered so much more than I could ever imagine.

I sit in the silence now in the last few hours of 2015.

By God's grace alone, we made it! He brought us all through this past year.

As this past year began and I was trying to think of what my one word would be I asked for a suggestion from Jon. He nailed it and ended up naming it for me: Endurance.

Sometimes you look out at what is ahead and wonder how you will ever make it through. 

I was weak, lost in a world of recovery, anxiety, loneliness. It was a dark, dark place.

I really wasn't sure how my body could keep on in all its frailty. Time is what they all told me; it takes time to heal. But, when your days drag on and your body is weak, time can feel like a curse and you end up having too much time to let your mind wander and your anxiety mount.

So, really with time, the greater thing is trust. 

Every step forward was all part of this journey in trusting God. 

I believed my way forward was looking away unto Jesus. Focusing on my dark, hard place would only lead me further down. Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Perfector of my faith, the One who is sovereign over all, enabled me to take one small step at a time. 

I purposed to get outside in the great outdoors every single day to help me physically and emotionally. I relied on others to pray for me and was blessed with care, support and love from family and friends.

There were a few set backs as well as some huge milestones that we celebrated. Some days now my small steps look more like bigger leaps. 

I am actually looking forward to this next year and all that God has planned for coming year.

I took a quick glance back over the year and give God praise that we are once again moving forward and eagerly expecting God to faithfully do all that He has purposed for us. 

The terrain will be different, there will still always be hard and dark and difficult times where the Light will shine brightest, but the way ahead is always to trust in the God who does all things for His glory and the good of His people. 

Whatever lies ahead for you this next year, time is precious, but trusting God, that in His wisdom, love and sovereignty He will faithfully lead you on, is the only way forward.

 

Trust God in the Dark This Christmas

"God constantly encourages us to trust Him in the dark . . . 

 
It is heartening to learn how many of God’s mighty deeds were done in secret, away from the prying eyes of men or angles.

When God created the heavens and the earth, darkness was upon the face of the deep. When the Eternal Son became flesh, He was carried for a time in the darkness of the sweet virgin’s womb. When He died for the life of the world, it was in the darkness, seen by no one at the last. When He arose from the dead, it was ,’very early in the morning.” No one saw Him rise. 

It is as if God were saying, “What I am is all that need matter to you, for there lie your hope and your peace. I will do what I will do, and it will all come to light at last, but how I do it is My secret. Trust Me, and be not afraid.” 

With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack? Surely we are the most favoured of all creatures."

~ A.W.Tozer, 'The Knowledge of the Holy' [emphasis mine]

Whatever dark you face this Christmas, trust in Immanuel . . . God with us.

All you have need . . . your life, your hope, your joy, your peace . . .  is found in Him.

Merry Christmas, dear friend.

May the joy of the Lord be your strength.

Rebekah

The Greatest Gift to Give This Christmas

There are some of us (which, really means: all of us) who come from a long, long line of broken and busted up people. 

A line of hurting and selfishness and unforgiveness that cuts deep and runs on and on and ends up sprouting roots of bitterness and stifles love and slaughters relationships.

And no matter how perfect any family appears on the outside not one person is untouched from the Fall and every single soul is in desperate need of forgiveness. 

The only hope all of us ever have is the Messiah who was wrapped in swaddling cloths and placed in a manger, with the full purpose to be one day stripped of his clothes and nailed to a cross so that He could make us new, and 'though our sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow', and cover us with His righteousness. 

For days I've been thinking about my own hurting family line and how I could relate to this:

"You can stand around a Christmas tree with a family like Joseph's, with cheaters and beaters and receivers, with a family like Jacob's, who ran away and ran around and ran folks down. But out of a family line that looks like a mess, God brings the Messiah." {Ann Voskamp. The Greatest Gift, emphasis mine.}

For days I've been thinking about mercy and grace and forgiveness.

It's never neat and tidy, never perfect and pretty. It's never easy or even our default, but it is possible. There is one way to forgiveness and it cuts away the bitterness and grows love and restores relationship. 

And even though many of us imperfect people will meet with imperfect families over the next few weeks during the Christmas holidays, and some may be dreading it, there is this mercy: our Messiah reached down into our mess to redeem us from the fall and place us in His family and calls us to live in grace, grow in love, and give the gift of forgiveness and it is all made possible by His righteousness alone.

The greatest gift we, the ones who have been grafted into His family tree and given so much, could give one another this Christmas is forgiveness, wrapped in grace and humility, served with love.

There are some of us who are slowly realizing that better than perfect is grace, better than health is holiness, better than fortune is forgiveness, better than anything this world could offer is the God of all mercy who made this world to be in an intimate relationship with us.