The Meandering Mind of a Christian Woman

            Romance novels have a way of making a girl blush.   In general, a woman appreciates the concept of being swept off her feet, and treasured and protected by a strong man.   Lately, I have been mulling over the idea of Jesus as a lover, (Got your attention, don’t I?) hear me out before you get outraged.             The most intimate relationship anyone can share is that of the lover. It is intensely personal, a lover sees you in your most vulnerable conditions. A lover loves you in your most vulnerable conditions.   Being a lover requires trust.   Being a real lover places the other’s needs before your own.   Doesn’t that describe Jesus?   Shouldn’t that describe Jesus and his place in your life?   How could one be any more vulnerable than stripped bare, humiliated and hanging on a cross?       ...

            One of my concerns about heaven is; will it be so filled with souls that I will be lost in the crowd?   Will I be stuck in the “cheap seats”?   This morning the thought crossed my mind that perhaps in my own life, I have relegated God to the cheap seats.   When I consider all the activities of my life, as mundane as they can be, do I keep God front and center? Do I give God the best seat in my house?   I am embarrassed to realize that I do not, at least not consistently.             The truth is, God doesn’t “need” to be front and center, I need him to be front and center in my life.   After all, he is my biggest fan.   There is no one who loves me more than God, that makes him my number one fan.   It is essential that each day, every day, I make a concerted effort to escort God to the best seat in my house. Not for his benefit...

And I’m in that place once again.   That place between faith and despair, between believing and wanting to believe. As I write this, I am sitting beside my daughter’s hospital bed, she has been here four days and so have I. Her level of disability is severe.   Sleeping next to her on a cot each night, we typically have periods of conversation, some serious, some funny. I am doing what I can to minister to her with great love and care, helping her get comfortable, helping her eat and advocating for her.   However, I cannot begin to reach the level of ministering she has done for me.   I marvel at my daughter, her outlook is so filled to the brim with love and confidence in her healing.   She has touched my heart so deeply and she continually refreshes my spirit. The sweetest part is, she doesn’t even know she’s doing it. When I consider my faith, I sometimes imagine myself as the character, Susie, from “Miracle on 34 th St ” on the way home after the party at th...

I am not a great swimmer.   I can tread water for a fair amount of time but, due to my natural buoyancy, I am best at floating.   .   I further appreciate that when I am floating my ears are typically under water as well and that blocks out all the other distracting noises, there is a real peace.   How often do we feel as though in life we are treading water?   We keep moving but we don’t get anywhere.   Lately, my prayers have included asking God to enable me to lay my burdens down and not pick them up again (Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about here).   Last night as I prayed the image of floating on calm water came to mind. It is a comforting image, when I am floating on the water, I am weightless and graceful.   When I trust the Lord, my burdens are weightless and I am filled by His grace. Matthew 6: 25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. ...

I don’t know about you but I am feeling under attack as a Christian.   There was an Atheism rally in D.C. last weekend and some of the comments quoted in the press were soaked with hatred and aggression for us.   There is also a group called Freedom from Religion that is promoting the idea of changing “In God We Trust” on our currency to “In Reason We Trust”.   I find myself wondering, how do we respond to this?   Do we respond to this?   As Christians, we are to respond to all things in love.   Yet we must stand our ground.   At this point in time, Atheism is still the minority however; they have managed to banish prayer from schools, the Ten Commandments from courtrooms and are working on the Pledge of Allegiance.   How can this be?   It is because we have not stood our ground.   Remember, Jesus and his disciple were certainly a minority at one time and they changed the world. I don’t have all the answers, I’m not sure I have any ans...

            Lent is not my favorite time of year.   There are a few reasons; the dirge-like songs we sing in church, the weight of my guilt that Jesus had to die for me, this is also the time of year that were Don’s final days on earth and now this year my daughter is facing serious health issues.   It’s rather a downer.             Lent is the time we are to prepare our hearts for Easter; it is such a glorious holiday for a Christian. I’m quite fond of Easter, new life!   Lent is like the grumbling of the shopping season prior to Christmas. So, I find myself asking, what does God want/expect from us during this season of preparation?             I believe it is the same thing he desires for us all year long, to draw closer to him. Can we ever be too close to God?   I think not.   As we reflect on ...

Have you ever noticed that it is difficult to ask for help?   I was raised to be an independent sort of girl and I have come to realize that I am not good at asking for help.   I ask God for help all the time, yet asking another person for help is somehow more humbling than kneeling at the foot of the cross. Weird, huh? God created us to be social creatures.   Yet, I find when I am hurting the most, I reach out the least.   Are you that way? I have been crying out to God for help, direction and answers and stomping my foot like a spoiled child, thinking he is giving me the silent treatment.   Today, I have realized many of the answers and the help has been right in front of me the whole time. I have people who care; friends and family, they have all been asking how they can help and I have kept them at arms length.   Oh foolish woman that I am!   I bet there are people around you too, who will lift you up and stand by you, God put them there.   ...