Wireless Hope

It's a few days after Christmas. In that in-between time before the new year comes, I think it's typical to have that odd feeling that follows after a big event. Whether we feel relieved, or bummed about Christmas Day coming and going, I know that the holiday crash (combined with the weather/darkness at this time of year) can make one feel vulnerable to fear and depression. I know it's not just me; I've talked to plenty who are struggling too. Therefore, I felt it was important to post something and address the elephant in the room. Being honest and vulnerable helps create a safe place for others to share as well so we can lift each other up.

As I've mentioned previously, my word for this year has been "hope". I think I've had some good growth in this word. I've had to intentionally discipline myself into a new mindset; because hope isn't a feeling or an idea. Hope is a person: Jesus. When you rightly define "hope" as Christ Jesus, your perspective changes and it transforms your life.

That's what I have most absorbed about Christmas in recent years. I am pretty "bah, humbug" about everything else. Christmas isn't just a "day" or a season either. Christmas IS Christ. Christmas IS hope. That hope is with us EVERY DAY in our hearts as believers because He is Immanuel; God with us. 

 

In Matthew 1:22-24 and Isaiah 7:14, we see that the Lord told us He would give us a sign; that the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and that He would be called Immanuel. When we hear that, or read it in the Word, it's easy to just hear and see words without really thinking about what they mean. But, when thinking of it recently, the word "sign" is what stood out to me. The word for sign in this verse is the Hebrew word, "oth" which means: "a signal (literally or figuratively), as a, flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc. -- mark, miracle, (en-)sign, token".

As far as signs go, I don't know what other sign could rival this kind of sign that is being talked about here! "Immaculate conception" is truly an understatement! It is LITERALLY impossible, but as Mary was told in Luke 1:37 NOTHING is impossible for the Lord! He is the ONLY ONE who can accomplish such a thing. That's the assurance that Mary had when she asked the angel, "How can this be?"

Undoubtedly, there are a lot of things that happen in life that make you wonder "why". There are things that take us by surprise; pleasant and unpleasant. Especially when it comes down to the hard things, the disappointing things, and the downright awful and unfair things, we wonder....."HOW can this BE?"  In these seemingly impossible situations, we who are believers KNOW that what the Word says is true; that nothing is impossible for God. He proved it with this sign, our beacon of HOPE, that nothing is too hard for Him! Are our situations too hard for US? Yes, they often are. That is WHY we need HIM. We cannot do anything or overcome anything on our own strength. John 15:5 says that apart from Him, we can do nothing, but Philippians 4:13 says that we can do ALL THINGS....THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens us.

We also need other people to help us in times of need. Immanuel shows up in many different ways when we need Him; and that often comes through other people who share who He is in the form of love, compassion, and kindness. We too get opportunities every day to be Immanuel as well. Having one another keeps us going when we feel like we can't go on anymore and we want to give up.

I can think of no better example of this than in the audio book that I just finished. I often listen to Holocaust survivor stories to give me hope. I can't think of anything more terrible than the horrors of Nazi Germany. Hearing the testimonies of those who have survived, and HOW they survived, is so amazing to me. Every single testimony I’ve heard talks about the many different ways people risked their lives in order to help others continue to live; and sometimes that help even came from the most unlikeliest of places and people. I HIGHLY recommend that you read "The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor" by Eddie Jaku. It's only a couple hundred pages, but the way he conveys such important life lessons makes it something that I will likely read again (he also has a widely viewed TED talk that's worth watching as well). This particular part is what really stood out to me and made me cry more than any other portion:

I can tell you that I would not be here today without Kurt. Thanks to my friend, I survived. We looked after each other. When one of us was injured or too sick to work, the other would find food and help the other. We kept each other alive. The average survival time of a prisoner in Auschwitz was seven months. Without Kurt, I wouldn’t have made it half that far. When I had a sore throat, he cut his scarf in half and gave me one so I could recover. People saw us wearing the same scarf and assumed we were brothers; we were that close.

Each morning, we would wake up and, before work, we would walk around the blocks and talk, to keep our spirits up. We would hide little presents for each other behind a brick I had carved out in the toilet wall –soap, toothpaste, pieces of rags.

These moments of friendship and gratitude were necessary in order to survive that inhumane place Hitler had created. Many people chose to take their own lives rather than go on. It was so common there was even a phrase to describe it: go to the wire. AuschwitzII-Birkenau, a subcamp of the much larger Auschwitz camp complex, was surrounded by an electrified barbed-wire fence. To touch this fence was certain death and so, to end their lives without giving the Nazis the satisfaction of killing them, people would run to the wire and grab it. I lost two good friends this way. They went, naked, holding hands, to the wire. I do not blame them. Certainly, there were many days I would have preferred to be dead.

We were cold, we were sick. Many times, I said to Kurt, ‘Let’s go. What is the point of living, only to suffer tomorrow?’

Kurt refused. He would not let me go to the wire.

This is the most important thing I have ever learned: the greatest thing you will ever do is be loved by another person.

I cannot emphasize this enough, especially to young people. Without friendship, a human being is lost. A friend is someone who reminds you to feel alive.

Auschwitz was a living nightmare, a place of unimaginable horrors. But I survived because I owed it to my friend Kurt to survive, to live another day so that I might see him again. Having even just one good friend means that the world takes on new meaning. One good friend can be your entire world.

This, more than the food we shared or the warm clothes or the medicine, was the most important thing. The best balm for the soul is friendship. And with that friendship, we could do the impossible.

Eddie is very much right. In fact, on the day I had listened to that part, I had just had the kind of day where I felt like “running to the wire”. I can’t tell you how many times I have wanted to give up in life…. and even ON my life. In fact, many years ago, I was listening to my friend Shane talk about how he lost his brother to suicide. If ever there was a more heartbreaking “how could this be”, it’s when something like that happens. He couldn’t help but wonder about all the “whys” and felt like it was all a waste and nothing good could come from it. I made him a promise right there; that the one good thing to come from his brother’s life would be that I would live mine…which is exactly the kind of thing Eddie Jaku was talking about. There would be no “waste” because I would keep my word to my friend and go on living no matter how hard or dark it seemed. Sometimes, that promise was the last thread on the end of my rope that kept me from “going to the wire”. I would remind myself, “I promised Shane” and have told him over the years about how many times he and his brother had continued to save my life.

I hope all of us can name at least ONE friend in our lives that will keep us from “going to the wire”; that “pulls us back from the edge” as the other phrase goes. We all have bad days, but we have a GOOD SAVIOR! We have a friend in Jesus; and in other friends in whose hearts He lives. May we continue to have friends, and BE the kind of friends, who can testify to the fact that Immanuel LIVES...that He’s WITH us and that we stand WITH each other through the good and bad times. As Hebrews 10:24-25 says: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (NIV)

I’m here to testify to the fact that yes, with God, all things are possible! He has done impossible things in my life and has worked things things out for His good purpose in my life (Romans 8:28). Like Eddie, I owe it to my family and friends to keep going. More than anything, though, I owe it to Jesus to honor Him with my life. If I'm still here, it is because He needs me to be here. I cannot and will not give up for any reason because as Eddie also says in his book, "where there is life, there is hope." Put Jesus in that sentence, "where there is life, there is Jesus"...and where there is Jesus, there is LIFE. Because Christ lives in me, HOPE lives in me.

There is absolutely no reason for me to ever give up; no matter how I feel or how bad things seem. Even as I sit here writing this, I'm very aware of the fact that I'm feeling better than the day I first listened to that part of the book. I was having a stressful day. My body was giving out due to sickness and weariness (on top of my daily pains in my body that never stop due to arthritis, degeneration, fibromyalgia, etc.), and I just didn't want to keep pushing myself. My feelings change constantly and so do my circumstances. Satan would love nothing more than to take advantage of a weak moment in a difficult day to put an end to everything good that God wants to do. The Lord doesn't waste our pain. He has a plan for everything you are persevering through right now; Eddie Jaku is proof of that and so are the countless Biblical heroes of the Bible (including the greatest conqueror of all time: Jesus Christ). Also, right after that hard day, Earl showed up at my office with another beautiful present for me that had belonged to his dearly departed wife. His gift of love, hugs, prayers, and thoughtfulness lifted me up so much! I put it on right away; which amazingly complimented the dress that I was wearing. My plain red dress never looked so good and I felt like Cleopatra or something lol. I wore it proudly that whole day and into the evening for the "Light of Life" service that night. I had the honor of sharing a portion of what I'm now sharing with you in this blog. Hope breeds more hope if we cooperate with what God wants to do.

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Surround yourself with good friends who will never let you "go to the wire"; and for whom you would also do the same. Find yourself a Kurt, Shane, or Earl. Don't go through life alone! Find a good counselor too. I got one of those; plus some good spiritual sisters and mamas that speak life into me when I need it. I also work hard to be that same kind of person for others and I check in on people whenever God brings them to mind. Have Hope. Be Hope. Share Hope! Immanuel lives in us! If you haven't asked Him to live in your heart, invite Him in TODAY (Romans 10:9-10). Confess and repent of your sins, and be born again; filled with HOPE and eternal life! Amen!

 

If you need immediate help, PLEASE reach out to the suicide prevention line. It's free and confidential.

Cherry Coke Blessings

It's been quite the week. Yesterday, was "hump day'; and I'm sure glad that I got over it! At this point, it's been more of a "if you don't laugh, you'll cry" kind of week. It's been yet another chapter of "you can't make this stuff up." Yet, I can't help but feel full of genuine hope and thanksgiving as I realize that maybe I truly have grown and embraced "Hope" as I've leaned into my word for this year. It wasn't 'the word I had wanted or expected, but it was definitely the word that I needed' (a variation of a line from the most excellent movie "Slumberland"). 

I've just recently finished listening to the Lysa TerKeurst audiobook "It's Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered". Like most, I've had many disappointments of varying degrees in my lifetime; and quite a few in this last part of the year (including the past few days and weeks). One of the things in the book that stood out to me is how she said we are "between two gardens". Perfection only existed in Eden before the fall of man; and until we have perfection fully restored at Christ's coming, we live in the "in-between" where nothing is perfect. Thanks be to God for the choice Christ made in another garden, the Garden of Gethsemane, to make reconciliation and restoration possible! He chose to say "yes" to the cup of suffering that He knew was before Him. Because of what Christ has done, we have Salvation and Hope in our hearts! Eternity is set within us (Ecclesiastes 3:11, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22). We are not perfect, but we have Emmanuel...God with us (Matthew 1:23). HE is perfect and is the blessed focus that we ponder and cherish even more during Christmastime. He never leaves us (Deuteronomy 31:6-8, Joshua 1:5). How truly marvelous it is that we, fragile clay jars that we are, are a home for Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 4:7). Holy Spirit is WITH us and IN us; the deposit guaranteeing what is to come (2 Corinthians 1:22, 2 Corinthians 5:5, Ephesians 1:14). He had redeemed us and called us by name and says,"You are MINE!" (Isaiah 43:1).

Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Remembering, reading, and declaring these scriptures gives me so much peace, confidence, assurance, security, and yes.....HOPE! HE never disappoints! All that He is (and ever will be) is more than we can ever ask for or imagine (Ephesians 3:19-21). Even if things don't look like how we want or expect them to right now, we have the assurance that He is working everything out for us and that we won't be put to shame (Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28, Psalm 34:5). That promise is not only for this in-between, but for eternity. We aren't going to get to heaven and be like, "this is it?" It won't be like being promised an incredible Willy Wonka Experience only to be duped and gaslighted. It won't be a long awaited series finale only to end in an unbelievable disappointment. No. Our Hope is an anchor for our souls (Hebrews 6:19). Chip Ingram describes the Biblical definition of "hope" as "a solid done deal". It's not an "if", it's a "when".

This true and solid hope is the kind of definition and picture that I need; especially right now in the midst of so much "hope deferred" that makes the heart sick (Proverbs 13:12). The perils of "in-between" living can make us forget that real hope is beyond the temporal things. We have to look beyond the failures and disappointments and find the redemption that lies in the imperfections. Like I mentioned before, I have had a lot of examples of that recently. My most recent list consists of a freaky and crazy Nipsco power outage that resulted in a lot of fried electronics in our house (yet, thankfully, we aren't dealing with a burned down home like some others are right now). Our furnace is out, my son's TV and classic N64 is toast, and so are a few small countertop coffee appliances. And, we just discovered this morning that my beloved Yamaha piano from Sweetwater won't turn on (not gonna lie, I am crying over this one). Oh, and the saga of our van continues with even more things amiss every time we think it's "fixed." My husband is also still trying to find a new job and just found out today that the one he was "hoping" for is not going to happen. Then, there are the typical stresses and annoyances that I've been dealing with at work during our busiest time of the year. I literally feel like I'm living out scenes from "Office Space" as I do the same kinds of "TPS" tasks over and over again. Add to that the minor petty annoyances that just seem to add insult to injury. I had used my much hard-earned Dunkin' reward for my free large coffee yesterday only to have that drink taste like warm cough syrup (a taste that we've become very familiar with this past month due to whatever hacking-cough plague we've contracted and can't fully get rid of). Oh, and that delicious blueberry muffin that I also ordered on the app? Yeah, not available after all; and the substitute chocolate chip muffin just wasn't as good (and this kind of thing happens a LOT at this location). But, I smile and accept the replacement every time because I know what it's like to work in customer service. I never want to be "that" customer. I gulped down my hard earned cough-syrupy coffee with my not-so-good (and not blueberry) muffin. Though, it was my second attempt at redeeming a reward on a restaurant app that prompted me to write this post.

I went to Domino's yesterday because I had a promo for a free 5 cheese mac & cheese with a 10 dollar minimum purchase (it's not REALLY "mac" and cheese, by the way lol. It's penne; NOT macaroni....but that's another misunderstanding and somewhat disappointment lol). Not only was it not even close to the hype I've seen advertised, but that Caesar salad that I ordered? Yeah, didn't have it when I got there lol. "We only have the garden salad. Is that ok?" Hmmm....let me think. No, it's not lol. However, I accepted the garden salad and gave the employee a big smile and said "sure". Then, something else unexpectedly happened. After he had already given me my 20 oz. bottle of Cherry Coke that I ordered, he gave me a 2 liter of it as well. He said it was just a little "I'm sorry" kind of gesture. I thanked him and accepted it. Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Sometimes, that love even comes in a 2 liter bottle of Cherry Coke. We don't overcome evil with evil; we overcome it with good (Romans 12:21).....and sometimes a little soda lol.

God really is faithful! The Cherry Coke blessings have been abundant! A friend of ours lent us a bunch of space heaters when my husband had called to see if he happened to have the part to our burned out furnace that we needed. The furnace itself is actually going to be temporarily fixed when the part we ordered gets here, but we're getting a new furnace due to the great timing and generosity of another friend who has one to give (and install) for us at a later date. Yeah, you read that right! A new furnace was something we were going to ultimately need in the near future anyways (and the one we have isn't actually adequate for the size of our house) so we feel really blessed that we are going to have what we DO need. The parts for the van are also things that are fixable and not too expensive (and Uncle Frank continues to be a blessing in helping us fix it!). And, with the exception of the N64 (and possibly my piano), we have spares of the other things that got burned out. I'm just glad it wasn't something like the washer, dryer, fridge, etc. We're going to order a new power supply for the piano (and pray that that's all it is). The office stuff? Yeah, I'll get through it (and I got caught up on those "TPS" reports yesterday lol). 

December 2013

Brokenness, messed up orders, and fried appliances aren't ideal, but there is restoration, replacement, and kindness that covers all those little things; AND the big things too. In fact, today marks 11 years of Chris and I being together. For many reasons I won't get into, we shouldn't have been able to make it together this far....but GOD! CHRIST covers ALL things big and small; and His blood goes a lot further than just a gift of soda sugary love! A bottle of soda may make me smile and feel a little better (and a bit more "seen") in the moment. Bigger than that, though, the love of Jesus ALWAYS makes me feel secure, loved, known, and truly hopeful and assured. He's my bread of life. He provides for us; and I trust Him to also give Chris the best job at the right time just like He did the past four times. What He did before, He WILL do again. That's my Hope, because my Hope is in Him and not people. God's promises are "a solid done deal" that I can bank on. He keeps telling me, "Don't worry, little sparrow." I won't. His hand of favor is on me and my family. I know this and I trust Him. The blood of Jesus cannot fail me and it covers my "in-between" life.

Grace and peace to you, my friends! There is peace that transcends all understanding as we bring all our prayers and petitions to God with THANKSGIVING (Philippians 4:5-7). Praise Him! Emmanuel is WITH you; ALWAYS! Stay anchored and remember that you are worth more than many sparrows (Matthew 10:31, Luke 12:7). God bless you!

"I AM the Good News!"

Back in August, Chris was let go at his job. Since then, we have been praying and waiting for God to provide a new one. It's been a very difficult time in the wilderness, but we've weathered this before. This is the fifth time we have been through this since the lock-down in 2020. 

In the midst of this, we have also dealt with two vehicular incidents just five days apart (our insurance
is probably wondering what in the world is going on with us considering we have had to use the roadside assistance for towing TWICE in less than a week!). First, my daughter hit a deer on the way to work (praise God she was unharmed). Also, the van is clearly the R2-D2 of vehicles and is still fixable after countless mishaps. Five days later, she ran over something sharp that punctured one of my husband's tires on the Flex (which had been needing a couple new tires anyways). Thankfully, Chris and Uncle Frank (praise God for Uncle Frank!) were able to get the Flex up and running again; and are still working on the van. It really took some hard effort to put the tires and the much needed new shocks on the Flex before getting it to the tire shop for the alignment.

I can't say enough about how thankful I am that my baby is ok because both incidents could have been so much worse. I am also immensely grateful for Uncle Frank and how he has always been someone we can count on in situations like this. But, more than that, I know that I can count on God for our daily bread. If that's the one thing that I'm being assured of in these past few months, it's that undeniable truth. Every time I start to slip into an Israelite mentality of wanting to gather and prepare for more than I need for the day, He reminds me not to be afraid and that I'm worth more than many sparrows (Matthew 10:31). As long as you remember who God is and that He will give you what you need for TODAY, you won't worry about tomorrow. All my "what ifs" and worries are settled every time He says, "Do you have what you need for TODAY?" I always have to admit that yes, my needs for the day have been met. "Daily bread, Melissa," he says. Daily bread.

As I have written about before, it's been crucial for me to reflect on all the past "manna moments" to remind myself that God is faithful. He has provided for me every day in the past and I can look back on it all and see how my God did not fail; and that's the story I'll continue to tell. I know that He will continue to give me the miracle of manna every day and that it will always be enough. Though, like I recently read in Lysa Terkeurst's book (Forgiving What You Can't Forget), it's easy to forget about the best bread that we truly need. Yes, we need the physical bread and provisions of life. Yes, we often need those miraculous moments of the miracle manna. But, we ALWAYS need Jesus; THE bread of life (John 6:35). There's nothing quite like a wilderness test to remind you that no one lives on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). Jesus was tested with it, and that was His response when the devil tried to get him to focus on His physical needs.

I'm sharing this now because I was reminded of this while praying earlier tonight. My emotions had been stirred up a lot today for various reasons; one of them being this whole waiting for the job thing. Given that the election is just two days away, we have been aware of the fact that many places are probably waiting to see what happens on Tuesday before they make hiring decisions. Without wanting to put too much hope in something as short-sighted as elections, I just simply said "I just want some good news." He said to me, "I AM the Good News!" Read that again and think on it for a few moments.

As I thought about that response, I thought about the disciples. The Good News that Jesus kept telling them about often went right over their heads because they were hoping for Jesus to change their own Kingdom instead of receiving and building His. Just like I wrote about in my "Obama is Covered in Chinese Food" post in 2008, the Kingdom of Heaven is STILL here and STILL advancing every day! We must not be short-sighted! No matter what happens to help/hurt our nation (and the nations of the world), Christ is STILL King. He always has been and always will be and His Kingdom HAS NO END (Luke 1:33). No matter what happens, we can be content with little or with much; because we can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:11-13). This world isn't all there is! Be GLAD of that! That truly is Good News! All of this is temporary and we're going to make it because Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33). So, don't let your hearts be troubled!

 

Let us keep our eyes fixed on Christ and spread hope. It's no accident that that has been my word for this year. I knew that getting that word would likely mean that this year would be trying, because hope comes at the end of all the testing and persevering (Romans 5:3-5). He is the hope that never disappoints because He is faithful! This hope is a priceless treasure that lives in our hearts and we will not be crushed, abandoned, or destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:7-9) Through all the fiery trials and testing, we are being refined and He is going through that fire with us (1 Peter 1:7, Isaiah 48:10, Daniel 3:25).

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Pray, vote, and give thanks! God is good! He will provide for us and He will provide for you! To HIM be the glory in all things; because it's never about us! God bless you and God bless America!