Responding to Change

Some people thrive on change – at least change that they can control.  The owner of the beauty salon I go to is constantly rearranging the furniture and décor of the salon, and I know other people who often change things around in their homes.  However, I am not those people!  Change has always been something I would rather avoid, and in many ways I live by the motto “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

But change is inevitable in this world – especially in the technology-driven 21^st century.  People change their houses, cars, wardrobes, spouses, and many other aspects of their lives with lightning regularity.  These are changes that are brought about by choice.  But there are other changes that happen to us that are not our choice or not solely our choice – things like job changes and the death of a loved one, among other things.

Currently, a friend from church is walking through the unknown changes brought about by her husband’s sudden and untimely passing.  In an instant, nearly everything that she considered “normal” changed.  Two other friends have recently moved long distances and are learning to adjust to new surroundings.  And I am facing the changes to my routine resulting from a temporary change in my husband’s job description and his working hours. 

It’s usually the changes that we can’t control that challenge us the most.  We have to try to maintain proper attitudes and not allow the changes to unnerve us.  I don’t always succeed at this.  But I am more likely to respond the way I should when I focus my mind and attention on what hasn’t changed – and this always causes me to look toward God.

Regardless of anything else, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).  God is always sovereign, loving, merciful, forgiving, all-powerful, all-knowing, just, gracious, trustworthy, and many other things.  His character is unchanging and can be counted on regardless of any changes I am experiencing.  He is also always with us – Immanuel – walking beside us through every change.  What else could we ever need?

Sometimes I need to be reminded of this truth and choose to focus on God instead of whatever changes I am going through.  I suspect my friends mentioned above know what I’m talking about.  Thankfully, every new day is a new opportunity to choose the right focus and right attitude – and to rely on God’s strength to help me make the right choices.  We are never alone, and that is the greatest news we could ever receive.  Thanking God today for his presence in my life and his strength for each day . . .    

Adopted!

I was raised in a close-knit family.  There weren’t very many of us; but what we lacked in numbers, we made up for in fervor.  We loved each other well in both word and deed.  My childhood was safe and carefree, and I was blessed to know God from an early age.

But I didn’t know much about the real world.  Probably due to my parents’ personalities, there wasn’t a lot of interaction with others outside of our family.  We literally did everything together, and our love was largely reserved for those within our own family.  I thought everyone else was just like me and my family.

When I used to read about how God has adopted us into his family (Ephesians 1:4-6), I only vaguely understood the concept.  As far as I know, I only knew two adopted people when I was growing up – a 4^th grade classmate and her brother who had been Korean orphans adopted together by the same family long before I knew them.  I remember walking to the courthouse for a field trip on the day they became citizens of our country.  But since their adoptive parents loved and cared for them well, I never thought much about their adoption.

Fast-forward fifty years: I’m beginning to get a better picture of God’s love and generosity in choosing to adopt us into his family – as I have watched my son and daughter-in-law journey through the process of adopting my new grandson from the foster parenting system.  The truth that love is a choice has never been as personal as it is to me right now.  To be chosen and adopted by God is not something any of us should take for granted!

Here’s something else I’ve learned along the way.  Because my upbringing conditioned me to love family more than others, I never thought loving an adopted child would be easy for me.  But I have learned that a child is a child – and that God has given all of us the capacity to love others deeply if we are willing to make that choice.  I can’t imagine that Jacob could be more loved – even if he was our biological grandchild!

When I think about God choosing to love and adopt us, I am reminded of one other thing.  Jacob is an innocent child who didn’t ask for or cause any of what happened to him in his biological family.  But we are all sinners who have rebelled against God (Romans 3:23) – and yet he still chooses to love and adopt us.  Although not perfect, Jacob is so much easier to love than I must be to God.  That Almighty God wants to be in relationship with me despite my selfishness and sinfulness is both a miracle and a mystery.  May I never lose sight of this, and may I continue to grow in my ability to love others as God loves me. 

Coming Soon!

The time has come to share some exciting news!  If you read this blog regularly, you’ve probably noticed that I haven’t been posting much lately.  Besides the change of pace during the summer months, there’s a reason for that: I am working on publishing a new book, which I’m hoping will be released by Christmas! 

The way God works never ceases to amaze me and sometimes surprises me.  When I wrote my first book, A Faith of a Different Color: Honest Lessons on Trusting God in Real Life (2011), it wasn’t the book I planned to write – and it didn’t happen when I expected it to happen.  But, through a series of difficult and life-changing circumstances, God made it very clear what he wanted me to write about and that I needed to trust him for the outcome.

I’ve continued to feel that there are more books that I will write, but I had not been getting any specific direction from God regarding a topic or a timeline - until a few months ago.  It started with a book my hairdresser loaned me to read, which sparked a new and different idea in my head about the format of my next book.  But I still didn't have any idea what the book would be about.

Then one day a couple months ago I basically woke up with a complete idea and even a title (which is exactly what happened with my first book).  I decided I needed to pray for a while in order to be sure that this idea was from God.  But when my husband came home that night and I told him what I was considering, he sealed the deal by telling me that he had specifically prayed – that very morning – for me to get an idea for a new book!  When God clearly leads, it is unmistakable.

So what is this new book going to be about?  Real Faith is Hard Work will be a collection of many of the blogposts that have appeared right here over the past few years – short snippets of life lessons and observances combined with truth from God’s Word – in an easy-to-read format, suitable for devotional use.  I will let everyone know when the book is published and available, but I am excited to see what God has planned for the words he's been giving me to say!  In the meantime, I hope to continue adding to this blog as God lays something on my heart to post.  Prayers appreciated, and thanks for reading!