Leaning Trees

…lean not on your own understanding ~ Proverbs 3:5 NIV

We received this amazing gift for Christmas: a Christmas tree.  Maybe it seems silly to you, but two years ago, when Savannah was 5 months old, our Christmas tree died.  Well, we assumed we’d just buy a new one the following Christmas.  But Brad had just barely started working that following Christmas, so we couldn’t afford one.  We did our best to decorate using our other decorations, but it just seemed empty without the tree.  This year, we really wanted a tree, but they were out of our budget.  At my Mom’s group, our leader asked if everyone was ready for Christmas and I just started to cry.  I told the other moms that we couldn’t afford a tree and I knew it was just material and no, that’s not what Christmas was all about, but it just didn’t feel like Christmas.  So my leader looked at me and said, “Then we’ll pray and ask God to send you a tree.”  I told her it was silly, but she insisted that we pray for God to send me a tree.  Later that day, my leader called me and said someone was getting rid of a Christmas tree & would I still like it.  I said yes and the next day she delivered a 7.5’ beautiful Christmas tree.  The tree is perfect, even as it leans. 

To some, my leaning tree may seem like an annoying defect, but I view it as beautiful.  Our pastor said something the other day that reminded me of my leaning tree.  He said that no one ever came to Christ by attending church, but by leaning in to God and the Holy Spirit, by leaning in as they saw others doing.  The NIV version of Proverbs 3:5 says we should not lean on what we know, perceive, or understand.  The AMP version tells us what we should lean on:  “Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind…”  Just like my Christmas tree leans in order to stand, we need to be leaning trees: leaning on the insight of the Holy Spirit so that we will be able to stand.

Father, thank you for Christmas trees, for beautiful decorations that remind us of Your light and beauty.  Lord, I pray that we would be leaning trees, leaning in to Your Spirit to hear all that You have to say to us.  In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

©Heather Potts 2014

Hindmilk

I’m thanking you, God…The deeper your love, the higher it goes… ~ Psalm 57:9-10

When your baby is first born and they talk to you about nursing, they talk about the hindmilk and the foremilk.  The foremilk is what the babies receive first; it’s more of a thirst-quencher, as it’s more watery but has less fat.  The hindmilk is stored at the back of the breast and has the higher-fat content, which is needed for growth.  They recommend leaving baby at the breast long enough so that baby is able to draw out the higher-fat hindmilk.

I was half-whining and half-praying yesterday when Savannah was having a really rough day.  For the most part, we’ve had good days with rough patches, but yesterday seemed more draining on me.  And I really felt it was because I don’t have anything left to draw on, myself.  With Elizabeth still working out her sleep pattern, I haven’t been able to get up in the mornings to have my much-needed God-time, the time when I go deeper to draw out what I need for the day.  I find that when I’m able to have that time, I’m better equipped to handle those rough patches.  Just like my Elizabeth needs to spend more time at the breast (her source) in order to receive what she needs for growth, I need to spend more time with God (my Source) in order to receive what I need for growth.

What about you?  Do you find that you’re spending quick snippets with God?  Are you drawing out just enough to quench your thirst, but not going deep enough to promote your growth?  James 4 tells us to submit ourselves to God—and to His teachings—and when we draw closer to God, He will draw closer to us.  For when we go deeper with God, that’s when He will lift us up (vv. 7-10).

Father God, thank you that You long for us to go deeper with You, that we may know more of You and may know You better.  Father, I pray that You would help us to carve out time in our day—each day—to go deeper with You.  Help us to gain wisdom in the areas where we need growth and help us to store up a good supply to draw on when the days and the rough patches draw on us.  Be with us today and always.  In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

©Heather Potts 2014

Not for the Fainthearted

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. ~ John 10:10 NASB

War is not for the faint of heart but for the armed.  With great intensity and mighty power this war will be won—this trial overcome—through worship, prayer, faith and courage to believe as we keep moving forward.

God spoke this truth to me over a year ago, when we were standing face-to-face with the possibility of Brad’s second open-heart surgery.  It turned out to be a “reading” error, in that someone hadn’t properly read the notes of his first heart surgery when comparing them to his most recent tests.  We were beyond relieved that he didn’t need surgery!

As I have prepared for today—for this C-Section and the birth of our daughter—I’m reminded that “War is not for the faint of heart but for the armed.”  Am I at war?  According to John 10:10, the enemy is always plotting against us, looking for ways to steal from us, and ever at work trying to destroy us.  But we have the Lord on our side and He has prepared us!  He has given us the tools that we need, surrounded us with friends who lift us up in prayer, and given us His Comforter and Counselor.

Brad & I have packed, but more than that, we have prayed and have taken communion, standing firm in our faith knowing that our God is Mighty and Powerful and has never let us down.  We trust that He has gone before us and prepared the hands of the surgeon, as well as the hearts and minds of all those who will come in contact and care for us during our stay.  He has given us restful sleep before our “big day,” and has given us peace in our hearts and minds.  He even arranged for the perfect care for Savannah so that we could concentrate on the immediate needs of Elizabeth before we all come home to be together. 

I’m betting today you are not preparing to give birth to a child, but maybe to a dream.  Or maybe today, you are squashing fears that the enemy has used time and time again to try to stop you from living out the dream that the Lord has placed in you.  Whatever it is, God always goes before His people so that they may have life abundantly.  Trust in your God today.  Cry out to Him and ask for His provision and protection as you continue to make your way forward, remembering that war is not for the faint of heart but the armed.

Father, thank you that we never have to walk alone.  Thank you for sending Your Comforter and Counselor.  Thank you that you always go before us, preparing the way for us.  We love and trust you, Lord.  In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

©Heather Potts 2014

Hiccups

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. ~ Ephesians 6:13-18 MSG

Hiccup: a minor difficulty, interruption, setback ~ dictionary.com

I was thinking about hiccups this morning as little Elizabeth had them, causing my whole stomach to jolt with each one.  Hiccups inside the womb are rather comical.  Hiccups in your infant when she’s almost asleep are frustrating, as there are so few “tricks” to stop them.  Hiccups in life can be just as frustrating, as they seem to come out of nowhere.  And even though they are “temporary,” in the midst of them, they can be all-consuming.

But Ephesians 6 reminds us to be prepared and to take all the help we can get.  You see, we may not know exactly when the hiccups will come or how they will come—as a job loss, as a sickness, as financial difficulty, or the failing of promise fulfilled—but we can take comfort in knowing that God has already given us everything we need so that after the dust settles, we will still be on our feet.  This passage also reminds us that God’s Word is an indispensable weapon.  Joshua 1:8 instructs us to meditate on it day and night so that we will prosper and succeed in everything we do.  We are also to keep our eyes open by praying for ourselves as well as each other so that we will be strong during this ongoing warfare and so that no one will fall behind.

So what are the hiccups in your life?  What are your setbacks, interruptions, and difficulties?  Unlike some of the tricks—drinking water upside down or holding your breath till they pass—you’ll need real weapons to get through them.  Just as Ephesians 6 instructs, learn how to apply truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation to your life, meditate on God’s Word, and be continuously in prayer.  Only then will you be able to stand through your hiccups.

Father, help us to remember that hiccups are only temporary and with the weapons You have entrusted to us, we can make our way through them.  Help us to remember to turn to You, as we are up against far more than we can handle on our own.  In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

© Heather Potts 2014

Persisting

Persisting: to continue steadfastly or firmly in some state, purpose, course of action, or the like, especially in spite of opposition (dictionary.com)

In Luke 11, Jesus tells the story of a man who didn’t give up, even though the door was shut and locked to him.  In verse 8, He says, “But I tell you this…if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.” 

I love how our kids teach us things we might not have otherwise learned.  Our little Elizabeth, though not born yet, is teaching me about persistence.  A lot of people (and studies) have their opinions about the make-up of the second child, but the one feature that Elizabeth has taught me is that I need to persist—push ahead—in great joy and with determination, regardless of the opposition standing in the way.  I must admit, far too often and far too easily, I give up and give in to “whatever,” because I’m just too tired to keep fighting.  But what a more perfect teacher than my daughter, who is determined to get my attention, as well as the attention of others, through her actions. My prayer for her is that her determination and persistence will not only continue after she’s born, but will be used for God’s purposes and His glory.

So let me ask you, what are you in need of?  On whose door do you need to keep knocking, even though the way has been shut and locked to you?  Jesus says, “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened,” (Luke 11:9-10).

Father God, thank you that You have brought forth children to show us the way.  When we would quit or would settle for less, the persistent say, “Not me!  I don’t care what I have to push through; I won’t stop till I have God’s very best.”  Father, I pray that we would stand among the persistent and refuse to give up, regardless of the opposition facing us.  It’s in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

©Heather Potts 2014

The Warrior’s Heart

Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord…Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust in is in the Lord.” ~ Jeremiah 17:5, 7 NASB

Have you ever considered how our viewpoint changes the way we act or react in situations?  In studying Jeremiah 17, I found that the word “man” means “strong man, warrior (emphasizing strength or ability to fight).”  In realizing that “man” means “warrior” I read these verses in a completely different light:

 “Cursed is the warrior who makes mankind or flesh the source of his security and strength, whose mind, will, and heart turn away or depart from the Lord…Blessed is the warrior who makes the Lord the source of his security and strength, whose refuge, object of confidence, and security are in the Lord.”

If you think of yourself as a warrior, where do you get your strength?  Is it from money, power, eating a good breakfast, or having your ego stroked by others?  Sure, those things may help, but in the long run, those things will fail and fold and you’ll be left with nothing.  But when we make the Lord the source of our strength and security, as well as the place of our refuge and object of our confidence, how can we lose?

What things are you facing today?  What issues or worries do you have?  Are you facing them as a mere man whose strength wanes with the wind or are you standing as a confident warrior with the Lord as your strength and your shield?  If it’s the former, it doesn’t have to stay that way.  The Lord is always available to us and refreshes and strengthens us when we turn to Him and make Him our source of security and strength.

Lord, I pray that regardless of the issues facing us, that we would remember that we can rely upon You and run to You as our refuge and our source of strength.  Lord, I pray that we would remember that You have called us warriors and You desire to equip us in Your strength and Your power to achieve Your victory for Your glory.  Father, please forgive us for turning to other things, even people, to build us up.  Help us to remember that You are the source of everything we need.  In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

©Heather Potts 2014

Perfect Timing

I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. ~ Jeremiah 29:11

I was thinking about this scripture and what it has meant to and for our family.  What does a statement like that mean to others?  Isn’t a lot of what we think about God how we interpret Him and His Word.  Think about Jesus’ disciples; when they found out that He was the Christ, weren’t they convinced that He’d come to overthrow Rome the way that they had envisioned it?  But that’s not what Jesus came to do.  Their version was not God’s version.  And that’s what Brad & I learned in our own lives: that God’s plan and timing don’t necessarily match ours.

That truth left a very bitter taste in our mouths and we struggled to not blame God, each other, or others in our disappointment.  I can say honestly, that God never abandoned us and always took care of us, but in our struggles, where was the future that we’d hoped for?  It was exactly as He said: His planning, His timing. 

Have you ever done that?  Have you assumed that God lied to you or let you down because circumstances didn’t go according to your plan?  I confess that I have.  So how do we move forward?  We trust: God’s Word promises that He knows what He’s doing and He’s got it all planned out.

Father God, I pray that You would encourage us today.  I pray that even if circumstances aren’t going according to our plans, that we would continue to look to and trust You, that You have our very best at heart.  Lord, I pray that You would lead and guide us into all things & all truth.  Be with us today and always.  In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

©Heather Potts 2014

God of the Impossible

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping… ~ Romans 4:18

When do we need hope?  We need it when the fulfilment of a promise isn’t done instantaneously.  We live in a world where meals are cooked within minutes and whole conversations happen within the exchange of just a few text messages.  When we are told to believe, to have faith, to wait and hope for the answer, that doesn’t seem to compute with us.  But waiting is a good discipline to have. 

I remember when Brad and I were learning about the value of budgeting our money and understanding the difference between “needs” and “wants.”  One couple sat us down and said that they needed new sod for their lawn.  They explained that until they could afford to pay cash—they didn’t use credit cards to purchase anything—they were just going to save up for it.  At the time, they tried to convey that we’d appreciate our purchase more when we’d denied ourselves the instant buy and saved up the money to make the purchase.  Honestly, we didn’t believe them until we tried it.  Over time, we began to see not only  how satisfying it was to actually be able to “afford” to pay our bills through proper budgeting/spending habits, but we were able to pay off our debts as well.

Abraham’s promise, however, took several decades to come to pass.  And that’s why this scripture says that even when there was no reason to hope, he kept hoping.  We are hoping for God to do many things in our lives.  But without God, it is impossible for anyone of them to come to pass in our lives.  What are you hoping will come true?  What things has God promised you that are impossible without hope in the One who made the promise?  Spend some time with God today and tell Him how much you need Him and that you trust Him to fulfill His promises, even if they don’t come as instantly as your Happy Meal.

Father God, thank you that all things are possible with you.  Lord, I pray that we would look to you for our answers, our needs, and our desires.  Lord, there are things that we know You have promised to us, and in our waiting, the enemy fights hard to get us to doubt and quit.  I pray that we would be bold and remember that You are the same God who raised Christ from the dead and called things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17)!  Thank you, Father, for being as bold in our lives and calling out promises to be fulfilled from merely dreams and desires.  Father, give us that same bold attitude today and always.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” ~ Matthew 19:26

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ~ Hebrews 10:23

He Will Teach You

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” ~ John 14:26

I must confess that I’ve been feeling really distracted lately and have been struggling to stay focused, especially at work.  It could be anxiety over the coming baby, perhaps it’s the mundane tasks I’ve been doing.  Regardless of the reasons, I’ve been finding it a real struggle to stay focused.  What about you?  Are you struggling to stay focused or to put forth your best effort into something?  Maybe it’s not your job, maybe it’s your marriage or engaging with your kids or in their activities.  Maybe you’re struggling to make time to spend with God.  Regardless of what we are struggling with, when we take the time to ask God for help, the Holy Spirit is faithful to bring to our remembrance God’s Word and His promises to us.  Consider these:

We say: I can’t stay focused or think straight.

GOD says: But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).

We say: I feel alone and nobody loves me.

GOD says: I will never leave you nor forsake you. I have loved you with an everlasting love (Joshua 1:5; Jeremiah 31:3).

We say: I’ve sinned so much.  God could never use me and I will never mount up to anything.

GOD says: If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman (Jeremiah 15:19).

Whatever you need from God, whenever you can’t seem to find your way, God promises that He is with us and His Spirit will guide and direct us when we turn to Him and listen.  If you need something today, if you feel that you just can’t handle it on your own, the Father says, “Don’t.”  That’s why He sent His Helper so that we wouldn’t have to go it alone.

Father, thank you for your promises to your children.  Thank you for loving us so much that we will never have to walk or be alone.  Lord I pray that when we have need or lack, that we would remember to listen for the voice of the Helper, because You sent Him just for us.  It’s in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.