Author: Jacquelin Stoner

Jacqui is a writer, teacher, life coach, and an encourager. She walks alongside of individuals who need help navigating to the better place God has envisioned for their lives. She has discovered that God is central to genuine lasting life change.

SOME DAYS MUST BE DARK AND DREARY

What do you do when a week feels like an eternity?

“Into each life some rain must fall, some days must be dark and dreary.” (except from  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “The Rainy Day”) Difficult times are a common part of life, but what about weeks? Months? Years?

The Fallen Warrior

How did King David feel as he endured the last decade of his life? This once strong warrior had defeated Goliath, brought the Philistines to their knees, and miraculously led a ragtag army through the wilderness while being chased by his relentless adversary, Saul. However, in the twilight of David’s life, two of his sons attempt to steal the throne from Dad. David’s health deteriorates due to age, stress, and exhaustion. He can no longer even stay warm at night. “Some days must be dark and dreary”.

Week that feels like an eternity

Rather than an entire season, what about experiencing just one dark and dreary week? That succession of days which feel like an eternity. I felt the oppression of such a week. The pressure as my heart drowned in a continual tide of confusion and fear. A client blew up at me over an issue that was not my making. The same day, a friend called me, still angry at God and life’s circumstances. I faced two medical appointments with specialists and had no direction whether either physical condition could be remedied. In the background is the continual pain I experience with a deteriorating back. Some weeks must be dark and dreary.

Unsettling hum of distress

It all contributes to an unsettling hum and sigh of distress. I can not control my circumstances. The only thing that I can do is cry out to God.

So glad that God doesn’t shut the door on me. When He sees my name on caller ID, God does not reject the call. He patiently listens and then He waits for me to listen. Often, I can’t hear the connection with Him because I am deaf, drowning in a my sea of spiritual dissonance.

The Choice

What do I do? What can I choose? Where can I focus my heart and mind?

David wrote this during some of his darkest days: “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” (Psalm 34:4-7)

This is the recipe for when “Into each life some rain must fall, some days must be dark and dreary.” You can embrace this prayer: “Lord, make my face radiant as I choose to look to You.”

For further encouragement, click to listen to Hannah’s story.

NOT A SOLITARY SPORT

True Christian living (especially when no one is looking) shows all the world what you truly believe about God. We are His team.

Read: Titus 2 (AMP, NIV, NLT)

Ever drive by athletes training for long distance running? They often run in packs, however, rarely are they laughing or interacting. Their feet steadily pound the pavement, one grueling mile after another. It is an agonizing solitary sport.

CHURCH IS “ALL PLAY”

A healthy church is not a solitary sport. Andrew McClure describes the church body as “All Play”.  He recounts his days of playing basketball: “It was our responsibility as a team to put into practice the things we learned. One week we drilled a zone defense. To learn the concept our coach tied one big rope around all of our waists. If the ball moved to the left wing, everyone in unison would shift left. If the ball moved to the corner, everyone would shift to their places. The rope taught us to move in unison. To move with synergy.” We learned the duty of each individual impacts the strength and effectiveness of the whole.

The Cretins said they believed, but there was a disconnect in how they interacted as a team. They professed to know God but didn’t “make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way.”

INTER-GENERATIONAL TEAMWORK

Paul gives guidelines to the Cretin church, regardless of age, gender, or profession. No believer is exempt. Older men are to exercise self-control, be respectable, live wisely, know God well and be filled with love and patience. They are to teach this to the younger men. Older women are to honor God, not speak badly of others. They are to teach others, especially the younger women, what is good. This is inter-generational living and teaching in the church. It is expected teamwork; not a solitary sport.

The life of a woman in the pagan Roman world was challenging. Marriages were often arranged and loving both husbands and children was not the norm. Making it a priority to live wisely, purely, and to keep one’s home running smoothly was a Christian concept. Being respectful of their husbands and not bringing shame on the Word of God separated the Christian women from the pagans.

In the Cretin culture, how were the slaves or the bond servants to live? Counterculturally: to obey their bosses, behave as employees of Christ, not talk back or steal, and be entirely trustworthy and good. This behavior was nonconformist because the Holy Spirit empowered and drove it.

LIVES PROPELLED BY GRACE

All these behaviors bloom out of lives propelled by grace.  For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, … He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, … and to purify for Himself a chosen and very special people to be His own possession, who are enthusiastic for doing what is good.  (Titus 2:11-14) True Christian living (especially when no one is looking) shows all the world what you truly believe about God. We are His team; we are not solitary players.

Another person who knew something about living out truth was William Wilberforce. He spent his life ending slavery in Britain. A body of believers, especially John Newton (former slave trader and writer of “Amazing Grace”), nurtured him in the Gospel. Do you realize you are God’s possession? Are you enthusiastic for doing good? Your lifestyle impacts the strength and effectiveness of the entire body of believers.

Click to read the story of John Newton

MADE NEW BY THE CREATOR

And there it sat in the middle of our living room. It indeed was an eyesore – the outside finish yellowed by the years of neglect; definitely not a thing of beauty.

Stamped into my DNA before time began, God made me a “Creative”. My mind processes information in pictures. Mentally, I take things apart and redesign them. I take the discards of life and put them back together, so they are both functional and beautiful.

THE EYESORE

A friend of mine was clearing out the estate of her mother. Sitting in her mom’s bedroom was the cedar chest. Years of neglect had taken their toll. The piece treasured by her mom was the wedding present from her true love half a century ago. Now it was an eyesore in a pile of belongings the family didn’t want to toss away but also had no place to keep.

I received the call. “Would you be interested in Mom’s cedar chest? If so, it is yours for free. You can do with it whatever you want.” The words “free”, “cedar” and “do with it what you want” all resonated in my heart. The perfect combination for joy.

CAN OLD BE MADE NEW?

A friend dropped it off at our apartment. Bill and I awkwardly lugged it up the two flights of stairs. The cedar chest was far heavier than it looked. Bill didn’t share my joy as he viewed the piece skeptically. He wondered, “What has Jacqui agreed to now?” I viewed the chest with hope.

PLANS MADE FOR BEAUTY

And there it sat in the middle of our living room. It indeed was an eyesore – the outside finish yellowed by the years of neglect; definitely not a thing of beauty. The chest monopolized space while I brainstormed how I could resurrect it. Bill grew increasingly frustrated day by day as it resided smack dab in the middle of the room. Finally, after about six weeks I came up with a game plan. The picture finally formed in my imagination for the future of the chest to make it both functional and beautiful.

Bill was out of the apartment on the day I pushed and pulled the chest out to the back porch. Covered with sweat, I began removing the finish with my electric sander. I consider this part the treasure hunt: discovering what exists under the top layers of a piece. Will glory or disaster be revealed? I was blessed. The exterior wood just needed multiple sanding to reveal a lovely woodgrain. I treated top and back with Danish Oil. The metal trim work needed cleaning but was reattached as good as new.

Next came the front and sides. What could complement the stained wood? Multiple layers of a cream base paint did the trick.

Finally came the best part, what I call the “jewelry” details of furniture reimagining: multiple layers of stenciling. I echoed the stenciling on the bare cedar interior and the top of the piece. Hours and hours of tedious work, but well worth the effort.

THE “JEWELRY” APPLIED

Lovingly, I had carefully taken apart the eyesore of the past and created a new future. With the addition of a wheelbase, the chest is my new coffee table. This piece that is cherished, at least my generation.

HOW OUR CREATOR WORKS

Isn’t that how God works in our lives? Our Creator longs to take the ruins of our lives and put them back together so they are both functional and beautiful. He strips away the stains of our past and gives us a future of beauty, far better than we could ever imagine. Creating is in God’s DNA.

THE HANDYMAN’S SKILLS REVEALED

Are your skills as a believer evident to those closest to you?

Read: Titus 1:1-16 (Amplified & New Living Translation)

Welcome to Simon’s house. He is a Handyman by trade. When you walk through the front door you notice that the molding missing from the door. To the left, you see bare wiring exposed where the switch plate should be. A hole is in the plasterboard around the hall light. The living room is only partially painted. Yes, Simon calls himself a handyman, but those skills aren’t visible in his own home. What does he think of his own work?

SKILLSET NEEDED FOR LEADERSHIP

What did Titus think of the skills of the prospective church elders he had to choose from? Newly appointed by the Apostle Paul to serve in Crete, Titus was to “set right what remains unfinished and appoint elders in every city.” (Paul led many to the faith and Titus’ job was to organize churches in which to grow and mature the new believers. Many men may have thought they were qualified to lead, but Titus needed to be particular in making that choice. The candidates required the mindset of Christ.

THE CULTURE OF THE CANDIDATES

In the Cretin culture, telling the truth was not considered a virtue. This hindered Titus’ search. How could he find believers who weren’t under suspicion of being immoral or rebellious? Furthermore, the candidates had to exhibit such high character as to be blameless. The requirements were a high skillset in following Christ. Where could he find men who were peaceful, weren’t addicts, and were totally honest?

NOT GIVING UP AND JUST MAKING DO

Titus didn’t throw up his hands and say, “Well, I guess since we are short-handed, I’ll just have to make do with these guys.” He searched for those who loved people and adored what was pure and wholesome. Titus sought leaders totally sold out to Christ. Paul writes about the danger of it being devious times. Titus looked for those who devoted to knowing the Word of God and who could refute the false teachers abundant in Crete.

HIGH STAKES

Paul realized the stakes were high. “For there are many rebellious men who are empty talkers [just windbags] and deceivers.” Titus pursued solid believers to lead the fledgling churches; men who not only skilled as believers, but who daily practiced living with Jesus as Lord. The pressure of living in Crete as a believer was enormous. Paul knows it is not a time to have leadership be weak in living out the Christian life.

HOW DO YOUR SKILLS RATE?

Whether you are a man or a woman, how would the Apostle Paul rate your skills in living your Christian life? If you had to fill out a questionnaire, would the Holy Spirit confirm you have acquired these character traits Titus searched for? Can your dearest friends attest you live a blameless life, are not arrogant or quick-tempered, not a drinker,not violent, and not dishonest with money? Are they always encouraged because of your positive conversations? Do they know you belong totally to Jesus and aim to always live a disciplined life devoted to Christ?

WHO TO ASK FOR GROWTH IN SKILLS

Ask yourself if you put in the work and obedience to learn from the Holy Spirit the skills of the life God envisions for you. Simon, our friend the self-proclaimed “handyman” had a business card proclaiming his abilities. But Simon’s real skills, or lack thereof, were exhibited in his own home. Are your skills as a believer evident to those closest to you? Why not ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you your Christian life skills this week? Ask Him to help you mature in your spiritual life. I bet Simon’s family wished he was a better handyman and even more – a better follower of Christ.

WHO DO I TRUST?

The wind and waves of this storm just would not stop.  The storm raged on for eight long years……96 months.

She experience years of agony, longing for a child, yet God refused their requests. Tears streamed down her face as she said:

EVERY MONTH HOPE WAS CRUSHED

“Silence can be deafening.  Every fiber of my being longed to hear the cry of a baby. As with Hannah of the Old Testament, my body did not satisfy this longing.  We endured an onslaught of invasive tests and treatments and the loss of our baby early in pregnancy.  More doctors and drugs and more excruciating, painful silence followed. Every month our hope crushed on the rocks by yet another huge wave of disappointment. The wind and waves of this storm just would not stop.  The storm raged on for eight long years……96 months.

NO END IN SIGHT

“Those not knowing our struggle, kept asking when we would start our family. Each inquiry felt like a dagger tearing at our hearts.  I plastered a smile on my face during countless baby showers, then wept uncontrollably on the way home.  Every Mother’s Day savagely rubbed jagged salt into my bleeding soul. I was absolutely thrilled for my friends and sisters-in-law when I held their babies in the hospital. After those visits, I sobbed as my husband held me at home. When will it be our turn, Lord? This pain burned into my soul, with no end in sight.

WHO DO I TRUST?

“I asked myself, “Do I trust you, Lord? Do I believe You are really in control? Can I be at peace in this storm?” As the Holy Spirit helped me grow into the lyrics, the answer was a resounding “Yes!”. My relationship with God deepened and becamemore intimate. His presence came to bea healing, refreshing place full of joy, despite my circumstances. Worship transformed into something much more meaningful in this storm.  God was worthy of our praise and admiration, regardless of our circumstances.”

HONEST QUESTIONS

Eventually, due to a set of events worthy of its own story, my friend unexpectedly became an adoptive mom. The following lyrics best describe her journey. Maybe they describe your current season? Is it time to ask honest questions: “Do I trust you, Lord? Do I believe You are really in control? Can I be at peace in this storm?”

“Praise You in the Storm” by Casting Crowns lyrics are:

I was sure by now God, You would have reached down and wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day. But once again I say, “A-men” and it’s still rainin’. As the thunder rolls I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, “I’m with you”. And as Your mercy falls, I’ll raise my hands and praise the God who gives and takes away.

I’ll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands for You are who You are, no matter where I am. Every tear I’ve cried, You hold in Your hand; You never left my side and though my heart is torn. I will praise You in this storm. I remember when I stumbled in the wind You heard my cry, You raised me up again. But my strength is almost gone. How can I carry on if I can’t find You?

You are who You are, no matter where I am. Every tear I’ve cried You hold in Your hand. You never left my side and though my heart is torn I will praise You in this storm. I lift my eyes unto the hills where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

For further suggested meditation: Psalm 121

HE’S NOT LEAVING

Where oh where was God’s voice amid the pain that never let up? Had God left the house?

My friend saw her life shattered into pieces and scattered to the wind. Where oh where was God’s voice amid the pain that never let up? Had God left the house?

WHEN ALL HOPE HAS FLED

There is a quote from Chad Prather fits the bill entirely for that moment we feel deserted, alone, and all hope has fled. The crucial time when we need to hear God speak those precious words, “I’m not leaving.”

MICROWAVE GROANS

He’s your Father. And sometimes the most powerful prayer is a groan so deep only the Spirit can interpret it. He hears the messy stuff. The rage. The silence. The disappointment. He understands “microwave moans”.

HE SITS IN IT WITH YOU

He’s not offended by the broken grammar of a crushed heart. God is not looking for polished people. He’s drawn to shattered ones. You don’t need to clean up your grief to bring it to Him. He sits in it with you. He wraps Himself around your pain and whispers, “I’m not leaving”. (From “Born for Meaning” by Chad Prather)

GOD IS FOR US

The Apostle Paul shared similar thoughts. “What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us? He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect (His chosen ones)? It is God who justifies us [declaring us blameless and putting us in a right relationship with Himself]. Who is the one who condemns us? Christ Jesus is the One who died [to pay our penalty], and more than that, who was raised [from the dead], and who is at the right hand of God interceding [with the Father] for us. 

Who shall ever separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. 

For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31-39)

God’s not leaving….

WHO’S YOUR FATHER?

Thomas Edison is called the “Father of the Lightbulb” because he was the creator of the lightbulb.  Lightbulbs were not part of Mr. Edison’s family; they are his creation.

“We are all God’s children,” were the first words out of Susie’s mouth as she tried to comfort a grieving friend. Sorry Susie! Not all who attend GCC are God’s children and not even all the citizens of New Danville are God’s children. Susie didn’t tell the truth.

CREATIONS VERSUS PARENTAGE

We are not naturally God’s children. Only by understanding this concept does this passage in Romans make sense. It is true that God is the Creator of all people. Thomas Edison is called the “Father of the Lightbulb” because he was the creator of the lightbulb.  Lightbulbs were not part of Mr. Edison’s family; they are his creation.

Many creations of God will spend eternity in hell. Jesus said to the religious crowd, You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)

ADOPTION OUR ONLY HOPE

“All creations of God, but not all children of God” can a hard truth to swallow. However, one only becomes a child of God by being born-again. We all enter this world as enemies of God because we are born with a sin nature. This separates us from God and aligns us with Satan. Our only hope is through adoption.

MEANING OF ADOPTION

J. I. Packer in his classic “Knowing God” reminds us in the ancient world, “Adoption was a practice ordinarily confined to the childless well-to-do. Its subjects . . . were not normally infants, as today, but young adults who had shown themselves fit and able to carry on a family name in a worthy way. In this case, however, God adopts us out of free love, not because our character and record show us worthy to bear His name, but despite the fact that they show the very opposite. We are not fit for a place in God’s family; the idea of His loving and exalting us sinners as He loves and has exalted the Lord Jesus sounds ludicrous and wild – yet that, and nothing less than that, is what our adoption means”

JUSTIFICATION DIFFERENT THAN ADOPTION

When you are justified by faith in Christ, you stand before God as Judge and He declares: “Not guilty! Righteous through faith in Jesus!” Adoption is different from justification. Sam Storms writes: “God the Judge steps down from behind his legal bench, removes his stately robes, stoops down and takes you into his arms of love and says softly: ‘My son, my daughter, my child!’ God rescued me from the terminal condition of sin and made me his child. Divine adoption isn’t concerned with physical health or financial wealth or potential or one’s past history.”

DECREE SEALED BY CHRIST

That Spiritual Adoptive Decree is sealed by love with the blood of Christ and signed by the God who cannot lie! Thomas R. Schreiner preached: “As adoptees, we inherit God himself! Imagine the reading of the divine will: ‘I God, being of sound mind and body, do hereby bequeath to all my children, Me!’ Simply put, believers are heirs not merely of what God has promised . . . but of God himself.”

OUR INHERITANCE

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And besides you, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion [my inheritance] forever” (Psalm 73:25-26) Only the adoptees receive God’s inheritance.

Who’s your Eternal Daddy? I pray your “Spiritual Adoptive Decree” is sealed with the blood of Christ and signed by the God who cannot lie.

JUST AS IF I NEVER….

Martin Luther’s struggle with sin and guilt tortured him for years, leading to a deep fear of God’s judgment and a desperate quest for peace. 

In the midst of terrible anguish, Job asked the most important question, “How can a man be right before God?” (Job 9:20) He already knew about God, His perfection, mightiness, and holiness. How can we stand before this perfect God? Millions of people since Job, have asked the same question. After hearing John Baptist’s fearful warnings about Gods judgments, the multitudes questioned John, “Then what shall we do?” (Luke 3:10) The rich young ruler asked Jesus, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life? (Luke 18:18) Lying blinded on the road to Damascus, Saul cried out to Jesus, “What shall I do Lord?”  (Acts 22:10) The Philippian jailor asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30) Job’s question is timeless.

VIEWED AS RIGHT BEFORE GOD

The answer comes in Romans 3:21-28: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus”. We fall desperately short of the mark of God’s holiness. G. E. Ladd writes, “The root idea in justification is the declaration of God, the righteous judge, that the man who believes in Christ, sinful though he may be, is righteous—is viewed as being righteous, because in Christ he has come into a righteous relationship with God.”

DECLARE RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE OF SOMEONE ELSE

As a child, I learned the simple saying “Justified means just as if I never sinned.” After my conversion at age 12, God looked at me as His child, as one who has been made right. Because of Christ, I entered into a right relationship with God.  I am justified; declared to have the righteousness of someone else: Jesus Christ. He declares me right and for that I will be eternally grateful.

DECLARED HOLY

This doesn’t mean I stopped sinning at age 16. Justification has to do with God’s declaration about the sinner, not any change within the sinner. That is, justification, per se, does not make anyone holy; it simply declares him to be not guilty before God and is therefore treated as holy. This is how God looks at me. I am declared holy. The working out of that holiness is an entirely different topic: sanctification.

MARTIN LUTHER’S AGONY

Martin Luther, the great theologian of Germany, was tormented by his sin prior to his conversion. His intense struggle with sin and guilt tortured him for years, leading to a deep fear of God’s judgment and a desperate quest for peace. He spent hours in confession, sometimes days, confessing every sin he could think of. Still, he remained anxious about the unknown sins he might have missed. Those who knew him feared for his total sanity. His search for relief was fruitless until he studied the Book of Romans and learned that salvation is not earned through good works or confession. It is a free gift received through faith in Jesus Christ.

A FREE GIFT?

A free gift? This is what Luther searched for during all those painful years of anguish. The key is understanding that justification has to do with God’s declaration about the sinner, not any change within the sinner. That is, justification, per se, does not make anyone holy; it simply declares him to be not guilty before God. God, therefore treats the sinner as holy. This understanding turned Luther’s life trajectory around. It eventually tumbled the religious world on its heals. It was the spark for the Protestant Reformation.

Luther learned that all people who accept Christ as their Savior, are saved only through faith. Thus, we become justified before God. “How can a man be right before God?”  Only by being justified before God through faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ. We are declared Holy before the One and only Holy God. I can become overwhelmed by my sin and my arrogance toward the things of God. At this point, I remember the beautiful gift of justification from God. “Just as if I never sinned!”

I’LL PRAISE YOU IN THE STORM

The year 2011 birthed one of the darkest points in our ministry, family, and individual lives

I was sure by now God, You would have reached down and wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day. And once again I say, “A-men” but it’s still raining’. As the thunder rolls I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, “I’m with you”. As Your mercy falls I’ll raise my hands and praise the God who gives and takes away. And I’ll praise You in this storm for You are who You are, no matter where I am. Every tear I’ve cried You hold in Your hand. You never left my side, and though my heart is torn, I will praise You in this storm. (“Praise You In The Storm” by Casting Crowns)

AND THEN THE YEAR CAME…

The year 2011 birthed one of the darkest points in our ministry, family, and individual lives. Without warning, Bill was dismissed from the church he pastored due to a lack of gifts in the offering plate and infighting within the church. After forty-two years in ministry, my husband found himself without a church. Bill stumbled into crushing depression. I plummeted into the same hole; however, I was the one who hunted with all her strength a way to glue the pieces together.

INFECTED FESTERING WOUNDS

For years, church was closer to us than our biological family. Church supplied purpose, love and stability. I felt like a limb had been ripped off without anesthesia. The emotional and spiritual wounds became infected. They festered and clouded our vision. Now with only one income, we eventually lost our house and most of our retirement savings. Humiliation surfaced as we struggled through that first Christmas where I repurposed household items as Christmas presents. Ever present in my heart resonated my greatest fear, that we would become homeless.

THE CHOICE

As my emotional state deteriorated, I realized I had to make a choice, either to trust God or deny Him. This was not an emotional choice; it was a decision based on the facts of Who God is. I decided to draw the line in the sane and to trust God.

CHOOSING TO TRUST

How could I reinforce my choice to trust? During daily walks I began to memorize Scripture dwelling on Who God is. As I tread the sidewalks of Lancaster during lunch, I kept repeating one phrase, “I choose to trust in You.”

Did I feel warm and fuzzy? No. The time felt endless as we waited, waited, and waited for God to work both on our hearts and our circumstances. I kept repeating “I choose to trust in You.” With all my heart, I wanted God to return life to the happier, predictable, and comfortable past. God didn’t choose that direction.

I’M WITH YOU

“I was sure by now God, You would have reached down and wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day. And once again I say, “A-men” but it’s still raining’. As the thunder rolls I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, “I’m with you”.”

IN THE END, IT IS BETTER

God all the time was at work, but I often could not see Him. He supplied our need for alternative housing. He introduced us to new friends and gave us both new careers and ministries. Nothing was like we envisioned, but in the end, it is better. And I’ll praise You in this storm for You are who You are, no matter where I am.  

LIVING IN THE SHELTER OF THE MOST HIGH

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him. (Psalm 91:1-2)

COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES

In her well-planned life, she never considered taking a step out on faith.

While in Costco I ran into an acquaintance from our previous church. She knew Bill announced his resignation and planned to pursue another ministry. Naturally, she asked where we were going next. I replied, “I don’t know. God has not shown us.” A look of horror spread across her face. One would have thought I began speaking in tongues and dancing in the aisles of Costco. In her well-planned life, she never considered taking a step out on faith. She did not know God may choose to be creative and unconventional. God sometimes “colors outside the lines.”

PAUL’S LACK OF PLANS

In Acts 16, Paul is not positive which direction God wants them to take on their mission trip. For all of us for whom detailed planning is vital, news like this makes our stomachs queasy. Do you think the Apostle Paul’s friends wondered about Paul’s lack of plans?

WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING?

The Holy Spirit told Paul’s crew where not to go: Asia. The group had just come from the east. God forbids them to go south or north. It is interesting that they do not presume the Lord is leading them to the west. They wait for His specific directions. Like the woman at Costco, some may have wondered, “What in the world are you doing?”

GOD COLORS OUTSIDE THE LINES

God chooses to color outside the lines. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Ray Stedman observes: “As we look back, across the intervening twenty centuries, we can see that this is one of the most important events of all time. It changed the whole course of Western civilization. Perhaps no single event since the cross of Christ has so affected the world as Paul’s seemingly unpretentious decision to cross a narrow neck of water.”

NOT PAUL’S NORM

The missionaries pack their bags and travel to the city of Philippi, a leading city of Macedonia. The dynamics of Philippi did not fit Paul’s norm. Usually, Paul goes to the synagogue first to share the Gospel. But there is no synagogue to be found Philippi. A quorum of at least ten Jewish men is needed to have a synagogue. No men, so what does Paul do when the Sabbath Day arrives? The crew make their way to the river where they may at least find a place of prayer.

What do they discover? A group of women led by Lydia, a worshipper of God. She is a Gentile businesswoman, not the typical audience of Paul’s. God colors outside the lines.

FIRST EUROPEAN CONVERT TO CHRISTIANITY

Paul didn’t bail on Philippi because it didn’t fit his plans. Instead, he stands on the riverbank and obeys God. Paul shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Lydia. Stedman notes, “The gospel first entered Europe through a Business and Professional Women’s Association meeting.” Lydia becomes the first European convert to Christianity.

Think of the millions who came to know Christ through the ages in Europe due to one Gentile woman worshipping God on a riverbank. At the beginning of Acts 16, there are no men. Where did the Christian brothers come from mentioned at the end of Acts 16? They resulted from Lydia and her evangelistic efforts. Lydia’s home became the first house church in Europe.

Some may look at horror regarding Paul’s lack of travel plans. He did not color within the conventional paths. The lady at Costco would not have been pleased. However, Paul waited on God and obeyed God exactly, even when things may have appeared a little wonky.

WHAT IS GOD CALLING YOU TO DO?

What is God calling you to do that is out of your comfort zone? Do you have difficulty saying “yes” while thinking of lots of reasons to say “no”? I’m so glad that years ago we said yes to God. God never abandons us, even when things may appear a little askew. He often colors outside the lines, and it is glorious!

For additional reading, click the “Great Awakening”