Wisdom. That's a word I have been studying for a very long time. I remember first becoming aware of its importance when I was a teenager and my mom mentioned to me that I should add wisdom to the qualities which I pray God give me. As I began to study what wisdom is and what it can do in my life it truly fascinated me.

First, let me define what the word wisdom means. The Webster dictionary defines wisdom(noun) as the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgement to action; sagacity, discernment; or insight.

It's hard to understand how important wisdom is, but let me give you a better example of how wisdom coupled with discernment from God truly can make a difference in your life. I think most of us can agree that at one point in time we have said or done something that we regret. Maybe at the time it felt right or it seemed like the best thing to do, but we soon found out it only created a huge problem for us in the future. Now, with wisdom a lot of these situations can be avoided. Let me explain just how wisdom in everyday life makes a huge difference.

With wisdom you have the ability to think on the spot before saying or doing something you will regret. Having wisdom allows you to see ahead and make the proper decision in order to not hurt yourself or someone else. Here's a relatable example of wisdom. Let's say you are at work and a co-worker begans to talk bad about your boss. Even if your boss hasn't been treating you well and you also have a few things you want to vent something inside you tells you not to. You listen to your co-worker with respect, but as soon as you can you change the subject or walk away. Something inside of you makes you feel uncomfortable and foresees that talking bad about your boss with a distressed co-worker isn't a good idea. A week later your co-worker is fired and as they are leaving they tell your boss about other co-workers who feel the same way (by name) and of course your name is not included (BIG sigh!). At this moment your are grateful for the wisdom God gave you to keep your thoughts to yourself and for not being dragged into this unfortunate situation.

Though this is just one example of practical wisdom in our everyday lives wisdom is so much more. I believe that wisdom is God given and attainable by those who ask for it. The Bible says in Proverbs 3:13-14,"Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold." Luke 21:15 writes of how God can provide us with "... words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict."

Truly wisdom is something that changes lives and can have a huge impact on our future and our happiness. Life is never going to be free of troubles, but if we can somehow manage to stay away from issues we bring upon ourselves for not being wise then wisdom is definitely worth asking for.

Try praying to God for wisdom and see how quickly life and circumstances began to change. Wisdom is truly something I pray for and desire.

Live, Love, & Always Take A Picture!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T find out what it means to me...  I think that’s how the song goes.  Why does it mean so much for people to respect us, to respect what we do?  I think it is both a good and bad desire at times.  A double edged sword.  We want people in our lives, to know about our changed lives.  To know that we love God, that we love to serve, that we are flexible to change, that we want to help others.  Why? Because we want to show the love of Christ to everyone through these actions.  That is the good side. The bad side, at least for me, comes when they don’t see it.  When they don’t acknowledge the sacrifices we are willing to make to serve others.  Therein lies the problem.  Too often I want people, especially people close to me, to acknowledge the change Christ has made in my life.  I want them to notice the changes we make it our schedules to accommodate them.  Does that mean I want them to notice me instead of Christ?  I don’t think that is the reason, but when I get frustrated I want to know why.  Matthew Chapter 6 talks about 3 areas to be careful not to bring attention to yourself, in giving, in prayer and when fasting.  My prayer is that I am praying only for God’s ears, that I am giving only for His glory, and that when I fast it is for His work in my life, not for others to see.  Do I want others to see Christ in me? Yes, of course, but my prayer is that even if they never say they do see a difference in my life that I will be content knowing that Christ will one day say He did.  I will strive to be content knowing that even if I get no “respect” here, I will be rewarded by my Father in heaven.  Read Matthew Chapter 6:1-21 to see if you are looking for the praise of men or for God to be praised through your actions.  Decide where you want to store your treasure and get moving!

Did you know that when you go to bed angry with someone, you wake up a little “less in love” with that person?  God’s Word addresses this dangerous sleeping pattern: “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” (Eph. 4:26-27)

When I was in college, I was impressed with the relationship between my English literature teacher (Dr. Evangeline Banta) and her husband.  She invited me to spend a weekend at her home, where I got a closer look at a love relationship that I had assumed existed only in literature.  At the end of our weekend together, I asked Evangeline what was the secret of the love that had flourished after forty-plus years of marriage.  I’ve never forgotten her remark, and it has been the most important marital advice I’ve ever received.  Evangeline said, “We made a commitment on our wedding night that we would not go to sleep angry with one another.”  Such a simple remark, but it is a foundational truth for love that will last a lifetime. Going to bed angry with one’s mate will only result in dragon breath come morning.

Are you having a difficult time finding a Valentine’s card for a loved one, because the sun has been setting day after day on anger in your heart?  One of the primary reasons many of us don’t forgive is that we’re too angry even to consider it.  We may or may not be aware of the anger we live with day to day. For plenty of people, the anger that holds them hostage to unforgiveness is a rage stored deep in the attics of their hearts. I refer to this as “ancient anger.”  Ancient anger is like cobwebs strung across the attics of our hearts, and these cobwebs need to be removed.  Frederick Buechner wrote about ancient anger:

Of the Seven Deadly Sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back—in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton you feast on is you.

Being offended is inevitable but staying offended is our choice. Valentine Cards are hard to purchase when the heart is clogged with ancient anger. We are called to forgive one another for doing what we do best—‘being human.’  Don’t go to bed angry again tonight—so you can visit a Hallmark Card shop tomorrow without grinding your teeth in the process.

The above material is an excerpt from Free Yourself to Love, by Jackie Kendall.  To learn more from Jackie, visit her online at www.jackiekendall.com.

I recently attended a conference in Atlanta for college students called Passion 2012.  42,000 university students from all over the US and the world came together for three days to worship, pray, listen, and leave changed people for the glory of GOD.   (They let a few old people in as volunteers, which is how I was able to get in the room – um, stadium that is.)  The speakers were brilliant and the worship unforgettable, but my heart was transformed by the students.  The leaders of Passion put before this group of poor college students at goal of $1,000,000.00.  Not to go home and pledge, not to call mom, dad, grandpa, aunts, uncles and friends….but to GIVE it, out of their pockets and bank accounts, however meager they may be, and to give it over the course of the three day conference.  These amazing students gave not just one million, but over TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.  TWO AND A HALF MILLION dollars!  Why?  Every dollar that was given went to fight slavery.    

There are over 27 MILLION people trapped in modern day slavery all over the world right now.  Mostly, these are marginalized people who aren’t strong enough to stop the tyranny of those who are exploiting them, and  there aren’t enough people standing up in their place and saying  NO WAY.  Sadly, we as American consumers can be a part of perpetuating these crimes without even knowing it.  See, many of the items we buy every day are made using slave labor:  cell phones, jeans, Christmas ornaments, even some of the food we eat.   

What can we possibly do to stop the cycle of human trafficking?  Well, honestly there are many things we can do, some great and some small.  One small thing that could turn into a great thing is to become a conscientious consumer.  If we all considered what we buy and where we buy it, refusing to participate in the perpetual cycle of using people as slaves to create products we enjoy, then that small life change becomes a HUGE change in the way products are made, marketed and sold.  

We can pray.  We can get involved locally as well as internationally.  We can give.  We can tell others about what we have heard. 

There is a lot to do to fight injustice.  But God’s Word says “And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice.”  Psalm 50:6

 I believe when we fight injustice, when we care for the poor, the marginalized, the broken and forgotten, we care for Jesus.  

Happy New Year! 2011 has come to a close, representing the end of a football season, the end of the holiday season, and more importantly, the end of one of the most difficult spiritual seasons of my life.

I remember times when Mike, as both a player and a coach, would gather as a team the Monday after a dismal performance on the field the day before, and all but erase the previous day’s horrifying events. There were some games that were simply awful from the kickoff to the countdown of the final seconds, and the best thing for all involved was to put it behind them. Move on. Look forward.

And that’s what I’ve chosen to do with 2011. This New Years Eve, I was spent; the culmination of 370 days of intense determined effort to rid myself of some toxic thoughts and feelings. When, as a family, we shared our resolutions and goals for the coming new year, mine was this: “I resolve to enjoy the place of peace and rest that I worked so hard to get to.”

At first the kids balked, but upon further explanation, I reminded them that at the kickoff of 2011 I was a broken-down shell of a woman, and by the final seconds of the year, I was restored and refreshed. At the beginning of the year, I found it very difficult to pray, primarily because I felt unprotected. Whenever I heard ‘God is good’, tears welled up in my eyes, for I couldn’t really bring myself to say He wasn’t, but I sure lost sight of His goodness. So I went to work. I cried alot. I had a silent battle brewing inside of me for months; I wanted to trust God…I was just way too scared of getting hurt again. But slowly, over time, I allowed myself to dip my toe into the pool of trust.

Soon, I allowed myself to sit along the side and let my feet dangle in. Before long, I waded into the shallow end. By the end of November, I dove in. Head first! Belly-flopping, care-free, no-turning-back frolicking in the pool of Trust. I Trust God And His Plan For My Life.

I don’t consider myself an overly ambitious hard worker; when I compare my energy and drive to Mike’s I always feel like I fail miserably. But I take great pride in the amount of time and devotion I spent working to get my heart right again. 2012 could have easily begun with my being stuck in a rut of bitterness and resentment and hurt. Instead, I have peace and joy and the good kind of butterflies in my stomach as I anticipate what is to come.

So long 2011. Even though you helped me become what I am today, I’d rather not re-visit you! You’ve served your purpose; I passed the test.

Welcome 2012!

"In the spiritual life, the word discipline means the effort to create some space in which God can act." (Henri Nouwen) This comment rocked my heart this season. I began to think about the lack of room in our lives for God to show up and display His glory. Daily I have been asking myself this question: “Have you made room today for God to act and show up in your life?” The disciplines of the holy such as: prayer, Bible reading, fasting and meditating, all of these make room for God to be on display in your life. Has the busyness of the holidays already robbed God of room to invade your life? Our prayer for each of you this season is that you will not be so busy this holiday season that there is no room, for Emmanuel to be on display!

This year Ken and I put up a 192 inch Happy Birthday Jesus in LED Lights, bright blue. We are so excited about JESUS’ name being brightly displayed over the arches of the front of our home. Of course, this bright blue display is no substitute for Jesus being brightly displayed in our lives. I think the apostle Peter would have liked our bold and joyful Christmas décor of Happy Birthday Jesus.

“You love Him even though you have never seen Him, you trust Him and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.”(1 Peter 1:8)

For more from Jackie Kendall, visit her site at www.jackiekendall.com

Here is a creative way to show your sweetie that you care:

On the 1st day of Christmas:

I gave to my true love…

A bear hug, a kiss,

And all my love.

“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—for your love is more delightful than wine.” (Song of Songs 1:2)

Gift idea: bag of Hershey Kisses

On the 2nd day of Christmas:

I gave to my true love…

One singing songbird to enjoy the season with the one who loves you dearly.

“Show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.”  (Song of Songs 2:14)

Gift idea: Christmas CD

On the 3rd day of Christmas:

I gave to my true love…

A single red rose,

Only to be outmatched in beauty…

By you.

“How beautiful you are, my darling!  Oh, how beautiful!” (Song of Songs 1:15)

Gift idea: one red rose

On the 4th day of Christmas:

I gave to my true love…

A pretty pair of panties, 

Just to suit your fancy.

“I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go.” (Song of Songs 3:4)

Gift idea: lingerie

On the 5th day of Christmas:

I gave to my true love…

An evening of hand holding at the movies

Because there’s no one I’d rather be with.

“My lover spoke and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me.’” (Song of Songs 2:10)

Gift idea: movie tickets stapled to a bag of microwave popcorn

On the 6th day of Christmas:

I gave to my true love…

A calendar with dates set aside…

Just to spend with you.

“Take me away with you—let us hurry!” (Song of Songs 1:4)

Gift idea: next year’s calendar with several date nights marked

On the 7th day of Christmas:

I gave to my true love…

Dinner out tonight—your choice…

Making time for love later.

“He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love.” (Song of Songs 2:4)

Gift idea: handwritten dining out certificate

On the 8th day of Christmas:

I gave to my true love…

A wick in wax 

To light my fire!

“The mandrakes send out their fragrance and at our door is every delicacy, both new and old, that I have stored up for you, my lover.” (Song of Songs 7:13)

Gift Idea: a perfumed candle

On the 9th day of Christmas:

I gave to my true love…

Something to pamper your beautiful skin 

All year through.

“Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes.” (Song of Songs 1:3)

Gift Idea: perfumed body lotion

On the 10th day of Christmas:

I gave to my true love…

A romance to remind you 

You’re the only one for me.

“You have stolen my heart.” (Song of Songs 4:9)

Gift idea: a romantic “chick-flick” video/dvd

On the 11th day of Christmas:

I gave to my true love…

A holiday hot pad

Because you’re just too 

Hot to handle.

“I am my lover’s and my lover is mine.” (Song of Songs 6:3)

Gift Idea: Christmas cooking mitt/for the grill

On the 12th day of Christmas:

I gave to my true love…

A plant with red blooms to say

You’re always in season to me.

“All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you.” (Song of Songs 4:7)

Gift Idea: poinsettia

For more ideas, thoughts, and words from Jackie, visit her site at www.jackiekendall.com

Today I did something crazy. For those of you who know me, you know that's not unusual! I took a lawn chair, my bible, and a notebook--and pulled up to a path of trees. I've walked this path before, as it sits on the edge of a giant paved parking lot next to my beloved church. What fascinates me is this chunk of land is now forgotten. It used to have a farm on it, and from the look of the worn path, possibly a barn. It must have been a grand site. There's a stunning dirt road carved out of stately trees that line what was probably an orchard strewn walkway leading to a farmhouse that once sheltered a family. People homesteaded this land decades ago, long before they knew that one day a church the size of a small city would sit on their humble stretch of land.

It was on this land that I had a "tree meeting" with God. Before you assume I've lost my mind...let me explain. Several months ago I was reeling from a large dose of insecurity. So many questions fighting for validity in my mind. "Am I smart enough to continue to write books?" "Now that I'm in the big leagues of writing, can I keep up with the demands and the work load?" "What if I fail, and let everyone, including God, down?" With the force of a linebacker, the questions keep knocking the breath right out of me.

One day I came upon a scripture that seemed to spread ointment over my chaffed soul.

"Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, For she will be like a tree planted by the water,that extends its roots by a stream, and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought...nor cease to yield fruit." Jeremiah 17

For months I kept looking for "my" tree. I pictured a fabulous oak stretched out over a trickling creek. I thought it may be in the mountains, or on a running trail that I would lean up next to and call mine. After looking for that tree for seven months, I was stunned to find it in a paved parking lot. 

Every Monday morning before the sun would rise I would walk this lot, praying for God to shine His favor on the speaking and teaching I would deliver in that church on Monday evenings. Boy did He show up! One week as I strolled the lot praying, I looked up at the string of trees that somehow I had missed for months. As I meandered through them, the sun seemed to shine so thick over one of the tree's branches that it looked like it was coated in gold and caramel--gooey enough to lick and bright enough to grab sunglasses to block the glare. I stood there speechless, and quietly uttered a prayer, "Is this my tree God?" The goosebumps on my skin told me it was. 

So this morning I plopped a lawnchair in the back of my jeep, and sat down next to my tree for some time of peaceful insight and praise. The questions that beat me up still surface now and then, but I know the truth that silences them. I nudged next to my tree outlined by a black paved parking lot and busy highway...relishing the new place I have to meet with God. Sometimes He shows up in unexpected paths and parking lots...

Blessings!

Gari 

For more from Gari, visit her blog at: www.trulyfed.blogspot.com

Judging is one of the easiest things we can do. It can be just seconds before we form an opinion about something or someone. We often see a person's appearance and judge. We see the car they drive or where they live and automatically believe we know so much about them when we might know very little.

I met a girl when I was in college. She was labeled every bad and demeaning name a woman could have. I wasn't sure if I wanted to be associated with her, but one day I found myself sitting with her at a bus stop. We talked for a long time. That day I learned more about her than I ever could have imagined. Her story was powerful. Her past was painful. She was molested at a young age and as an adult still dealt with the pain from her past. Her actions in the present was a cry for help, but none of us could see it. God had a purpose in sitting us together at that bus stop. Her story convicted me. I felt wrong for having allowed the opinions of others to influence my thoughts about her.

The Bible says, "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Let me take the speck out of your eye, when there is the log in your own eye? You, hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:1-5)

NO ONE IS PERFECT. We all have faults and imperfections. So why do we focus so much on magnifying the imperfections in others when we have so much to work on ourselves? That is such a harsh, but true reality. When you judge others you judge who you are. A verbal judgement proclaims that you are better than others. However, we can't forget that we are all sinners and if we were to be judged by our sins we would all be the scum of the world. Nothing is perfect about humans except for the fact that we were made in God's perfect image. Everything else about us requires work.

Each one of us has been given a unique life that makes you who you are. None of us will ever be perfect and understanding that we all have things we need to work on helps in not being so judgmental about others. The next time you hear someone judging don't be too quick to embrace their opinion as the truth. Sometimes the truth about someone or something isn't directly visible to us. Remember there's a difference between judging someone and correcting them in love.

Live, Love, & Always Take A Picture!

Lizette 

More from Lizette can be found at: www.lizettetrentphotography.blogspot.com