Category: Quiet Time

Strengthened with God’s Power

Recently I returned from a mission trip in Mexico. The week away from the normal comforts of home was both exhausting and inspiring. Our group adapted to riding on bumpy local buses to and from our worksites, doing manual labor without power tools, camping in tents, bathing with solar showers, and even using port-a-potties with a rather pungent aroma. But there was one comfort of home that most people couldn’t do without: cell phones. While they were used mostly for taking photos and communicating with family back home, they appeared to be the one convenience that was indispensable.

My first year on the trip, I was fortunate enough to be on a worksite with a foreman who had a truck and a phone charger. I never had to jockey for position at a power strip in camp during the few hours the generators were running. I remember scurrying to his truck one evening to plug in my phone. When I returned later, I was disappointed to discover that it hadn’t charged at all. A quick investigation revealed that the cord had been unplugged to make room for a different type of charger. I just hadn’t noticed in my haste. No matter how long my phone remained plugged into that cord, it was worthless without a power source.

And what is true for our all-important technology is even more essential in our spiritual lives. We simply can’t function well when we’re not consistently connected with our power source, God. Jesus describes this in John 15: ““I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NIV) Maybe the twenty-first century version would sound like this: “I am the power source, you are the device. If you remain plugged into me, you will have the everything you need to fulfill my purposes; apart from me you can do nothing of spiritual significance.”

Paul writes a prayer about this very idea in the book of Colossians: “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:9b-12, NIV, italics added)

The prayers offered in this passage show the value and necessity of staying plugged into God. As we do that, we receive wisdom and understanding from the Spirit so that we bear fruit and grow, continually strengthened with His power so that we have endurance, patience, and joy.

As summer approaches, most of us look forward to a break from our regular routines. We anticipate the ease of a relaxing vacation at the beach, hiking mountain trails, or experiencing new cultures traveling abroad. Leisurely days with family, reading a book, or finally tackling projects on our to-do lists sound inviting after the rigors of the year.

What is unfortunate, however, is that for many of us a break from gathering for a large-group Bible study also equates with a break from our spiritual lives altogether. This is like hoping the charge on your phone will last throughout the summer without bothering to plug it in. It won’t.

So before you kick up your feet and revel in the newly opened spaces in your schedule, why not plan how you’ll stay connected to your power source during the break from your usual Bible study? Need some suggestions? Well, I’m glad you asked. Read all the way to the bottom before clicking on any of the links for more info. (Clicking on colored and underlined words will link you to more information about the specific titles or websites suggested below.)

  1. Choose a new devotional to read daily. Read and study the Scriptures referenced in it. Take the time to absorb and apply what it says.  Here are several I’d recommend:

2. Choose a book of the Bible and keep a journal. ESV Illuminated Scripture Journals work well for this. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Peter, 1,2 & 3 John would all be great options. After each chapter, stop and answer these four questions:

  • What does this teach me about God
  • What does this teach me about myself?
  • What do I need to do as a result of reading this passage?
  • What character qualities do I see in God displayed in this passage? (Questions adapted from Finding I Am by Lysa TerKeurst)

3. Choose a Bible study to go through or finish a Bible study workbook that you didn’t complete during the year. Invite a few friends to do it with you and schedule times when you can meet during the summer to discuss what you’re learning. Text or e-mail each other in between meetings so you can spur each other on.  Here are several I’d recommend:

4. Read a book to gain deeper insight and biblical perspective from a trusted Christian author.  Here are a few I’d recommend:

5. Listen to podcasts filled with biblical truth, wisdom, and inspiration. Here are a few I’d recommend:

6. Subscribe to an online study or devotional from one of your favorite Christian authors. You can start by subscribing to this blog if you don’t already. I’ll be posting throughout the summer. Log onto my website www.marybethmccullum.com, look at the right side of the screen and you’ll see the heading “Subscribe to Blog Via E-mail.” Fill in your e-mail address and click the “subscribe” button. Be sure to confirm your subscription the first time you receive an e-mail from my website. 

Whatever ideas you decide to try, make it a priority to continue engaging your faith. My prayer is that you’ll stay plugged into Jesus and Scripture during the summer months with the same consistency that you charge your electronic devices. Happy summer!

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Plugging Into Your Power Source

Recently I returned from a mission trip in Mexico. The week away from the normal comforts of home was both exhausting and inspiring. Our group adapted to riding on bumpy local buses to and from our worksites, doing manual labor without power tools, camping in tents, attempting to bathe with water slowly draining from a plastic “sun shower,” and even using port-a-potties with a rather pungent aroma. But there was one comfort of home that most people couldn’t do without: cell phones. While they were used mostly for taking photos and communicating with family back home, they appeared to be the one convenience that was indispensable.

My first year on the trip, I was fortunate enough to be on a worksite with a foreman who had a truck and a phone charger. I never had to jockey for position at a power strip in camp during the few hours the generators were running. I remember scurrying to his truck one evening to plug in my phone. When I returned later, I was disappointed to discover that it hadn’t charged at all. A quick investigation revealed that the cord had been unplugged to make room for a different type of charger. I just hadn’t noticed in my haste. No matter how long my phone remained plugged into that cord, it was worthless without a power source.

And what is true for our all-important technology is even more essential in our spiritual lives. We simply can’t function well when we’re not consistently connected with our power source, God. Jesus describes this in John 15: ““I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NIV) Maybe the twenty-first century version would sound like this: “I am the power source, you are the device. If you remain plugged into me, you will have the everything you need to fulfill my purposes; apart from me you can do nothing of spiritual significance.”

Paul writes a prayer about this very idea in the book of Colossians: “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:9b-12, NIV, italics added)

The prayers offered in this passage show the value and necessity of staying plugged into God. As we do that, we receive wisdom and understanding from the Spirit so that we bear fruit and grow, continually strengthened with His power so that we have endurance, patience, and joy.

As summer approaches, most of us look forward to a break from our regular routines. We anticipate the ease of a relaxing vacation at the beach, hiking mountain trails, or experiencing new cultures traveling abroad. Leisurely days reading a book or finally tackling projects on our to-do lists sound inviting after the rigors of the year.

What is unfortunate, however, is that for many of us a break from gathering for a large-group Bible study also equates with a break from our spiritual lives altogether. This is like hoping the charge on your phone will last throughout the summer without bothering to plug it in. It won’t.

So before you kick up your feet and revel in the newly opened spaces in your schedule, why not plan how you’ll stay connected to your Power Source during the break from your usual Bible study? Need some suggestions? Well, I’m glad you asked…

  1. Choose a new devotional to read daily. Read and study the Scriptures referenced in it. Take the time to absorb and apply what it says.  Here are several I’d recommend:

2. Choose a book of the Bible and keep a journal. After each chapter, stop and answer these four questions:

  • What does this teach me about God
  • What does this teach me about myself?
  • What do I need to do as a result of reading this passage?
  • What character qualities do I see in God displayed in this passage? (Questions adapted from Finding I Am by Lysa TerKeurst)
  • Check out the journaling Bibles at Crossway.com

3. Choose a Bible study to go through or finish a Bible study workbook that you didn’t complete during the year. Invite a few friends to do it with you and schedule times when you can meet during the summer to discuss what you’re learning. Text or e-mail each other in between meetings so you can spur each other on.  Here are several I’d recommend:

4. Read a book to gain deeper insight on a topic you want to learn about. Get some biblical perspective from a trusted Christian author.  Here are a few I’d recommend:

5. Subscribe to an online study or devotional from one of your favorite Christian authors. You can start by subscribing to this blog if you don’t already. I’ll be posting throughout the summer. Log onto my website www.marybethmccullum.com, look at the right side of the screen and you’ll see the heading “Subscribe to Blog Via E-mail.” Fill in your e-mail address and click the “subscribe” button. Be sure to confirm your subscription the first time you receive an e-mail from my website. 

Whatever ideas you decide to try, make it a priority to continue engaging your faith. My prayer is that you’ll connect to your spiritual Power Source during the summer months with the same consistency that you charge your electronic devices. Happy summer!

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Continuing to Practice Prayer

We’ve come to the end of an amazing season of learning about prayer. As we close our Extraordinary Prayer books, my hope is that this won’t be the end of expanding and deepening our communication with the Lord. When we’re stretched spiritually like we have been in this study, we have the opportunity to change our rhythms and grow in maturity. But without intentionality, we’ll revert back to how we were previously.

There have been many times when God has inspired me, but it has only been by continuing to practice what I’ve learned that I’ve progressed in my walk with the Lord. For example, I began understanding the value of connecting with Jesus personally while serving at a Christian camp many years ago. Sitting on the roof of a houseboat as the sun sank low, I listened intently as a youth pastor read a chapter of My Heart, Christ’s Home—an allegory inspired by Jesus’ words, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23) 

In the story, the new believer invites Jesus to live in his home and makes plans to meet with Him every morning to read his Bible and pray.  The new Christian starts off with great intentions, but as the days go by, he sometimes rushes out before making time with the Lord. One day as he’s hurrying out the door, he glances into the living room and sees Jesus sitting expectantly in a chair by the fire with the Bible in His lap. Hanging his head, the believer enters the room and apologizes to Jesus when he realizes the Lord has continued to wait for him each morning. Jesus explains: 

“The trouble is that you have been thinking of the quiet time, of Bible study and prayer, as a means for your own spiritual growth. This is true, but you have forgotten that this time means something to me also. Remember, I love you. At a great cost I have redeemed you. I value your fellowship. Just to have you look up into my face warms my heart. Don’t neglect this hour, if only for my sake. Whether or not you want to be with me, remember I want to be with you. I really love you!”1

Those words pierced my heart as a young believer. It was the first time I understood that reading the Bible and praying weren’t just good things to do, but vital for cultivating a personal relationship with the Lord. I’d never considered His affection for me or that He eagerly anticipated our times together.

God invites us to draw near to Him and assures us of His presence, but He also wants our whole hearts. Session 1 of our study includes the words of Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” The word “seek” used here means to search out by any method, but especially through worship and prayer. The word “heart”characterizes our soul, mind, inclinations, conscience, moral character, and appetites.2 So, to seek God with all our hearts reflects an ongoing, focused pursuit of Him that is connected to all areas of our lives. It means surrendering to His will and His ways without holding anything back. Once we begin a relationship with Him, we’re meant to spend the rest of our lives striving to know Him more deeply.

Learning about God and growing with other believers is important, but it’s not the same as spending personal time with the Lord. Author and Bible teacher Lisa Harper explains: “Information about Jesus is a poor substitute for intimacy with Jesus. If you’ve filled in a million Bible study blanks and still don’t really believe that the Creator and Redeemer of the universe loves you, you’ll never impact the world around you with the abundant life made available to us in Christ. Spend time alone with the lover of your soul. Learn what it is to linger in the embrace of Jesus.”3

Throughout our study we’ve seen that God readily receives us when we move toward Him. The final session of Extraordinary Prayer reminds us: “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” (James 4:8a, NLT) So, let’s continue to draw near to Jesus and to grow in intimacy with Him. 

My hope is that this study will be a significant mile marker in your spiritual journey and that you’ll look back and see it as a turning point when your prayer life expanded and deepened. I encourage you to continue practicing what doesn’t come easily to you: praising God, confessing your sins, expressing gratitude, and making requests that expand God’s kingdom. Keep pressing on and using the Bible to inspire your prayers.

Chris Tomlin’s “Nobody Loves Me Like You” gives the perfect inspiration for being intentional about drawing near to Jesus daily. Click here to listen and let the words motivate you to make time for the One who loves you best.

If this study impacted you, would you consider sharing it with others? I’d love to see more people have the opportunity to discover the power of extraordinary prayer. Click here for ordering info.

1. Robert Boyd Munger, My Heart, Christ’s Home, Intervarsity Press, 1986.

2. The definitions for the Hebrew words are compiled from Strong’s Concordance. “Baquash” (seek) is Strong’s #H1245 “Lebab” (heart) is Strong’s #H3824.

3. Lisa Harper “Three Things That Impact Your Legacy”, IF:Lead 2021.

The GOAT Part 9: Worry

A few years ago, my son started describing me as a “stressy” person. He’s always had a knack for making observations that are both funny and piercingly accurate. It’s true: I’m prone to worry and I like being in control. Ironically, I’ve written twenty-seven blogs about anxiety and fourteen about fear in the last several years. So, it’s not like I haven’t studied this topic in the Bible—I just have a hard time applying it to my daily life. Does anyone else relate?

As we continue our journey through Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, I was treading a familiar path when I came to this portion:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 3If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34, NIV)

This passage reassures and reminds us that we don’t need to worry because the Lord will meet all our needs. That said, it’s challenging to live like we believe it’s true. So, when I discovered a sermon by pastor John Mark Comer called “Becoming a Non-Anxious Presence,” I wanted to share his practical, biblical wisdom with you.

Comer examines five key practices that create a sense of peace within us that affects those around us. After reading all five, consider exploring them further by clicking the links on each topic.

1. Slowing: Jesus’ pace of life was unhurried. He allowed plenty of margin for interruptions and used them as opportunities to bless and minister to others. The frantic pace of our lives is a significant factor contributing to our high levels of anxiety today. If packing your schedule and rushing from one thing to the next is your normal way of functioning, this may be making you anxious and creating a ripple effect on those around you. To read more on this topic, check out this post on the benefits of slowing down: Frenzy is Not Your Friend 

2. Sabbath Rest: Jesus had a regular rhythm of retreating from people to pray and rest and then returning to connect and serve. Luke’s gospel tells us He often withdrew to lonely places to be rejuvenated spending time with His Father (Luke 5:16). Comer explains that how well we rest determines how well we work. Taking time to stop, reconnect with the Father, and re-charge our souls is crucial for keeping anxiety at bay. To learn more about the importance of Sabbath rest, check out my blog “Under-Sabbathed.” 

3. Koininia: This Greek word describes a relational bond between people who are kindred spirits. It’s fellowship and community centered around pursuing Jesus together. We need deep, honest, authentic friendships rooted in Christ. Making time regularly to study God’s Word, pray, serve, and share life with others is an important element for maintaining a sense of peace and well-being. To read more about the importance of koininia, check out my post “Knit Together.”

4. Contemplative Prayer: Resting in the Father’s love and relaxing into His goodness help us to realign with what really matters. Prayer is about experiencing the presence of God. Going beyond learning about Him or hearing others talk about Him, it connects us to Him personally. Time with the Lord also grounds us so we become less overwhelmed, less reactive, and more thoughtful when we jump back into the fray. We engage people and situations with a different perspective after spending time in prayer. Want to learn more? Check out my post “Why Prayer Matters.” 

5. Indifference/ Freedom: There’s little in this life we can truly control. (Sorry, I know that isn’t a fun reminder.)  When we yield to God and trust Him with our lives, we experience the freedom to stop trying to force people and events to meet our expectations. Following Jesus and seeking Him first allows us to discover joy and peace that aren’t dependent upon circumstances going according to plan. We become indifferent to the outcomes of situations not because we don’t care, but because we know God is sovereign and trustworthy. This doesn’t guarantee a perfect or easy life, but it reassures us of the Lord’s presence and reminds us that He works all things for good according to His purposes, not ours (John 16:33 and Romans 8:28). Want to learn more? Check out my post “Stopping the Spiral of Anxiety.” 

I wish I could say I’ve mastered the art of being a non-anxious presence, but I’m a work in progress. Two of the five practices come easily for me. The others are a challenge. What about you? Will you join me in asking the Lord to help you grow where you need it? We may never achieve it fully on this side of heaven, but every day is another chance to ask the Holy Spirit to help us move forward on the journey of corralling our anxious thoughts and trusting Jesus instead.

Comer points out that when fear and anxiety are running our lives, love is repressed. Not being anxious improves our sense of well-being and allows us to express God’s love and grace to others more freely. And isn’t that what our world desperately needs right now?

The key to beating worry is seeking God’s kingdom first. Let Lauren Daigle’s song “First” reinforce this powerful truth. Click here to watch.

Content for this post came from John Mark Comer’s sermon “Becoming a Non-Anxious Presence.” Click here to watch.

You may also want to check out John Mark Comer’s fantastic book: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.

Post inspired by the GOAT sermon series at CPC Danville. www.cpcdanville.org.

The GOAT Part 2b “Light”

Descending down the paved path, our kids skipped beside us, giddy with anticipation.   We were on vacation with two other families and the fourteen of us had decided to explore a cave we’d seen advertised on a roadside sign. As we neared the entrance, a park ranger stationed at a booth nearby called out to us, “Do you folks have some flashlights? The cave is a mile long and it gets mighty dark and cold in there.”

We held up a few puny flashlights we’d planned to share among the group. He smiled in a way that let us know how pathetic we were. “It’s up to you, but I’d suggest renting a few lanterns. You’re going to want to keep close tabs on those little ones.” He gestured to the gaggle of kids surrounding us. Pooling together all the cash we had, we rented three lanterns and walked toward the adventure awaiting us at the mouth of the cave.

Within minutes, our previously boisterous kids sidled close to the adults carrying the lanterns. We left the last rays of sunlight and moved into the depths of the darkness. Between the 42-degree air and the utter blackness all around us, no one wanted to stray far from the group or the light. Without the lanterns to guide our way, it would have been a frightening (and probably very short) trek into the cave.

Although this adventure happened many years ago, I remembered it vividly as I listened to the sermon at CPC Danville on Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV)

Put simply, Jesus calls us to be lights that lead people towards Him in a world of spiritual darkness. Jesus says that our lights shine when we do good deeds, which in turn bring glory to God. While non-believers may not always affirm or recognize the light Christians bring into the world, they would definitely notice if it were absent.

It is important to keep in mind that our actions often speak more loudly than our words. We can’t always recall what others have said to us, but few of us forget how another person made us feel. Consistency of character shows over the long haul. The impression we leave on others opens or closes doors for future opportunities to share our faith.

It can take people a lot longer to recognize they are in spiritual darkness than physical darkness. Our world is full of distractions that comfort or anesthetize individuals into believing they don’t need God. Often it’s not until someone experiences deep pain or hardship that they begin to do some soul searching and seek spiritual wisdom. If you’ve been there for them all along, they may finally realize the value of the lifeline you’re offering through Jesus.

So how can you be a light today?

  1. Be intentional about connecting with Jesus and keeping Him in the forefront of your mind throughout the day. Apply His teaching from John 15:4-5: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
  2. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with His fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
  3. Invite the Lord to show you where you can shine the light of His love and grace. Sometimes it may involve words, other times it will only be through your actions. Maybe it’s as simple as smiling at someone or holding a door open for them. Perhaps it’s offering a word of encouragement or affirmation. Maybe it’s meeting a need, offering a listening ear, or speaking a kind word. Each interaction we have with others provides a chance to make their world a little better and to shine our lights a little brighter.

Let’s consider my story about the cave in the context of our spiritual lives: Imagine that upon accepting Christ, each new believer receives a lantern to carry out into the world where spiritual darkness prevails. When we love people with our actions it creates opportunities to share the truth of God’s Word. We are like the people in the cave holding the lantern. Those fumbling in the dark are drawn to the light and find comfort in its presence. Our world is struggling in spiritual darkness; we have the privilege of holding the lantern and leading them into the light every day, one step at a time.

Let Kari Jobe’s “We Are” inspire you to shine the light of Jesus today:

*Updated from my “Shining God’s Light in the Darkness” 2015 posts.

Stopping the Spiral of Cynicism

I used to pride myself on being cynical. It made me feel smart because I saw past façades and was less likely to take things at face value. Like Toto the dog in The Wizard of Oz, I recognized there was a hidden truth behind the curtain that many people couldn’t see. What I didn’t realize was that cynicism also kept me from fully participating in life or experiencing a sense of belonging with others.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a cynic as someone who “shows a disposition to disbelieve in the sincerity or goodness of human motives and actions.” Jennie Allen expands on this idea saying, “Cynicism erodes our ability to see God rightly. Cynicism at its root is a refusal to believe that God is in control and God is good. Cynicism is interpreting the world and God based on hurt you’ve experienced and the wounds that still lie gaping open. It forces you to look horizontally at people rather than vertically at God.”

So, here’s how cynicism causes us to spiral downward in our minds, “The enemy’s strategy is to flood our thoughts with visions of all that is wrong in this broken, fallen world to the point we don’t even think to look for the positive anymore. Cynicism just becomes the way we think, and we don’t even notice.” This was true of me until a Bible teacher I respected pointed out the dark side of cynicism many years ago. Since then, I’ve prayed regularly about how to keep it from being the filter for all my thoughts.

In case you missed my last two posts, I’ve been working through Jennie Allen’s Get Out of Your Head: A Study in Philippians. The book identifies the primary enemies of our minds and the weapons God gives us to fight them. It’s been powerful using these tools to stop my downward spirals and toxic thoughts. So far, we’ve covered two of the six enemies of our minds: self-importance and noise. We learned how to fight them with humility and silence. (Check out my last two posts if you haven’t read them yet.)

As with the previous enemies we explored, God provides us with a weapon to fight cynicism in our thoughts: delight. It isn’t the antidote I was anticipating, but it does make perfect sense. Allen explains, “Cynicism is destroying our ability to delight in the world around us and fully engage with others. God has an abundance of joy and delight for us, and we’re missing it with arms crossed… Cynicism puts our minds on things of this earth, and we lose hope. Beauty points our gaze toward the heavens and reminds us of hope. Cynicism crumbles in the presence of beauty.” (p. 128 & 135) This is why Scripture encourages us to focus our thoughts in a specific direction:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9, NIV)

Consider the amount of time you spend on thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. It’s impossible to remain cynical when we delight in these things. Our focus changes and we spiral up instead of down.

In the opening words of Psalm 19 King David paints a picture of how noticing the Lord’s creation leads us to delight in Him: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4a, NIV)

Like David’s experience, nature spoke to me in a personal and profound way recently. For several weeks, every time I stepped outside in the morning a small bird would dart away from the topiary tree next to the front door. My presence seemed to alarm her, causing her to perch nearby watching me as I sat doing my Bible study. After a few days I noticed her pattern. Curious, I parted the tree’s branches and spied a nest with tiny blue eggs inside. A feeling of delight welled up in me as I peered at the speckled eggs and the miniature flowers woven into the nest. 

As the weeks progressed, I continued to peak between the branches. The blue eggs eventually hatched to reveal a squirming bundle of downy chicks. At first, they were quiet and sleepy, but within a few days, they woke up to the world. Each time I looked inside they would hold up their tiny beaks waiting for food as the mama hovered nearby.  And then, a few weeks later, I peaked in to discover they were gone. They’d flown away leaving behind a soiled nest and the fragment of one tiny blue egg in the dirt beneath it. It was sad, but sweet too.

I hadn’t just delighted in the birds, but in how God spoke to me through them. What I’d witnessed was an accelerated version of the journey of parenthood I’ve been on for the past 21 years. This fall, my nest will empty as my younger son leaves for college. Watching the life cycle of the baby birds comforted me—reminding me that it is good and right for grown chicks to leave the nest and fly out into the world. Even the mess they left behind showed me why they couldn’t stay there forever. (It also helped me to have a sense of humor about moments when my own child seems to “poop the nest” as he prepares to spread his wings and fly.)

Writing this helps me realize that I’ve used the first three weapons to stop negative spirals in my mind. Choosing humility enabled me to turn away from focusing on myself and my changing circumstances. Rather than grieving the end of my son’s childhood, I’m celebrating the beginning of a new chapter in our family. Choosing silence allowed me to spend those moments on my porch not only finding hope in God’s Word, but in His creation in the tree right beside me. And delighting in the eggs hatching turned me away from cynicism about some of the harder moments I’ve had with my son and reminded me that he’s ready to launch. 

Here’s what I’m realizing: putting these tools into practice works. When we humble ourselves, get quiet, and choose delight, God’s Word and His creation continually point us back to Him and we spiral up instead of down. 

Which tool will you try this week? Use what God has given you and experience the positive difference they make.

Celebrate God’s goodness with me by listening to Micah Tyler’s song “Amen”.

Jennie Allen, Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts, Waterbrook Press, 2020, pages, 131, 127, 128, 135. (Quotes in this post are all from this book.)

Jennie Allen, Get Out of Your Head: A Study in Philippians, Thomas Nelson Press, 2020. (This study is what has inspired this series of posts.)

Stopping the Spiral with Silence

Shooting across the boat’s wake, my waterski accelerated faster than expected. Instead of slowing down to turn around the buoy on the slalom course, I found myself catapulting headfirst into the water. Resurfacing, I swam toward the boat, feeling a bit shaken by the crash. Over the days that followed, I felt “off” but couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong. Lights and sounds seemed magnified and jarring. Multi-step tasks felt confusing and difficult. I was easily irritated and upset by things that normally didn’t bother me. Looking up my symptoms online I finally realized the truth: I had a concussion.

After a visit to the doctor, I cut back on my responsibilities and limited my time in places with lots of stimuli. Going to the grocery store was too much for me. I stopped listening to music and ceased multitasking. I had to monitor time spent watching TV or working on the computer or I’d become agitated and overwhelmed. I spent significant time daily lying down in a quiet, darkened room letting my brain rest and heal. 

Because I’d ignored the warning signs from my body during the first few days after my fall, I hadn’t given my brain quiet time to rest and recover. Bombarding it with constant inputs early on slowed the healing process, causing much of my life to be put on hold for two months.

I thought of that strange season as I considered the second weapon to fight negative spirals in our minds. In case you missed last week’s post, I’ve been working through Jennie Allen’s Get Out of Your Head: A Study in Philippians. The book identifies the primary enemies of our minds and the weapons God gives us to fight them. It’s been powerful using these tools to stop my downward spirals and toxic thoughts before they go too far. 

My last post covered the first enemy of our minds: self-importance. We learned that humility is the weapon God gives us to fight against it. The second enemy of our minds highlighted in the book is noise. Not surprisingly, the weapon to fight against it is silence. Take a moment and consider all of the inputs you receive on a given day: texts, e-mails, phone calls, social media posts, podcasts, TV, radio, news, magazines, and books. I haven’t even mentioned face-to-face conversations, meetings in person or on Zoom, interactions with cashiers, fellow customers, or restaurant servers. And what about the junk mail, phone messages, bills, and solicitations you process daily? Just writing the list makes me feel overwhelmed. No doubt, the number of inputs entering our minds on any given day is staggering. There’s a lot of noise bouncing around in our brains.

Most of us have grown so accustomed to the constant barrage of information demanding our attention, we don’t realize how deeply we’re being affected by it. Jennie Allen explains, “Recognizing our spirals and naming them is the first step in interrupting them. That’s why the enemy wants to fill our lives and our heads and hearts with noise. Because silence with God is the beginning of every victory. Stillness, solitude in the presence of God, is the basis of our strategy for interrupting all kinds of problematic thought patterns…In silence we get to rewrite that pattern while taking back the power He has given us.”

I think all of us could benefit from being more cognizant of the number of inputs we receive daily. We need time to step away from the noise and give our minds and souls a rest. One of my favorite verses reinforces this idea, “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17, NIV ’84)

We consume and process an endless supply of information. And these constant inputs make us weary and often leave us feeling inadequate, overwhelmed, and anxious. But when we take time to draw near to the Lord, we allow Him to silence the noise in our heads that distracts us from Him. Letting Him quiet our spirits gives our minds rest and reminds us of His sovereignty over all things.

In fact, God spoke directly to His people about this very thing through the prophet Isaiah. He chastised them for rejecting His wisdom: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” (Isaiah, 30:15, NIV ’84) This passage explains that the path to salvation and strength is paved with repentance, rest, quietness, and trust. It also highlights how people often choose to ignore this truth. Sounds a lot like our culture today.

Jennie Allen suggests, “When you’re stuck in a downward spiral of discontent and distraction, get quiet. What truth will you shift your thoughts toward, in order to combat the lie that anything else can satisfy you like spending time with God?”

I love how David’s words highlight the first two weapons we’ve considered: 

“Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” (Psalm 131:1-2, NLT) Humility and quiet stop negative spirals and lead us to peace and contentment.

Fight the constant noise in your life by pulling away for a few moments with the Lord. Monitor your inputs to stop the negative spirals that threaten to pull you downward. Let God realign your thoughts with the truth of His Word as you spend quiet time with Him. 

For some tips on good Scriptures to read as you spend quiet time with God, check out my recent post “Rise to Rest” by clicking here.

Jennie Allen, Get Out of Your Head: A Study in Philippians, Thomas Nelson Press, 2020, 62-63, 64

Rise to Rest

This week on IF:Danville at Home I had the opportunity to interview my friend, Tracey. She shared a simple practice called “Rise to Rest” that has transformed her relationship with God. Her goal is to rise early while her house is quiet so she can spend time resting in Jesus before doing anything else. This enables her to let Him guide her for the rest of the day. Like Tracey, I love to do this. Right now, my favorite spot is in a rocking chair on my front porch wrapped in a warm blanket as the sun comes up.

If you haven’t tried spending time alone with God (or haven’t done it in a while), it can feel a bit daunting to know how to begin. I hope this simple guide will help you to find a rhythm that works for you and will enable you to connect with Jesus consistently.

First, let’s start with a few Scriptures to encourage you. James 4:8 tells us, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” And in Jeremiah 29:13, the Lord says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” So, trust that God is there waiting for you as you commit to rising to rest.

If you’re not a morning person, ask God to help you and let King David’s words encourage you: “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” (Psalm 5:3, NIV)  Or, let the example of Jesus inspire you: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35, NIV)

The Plan: Schedule time this week to rise to rest with Jesus. Plan ahead so you’ll be more likely to get up when your alarm goes off!

Prepare & Invite:  Before opening your Bible, take a moment to be still and prepare your heart to read God’s Word. Clear your mind and invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Ask Him to give you a humble and responsive heart that will be transformed by Him.

Read & Observe: Slowly read the passage you choose two or three times. Observe the basic facts. 

  • What did it mean to the people of the day when it was written? 
  • What does it tell you about God? (His attributes, desires, promises, commands)
  • What do you learn about humankind or yourself? (Does something in your life need re-alignment with God?)

Meditate:  Focus on the parts that speak to you directly. Answer any of the following that apply:

  • What has connected to my heart or mind?
  • Why is God showing me this today?
  • How does God want me to respond?
  • What is one verse that stands out to me or that sums up the main point of this section?

Respond in Prayer: Talk to God about what He’s shown you through this text. 

  • Ask Him to reveal what He wants you to do.
  •  Wrestle with anything that challenges you or that seems too daunting to apply to your life. 
  • Confess anything that convicts you. 
  • Pray for anyone God brings to mind as you read this.
  • Ask Him to help you apply what you’ve learned.

Share: Tell a friend about your experience and how God spoke to you. Ask them to hold you accountable to continue the practice of rising to rest.

Not sure what to read? Try the Psalms or a book in the New Testament. The gospel of John is a great place to start. Or, use my list of favorites below:

  • Psalms 1, 5, 16, 18, 19,25, 27, 31, 32, 34, 51, 62, 63, 71, 73, 86, 91, 100, 103, 121, 138, 143
  • Matthew 5, 6 & 7 (The Sermon on the Mount)                     
  • Mark 4             
  • Luke 12
  • John 15
  • Acts 2 & 17
  • Romans 8 & 12                                                                                                                       
  • 1 Corinthians 13
  • 2 Corinthians 4
  • Galatians 5
  • Ephesians 2 & 6
  • Philippians 3 & 4
  • Colossians 1 & 3
  • 2 Timothy 1 & 2
  • Hebrews 12
  • 1 Peter 1
  • 2 Peter 1
  • 1 John 4

If you’d like to see my conversation with Tracey about rising to rest, click on the link below. It’s from Week 2 of IF:Danville at Home.

https://vimeopro.com/cpcdanville/marybethmccullum

Inspired by “What is a Quiet Time?” by Redeemer West Side Prayer Ministry. Oct. 2014.  

Be Inspired Again this Week

Sitting on the roof of a houseboat, I settled in for the evening program. The sun dipped low in the sky, glinting on the water. In the distance, a boat sped past causing a patch of reeds to sway in the ripples of its wake. Teenagers lounged in contentment on either side of me, listening as their youth pastor taught. Although I was serving on staff at camp, I was only a few years older than most of the students. I wanted to believe that I was more mature than them, but the pastor’s words pierced me with fresh conviction.

I’d arrived just a few days earlier, showing up 24 hours after my high school graduation. Since I’d attended the camp with my church in prior summers, I felt confident in my ability to be a leader. Working at Houseboats had been my goal since my first time as a camper. Fun with friends, water skiing, sunbathing, and dynamic leaders had drawn me back every year. I liked the way I felt at camp—there was a sense of Christian community that was authentic and meaningful.

In spite of all this, I was nursing serious self-doubt as a leader once I got there. I felt like a fraud. Even though I’d accepted Jesus as a child and had gotten confirmed as a teenager, an ingredient in my spiritual life seemed to be missing when I compared it to others on staff. I’d straddled the fence between my Christian faith and a worldly lifestyle for the majority of my teen years. There had been moments of deep connection with God at camps, but I hadn’t pursued Him consistently in daily life. Now, I felt like I’d missed out on so much because I’d drifted through my teen years with a lukewarm faith.

When my first group of campers had arrived, I’d enjoyed participating in their nightly programs, singing worship songs, and hearing their youth pastor teach. He had kicked off each evening by reading one chapter from Robert Boyd Munger’s My Heart Christ’s Home. The booklet is an allegory depicting a new believer inviting Jesus to live in his home. Together, they tour all the rooms which represent different aspects of our lives. For example, the dining room represents our appetites and desires and the rec room encompasses our fun times and friendships. 

Listening along with my campers, the Holy Spirit began showing me areas of my life that I’d been holding back from the Lord. Perhaps the most impactful for me was hearing about the living room, where Jesus and the new believer planned to meet every morning to talk and study together.  At first, they met daily, but after a while, busyness interfered with their regular time together.  Here’s the portion of the chapter that struck me most:

“As I passed the living room, the door was open. Looking in, I saw a fire in the fireplace and Jesus was sitting there. Suddenly in dismay I thought to myself, ‘He was my guest. I invited Him into my heart! He has come as Lord of my home. And yet here I am neglecting Him.’

I turned and went in. With downcast glance, I said, ‘Blessed Master, forgive me. Have You been here all these mornings?’

‘Yes,’ He said, ‘I told you I would be here every morning to meet with you.’ Then I was even more ashamed. He had been faithful in spite of my faithlessness. I asked His forgiveness and He readily forgave me, as He does when we are truly repentant. 

‘The trouble with you is this: you have been thinking of the quiet time, of the Bible study and prayer time, as a factor in your own spiritual progress, but you have forgotten that this hour means something to me also. Remember, I love you. I have redeemed you at great cost. I value your fellowship. Now,’ He said, ‘do not neglect this hour if only for my sake. Whatever else may be your desire, remember I want your fellowship!’”

Until that moment, I’d never considered how Jesus felt about the relationship we shared. I understood the sacrifice He made for all people on the cross, but I’d never grasped how much He loved me personally. Once I’d asked Jesus to be my Savior, I hadn’t nurtured our relationship. It was like I’d invited Him into my home, but had left Him standing in the entryway. I thought He’d mess up my plans and expect me to do things His way if I let Him in any further.

Hearing that booklet read aloud was a powerful turning point in my faith journey. On one of the final days at Houseboats, I sat on a small beach during solo time and told Jesus things were going to be different between the two of us. Digging my toes into the sand, I wrote a prayer telling Him I wasn’t holding back anymore. I was fully committing to Him, even though it meant making some big changes and hard choices when I got home. I was ready to surrender and have Him not only be my Savior, but my Lord as well. Since then, He’s continued to expand His presence in every room of my life.

My turning point happened over three weeks on a houseboat at the Sacramento Delta. But each follower of Jesus has a unique story about when and how this occurred for them. Recently, I’ve been privileged to dialogue with others about their experiences with Jesus through my involvement with IF:Danville. I’m excited for you to hear them this Thursday during Week 2 of IF:Danville at Home. You’ll have the opportunity to watch interviews with several women who have discovered the joy of knowing Jesus personally and intimately. Each of their experiences is surprising and unique, but also relatable. I hope the variety in their stories will help you to see that God pursues us intentionally and individually to draw us to Himself. 

For more information about IF:Danville at Home, click here.

To read My Heart, Christ’s Home, click here.  

Sonshine Ministries is the camp where I surrendered to Jesus. This summer is the first time since 1975 boats will not being going out due to COVID-19. If you’re looking for a worthy cause to support, consider making a donation to help this ministry stay afloat. Click here to visit their website. You’ll find giving options under the “support” tab.

David’s Prayer: Psalm 5

Humbling ourselves before God and aligning our hearts and minds with Him allows us to keep our focus where it needs to be throughout the day.

Over the years, the Book of Psalms has become a significant part of my faith journey. The deep laments, honest soul-searching, and passionate praise have put words to my thoughts and feelings many times.

As one of the primary authors of Psalms, David was the most famous and renowned of all the kings of Israel. He was known as “a man after God’s own heart.” At different points in his life he was a shepherd, a musician, a poet, a warrior, a leader, a husband, and a father. Many of the chapters he wrote in that beloved book are songs and prayers that show his response to the different events that occurred in his life. 

For me, a number of psalms have become mile markers that bring back memories from specific moments in my past. Psalm 5 is one I remember learning when I was a teenager. I first heard it in the form of a song while sitting on a small beach during a houseboat trip with my youth group. Standing at the water’s edge, a few of the camp leaders strummed their guitars and led as we sang the first three verses. It was a powerful way to prepare our hearts before sending us off for some time alone with God. Even though it was archaic language, the sentiment resonated deeply with me. When I looked it up recently, I was surprised to see that the lyrics I remembered word-for-word were pulled directly from the King James translation without being altered:

“Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” (Psalm 5:1-3, KJV)

The New International version translates it like this: “Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” (Psalm 5:1-3, NIV)

 Here’s what strikes me about this passage:

It honors God in the lamenting: Even in his emotional distress, David recognizes the sovereignty of God. He gives the Lord the superior place of honor He deserves, addressing Him not only has his God, but as his King. So often in our prayers we launch right into listing our needs and making requests. When we start first by acknowledging the Lord and placing Him above ourselves, we demonstrate humility. This moves us from demanding an answer to recognizing God’s graciousness to us.

It has a healthy perspective: David lays his requests before the Lord and then waits expectantly to hear from Him. The physical act of laying something down is a powerful image. We can’t keep our worries and fears tightly in our grasp and lay them before God simultaneously. We must relinquish them to Him and then step back and believe that He’s going to respond in His perfect timing. Telling Him we’re waiting expectantly shows we trust Him and frees us from the compulsion to keep fretting. Pastor and author Nancy Ortberg says that lamenting paves the way for praising God. When we lay our troubles down before Him, it frees us to look up and remember His sovereignty over all things.

It sets an example worth following: David begins his day with the Lord. Twice in one verse he mentions coming before God in the morning. His example reminds me of the importance of starting my day with prayer. This isn’t legalistic, it just makes good sense. We wouldn’t leave for the day without putting on clothes. We don’t see this as a luxury, but a necessity. Yet, often we don’t see the need for spiritual covering as an essential part of preparation for the day ahead. When I don’t make time for morning prayer, my focus is on myself and the people and circumstances I encounter. As soon as something doesn’t go the way I want, I’ll default to self-centeredness, frustration, and impatience. Conversely, when I start with my focus on the Lord, He wraps me in the grace, wisdom, and patience I need to approach my day with His perspective instead of mine.

It’s interesting to note that Jesus gave us a similar example. Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” If the son of God chose to start His day with prayer, it’s probably wise to follow His example. Humbling ourselves before God and aligning our hearts and minds with Him allows us to keep our focus where it needs to be throughout the day.

Take a few mornings this week to read Psalm 5. Then, write prayers using some of the same elements David did such as:

  • being honest about your emotions 
  • honoring God’s superior position in your life
  • laying specific requests before Him
  • telling Him you’re waiting expectantly because you trust Him
  • asking for God’s leading
  • seeking God as your refuge—a place of safety amidst life’s dangers and storms
  • asking for God to spread His protection over you
  • thanking God that you can claim to be righteous because of Jesus
  • asking God to bless you and surround you with His favor

Chris Tomlin’s song “Nobody Loves Me Like You” starts off with the perfect lyrics to remind you when to start praying. Let it inspire you today.