Fountains of Life

Finding Connection

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By Cyndi

After we had prayed and closed our small group meeting the other night, someone said, “This is such a sweet group we have.” We all agreed. It is good for us to come together in unity. (Ps. 133:1) It’s a time where we can share our hearts and hopes as we study, discuss, and pray together. This is where we connect.

We were all created for connection. In Genesis we see where God gave Eve to be a help meet for Adam. (Gen. 2:18) And what I find more interesting is the first part of that verse — “it is not good that the man should be alone.”

Loneliness is considered a real threat to our health. From the Millennials to the elderly, loneliness can increase our mortality rate, cause inflammation in our bodies, and a host of other medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, just to name a few. Why? Because we were meant to be with other people. When we stay connected it actually improves our health and well-being.  

A couple of evenings ago I stepped outside and saw a flock of bicycles going by hooting and hollering, having fun. You could tell by all the commotion they were having a grand ol’ time just cruising around the neighborhood. I had to smile as it reminded me of the times when I was a kid and my neighbors and I used to bike around our neighborhood, up to the 7-Eleven to cash in bottles, racing to the end of the street, or jumping ramps in our dirt driveway. We used to have a blast together.

Being together—that’s the key. The Word calls us the body of Christ and each one of us is a part of it. (1 Cor. 12:27) So as a natural body is inter-connected and relies on each part to function, we, as Christians, should be interdependent on one another too. We need each other—for encouragement, strength, correction, support. 

And when we do connect, it’s sweet communion. Not that we have to be doing anything “spiritual,” but just spending time together. Eating together, sharing coffee time, walking, playing cards — anything! Connecting keeps us healthy and living longer. Oh, of course, there are some amazing spiritual benefits that happen too. But that would be a whole other article.  

Being Flexible

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Every January I like to seek the Lord for a specific word or phrase for that coming year. It’s like a slogan or motto to refer back to throughout the months whereby God reminds me of things He told me at the first of the year. For 2019 one of the words was “flexibility.” A good word, I had thought then; and as in most cases, the Lord was referring first to the natural, then the spiritual. 

As I have gotten older and am now in what I refer to as the “Fabulous Fifties,” I try to exercise regularly and have particularly been working on my mobility and agility over the last couple of years. I’ve gotten into the habit of stretching every morning, so being flexible has been a goal for my physical body.

But being flexible in the spiritual realm is a different matter entirely. And there’s nothing like having a storm to come along to test it. 

Yes, really—a real, physical storm. Hurricane Dorian, one of the longest living hurricanes ever in the Atlantic Ocean, passed by us here in Florida after wreaking havoc on the Bahamas. Fortunately we were only brushed by winds and rain in Jacksonville, however, my spiritual flexibility was left wanting as some travel plans required changing. 

For months we have been planning a pastors retreat in the Dominican Republic. Guess when that was supposed to be? Hurricane Dorian swept gently by the DR without much trouble, yet, as it hurled towards Florida we quickly surmised we would not be able to fly through the storm to get there and needed to safeguard our house instead. Postponement was necessary; the retreat was not going to happen that weekend. 

After contact was made, airline tickets changed, new dates set, and we settled in to ride out the storm, my heart filled with disappointment. Getting things prepared around the house was drowned with sadness (and a little anger too, to be honest). I had been looking forward to this pastors retreat for months! It was to be a culmination of working in the DR for the last few years, bringing pastors in from around the whole country! I could feel my inflexibility as I was left with no control of the situation. 

(Don’t you hate that—when you’re supposed to just roll with things, giving up whatever desires you have and going with the flow of God’s path? Oh, yeah, that’s called walking in the Spirit. I fail at that sometimes.) 

In John 16, Jesus speaks to the disciples about Him leaving them and some of what was forthcoming when He would be gone. This was not what the twelve thought was the plan. They were formulating and imagining their future in a whole other direction. I can empathize with the disciples in this situation as their flexibility was challenged too. As in many cases with them—feeding the five thousand, crossing a lake in a storm, Jesus’ crucifixion—walking with Jesus doesn’t always go the way you think it will.

When objects are inflexible and they require bending, either they break or they eventually bow. My attitude finally softened into submission after choosing to accept these changes and acknowledge Him in all my ways (Prov. 3:6). I flexed because I know Father God loves me and wants the best for me. I am His child. 

Knowing God is always good brought me back into rest and my sadness soon turned into excitement. Who knows all the reasons why (spiritually) this retreat got postponed, and does it really matter anyway? Not really. Now I just move forward by faith.

He loves me. Period. That enables me to be flexible.  

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(photo courtesy of NOAA)

Here’s another post along these same lines.

Where Does Security Come From?

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by Cyndi

I was reading an interesting book the other day and I paused when I ran across this quote:  

“When I admit I don’t know something, at that point, it enables me to find out and learn. The know-it-alls of this world are too busy trying not to feel insecure to open their minds to learn.”*

Maybe not the best grammatically written sentences, and perhaps they may be filled with a touch of judgement, but the truth within them stood out to me: we are either “learners” or “insecure.”

If we weren’t insecure we’d probably be willing to learn about anything. Now in today’s age we “google” everything; we can look up anything or anybody. And we do. However, what we don’t tend to look up are subjects in those areas we think we already know something. If we feel like we already know something, there’s no need to search for more. We’re “know-it-alls” as this writer put it. 

The learners always look for more to learn, ways to improve or do more efficiently. I believe these are those who want to go from “good to great.” And why wouldn’t you? Well, basically because of insecurity.

I used to be quite insecure about many things — computer skills, public speaking, any sort of ‘performance’ in front of people. Some topics I had a little skill or experience, but there were other areas where I just didn’t want to try because I thought I would fail. I didn’t see failing as an option, I saw it as rejection. But if you can’t fail, you can’t learn. I needed to let go of my insecurities.

How did I let go of my insecurities? Father’s love. The more I learned (and experienced) how much He loves me, accepts me, and doesn’t judge me, the more I’m willing to try. There is freedom to fail. No matter what the world may say about me, I’m still okay. I’m still loved.

Imagine a little crawling baby who pulls himself up on the coffee table for the first time and thinks about taking a step. What does the father do? He cheers him on, encouraging him to take a step. His tiny legs wobble as he attempts the feat. But what if he falls? (He probably will several times.) The father will smile and inspire him to keep trying until he’s eventually walking on his own. I believe Father God is just like this. He’s not afraid of my failings, so why should I be? It’s a part of learning and growing.

So when I use my Duolingo app to study Spanish and I loose all my hearts (life) on some of the lessons and have to quit, I don’t condemn myself. He doesn’t. I’m learning. When I can’t find something at the grocery store, I ask someone. I used to be too insecure to do that; I’d go through the whole place up and down every aisle and then leave if I couldn’t find it myself. I was ashamed I couldn’t figure it out on my own. Father never shames me.

There’s nothing wrong with not knowing something. (Double negative on purpose!) Father God is our security blanket. He is always with us. And I’m learning that not knowing something is a perfect opportunity to learn. Of course, I’m not perfectly secure in everything, and there are times when I need ministry to dig into why I’m struggling with being insecure in certain areas, but I try to keep moving forward. 

When I admit I don’t know something, it causes me to trust Father even more. If my security, approval, and love come from Him and no one else, I’m free to learn anything and not fear judgement.

__________

*Quote from Off the Grid by Capt. Mark J. Reinhardt

Another In The Fire

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We recently sang a new song in church called Another in the Fire by Hillsong United which reminded me again of how close the Lord really is to us. 

Based on the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from Daniel chapter 3, the faith of these three men was tested by King Nebuchadnezzar as they chose to be thrown into a furnace rather than bow and bestow worship to an image. They knew there was only one true God and nothing or no one else was to be treated as divine or worthy of worship.  

So into the fire they were pitched. 

Ever feel like you’ve been pitched into the fire? In situations or circumstances where you’re getting overwhelmed and burnt up? Where there is no win-win resolution, only what seemed like a lose-lose one?

Sometimes we just can’t go around certain obstacles; we have to go through them. Illnesses, cancer, losses can be some of those difficulties where we pray and believe for miracles, yet we still have to walk through the process. We get pitched into the fiery furnace. 

This is where we, like those three guys in the Old Testament, have our faith tested. This is where we truly find out what we believe in our heart of hearts. This is where all our words and sayings can fall to the ground in a puddle of tears as we face fears and trials like we never have before. This is where God reveals how close He is to us. 

Immanuel — God with us. (Matt. 1:23) Jesus promised He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb.13:5). He promised He would always be with us, even to the ends of the earth (Matt. 28:20). And there are definitely times when we feel like we are at the ends of the earth, deep in the fires of grief and pain, caught up in fears of the unknown. 

It’s right here in this uncomfortable, dire, and agonizing place where we make that choice exactly like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. I remember making that choice four years after my father had died of colon cancer. It was in the afternoon, newly planted in a foreign country where I knew not their language nor their culture, and I was all alone in my bedroom ironing, talking to God. I slammed the iron down. The grief I had buried up till then came out as hot anger as I yelled at Him, “Why did you take my father?” Then with tears in my eyes Father God held me as I finally let go of needing to understand the “whys” and allowed the ache in my heart from missing my dad to be smothered under a blanket of unconditional love.

We have to choose to trust in God’s incredible love as we go through the fire. It’s not easy. It’s possible there may even be death or loss at the end. Those men didn’t know, but they knew His love. It never fails. (1 Cor. 13:8) 

King Nebuchadnezzar watched as those men were thrown into the fire then “he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, ‘Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?’ They answered and said to the king, ‘True, O king.’ ‘Look!’ he answered, ‘I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.’” (Dan. 3:24, 25) 

There was another in the fire.

My dear reader, let this story of these tenacious men encourage you. God is so, so close to you. Choose to trust Him. When you can’t go over, under, or around those obstacles that come into your life and you just have to go through them, there will be another in the fire with you too. You are never alone. 

The Watermelon Test

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As I placed my knife on the striped green skin, anticipating a juicy red belly, an acute analogy popped into my head: we are like watermelons. No one knows what’s on the inside of us until we’re cut into.

It’s even interesting to think about the fact that the very center and core of a watermelon is called the “heart.” Luke 6:45 says, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” And in my case, my mouth usually opens up fully when I’m cut — hurt in some way. 

Being hurt happens in many ways; I’m not necessarily referring to abuse—that is a huge topic within itself — but we Christians get the watermelon test every day while waiting on traffic, while dealing with repairs, living through health issues, raising children, changing jobs, etc.

So when we’re “cut open,” what comes out of us? Harsh words? Anger? Retaliation? Judgment? Or sweet grace, mercy, and kindness?

I found myself driving in some pretty heavy traffic the other day. Most of the day I had been out and about running errands and I was ready to come home, settle down and make dinner. Five minutes from my house, I’m sitting in a turning lane and when the light changed to green, nobody moved. After a 10-second eternity, the car at the front of the line finally saw it and turned the corner. Then the signal switched back to red again. Out of the long line of vehicles waiting, only one car turned. Now I had to wait for the entire cycle of traffic lights to circle around again.

To be honest, I was furious. I shouted and yelled, “C’mon people! Really?” with the windows up, fortunately. My skin got cut and the interior that was revealed wasn’t a sweet succulent heart. It was anger, impatience, and judgment. Then a still small voice came from deep inside me saying, “Be anxious for nothing.” (Phil. 4:6) Thankfully, there was a good thing stored deep in my heart, it just wasn’t the first thing that appeared. Didn’t go through that watermelon test with flying colors. 

A few days afterwards, a friend of mine asked if I could help her with something one morning. This would “cut” into my scheduled agenda, however, I easily rearranged things and I agreed to meet up. I believe friends and family (relationships) take precedent over whatever plans I have. My schedule was adjustable, so I readily adjusted. Ah, the smell of a ripe watermelon popping open. Passed that one.

How about you? When you’re cut into, what’s on the inside of your watermelon? Some days are better than others, I know. There are days we’re red and sweet and delicious, and other times when we’re barely pink and — well — yucky tasting. That’s life. But try looking for those watermelon tests (without judgment on yourself, of course). It’s a simple way to check what’s in our heart at that moment.

Now let me get back to cutting my watermelon up.