Author: Jillian McGriff

Today’s Readings: 2 Chronicles 13, Revelation 3, Haggai 1, John 2

Good morning readers! We’re inching ever closer to celebrating Jesus’ birth! Are you buried in shopping bags, wrapping, cards and holiday calendar conflicts? I spent my weekend working at the hospital and as usual it brought lots of opportunities to reflect on the sanctity of life and the importance of being in the moment. I held lots of elderly hands, met with families in crisis and even got to witness a passage to heaven. Now, as I sit in front of my blinking cursor I’m struggling to find the right way to share all the literal connections God is making with us through today’s scripture. So instead of writing my usual journal, I’ve decided to share a bit if my process instead. God has so much to say to us that for me it can be overwhelming. Sometimes I read and read and end up saying, “I really didn’t get anything out of any of that!” One way I have been able to start a meaningful conversation with God, is by taking a few verses and writing a bulleted list of how those words apply to my life. Today I chose Haggai. He’s not exactly one of the big four (Matthew, Mark, Luke of John). But his words are still powerful. I feel like I can identify with the Jews. They’re caught up in the hustle and bustle of house building and interior decorating. They don’t want to miss that sale at Hebrew Depot on black Sabbath-day! (I know I’m terrible, don’t quit reading yet!) I learned and grew from unpacking this set of verses. I hope you will too.

² “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” ³ Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, ⁴ “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? ⁵ Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. ⁶ You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. ⁷ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. ⁸ Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord. ⁹ You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. ¹⁰ Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. ¹¹ And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.” Haggai 1:2-11

• Verse 2: It’s just not time yet
  • Haggai is one of the first prophets sent to the Jews after they are settled in their new land. He is sent to encourage the Jews to rebuild the temple. The Jew’s are sort of dragging their feet. They clung to the message that they had 70 years to rebuild but by now 69 have passed. How often do I say “no” to God because it’s just not a good time for me? Do I turn from opportunities because I’m just too busy crossing off items on my personal agenda? For me, change is hard. I’d rather stay in a situation and complain about it than take the steps to change it.
• Verse 4: You first
  • Haggai calls the Jews out in a big way in verse 4. Can you hear the reproach in his voice when you read this verse? He says, “is it time for you to dwell in your paneled house?” I love that word dwell. It’s so easy to dwell with our family and friends this Christmas season. We feel as if we are entitled to staying comfortable. This scripture has really convicted me to take an inner look and consider who may be feeling left out this Christmas. Who am I excluding? Have we left Christ’s house in ruin while ours are glowing with light and love? We live in a “me first” society just like the Jews. I’m still resisting the urge to buy for myself each time I head out for Christmas shopping! Haggai’s words are well timed; build the Lord’s house and your dwelling will follow.
• Verse 5: Consider your ways
  • It was God that restored the Jew’s from captivity. How quickly they have forgotten. Are we the same way? Do we prioritize ourselves and let time with Him slip away?
• Verse 6: Ye have sown much
  • We often pray to God for prosperity. We work and work to gain that financial security we crave. God will not bless us in any of our labor unless we rebuild his temple and restore worship in Him. This verse is full of wisdom for us! That last line spoke to me! “And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.” Please tell me that just changed your life!
• Verse 9: Ye looked for much
  • What we can do on this earth will amount to little if it isn’t for His glory. Our riches here will be blown away by Him like specks of dust. As I search for money and the cutest shirt and get the latest haircut it amounts to so little in my Father’s eyes.
• Verse 10: Dry Land
  • Just as he withheld rain from the Jew’s, He withholds from us. Not to hurt us but to guide and teach us. Just as a parent to a young child, we withhold the sweets until the homework is done. We teach honesty, respect and gratitude. God is teaching the Jews and us in that same parental way. He wants us to grow up to be like Him.

Today’s Readings: 2 Chronicles 5-6:11, 1 John 4, Nahum 3, Luke 19

 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4: 1-6

 It’s early Sunday morning. I just finished changing sheets, diaper and jammies in my daughter’s crib. I tucked her back in with fresh dry blankets and gave her some milk. I made myself a cup of tea and decided that my extra early morning time would be best spent in front of the blinking cursor. Most days, I’d be irritated about being woken early, but today I was truly grateful to be able to serve my child. Little Ruby Mae had an accident yesterday. Some jumping fun with bubble wrap turned into a “big idea.” While I was sifting through Christmas boxes in the basement Miss Ruby rode her sheet of bubble wrap down our basement stairs like a sled. One loud crash and a shriek later, we were on our way to the hospital. The ER staff treated her with kindness and love. They tried to hide their smiles when she finally admitted to all of us that she had planned this little escapade and executed when Mommy was out of sight. We were driving home when I heard the tiniest voice from the backseat, “I sowwy Mommy.”

If you’ve met Ruby Mae, you know she is just about the spiciest little human that ever graced this earth. She does it her way…all day. She also has a deeply rooted love for Jesus Christ. If you’re lucky you’ll catch her singing The B-i-b-l-e to her babies as she puts them in their bed. On her way out of Little Jewels daycare she’ll whisper goodbye to the baby Jesus statue that stands by the door. Although she challenges me each and every day with her strong will, fierce independence and fearless spirit, I see our heavenly Father in her. Pastor Mike tells us time and time again, “If you want to know how to raise your kids as Christ followers; come to church every week and eat dinner together as a family.” Lynden and I are learning that this little piece of advice is worth more than any other we’ve received.

The purpose of John’s writings in this chapter is to reassure Christian’s in their faith and to counter false teachings. By the time this letter was written John was an older man and the only surviving apostle. The last eyewitness of Christ, John wrote authoritatively to give the new generation of believers confidence in their faith in God. In today’s scripture he encourages us to “test the spirits” in our life. He warns us that evil has come into our world already. And then he says this:

“…Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

This Christmas season is full of false prophets and messages cloaked in the false promise of being from God. When I read John’s words this morning, I’m encouraged. He reminds us that we know how to recognize the people and the words and the places in our community that are for Christ.

“By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

In the next twenty days, we’ll have thousands of Christmas opportunities. Jesus will invite us to sit down with him, to pull our children close and celebrate the message of His birth. Are we going to take those opportunities to bring our family to church to show them that we are truly from God? Or are we going to choose the false teachers? Are we going to choose the promise of the iPhone 7, the cordless drill or the almighty Lego? It sounds so simple when you hear it from John. Choose the Spirit of God, just do it! It’s in all of our hearts but the power of the antichrist is strong and persuasive. Satan is crafty. He knows how to distract us with shiny things! Let us be reassured though. Like children, we fall down. We think that we can really stand on bubble wrap and slide down that staircase mountain without getting hurt. When we emerge, bloody and bruised He picks us up. As I care for Ruby’s little black eye, change her wet diaper and wrap her in fresh blankets, I’m giving thanks for her pure spirit. I’m resisting the temptation to click on the blinking photo of those boots I want so badly that was expertly placed on the webpage that holds our scriptures today. I don’t need furry boots, I need the spirit of Christ. There is no sled that can get us down the rocky mountain safely, only Jesus can protect us.

“…for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us…”

Ruby Mae after her staircase sledding day:

Today’s Readings: 2 Kings 13, 2 Timothy 3, Hosea 5-6, Psalm 119:145-176

Good Morning! As I’m writing at night I’m praying that by the time you read this, it will be indeed a good morning. I’ve been on the floor for the past 3 hours trying to soothe our 17 month old who has been struck down by hand foot and mouth disease! Special plans to take our son to Wicked this evening had to be altered so that this Momma could stay at home and tend to the minute by minute needs of the baby. As the clock has ticked down I find myself pleading with God to “make her sleep” and “end this virus for her.” It’s so silly. I’ve been through this before and I’ll be right back here again in the future. What is it about our human experience that leads us to lose all perspective in our moments of struggle? I find myself here all the time. “Lord, this is really bad, please just deliver me from this situation, make it shorter just for me, please Lord make me comfortable again!” Will I remember this evening a week from now? How about a month from now? Of course not! I’ll be in the thick of some new problem that I’m wanting my Heavenly Father to fix. Today’s psalm really spoke to me. It starts out with this weird word: Qoph. I couldn’t help but look it up to see what that was all about. I learned that Psalm 119 is unique in that it is the only psalm that is broken up into 22 equal stanzas and organized in order of the 22 Hebrew letters. Our section today begins with the letter Qoph or Koph which means literally “the back of the head or in context; following after.

Qoph

“With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord!
I will keep your statutes.
 I call to you; save me,
that I may observe your testimonies.
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I hope in your words.
 My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promise.
Hear my voice according to your steadfast love;
O Lord, according to your justice give me life.
They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;
they are far from your law.
But you are near, O Lord,
and all your commandments are true.
 Long have I known from your testimonies
that you have founded them forever.” (Psalm 119:145-152)

So often I lie awake in bed in the morning before the sun rises and before my family stirs just to talk to God about my worries. I love that the Bible Journal project brought this Psalm to me for the first time today. It’s so reassuring that God is near, that his commandments are true. I believe we can all be encouraged by the notion that we are not the only ones crying out to God with our whole heart. And then the best part:

O Lord, according to your justice, give me life. (Psalm 119:149)

That bears repeating to ourselves over and over. According to YOUR justice, not ours. There is no deserving in this life. Just as we’ve been reminded in these past weeks, our faith is strengthened by the trials we endure on this earth. God gives us life according to what he believes is just. He determines what we need and all we need to do is respond to that with sensitivity and awareness. I found myself texting a friend this evening complaining that every single holiday is ruined in our family but someone getting sick. I really went for it with the “poor me” attitude. What I don’t want to see, is his grace in the midst of what I believe to be a storm. Tomorrow, I get to stay at home with my little sick baby. Of course, she’ll get better and I’ll forget all about the frustration of having to care for her whiny needs. In the meantime, I can choose to cry out to God all day, complaining to him about how unfair it is that she’s sick and our family plans are not going to work out according to our plan. Or I can choose to see the treasure he’s left for me in it. I can enjoy a cozy day with this piece of my heart, just she and I. I can revel in the opportunity to care for just her. Isn’t that why he put us here together, to care deeply for one another?

Thank you Lord for this opportunity. For gently teaching us through your word. For encouraging us to cry out to you when we are angry or frustrated. For gently molding and shaping us to be more like you. Thank you for precious times that are not our plan but yours. We love you and we are open to your plan.

Amen

Today’s Readings: 2 Kings 5, 1 Timothy 2, Daniel 9, Psalms 117-118

“I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.” (2 Timothy 2:8-10)

I must admit, I left writing to the last minute this week! Of course our Heavenly Father is always looking for ways to draw us nearer to him, and he’s got me tonight. I spent the majority of the last 3 days driving our van with our very spicy two year old in the back. She was a flower girl in a family wedding so she and I went on a very long journey to Topeka, KS to be a part of a very special day. Many miles later, I’m sitting down with my Bible and cup of water to connect with you and His word. This was my first read through, and what did I find? The very words I heard and prayed on at the wedding this weekend! This Bible Journal project has been such a blessing to me. Even on a night like this one, when I’m tired and not sure what to write about, God takes up the pen and sends a message.

I love that God gently nudged me to see this passage again. When I heard it during the wedding, I immediately thought about the surface level implications. God wants us to come to him as ourselves with modesty and with raised hands. He wants us to show him that our love for him is genuine. I heard the thread that reminded us all that a marriage is about bringing one another closer to God through good works, not just putting on fancy dresses and jewelry. Today, I’m hearing another deeper level of communication from my Father. He begins this passage by asking us to come and pray without anger or quarreling. I considered this even more tonight in the context of our first reading from 2 Kings 5. Naaman is suffering from leprosy but is hesitant to dip in the Jordan 7 times as God commands in order to be healed.

How many of us come to the alter carrying anger? How many of us are desperate for healing but aren’t quite ready to follow God’s path to get there? When families get together, there is always a Naaman. There is quarreling and old anger that wells up. God gives us an opportunity in 2 Timothy to come to Him with our hands raised, without the distraction of braids and golden rings. This weekend I witnessed some healing that I know was initiated by His love. Our family was broken many years ago by some infidelity, some lies and subsequent divorce. This event brought those people face to face for the first time in a decade, in a church. And in that church, we heard those words from 2 Timothy! And after that ceremony, there were some handshakes and even some hugs! Like Naaman, our family has carried this burden for years. When we come to the alter to pray and to give ourselves to Him, He heals us. At the end of the night, I said my goodbyes. Without fear or hesitation I opened my arms to the one that began this hurt so many years ago. Within that hug, I heard the words, “I love you.”

If you are hurting GO to Him. If you think that the pain is too deep, if you think you have been suffering for too long GO to Him. Ask him for healing and then follow his commands. There is hope in our Heavenly Father’s love.

Today’s Readings: 1 Kings 20, 1 Thessalonians 3, Daniel 2, Psalm 106

“For this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 3:7)

I just love these words from Paul. I read this chapter over and over this week, imagining myself as a new Christian in Thessalonica. Well the truth is, I am one of those new Christians. I’m just in Bloomingtonica. This weekend marks 5 years since I first made a real change for Christ. At that time I was at a lifetime low. Our son had been sick, very sick and then we were dealt a second blow. Almost by accident our pediatrician heard a heart murmur and what followed changed our lives forever. Our ten month old had two small tumors in his heart. My world crashed down around me. I couldn’t understand how a generous, giving and loving God could do something so cruel to mother and her baby. I turned from Him. I felt guilty and ashamed as if I had done something wrong earlier in my life and now I was being punished.

Often, as Christian’s I think we fall into that misconception that turning to God will help us to escape our suffering. I can remember praying harder and harder, longer and longer and being so frustrated that I wasn’t seeing any “results.” I’m smiling as I write this because of course, now I know that God used this time in my life to save my life. God rescued me through the strength and the powerful witness of another Christian. Now I understand that God doesn’t promise an easy life. He doesn’t promise to rescue us from darkness. Instead, he gives us power to grow through our suffering. Just as Paul says,

“We have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.”

He’s saying that as Christian’s it is our responsibility to encourage one another through persecution and suffering. And then he points to the great joy we feel to see another person come to faith in Jesus Christ in the midst of pain. This week, I had the opportunity to take our son who is now five to Disney World. We couldn’t afford it, but God made a way. A hurricane hit, but God made a way. Hours before we were supposed to leave, he started bleeding…we called his doctor on Saturday night and through the love and compassion of many health care workers, God made a way. On Sunday morning, I had the privilege of waking my child who has endured endless suffering to tell him his dream had come true. For three days our God held Oliver in his hand. The bleeding stopped, he had energy, he had endurance and he had joy. We watched live shows in which the villain was defeated every single time. We rode rides that made our hearts pound and our tummies flip. At the very end, while at a special Halloween party at the Magic Kingdom, we enjoyed a show at midnight. Oliver would want all of our readers to know that midnight is the latest he has ever stayed up…well except when he was in the hospital and the morphine wasn’t working (his words, not mine). He lasted until midnight out of shear determination, so that he could see the show called Happy Hallowishes. This show was a medley of all the best Disney songs while animation was projected onto Cinderella’s castle. After the songs came the most brilliant display of fireworks I’ve ever seen. I held Ollie the whole time because he was too small to see over the crowd. In the last few minutes I felt warm tears roll down his face onto mine. Our faces were pressed together as we watched the finale, our tears now mixing and falling to the pavement. Our villains have been defeated. Every single one of them. We know that there will be more pain on this earth. We know that Ollie will go back to the hospital time and time again. We know that there will be sadness and fear. But we also know that there is no financial barrier, no hurricane, no physical disease that our God cannot overcome.

Since that day when I first made an intentional change for Christ, I began living. Living for today, for the time we have now. Of course, I need reminders, all the time. That’s what my steady husband and Christian friends are for. Just as Paul says to the Thessalonians,

“…for now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.”

A few days ago, I met a mother that lost her son last month. Her son was 21, his flame blown out in an instant. She told me that her grief is insurmountable. She told me that some days she wonders what she did wrong, why God is punishing her. She’s full of guilt and sadness. I shared Paul’s words with her,

“For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know.” (1 Thessalonians 3:3-4)

We are destined for affliction while we are on this earth. The strength and power and absolute majesty is in the maturation of our faith and in our togetherness as Christian’s. We can do all things in Christ who indeed strengthens us…together.

Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, REJOICE !!

Today’s Readings: 1 Kings 13, Philippians 4, Ezekiel 43, Psalms 95-96

It is truly a pleasure to be able to contribute to this community in this capacity. My name is Lynden McGriff, I am the husband of Jillian. It is a blessing today to be the guest writer because it is my birthday. I am truly excited to have been asked to write the entry today.

As I read through the readings for today, I was perplexed in which section to examine and then the Spirit led me to Philippians. This letter that Paul wrote is one of the warmest and most personal letters that is contained in the bible. He is in his first imprisonment in Rome and he is writing to his first European church that he planted. This is significant in so many ways. This is a first time to be not free in his home, Rome. This is the first time that he has received a message from his first church outside Asia or the Israel. This is the first time that he has received gifts in a magnitude that overwhelms him.

Many of you know that this past year has been a challenging year for my family. Our son, Oliver has been through so much that it is hard to convey the feelings of hope, desperation, emptiness, joy, sadness, and love. In the beginning of the year he was in and out of doctors offices with digestive issues. Jillian and I were going to the doctors’ offices at least one time per week. The children : Oliver, Ruby, and Nadya were constantly in and out of the van and the offices that they were accustomed to seeing all the physicians and nurse, so much so that they knew us by face and name. In May, Oliver was hospitalized for 3 consecutive weeks and then we had the diagnosis of Crohns. This was and is still a point that makes Jillian and I pause often and let God speak to us. For me, it is one of the most challenging things to continue to be positive in the midst of it all.

The opportunity arose for Oliver to go to the best place on earth, Disney World. It was a sacrifice and journey to orchestrate the logistics and finances. But this one hope that continued to keep him going was the hope of something big and exciting, to one day be able to return to Disney World. The trip was a surprise and was suppose to start on this past Friday. Then hurricane Matthew came, which postponed the trip again. Then yesterday afternoon, he has the first flare of Crohns and this threatens to derail the journey yet again. But God purpose was to make Ollie smile and know that only God has the final word of what will happen. Through God’s grace Ollie is currently experiencing the Magic Kingdom.

So one of the most known verses in Philippians is 4:13

” 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

But I have been overjoyed with these additional verses

Philippians 4:6-8

“6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 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. 9 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.”

Philipians 4:11-13

“11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

The main message that has been resounding in me this year has been, “God can not protect you from what He will perfect you through.”   I have been more in the Word and praying this year than I have in the resent past. I have found it comforting to be in His presence and knowing that He will allow His Will to be done. I have found myself at a peace that cannot be understood by many. Many times this year Jillian and I talk among ourselves and then the air of hesitation and disbelief comes and I would say “Its going to be ok”, His peace surpasses all understanding.   I have recently looked at my kids with awe and see them not only as my kids, my cherished little one, but I have been able to see them through Christ eyes: true, honorable, just, pure, commendable, and excellent.   Oliver is our first child, he is the first grandchild of his grandparents, he is our only son, this is the first time that he actually understands and actually is aware of all that he is going though. I can relate with Paul and Philippi. This is something that cannot be explained, the emotions and longing to have your heart in one place.

I cannot but rejoice daily in the awesomeness of God. He has truly shown me that all is possible, all is excellent and all is at peace through Christ.

Be Blessed