2018 | Real Life on Rocky Top

Holy Week??

Mar 27 2018

It’s Holy Week up on Rocky Top. I said to Preacher this morning, “I’m not so sure what is Holy about this week. Too much hurt, too much pain, too much brokenness and not enough truth and love going around.” Preacher reminded me that “holy” means to be set apart.

Hurt, pain, brokenness set Jesus apart from the crowd—-and He chose it. He chose to bear my sin so that I would never have to bear separation from God—a God who loves me and chose me despite my imperfections.

A few weeks ago I stood in front of a group of women to teach on HOPE. I gave them a nice three point outline from Romans 15 of what women of Hope are to be. I ended the message with a powerful story of Hope.

Then my world was rocked with a seemingly “hopeless” situation. The enemy whispered in my ear, “So where is your HOPE now, Bible study teacher?”

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

What do I hope for? A marriage that glorifies Him, children who glorify Him, ministry that glorifies Him.

Is that the real answer? Let’s be honest…..the answer usually goes something like “a marriage that makes me happy, children who grow up and make me look good and are successful, and opportunities to do great things for God which make me look good.

Glorify God? God was glorified through His Son, Jesus when He was broken, beaten and bruised yet He uttered not a word. God’s one and only Son nailed and displayed on a bloody cross brought glory to God.

Last week I walked a beach that was covered with broken seashells. With every step I took, there was an eerie sound of more shells breaking underneath my feet. And with every crashing wave that hit that beach, more shells were deposited. People walked through the broken shells hoping to find just one whole and unbroken shell. Their desire was for one shell that was intact with no imperfections. There were very few of those to be found. Yet when they were found, there was no life inside—the shell was empty.

Truth is without all those broken shells there would not be much of a beach, the broken shells made that beach. Brokenness to some may seem invaluable. Brokenness to Christ is everything. He chose it so I might have life. It’s only in my brokenness that He can be glorified!

During Holy week Jesus cursed a fig tree. It appeared to be healthy but it bore no fruit. Christ also turned over the tables of the money changers in the temple. They appeared to be offering a much needed service but Christ knew the truth. Appearance often is deceiving.

Don’t be afraid of brokenness or broken people. Be more afraid of people who seem to have it all together and are just like those “perfect” shells on the beach…….empty and dead inside.

I, for one, need a Savior……..for myself, my marriage, my family, my church.

Be Holy this week. Be set apart from the world’s definition of perfection and wholeness. Celebrate His brokenness. Celebrate your brokenness. Allow your brokenness to glorify HIM!

“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

When the Floor Gives Way

Feb 02 2018

Today I welcome to the back porch of Rocky Top, Amy Daniel. Amy is the wife of Joseph, mommy to Addy and Aubrey and works part-time as a registered nurse. She is also my middle-child! Most importantly, Amy is a beautiful daughter of the king. You will love her heart for Jesus and her honesty in this blog!

It was ONE of those days! The baby was sick. People seemed to be coming against me from every side. My mood reflected the circumstances of the day.

As the kids napped, I went to Jesus, praying He would revive my soul. However, instead of allowing Him to do what I knew He would do I made other choices.

I chose to be discontent. I chose to grumble and complain about unfair circumstances. I chose not to listen to Him.

Nap time was over and I chose to begrudgingly resume mom duty. I took the kids into the kitchen to feed them a snack and that’s when it happened. The floor gave way beneath me. Literally. Unbeknownst to me, the tile in my kitchen had formed a giant bubble in the middle. When I stepped on it, tile and grout flew everywhere. No injuries were sustained. Panic ensued as I frantically called experts to diagnose why my floor gave way.

The diagnosis was surprising. When the tile was originally laid, no room was left for expansion. So when humidity entered, the tile expanded and buckled in the middle. Thankfully, it was fixed by laying down new tile and leaving room for expansion.

As I thought about the floor giving way, the Lord began to speak to me. I had let discontentment, bitterness, and grumbling creep into my soul. When circumstances don’t go the way I plan or seem unfair, there is a choice to be made. I can explode with anger and throw an adult temper tantrum or I can rest in the promises of God.

“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 3:11

When He is my foundation, the floor can literally fall out from beneath me but I will stand firm because my feet are planted in His strength and not my own.

The tile had no room to expand so it exploded. So often in my life I leave no room for the Lord to work. I am so busy trying to control my circumstances that I never stop to offer them to the only One who does have control. The result is discontentment and grumbling.

II Corinthians 5:14 “The love of Christ controls us…” Honestly, most of the time I allow external factors to control me……the kitchen floor, the broken relationship, the sick child, the unpaid bills. When I choose to shift my focus off self and circumstances and onto the True foundation, then the love of Christ starts to pour out of me. Joy comes then! At that moment I realize the repairman who God brought to my home may need to experience the love of Christ. Or maybe God allowed the floor to explode just so I could share my story with you!

Stand firm on the Foundation of Christ, allow room in your life for Him to grow you, and refuse anything but His love to control you!

Archive - 2018