What's Love Got to Do With It?

So, what does love have to do with it – humility, that is?  I have been studying this week about “unconditional love” for a class that I teach to mentors and about “humility” for my ladies Sunday morning Bible study class.  It dawned on me this morning that love is all about humility and that humility is a required ingredient for unconditional committed love.  I see this played out on the pages of my Bible and in the lives of my family and friends. 

In Scripture, God revealed His love for all people, the good, the bad and the ugly, by sending His Son, who suffered the shame and pain of crucifixion, to provide a way for all to experience an eternal relationship with the Almighty, One and Only God.  Jesus exemplifies humility.  Jesus was and is God, yet He did not use His divine status for His own purpose and gain.  Out of His humility He showed love and out of His love He chose to be humble.

Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself . . .. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  

Philippians 2:5-8

The two greatest humbling experiences in my life have come from love relationships:  marriage and parenthood.  These begin with an overwhelming emotional love, but love that is lasting and unconditional comes when we are humbled in and through these relationships. In this season of life I am watching the beginning and the development of these relationships in my children.  My daughter is engaged and in the midst of planning and preparing for her wedding day. She is in love, but soon after the wedding she will experience what it means to be humbled by love.  Even now, during the planning she has been faced with many difficult decisions regarding such things as the number of bridesmaids to have, the best photographer, and the colors for the bridesmaids dresses and groomsmen suits. In this process she made this statement, “I want to be considerate of what he (the groom) wants.”  She is taking the first steps in learning what it means to love unconditionally.  Just as Jesus chose to set aside His divine rights to fulfill God’s purposes, a husband and wife must choose to set aside their rights to self-gain in order to fulfill God’s purpose for marriage. Tina Turner may sing that love is just a second-hand emotion, but the truth is, love is not only an emotion, it is also a choice to be humble.  When we demand our rights, rather than humbly considering others above ourselves, it never ends well.  Lasting love lasts because people choose to put others before themselves.  That takes humility.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind, 

regard one another as more important than yourselves.  

Philippians 2:3

My son and his wife have just recently become parents to my precious granddaughter, Isla Rose.  Moments after Isla was born I received pictures of the brand new family.  My son and daughter-in-law’s faces glowed with an awe-filled love.  A couple of weeks later I had the great joy of spending a week with the new family.  The sleep-deprived parents were still over-the-moon in love with their precious Isla, but the romance of parenthood was giving way to the reality of sacrificial love.  Every moment of each new day was now filled with meeting the needs of this tiny human being.  She had to be fed, bathed, changed, swaddled, soothed, and watched constantly.  Changing dirty diapers is humbling, but it becomes second nature because you love her, sacrificially.  Parenting can also be humiliating!  When my daughter was two, she began to exert her will with a vengeance.  I remember once in the grocery story when I had lightly swatted her leg for some act of disobedience, which I can no longer recall, that she loudly proclaimed, “Mommy, you are hurting me!” (With no tears I might add!) At that moment I wanted to find a rock to crawl under in embarrassment.  That was only the beginning of many more humiliating experiences as a mom.  Because I loved her, I persevered and learned that it wasn’t about how good I looked as a mom, but how well I loved my child.  Often I had to discipline my children out of love.  I wanted the best for them and so correction and instruction were necessary.  Selfishly I wanted to let it all slide, have fun and keep the peace.  In love, I had to choose to put aside my own interest and do the right thing.  That takes humility.

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.  Philippians 2:4

God continues to teach me how to love and live humbly.  The lessons so far have revealed one solid truth – you cannot have one without the other. 

He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

 Micah 6:8

Humbled by His love,

Nancy

A Divine Sidewalk Encounter

Over the past couple of weeks I have read the same verse several times in my devotional book and then heard it in a sermon.  I made note of this reoccurring passage in my journal, asking God to show me the lesson He was teaching me in this familiar passage. 

For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  2 Corinthians 4:6

The day after writing this question to God in my journal, I was enjoying a breakfast and reading scripture at a favorite restaurant in Santa Monica, California while my daughter was working.  She was to call me when she was finished with her meetings and then I would walk up the street a few blocks to meet her.  I had finished my meal and the restaurant was filling up and becoming louder, so I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and started my walk toward the spot where I would meet my daughter.  As I walked along the sidewalk taking in the sights and sunshine, a young man approached me and asked, “Would you mind if I asked you a questions?”  I was drawn to him.  This was in itself unusual because I generally am a little apprehensive to speak with strangers I meet on a sidewalk.  I generally ignore them or give them a polite nod and say, “no thank you.”  But today was different.

I surprised myself when the words came flowing out of my mouth, “Sure, what would you like to ask me?”  He answered with this question:  “Can I pray for you?”  He went on to tell me that he felt that our meeting was divinely appointed and that he was to pray for me.  With my skeptical tendency and guarded heart, I asked him how he would pray.  He closed his eyes and said, “I would pray like this: Father in heaven I am asking you to give her a revelation of your love.  Fill her with your love in such a way that others would notice.  Fill her with your Holy Spirit . . . in Jesus name, Amen.”  As he opened his eyes, I said, “Amen, in Jesus name, I receive that prayer!” I asked him if he knew Jesus and he said, “Yes and I can tell that you do too.” He went on to say that his faith was being increased, just by talking with me.  I shared some scriptures with him and answered a few more of his questions.  Then a homeless man walked up and he said, “Sir, can I ask you a question?”  At that I said goodbye and continued on my walk.  

As I walked away, I thought to myself, “Was that a genuine divine appointment, or just someone who was a little crazy repeatedly asking people the same question?” Then “Light shall shine out of darkness” came to my mind.  Either way I was in the midst of darkness on a sunny day and Christ came shining through!  I am choosing to believe that the sidewalk meeting was a divine opportunity to shine the light of Jesus.  The Holy Spirit did fill me that morning, just as the young man prayed, empowering me to yield to love instead of hate, to kindness instead of aggravation, and compassion instead of coldness. 

That morning God answered my question.  He is true to His Word.  He has given us the Light so that we can be a light wherever we walk.  The key lesson I learned is that in order to be a light I must be willing to set aside my own agenda, notice the darkness around me, and speak the truth that will bring the Light to those blinded by darkness.

“What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.”  Matthew 10:27

The only true light we have is our knowledge of God through a relationship with Christ.  Today the darkness is greater than ever in our world.  Evil abounds, fear rises, and many are without hope.  The good news in the midst of such darkness comes straight from the mouth of Jesus: “I am the Light of the world, he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 

My prayer for you today is that you would first follow Jesus and then intentionally seek to be a light to those who are groping in darkness.  Build someone’s faith today and share with him or her that you know Jesus, the Light of the world!

Shine on,

Nancy

Like a Newborn Baby

I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw. Proverbs 24:32

These past few weeks I have celebrated the birth of my first grandchild, the 30^th birthday of my son, and the 60^th birthday of my husband.  Each celebration marked a different stage of life, yet at every stage there are lessons to be learned.  As I spend time with my precious granddaughter I have been taken back to a scripture that keeps running through my mind.  “Like newborn babies, long for (crave) the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.” 1 Peter 2:2-3 Baby Isla craves pure milk and let’s her request be made known about every two to three hours.  She really requires very little: milk, a clean diaper, and sleep.  Simple babyhood! “God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated!  Ecclesiastes 7:29 (TEV) It seems the older we get the more complicated we have made our lives.  So complicated that we often put God on the “when I have more time” list. 

As I have been observing Isla, my precious newborn grandchild, I have learned some lessons about myself.  There are days that I confuse my craving for the milk of His Word with the craving for more activity, more fun, or even more ministry.  When was the last time that I cried out in my craving for more of God and His Word?  The second lesson I am learning from Isla is that cleanliness is a requirement for godliness.  Once Isla has her diaper changed, she has a new attitude!  When I spend moments in the morning reflecting on yesterday asking the Lord to show me the dirt in my life and then through confession allowing Him to remove it, He brings me peaceful contentment.  For prior to craving the Word there must be a time where  we put aside malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. (1 Peter 2:1) Nothing is more refreshing than tasting the goodness of the Lord’s forgiveness!  Lastly, Isla sleeps a lot, not always at night, but she sleeps.  After a good sleep, she wakes up cooing and her eyes wide open in wonder.  I have been staying with my son and his wife this week to help with the baby.  I have been sleeping on their couch with their puppy dog.  Couch plus puppy does not always equal a good nights sleep.  But, this morning as I woke up from a good nights rest I opened the blinds and the brightness of the sun peeked through. What hope and anticipation there is after a good nights sleep to see the sun streaming in.  I woke up from that rest craving even more time with the Light of the world.  

This week Isla has reminded me to focus on the simple truth that I am to crave the pure milk of the Word, so that I can continue to grow up in Him.  Isla has grown before my very eyes this week.  She has fed on pure milk, had her diaper changed, and rested well.  Lesson learned:  Crave the Word, confess my dirt, and rest in His love and mercy.  If you are reading this and have tasted the kindness of the Lord’s salvation keep your life simple by craving His word, keeping your life free of unconfessed sin, and find your rest in Christ alone.  

Keep Craving,

Nancy 

SOS

In the simplest terms, SOS is a ‘SIGNAL’ indicating distress and the need for help, and not an acronym or abbreviation. After SOS was first used people applied their own meanings to the letters. The most popular ones: "save our ship" and "save our souls." (Source: Yahoo Answers)

This week has been a week of receiving SOS’s via text from dear friends spread out across the country.  In times like these I am desperate for a word of encouragement or guidance to give these women.  As a mom who raised a son I have had SOS moments when I have cried out: Save Our Son!” When my son was a teenager I spent many an early morning searching the Scriptures for words of encouragement and hope. The one verse that brought me relief was Romans 15:13, “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.”   It became my banner of surrender to the Lord, giving up my son once again to the Lord, who would work in my son in ways beyond my highest dreams.

You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth.  Psalm 60:4

So, this week as I received the SOS texts from fellow moms I knew where to go in order to send help.  One friend reached out to me who was in a place of hurt and needed my prayers and my comfort.  I was her lifeline – as Francesca Battistelli song, Hands of God, so beautifully puts it, “Every time you listen to me cause you know I need a friend. Every time you stop what you’re doing help me find my way again . . . I hope you know to me you are the hands of God.”  Her reply was, “I am helped by your prayers.”  We encouraged one another to remain faithful to the truth of God in the midst of her rejection and hurt.

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.  Philippians 1:27

  

The next day as I was walking on the treadmill, the place where I pray and listen to God as I review my scripture memory verses, another friend’s son popped into my mind.  I was reviewing a verse that I have had trouble remembering the reference. I know it is one of the gospels, but which one?  Then as I looked at the reference I realized it was the name of my friends prodigal son.  The truth of the verse fit perfectly with the prayer I was praying for him. I did not message my friend until the next morning when the Holy Spirit brought her son to my mind again prompting me to let her know the truth I was praying for her son.  Later that morning I received her response: “Thank you, thank you again for sharing this.  You have been God’s messenger to us today.”  What joy filled my heart; it was that “complete joy” Paul speaks of when he wrote to the believers in Philippi:

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.  Philippians 2:1-2

I am humbled and so grateful that God would use me as a channel of His love!  I know that this would have been impossible had I not been seeking to abide in Christ daily.  As one of my mentors often says, “I am just one beggar offering another beggar a piece of bread.”  My desperation for God and my daily seeking the Bread of Life enabled me to share with my desperate friends a slice of hope.  We must abide in order to guide. 

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5

Are you sending out an SOS today? 

“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” Psalm 62:8 

Have you received an urgent SOS from a friend today?  Reach out with a slice of truth and bring comfort.  

“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.  May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”   2 Thessalonians 2:15-17

Save Our Souls,

Nancy

I’m Singing a New Song

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; 

Many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord.  

Psalm 40:3

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing the Lord all the earth.  Sing to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim good tiding of His salvation from day to day.  Psalm 96:1-2

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.  James 1:17

Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.  Ephesians 5:19

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  Colossians 3:16

These verses have been etched on my heart and their words are playing over and over in my mind a sweet melody of praise.  This week the Lord blessed me with the birth of my first grandchild, Isla Rose and placed on my heart and in my mouth a new song, a hymn of praise to God for His perfect gift.  In honor of her birth and her earthy father’s thirtieth birthday, I want to sing a new song.

Isla Rose Taylor
Born January 17, 2015

A Flower Devoted to God

Just seven days before your daddy’s thirtieth birthday you arrived bursting on the scene bringing great joy and promise for the future to your entire family.

Long prayed for, you came as we had believed, hoped and dreamed.

You were fearfully, wonderfully and beautifully created by your heavenly Daddy, whose love you will never be separated from. 

Isla and her Daddy

For your earthly daddy, who was also born seven days before his daddy’s thirtieth birthday, will show you the Father’s love as he holds you, cares for you, and sings over you with loving melodies. 

For your name, Isla, proclaims that you are set apart and devoted to God for a special purpose. 

As an island is surrounded by water and filled with fertile land, so you are surrounded by the Living Water and filled with the promise of a future lavished with love.

You are Rose, a beautiful blossoming flower, like the rose of Sharon, a lily among the thorns. 

Just one look at your face makes all the prickly things of life disappear!

Today, I sing a new song, a hymn of praise to our Heavenly Daddy for the double blessing of seeing the child of my son!

Precious Isla Rose, may I live my days to declare to you the incomparably great power of God and sing over you the love of our Heavenly Father.

“Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God till I declare you power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.”  

Psalm 71:18

Singing to Isla Rose,

Nancy

(Now known as Isla's Cycy) 

Yes With No Regrets!

Last week I attended a memorial service for a 92 year-old man who had served in our church for 68 years.  The service was inspiring, challenging and motivational.  It inspired me to press on in ministry, challenged me to leave a legacy of service, and it motivated me to pursue God’s call on my life.  There is one story from his life that was shared that day that has stuck with me.  One day he told his care taker about the time he felt God had called him to missions and how fear hindered him from saying yes.  He said his biggest regret in life was saying no to God. He had asked God to forgive him and had served in other capacities, but that no stayed with him.  As I reflect on this story a phrase continues to run over and over in my mind: No one regrets saying “yes” to Jesus, but all will regret saying “no” to Him.

God called me to write a book about seven years ago and I said yes!  I wrote it out of obedience to God’s call and for no other reason.  People have asked me how many books I have sold and I couldn’t tell them, because my motivation for writing the book was to answer the Lord’s call and to encourage others through my story of a life transformed by the Word of God. Now the Lord is calling me to say yes to a few other things and I have been a little slow in answering His call. 

However, the Lord has once again encouraged me to say yes, not only through this memorialized life, but also through a disturbing dream.  I had a dream that I was caring for an infant and throughout the dream I kept losing track of the baby. Then the ending of the dream was more like a nightmare when I heard a scream and ran to the bathroom where I had evidently left the baby in the bath.  You can fill in the ending for yourself.  I awoke with such a pit in my stomach and heaviness in my heart.  I immediately asked the Lord, “What was that about?”  Why on earth would I dream such a thing?  You could argue that the dream was brought on by my anticipation of my first grandchild and my only daughter’s upcoming wedding. But I couldn’t shake it and then the next morning as I prayed and read my Bible I found the answer. 

“Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.  Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.”  Isaiah 49:15-16

“The children of whom you were bereaved will yet say in your ears, ‘The place is too cramped for me; Make room for me that I may live here.’ Isaiah 49:20

“And all flesh will know that I, the LORD am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”  Isaiah 49:26

Through this prophecy of Isaiah He encourages His people that He has not forgotten them and that He will restore them.  There are some dreams that God has placed in my heart and has called me to pursue, but I have set them aside and been distracted with the busyness of life.  Through my disturbing dream He reminded me that the dreams I forget, He remembers.  He also restores those dreams we think are dead.  He not only restores the dream, He fulfills the dream so that all flesh will know that it was God who accomplished it! 

My problem is that I haven’t made room in my dailiness to intentionally pursue the callings and dreams God has given me.  Today, I am making room!  Do you have a dream that you think is dead, a forgotten call that God placed in your mind and heart?  It’s not too late to say yes to Him.  Pray with me:  Lord, thank You that even when I forget You remember.  When I let things die, You restore them.  I say yes to You today!  Now Lord give me a mind to obey and a heart to trust that You will accomplish Your dreams and plans in and through me.  May all those around me know that You are Lord my Savior and Dream Maker! 

All Glory to God,

Nancy

“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29

Dream Big, Pray BIGGER!

Last Saturday I was urged by the Holy Spirit to begin asking God for things that only He could accomplish.  I tend to ask for things that could probably be accomplished in my own strength or for things that are pretty ambiguous, so that if they do not come to pass, I won’t look foolish for making such a request. As a result of my small prayers, my faith has become a little stunted.  My first big request of God concerns the Bible study class that I have been teaching now for six years.  Over the past six years I  have prayed for leaders to rise up, for the commitment level to increase and for the Lord to work in me, so that He can work through me.  But this year the Lord is  leading me to pray big and specific.  I told my class what I am praying for so that when God answers they will know it was God who did it.  The specific prayer that I am praying for is that God would fill every chair around every table in the classroom that we meet in every Sunday morning for seven weeks in a row.  This has never happened before and so I know that if it happens it will be God who made it happen. In my mind I could visualize the classroom with the typical six round tables with five to six chairs placed around each one.  Up to this point I had prayed for God to draw women to my class who were hungry for His Word and desperate for transformation.  But now I am putting my faith on the line and praying God will do immeasurably more than what I could manufacture on my own.  Some may say, this is all about numbers.  But, my heart’s desire is for women to experience God’s salvation and to be set free from the lies they have believed.  I want God and His Word to be exalted not for my sake but for His renown.  I want women to believe God for huge things that are impossible with man, but powerfully and miraculously possible with God!

After praying this big prayer, I walked in my classroom Sunday and the room was set up differently than it had been before.  Instead of six tables there were eight tables! It was as if God wanted to prove a point.  The message was clear:  You think asking for 30-36 women to fill your classroom for seven weeks in a row is big?  I can do much greater things than that!

  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:8-9

This week I have been encouraged by two different sources to dream big and ask God for big things. First, I have been reading “The Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson in which he challenges the reader to have big dreams and pray big prayers.  Secondly I received an email newsletter from Waylon Moore, a precious man of God who has been serving God as long as I have been alive!  He travels the globe training and teaching men and women how to walk consistently and passionately with Christ.  He ended his newsletter with the question: “What’s the biggest thing you are going to ask God to do this year?”  He followed the question up with this verse: 

“The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. 


I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.”  Isaiah 60:22

Wow! Yes, God can fill my classroom to capacity for seven weeks in a row – making the least a thousand and the smallest mighty!  He is the Lord and He can do it in His way and in His time.  I say, “Yes, Lord!” In fact, there still may be something even bigger God wants to do and I am now willing to ask.  Stay tuned for the rest of this story! 

I know my answer to Waylon’s question, do you?  What is the biggest thing you are going to ask God to do this year? 

Proving His Word True!

Nancy