Be ready in season and out

We were in the middle of a conference check-in. (for all of you not familiar with Keswick – we were busy!), when suddenly my co-worker came to me and said; “Dina, would you like to give this woman marriage counseling?” I said you’re kidding me right? She was not kidding! So of course I met her briefly and took her aside for some privacy. First and foremost I explained I was not a counselor. I can minister to her and share with her but I leave the long term, one-on-one to the professionals. Having said that, I had an opportunity to listen to her words and hear her heart. Sometimes that’s all we need, just to be heard, it says my thoughts and feelings are worth your time. I was able to confirm that she knew Jesus Christ as her savior and share with her some of the blessings He has worked out in my life. It gave her hope and encouragement.
What a privilege! What a responsibility! People not only want to be heard, but also godly counsel, advice and direction. If I only heard her and then let her go, how have I really helped? It would be like having someone say to me, “I’m hungry, too and then I pray with them but don’t give them any food.
I did indeed pray with her and was even allowed to embrace her. She did take a referral name for a counselor and information on a bible study. I didn’t have all the answers she needed but I do know The One who does.
I did see her once again and was able to have some verses ready for her to “feed on”, so to speak. As I’m writing this, I realize that tonight, these verses are for me. Join me in meditating on His words of love, and allow your thoughts to soar upward.
Are you available to come along side a stranger? Do you have time for those “divine appointments”?
Someone did for me more than once, and I praise God they did.
Jeremiah 29:11 -“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Job 13:15a”Though “He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”
Deuteronomy 31:8″And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
Psalm 121:4″Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. “
Dina

Have you ever thought about how much time you have spent in your lifetime ruminating over the mistakes that you have made?? poor judgment calls….decisions that turned out to not be such good decisions….not paying attention to your “logic” or your “gut” about something, and then regretting it big time later….just flat out screwing up……
I bet if we were all honest, we would be appalled at how many hours we have walked down the lane of “should have…could have…would have”, as we churned over and over “if only I had NOT done____”…..”if only I had not made that huge mistake”…”if only I would have done that a DIFFERENT way”….blah, blah, blah!!! ” I am such a loser because I made that mistake…I was stupid….I should have known better”…blah, blah, blah!!
I have been really chewing on this whole concept of “mistakes” lately, because wouldn’t you know it…..God has put three things in front of me in the last week, as only HE can so cleverly manipulate those life lessons that he wants ME to learn…and to write about each week to you! The first was a plaque that I saw in a store: “A mistake is evidence that someone has tried to do something”. VERY interesting!!! I like that idea!! In other words…nothing ventured, nothing gained. OK…I get it….step out of my comfort zone more and TRY things!!! Even if they don’t go the way one had hoped…well, you tried to do something different!! Then, I flipped my calendar and the saying of the month is:
” A mistake is simply another way of doing things” (Katharine Graham) WOW!!! I like that too. You know me…the queen of “re-framing”….what a great way to re-frame what one could conceivably turn into a self-loathing, beat up session. And the third, and of course the most powerful message was this past Saturday at a wedding…the pastor was talking about leaving the past in the past…letting go of our past mistakes and our past hurts and wounds, and looking forward to a hopeful future. And then, he went in for the spiritual jugular as he boldly shared with us that to our awesome God, there IS NO SUCH THING AS A MISTAKE!!!! Everything we do is all part of God’s master plan for our lives…..and our gift back to God is to honor HIM by turning ALL of our past experiences (even our biggest screw-ups) into a praise and glory to God. Why?? Because only God can turn even the most shambles of a past into a life of beauty. Our God is an awesome God!!
So, my challenge to you right now is to STOP the negative thoughts about the past and praise God for His endless mercies, grace, bounty, and blessings…and YES, thank Him for the “mistakes” that He allowed you to make, so that you can now be closer to Him, as you look to Him for the true hope of the future.
Blessings,
Cindy

Spend Time…While You Have Time

A friend and partner of our Keswick ministry, a friend of God, a husband, mentor, spiritual leader, and man after God’s own heart…David E. Shoppy…recently left his earth suit for eternity. At his memorial service a few days later, many who dearly loved him gathered to share in the sorrow and the joy of his home-going. Through tears and laughter much was shared about -the man. I personally learned things about him that I never knew and felt I was blessed to have known him for the brief time that I did.

Today’s Victory Call is birthed from the words of his beloved Betsy. We embraced at the end of the service and there was so much love there. She whispered a few things in my ear and I want to share one of them with you today. They were simply words. Words we all need to hear whether we are married or not.

The words Betsy whispered were “spend time with your husband”. Nothing profound and yet my heart was moved for two reasons. One: because I remembered that Dave and Betsy had been blessed with a week by the ocean just a brief time ago. Taking the time to rest and be together was so good to them and for them, to create new cache memories that Betsy now has of her groom. Memories that apart from, spending time with him, she simply would not have. The second reason was more conviction than anything as I remembered some recent thoughts about my own husband. My heart was moved though, because I knew it was God speaking directly into my ear, using Betsy’s voice to say, “Stephanie, stop sweating the small stuff.”

Dear ones, today is all we have. The moment you are in is all you have. Life hangs in a delicate balance for all of us and today, not tomorrow…but today, our souls might be required of us. Today could be the day that we breathe our last breath. In whatever way possible, let us spend time with those we say we love. Let them see our love in action
– one act, one deed, one word, one moment, at a time.

I know for some, the thought of reaching out or moving toward someone to spend time with them, can be frightening. Frightening, because being with them will mean being vulnerable; exposing yourself to possible rejection. Believe me; if this is true of you, you are NOT alone. Your history with that person may be tenuous at best. Maybe the hurt is so huge and so deep, the very thought of “going there” terrifies you. Or perhaps it’s been so long since a kind word has been spoken; you don’t even know where you would begin.

Dear sister, go to God with it. Only He is able to move and work in your heart to do this. Seek Him for the when, where, how, and if. Ask him who it is that He wants you to spend time with.

If you are married and your relationship with your husband is one of mere existing, ask God to soften your heart; to move and work in you, in such a way that you even want to take the risk.

Begin with brutally honest confession before God. Go to Him with every ounce and speck of anger and yuck. Allow Him to heal you where your heart hurts. Allow His Spirit to empower you to seek forgiveness if, when and where you know you need to. Then ask God to show you and tell you, “What is the next thing?” Ask Him to show you how you, personally, can spend the time you have, with the one you love.

Dear one, He is faithful, faithful, faithful!!! Seek to spend the time. God knows it all and you can trust Him to show you all the creative ways you can do this thing.

Seek. Ask. Listen. Obey. Do the thing!

Stephanie

“But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.” Numbers 14:24

On Wednesday, August 9th, one of my co-workers stepped from this world into glory. Dave Shoppy died very suddenly. It seems as if one moment his feet were firmly planted on earth and the next moment his feet were dancing in glory. It was a shock to us all.
The following Monday, at his memorial service, I was so encouraged yet challenged by the many well-wishers and their affirming words about Dave. See, Dave was a gentle-man in the truest sense of the word. Person after person recalled Dave’s encouragement, his kindness, his humor, his love for His savior, his family and his ministry. Dave loved people. As I sat there, I realized every kind word about Dave was true. Sometimes, at funerals we hear the good stuff and sweep the bad under the carpet. At Dave’s service, I realized, at least from my experience with Dave, there wasn’t bad stuff to sweep under the rug. I do not remember Dave every being angry, frustrated, irritated, short-tempered, impatient, rushed, harsh, unkind, or divisive. Not one. Numbers 14:24 could have been said of Dave, ‘But My servant, Dave, had a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully…’
I am not making Dave out to be perfect because he surely was a sinner; however, he allowed Jesus ready access to his life and practiced dying to himself.
I left Dave’s service challenged because much of what was said about him could not be said at my memorial service. At my funeral, there will be plenty of people who could stand up and say (although I hope they don’t): Diane got angry, frustrated, and irritated. She could be short-tempered, impatient, rushed, harsh and unkind. That is surely not the legacy I want to leave. I want people to have seen Christ in me, much the same as they saw Christ in Dave.
I cannot go back and change the past, but I can choose today to be different in the future so that my memorial service will exemplify Christ not me.

We will miss you Dave and the evidence of Jesus Christ in your life.

Diane

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Today She heard the TRUTH

What an awesome privilege it is to tell someone the truth about Jesus, His Power, His Love, His Forgiveness and the Victory! A woman in her late twenties came in to Keswick today hoping that we were an addiction recovery center for women. She had a beautiful face but fear in her eyes and not much skin on her bones. As soon as I laid eyes on her I wanted to help her. Now that doesn’t always happen with such a burden and with good reason. I am not a counselor and can only go so far as to give advice on such matters. That is not my role here. So I had first tried to contact one of the ladies on staff who are in that role, but no one was available. The Lord spoke to my heart and said, no, but you are available. I may not be a professional counselor but I am a minister of Christ and that is my role everywhere. It was interesting to say the least, she was very open and told me she was addicted to pain meds from and auto accident and that she was also involved in using other drugs. I began by telling her that I was really glad she came and I explained what Keswick is and what it is not. The Lord opened the door for me to share with her a brief part of my testimony and the door that He used for me to enter was the lies she had bought into about Him. She believed in all gods and had respect for all beliefs in all gods. She also believed that god could not be and I quote; “experienced through the five senses”, taste, sight, touch, smell or hearing. I explained that with all due respect to her as a person that none of what she just told me had any shred of truth to it at all. And that in fact she was looking at living proof of God’s existence in me and that was the opening to share about His saving grace in my life. I also told her of the truth that He can be experienced in every sense! But most of all the fact that he was the word made flesh and as I tugged at the skin on my arm I told her that he was as real as I was standing before her when He took on flesh and became man. She had a wide mouth and was quiet. I g!
ave her
the practical help she needed for her addiction by referrals etc… and then I asked if she would like me to pray with her, and she said yes and also shared that she often watched two very popular pastors on TV and had prayed “the prayer” many times but nothing ever happened! I told her I believed something was happening and that God was at work in her life. I prayed with her and for her in Jesus name the one and only God that ever was and ever will be. I left her with this truth; I knew without any doubt that God could heal her of her addictions and give her victory over sin in her life.
John 1:14; The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Isaiah 45: 21-22; And there is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior, there is no other.
John 10:30; I and My Father are One.
Dina

Good news!

“Mom…Dad, I just can’t believe it. Everyone else believes me and takes my advice about cars. I know what I’m talking about…I just can’t believe that my own parents won’t listen to me!” My son John just can’t believe that we wouldn’t buy the car that he knows is the best car made and the most reliable.
Good news….when we know that we know that we know! We just don’t want to keep it to ourselves. We want to share it! We can’t fathom that anyone wouldn’t see and believe too! That’s how I feel about the Good News, the Gospel. I know that I know that Jesus died for me, transformed my life, and I have eternal life with my Savior now. And I just want to share it with everyone!
Who else but God could have transformed my heart and my life? How can I keep something like that to myself? So I share my faith, my Jesus. Most often I get polite listeners, or “oh yeah I know”. It breaks my heart when the Good News is met with coolness, when I’m on fire. Can’t they feel the heat? Can’t they see how God has changed my life? How could they not want Jesus in their lives too?
There is no way I can hide or would even want to hide my faith. Luke 11:30 says, “No one lights a lamp in a place where it will be hidden or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand so that those who come in may see the light.” I pray that even when I don’t say a word, my faith will shine through to all I meet. May God always give me courage and determination, to always, and in all ways, share Him with all who come across my path.
Jesus said “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all creation”, Mark 16:15.God calls us to share the Good News to friends, family, strangers, everyone we meet. But even if He didn’t command us to …..how could we keep it to yourselves? Are you surprised when you share the Word and how Jesus has transformed your life, and others just don’t see what you see and believe what you are sharing with them? I know how sad and even frustrated that makes me, especially with those I love most.
My son John has been telling me for years to stop buying the “junk” cars I buy and buy a Honda. I haven’t yet, but I’m thinking my next car will be the one he recommends. Maybe, just maybe, the next time I talk to John about Jesus, his eyes will be open and he will see the Truth of the Good News and believe. Oh how this Mom’s heart will rejoice!
Keep sharing your faith, keep sharing the Truth. If you love Him there is no way you can keep it too yourself! Let your light SHINE!

Mary Ann

The Purpose of Life…

Ok, so there have been many books on this topic. Maybe I’m just a little more reflective after dealing with recent death’s to those I cared about, but whatever the reason ~ here’s some brief thoughts on the subject.

I have now started to read a new book by Randy Alcorn called “Heaven” it is the last book read by Dave Shoppy. I am sure some devotional thoughts will come as I read the book, so be prepared. However, as I think about life and the book I realize that truly what life is all about is preparation for heaven.

Life can seem USELESS (Ecc. 1:2-4)
Life seems TIRESOME (Ecc. 1:4-8)
Life can be UNFULFILLING (Ecc. 1:8-10)
Life seems INSIGNIFICANT (Ecc. 1:11)
Life appears to be UNCONTROLLABLE (Ecc. 1:15)

HOWEVER, that’s not what life truly is when we know Christ. See Christ adopted us into His family (Eph. 1:4-5) and His purpose is for us to all live together with Him forever (Eph. 1:10)

Life is PREPARATION for Eternity. (Ecc. 3:11)
So, how do I spend my time on earth preparing? First, I must get to know Christ and Grow in Him (John 1:12). Only once I know Him can I do the following:
1. Use my Time in view of Eternity (Col 4:5)
2. Use my Talent in view of Eternity (1 Cor. 6:20)
3. Use my Treasure in view of Eternity (1 Tim 6:18-19)
2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
LDJ

Weeping May Endure For a Night…Psalms 30:5

It’s probably safe to say that most of you reading this Victory Call have experienced a season of life where weeping was the norm. Your days of sorrow seemed multiplied one on top of the other, and you didn’t think you could possible bear another one.

And then…the morning came and you realized you could, in fact, face another day. Not only could you face it, but you did face it. Joy came, and with it, a remembering that the grace of God was again sufficient to keep you through the long dark of night.

Such is true of my life these days. Moment by moment, day by day, I am hyper aware of God’s sustaining grace in my heart and life. I can’t fathom where my life would be without God to turn to now or at any other time.
I wish I could say that falling on my face and crying out to Him, is the first thing I do, but all to often I find myself thinking and fretting first, and then, I have an aha moment. A fresh moment when I remember whose child I am and who my Daddy is. I remember that greater is the Who and What in me than the who or what that is impacting my life, in the world. And guess what happens? Peace! Perfect peace each and every time, floods my mind and heart.

Philippians 4:4-7
“Rejoice in the Lord always and again I will say Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
If this fact, this promise from the Word, had not been true in my life over and over again, I wouldn’t believe it and thus, I couldn’t share this truth with any measure of confidence.
There is a power in rejoicing that you only know when it comes. There’s an incomprehensible peace that is not realized…until…it is simply there.
Who but God can calm the heart’s raging, and quiet the minds ranting? No one and no thing can or will do.
So dear one, through the travailing tears rejoice. Again and again rejoice. Let your mind and heart hear the Psalmist as he penned Psalms 30:4-5:
“Sing praises to the Lord, O you His saints, and give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for a night, but joy comes with the morning. (English Standard Version)
All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God! Thank Him to His face! He gets angry once in a while, but across a lifetime there is only love. The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter.” (The Message)
Selah, Selah

Stephanie

John 8:32, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Scripture Chemo –

I was out walking a few weeks ago, reviewing the Scripture verses in my binder when it occurred to me that memorizing, meditating and praying scripture is a lot like Chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy is intended to seek out and destroy the sick cancer cells so that healthy cells can replace them.
Scripture is intended to seek out and destroy the sin-sick cells and replace them with healthy cells of God’s truth.
I had misplaced my Scripture binder which is full of verses that speak specifically to my heart in my areas of weakness. It had been a few days and I was missing it when I found it in my desk drawer at work. That evening I was able to read, pray and meditate on ‘my’ verses again, and such a peace came over me. I was savoring God’s truth, like one would savor a rich dessert. Every muscle relaxed like slipping into a warm bath, that ahhhh experience.
I encourage you to consider developing your own Scripture chemo. Find verses that speak truths to your heart in your areas of weakness then daily, or a few times a day, read, meditate and pray ‘your’ verses. Savor them.
Start today allowing God’s word to eradicate the sin-sick cells in your thinking and replace them with healthy cells of God’s truth.

Diane

Are you a sail boat or a submarine?

As you are reading the word of God, are you reading it at a surface level or are you allowing it to seep deep into your heart and mind? Are you reading it just to complete a task, so you can say, “I read my Bible today” or are you soaking in the essence of truth?
I have to admit sometimes I am like a sail boat. I sail along, skimming the surface as I go from point A to point B. Sure I arrived at my destination but there was no depth to my journey. How shallow life is when we don’t take the time to ‘dive, dive, dive’ as they used to say in the old movies. Having no time is not a good excuse, because we do what is most important to us at any given moment. If we really have a passion to penetrate the surface and fully immerse ourselves in the Truth, we will do it. We will find the time. It will be of utmost importance to us.
I have met many people who have been believers for years but still have a superficial understanding of the Scriptures and even less application. There are many excuses; but the reality is, it is what it is.
You may remember a few years ago hearing on the news of a young man (19 years old) in a foster home who was extremely underweight (less than 45 pounds) when he was found digging through a neighbors trash can. It was determined that he and 3 brothers were severely malnourished. I believe a similar picture can be drawn of a Christian that fails to routinely nourish her spirit in the Word of God.
How can we expect to be spiritual giants when we act like spiritual dwarfs?
The only way I know of to grow spiritually in our knowledge and love of Jesus Christ is to dive deeply into the Word and soak in the truths through prayerful meditation.

So I ask again. Are you a sail boat or a submarine?

Diane