Barren Womb Fertile Heart

A woman gives birth. An alcoholic pours his bottle of booze down the drain. A marriage ends in divorce. A daughter loses her mother to a car accident.

New beginnings can happen any day at any time. However, sometimes new beginnings may not be of our own choosing or liking. Maybe one spouse didn’t expect or want the divorce. The alcoholic, on the other hand, has clearly made a choice to try a different path evidenced by the dumping of his precious liquor. Both have entered a time of new beginnings. And although the birth of a child and the death of a loved one appear very different, they both have two things in common: an end and a beginning.

I recently saw this quote, “No one can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending” (Unknown). I really began to think about that statement. The conclusion was that we don’t start over; but we begin again right where we are, making things better in our lives.

But, it can be excruciatingly difficult to walk through the doorway of a new season in life. How do we effectively live in the midst of a new beginning that we didn’t expect, or even want? What can we do to give God glory when our circumstances are not only new, but also extremely painful? Anytime we let go of something old, there is discomfort, even pain. Anytime we lose something or someone of great importance we experience a great sense of loss, even hopelessness. Yet it’s comforting to remember that the seemingly greatest loss of all, Jesus’ death, resulted in the best new beginning ever — a resurrected Christ.

His new beginning and new life allow us to live our lives to the fullest, regardless of what we’ve lost or let go. For in Christ, we are never alone. We are always loved. We can always expect the best from God. He sees far beyond our pain and suffering and has a way of making every new beginning beneficial to us and to those around us — if we let Him. Through this process, we’re able to thrive and even discover peace and joy amidst the letting go.

As a believer in Christ, it is not about saying I will do this and I won’t do that and then dropping the idea or falling short. It is more about asking the Lord to help us each day, to fall deeper and deeper in love with Him. This way our focus will be set on the things of heaven and not on all this earthly stuff.

If I were to make a New Year resolution, it would be to have a deeper commitment, a deeper love, and a deeper worship for the Lord. He wants our undivided attention in spite of the distractions and temptations that lie waiting around the corner. He has to be our main focus.

How we will end 2019 will be determined by how we started it. Did we want to get more “INTIMATE” with the lover of our soul? I looked up the word intimacy and the meaning is to be close, familiar, very personal and private.

Do you want a new ending this year? How do you want the ending of your life? If you feel stagnate in your relationship with the Lord, then now is the time to rekindle the love affair with Him. He calls us to Himself and says, “Come away my beloved.” Can you hear Him? He is tugging at your heart. The real ending in our life will be when Jesus says well done my good and faithful servant. That statement will be for someone who took the time to get to know Him, love Him, and who obediently followed Him.

Do you need help getting started? Below are some examples of the best ways to experience a new beginning using the acronym Lean On God!

LIVE IN THE TRUTH

Whether you’re battling a tempting addiction or grieving an untimely loss, a key to embracing any new beginning is to stay grounded in truth — God’s Word. Without a foundation of truth, we are prone to fall prey to lies that increase our pain and keep us from growing and moving forward.

ENLIST OTHERS FOR SUPPORT

New beginnings are best faced in the safety net of caring and competent Christian friends. God is relational. Jesus was not a lone ranger. He was surrounded by His inner circle of disciples. We too will find support, encouragement, and help from others who have experienced similar circumstances.

APPROACH GOD BOLDLY

We have the amazing opportunity to approach our heavenly Father with boldness and confidence. In the psalms, David gave us the perfect example of how to cry out to God in every conceivable manner, even in our anger, our anguish, and our anxiety. We need not face anything without God’s help. We can go to Him boldly, because He tells us we can.

NEVER GIVE UP

Remember no matter what our present circumstances may look like, no matter how difficult letting go might be, with God, we win in the end. It may appear that we are losing, but ultimately, goodness and glory can grow in the midst of a new beginning. We must keep our eyes focused on our Leader, and remember to keep putting one foot in front of the other until we cross the finish line.

OVERCOME OBSTACLES

When we’re in the midst of letting go, we can find ourselves burdened by a barrage of obstacles — things on our path that can keep us from walking through the door of a better tomorrow. Feelings of grief and heartache can be part of the new beginning process. Lingering negative feelings and thoughts can become obstacles that keep us stuck. With God’s help and the support of others, we can continue forward, getting rid of whatever holds us back.

NEUTRALIZE THE ENEMY

The Bible is very clear that we, as Christians, have an enemy. This enemy of our souls would like to destroy us and keep us from accepting God’s plan for our lives. We can disarm this devil by utilizing the armor that God so generously provides. Put on the armor daily.

GO FORWARD WITH GOD

This is much like “don’t give up.” New beginnings can be scary and we can find ourselves paralyzed, afraid to take another step. We don’t need to continue by our own power. In fact, our limited human power won’t be enough, but with God, all things are possible. Allow Him to lead, as you lean on Him.

OPEN YOUR EYES

Take a look around at the beauty surrounding you on your journey. As you embrace your new beginning, you will discover the wondrous ways God is working in and around you. God is present, even in your darkest hour. If you look, you can see His light.

DECIDE TO WORSHIP

Praising God in the midst of any situation brings blessings far beyond our greatest expectations. When we experience freedom from a bondage or an addiction, it is only natural to praise our Deliverer. But when a new beginning is the result of loss, worship may seem out of place, but consider Paul, praising God from within his prison chamber. Worship touches the very heart of God, and in turn He will touch ours. Worship God and expect the best.

Lean on God and expect one glorious new beginning after another. Each new day we can be filled afresh with the power of the Holy Spirit who will help us in our new beginnings.

 

The month of November is all about thankfulness. Today I took a look at 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”. Some of the hardest commands seem to be the ones that are the most clear and straightforward, like “be joyful always,” “pray without ceasing,” and “give thanks in all circumstances?” I find it hard because there are no loopholes; no room for excuses. We are told plain and simple that God wants our lives to be characterized by thankfulness, and I can’t weasel my way out of that one.

But how are we supposed to “give thanks in all circumstances” when our circumstances are horrible? We have lost a loved one, our marriage is in disarray, a child has wandered far from Jesus, we have lost a job, we have found out that we or someone we love has cancer, innocent people in our country are being killed, and so on. Everywhere we look, circumstances are horrible! What fuels thanksgiving when life seems to be one discouragement, disappointment, disease, disaster, and death after another?

There is only one way. And Jesus both is the Way (John 14:6) and shows the way. The best place to see Jesus showing us the way is in the upper room where he “took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me’” (Luke 22:10). The Greek word for “thanks” in this verse is eucharisteo.

Ann Voskamp unpacks this word in a conversation on don’t worry, be thankful: “The root word of eucharisteo is charis, meaning “grace.” Jesus took the bread and saw it as grace and gave thanks. He took the bread and knew it to be a gift and gave thanks. Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis. But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning “joy.” Charis – Grace; Eucharisteo – Thanksgiving; Chara – Joy.”

What does Jesus’ eucharisteo mean? Thank you, Father, that my body, symbolized by this bread, is about to be brutally broken and I am about to be (momentarily) damned by your wrath (Isaiah 53:10) so that you will receive supreme glory in being able to forgive undeserving sinners (Philippians 2:11) and I will share eternally full joy (John 15:11 and Psalm 16:11) with hundreds of millions of forgiven sinners made righteous through my sacrifice(Isaiah 53:11).

Jesus’ thanks was not based on his present circumstances. He was about to endure the worst possible horror. He felt thankful to the Father for the grace and glory that was coming because of the cross and this gave him joy. Eucharisteo.

Jesus’ eucharisteo was fueled by his belief in future grace. That’s what the author of Hebrews meant when he wrote that, “The joy set before you is the same joy Jesus had set before him, because you are an heir of the kingdom with him.” Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith . . . for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrew 12:2) Jesus’s eyes were on his future joy. He got through the cross by not focusing on the cross but on the promised joy that would result from it. That’s where God wants our eyes: on the future joy he has promised us. Our future joy is the very best possible future we could ever imagine — if we will believe it.

• We will have the free gift of complete forgiveness for all our sins extending into forever (Romans 6:23)
• We will never have to merit our justification by keeping the law (Galatians 2:16)
• We will have all our real needs provided while on earth (Philippians 4:19)
• We will receive all the grace we need at all times so that we will abound in every good work God has for us (2 Corinthians 9:8)
• God will complete the good work he began in us (Philippians 1:6)
• We will be raised from the dead and never, ever die again(1 Corinthians 15:52-53)
• That means someday soon you will see Jesus, be with him(2 Corinthians 5:8), and be like him(1 John 3:2)
• In that day we will know for the first time full, unpolluted joy (Psalm 16:11)
• We will be completely free from all corruption (Romans 8:21)
• We will have God forever (1 Peter 3:18) as our exceeding joy (Psalm 43:4)

And that’s just a small sampling! The joy set before us is the same joy Jesus had set before him, because we are an heir of the kingdom with him (Romans 8:17)

So right now we have trouble. That’s okay. Jesus said that we would (John 16:33). And Jesus really understands (Hebrews 4:15). In fact, the trouble that we endure has a purpose: in it we are displaying the reality of Jesus to the world in a unique way. The kingdom of God is most clearly shown on earth when Christians gratefully suffer present trouble because they see a future weight of glory coming that makes everything this world throws at them as “light momentary afflictions” in comparison (2 Corinthians 4:17).

So, how can we give thanks in all circumstances? There’s only one way: Jesus’s way. Look to the joy set before you. Look to the joy! If the future joy Jesus promises is real and you believe him, there is no circumstance that can steal your thanksgiving.

I pray that your Thanksgiving and everyday would be soaked in eucharisteo.

June-July Newsletter for blog

I serve in a crawler’s room on Sunday mornings at my church, Athens Church. Many a Sundays, we will have babies that cry, longing for their mamas. On this particular Sunday, another volunteer had been trying to console a crying baby for a while with no success. I asked her if she wanted me to try. After rocking and singing sweetly to the baby for a little while, she quietly laid her head on my arm and went to sleep. She slept peacefully until her mama came to pick her up.

As I sat there holding her, I thought about how we, in the same way, fight our Heavenly Father’s love sometimes. However, He is always there still holding us until we let go and truly rest in His presence.

Summer is finally here! Summer has always meant that somehow time slows down. The days are longer and we seem to run on a looser schedule. We don’t have the demands of school, homework, sports, or extracurricular activities. We spend more time with our family than any other time of the year. We take vacations to the beach and spend time at the pool. We sit outside as the day turns to night listening to the frogs and crickets while watching the lightening bugs. Summer is a time to relax and recharge, a season when all the busyness seems to disappear.

Satan wants us to be busy and tired because this is when we are most vulnerable to his deception. When we are constantly living with no rest, it makes us tired physically and spiritually. It’s hard to fight against temptation, it’s easier to sin, it’s easier to dwell on ungodly thoughts, and Satan knows this. God made our bodies for rest. Even He rested after creating the world.

So, I encourage you to find time to rest and recharge yourself this summer. While spending time with family and friend is great, it is just as important to spend time just you and God. Jesus came to be our Sabbath – our resting place. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” I pray that you can find true rest, rest in Jesus, this summer and that rest will carry on past the summer.

May 30, 2018

3 years ago I found out that I would never be able to give birth to my own children and had to have an unexpected hysterectomy. I had always dreamed of the feeling of a child growing inside my belly, the miraculous arrival, and the intimacy of breastfeeding. However, God had and has a different plan for me. I have to admit that this was a tough pill to swallow at first and Mother’s Day the past 2 years was super rough. Today was a bittersweet Mother’s Day. I had moments when I cried but I was mostly filled with joy. God reached down His hand and reminded me of His unconditional love. He also reminded me of the many children that I get to be aunt, “aunt”, and influencer to. Thank you to all my family and friends for allowing me to be a part of your child’s life!

May 2018

Here is my paraphrase of the story…God commands Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and tell them about God. Jonah flees and ignores God’s command and finds himself swallowed by a 🐳. In the midst of the 🐳 body, Jonah cries out to God. After 3 days and nights, God has the 🐳 spit him onto land. Fast forward to chapter 4 and Jonah is angry at God for not destroying the people, who changed their ways. Jonah tells God he just wants to die instead of live and goes to sit on a hill and observe. Meanwhile, because God is full of compassion, He has a plant grow to shade Jonah. The next day, God has a 🐛devour plant and Jonah is left without shade and overcome by discomfort. Again he cries out to God to just let him die.

Here’s the application: We too get consumed by the “whales” of life – addictions, success, relationships…like Jonah, it totally engulfs us. It isn’t until we get to the end of ourselves and realize that we can’t save ourselves; only God can save us, that we can be spit out/released from the 🐳 holding us. Just like Jonah we pray to God and then when God doesn’t answer our prayer the way we think, we get angry at God. However, just as He did for Jonah, He is covering us with the protection that we need even when we don’t realize it. We need to trust God and continually pray so that we are under His shade/protection and not in the belly of a 🐳!

December 2017 began a new chapter in the story God continues to write for me. I started a new job at Athens College of Ministry as President Marcia Wilbur’s Administrative Assistant. In January I began classes to earn my Masters degree in Christian Ministry. This step is a huge leap of faith for me…however over the years as God has grown my faith, I’ve learned that when I truly live with my hands wide open and trust God when He calls me out to the scary parts of the ocean, He never lets me sink, He always raises me above the scary and unknown, and He deepens my faith and provides everything that I need.

 

April 20, 2017 marked the beginning of a four day journey to turn the page and end one chapter of this crazy thing called life. I flew to Texas to say goodbye and pack all our belongings and have them shipped back to GA. God called me home for this next season in life. When you choose to open your hand freely, let go of your desires and wishes, you allow God to lead you where He desires you to be. I don’t know what God has in store for me in Athens, but I do know that his will is better than my will and his ways are better than my ways. So today as I board the plane alone (another part of God’s plan and not mine – dad was supposed to be traveling with me but was hit hard early this am with the same stomach bug as mom) I’m trusting that I’m in God’s loving hand and that’s no better place to rest!

I went outside to take a walk and when I returned inside I noticed that I had gotten bitten by a mosquito. I never saw or felt the mosquito bite me but had evidence that I had been sneakily attacked. This reminded me of the way that Satan attacks believers. He doesn’t advertise his presence but instead slowly, sneakily, and little by little “bites” us. This is why it’s so important that we are clothing ourselves daily in the armor of God. Are you applying your Satan repellent daily?

April 2017

 

I sat on the deck this evening watching as a mother and father bird tried to coax their babies out of their nest. They had diligently pulled part of the nest out of the bird house to make it easier for the babies to come out. They waited patiently on the railing calling them and assuring them it was safe but never pushed them out.

As I observed this, I was reminded that this is the same way that our Heavenly Father calls us to trust. He makes the way and patiently calls us. He never pushes us out of the “nest”. He leaves it up to us to trust Him and step out in faith. Are you stuck in the “nest”? If so, I encourage you to fully trust and step out in faith…your Father has you and he won’t let you fall!

April 2017

 

Snow (Sheleg, the Hebrew for snow) is the concept of explaining knowledge in metaphor. Its significance is this: To understand the process of how God created the universe, God could not allow the borders of divinity and spirituality to just flow ceaselessly and annihilate the boundaries of existence. God had to contain it, and the way He contained it is reflected in snow. The mystique of snow is precisely because of its dual quality of heaven meeting earth, water meeting land.

As I look at the snowflakes gently dropping from heaven, blanketing earth in its white embrace, I remember that I am witnessing a kiss – a kiss of the Divine and the mundane.

January 17, 2017

On this day 4 years ago my life and the lives of my family and friends changed. God would reveal himself in a way so much more real than we had ever seen. After suffering multiple seizures back to back, I would end up in ICU. Over the course of the next 2 weeks, I would become incapacitated, unable to speak, walk, or even see. I would be transported to a hospital in Atlanta to their ICU wing and my family would be told that there was nothing they could do for me. They would wait and hit their knees in prayer asking God to renew my life. People all over the place would join my family in prayer 24/7…all the while I rested, I believe in my Father’s arms, unaware of the fight that was being fought on my behalf. After two weeks and some days, I would wake up but I had a long road of recovery ahead. God never left my side and through the darkest time in our lives revealed to so many the power of prayer and of His healing power.

My mom, Sarah Tuck Jennings, wrote these words early on this morning 4 years ago. She knew the power of her Father and walked in it:

What more can one do at 1:30 am (fall back time almost here), sitting in a hard chair watching your daughter sleep in her hospital bed, listening to the rhythm of the machines around her….thoughts roam as she twitches in her sleep …her infectious laugh, her wit, wisdom and passion for her Creator – her ability to establish caring relationships across such a wide spectrum truly caring for each life/circumstance many times putting aside her own agenda/needs…her voice…I am missing the melody it sings when she becomes the ‘baby whisperer’ and imagine the days to come when she holds her own child…motherhood…a privilege and a burden I am thinking…such a risk each day we take as we open our arms and let our children go to the world…how deep our love for our babies… I must rest in His Arms knowing that His Love is deeper still, abiding and infinitely indwelling surrounding her…Trust in the Lord always and lean not on your own understanding …in all ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight…This I know…He has a plan, a purpose, a path in these circumstances and I will take the risk opening my arms to give Him this child whom He loves….selah

 

November 3, 2017