Why’d the turtle cross the road?

As I was driving down a little back road the other day, a box turtle was trying to cross the road. I stopped, put on my flashers, and picked it up to help him across the road. When I did, he hissed, but I helped him anyway. As I got back in my car and drove away, I thought about how I am much like that turtle. God sees that I am trying to cross the road and His hands guide me and protect me from potential danger. Yet I hiss grumbles and complaints and wonder what He’s doing with my life. Instead I should be thanking Him for seeing me and caring about me.

Life has felt very difficult lately and  rather than picturing myself on a quiet little back road, I was visualizing the turtle crossing a stretch of highway in Hawaii that has six lanes in each direction. Cars are zooming past and the turtle is tucked in his shell spinning from all the commotion. Turning around to go back is just as scary as continuing to press forward. A car flattening the turtle seems like the easiest way out.

At counseling the other day, I shared about the turtle because she commented that there has been a lot going on in my life. I agreed and said that it feels like car after car just keeps coming. She said I should draw a picture to remind me of this vision God gave me.

The turtle emoji crossing the H-1

Because I am a good student and want to do my assignment, but don’t actually want to draw, I found a picture of the highway and started adding a turtle emoji. As I did so, I found myself repeating, “You’re never gonna let you’re never gonna let me down” (some of the lyrics from King of My Heart by Bethel Music).

It’s hard to not be able to see the other side of the road. It’s hard to not know when the next car is coming. It’s tough when you can’t see God‘s hand guiding and protecting. It’s lonely when you hide in your shell.

I trust that God wants me to live life abundantly (John 10:10). On days that is hard to believe, these are some verses I have been reading and reciting over and over again:

• “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Psalms‬ ‭43:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬
• “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” 2 Timothy‬ ‭1:7‬ ‭CSB‬‬ (This one is actually framed and hanging in my bedroom.)
• “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear. The Lord of hosts is with us. ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’” Psalms‬ ‭46:1-2a, 7a, 10a‬ ‭ESV‬‬
• “Since I am afflicted and needy, Let the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.” Psalms‬ ‭40:17‬ ‭NASB‬‬
• “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Isaiah‬ ‭30:21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

I had an interview at a Christian school today and one of the questions they asked was "What has God been teaching you over the past few months?" And my response was "He's faithful." No matter how many cars zoom by, He is faithful. When I can't see the other side of the road, He is faithful. Even when I'm hiding in my shell, He is faithful.

Summer Service Project - Day 1

The other day I was flipping through an old journal from college and was reminded of a time when I really struggled with what it means to follow Christ. Like many of you, I grew up in a Christian home. I don’t really remember what it’s like to not be saved. I remember sitting in Olympians doing what I was supposed to to earn greenbacks to get some candy at the end of the night. In Olympians, we had to recite some pledges, a verse and a song to get a devotional book. You could earn medals if you completed certain tasks like church attendance, christian service, and bringing your Bible, to name a few. Being spiritual was very much tied to the things I did.

When I got to youth group, things changed some. We didn’t get immediate rewards for all of our good behavior, but we were encouraged to read our Bibles and pray daily, to be pure, to reach out to others through serving.

When I got to Bible college, I was met with a new set of expectations and requirements for being spiritual. Going to chapel so many times a week, attending church regularly, being involved in ministry, all while attending Bible classes throughout the week.

At some point, I got overwhelmed with it all. I can’t live up to those expectations. As much as I try, I fail at reading my Bible daily. Sometimes I’m selfish and don’t always want to love and serve others. I watch tv shows that I probably shouldn’t. Even though I know God loves me, some days I feel unlovable. I drive too fast (almost) all the time. I can’t live up to the expectations that others have placed on me or that I have put on myself.

Victory in Jesus

I don’t know that I’ve ever cried uncontrollably while singing a song before, but I did this morning....

The last few weeks before I moved home from Hawaii, I distinctly remember three different times where I had some sort of experience with friends and was enjoying good conversation with them and just thought I wish I could stay in this moment forever. Laying on the beach at Hanauma Bay with Maile & Abigail after a snorkeling, talking while drying off from the warmth of the sun. Sitting atop Chinaman's Hat (after kayaking to it and climbing up it) with Kileigh reminiscing over the previous two years and discussing our faith and our futures. Eating PB&J while Adele & Jonathan ran around searching for the perfect photo op of the monk seal at Ka'ena Point, looking down the beautiful coastline. But of course no matter how beautiful the location, or how fun the friend, eventually we had to return to reality and continue on with our regularly scheduled lives.

Haunama Bay

Chinaman's Hat

Ka'ena Point

Believing God's Truth

I don’t know when this thinking started to infiltrate my mind. Probably part of the American Dream we’ve all had instilled in us growing up. But I always did well in school so I could go to a good college. I went to a good college and studied hard, so I could get a good job. I stayed pure, so I could find a good husband. I applied lessons I’ve been taught at church and youth group and read my Bible and prayed, so God would bless/honor me. Sure, I’m not perfect and I’ve sinned. But in the grand scheme of things, I’ve done everything right… yet life hasn’t really turned out how I thought it would. Here I am—30 years old, single, living with my parents, not doing the job I imagined. This is not the life I pictured as a kid/teen/college student.

Fit for Life

As most of you may know, I used to weigh significantly more than I do now. When I was 24, I went to the doctor and was told I had high blood pressure and either needed to start taking blood pressure medicine or lose 12-15 pounds. I lost the recommended 12-15 pounds plus an additional 75 pounds. I’ve kept off most of that weight for the last 5 years. People that have lost weight often talk about how losing weight is the easy part, it’s maintaining that weight loss that is tough. I’ve been feeling pretty confident in myself since I’ve maintained it for so long…Then, over this past holiday season I gained like 10 pounds. #fail

[Philippians 3:13-16: Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.]

There are so many correlations between a weight loss journey and our spiritual journeys.

In verse 13, Paul talks about forgetting what’s behind and focusing on what’s ahead. If you are focused on all the bad decisions you made to get you overweight, you can’t focus on moving forward and learning how to make good decisions. Similarly, if you are focused on the sin and baggage of your past, you may be missing opportunities to focus on Christ and move forward.

In verse 14, Paul talks about having a goal he’s reaching towards. Initially I lost weight so I wouldn’t have to take blood pressure medicine, once I lost that weight, my goal became having Wii Fit tell me I was normal (not obese). I have continued to set new goals as I meet previous ones. In our spiritual walks, we should have goals as well. Ultimately our goal is abundant life in Christ, but maybe right now that looks like addressing one specific thing and then another and then another. There are always goals we should be striving towards.

In verse 16, Paul says to keep living by the same standard to which we have attained. That’s like the maintenance stage of weight loss. Once the weight is gone, the habits formed need to be maintained to keep the weight off. Spiritually, it’s no different. As you are meeting goals-making a habit of reading His word, becoming more patient,  being nicer to your siblings-you can’t check them off a list and move on to the next one without ever thinking about the old ones again. We need to keep up those habits as we press on towards new ones. Otherwise we’ll gain back those ten pounds (literally and figuratively).

1. Are there any areas in your life where you accomplished a goal, but then fell back into it later?

2. What are some areas in your life where you have maintained a goal you accomplished?

3. Let us keep living by that  _______________ to which we have attained.

4. Take a minute and journal your thoughts about this passage:

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These are devotionals written for the teens. A handful of us are taking turns writing, so it may seem like sporadic passages. It all flows nicely for the teens in their devo books though.

Evangelism...

Evangelism... probably not anyone's favorite word. We don't like doing it because we fear people's opinion more than we should. It's just awkward... Just last week, I even read an article put out by Relevant magazine about Why We Don't Evangelize Anymore.

As you may know, we went to NYC and did some street evangelism with the teens back in August. I did not want to do it. Seriously, who wants to walk up to a stranger anywhere, let alone New York City, and start talking to them about Jesus. I tried to figure out how I could weasel my way out of that part of the trip and just join the group for the work projects but finally decided it was all or nothing and went for the whole trip, evangelism and all.

More Than You Can Handle

There is SO much good stuff in Perry Noble’s book and there is SO much more we can learn from David’s life too. So I only got to write two of the devos this week, but I easily could have written more! I wanted to share with you a little bit more that you can maybe go and do once you return home. Maybe it will help the spiritual high of this trip to last a little bit longer. If you read through this, share your thoughts with me. Send me an email or fb message or a good old fashioned phone call :)

Did I ever tell you about the crazy adventures Jeff, Hil and I had going to Georgia for the Catalyst conference last October? Jeff ‘borrowed’ a pumpkin from outside this gift shop we went to… we found the CRAZIEST/STRANGEST yard with all sorts of monsters/creatures/body and even helped the owner move a 6-ft tall hand into a guy’s truck… we had dinner in Alabama so I could add another state to my list of visited states (which means I’m currently beating my brother and father)… Hil and I rode a pirate ship… We had sushi with Sharla Megilligan (one of the missionaries we support)… But most of you probably didn’t hear about those things.

Become Who You Are

Our theme for youth group really, but specifically for Maine this year was Becoming Who You Are. One of the things I feel like we discussed a number of times on the trip was that this is a process. I’m not going to wake up one day and be this super Christian, but it’s a process that day by day God is shaping me into the person He wants me to be. It’s really difficult at times though because the changes are often so gradual that you don’t see them.

Perfect example, I lost lots of weight but each day when I would look in the mirror I wouldn’t notice any sort of change. In my mind, I looked the same day after day. However, I was slowly changing. I would notice that clothes were becoming too big or I’d have to put a new hole in my belt so my pants would stay up.

The biggest way I would notice the change is looking at pictures. When people lose weight they often do before and after pictures.

What's your next step?

What's your next step? That's been then theme of youth group these days. The last topic we discussed is the next step may be evangelism and sharing your story.
In Sunday School yesterday, I gave the teens the opportunity to tell us their story. I went first. Here's my story:

I grew up and a Christian home. One time in elementary school, I had asked my mom if I was going to heaven and she told me I had accepted Jesus into my heart when I was little. So when people asked me how I got saved, I would tell them that I was saved when I was little but that I didn't really remember it, but I knew I was saved. Throughout middle school and ninth grade, I wasn't serious about God. I was a Christian Sundays and Wednesday nights, but not the rest of the week.

Two things changed this.