You Will have Trouble...

Difficult people in our lives can come in all forms. Sometimes in the form of friends, family, church members, co-workers, strangers, even ourselves. People in our lives that cause us frustration, anxiety, heart-ache. People that cause us trouble.

When Jesus was here on the earth, He knew that we would have struggles. Especially, when we choose to follow Him. 

In the Bible, found in the Book of John, is a conversation He has with his close friends. This conversation is placed after the last supper, but before the Garden of Gethsemane.

"In this world you will have trouble" John 16:33. In this instance He does not say "if" of "maybe," He says you will have trouble. In the previous verses in Chapter 15 He talks to them about the world hating Him and Hating those who follow Him. Even to the point where his followers will be thrown out of their synagogue. 

I couldn't image how discourage I would be. As His disciple, the feeling I would have, thinking that He's the one I chose to follow and what the cost of following Him would be. But, I believe that this conversation, these words, were meant for more then just the disciples. I believe there were also meant for us. 

How much more discouraging, unsettling are these words now when I think about them in my life. If by choosing Him, the world might hate me, my church might throw me out, I will have trouble in my life. Is it worth it? Is He worth it?

Why? Why if Jesus wanted us to choose to follow Him would He tell us this things, these hard to swallow, discouraging things?

Because of Love. 

Because of God's character of Love, Truth, & Life exhibited through His Son. 

Jesus shares these words. Words-that as we think about the hard things in our life, the hard people me may have to deal with, can bring us peace. Peace not in ourselves, but peace in our God. 

But, how can these words bring peace? How will they get us through the difficult times and deal with difficult people? 

It's by knowing what Jesus says before this.

"I am the vine; you are the branches." John 15:5 That in Him, He will remain in us. That in Him, we can ask God for anything. That in Him, He loves us and the Father loves us. That in Him, our lives will produce fruit. That in Him, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit. That in Him, we have access to everything He has learned from the Father. That in Him, we are not servant, we are His friends. That in Him, we can have peace.

He is the answer. When we remain in Him; He will get us through the troubles of the world. Because we are worth the cost to Him. 

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you." John 15:9
"You did not choose me, but I chose you." John 15:16.
"Greater love has not one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends." John 15:12 

Knowing these were the moments before He was about to struggle with the plan the Godhead had for Him. He was about to be arrest, beaten, rejected not only by the religious leaders of the time, but by his closest friends, that the plan of our salvation would cause His life. That for Him in all this trouble-there was Peace.

He loves us enough to not only tell us about His Love-but show us His Love. He wants us to know that when we go through trouble, because we will-that can we have peace. Because God is Love, and when we remain in Him, we have peace to know that HE has overcome. 

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" - Jesus

~kartini r. maxson

April Prayer Topic: Praying for Difficult People

On our walk and journey with Jesus, how nice would it to that those we met along the way would always easily lift us up to Him? Ones who would help us turn our eyes to Him. 

But for me, that's has not always been the case. There have been people in my life that I would consider not easy to be with. In fact, I would consider them difficult to deal with. 

When I was in high school I can remember such a person. We were in the same group of friends, sometimes it seemed we were even friends. But more often then not, they just rubbed me the wrong way. 

I shared, no I complained, to a mentor teacher about how much they bothered me. Multiple times, I vented to him about this person and patiently he listened. I complained about how annoying and bothersome they were. How they seemed to know the exact buttons to push to get me riled up. And being the good Christian girl I was, I had even prayed that God would change them so they would quit bothering me. 

Finally, after many of these venting sessions, this wise teacher ask me, "Have you prayed about it?" Of course I'd prayed about it! I had already told him I had prayed about it. 

"No," came his reply. "Have you asked God to change your heart about this person?"

What?! I was offended. No, I'm not praying that God change my heart. My heart wasn't what needed to be changed, it was theirs!

As I left there, that conversation did lay heavy on my heart. Was it mine that needed changing? Bit by bit, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ worked on my heart. And though to some it may seem small and insignificant, God performed what I consider a huge miracle. That changing of my heart. 

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10

This is the prayer I want for my life. Not just one I pray for when things are going smoothly and people are easy to be around. But, especially when dealing with difficult people. And God promises that He will do it.

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26

Instead of being hardened towards these difficult people, I have a choice. I can choose to let my emotions control my actions-my life. Or, I can ask God to change my heart and allow Him to control my life. 

I'd like to say the we became best friend. We didn't. But, what happened was no less then a miracle. God changed the way I saw them. I no longer felt irritation and upset every time I saw them. God softened my heart towards them, that this time when I would pray for them, it was genuine. I prayed not that God would change them, but that God would bless them. 

So, I guess you can say difficult people in my life do lift me up to God. When I feel that my emotions want to get the better of me, or I get stuck on how much they bother me, I have a choice. I can choose to remain irritated and upset at them and allow that to contol me. Or, I can choose to turn my eyes and my heart to the One who can truly change me.

~kartini r. maxson

I'm Waiting...

Journal writing has been a part of my walk with God. 

Sometimes I write a list of things that I can be thankful for along with people and things I'm praying for. 

Sometimes I write conversations I have with God. 

Sometimes I write my thoughts and feelings about a Bible passage I've read.

Writing after read the Bible is usually where I feel I have been gifted with a glimpse of God's incredible character and grace in my life. At time's it's been beautiful, humbling, and inspiring. Other times raw, emotional, and hard to understand. When I look back at the words I've written, either way, I'm overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by God and who God it. 

There's this song I love, "Overwhelmed" by Big Daddy Weave

I see the work of Your Hands
Galaxies spin in a Heavenly dance oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming 

I hear the sound of Your Voice
All at once it's a gentle and thundering noise oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming 

I delight myself in You
Captivated by Your beauty
I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by You 

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of our heart" Psalm 37:4

When I look back in my journal this is exactly how I feel. I love this feeling. I feel so close to God. I wish I could always feel that way. 

But, in my life that's not always the case. Often I get busy. I want to take a shower, I want to get ready for work, I want spend time with my family, I want to plan for Sabbath School, I want to spend time with friends, I want to clean my house, I want to do laundry, I want to do yard work, I want to just sit and rest. Sometimes I just get overwhelmed by life. I don't feel like reading the Bible or writing in my journal. And that's when I find my alone time with God is the first things that get cut out. 

I want to spend time with God, to spending time in the Word. I want that overwhelming desire and emotion to be in me, that will compel me to do it. But it's not there, I can't seem to just want to do it. I need something.

Romans 7:17-23 MSG

But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.

This is exactly how I feel. I want to want to read the Bible, to spend time with God. But I struggle. 

Romans 7:24-25I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? 

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

Yes. That's it. The answer, thank God, is Jesus.

I need to remember how I feel is just that. Feelings. Spending time with God is more that just wanting that feeling-it's about a relationship. A relationship in which He is the Constant and the Answer. And like it says in John 20:31(ESV)

 “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in His Name.” 

when I read these words I will believe in Jesus and have life in Him.

Yes, I want that feeling of closeness-of being overwhelmed. But in the mean time-I will do. I will spend time with Him and in the Word, I will read and I will write. Whether I feel like I want to or not. I will do it and I will ask Him to be my answer, to have life in Him, and I will wait. How ever long it takes. I will wait on the Lord.

But me, I’m not giving up.    I’m sticking around to see what God will do.I’m waiting for God to make things right.    I’m counting on God to listen to me. 

 Micah 7:7

~ kartini r. maxson 

These are Written…

“But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in His Name.”  John 20:31 (ESV)

In order to believe that Jesus is Christ, we have read that things that He had written in the Bible.  Reading about Him, and reading His words. This month, in looking at this scripture, why don’t we pray that we be intentional about our time with Him and reading His word? 

The Bible was written so that we may see Jesus.  These things are written, or recorded, as it is written in different versions, is so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ. In order to believe, we have to get to know Him.  There has to be that trust element.

In order to believe Him, we need to spend time with Him.  I don’t know about you, but in order for me to believe in someone, I have to get to know them.  It is the same with Jesus, the more I get to know Him, the more I believe in Him, and the more I trust Him.  He knew that, and so He gave us a starting point.

Yes, life gets crazy, and that is why we have to be so intentional about it.  Jesus has so much to say to us, and all we have to do is take the time to read what has already been written.  He wants us to have a life that is in Him. 

So, this month let us read what was written for us in the Bible.  Who knows, we may find something that we have not ever read before and it will affect our lives.  Maybe we have read it, but this time, we get something completely different out of the scriptures then we have before. 

Let us see what Jesus wants to show us this month.  After all, it is by believing we have life in Him.  Let’s give God authority to move in our lives.  Let’s see what happens.

~ Laura Maxson 

March Prayer Topic: John 20:31

"But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name." 

John 20:31

A Single Woman’s Valentine

Yes, I am single, and so Valentine’s day, or as I call it, Single Awareness Day, was another day of life.  I spent the day working, but also I made sure that I spent the day telling the people in my life that I loved them.  I didn’t want to miss a moment to say those three powerful words.

It wasn’t the type of day that I ever imagined at my age.  I thought that by now, I would be married and have a family.  However, I am celebrating where God has me, and I do have people in my life that I love, and love me too.  I am not without love, and that is something to celebrate, every day.

I love you, are powerful words.  They are words that bring a lot of emotions. Do I wish that I had heard an “I love you” from a husband, or significant? Yes I did, I do.  However, there is something about Valentines this year that was different than other years.

I did not look at it as missing out on something.  I looked at it a little differently now.  It was a reminder that, if I stop to think about all the people in my life, I have so much love.  Also, I have a life that is full of love.  Not only do I have people in my life that love me, and that I love, but Jesus loves me too.

“Jesus loves me” is not just the words to a child’s song.  It is the truth, and He has given us a book of love letters, the Bible. Everyone gets a love letter. It doesn’t differentiate between single, married, divorced, widowed, engaged, separated, or whatever else.  It is for all of us.

Jesus loves me, this I know. It is a love that never gives up, and it doesn’t show up just one day a year. His love is forever, and is always constant. Isn’t that so amazing? Amazing love.

This month we have been praying for the people in our lives that we love.  All of us have people in our lives that we love.  It doesn’t necessarily have to be a spouse, or significant other.  It can be friends that are family, and family that are friends, or anyone that God has brought into your life.

There are so many variances of love.  There is the love between a parent and child, love between spouses and significant others, love of family, and friends.  All of it is love, and all need to be prayed for. I am thankful for the loved ones in my life.

Every morning, I pray for my loved ones.  I also thank the Lord for His unending love.  I love Him, and I tell Him that too.  You know, I think that Jesus likes to hear us say that we love Him.

This journey through life is sometimes crazy, and sometimes we may feel alone, but we are not.  He is always there, and He loves us.  He loves us so much that Jesus came down to earth and lived and died so that we may live eternally with Him. That is true Agape Love.  God is love.

Because God is love, I can love those people in my life.  Because God is love, I am worthy of love.  Because of God is love, I am complete and whole. Because God is love, you are too.

I am so blessed to have family and friends around me that I love so much.  Yes, I am single, but I have so much love around me.    I am loved by God, and that is amazing.

Dear Lord, I thank you for loving me.  You love me, and You will never leave me.  Thank you for the people in my life that I love and that love me. I love you Lord. In Jesus’ Name Amen.

Laura Maxson

            

February Prayer Topic: Those We Love

I've had this love-hate relationship with Valentine's Day.

Growing up. I loved Valentine's Day. I remember in Elementary School a few days before Valentine's Day, we would make these special "collection receptacles." Carefully placing each detail to this much-more then ordinary shoe box, cutting out the slit in the top that receive those special little Valentine's card. Everyone made boxes, everyone got cards. I loved it! I just loved Valentine's Day.

Then came High School. Where almost the opposite happened. No boxes were made, not everyone got cards. No, unless you had a "Valentine" no cards or gifts were to be had. So I decided, this holiday was no longer for me. I would not allow someone else, or lack there of, be the determining factor of my joy, happiness, or love. No. No more Valentine's Day for me. 

After that came University. Where to the surprise, of my boyfriend, I made known to him, I vetoed Valentines day. I informed him, our love would not be determined by one day and the gifts given or received on that one day. 

So that tradition carried through our dating life and into our marriage. It remained that way until the birth of our son. It's funny how having kids in your life can change your view of things, which in this case was Valentine's Day. To the confusion of my dear husband, I changed it up on him again. 

Oh, how I had forgotten my love for you Valentine's Day.  Once again little cards filled our house. Every year picking out that perfect treat that would accompany each card for everyone in his class. I loved it! I just loved Valentine's Day.

Looking back, what was it in those moments that made me love that day or not? On the surface you could say, it was as a child, the simple joy of receiving those cute little cards. Maybe that is part of it. Maybe it had something to do about giving and receiving. As I got older, maybe it was the thought that giving and receiving could have something to do with the love someone had for me. So instead of being secure that I was loved, I choose to not acknowledge a holiday, in fear I would not be loved. 

photo by kartini r. maxson

In John 15, Christ tell about the incredible love He and the Father have for each other, and that same incredible love He has for everyone of us. Incredible, stable, consistent, unwavering, ever-present love. This love, so incredible, that He gave the ultimate gift. "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:13. He gave His life for us. 

This gift of love He gave to everyone. Regardless of if we choose to give Him our love in return-He still loves. Incredible, stable, consistent, unwavering, every-present love.

Even though He does not make us love Him in return for this gift, He does ask if we love Him. And if we love Him, He asks us to love each other. To love each other as He loved us. Not once or twice, but three time here He asks us to love each other-the way He loved us. (John 15:12,14,17)

But, that may seem impossible. To love as He did. Life giving love. Constant, unconditional, unwavering; unlike my feelings about Valentine's day. I guess when you really think about it, it is impossible. 

Impossible unless we are connected to Him. Connected to the True Vine. As we love Him, stay connected to Him, it is through Him that can we love as He loves.

He came to Love. He lived love, died love, and rose again love. Because God is Love. 

~kartini r. maxson