What Color is the Sky?

3 Comments / February 8, 2024

Back in the 80s, there was an artist who liked to write songs about hot topics of the culture. One of the songs he wrote was about values clarification. You may not know what this is but I guarantee it has affected every one of our lives.

Values clarification is determining what has value based on subjectivity (personal “truth”) rather than objectivity (absolute truth). So his song was about a boat in which there were four people but only three could stay in it if it was to stay afloat. Which person had the “least value” and what criteria should be used to determine this?

This push to teach students values clarification was, in my opinion, very instrumental in moving the entire culture from absolute truth to subjective truth. From “This is true because it is true” to “This is true because this is what I have decided is true”. And from “This is true for all” to “this is my personal truth”.

But truth, by its very nature, must be true or false. There is no “truth” for you and a different “truth” for me. The sky cannot be both blue and purple at the same time. But most people would not argue with someone who says the sky is purple. They are content to let someone believe this, even if they don’t agree with them. And, in fact, they believe that there can be a different answer than four to the equation 2+2. They may believe the answer is four but they do not care and, in fact, willingly accept that someone else’s “truth” may lead them to a different answer.

This attitude about absolute truth is leading many Christians right off the cliff into the morass of relativity when it comes to discernment. Instead of using the Bible to judge what is right and what is wrong (because for a believer, the Bible is our ultimate test for these things), they are using emotion and feeling and pragmatism (does it work) to determine these things. They are determining what is true subjectively rather than objectively.

Let me give you an example…

Last week, I posted something my daughter had written about “The Chosen” TV series (you can find that here). Inevitably the comments come (more for her at this juncture than for me, although I did get a couple). The general spirit of these comments is “God is using this, how can you judge something God is using?” or “This has helped me to read my Bible more, how could you say this is bad?”

These people are determining truth by their own subjective experience, rather than by scripture. They are saying something is good, simply because it helped them or is helping someone else (pragmatism).

I just have to add here that if we think God needs a show from Hollywood that attacks His divinity and adds to His Words to reach people, we have a very, very low view of our all-powerful God. I’d also recommend reading Deuteronomy 13 to be reminded of how God feels about anyone who would lead his people astray. He does not take this lightly (to say the least!!)

Another example are the many popular books that make people “feel good”. They feel loved and comforted and encouraged. A book can’t possibly be wrong if it makes me feel so good, could it?

But should our feelings be our criteria for determining what is right, according to scripture? Is this what gives something “value”?

As genuine believers, we must hold the scripture as our authority and we must use this to determine what is right and good.

I think I am probably “preaching to the choir” here, because at this point if you are still sticking around here reading this blog, you are probably already aware of the danger of this type of thinking. And so let’s spend a moment or two considering how we talk to those who profess to follow Christ and yet just can’t see this danger.

This is a conundrum, isn’t it? It is an attitude that has reached every church and even every Christian family at some level. And it feels impossible to open someone’s eyes to how they are determining truth because they believe in their hearts that they are right. And guess what? It IS impossible for us to open their eyes. But God can!

And that is our HOPE. God–and only God–can open the eyes of someone who is determining truth in the wrong way. And so we must pray diligently.

As we pray, we must do our best to set a good example in our own lives of determining truth by scripture instead of by feelings. And, if we are given opportunities to have conversations about this with other Christians, we just keep pointing people to the Word. This is all we can do.

What we must never do is get into online debates or family arguments about this. Discussions are good but quarrels are not. If the person you are trying to point to the Word to determine truth wants no part of it, it’s best to just stop talking.

This is a very, very difficult time in which to be a Christian. Us older people can remember a time when truth was...truth. But that is simply not the case any more. We see this in a myriad of ways in secular culture but it has also crept into the church under the guise of “love and unity”.

Letting false teaching run amok among believers can never be defined as LOVE. And any unity that is based on “you believe what you want and I’ll believe what I want” is not true UNITY. But, unless someone is getting their definitions for love and for unity from scripture, they will have a very different opinion than you about this. These beautiful words that have so much meaning in scripture have literally been re-defined.

Oh, that we may continue to look to scripture as our anchor and our litmus test. And, as God gives us opportunities, may we encourage other believers to do the same.

If you’d like to read more about how to discern truth from error as a believer, along with some ideas on how to share the truth with others, perhaps my new book Learn to Discern (According to Scripture) would be helpful. It is available at this link. This is just a short book that I hope will help those who desire some help in learning to discern. I hope it will be a blessing to those who read it.

Should Christians Watch “The Chosen”?

9 Comments / February 1, 2024

Just who is this Jesus that is so wildly popular? Who is this Jesus who “gets us”? Who is this Jesus that wants to make us happy and never calls us to repent from sin or turn from the world? Who is this Jesus that gives us our desires and would never pour down His wrath on the earth? He is certainly not the Jesus of the Bible. If we are a Christian, oh, how deeply this should concern us! Today, we are going to focus specifically on The Chosen and the false Jesus they are presenting.

A few years ago, my oldest daughter, Jess (find her on Facebook and Instagram at Anchor for the Soul), wrote about this series that had taken the Christian world by storm. A month or two ago she mentioned that she thought it might be time for an updated post. Today she posted this update. She has kindly given me permission to share what she wrote with you here on the blog. (I like to do this because all of you aren’t on Facebook or Instagram and also because sometimes, even if you are on social media, someone you’d like to share this information with isn’t.)

I hope this post is a blessing as we seek to discern if The Chosen series is something we Christians should be watching. Here is what Jess found as she researched this series a little more closely than most of us have taken the time to do–

The Chosen has been viewed over four million times and has gained an almost cult-like following since its premier in 2017. Its popularity alone should be a red flag. The Bible is pretty clear that Jesus Christ and true Christianity will be largely hated and rejected by the world. So when something about Jesus is accepted and applauded, it’s good for us to pause and ask why. Does this show glorify God? Does it accurately portray Jesus Christ and His Word? Is it something we should watch? 

I’d have to conclude that the answer to those questions is a resounding no. Here are eight reasons why: 

1. Dallas Jenkins – I’ve talked about this before, so I’m only going to touch on it. Jenkins is the producer and creative mind behind the show. He has made it clear that he believes Mormons, Catholics, and Christians “love the same Jesus” and have only a few minor theological differences. He put together a group of spiritual advisors to make sure “he gets Christ right” and that panel consists of a Mormon, a Catholic priest, and a Jewish Rabbi. Is it possible for any of those men to get Christ right? So how can we trust this show to accurately portray Jesus Christ? But God told Dallas Jenkins that this show was going to be a “definitive portrayal of my people” and that “He wouldn’t let him screw it up.” Spoiler alert: that wasn’t God speaking to him. 

2. Jonathan Roumie – Roumie is a devout Roman Catholic who plays the part of Jesus. He has a massive fan base and his influence is heavily promoted by The Chosen on social media. From his partnership with the Catholic, new age meditation app called Hallow (where you can pray the rosary with him or follow along with his guided meditations) to his deep love for the Pope to his weird practices (like laying on the grave of Lonnie Frisbee and praying to him for a sign before playing him in the Jesus Revolution movie), he’s really bad news and leading many people astray. 

3. Adding to the Bible – The writers will tell you that they’re simply using their imagination to fill in the gaps of the Biblical narrative. But is that okay? Proverbs 30:6 and Revelation 22:18-19 warn us not to add or take away from the Word of God. “Oh, but this show isn’t pretending to be Scripture or trying to replace the Bible!” And yet they are adding to the very words of Christ. Sit back and think about that for a minute. Sinful, probably even unsaved, men are adding to the very words of Christ. It’s a big deal, whether you think so or not. They’re adding man’s ideas to what God alone has communicated and therefore are distorting His Word. God told us exactly what He wanted us to know, no more and no less. 

4. Straying from the Bible – Dallas Jenkins claims to be portraying the “authentic Jesus” and insists that he stays true to what IS in Scripture while simply “filling in the gaps” with what isn’t. You would expect, then, that the show would portray any event or conversation specifically recorded in the Bible exactly the way the Bible describes it. But it doesn’t. 

Here’s just a few of the many, many examples throughout the first 3 seasons:

The show portrays the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus that we find in John 3:1-21. But the conversation is nothing like the passage. They added some things, omitted some things, (verses 19-21, conveniently) and ultimately distorted the entire dialogue. On top of that, Jesus asks him, “What does your heart tell you?” and when Nicodemus kneels before him, Jesus stops him. (Two things we know the true Jesus never would have said or done) 

For the scenes from the Sermon on the Mount, they obviously couldn’t include the entire discourse. But their jesus didn’t even preach the sermon in the same order as it appears in Scripture. He jumped all around. I’ll give you one guess as to what portions they chose and what portions they left out. (Hint: loving your neighbor, don’t judge lest you be judged, and the golden rule made the cut while the parts about sin, judgement, and the narrow way did not) 

In Matthew 11, John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” and Jesus’ response is recorded. The Chosen, once again, changes what is clearly written in Scripture. “Even he [John the Baptist] has questions!” is added twice, among other things. Verses 21-30 are left out entirely. 

John the Baptist is portrayed as disrespectful and headstrong. He responds to Jesus in frustration, “You appear not to be ready to get into specifics about a lot of things!” Then he marches to tell Herod off against Jesus’ advice with a spiteful “My followers will love it!” But John said he was unworthy even to untie the strap of Jesus’ sandal (John 1:27) and that “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) John the Baptist would never have disrespected Jesus Christ nor made a contest of his followers vs the followers of Jesus. It’s all so absurd. 

The writers changed the order and manner in which the disciples were called. Mary Magdalene is called as the first disciple. Jesus sets up an interview with Judas Iscariot. Again, it’s something so clearly recorded in Scripture, so why deviate from it? 

In the show, Jesus was arrested and let go prior to his arrest at the Mount of Olives. But we know this couldn’t be true. Jesus escaped arrest every time because “His hour had not yet come” and was only arrested once, right before his crucifixion. 

I could give you many more examples of this. Even if you rationalize filling in the gaps of the Biblical narrative to create a story, there is no literally no excuse for taking creative license and changing what is made abundantly clear in Scripture.

5. Undermining the divinity of Christ – For the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus asks for “help” from Matthew on what he should say. Jesus nervously rehearses well-known passages. One article says that the show reveals to us that “Jesus’ moments of powerful teaching were not, as we assume, simply an overflow of his own divine genius, but were rather the fruit of the collaboration of his entire team of disciples.” That’s heresy right there. In one scene, Mary tells Jesus that she’s proud of him, and he says “maybe wait to say that until after I’m done, in case I mess up in front of such a big crowd.” Jesus confessed to being nervous about performing miracles. This is a really big deal, you guys. They are very purposefully undermining the divinity of Jesus Christ as God. He never would have messed up. He never would have needed help coming up with what to say. He never would have needed to rehearse anything.

6. Undermining the inspiration of Scripture  – Throughout the series, disciples like John and Matthew interview people and run around jotting everything down in their notepads. These notes will later become their supposed Biblical books. And so the Bible is portrayed as a common book comprised of hearsay. But we know that “Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy ghost”. We know that they were eyewitness accounts according to John 1:1-3 and 2 Peter 1:16. The show even attributes John 21:25 to Mary Magdalene and not John himself. She says the line to him and he says “that’s good, I’m going to use that.” It’s a subtle deconstruction of inspiration that turns the Bible into hearsay and fable rather than inspired truth. 

7. Downplaying repentance – You would think that the call to repentance would take center stage since Jesus Himself said He came to call sinners to repentance. In the first three seasons, you might hear the word repentance three or four times and even then without conviction or elaboration. When their jesus quotes Luke 4:32, he says “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners…”, conveniently leaving out “to repentance.” The disciples sinful lifestyles – addictions, drinking, fighting, gambling, bad attitudes – are overdone. It’s not that the disciples would never have sinned, but I think they would have repented and been seeking to please God. The magnitude of sin and the need to repent and turn from that sin is diminished and largely ignored. 

8. The ecumenical agenda – At the end of the day, this show is just being used to set the stage for the antichrist. The world will think that the antichrist IS Jesus Christ. All religions will unite around him. Catholics, Mormons, “Christians”, and everyone in between. This jesus will look a whole lot like this jesus of The Chosen. Accepting and loving. He won’t call people to repentance but to unity. And he sure won’t care about “minor theological differences” or the infallibility of Scripture. Everything this show is doing is very purposeful. Tearing down walls between religions? Check. Undermining the divinity of Jesus Christ so He’s more human than God (just like the Mormon jesus)? Check. Making Scripture appear fallible and uninspired? Check. If you can subtly convince people of those three things, you’ve destroyed Christianity. And that’s what this show is doing. 

Do some people watch the show and then read their Bible and come to Salvation? Maybe. But that doesn’t make the show itself a good thing. God can use anything. Can mature Christians watch it, eating the meat and spitting out the bones? No. Unless you have every word of the Gospels memorized, you will never be able to determine where Scripture ends and their imagination begins.

I’m not condemning those of you who have watched it or are watching it. They are very subtle and include just enough Biblical truth to make it hard to see what they’re actually doing. But I am calling you away from it. I promise that you will walk away with a completely contorted view of the Gospels and of Jesus Christ. It will affect the way you read and understand the Bible, and not for the better. 

This show does not glorify God, does not honor or stay true to His Word, and is preparing the world for the uniting of all religions under the antichrist. They are portraying a false christ and we should have absolutely nothing to do with it. 

Evaluating Our Prayers

4 Comments / January 23, 2024

I always feel rather inadequate in writing here on the blog. I want to encourage you to stand on the Word alone and to live it out while knowing that, while I desire to live it out myself, there are so many times I just totally fail. There are few subjects I feel more inadequate in writing about than prayer. I wish I could tell you that I get up at 4am and pray for hours. Sometimes when I awake at 5:30, I think to myself “I should get up and pray,” but then I roll over and go back to sleep. Now, I don’t want you to think I never pray. For that wouldn’t be true, either. But I also know that my prayer life could be so much more powerful and it is an area I long to grow in.

I have been especially thinking about this over the past couple of weeks. Mostly because of our Sunday School teacher. I will be right up front and will begin by letting you know that much of what I am writing today comes from him. He has been focusing on prayer and some of the things he said and has had me thinking on have been so convicting. I wanted to share some of these things with you because I thought you, like me, might be convicted and encouraged.

Why don’t we pray like we should? Why don’t we make the time?

One of the things our teacher challenged us on was on how we spend our time. Was whatever we did (instead of praying) better than prayer? OUCH.

Bottom line: We all have time and we get to choose how we spend it. Oh, how often we get my priorities so mixed up or are just plain lazy. Or is that just me??!

Another thing that was really convicting were his questions regarding our actual prayers:

Is the aim of my prayers focused on pleasing God and submission to His will? Or do I focus most of my prayers on what will make me or someone else comfortable and happy in this world?

In other words, am I more concerned about the temporal things of this life or do I have an eternal perspective?

He took us to I John 3:22–

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Prayers are answered when we are living in right relationship with God. If we are living in right relationship with God– keeping His commandments and desiring to please Him then our prayers will be a reflection of these priorities.

Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with praying for healing or help in a certain area. God wants us to come to Him with our broken hearts and our desperate needs. I don’t think He even minds hearing our wants.

But we really need to consider two questions, as we share our hearts with God.

Will I willingly and joyfully submit if He says no?

Our teacher said this: God’s will is oppressive if you are rejecting it. But when we realize it’s good it becomes a blessing.

Only through faith and by God’s strength can we understand that God’s will is perfect. It reminds me of Romans 12:1-2–

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Only through sacrifice of our wills and intentionally not conforming ourselves to this world, will we be transformed by the renewing of our mind. We can expect no peace or trust or faith without doing what Paul encourages us to do at the beginning of Romans 12. Our acceptance of God’s perfect will hinges on it.

And a second question: Do I pray for the spiritual fruit that could come from this trial?

For example, so often we pray for healing but it is in these deepest, darkest trials that so many find Christ. It is in these trials that exponential growth often takes place. If we are praying for a Christian friend who has health issues, do we pray for them to be given many opportunities to share the Gospel as they visit doctors and spend their time in the hospital? Or are our prayers focused solely on their health issues? Do we pray that they would grow stronger in faith through this trial?

I think it is just so easy for us to get caught up in focusing on simply the health issue or some other need and keep our prayers focused only on getting that need met. And yet, God is so often working and using these trials to spread the Gospel and to grow His people. Are we partnering with Him in this or are we only focused on the things of this world as we bring our requests before God?

Another thing he mentioned is how often we try to conquer sin on our own and how this is like putting the cart before the horse! I had never thought of it quite like that before. Only through Christ, can we truly conquer our sin and our love for the world. We can’t do it alone. Philippians 4:13, a favorite verse of so many, reminds us of this truth–

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

We can have victory through Christ and His strength, but how often do we go this route of conquering sin or turning away from the world all on our own strength?!? How often do we pray diligently and fervently for help in eradicating a specific sin or our love for the world?

Do you see why I was so convicted? But, as I told my husband, sometimes God has you hear something that you feel was just for you. Such was the case with these lessons on prayer. I think God knew I needed to hear them. Maybe some of you don’t. I know some of you have vibrant and powerful prayer lives. But perhaps there are some of you that needed to hear these words as much as I did. And so it is to you who I write today. I hope this was an encouragement as we endeavor to renew our minds and grow in our faith.

How Our Enemy Works

2 Comments / January 18, 2024

Last night we decided to watch a movie. We settled on a golf story that was rated G. It seemed well produced with a few familiar actors. As it began I noticed a verse from Isaiah flash up on the screen. I was distracted and didn’t take the time to read what that verse was. (I’ll come back to that later.)

As we settled in to watch, we enjoyed the story of a young golfer who had lost his way. Quite unsuspectingly, we ended up at the spiritual crux of the film, which was about 60 minutes in to the 90 minute film.

It started off quite innocently enough. Turning to the young man, his older mentor asked him a very good question:

What do you want people to say about you when you’re gone? What will your epitaph be?

Thought-provoking, isn’t it? After a few moments more of conversation regarding this, the young man thanked his mentor for all his help…which led to the older gentleman going on to encourage the young golfer towards his version of god (no capital because it wasn’t God at all!)–

(queue moving music) And I quote: Don’t thank me. Thank Him (pointing upwards) because God is all around us…inside each of us. If you listen, there’s a still small voice of truth leading us….talking to us…and telling you that you can see God’s face. Feel His presence. Trust His love.

No sin. No wrath. No Savior. Just look within and there you will find God. What blasphemy!

Now, this movie, which gave the impression of being a Christian movie, complete with encouragement to read the Holy Bible and go to church, ended in a very enigmatic way. It pointed you to a website. I decided to go there, and while I found a reference or two to Jesus, I could find NO Gospel. The first thing I did find was a testimony regarding the attacks the “enemy” (Satan) had made on the film during its production.

Oh. My. Goodness. How clever of Satan, right? Attack a film that is ALL HIS to begin with to give the message validity in the eyes of Christians. That is how our enemy works.

That bit of advice that man gave his protege was not biblical. It was satanic. It was pure mysticism and completely against scripture. Jeremiah couldn’t put it any plainer in verse 9 of chapter 17–

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

When I want back to look at just what verse they had used at the beginning of that film, I saw that it was verse completely taken out of context to promote this wicked lie that was nestled into this G-rated film.

See how our enemy works? He produces these innocuous movies, using out of context verses, and gradually changes the belief system of those who don’t know their Bibles and what it really says.

Until most of those who would claim Christianity do believe those words that man said. After all, who doesn’t love a religion that tells you to look to yourself (while claiming it is God) for the answers?

This belief–the belief to FOLLOW OUR HEARTS–is the core of mysticism and occultism. This belief is what will lead the world into the coming one-world religion.

Along with this core belief comes a very innocuous “Jesus”. He is a kind and loving man who doesn’t care if you keep sinning or if you follow after that heart of yours. He just wants to support you in whatever you want to do.

A friend of mine put this so succinctly yesterday in a comment. I asked her if I could share her thoughts with you. (Thank you, Susie!)–

[Modern-Day Christianity] is so one sided where Jesus is loved as the caring, loving, gentle, “give me everything I want when I want it” person, to the neglect of obedient walking, sin confessing, holy living, fear and reverence of God….

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have both of those sides to them. We cannot have one without the other.

To put it bluntly, God gets to call the shots. He is God. We don’t get to reinvent a fluffy nice Jesus who gives all I want without me walking obediently to God’s Word, and avoiding or neglecting parts of scripture where God seems harsh. “Keep yourself in the love of God” means to keep the love of God in view always as you read scripture.

What we have today is a selfish lop-sided religion world-wide.

Amen! But you need to understand that this is not without purpose. To get a bunch of people claiming to be Christians but living for themselves; listening to themselves; obsessed with themselves is a BIG win for Satan. For these people believe they are saved. They use the right terms, they sing songs of praise to Jesus, and they have their devotions. Oh, how burdened I am for these people who are living for their own dreams, their own promotion, their own desires and yet believe they are saved.

Maybe that is you? Oh, if it is, may I call you from a self-centered life to a God-centered life? May I encourage you to read the actual Bible rather than a devotional that just makes you feel good? Learn what biblical Christianity is from the scripture. It is there alone that we learn to know God and begin to understand our sinful nature and just how lost and hopeless we are without Jesus.

In Sunday School this past Sunday our teacher said something very profound:

If [Christianity] doesn’t impact your life, it’s not real.

He was referring specifically to turning from sin and worldliness. If we aren’t actively trying to do this (albeit imperfectly!)…if we aren’t even conscious of the fact that we should be doing these things, we should be concerned. Have we been duped into believing the lies of the enemy?

I keep a pair of crocs by the front door where I leave the dogs out. Sometimes I need to go out to check on something or to encourage them to come inside. Lately, I’ve been finding one croc all over the place. Sometimes it is in the kitchen, other times the sun room. This morning I found one under a blanket in the family room.

Our lab, Dixie, likes to steal shoes. She doesn’t usually harm them but simply grabs one shoe and moves it for some reason. I find shoes at the most unexpected places.

True biblical Christians are like this. We will find them everywhere across this world. Sometimes in unexpected places. I’ve had the great privilege of getting to know some of you through this blog. I’ve heard the testimonies of some from missionaries or through YouTube. And, in other cases, I’ve read their biographies.

While there is a great tsunami of apostasy that has invaded evangelicalism, God still has His faithful remnant spread across the world. I pray that we all study to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15) and consistently examine our hearts (2 Corinthians 13:5) to be sure that we are part of that remnant. And that we work diligently to share the TRUE Gospel amidst the flood of false gospels that abound.

(And, one final thing in conclusion– be so careful what you watch. Do not watch even one movie, read one book, or listen to one podcast without intentional discernment. Satan knows full well that some Christians won’t watch, read or even listen to certain things and so he uses things that we assume to be free from worldly influences to share his message. Pay attention to the philosophies that are infused into innocuous packages.)

In the Light of His Word

7 Comments / January 13, 2024

Last week I was reading a story that contained a father figure that used the Bible as a weapon. The husband/father would shout Bible verses as he beat his wife and children. A few days later I watched the movie, Jane Eyre, and her school master was the exact same way. I am also currently reading the biography of a woman who was one of Brigham Young’s wives (Mormon leader). He, too– a wicked, wicked man–used the Bible to his own advantage, leaving a path of destruction and violence behind him.

All of these men used select Bible verses without context to scar people forever. Never mentioned by any of these men was the Gospel or any of the verses that talk about the love and joy found in the scriptures. Many men (and women, too), found in positions of leadership, have used and abused scripture for their own intentions and purposes throughout history. They are still doing this today.

I’ve been reflecting on this for awhile now. No wonder there are so many people unenamored with and disinterested in the whole of scripture. The religion that went by the name of Christianity for so many precious children was a religion of rules and laws devoid of love.

This is probably why so many adults, growing up in this kind of church or home, are prone to follow the false religion that goes by the same name that only focuses on the love of God. It is a swing in the opposite direction to the extreme. Some of them leave Christianity altogether, searching for peace in a different religion or even in denying God’s existence.

All false teaching that claims to be a branch of Christianity (Mormonism, Roman Catholicism, etc.) always stems from this ripping of verses out of context. Legalism (must do certain things in order to be saved) is no different.

Legalism is an EVIL false doctrine and its victims are countless.

But let’s remember this important fact: True salvation and wanting to follow Christ because we love Him leads to a desire to turn from the world and remove sin. It just does. It is part of the wonderful transformation in our lives. This is not legalism. This is being saved and becoming a “new creature”, just as we are promised (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Someone who professes to be a Christian and yet loves their sin and the world will always cry “legalism” if a fellow believer even hints at their desire to live a more pure and holy life. Because of this dynamic, I rather doubt that most Christians even understand what legalism really is.

How important that we realize that true legalism is ugly and God hates it. It puts the burden of being saved and staying saved on us. And what a heavy burden that is! I am so thankful for Ephesians 2:8-9 (some of my favorite verses in the whole Bible)–

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Works will not save us and they will not keep us saved. In fact, there is not even one thing we can do to save ourselves. Thank God we are saved by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and kept by Him for all eternity. Oh, how I love these verses I came across as I studied Revelation 1 a few weeks ago. Just read these incredible verses–

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5-6)

He loves us and He freed us from our sins by His blood. He has no intention of ever letting us go! (John 10:28-29)

I was talking with someone the other day about how the culture is so obsessed with the “new”. They always want something better and bigger and different. But the message of the Bible is timeless and never changes: We are dead in our sins BUT GOD (Ephesians 2:1-7), who sent His Son to die for our sins so that we can be reconciled to Him. Satan has been trying to distort and twist this message forever, leading people into false religions, including the false religion of legalism. He will continue to do this as long as he is given free reign by God to do so.

Many of you have been reading this blog for a long time now. You have heard me just keep going back to the same truths of scripture over and over and over again. I am never going to give you some new doctrine or some new idea that propels me into greatness in the eyes of the world. I simply want to be faithful to the scriptures. It seems mundane and many readers grow bored with this. I get it. There is nothing exciting or innovative here.

But I hope what you will find here is a continual pointing to Jesus Christ and His Word. I hope you are encouraged to consider the whole Bible rather than just favorite parts. I hope that you are encouraged to find that balance that we find in scripture between the wrath of God and the love of God. Extremes are spiritually deadly because they are false religions.

I have not met many of you but my love for you compels me to keep writing and to keep encouraging you in the faith. I don’t do this because I am some echelon of spirituality. Quite the contrary. Often when I write I am struggling with some sin or worldly desire. I may be in my own depth of despair or be in the midst of an especially tough battle with my selfish, self-centered heart. Like you (if you are a redeemed child of God), the more I grow in Christ, the more I realize how far I have to go.

And so we continue on this path together, appreciating the heights of joy and happiness when they are given, but recognizing that most of life is made of ordinary days, some easy and some hard, where we are given the opportunity to simply trust and obey the Lord who saved us. Walking in the light of His Word, we trust and we obey. It’s not exciting or different or new. But it is what we are called to do.

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Choices

1 Comment / January 4, 2024

Every time my dog, Dixie, eats anything but a very specific type of dog food (and just a few very specific snacks) she gets sick. It’s inevitable. I’ve had many different dogs throughout my life but I have never had a dog with such a sensitive stomach. It’s so frustrating. She loves to eat…is obsessed even (as is typical for most Labrador Retrievers). And so before we can stop her, she scarfs down food left on plates on the kids’ table or scraps that fall to the floor from the high chair.

Last night Dixie ran to our basement apartment where my husband’s sister and family have been staying for a few days. Unbeknownst to us, she ate the dog food that was in a bowl on the floor for their dog. My sister-in-law mentioned this and my heart sank. When, in answer to my question, she assured me that it wasn’t the Purina brand of dog food I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she wouldn’t get sick. (Dixie seems to get especially sick with any food labeled Purina for some reason. My other dog lived a good long and healthy life eating Purina so no knocks on Purina. )

But, no, this morning I was rudely awakened by… well, you can only imagine. She got through the whole night but somehow couldn’t wait that extra few minutes for one of us to let her out. Ugh.

She made a choice to eat food that she shouldn’t have and, as always, she bore the consequences. And so did we. The consequences are never just hers alone.

But she loves, loves, loves to eat and so if food is available she will take it without care for the consequences.

Dixie is a dog. Of course, she has no process of logic or ability to think through what she is doing. She just does it.

But we humans–who do have this ability and can think logically– too often do this same thing, don’t we?

I ran into a friend recently who works for a charity organization. One thing she said has stuck with me: The people that need help are mostly in their situations because of their own bad choices. They are reaping the consequences of wrong choices.

And so are we all at some level.

Some kind of instant gratification comes from our choice to eat too much, yell at our spouse or kids, fill our minds with the things God hates, go places we know we shouldn’t go, buy that thing on credit that we can’t afford, or letting our kids spend hours and hours on tablets so they don’t bother us.

The problem is we’ve talked ourselves into the belief that there are no consequences for these choices. But that’s just not true.

An unkind word to our spouse or yelling at our children weakens our relationship; choosing to overeat on a regular basis yields an unhealthy life; filling our minds with the things God hates hardens our consciences and increases our love for the world that God says we are to turn from; lazily handing our kids a tablet instead of interacting with them will yield kids who are hampered relationally; and on and on this list goes. And these consequences often spill out on to others, making them pay for our bad choices.

Thankfully, God, in His awesome grace and abundant mercy, graciously keeps us from experiencing many of the potential consequences of our daily sinful choices. And so we don’t always experience the consequences we fully deserve. His faithfulness, despite our failures, is…well, it’s hard to express our gratitude for this, isn’t it?

But consequences are something we should always think about when we are making any choice, whether it be something that takes us weeks to deliberate (a new home or a career change) or it’s small (what we will watch tonight or how we will respond when someone in our family annoys us).

What is the potential consequence of my choice?

If you are like me, you are just not thinking about this question when faced with the daily choice of what to put in your mouth OR when you are feeling frustrated by someone and the words just come pouring out (or if you are the quiet type, the ungenerous and unkind thoughts fill your mind) OR when you feel exhausted and you just want to veg in front of the TV.

But as we mature in Christ, this should become something we ponder more and more. Particularly the aspect of how our choice will please God. Will my choice strengthen or weaken my relationship with my heavenly Father?

So much is clarified when we ask this particular question because I know that God hates when I treat my family unkindly or when I watch, read, or listen to something filled with the things He hates (and this is NOT just the things that are obvious but includes themes and ideology that are in direct opposition to scripture.)

As we head into a new year, I want to be more cognizant of my sinful choices and intentional about confessing them and asking God to help me. It is so very easy to fall into a status quo Christian life. This life is easy and demands nothing from us. But this isn’t really the Christian life that is in the Bible, where we are told to examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5) and to prove or test all things (I Thessalonians 5:21).

This is not easy. Especially in a Christian culture that does not teach this. But, as Christians who want to live a life to please God, we must be intentional about these things. For they won’t just happen.

May we grow together in faith in 2024. Thanks for reading and being here for another year at Growing4Life!

Even the Smallest Choice

2 Comments / December 27, 2023

I was vacuuming before my guests would arrive for dinner when I saw the discarded band-aid lying on the floor. I hesitated for a brief moment before making the choice to sweep up that band-aid. That hesitation should have been the key to warn me. Just lean down to pick it up. But I was lazy and sweeping it up was just easier.

As soon as I did it, I knew I was in trouble. The vacuum started making a different noise. Somehow that band-aid had gotten caught in the tube somewhere. I stopped the vacuum, went and got a little tool, and tried to clear out the tubes to no avail at all. In fact, when I went to turn the vacuum back on it started to smell really hot. At that point, I handed it off to my “master-fixer” (my husband).

I thought about what an analogy this is for life when it comes to choices. I think so often we make choices that we know go against our better judgement but it’s just easier in the moment. But, in the long run, the choice leads to frustration and, sometimes, even heartache. The easier choice in the moment is rarely the better choice.

Even the smallest unwise choice can yield annoying and time-consuming consequences that affect both ourselves and perhaps those around us (as in the case of my choice affecting my husband and wasting his time.)

This is true about so many of our little choices, but as we approach the end of another year, I thought it might be good to turn our thoughts towards one specific choice that we Christians make every day: The choice to read and study our Bibles or to not read and study our Bibles.

What is the price we pay for making other things a priority, while ignoring the Bible? There are many but some of them are possibly: We grow comfortable in our habitual sins; our love for the world goes unchallenged; we are fearful and anxious as we face life’s circumstances; pride wells up in us; we lack discernment and accept anything that comes along and claims to be “Christian”. And–most importantly and almost epidemic in its proportions now–we just don’t really know our God which makes us so vulnerable to following a made-up (false) religion based on what we want God to be rather than Who He really is.

Studying our Bibles doesn’t mean that these things are automatically eliminated from our lives, for we will battle many of these things for much of our lives. No, rather, it is that the Bible consistently challenges us when we are tempted to fall into sin or into worldliness or into a status quo Christianity that isn’t pleasing to the Lord. The Bible sheds a brilliant light on false teaching and provides guidance for the small and large decisions we need to make as believers. And it provides comfort and peace through its many promises.

As you review your year, what does it look like in regards to Bible Study? Of course, we all have our challenges and trials that can make this harder at certain times of our lives (I’ll be the first to admit that operating as full-time caretaker for those first few weeks after my husband’s surgery exhausted me both physically and mentally.) But, taking these times into account, how did we do with the rest of the minutes, hours, and weeks we were given? Do we know God better than we did last year at this time? Do we know His Word more?

I know I’ve shared this so often but this has truly become why I write. I want to encourage my readers to study the Word of God for themselves. For most of my life I chose to read books and listen to people talk about the Bible. But a little over ten years ago, I started studying the Bible for myself. It was so life-changing that it has become my passion to encourage you, my reader, to start doing this for yourself.

Through simple Bible Study, in context and with a proper hermeneutic (method of interpretation) undisturbed by intellectual influence, we can get to know who God is and His plan for mankind. We see who we really are and what God has done for us personally. We begin to understand what we are called to as believers here in this life and become familiar with the many promises that God gives to His own dear children. Of course, we will come to passages that are puzzling. Not everything will make sense to our finite brains. God is God and there are things we can’t understand. But it is amazing how much we can understand, if we but give some of our time to this precious Book.

And, so as we approach the beginning of another year, I just want to encourage you to find some method of studying the Bible that you can stick with. Some approaches are overwhelming and so daunting that within a few weeks you just give up (I’ve started those!) I provide a plan for Bible study that might be helpful (find out more here) and I’d love to have you join me in reading the Bible this upcoming year. But there are many more options for Bible Study, as well.

The key is this: We take the time to consistently read and study our actual Bibles.

And, through our study, we will begin to know our God. Through His Word, He kindly reminds us of His many promises, gently (and sometimes not-so-gently) chastises and corrects us, and graciously provides all we need to live our lives for His glory.

There is no more important choice to make in the upcoming year as a Christian than this: Will we read and study our Bible?

Christmas Road Trip (Part 5)

6 Comments / December 22, 2023

I am always astonished at how fast December goes. And here we are at the weekend before Christmas and the day for the final installment of this year’s Christmas story already! If you have taken the time to read it, I thank you. I hope it has been a blessing to you. And now…on to Part 5! (Find the rest of the story here.)

     Thankfully, Mike was already driving off the closest exit. Providentially, he had noticed a sign for an Urgent Care Center just about the time the boys started shouting about Aunt Hattie. While it wasn’t a hospital, we knew they’d have emergency equipment available and could get an ambulance if necessary. It was just a half mile or so off the exit.
     Mike drove straight to the door and I helped a breathless Aunt Hattie out of the car and into the office. A kind staff member noticed her struggling as soon as we entered and brought us a wheelchair. She wheeled her to a private room and made her as comfortable as possible. Soon an ambulance was picking her up and taking her to the local hospital, which was only about five miles away.
     Mike followed in the car with the boys while I rode in the ambulance at Aunt Hattie’s side. I was filled with worry for my dear aunt who had become so precious to me in the course of just a few days. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I also recognized God’s great kindness and mercy in providing a place to take her just when it was needed and this filled me with faith to trust Him for whatever lay ahead.
          A couple of hours later, Mike had taken the boys on an adventure of eating and shopping to pass the time while I found myself in a small curtained-off area of the emergency room with Aunt Hattie, who was now resting comfortably. A variety of tests had been administered and we were waiting for the results.
     A thirty-something doctor with dark hair and very distinct green eyes soon pulled back the curtain and sat down. A name tag indicated that he was “David Mathisen, MD”.  Immediately, Aunt Hattie seemed preoccupied as he started to tell her the good news that she would not need to be admitted and that her condition could be treated with medication, giving her a diagnosis of heart arrhythmia.
     I smiled broadly at this and turned towards her, expecting to see her smiling broadly, as well. Instead, her face was filled with a puzzled look that belied what she had just heard.
     “Aunt Hattie, are you okay?” I asked anxiously.
     “Oh, yes, dear, I sure am. Young man, may I ask you something personal?”
     The young doctor, had just been about to go into the treatment of her condition, looked up with surprise at this interruption of his professional counsel.
     “Uh, sure,” he said uncertainly. Which was ironic and a bit humorous because he seemed very self-assured.
     What was Aunt Hattie up to now? I thought.
     “Would you happen, by any possible chance on God’s green earth, to be related to a Harry Mathisen?” She said with a twinkle in her eye.
     I knew Aunt Hattie had an older brother Harry, who had died many years before.
     The doctor was astonished, “Why yes, Harry was my grandfather,” and then added sadly, “I never got to meet him, though.”
     “Harry was my brother,” announced Aunt Hattie joyfully.
     “Your brother…?” the young doctor stammered.
     “Yes, he was! And your green eyes are just like his!” She exclaimed, “His eyes were just like my father’s and Harry was the only one of us kids to inherit them. And here is his grandson in the middle of Georgia with those same eyes!”
     The doctor smiled, “I have always been told that I have his eyes. Both my brother and I have them, although my dad, his son, does not.”
     Aunt Hattie continued, “So how have you come to be in an emergency room in the middle of Georgia? The last I heard Harry’s wife and children had moved to Minnesota after his death to be with her family. We completely lost touch after that move but, oh my, that seems a long way from Georgia!” Aunt Hattie laughed.
     As the doctor explained his journey to Georgia, which seemed to have something to do with a young lady he fell in love with during his college years, I listened on in sheer wonder. What a trip this had turned out to be. Aunt Hattie had actually mentioned her brother, Harry, on the way down and expressed her sorrow that she had lost touch with his family. And here was his grandson? What were the chances? Only God could have orchestrated this!
     The young man had transformed from professional doctor to warm and friendly nephew in the course of a few minutes. It was fascinating to watch.
     He told Aunt Hattie that his grandmother was still alive and well in Minnesota, happily married to his Step-Grandpa Marvin for many years. He was sure she’d love to hear from her sister-in-law. He was able to pull up his grandmother’s information on his phone and I carefully copied it on to my phone for my aunt.
     An hour later, with a prescription in hand, we were tucking Aunt Hattie carefully back in the car. Doctor Mathisen was with us and, advising her to take it very easy for the next few days, had warmly hugged his new-found great-aunt before helping her in the car.
     With smiles and waves and promises to stay in touch, we were off. Five hours had been taken up in diagnosing Aunt Hattie but we all marveled at God’s Providence in introducing her to her great-nephew, in the midst of a very harrowing few hours. We were also filled with gratitude that Aunt Hattie’s condition wasn’t serious and could be treated with medication. This was an unexpected blessing, as well.

     The final three hours passed uneventfully and soon we were pulling up to the sprawling rancher that my parents now called home. As my dear family poured out of the doors to welcome us all, despite the late hour, I realized that I was not the same person I was when I had left home just a few days earlier.
     I had learned to be more intentional in my love and concern for others. And to be more thankful. God had taught me the value of appreciating and learning from those who have been living life far longer than I have. And I had also learned that God will provide for His children in the midst of any trial and may even add an unexpected, incredible blessing in the midst of it.
     I took a brief second to thank God that we had brought Aunt Hattie on this trip and for the many blessings and challenges to my status quo Christianity that had come because of it.
     And then I was out of the car, enveloped by the love of my parents and family, ready to celebrate Christmas with a whole new perspective!

If Jesus Really Came to Earth as a Tiny Baby, Then…

4 Comments / December 19, 2023

Christmas is “just around the corner”. For many, the holiday is purely secular, made up of family, gift-giving, and Santa Claus. But many people across the world still honor the birth of Christ, amidst their secular traditions.

A few weeks ago, my daughter mentioned that if you believe that Jesus came as a baby to this earth, then you must believe the rest of the Bible. You can’t have it both ways.

I would expand on this thought just a bit. If we believe that Jesus was miraculously conceived, that He was born in a stable in Bethlehem, that the angels sang to Shepherds in the fields at His birth, and that a special star guided wise men to His home, then we must also believe that–

-all people are born sinners; that there is nothing good in us and we are helpless and hopeless without God (Romans 3:10-11).
-Jesus came to die on the cross for our sins and to reconcile us with God (John 3:16; Romans 6:23, Titus 2:14; I John 1:7).
-we have no part in our salvation; there are no good works that contribute anything to our salvation and, in fact, salvation is a free gift from our loving Heavenly Father (Ephesians 2:8-9).
-Jesus rose victoriously and is alive and sitting at the right hand of the Father (I Corinthians 15:3-4; Colossians 3:1).
-That Jesus will reign forever and ever (Revelation 11:15).

The Bible also teaches that a person who genuinely believes what the Bible tells us about Who Jesus is, all of it–from His lowly birth to His everlasting reign, is transformed from the inside out. They turn from self, sin, and the world (albeit not without a raging battle) as they seek to be more like Christ (Luke 9:23, Galatians 5:24-25; Colossians 3:9-10; 2 Peter 1:4).

It also tells us that God cares about the smallest details in the lives of His own dear children (Matthew 6:25-30; Romans 8:28-29).

You see, if we are going to be consistent, we can’t just believe in the story of Baby Jesus. If the story of Baby Jesus is true, then the whole Bible is true. And, yet, so many people love to rip this favorite story from the pages of the greatest Book ever written and grandly celebrate it, while just giving a passing nod–even completely ignoring– the rest.

For the believer, Christmas is about Jesus. Yes, I know all of the pagan history of many of the traditions. But for thousands of years, Christians have transformed a time that has been historically pagan and used it, instead, to celebrate the birth of the Savior. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

But in doing this, we also need to remember that this beautiful story is not an isolated event but is just one part of God’s whole amazing plan, put in place so that we could be reconciled with God and spend eternity in heaven. Yes, Jesus came to earth as a baby but oh, there is so much more than that one Holy Night! May we search the scriptures so that we have context for what really happened that night, rather than just celebrate this baby’s birth because, well, it’s just what we have always done.

I hope that you have a wonderful holiday season, as you contemplate the birth of Jesus and what it means for you personally and for the whole world. May we all remember to thank God this year for the greatest Gift ever given!


Christmas Road Trip (Part 4)

6 Comments / December 22, 2023

I thank those who have taken the time to read this year’s Christmas story. You can find the rest of the story at this link.

     Tomorrow would be our last travel day. As we drove through Georgia, I turned to check on everyone in the backseat. I had to admit that the trip had gone far better than I had ever imagined. Aunt Hattie had been an incredible blessing, helping to entertain the boys, while also meeting their endless requests for drinks and snacks. In between caring for the boys, she had shared many of her life stories.
     Her father had been an angry alcoholic who couldn’t keep a job, leaving her mama to cope alone with providing for both the physical and emotional needs of her five children. She took in laundry and all the kids pitched in to help as they got older. Aunt Hattie shared how she had learned from a very young age how to scrub out stains and of all the tricks to keeping laundry bright and clean. If not for the charity of their church family they wouldn’t have survived.
     “My mama was the sweetest, most loving and humble person you could ever meet. I guess she would be your great-grandmother, Allie. I am sorry you never got to meet her. She read to us from the Bible every night and told us to live by that Book. But she also told me and my brothers and sister that that Book said we can never be good enough to be right with God. That this is why Jesus came as a baby to earth. To make a way for us to be right with God. Oh, I am so thankful she told me about Jesus and that He died on the cross for me! I am also so very thankful that she showed me that truly believing in Jesus yields a life that lives for Jesus. My mama was such a wonderful example of a fine Christian lady. How I thank God for giving me my precious mama,” tears had welled up in Aunt Hattie’s eyes as she had remembered.
     She also shared memories from her life as an adult. I had had no idea that she had lost three babies, twin sons and a daughter, almost full-term before never getting pregnant again. She shared openly of the deep pain that she and Uncle Harold had endured when they realized that they would never have a family and of God’s abundant and tender mercies during that trial. She also told us of Uncle Harold’s first business failure and of how, that Christmas so long ago, they had no idea where they would get money for any food, much less gifts. And, here, she shared of God’s faithfulness to her and Harold as they faced this difficult time. She spoke so fondly of her late husband and I could see she still missed him so very much.
     All along the way of our trip she had handed out hundreds of dollars’ worth of Amazon and restaurant gift cards. Aunt Hattie was one of those people who had a way of drawing others out and within a few minutes she would hear of a trial or need that they had. For various reasons, she had given cards to our kind Cracker Barrel waitress; to the teen-aged girl taking our order at Panera; to the frustrated older man in the McDonald’s drive-through window; to the friendly clerk and quiet maid at our hotel; and even to a discouraged single mom at a rest stop. And she’d always say the same thing as she climbed in the car: It just seemed to me that they could use a bit of “day brightening” and then she’d give a big smile. Somewhere in Virginia, I had asked how she decided what cards to get and who to give them to.
     “Well, dear, I just try to buy cards that just about anybody can use. Now, that being said, of course I do not give a Texas Roadhouse card to someone living out in the boondocks,” she chuckled. Mike and I smiled at her use of the old-fashioned word.
     She went on, “And I just try to be perceptive where there is a need for someone to know they are appreciated and loved. I want to make people feel like someone cares as they go through life. When I was about ten…”
     She went on to tell of Miss Sadie, her childhood Sunday School teacher, who had made her feel so special and loved at a very difficult time.
     “Miss Sadie has inspired me for my whole life. Isn’t it simply amazing how we can plant seeds of love and kindness in the hearts of young children that will be life-changing? Of course, we can also plant seeds of mistrust and bitterness so we need to be extra careful,” with these words she put a hand on each of the boys’ heads and tousled their hair, giving them loving smiles.
     “Anyway, your Uncle Harold left me gobs of money because as you may know, his second business venture was extremely successful, thanks be to the Lord, and so I just want to bless others with what the Lord has given me. After all, it’s His money, not mine. I just want to be a good steward.”
     I have to admit that I had no idea that Aunt Hattie had “gobs of money”. Uncle Harold had died when I was three and I really had never asked Aunt Hattie anything about him. I pondered on the “gobs of money” for at least the next ten miles. Aunt Hattie lived very simply. While her house was very nice, it was simple and small. Aunt Hattie didn’t spend a lot of money on herself and, in fact, often bragged about her latest find at the thrift store, the long purple coat she was wearing being one of them.
     Later on, in the hotel that night, I thought of Aunt Hattie and all I had thought I had known about her and then compared it to all I had learned about her on this road trip. I felt ashamed. In my self-centered way, I had tried to be kind to her but I realized now that I had been a bit patronizing and distant with her at our family gatherings. To my chagrin, I had written this dear aunt off as just another “old lady”, never even considering all the people and events that had made her who she was.
     “I just can’t believe all we’ve been learning about your aunt,” Mike said as he pulled back the covers of the hotel bed.
     “I was just thinking that same thing,” I admitted.
     Mike looked serious, “have you ever considered how much we don’t know about the elderly people in our lives? We get so caught up in our own lives. I feel like I’ve been missing out on so much.”
     “I feel the exact same way,” I said.
     As I lay there in bed a few minutes later, I asked the Lord to help me to be kinder and more caring to anyone He brought my way. I wanted to be like Aunt Hattie.

     The next day, we had breakfast at Cracker Barrel and then headed out. We had only about six more hours of driving and then we would arrive at my parents’ house. My heart was filled with elated joy as I anticipated the reunion with them and with my siblings and their families.
     Aunt Hattie was unusually quiet on this day. I didn’t think too terribly much about it, as I am sure a trip like this one would make any 80-something year old especially tired. I was much younger and I felt exhausted.
     But about three hours into our trip, I heard the boys soberly say “mom” in unison. I was looking for a new audio story for them to listen to on my phone and so I ignored them at first. But their insistence that I pay attention quickly turned into shouts, “Something is wrong with Aunt Hattie!”
     I turned around to see a very pale Aunt Hattie struggling to breathe. My heart started beating faster than perhaps it ever had. Aunt Hattie needed help right now but we were on a highway somewhere in the middle of unfamiliar Georgia. What in the world were we going to do?

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