People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. “Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.”

Luke 18:15-17 (The Message)

Reading to young children is proven to improve cognitive skills and help along the process of cognitive development. … When you begin reading aloud to your child, it essentially provides them with background knowledge on their young world, which helps them make sense of what they see, hear, and read                                                                                                                                                               (all4kids.org)

We had the opportunity to care for our two youngest grandchildren this past weekend. The stage of having grandchildren is a great time of life, and having the opportunity to get to know them and love on them is extra special. We took them out to a farm, went to a park, walked with them, read to and with them, baked cookies with them, and generally enjoyed our time with them.

Perhaps this is a chance to relive our parenting skills again. Maybe it gives us the chance to feel the love of little innocent children. It is just a gift to be able to connect with those children and be a part of their learning about how to approach life.

We read to them at night, and this is a special time. We understand that reading to children is one of the single best ways to help children learn, and to develop perhaps our most important cognitive skill.

If you are a parent, never neglect the chance to read to your kids. There will come a time- sooner than later- that they will not ask or allow you to do this with them. If you are a grandparent, seize the chances to do this. It is one of the joys of life.

Our job is to leave the world a little better place than we found it. Investing in our children and grandchildren might be the most significant way that we can do that.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the gift of children and grandchildren. They remind us of the simple, important things, Amen

Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
 I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God?
 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.
 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

Psalm 77:10-15

When we left off yesterday, David was awake in the middle of the night, worried, depressed, hopeless. He thought that even God had deserted him, and he was suffering, unable to sleep. David wondered whether God was willing, or even able, to help him in his time of crisis.

Then he thought- “Wait a minute here. God had promised to deliver the Israelites in their time of trouble, and he had delivered on that promise in miraculous ways. I know that God is powerful, so I will think on those things. I also recognize that I have nothing to offer at this time. I cannot do anything to make this better, but I know that God can. I will appeal to his power and promises.”

David gave up trying to solve the problems of his racing mind all by himself. Rather, he turned those thoughts to God- the One who could help. David appealed to God as the only solution to his problems at that time.

Some of David’s problems were guilt and shame for past actions. He was beset by those thoughts and he could not escape. He asked God to intervene in his anguished thoughts, and he knew that God cared and would deliver on that request. God was not the reason that David was suffering. It was David’s own thinking that caused him such pain.

We often need to be brought to the place of our own helplessness and utter inability to save ourselves before we can remind ourselves of God’s power to give peace to our mind. Yes, there are, for example, some techniques that I teach my clients about “exit strategy lists” and “designated worry time”. Different things work for different people.

 I have found though, that recognizing that “God has it when we do not” is a very reassuring thing to consider.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your provision, a very present help in our time of need, Amen

I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me!
 When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord.
All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven,
    but my soul was not comforted.I think of God, and I moan,
    overwhelmed with longing for his help. You don’t let me sleep.
    I am too distressed even to pray!

Psalm 77:1-4

Nights can be hard. Fall has once again descended, and with it comes less daylight. The night is longer and it changes our rhythms. We get accustomed to these changes in light, generally, but many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, and they dread the onset of winter. The amount of light we receive affects our brain chemistry, and it causes us to have changes in mood. This, I believe, is both psychological and physical. The amount of serotonin is affected by these changes, and that results in less availability of that natural chemical which signals us to feel good. Often, these changes are subtle and minor, but sometimes, they can wreak havoc with our moods.

Night time is also hard for people who are struggling with depression and anxiety. Every thought seems to be compounded by the absence of comforting light. Light seems to give us hope and reassurance. Night time can be isolating and lonely, exacerbating fears and giving a sense of gloom that may not be present in the daytime.

David struggled with depression it seems, and he wrote about this in Psalm 77. He too was beset by problems sleeping. He had thoughts that would not quit, and they kept him from restful sleep. He wondered where God was in his time of need. He cried for help and seemed to come up empty. He felt helpless and hopeless.

Have you been there? You are not alone. Even David felt this sense of profound hopelessness, and it took him a while to finally get comfort.

Tomorrow we will look at some of his remedies.

Prayer: Father, we turn to you in time of trouble. We seek you for comfort. Be with us in time of need, Amen

“For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and I am sure that it is in you as well.” II Timothy 1:5

In a recent talk I gave about leadership I discussed the value of acknowledging those leaders who have influenced us. As we grow, we are all influenced by people who have invested in us in some way, and we often fail to let those people know how important they were in our life.   

When Paul wrote his letters to Timothy, he acknowledged the legacy of faith that Timothy had by virtue of godly women in his life- Lois and Eunice.

Such legacies were discussed in the workshop I gave as participants shared about who in their life was a model, a mentor, or an example of how to lead well.

So, I give this simple word to you today. If that person in your life is still alive, contact them, and let them know how much you appreciated how they spoke into your life and invested in you. When we share such stories, it lifts up both the speaker and the one being thanked.

This practice is good for the soul.

Prayer: Thank you Father for sending leaders into our life, Amen

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse Philippians 4:8-9

Have you ever heard of Norman Borlaug? Neither had I. Funny how we often do not hear of the news that is the most uplifting and world changing. It turns out that Mr. Borlaug had a lot to do with the “Green Revolution” of the 1950’s and 60’s which helped to turn much of the world’s arable land into productive, food producing, land due to his meticulous research. His work with making hybrid wheat strains likely has saved tens of thousands, perhaps millions, of people from starvation. He won the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his work.

In this year of 2020, we are inundated with bad news. You need not look far for pain, misery and doom. That is because the news essentially singles out such stories because they are both sudden and newsworthy. Bad news arises quickly, generally, and it grabs headlines.

Good news, on the other hand, is with us all the time, and it is not, therefore, newsworthy. It is not “breaking news”, it is normal life. For example, the fact that there is less starvation now worldwide than ever in history, is not newsworthy. Partly, that is also due to the fact that it is hard to celebrate less starvation when starvation still exists in the world.

We cannot blame news media for this phenomenon. News is made up of events that are new, interesting, and important. The fact that there are wildfires and hurricanes happening is absolutely true. Those events are devastating in real time to thousands of people, and it is important to note.

At the same time, there are many, many things and events in the world that are good news, but they are swallowed by other pressing events. That is simply a matter of life. We need to remember however, the important fact that there are many incredible achievements that go unnoticed.

People like Norman Borlaug.

Prayer: Help us remember your grace and provision for us, even in the midst of bad news, Amen

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.                                                                                                                                                     I John 4:18

I recently had a conversation with a client about codependency and how that differs from a more mature kind of loving relationship. The Bible says that “perfect love casts out fear”. I take this to mean that “perfect love” is secure. One does not need to worry about that kind of love failing or going away. That mature kind of love is secure because it will not be withheld or withdrawn when there is an argument or disagreement.

Codependent love tries to mold another into something for the good of the lover. Love becomes an appendage that reflects rather than builds up. Threats and fear are not in the equation of real love. If there is a hint of bondage, that “I love you because I fear losing love”, it may be codependency.

 Indeed, sacrifice and encouragement are the hallmarks of the mature love. None of us are perfect at love, just as we are not perfect in anything. Yet we are called by God to “love our neighbor as ourselves”- a very high calling and impossible to do without supernatural help.

God’s love for us is unconditional, secure, and not dependent on our good behavior.

That is certainly reassuring, right?

Prayer: Father, you show us real love, and we often miss the mark with our own, Amen  

“If you grow a healthy tree, you’ll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you’ll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree.                                                                                                                               Matthew 12:33 (The Message)

The last few days I have been talking about small changes we can make in our life that can deliver big results if practiced over time. I explain to my clients that we are physical, spiritual, and emotional beings, and that we need to pay attention to all aspects of our being to be healthy.

So, in considering some small disciplines, I suggest that they choose one little discipline that they begin to practice in each of those life areas- physical, spiritual, and emotional. For example, physical might be a 15- minute walk, getting to bed 15 minutes earlier, or rising 15 minutes earlier. Emotional might be downloading an app that helps awareness or mindfulness, or maybe journaling for a few minutes each day about the best thing that happened that day. Spiritual might be a 10- minute devotional, or reading, or listening to music that moves your soul.  

Really, whatever they choose is fine. I simply say to them, choose simple and achievable. You are worse off saying you will do it and then not doing it, than never having started at all.

I ask my clients to give me a quick check-in on where they are on each of those levels in their life. Just a “quick and dirty” snapshot of where they think they may be. I give a range of 1-10, with 10 being the best, and 1 the lowest. “How would you rate your physical, spiritual, and emotional health right now?”

They come up with an answer, and it is totally subjective, of course. But it gives us a baseline, and therefore a way to measure. I then might say, “You indicated a “5” on physical, what might you need to do to get that to a 5.5?” I may do the same for the other scales. I also ask my client where they want to start. It could be in any of the dimensions, because improvement in one dimension improves the others. They are all connected.

As you can see, I like to be practical and specific. This gives the client control of each of the areas of their life, and they can see that taking charge with a behavior change will affect emotions positively.

 Actions come before feelings- we don’t wait to feel good in order to take action- we take actions in order to feel good.

Prayer: Father, we are made so intricately and interconnected. Help us to work on health in all areas of our life, Amen.

There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next…                                             Romans 5:3-4 (The Message)

I have written in blogs past about making small, deliberate, practical changes in order to gain more of a sense of peace and control in our life. Built up over time, such regular disciplines lead to enduring positive change. The key word here is “time”. We all want to feel better right away. We are the epitome of a culture of instant gratification, and we have an insatiable need for immediate results.  

That is why weight loss, for example, is advertised in extreme terms. “Lose 30 pounds in 30 days!” Fat sculpting surgery seems to be the remedy for removal of unwanted fat. On and on we see that immediate relief is wanted, indeed expected. I too have the same malady. When my computer, for example, does not instantly respond to my commands, I can become irritated.

I tell my clients that the drugs that are addictive are the ones that give immediate relief. Indeed, anything that gives immediate relief and pleasure becomes addictive. Food, sex, alcohol, pain killers, gambling, pornography, and other forms of immediate pleasure, all have an addictive potential.

The slow, steady approach to life changes is the only way that works in the long run. No, it is not easy, nor is it quick. However, that approach does work, and it has been thus ever since the world began. We just think that we have a better, quicker way to do things.

Innovation, inventions and other time and labor-saving devices are remarkable and they are a blessing. However, when it comes to human behavior and life changes, slow and steady always wins.

Prayer: Lord, help us to have the patience and discipline to make the lasting changes you would have for us, Amen.

“Things don’t have to change the world to be important” -Steve Jobs

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change” -Albert Einstein

Often, I will ask my clients to think about one little thing in their life that they could change. I explain that this would be something that they actually can control, not an external thing like a raise at work or a neighbor’s lawn. This needs to be one very small, practical, measurable thing that they can intentionally do that might make them feel just a little better, a little more peaceful, a little more in control.

I give examples like waking up 15 minutes earlier or getting to bed 15 minutes earlier. Maybe it is taking 5 minutes to read a little devotional in the morning. Maybe it is greeting the first person they see with a smile. It could be anything, but it must be small, measurable, very practical and easily replicated.

Typically, a client will agree to try something like that and practice it for a week or two and report back on the results. The point of the homework is that even very small, practical changes can make a difference in our quality of life. It does not take dramatic changes to make us feel a little more peaceful and a little bit more in control.

The point of this exercise is that we do have the power to make significant changes in our life, starting with very small, practical habits. There is an old adage, “Change one thing, change everything”. If we change one little thing in our life, we see a difference, and we are encouraged to continue that thing, and perhaps expand the practice.  

So, consider one little thing in your daily habit that you might want to change. Remember, it must be small, practical and measurable. Try it, and see what happens.

Little things make up most of our life. Added up, they make a life.

Prayer: Father, thank you for your grace, and the opportunities to decide to make changes, Amen

Soon another Feast came around and Jesus was back in Jerusalem. Near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there was a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda, with five alcoves. Hundreds of sick people—blind, crippled, paralyzed—were in these alcoves. One man had been an invalid there for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him stretched out by the pool and knew how long he had been there, he said, “Do you want to get well?”

 The sick man said, “Sir, when the water is stirred, I don’t have anybody to put me in the pool. By the time I get there, somebody else is already in.”

 Jesus said, “Get up, take your bedroll, start walking.” The man was healed on the spot. He picked up his bedroll and walked off                                                                                                                                                   John 5:1-9 (The Message)

My interpretation of this passage lets me think that Jesus will confront people who look at themselves as victims. Jesus came upon a man who had lain crippled at the healing pool for 38 years. That’s a long time to hang out waiting for help. The man complained that he had no one to help him get into the pool when the water was stirred up. This makes me think that his bigger problem had to do with isolation and lack of connection with people than he had with his paralysis.

Nonetheless, Jesus gave him a chance to finally get his healing. However, Jesus asked the operative question. “Do you want to get healed?” Funny question you may say, but there is a deeper truth at stake. Sometimes people aren’t willing to do the work or make the hard stretch to get well. For whatever reason, some people make the choice, deliberately or perhaps unknowingly, to stay in their misery. Even misery is at least predictable, and it takes the risk of change in order to get full healing. It often takes hard work to get well. We may need surgery, rehabilitation, 12 Step work, counseling- whatever- in order to get well.

Jesus gave the man one more chance. But even then, Jesus challenged him to “pick up his mat and walk”. The man needed to participate in his healing in order to make it happen.

The message is this- if we want to get well, that is, healing from whatever affliction we have, we need to make the reach, and decide that we need help.

Then we need to act on it.

Prayer: Thank you Father for healing. Help us to see our need to ask and to seek your complete healing, Amen