Author: sherry.l.macintyre@gmail.com (Page 2 of 7)

Out of the Shallows – Love One Another

September 30, 2020 / sherry.l.macintyre@gmail.com / 0 Comments

My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. Jesus, in John 13:33-35

Welcome back to another deeper dive into Scripture using the SOAP
method…Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer. For more on this practice, see previous posts here.

S –A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

O -This quote is from Jesus’ last night on earth, some of his last words to his close friends and followers at the Last Supper. In this short Scripture, he repeats “love one another” three times. Everything he said was intentional and important, but when Jesus repeats himself three times, as he did on several occasions, we can be sure it is an especially important point.

Jesus is telling his guys how people will know that they are his followers. And what does he say? Not…be sure to go to church, memorize scripture, wear religious jewelry, carry your Bible (scrolls) with you everywhere you go, admonish non-believers with quotes that you have learned, point out their flaws, and remind them they are sinners…No. He says love one another. Very simple. Simple but not always easy.

How Will They Know You?

Even today we are sometimes tempted to think that we show our faith to others by having religious symbols in our home, on our car, or worn as jewelry. Or by quoting Scripture, joining a Bible study, reading devotionals, or going to church. These are all great things to help us enrich our own faith; all good practices and great reminders that make us feel closer to God. But they are more of a means to an end. The goal is not simply to read your Bible or memorize Scripture.

You can read the book, but if nothing in your life changes, what’s the point? Where is the fruit of these actions? Have any of these activities actually changed how you behave and how you treat others? That is what matters to Jesus.

Love is the currency of God’s kingdom. Jesus says if you follow me, show it by loving each other. Oh and by the way, love as I have loved you. This is a game changer. Jesus loved in a sacrificial, submissive way. As he had just demonstrated by washing his disciples’ feet (John 13:4-17 ). Interestingly, he performed this act while Judas was still among them. Showing us, I think, that we are to love and serve even those who may betray us and may not end up on our side. That whole ‘love your enemies’ thing.

We Are Called to Serve

In washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus demonstrated love through servant leadership so beautifully. With this one humble act. And now he was asking them -his followers- to demonstrate their faith in the same way to others. Loving, serving, sacrificing, giving of themselves in humble servitude. We, too are asked to love in this way.
Not always an easy sell in today’s society.

A -What if I stopped focusing quite so much on learning about Jesus, and started focusing on doing what he taught us to do? Bob Goff, Christian author and speaker, has a great line about studying the Bible that goes something like…‘Instead of learning all of it, maybe just do some of it.’

When people see our behavior changing, through our loving service to others, that’s how they’ll know that we are his disciples. It’s the doing that makes the difference. This reminds me of lyrics from a hymn we used to sing when I was growing up in Catholic church:

…and I pray that our unity will someday be restored,
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

Wouldn’t that be something, in today’s society and political climate, if our unity could be restored through our acts of love in Jesus’ Name?

P -Lord, help me to remember that our faith is all about loving each other, and showing that love to others with acts of kindness, caring and service. Please strengthen me and bless me with your patience, your wisdom, and your compassion to serve others with the love that you have shown me and shown us all since the day you were born.

The Beauty in God’s Creation

August 31, 2020 / sherry.l.macintyre@gmail.com / 2 Comments

OK, so true confessions time. I started talking to my house plants. I have had a terrible track record with them and I so consistently kill them, slowly over time, that I actually had a line item in our monthly budget for replacing dead and dying house plants. They were basically a disposable purchase on a bi-annual basis.

So, a couple of years ago I decided to take matters in my own hands and investigate a new approach. The cheapest, easiest change I could make was to try talking to these poor, terminal members of the plant kingdom. Every day after my husband left for work (because I didn’t want him to think I was crazy) I would walk around the house and try to say something meaningful to each plant…Hey, how ya doin? …Looking good, dude!…Keep up the good work…Please don’t die on me! Well, I had to get some new material. It just wasn’t working. So I actually gave each plant a name, mostly based on appearance or condition. (Occasionally, based on a person. ) Now, I could talk to them specifically. And, no kidding, all but one of them did phenomenally well (by my previous standards). I went from 4-5 straggly, sad, frequently replaced plants to 15 beautiful, healthy plants in 3 to 4 months. It was a miracle! I have never had a green thumb. I prayed over them, thanked them for adding beauty and oxygen to our home and encouraged them to grow to the best of their ability. I know it all sounds crazy, but I am telling you it worked.

Anyway, I was just looking out my window, noticing all the green in nature, from the trees in the woods, to my husband’s gardens, my patio tomatoes, our herb garden, and all my houseplants – and the beauty of God’s creation just struck my heart in such a way! It’s like, wow, there is so much natural beauty to enjoy and it is so easy to overlook and just get used to. We take for granted so many of God’s gifts. And the dazzling array of plant life is definitely one of them. So as I was praying and thanking God for it all, a sort of raw poem or tumble of words came to me, and then a childhood memory. Here they are…

All the greenery in nature is so life-affirming…
The plants, the leaves, the grass, the trees. The herbs and weeds.
The delicate, the variegated, the fuzzy, the smooth… With ridges on edges, the waxy, the new; delicate, soft, tender young shoots.
The nibbled, the damaged, the dusty, dry roots
the rain soaked and streaked, the growing, the striving,
the withering, the dying.

Enormous leaves and tiny, the pokey, the piney.
Velvet and sharp, the pale and the dark.
The plump succulents, the wispy plants living seemingly on air,
The beauty unending, the variety mind-boggling.

The life of a tree, or a plant on dry ground, or in the sea.
Greenery, shade, oxygen, flowers, fruit, or medicine,
Bee’s bounty or beauty,
Just for our delight.

Getting personal now. When I was a teenager and knew absolutely everything, I really wanted nothing to do with faith or God or church or any of it. An eye roll was my go-to response, or else ‘Yeah, well, what about science?’ It all seemed so unbelievably silly to me.

I remember quite clearly one day when my Dad, a gentle man, pretty quiet about his faith, said to me during one of these discussions, “How can you not believe in God?” He said it pleadingly, searching for the right words, “I mean, look at a tree…” his voice trailed off, as he could not really express what he was trying to convey to me. I rolled my eyes hard and looked at him as only a self righteous teenager can, like it was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard. I truly couldn’t believe someone could believe in God just because of a dumb tree.

Well, many years later, I know now what he meant. What he was trying to say, but couldn’t express. I feel exactly the same way. Everything in nature points to God. This brings to mind the lyrics of a well-known Catholic hymn… The heavens are telling the glory of God and all creation is shouting for joy.. (check out the video hereThe Canticle of the Sun)

And I do have to say, I am pretty ashamed of myself when I think of the way I treated my Dad. I know I was just a teenager, but I can’t wait til I see him again someday and tell him how sorry I am, and how much I understand now what he was saying. And how so very much I agree with him.

God is in every good and beautiful thing, man-made and nature borne.

Lord; In the heavens and on the Earth, the beauty of your creation astounds. Thank you for showing me all the goodness and beauty of nature that I never bothered to notice.

Some wonderful verses on nature, if you’d like to check them out:

Psalm 19:1-4 Isaiah 35:1-2
Psalm 24:1-2 Isaiah 42:5
Psalm 96:11-12 Isaiah 55:12
Psalm 104:14-21

God Whispers, God Shouts

August 15, 2020 / sherry.l.macintyre@gmail.com / 4 Comments

C.S. Lewis famously said that ‘God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain.’

When life is good and things are humming along beautifully God is there gently whispering look at all I’ve given to you, everything going right in your life… Look at the beauty of creation. I made it for you! Enjoy it! Just acknowledge and recognize that I gave you all of this.

And honestly, when things are going well, many of us don’t. Then the road gets a little bumpy. We have some typical challenges, disappointments, burdens…life happens. And God is there, raising his voice a bit and says Just turn to me I’m right here, I want to guide you and help you! You don’t have to do this on your own. Just listen. And often we still don’t pay attention. If we haven’t yet learned to lean on God, we just buckle down, determined to fix the problem on our own, thinking; I can handle this myself.

Then we may find ourselves in circumstances that are beyond the pale. Outside of our control, almost unbearable. Unimaginable difficulty, whether physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual. Feeling like there’s no way out, not understanding why things are happening the way they are. And this is when God raises his voice, pounding on the door of our heart and shouts I’m here! I’m still here! Just trust me, and thank me for all that is going right in your life. Ask me for help! Surrender to me and my will for your life. I want to guide you!

And some eventually do listen, while others turn away from God, blaming Him for their problems. Why would you do this to me, God, if you’re so good? Why won’t you fix this? We neglect completely at this point to thank him for everything else that’s right with our lives. For all the beautiful moments. All the weeks, months and years of our lives that have been so great… No, we often just focus on the one thing that’s going wrong right now.

And, honestly, it’s pretty easy to fall into complacency and expectation when everything is going swimmingly. Harder to remember to be grateful when all is well.

I imagine…what if God is saying….I’ve been whispering and talking to you all your life! Giving you gift, after beauty, after pleasure, after fortune, after blessing, after treasure…..and you haven’t once stopped to mention it. NOW you want to talk? Sheesh! Maybe we are taking God’s gifts for granted.

We tend to save our thanks to God for those catastrophic near misses; avoiding a car accident, a negative test result from the doctor, squeaking by with that C- to pass the class, narrowly escaping the company layoffs… but we can be thankful on a daily basis.

Count Your Blessings

You’re having a good day? Thank Him. You have great friends, took an awesome trip, ate a delicious meal, had an incredible bonding moment with a family member…Thank Him. Your kids are healthy, your marriage is great, school is going well, you love your job? Thank Him!
Every good and perfect gift is from above. James 1:17

God is working in your life everyday behind the scenes whether you know it or not. Whether you like it or not. Whether you believe it or not.

He is with us on the mountaintop and in the valley. Remembering what he has done in the good times -even if right now you’re in a valley- is what will help you get through it. Trusting and surrendering will help you hear God’s voice when you are struggling.
Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

How often do we all forget to thank The Giver of the gifts? We would never dream of forgetting to thank someone for giving us a gift for our birthday or Christmas. But every day that we wake up is a gift. Breath in our lungs is a gift. The beauty of creation is a gift. Every single part of our body that still works is a gift. Every person in our life that we love is a gift. (Every person that challenges us is a gift too, but I think that is Advanced Christianity that I haven’t necessarily reached yet.)

Have you stopped to thank Him lately?

It is important to note that God does not bring pain into our lives so that we will turn to Him. But we do live in a fallen, imperfect world, and trouble and difficulty will come to us all at some point. And God is always there to help you, comfort you and guide you through the tough times.In this world you will have trouble, Jesus intoned in John’s gospel, But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Hearing God’s Voice

Some ways to be attentive to God’s voice and presence in our lives:

Keep a gratitude journal. This is a great way to recognize and acknowledge God’s presence in our everyday life. Every day write down three things you are grateful for, without repeating what you’ve already written. It is an eye-opening practice that makes you doubly grateful when you go back and read what you had written weeks or months before. It also doubles as morning prayers, so…there’s that. (Just trying to keep it real for those of us who sometimes have trouble finding time to pray.)
Mindfulness. Hear me out. Although this is often seen as a secular practice, we can keep God in mind by prayerfully appreciating the small joyful events of the day moment by moment. Driving down a beautiful stretch of road? Really notice the beauty and be thankful. Enjoying a fancy coffee drink or eating a favorite meal? Slow down, savor the flavor and enjoy this little gift. Fixing the car, cleaning the house, raking the leaves? Focus on your work and recognize that it is a gift to have these things to care for, and the right tools to do the work, and the physical ability to do it. Some people with physical or financial challenges would be grateful to be in your shoes.
Daily Examen. This is a Christian practice from St. Ignatius that involves taking a few minutes in the evening to reflect on your day. What went well, what didn’t? Where was God in the interactions you had and the decisions you made? What can you be thankful for and what might you work on for tomorrow? Here is more info on this practice https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/
Listen to your conscience. When a thought just won’t leave you alone, or you have that ‘gut feeling’ don’t ignore it! This is often the still, small voice of God urging you along the right path.
And finally, pray. Ask God daily to help you hear his voice, whether he is whispering, speaking or shouting. There are many versions of what is called ‘Listening Prayer’. Mary Geegh wrote a wonderful booklet on the topic called God Guides. Yes, God even answers prayers about prayer!

Author’s note: If you have waited until God got to the shouting stage like I did, take heart. It’s never too late. It’s because God loves us that He shouts above the din of your pain, your grief, your unending sorrow, disappointment, depression and crippling devastation. He is calling you to himself when things are at their most desperate. Don’t give up on God! He has not and will not give up on you. He is the light at the end of your tunnel.

…I will never leave you, nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5

The Eternal Question

July 12, 2020 / sherry.l.macintyre@gmail.com / 4 Comments

Just reading in the Gospel of Luke where an expert of the law asks Jesus – What must I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus’ response is… Well what do you think, what’s written in the law? The man answered:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and, Love your neighbor as yourself.”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” Luke 10:27-28

This seems like an odd response, because if the guy doesn’t do it, is Jesus saying he will die? Well, no. Not in the way we think about living and dying. Jesus is referring to eternal life. But the way he says it… It’s almost like Jesus talks about life as though it begins in heaven. And I think if we understood eternity even a little bit we would get this.

Life After Life

That this life on Earth, this 90 or a hundred years, is really preparation for the “real” life after this one. It’s almost like this life is some sort of a gestation period. And as we grow and develop spiritually, God is preparing us for this next phase. And if we believe in and follow Jesus, we are birthed from the womb of this earth into eternal life.

Jesus spoke a number of times about “life.” And he always seems to be referencing the next life. The eternal life. It seems nearly everything Jesus said and did was referencing the spiritual portion of our being and the eternal life that we are destined for. Jesus understands this life on earth because he experienced it for 33 years. And he understands that it’s the only life that we know.

We get inklings of heaven and the afterlife through Scripture, prayer, and communing with God, and some even have near death experiences that give them a glimpse into eternity. But, let’s be honest, we can talk about and speculate and believe that we know what heaven will be like, but we can’t be sure until we get there.

It’s a little like asking a young child what mommy or daddy do at work. They have some vague idea, but really no concept of what it’s like. I saw a post online where someone asked kids what their parents did. One 4 year old girl’s mom was a teacher and when asked what her mommy does at work, she replied “She tells people what to do.” One kid’s dad was an accountant and he answered “He writes down all the numbers.” It’s cute and it’s funny and they’re not wrong exactly, but of course they only have a very rudimentary idea of what their parents do at work. Because in their limited experience of life, that’s what work is, and that is all they can understand.

Maybe Jesus looks at us in this life in that same way. We think that this is “life” and it is, in a manner of speaking. It’s a version of life. But it’s such a simplistic, even inferior, version of the true life that God has waiting for us. But we are like children, and not equipped to understand the supernatural, no matter how smart we think we are.

What Really Matters?

And when we get there? I get the sense that when we arrive there none of the trials in this life will matter anymore. The struggles and challenges, the difficulties, pain, sadness, failures, the grief… It will all have been important in its time….. But I believe, in eternity all that will matter is what we did for others, and whether we loved and obeyed God. (Which, really, is the same thing.)

It makes all the difficulties I have to go through here on Earth seem somehow insignificant. But at the same time, everything I do and every way that I respond is so significant. If this life is a preparation for the next, then surely in its relatively brief state everything we do matters. Maybe not so much specifically what we do on a daily basis, or what career we chose or what our family status is, but the spirit in which we do all these things. And the motivation and reason for them. Are we doing our best and glorifying God by serving others? Or just going through the motions?

I guess what I’m saying is, in the context of preparing for eternal life, maybe the details of our lives don’t matter nearly as much as we think. Get married, don’t get married…..have kids or don’t… become a doctor, teacher, plumber, lawyer, landscaper, stay at home mom, cashier…It doesn’t much matter. What really matters is the big picture. What was your approach? What was your intent and your motivation? Was it …Be the best at all cost – crush the competition – make the most -spend the most- buy the biggest- make sure you come out on top….

Or did you put others first and find a way to glorify God in everything you did?

So what does this all mean, what am I to do day-to-day? I think God wants us to keep it simple and have a zeal for the important things in life. The really important things, like loving our neighbor and showing our love for Him by loving others in any way possible. ….Giving, helping, listening, loving, noticing, complimenting… and offering forgiveness, deference, justice, trust, support…

This is loving the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself.

What can you do today that will honor God and have a positive impact on someone’s life?

Out of the Shallows – Let Your Light Shine

May 14, 2020 / sherry.l.macintyre@gmail.com / 1 Comment

Thank you for joining me for the fifth installment of our Out of the Shallows devotional series. This is a Scripture study using a method that can help us to take a ‘deeper dive’ into Scripture using the acronym SOAP.

‘S’ is writing down the part of scripture that kind of jumps out at you, or seems to have meaning to you.
‘O’ is to observe what it is really saying, the deeper meaning or truth. What do you think God is telling us?
‘A’ is for application. How does it apply to your life? What can you do differently in light of this truth?
‘P’ is for prayer. What do you want to tell God, or ask Him to help you to do about this?

Check out the previous Scripture studies in this series here Out of the Shallows – Go the Extra Mi, Lighten Your Load, Sufficient Grace and Lacking Nothing.

Today’s Scripture is from the Gospel of Matthew:

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven. Jesus, in Matthew 5:14-16

S – You are the Light of the World…that you may glorify your Father in Heaven

O – God made each of us to be a light in this world, not just to ‘get through’. You are here for a reason, you have a God-given purpose and an assignment! Everyone’s assignment is ultimately the same – Glorify God in all that you do.

What does this mean and how do we do this? Well, we glorify God by honoring him with praise, worship and admiration. And when we know that all good gifts come from him and all our talents and abilities are from God too, we use them in ways that honor him: Positive, unifying, helpful, caring ways.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond

A friend made the comment that ‘praying ceaselessly’ as the Apostle Paul tells us to do seemed impossible. ‘How am I supposed to pray all day long?’ My friend thought. Until it occurred to him…: “If I am using the gifts God gave me to help others in some way, that is a form of praying.” I found this to be a wonderful revelation! So we really can ‘pray ceaselessly,’ and glorify God in the process, if we consider what He would want us to do every step of the way, every single day.
WWJD, anyone?

A – Sometimes I need to stop overthinking things and just do it. If I feel God is calling me to do something, I just need to “Christian Up” and do it! As Joyce Meyer says if you were wrong, or it doesn’t work out, God will redirect you. I must be brave in the face of anticipated criticism and scoffing. Put my pride aside and do for Jesus a tiny fraction of what he’s done for me.

P – Lord, thank you for this Simple Truth. Simple, but not always easy. Help me to not complicate it. Help me to forget myself, forgive others and selflessly and courageously do whatever you ask of me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now it’s your turn! Use the above Scripture verse, or find one that speaks to you and use this simple method to get a little bit more out of your Bible reading. There are no rules, do what feels comfortable and just jot a few brief notes, if you’re not into keeping a journal. (But I promise, you won’t be sorry if you do.)

What’s Your Covid 19 Story?

April 24, 2020 / sherry.l.macintyre@gmail.com / 2 Comments

As the world seems to fall apart around us, many of us sit, wringing our hands….What to do?

Pastor Andy Stanley of Northpoint Church in Georgia recently asked the question: “When the story of covid 19 is just a story you tell, will your covid 19 story be a story worth telling?”

Because eventually, like everything else in life, what is happening now will come to an end, and then it will be a memory, and a story we tell each other and the next generations. Not unlike World War II, the Holocaust, 9/11, or any personal event in your life, good or bad. Not to minimize the importance of these things, but when they are over, we have the aftermath, the memories and the stories we tell. They become part of our history, and hopefully, if we learn from them, not part of our future.

I like to try this: take a mental journey forward in time so you can have the benefit of hindsight now… what would your future self wish you would have done today?

So what will your covid 19 story be? To be sure, some of us will be affected in the worst of ways. We may suffer with the disease, or have a family member or loved one suffer through it, or even succumb to it. Many will not come out the other side of this unique time in history unscathed. But even if you are affected in the worst way, this question still applies.

For the rest of us…Will you simply say we hunkered down and it was terrible! We were scared, and frustrated, the kids were so bored! We had to homeschool! People hoarded toilet paper! We were frightened every day. We argued, fought, protested, made it political, pointed fingers and blamed anyone and everyone we could think of…

Generosity From Gratitude

Or will you be one of the someones that makes something good come out of a bad situation? Now, to be fair, this IS a scary time, we ARE frustrated, bored, worried, lonely, annoyed, financially fragile and emotionally delicate at times.

But sometimes laying that all aside for just a few minutes to meditate on what you still have, what you can still do, and what you can be grateful for right in this moment, can be the thing that keeps you from going over the edge. If you can follow the logic of gratitude to generosity, you can ponder what you might be able to do to help someone else in this present situation.

This is a great time to ask…What’s in my Hands?

What do you have a talent or propensity for? What are you good at, what do you enjoy doing…what do you have access to, or an excess of?

Right now, for many of us, it’s time. We are stuck at home, but we are finding we have time we have never had, to do things we always wanted to do…cooking, reading, organizing, calling friends we have lost touch with, spending time with the kids, the spouse, ourselves! What do you have that can help someone else? And,for real, self care does help others as well as yourself. When you are rested, peaceful, nurtured, nourished….you can be a much better version of yourself for those around you.

We All Have Something To Give

I saw a post on Facebook that said something to the effect of “Now we see that grocery store workers and truck drivers are more important than Hollywood actors, musicians and sports legends.”

It seemed a logical point to drive home in a world where we idolize people who have a talent and they simply entertain us, and are no real help in a crisis situation like this. Or are they?

One respondent on facebook answered to the effect “now more than ever, we look to those with talent in the arts to entertain, soothe, calm and distract us. Can we agree that every one of us is just as important as any one of us?”

Another great point. Which led me to think……we have all been given a gift or talent of some sort. We are all good at something whether we care to admit it or not.

We sometimes think it is humble to behave as though we are not good at anything, but it is not humble to deny a God-given gift that was meant to be used to help others. So now some entertainers are using their God-given gifts online to keep us connected, entertained, laughing…keeping fear and boredom at bay.

Let’s Get Busy!

What’s in your hands right now that can help this situation? More importantly, where is your heart drawing you?

Some suggestions to consider:

Pray. We sometimes hear there’s nothing left to do but pray. That is a flawed approach. Prayer should be the very first thing we do, as Christians. Pray for protection from the virus, pray for those who have it, for front line workers, pray to discern what you should be doing to help.

Can you sew? Since surgical masks are reserved for hospitals and doctors offices, other organizations, as well as individuals need masks, even homemade ones. There are groups forming online with info on how to make them and where to send them.

Can you volunteer your time in some capacity? If your employer is joining the effort in some way, maybe you can help…distributing food to the needy, collecting donations, etc.

Do you have the resources to provide food to hospital workers? If you can order a tray of sandwiches or bagels and muffins to be delivered to your local doctors office, clinic, hospital, or police or EMS station, you can take one thing off their mind and lift morale. Be sure to call ahead to make sure they can accept the delivery.You will also be supporting local restaurants who are hurting so badly right now. So this suggestion is a two-fer. Also, if you can…Tip Big.

Check on your neighbors. Drop off a casserole, pick up some groceries for an elderly neighbor, or perhaps get their prescriptions or drop off their mail for them.

Do you have a doctor or nurse friend, acquaintance or neighbor? Offer to mow their lawn, check on their pets while they’re at work, or maybe drop off dinner to their family, or a gift card for take out.

If you have a housekeeper, dog walker, nanny or personal help at all, and are fortunate enough to work from home and still have an income, consider continuing to pay them. Even a portion of their wages. they were there for you when you needed them and they likely really need your support now.

Think about how to lift someone’s spirits in some small way. Can you buy a couple of $5 or $10 gift cards for coffee or fast food and give them to any of the hard working frontliners not in the medical field? Mail carriers, cashiers, custodians, trash pick up, UPS guy, truck drivers, or Anyone you know is still out there working in an essential capacity. They are all still risking their health -and their lives- to provide a service that we need.

Can you write a letter to someone who is alone or lonely? Or call someone you haven’t heard from in awhile.

How about helping someone with homeschooling, if you don’t have kids of your own? Maybe use Skype to read their kids a book, or demonstrate a skill: how to address a letter, make pancakes, do a magic trick, design a science experiment.

Take a break from the news. It’s bad, we get it. Stay informed, sure. But as mesmerizing as it is, resist the urge to watch all day long. “You become what you behold” is so true, and it would be very easy to feel depressed and negative if all you feed your mind and soul is dire news.

Feed your soul. Make your favorite foods, read a favorite author, watch your favorite shows, take a nap, eat chocolate…whatever comforts you. And forget the guilt. A little self-indulgence is perfect right about now.

And again, pray. Oh my gosh, pray. It should be the first thing we do in a tragedy. But we often save it until there is “nothing left to do but pray” like it’s a last resort or something. Praying your way through your day, especially in tough times like these can bring comfort and peace that nothing else you do ever will.

When it comes right down to it, the most helpful, loving, proactive, life saving thing most of us can do right now, is Stay Home, Stay Safe, Save Lives.

There will be tragedy and sadness. Too many families will not have a happy ending to their covid 19 story. But in the midst of our grief and frustration, our loss and anger…if we are Christians, we are asked to come up higher. We are asked to make something good come from something bad. Is there one thing you can do, one beam of light and love you can shine on to someone’s life?

What is God calling you to do, who is he calling you to help, what’s in your hands and what’s in your heart to do, to help someone struggling?

My prayers for you are for strength, wisdom and God’s peace and comfort no matter where this journey takes you… Really and truly – We will get through this.

What will your covid 19 story be?

Please share in comments what you have done, or what ideas you have to help yourself or someone else.

God Inhabits Our Praise

February 28, 2020 / sherry.l.macintyre@gmail.com / 8 Comments

A phrase has been following me around for the last few weeks. Not sure where I heard it, but I recently found out that it’s from Psalm 22:3 …God inhabits the praises of His people.

Anyway, I was reading a recent passage in my daily devotional, Jesus Always, by Sarah Young:Tell me your troubles and seek my guidance; then change the subject. Praise me for my greatness and glory, my power and majesty! Thank me for the good things I have done and am doing in your life. You will find me richly present in your praise and thanksgiving.

First, I love that this devotional says we are to tell Jesus our troubles, ask for his help, then…change the subject! So; let it all out, then give it over to God and stop dwelling on it. Great advice!

And then we are instructed to thank God…You will find me richly present in your praise and thanksgiving. And the words came back to me God inhabits the praises of his people. How beautiful is that? But what does it really mean? I mean think about it; We’re often so busy complaining about all of our troubles. In prayer, we are so preoccupied with asking and hoping, pleading and crying… Do you think maybe God gets tired of that every once in awhile? I know, I know… that is a human view of God, and of course, he’s always there for us, and I know he wants to hear the sorrows of our heart, and he comforts us every single time…

But what Joy must it bring him, when we choose to praise instead? In the depths of our pain and our difficulties… when we manage to put it all aside and praise him instead! How much joy, how much delight and encouragement must he feel towards us?

It’s like that magical moment when your sullen, usually complaining teenager surprises you with an appreciative “Thanks Mom!” that just about knocks you over with shock. Or when we see that our kids can look past something negative or difficult to recognize and be happy or grateful for something else. There’s just this sense of relief in your own heart, a sense of happiness that they are happy, and resilient, and able to focus on the positive – you just feel a real sense of rest about it. I think God’s no different.

It’s All About Gratitude

God inhabits the praises of his people. He’s always with us, for sure…but when we are praising God he dwells, he takes up residence in our praise of him. It can truly feel like he’s even closer.

I picture God hearing our prayers every day and sometimes we just recite them; God please help me with… God please heal him…please strengthen her…please change this and fix that… And it’s just this litany of requests.

God’s always there, for sure, and he’s listening to all of our needs, and he loves us… but when we are filled with gratitude, and we start to praise him instead, I just picture this image of God pulling up a chair, you know? It’s like he sits down and gets comfortable as we begin to thank him, and he nods and says uh huh, yeah I did that… You’re so welcome! I’m glad you noticed! It’s because I love you so much. Oh, that? Yep that was me too! Glad you liked that. It was my pleasure!

And I believe the praise that we have for him strengthens us. Praise strengthens our bond with God and with that strengthened God-bond we become stronger! We are strengthened by our own praise of God! How is that possible!? I believe it is because gratitude, praise and thanksgiving build our confidence in God’s love and presence in our lives.

God inhabits our praises. That’s where we most readily find him. If you are searching and wondering why your walk with God has grown cold or stale… Try praise! Meditate on who he is and what he’s done and you will automatically find yourself feeling grateful. It is hard to think of God and everything he is and everything he does, and not feel a compulsion, a drawing towards praise.

We Can Relate

We can often draw parallels between God’s relationship to us and our relationship to our kids. What does it feel like when you get home and the kids are clamoring and saying daddy, mommy… help me with…can you…did you… can I …I need… will you…why can’t I…

Compared to when you walk into a room and your kids (or anyone, really) says to you. Hey, thanks so much for… I was so happy when you…you did such a great job with….that was really a great idea you had… I’m so glad you thought to….I so appreciated when you…It was so nice of you to…I was so relieved that you…

Big difference, right? And, no, of course it’s not the same thing. God is here for us no matter what, in every situation. And he’s bigger than any problem we will ever have, and he absolutely welcomes us to come to him in our need and desperation.
And in our wanting, our needing and our asking…He is always listening.

How To Get Started

But, let’s be honest, if we truly desire to be in relationship with God, we surely must believe there has to be some balance in our communication with Him. It can’t all be so one-sided, and so one-note.

So, what’s a praying Christian to do?

Here are a few suggestions:

– Before you get out of bed in the morning, thank God sincerely for one or two good things in your life. It’s a great way to start your day.

– Whenever you begin to pray, try to make it a habit to thank God first, before making a request. If you can’t think of anything specific, thank him that he is always there and listening when you pray. Recognizing and thanking God for being there, and realizing his presence is really all we need is huge.

– Know that ‘every good and perfect gift comes from above’ James 1:17 so when something good happens -anything at all- try to remember to thank God for it.

– Wherever you are on your spiritual path, thank him for the journey. It doesn’t matter how far you have to go, just recognize that you are going forward, and he is helping you to do so. Gratitude comes naturally when you think this way.

There can and should be praise and thanksgiving sprinkled in amongst all of our prayer requests. And the beauty is, when we do pause our requests to praise and thank him…? We can find our burdens unexpectedly lifted, and our weakness and weariness give way to His strength. And we are often rewarded with that ever-desired peace that passes understanding.

It’s a pretty awesome exchange.

Midnight Anti-Anxiety Prayer

October 12, 2019 / sherry.l.macintyre@gmail.com / 4 Comments

How many of you out there find yourself up at three or four in the morning with your mind reeling…?
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been up in the wee hours of the night with racing thoughts, unable to turn off your brain, unable to rest comfortably and get back to sleep.

Oh I’m with you out there brothers and sisters of the sleepless nights, the minds that just won’t shut off…..
I’ve stumbled on something that might help.

There is a scripture in the Bible that many Christians know in the book of Philippians (4:6-7) that tells us not to be anxious, but instead to pray to God and ask him for whatever we want and we will find peace. And it’s a wonderful scripture, but it is an asking prayer. Nothing wrong with that, but Paul follows up those beautiful words of comforting spiritual wisdom with the following prayer of gratitude, which I think can be enormously satisfying and effective. Especially in the wee hours of the morning when worry and fear try to take hold.

Practicing Gratitude

So recently I’ve taken this verse and used it as a prayer in the middle of my sleepless nights. You don’t even have to be a Christian to see how helpful it is, it’s a pretty universal idea.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Paul, Philippians 4:8

Paul is directing us to change our thought life. Every bad mood, anxiety, fear, or disappointment, as well as every positive, pleasant, courageous and hopeful attitude all begin in your mind, and you get to choose which thoughts to focus on. As Joyce Meyer likes to say ‘you can’t always help it if a negative thought falls into your head. But you do get to choose whether it stays there or not.’ So we can ruminate and dwell on, and worry and fret about something horrible, or we can proclaim what God says and choose to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.

I like to personalize this scripture when I pray because I think the Bible was written to speak to each one of us. I believe that there are 7 billion ways to interpret the Bible. God loves each one of us so much that his Word speaks to us individually. What follows is one of the prayers I prayed recently at night that has gotten me back to sleep. Maybe you can use this scripture and personalize it to your own life.

A Deconstructed Anti-Anxiety Prayer for the Middle of the Night

Whatever is true, whatever is noble…
Thank you, Lord, that a huge truth in my life right now is that Jesus is with me always; guiding, protecting, comforting, forgiving, strengthening.

What is noble is that Jesus went to the cross for me. For me! He died for me. The gravity of that is enough to meditate on for the rest of my life.

Whatever is right, whatever is pure…
What is right is our freedom, as human beings. Something we are blessed to have in this country and something we take so for granted. I’m so very grateful for our freedom, as well as those who have volunteered to protect it.

What in my own life is pure? My beautiful, healthy, happy, perfect, adorable grandson. I can barely think about him or look at him without getting tears in my eyes, I am so filled with gratitude. Thank you Lord for blessing our family with this tiny little miracle.

Whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable…
What is lovely? It is lovely to see my children each find such a perfect partner to spend their lives with. It fills me with so much joy to see both of my kids so happy and in love. And it’s all by the grace of God, and I thank him for it.

What in my life is admirable? Having someone to stand by my side through the best of the best and the worst of the worst. Someone who is unwavering in his faith. Someone who is my rock; supportive, strong and forgiving and always there when I need him….. My husband’s steadfast love and faithfulness is so admirable especially at this difficult time in my life.

If anything is excellent or praiseworthy…

What is excellent? Every divinely created thing in nature, and every thing of beauty created by those divinely created beings and entities. The beauty and the harmony and flow of every sentient being and inanimate object, every living and non-living thing God created, is excellent. As are those who are devoted to protecting and caring for it all.

What is praiseworthy? In the secular world, we throw praise around pretty freely. We praise our kids when they are good, we give ‘high praise’ to accomplished artists and actors, writers and musicians, and just about anyone who does something outstanding. And that’s fine, in a worldly context. But truthfully, big picture? There is only One who is worthy of our praise. The triune Godhead; Father, Son and Spirit. Namely – and most accessibly – Jesus Christ; Lord, Savior, and Son of God. I am reminded of this as I pray this prayer of gratitude, and I save my true praise for Him alone.

Instead of asking God for yet another thing, another favor, more help, guidance, and grace, try coming up with your own personalized prayer of gratitude. I guarantee shifting your focus from what is difficult in your life to what is good, no matter how small, will have a positive, calming effect. This is true whether you are a Christian or not.

The next time your mind’s wheels are spinning in the middle of the night, practice gratitude! Try using this scripture as a guide. Thanking God for what he’s already given you can calm your mind like asking for more never will.

Out of the Shallows #4 – Lacking Nothing

September 14, 2019 / sherry.l.macintyre@gmail.com / 2 Comments

Welcome back to our ‘Out of the Shallows’ devotional, where we are diving deeper into scripture using the SOAP method:
S – Scripture, O – Observation, A -Application, P – Prayer
Find more details about the SOAP method and check out the first post in this series at http://www.christiannotchristian.com/out-of-the-shallows-go-the-extra-mile-overcome-evil-with-good/

Today’s Scripture:

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside the still waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
-King David, Psalm 23: 1–4

S – The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing…He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

It’s Not All About You, Boo

O – This verse reminds me that If I don’t have it, I don’t need it. I never lack what I need – and here’s the key – to do his will. (Not necessarily my own.)
And;
When we sense we are in God’s will, even when the path seems wrong or hard or confusing, it is the right one for his name’s sake.
It’s all about Him! It’s not about what I want.

A – As Christians we don’t pursue something simply because it is reasonable and makes sense to us. We are encouraged to pray for guidance and direction, and follow God’s promptings. Then, we obey God and leave everything in his hands. As Pastor Charles Stanley puts it “Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.”
I don’t have to understand it or figure it all out. When I know it’s from God, I need to just do it!

There are times when I sense I am being prompted by God, but I feel inadequate, unsure and fearful. Perhaps God can use even those feelings of trepidation and unpreparedness to help what I think, say, and do come from a more authentic and relatable place. Like, maybe others will see that even though I felt ill-equipped, I went forward, trusting God. And this might encourage them to do the same.

P – Lord, it truly is all about trust and obedience. When I feel called by you to pursue something, I don’t have to feel courageous or equipped or even good at it, to just do it. I simply need to trust you and obey. Please give me the courage and humility to live that out.

There is so much more in this short verse of scripture than what I came up with. I encourage you to write it down, mull it over, and ask God to show you what it means. Then use the SOAP method and see if you can’t dig a little deeper and let God reveal to you some great little nuggets of wisdom and truth.
Thanks for joining me on this journey!

Out of the Shallows #3 – Sufficient Grace

August 22, 2019 / sherry.l.macintyre@gmail.com / 0 Comments

Thanks for joining me for Part Three of our scripture study using the SOAP method.
Please consider journaling your own scripture reflections as we continue to explore Bible verses based on North Point church’s recent series Out of the Shallows, encouraging everyone to take a ‘deeper dive’ into scriptures. Catch up with us on the first two installments here and here. (You’ll also find details on using the SOAP method.)

S- scripture…O- observation…A- application… P- prayer

Today’s scripture:

But he (Jesus) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong. Paul, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

S- My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

O- ‘My power is made perfect in weakness’ It makes so much sense, if you pause to think about it. How could we ever see God working in our lives if everything was perfect and we felt we were doing it all on our own? It’s only when we have a weakness, or a hardship, and we need God’s help that we recognize his power, and our complete insufficiency without it.

A- Examine your life – the blessings and the challenges. Find the good in every hardship. And that ‘good’ is this: In every difficulty…GOD. IS. WORKING. In you and through you, and for you. And for others. When you make the decision to look, it’s really not that hard to see God’s hand of Grace on even the most difficult situation. Rejoice in this truth!

P-Lord, you make all things work together for good when I trust and depend on you. Thank you for all the ways you have used the difficulties in my life to bring me closer to you. Help me use this in a positive way to help others.

I really encourage you to try this method of getting more out of scripture. As you can see above, this does not have to be a laborious, scholarly examination of the verse. So many struggle with how to get started reading their Bible, and this is a really simple approach that can be done in a relatively short span of time.

The cool part is going back after doing this for a week or two and reading your previous reflections. You will likely be pleasantly surprised. I sure was.