Best of 2009: Twitter Talk

If you are popping over from Internet Cafe Devotions, Welcome! Normally, I'm here...but this week I'm taking a break to enjoy my family over the holidays. For your reading enjoyment, I'm posting the Best of 2009 series. Thanks for stopping by and see you when I return.


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This post originally ran on June 8, 2009 and had a surprising number of comments. I don't know why...maybe because it confirmed that I'm the only person under the age of 75 who doesn't Tweet.


I don’t get Twitter. I mean, I know what it is, but I don’t get why people do it…or more specifically, why people read it. No offense, but unless there is some sort of medical emergency so critical that I need an hour by hour update on your condition, no need to update me hour by hour, thankyouverymuch.

Now Facebook. Facebook I get. In the few short months since I’ve joined The Facebook Club, I’ve reconnected with 225 friends, and counting. I can’t think of any other venue through which I’d be able to accomplish this in my lifetime. To have my childhood best friend, my former co-workers, my sister, a kid I babysat when I was 19, and my neighbors (from every house I’ve ever lived in ) all in one place at the same time is nothing short of an internet miracle.

In my real day-to-day life, I consider myself to have done really well if I’ve had one adult conversation every couple days. And those conversations are usually with the check out people at Kroger and Target, having something to do with something I’ve purchased or something cute (or not so cute) my child has done. No lie.

I’ve practically given up on actually inviting a friend over or-heaven help me- going OUT with a friend. At least until Fall 2012 when Elliana starts kindergarten. But who’s counting?

So Facebook has been an answer to this isolated-stay-at-home-momma’s prayers. In between loads of laundry, carpool and homework, I can hop on line and strike up a 2-minute conversation with any one of my 225 friends. And it doesn’t even have to make sense! Oh, the beauty of it all!

I mean, seriously…where else can I get 42 comments after I ask the question: “What ever happened to Prell?”

And blogging. Obviously, blogging I get. And if you are reading this, you probably get it too. In one fail swoop I can get my reading AND my writing fix in Little. Short. Bits.

I can leave quickie- comments.

I can skim and scan.

No long-term commitment.

Come and go as I please.

Oh, and the absolute THRILL when my Facebook World and my Blogging World collide. It’s almost more excitement than I can handle.

This morning before anyone else woke up, I sat down on my back deck along with the thousands of birds who reside in my backyard, to spend some time with God . Honestly, I was a little frustrated. Not with God, but with myself. It had been awhile since I sat on my deck to pray. A LONG while—I’m ashamed to admit.

See, I fully expected God to speak to me in enormous and profound ways this past week while I was at the beach. To sort of make up for all the times the last few months I haven’t spent time Him. You know...sort of a "catch up" time. After all, God always speaks to me at the beach. I take an hour walk each morning, and God speaks to me. Period. I have a lot of questions, and I need a lot of answers. God’s got the answers. It’s simple.

But as the days rolled along at the beach, I failed to hear much of anything at all. Except static. Very annoying.

So I sat quietly and started reading and meditating on the things of God this morning, and I heard God say to me,

“I miss you.”

And in an instant, I got it. I heard God and I understood in a microsecond what He was really saying to me.

In the last several months, little by little, I have abbreviated my prayer time. It wasn’t on purpose. Things got busy. Didn’t go as planned. Sick kid, dirty house, tired mom, blog blog blog, blah blah blah…

Little by little, I exchanged deep intimacy with my Heavenly Father for a prayer life of Twitter Talk and Facebook Status Updates.

“God help me today.”
“Thank you for my kids.”
“What should I say to this person?”
“God, I’m confused.”
“Lord, help me enjoy this day.”
“Speak to me, Lord.”
“Thank you for our house, our car and the sun.”

Little. Short. Bits
.
Quickie comments.

Skim and Scan.

Come and go as I please.

No long term commitments.

And no intimacy, whatsoever.


Certainly, God wants me to talk to Him all day about everything. Nothing wrong with that. But my Twitter Talk ultimately replaced the hours I used to sit down and soak in God’s presence and consume His word. And, boy, have I suffered for it. Not in the way you may think. God wasn’t over me chastising and punishing me.

Instead, over the last few months, I’ve groped, wandered and complained. I’ve felt anxiety, uncertainty and fear. I’ve allowed my heart to go unguarded, while impurities crept in, giving way to sin. My thinking has been scattered. I’ve struggled with hearing God clearly…or hearing Him at all. All as a direct result of ignoring God’s call to draw near to Him…to go deeply in Him.

“The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me, and I have listened. I do not rebel and turn away. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do His will. And I know I will triumph.” Isaiah 50:5,7

I am still determined to do God’s will. After all, this is still my Year of Yes. But in order to do God’s will, I must know God’s will. And in order to know God’s will, I must spend time with God.

Therefore, beginning anew today, I am not going to worry about how everything else will get done…the kids, the housework, the book proposals. There is always too much to get done in any one day, anyway. Instead, I will set my alarm each morning and seek God first…


“I will hurry without lingering to obey your commands.” (Psalm 119:60)

...knowing that when I do this, God will see to it that I am equipped to complete every single thing within His will for me.


You realize what this means, don't you? I’m starting out my summer vacation (aka, now I can SLEEP IN!!) with a commitment to get out of bed each day by way of the alarm clock. If you know me, you know that is HUGE.


I know this is not some great revelation, praying first thing in the morning.

“In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” (Psalm 5:3)

But even in my zeal to hear God’s voice and teach others to do the same, I have forgotten the importance of this spiritual discipline. I have forgotten that true intimacy with God requires time and commitment. I have forgotten that my relationship with Jesus—the depth of relationship I desire, anyway—cannot exist on 200-character interactions.

I'm so thankful God doesn't let me stray too far before He woos me back in.

Speaking of relationships, I think I'll actually call a friend on the phone and make some plans for lunch this week.

And speaking of Facebook, what DID happen to Prell?

Best of 2009: God Speaks Through the Storm, Part Two (My Story)

Merry Christmas! I am taking a break to enjoy my family over the holidays. For your reading enjoyment, I'm posting the Best of 2009 series. Enjoy and see you when I return!

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This post originally ran on March 8, 2008 and is my most read post, by a mile. This entire series was also my most-read and most commented-upon series, and served as the basis for my book proposal "Taken By Storm: Hearing God Speak in the Midst of Chaos"


I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. (Proverbs 4:11,12)


Lord, you know this new step I’m about to take isn’t something I want to do, but rather something I have to do…help me to remember your past faithfulness—

The countless times you’ve led me through the shadows or carried me above the storm to set me in a safe place—

Help me walk in faith, depending on you.





Those words appeared on my daily calendar October 5, 1997.




It was a beautiful, sunny Sunday afternoon, and I was 33 ½ weeks pregnant with our first child. Up until that time, everything was going very well with my pregnancy, or so I thought. I felt good, I looked good. The baby was growing. Days were filled with baby showers, maternity clothes, cribs and tiny t-shirts…everything was coming together to welcome our new little bundle into the world.

But in the two or three days leading up to that Sunday, I was beginning to notice a decrease in fetal movement. My normally active little baby seemed to be slowing down. Despite lots of friends assuring me I was just an overly-anxious first-time mom (doesn’t that make you feel great when people say that to you?), I feared something was terribly wrong.

A trip to labor and delivery that day confirmed my fear. The baby was not OK. And I was not an overly anxious first time mom. In fact, the baby’s heart rate was far below normal and continued to drop steadily over the next few hours. Once the doctor finally arrived, he took immediate action to deliver the baby. Seven minutes, to be exact.

Noah Jon Cooper was born by emergency c-section on October 5, 1997, weighing just 3 lbs, 11 oz.

His APGAR at birth was a whopping “0”. And after fifteen minutes, only a “1.” In layman’s terms, that’s really, really bad.

Noah had suffered severe oxygen deprivation before he was born due to a condition in my placenta called Maternal Floor Infarction. (This was not diagnosed until a year later. At the time, we had no idea what happened to cause the oxygen deprivation). The oxygen deprivation caused a grade-4 brain hemorrhage (also really, really bad) and brain damage to over 70% of his brain.

Seated in a cold conference room one week after Noah’s birth, surrounded by doctors, nurses and two ministers from our church, Jon and I were advised to take Noah off life support. By the doctors’ best estimation, Noah was essentially brain dead. He would never breath on his own, see, hear, suck, swallow, walk, talk or know us as Mom and Dad. If he ever did come home from the hospital, he’d require 24-hour a day nursing care for the rest of his life.

Jon and I were suddenly faced with the most difficult decision of our lives. A decision no parent should ever have to make.

Thanks to the two God-fearing men who attended the meeting with us, we were reminded of all the times God healed in the Scriptures, all the times He did the impossible, all the times He was faithful to answer the prayers of His people. In that same cold hospital conference room, these men prayed with us, encouraged us and built up our faith. By the end of our prayer, we were confident God created Noah’s brain, and therefore, would have no problem healing Noah’s brain.

Against the advice of every doctor and professional in that room, Jon and I decided to leave Noah on life support and pray for a miracle.


Rusty, Rocky, Noah and Me, just moments after that terrible meeting.


People all over the nation began praying for Noah, believing for a full recovery.

And a miracle we received!

The evidence of his healing came just a few days later. As I was standing next to Noah’s little hospital crib, discussing his condition with the doctor, he opened his eyes for the first time. Shortly thereafter, he began responding to touch and sound. A few days after that, he began to suck on a pacifier…and then swallow breast milk.

Noah, a few days before he was released from the hospital.


Finally, he was weaned from his respirator and his oxygen…sending him home only six weeks after he was born, completely healthy!

I'm healed and I'm home!

The next few months were exciting and exhausting as we adjusted to our new life as parents. We joyfully shared Noah’s testimony with anyone who would listen. At this point, I was certain God’s purpose in that particular trial was to build our faith so we could pray for other critically ill children. I was more than ready to accept that calling, and spent many hours on the phone and in prayer at church with other parents of sick children. In fact, I couldn’t think of anything I’d rather do than spread the gospel through the healing of my son…It was an amazing and wonderful time.


My favorite pic of us, just a few weeks after Noah came home.




Smile for Sears!!! Noah at 4 1/2 mos.



In June of 1998 when Noah was about 8 ½ months old, Noah and I planned to fly to Ohio to spend time with our family while my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Jon was going to join us a few days later and spend some vacation time there, as well.

In the days leading up to that trip, I noticed Noah was not quite himself. A little lethargic. Very irritable. But I knew the stress of the trip could be wearing on him, since premature babies are very sensitive to over-stimulation. I went ahead with our plans anyway, excited for our family to see how much Noah had grown and eager to celebrate this anniversary milestone with my parents.

Daddy and Noah, a few days before the trip.


When we arrived in Ohio, Noah got progressively worse—not wanting to eat, not wanting to play or smile, groaning in his sleep—so I took him to the emergency room the following morning. After a quick assessment, they assured me he was just dehydrated (he had terrible reflux—normal for a preemie), and would bounce back after he received a saline IV.

When he didn’t bounce back, they began running test after test trying to determine the cause of Noah’s illness—meningitis, bacterial infection, viral infection—all of which came back negative.

Over the course of the next five days, Noah’s condition worsened significantly. No one knew what was wrong, so no one knew how to treat him. They suspected it was probably just a result of the brain damage, but no one could figure out why it took so long to manifest.

With each passing day, more specialists were examining him and leaving the room baffled.

With each passing day, they were having a harder time keeping him stable.


With each passing day, our prayers intensified, as we realized that something was terribly wrong.…

On June 30th 1998, Jon and I sat next to our precious baby, as he rapidly deteriorated. And then the unthinkable... surrounded by our family and friends, Jon and I said goodbye to our sweet, sweet baby Noah.

We held him, kissed him a hundred times, sang to him all his favorite songs, and promised him we’d see him again in Heaven.

(Tissue break! :):):):))

One month later, I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, Rebekah. I will definitely talk about this more in a later post, but let me say right here that God’s mercy in giving me another baby during this time is something I thank Him for every single day. Every. Single. Day.

When I was about 20 weeks pregnant with Rebekah, we received the long-awaited results of Noah’s autopsy. Firstly, we were devastated to have a name for the condition in my placenta (Maternal Floor Infarction). This rare condition is known to occur in all subsequent pregnancies.

Secondly, and equally devastating, we learned that Noah died from a genetic disorder, completely unrelated to his birth trauma or the Maternal Floor Infarction, called LCHAD (Long-Chain 3 Hydroxyacyl CoA Dehydrogense). Because it was genetic, it meant that Rebekah had a 25% chance of having the same disorder and a 50% chance of being a carrier of the gene mutation.

Now we were faced with two life-threatening disorders in our current pregnancy. Both of them so rare, that no one knew quite what to do with me or my baby. (In fact, the chances of one person having both of these disorders turns out to be about one in one million.)

And, as if it could get any worse, only a few short weeks after receiving that terrible news, I found myself again on a plane to Ohio to bury my mother (with whom I was extremely close and talked to almost every single day), who died suddenly after surgery on her carotid artery.

My Mom holding Noah at Christmas--I was so mad at her for insisting on coming the minute we flew into town. I was exhausted. Now, looking back, this is only one of a handful of pictures I have of them together.


And last, but not least, two years later, I began what would turn out to be a seven-year battle with Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent Type.

I cannot stand a story with a sad ending, so hang on for just another minute.

The great news is Rebekah was born full term, does not have LCHAD and is not even a carrier of the gene mutation! She will be 10 years old in a few weeks.

We have gone on to adopt two of the most precious and beautiful children in the entire world.






I know, because I traveled pretty far to get one of them!







And lastly and most recently, through therapy, medication and God's divine leading, I have been completely free from depression for almost a year now.

Phew!

My life: The rollercoaster. I know.

In the upcoming weeks, I’m going to unpack some of these dark, stormy times and tell you the profound ways the Lord spoke to me in the midst of them. I will expound upon the ways God drew me into deeper intimacy and revealed things about His character that I never would have known apart from these trials. I will show you some of the ugly things the Lord purged from me while I was in the fire. But mostly, I will glorify God, not only for sustaining me, but for using each and every one of these painful circumstances for my ultimate good.

Best of 2009: Practically Speaking, Extraordinary Truth for Ordinary Days

Merry Christmas! I am taking a break to enjoy my family over the holidays. For your reading enjoyment, I'm posting the Best of 2009 series. Enjoy and see you when I return!

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This post originally ran on February 28, 2009. I love the way God uses people in our lives to speak to us. This post is the best example of that in my life.


I woke up that hot, muggy morning in May much like every other morning: with a fresh cup of coffee and an in-box full of e-mails. Amidst the unsolicited spam and forwarded urban legends, I found a message from my friend Jean. Short, sweet and to the point:

Dear Sandy,

I woke up in the middle of the night with this scripture on my mind. God told me to send it to you.

Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you—the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

I’m praying for you!
Love,
Jean

Over the next few weeks, that scripture would prove to sustain me. We were in the process of moving from our home in Florida and relocating to Kentucky. We lived in Florida for eight years, and we loved it. Everything about it, really. We solidified our marriage while living there. Noah was born and died while living there. Rebekah and Elijah were born there. I had great friends, great neighbors and a thriving ministry.

There's lots of sunshine in Florida. Oh, and there’s an ocean there too. An ocean only 20 minutes from our house. Incidentally, the ocean is my favorite place on the planet, just so you know. (sigh……)

But there we were moving to Kentucky, where the nearest ocean was, ironically...in Florida.

Every visit with friends was for the sole purpose of savoring the final moments before saying goodbye. And every other minute of every single day was designated to packing up and tying up loose ends.

My house barely resembled the home I worked so hard to build. It was the “fake house” we showed to the prospective buyers. The house with no appliances on the counter tops, no toys on the floor and no food in the oven. Instead, we had neutral walls, burning candles and smooth jazz playing in the background. (who lives like this, really?)

Moving to Kentucky meant my husband would have the job of his dreams. But for me, it meant starting over. New house, new friends, new neighbors, new church, new doctors…and worst of all—NEW HAIR GUY!!!!! (I paid dearly for this move in the way of bad hair for the first two years we lived here. My husband owes me big time.)

So on that hot morning in May, before I began the craziness of strapping my 2-year-old and my 4-year-old into the car seat so I could create the “fake house,” and drive them around while strangers decided if they liked or disliked my floor plan, I meditated on the verse my dear friend sent me. Every single word jumped out at me. Every. Single. Word. I was so thankful for a God who would send a message to me just at the right time. And for a friend who was sensitive enough to hear God’s voice on my behalf.

I read and re-read that precious Psalm. Over the next two months, it became my daily bread. Though the flurry of May and June often left me emotionally and physically exhausted, I stood on God’s promise. Trusting God knew where we were and where we were going, trusting that He’d keep us from all harm, and trusting that He’d not let our feet slip, I found strength to do what I had to do: Say goodbye to everything I loved and trust God.

Before I knew it, we were driving away from our Florida home and heading North.

Yehaw.

After settling into our new house, one of our first priorities was finding a church. With a toddler and a preschooler who had just had their world turned upside-down, this task proved more difficult than I anticipated. Week-by-week I peeled my screaming babies off me to put them in yet, another unfamiliar childcare situation with more strangers, more change, and more transition. Meanwhile, Jon and I tried to make a snapshot decision whether this would be “our new church home.”

All I wanted to do was establish some roots. Find some friends. Connect with some families. But even that was proving to be emotionally and physically exhausting.

One particular Sunday morning, I finally reached my limit. The kids were crying. I was crying. And I found myself seething in the back row of another strange, new church with a freaked out toddler on my lap, wondering what the heck God was thinking when He told us to move from beautiful, comfortable, Florida to strange, uncomfortable Kentucky.

Just about then, the pastor interrupted the worship service to address the congregation.
“Sorry,” he began as the music ceased, “You know I don’t usually do this, but this scripture is really on my heart, and I feel like there is someone here who needs to hear it.” He then opened up his bible and began reading:

I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you—the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Lesson Learned: God knows exactly where I am. He will never leave me or forsake me, even when my physical location changes. And He will interrupt a friend’s sleep and a church worship service in two different states to make sure that I know it.

Not only that…but a pastor who clearly hears the voice of God makes one fabulous pastor.

Best of 2009: Fitness Friday, This Just In

Merry Christmas! I am taking a break to enjoy my family over the holidays. For your reading enjoyment, I'm posting the Best of 2009 series. Enjoy and see you when I return!

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This post originally ran on March 19, 2009. I know it's literally Christmas Eve right now (and it isn't Friday), but if you are looking for something to do between all the presents and the cheeseballs, this is still a good read. Makes sure you take note of the cow situation.

Good morning and welcome to Fitness Friday News. Breaking news every minute of every hour of every day, running simultaneously across both the tops and the bottoms of your screen, splitting the screen when necessary, and never failing to interrupt the most exciting part of your favorite television program to bring you BREAKING NEWS.

In Heath News …

As if we need another reason to avoid obesity, USA Today reports obesity literally carves years off your life.

Recent studies conclude adults who are obese—defined as 40 or more pounds overweight—may be cutting three years off their lives. While those who are extremely obese—100 or more pounds overweight—could be shortening their lives by 10 years.

The researchers examined the findings of 57 studies involving about 900,000 adults in the U.S. and Western Europe, and found the following:

Above a healthy weight, every 5-point increase in BMI increases the risk of early death by about 30%.

People at the lowest risk of dying early are in the high end of the healthy weight range, with a BMI of about 22.5 to 25.

(To calculate your BMI, click here. )

With one third of Americans now qualifying as obese, and a lot of those obese people becoming progressively more obese, this poses a huge health risk to society.

Sure, we already know obesity is bad for us. But with each new study, we’re finding out just how bad. In fact, the researchers of this particular study conclude that obesity and smoking have the same detrimental effect on your health—both decreasing your life by 10 years.

You may be thinking to yourself, “Ten years, big deal!”

Ten years. Think about that. Where were you in 1999? Besides preparing for Y2K and digging out your old Prince cassette tape to play at your New Year’s Eve party? In 1999, I was about to give birth to my daughter Rebekah. Elijah and Elliana were not yet even a glimmer in my eye. Blogs weren’t invented yet. And I was wearing stirrup maternity pants.

When I think of all the things God has done in me and through me the last ten years, not the least of which is delivering me from stirrup pants, it gives real relevance to this study.

Even if you do beat the odds and live to be 80, your life as an obese person is a life filled with heart disease, diabetes, joint problems, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, depression, and probably cancer.

Fun times.

Also in the headlines, the government on Saturday permanently banned the slaughter of cows too sick or too weak to stand on their own, seeking to further minimize the chance that mad cow disease could enter the food supply.


“Downer cows” pose a higher health risk of having mad cow disease, and they are susceptible to infections from bacteria such as E. coli, because the animals wallow in feces.

That’s right folks. Up until Saturday, the cows that produced your Quarter Pounder with cheese very well could have been too sick to stand up and—may I repeat for emphasis—wallowing in feces!

In college I took a Business Management class and read The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair—a book written in 1906 exposing the disgusting practices of the Chicago meat packing industry in the 20th century. As a girl who was never so fond of meat to begin with, that was enough to put serious doubts in my head about eating meat of any kind.

Supposedly, all of those disgusting practices had long since been outlawed, as any good carnivore will tell you.

But then you read a little blurb on page A3, column 6 of the Louisville Courier Journal, and you ask yourself, “Outlawed??? Really?”

Seriously, people. Up until 1997, it was legal to grind up dead, sick cows and sell it as feed for other cows. Cows eating cows. No, wait: cows eating SICK cows. People eating cows which have eaten sick cows.

And less than a week ago, the government decides maybe, just maybe, it could pose a health risk to the community should we slaughter, sell and feed feces-wallowing-too-sick-to-stand-without-the-aid-of-a-cow-walker cows to people in the form of beef.

Ewwwwwwwww.

Wait a minute here…so in 1997, the government decided that COWS shouldn’t eat sick cows. But it took them twelve more years to determine that PEOPLE should not eat sick cows?

Am I the only one who thinks that’s yucky?

I suppose I should be careful. In 1998, Oprah got sued for saying similar things on her show.

Wait till all those blog-reading meat packers see my Oprah-like influence over the world.

I will be sure to be summoned to court, as well...where they’ll try to take my declining retirement funds and my 2000 Chrysler mini van with 122,681 miles on it. Oh, and my kids have little zipper pouches with allowance money. They’ll try to get that, too.

So I’m technically not telling you to abstain from beef (high in saturated fat) or that beef is in any way bad for you (raises your risk of colon cancer by 40%). I’m simply saying that it’s gross to eat anything that is too ill to stand on it’s own four legs.

That’s our news. Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow.

Best of 2009: I can't Hear Anything

Merry Christmas! I am taking a break to enjoy my family over the holidays. For your reading enjoyment, I'm posting the Best of 2009 series. Enjoy and see you when I return!

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This post originally ran on January 18, 2009. I love this post so much because it speaks a vital truth about our identity in Christ, when we are NOT hearing Him.

“I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.” Romans 8:38-39 The Message

I can’t hear anything right now.

I have two hours while the baby sleeps to write this post and I got nothin’. Zilch. Nada. Crickets.

So I decide to shift from blog-writing to lesson-preparation for the Wednesday night class I’m teaching. Maybe that will afford me some inspiration.

Searching for inspiration…

Searching…

Searching…

Nope. It’s a no-go. In fact, my condition has just worsened.

Now, not only do I have nothing for my post, but my hodge-podge of rough notes refuse to flow nicely into even a coherent, logical outline…much less an hour-long class lesson.

Or a brand new blog post.


GRRRRRRRRRR….


The irony is that both my blog post and my Wednesday night class are on the subject of hearing the voice of God. You’d think maybe I could access said Voice to help me out a little here, eh?


Yeah…you’d think.


There are many possible reasons for the silence. Maybe I’m too distracted. Maybe there is spiritual warfare. Maybe God’s trying to teach me something.

And unless God reveals it to me in the next hour and forty five minutes, I’ve lost my window of opportunity to write.

(By the way, I know God is not bound by time, and all…but sometimes I wonder if He forgets that I AM!)

Anyway, so I grab a book I’m reading by John Eldredge, called Walking With God, and start browsing the areas I’ve highlighted, hoping maybe John can offer some ideas for this post.

Coincidentally, (or not) I come across a chapter where he’s struggling with the exact same thing: Needs to write. Limited time. Can’t hear God. Hasn’t the foggiest idea why He can’t hear God…

OK…I may be onto something here.

Eldredge wrestles through the various possibilities for the silence. He confesses his frustrations and his questions. He never fully understands why he can’t hear God on that particular day, but

he decides his inability to hear God will not be the verdict about how he is doing with God that day or how God feels about him at that moment.

Whoa. This is huge. How often have I judged my position with God based solely on how I feel that day, rather than on what the scriptures say?

Just this morning during the worship service at church, I was feeling-not-so-good about myself. Nothing major. Just some areas where I think I’ve failed the last few days. Areas of my thought life. Areas privy to God and me only. But it was enough to make me want to distance myself from God a little. Mostly, because I felt somewhat ashamed—maybe a little unworthy of His love, His anointing and His forgiveness. And because of these feelings of inadequacy, my heart wanted to withhold from fully worshiping God.

OK…now I KNOW I’m onto something here.

During worship, I had to meditate purposely and consciously on the truths of God’s word.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (II Corinthians 10:5)

Namely, that I worship God, not because I am worthy but because He is worthy.


“Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” (Psalm 145:3)

Once I dispelled the lie the Enemy was planting in my head and replaced it with the Truth of God’s word, worship flowed freely. It was quite awesome.

So maybe the whole reason for the silence today with this blog post--and the class prep--is to remind me that hearing from God (or not hearing from God) on any given day does not determine my position with Him. That struggling with sinful temptations does not reduce His love for me in the least. And that even the apparent silence of God can lead me right where God wants me: securely resting in His amazing grace.

Oh…and look at that! I’ve written a blog post, too!

The Best of 2009: The Year of Yes

Merry Christmas! I am taking a break to enjoy my family over the holidays. For your reading enjoyment, I'm posting the Best of 2009 series. Enjoy and see you when I return!

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This post originally ran on January 4, 2009 and set the tone for my entire year. Will this be YOUR year of yes?



I say “no” a lot. Sometimes when people are talking, I’m thinking “no” before they finish asking their question.

Friend: “Do you want to…”

Me (thinking):“No, to whatever you’re asking.”

Friend (still talking) “…go out to lunch after church?”

Me (talking now): “Uh...No thanks”



My first response to my kids is usually “no” unless they can convince me a “yes” is warranted.

Kid: “Mommy, can we have a snack?”

Me: “No.”

Kid: “But we haven’t eaten since yesterday, and it’s noon...we're weak and shakey!

Me (irritated): “OK. But only a fruit or a veggie…organic, please.”



I literally wake up with “no” on the brain.

My brain: “no…no…no….no….no…no”



I’m a lot like Jim Carrey’s character in the new movie “Yes Man.”














Except that Carrey plays a divorced, detached, loan officer…and he’s a dude.



.




I, of course, am a married mom/writer/laundry do-er, sort of bubbly and friendly…and I’m a chick



Other than those things, we are a lot alike.

Carrey’s life radically changes after he attends a motivational seminar where he makes a covenant to say “yes” to everything, no matter what. For this “No Woman” it was extremely liberating to watch Carrey’s character say “yes” to things that were completely out of his comfort zone, taking him to places he’d never go and meeting people he’d never know otherwise.


(FYI: I cannot fully endorse this movie, as some of the content was extremely inappropriate, so be forewarned. )


This concept, however, was right in sync with where I want to go this year. See, my goal in 2009 is to say “yes” to God, no matter what. The only stipulation for me is that I must be sure it’s God asking the question.


Because unlike Carrey’s character, who vowed to say “yes” to everything; I, as a child of God, cannot afford to do that. My life belongs to God. My family, my time, my talents, my money. I’ve committed it all to Him and only Him.

So I will, in 2009, say “yes” to Him and only Him.

“Yes” without hesitation.
“Yes” without reservation.
“Yes” even when I’m scared to death.
“Yes” even when it makes no sense.
“Yes” even when I can’t see how the pieces fit.
“Yes” even when there’s nothing in it for me.
“Yes” even when it’s hard.
“Yes” even when it cost me money.
“Yes” even when it messes with my schedule.
“Yes” even if it means less sleep.

Gulp…especially on the sleep one.

I can only imagine how many God-adventures I’ve missed out on, while I was thinking things through and weighing my options. How many missed opportunities to assist God in a miracle because it wasn’t on my schedule that day. How many times I didn’t even inquire to God about my schedule because, quite frankly, I didn’t want Him messing with my plans. Sometimes I don't even ask Him what He wants from me, because I already have my agenda and I don't want to be faced with a decision of obedience versus disobedience. I'd rather just plow ahead and hope for the best.

Ignorance is bliss, right?

…or is it?

I have a feeling there is spiritual blessing on the other side of “yes” that I have yet to experience.

Lately, I’ve been trying to picture myself as God’s go-to girl. The one He thinks of first when He has a really big assignment, because He knows I’ll get right on it and do a great job. I want to be in God’s inner circle (if there is such a thing). You know, the one He pulls aside to share secrets and privileged information. Can you imagine?

I’m tired of living in fear and wallowing in past hurts. I’m tired of counseling God about what would be best for me and my family. I’m sick of playing every single scenario out to its conclusion whenever God presents an opportunity to me. I’ve actually been known to make “Pro’s” and “Con’s” lists for most decisions, both big and small.

Have mercy! I'm getting on my own nerves just thinking about that!

I can sometimes picture God saying, “OK, you go crazy with that list, there, Sandy. I’ve got to go now and find someone ELSE to use. But I’ll catch you again on the flip side. Later!”

Seriously, what do I need to be afraid of when God is walking in front of me, behind me, beside and within me?

THE Almighty God--the One Who breathes, and galaxies are formed…yeah, THAT same God—asks me to do something, and I HESITATE?

What in the WORLD??

So I enter this year with a greater passion than ever to Hear the voice of The Good Shepherd. After all, this is where hearing His voice with crystal clarity would be a real asset, no?

Uh, I mean, yes?

Pray for Melanie and Her Family

A few months ago, I asked you to pray for Andrew, a 12-year-old boy who suddenly developed brain cancer. His mother Melanie is a regular reader/commenter of God Speaks Today.

Words cannot express how shocked and saddened I am by the news that Andrew passed away. I've copied Melanie's post below with a link to her blog. I'm closing my comments to this post, because in this holiday season, no one needs more love, prayers and encouragement than the precious mother who is burying her son. Please go to Melanie's blog and let her know she is not alone.
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Our beautiful, precious Andrew passed from this earth to heaven yesterday. He was scheduled to start treatment yesterday, Dec. 15, but the aggressive tumors grew too fast. He had been sleeping next to me for weeks and he woke up around 1:30 a.m. Monday morning complaining of a terrible headache. He vomited and asked to go to the hospital, knowing it was the only way to get the pain relief that he needed. A cat scan revealed that his brain was full of the cancer and there was nothing medically to be done for him. Soon he was unaware of anything, although we believe his spirit was aware of our presence.

We stayed beside him and soon family and friends gathered in his room. We prayed, cried, loved on him and told him everything we wanted him to know. We were privileged to have him in our family for 12 years.

We sang and we kissed him. He was not able to breathe on his own. After removing the breathing tube, he never even tried to breathe. Soon he was no longer with us. I lay beside him in the bed and loved him. The nurse and I bathed his body. I gave him his first bath and wanted to give him his last.

Thank you so much for your outpouring of prayer, love and support in so many ways. I will be posting pictures of Andrew at some point. They are pictures to celebrate his precious life with us. I told our children yesterday that we will always be a family of 5. Andrew just made it to heaven ahead of us but I know it won't be long until we join him there. This life is just a breath. God is good.

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Give your kids an extra hug today.

Fitness Friday: Five Reasons You Need a Personal Trainer

So, I was doing P90X the other day, getting ready to perform a back exercise called “heavy pants.” With sweat pouring from my brow and blood racing through my veins, I bent over and reached for my 15-pound weights…

But when I got close enough to pick them up, I saw this

Why WHY, I ask you, is there a decapitated mouse literally STUCK to the end of my 15-pound weight? Was it running from the kitty and kamikazed into it? And where, exactly, is the other half of this rodent? I have so many questions. I’m perplexed. I’m disgusted. I’m frightened. I can’t even talk about it. I’m permanently altered as a result of this traumatic event.

Anyhoo…(awkward segue)

I thought I’d keep this post short and sweet this week. Christmas is almost here, and if you aren’t spending time with the people you love…well, you should be. As much as I *heart* that you’re reading my blog, I’d much rather hear that you’re drinking hot chocolate with your kids or meeting your best friend at Starbucks after shopping.

Or that you’re in my basement looking for the top half of my rodent friend.

So without further adieu, I will have yet ANOTHER awkward segue, and tell you a few reasons why I think you should ask Santa for a gift certificate to hire your very own personal trainer after the holidays.

As you may recall, I’ve been working out with a trainer for the last six weeks. I’m normally a lone ranger when it comes to exercise: I don’t like to talk because, quite frankly, it's hard to talk when you can't breathe. Plus, I get so focused on my workout, I just end up being mean to everyone. So I didn’t think I’d really like working out with a trainer much at all. I hired one, basically, to help me lose the few pounds I gained recently.

Pounds that are hanging onto my thighs like a frightened toddler.

I'm finding in all the panting, sweating and post workout muscle aches, I'm losing some inches and *surprise* really enjoy working with a trainer. Best of all, I haven't been mean to him at ALL.

So in the spirit of giving, this Christmas season, I give you

FIVE REASONS YOU NEED A PERSONAL TRAINER

Reason One: A personal trainer will sit down and perform a comprehensive assessment of you and your fitness goals. Then he/she will structure a workout plan to fit your needs. He/she will also walk you through every exercise and help you maintain proper form—a necessity if you want maximum results and minimal injury.

Reason Two: There is something about making an appointment and paying a few dollars to keep you from rolling over and pressing the snooze alarm.

Reason Three: It’s great to have someone hand you a set of heavy weights, look you in the eye and say, “You’re strong…you can do this. Come on, I’ll do it with you.”

Reason Four: A personal trainer will push you harder than you’ll ever push yourself.

Reason Five: : Nothing says “motivation to lose weight” like having a strange man wrap a tape measure around the largest part of your butt, and then write down the number. In the middle of a public fitness facility.

So go right now and write Santa a little letter asking him to bring you a personal trainer for Christmas. Then go have some hot chocolate with your kids or go meet your best friend at Starbucks.

And if you happen to see the top half of my rodent friend, please put him in a ziplock in a far away dumpster, and then please, please thoroughly sanitize the area in which he was found.

Ewwwwwwww…..

21 Days to Clarity, Day 9: Show Up

For Day 8, Click Here


Today the sun is shining. That means my energy level is soaring, thanks to a lovely burst of serotonin. Yes, I’ve set high expectations for myself, this sunny, serotonin-bursting day.

I’m already on my third load of laundry and I’ve got three more to do. While the laundry is doing its thing, I’ll crank out a killer cardio work out, and when that’s done, I’ll play “baby dolls” with my 3-year-old. Then I need to shower and eat before picking up the kiddos from school. I’ve got one child going to see A Christmas Carol with a friend this afternoon, and a babysitter watching the other two. While the sitter is here, I’ve got an eye doctor appointment, a mall appointment, a grocery store appointment and a Christmas postage stamp-buying appointment. When I get home, I need to make Rice Crispy Treats for the 2nd Grade Class Christmas Party and get my three munchkins bathed and in bed.

Productive days. I LOVE ‘em! Tackling the to-do list is a religious experience for this need-for-achievement girl. Today would be a good day to skip my prayer time, would it not? Well, maybe not skip it entirely. Maybe just pray-on-the-go. You know…more efficient prayer. Sing the spiritual Christmas songs on the car radio. Shoot up some quick prayers for the people getting my Christmas cards. Sort of the spiritual equivalent of a granola bar and bottled water. God will understand, right?
One of the most difficult things for me to do—especially on serotonin-bursting, to-do list-tackling days—is to make myself stop and pray. But, ironically, that is exactly what God is calling me to do today. Everyday, actually.

Many years ago when I started seeking Him about hearing His voice more clearly, He revealed to me the value of showing up. Not just when it’s convenient. Not just when I’ve miraculously found the extra hour in my schedule (as IF!).

But Every. Single. Day.

Even when it’s inconvenient. Even when I don’t have time. No, especially when I don’t have time.

"If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.”

~Martin Luther~

I know it doesn’t make sense. But since when does God make sense? I mean that in a good way. No disrespect or anything, but this is also the God who calls us to give away our lives so we can live, give away our wealth so we can prosper, love those who hate us and bless those who curse us. Of course, it only makes sense (or not) that He would also be the God who calls us to stop, pray, read and listen when we don’t have time.

When you make the time to show up, not only will God speak sweet secrets into your heart, but He will also infuse you with power and wisdom to handle your crazy schedule. And then He miraculously increases your time. Or shortens your list. Or makes you more efficient or something. I don’t know how He does it. He just does.

Like I said…He doesn’t make sense. In a good way.

For Day 10, Click Here

21 Days to Clarity, Day 8: Sing

For Day 7, Click here

Today I woke up in a mood. It had everything to do with falling asleep last night in a mood. I won’t throw anyone under the bus or anything, but falling asleep last night in a mood had everything to do with a certain someone (who shall remain nameless) doing a certain something (which shall remain obscure) that kinda sorta hurt my feelings. A lot.

It doesn’t matter who was right (me) or wrong (the other person), what matters now is when I get to the point of stewing over a situation for hours—through the night and into the morning—my chances of hearing God have essentially diminished to zero. And that really stinks, because today is Sunday and I really love to hear what God has to say to me at church. I mean, seriously, God speaks pretty clearly at church, you know? You'd really have to be distracted to miss His voice at church. So, I guess you could say, I’ve got myself quite a situation when I can’t hear Him today.

It’s not that I don’t want to hear God. It’s that my brain would prefer to keep rehearsing the injustice of it all. And long story short, all that rehearsing and stewing essentially hijack my thoughts, thus making God’s voice very faint. Even at church.

I’m no dummy. I know I need to redirect my thoughts and focus them on God. Not only will it help me hear Him today, but it will basically make the day more pleasant for my entire family. But honestly, it’s really difficult for me to do. Maybe it’s just me, but my thoughts are pretty stubborn. They’d much prefer to dwell on all things ugly than on the goodness of God.

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. (Psalm 96:1)

That’s why I’m so thankful God created music. And I-Pods. Because while I’m ironing my church clothes, thinking about all the reasons I’m right and the other person is wrong, I am also listening to Watermark sing,

“Paint me with your purity, that I’d attract your majesty.”

And without even thinking, I start to sing it, too.

At first, it’s not because I want to be painted with purity. To be honest, purity painting is the furthest thing from my mind. I sing at first, because I love the song.

"But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble." (Psalm 59:16)

It isn’t long before I start to listen to what I’m saying:

“When others boast of fame and gold, the purest place is where I’ll go. The purest place. I will draw near. Do what it takes to keep me here. In the center of Your heart. The purest place is where you are.”

After a little while, I recognize the inconsistency between what I’m feeling and what I’m singing. And rather than switch the song (to maybe something more like “You’re so vain. You probably think this song is about you. You’re so vain. You probably think this song is about you, don’t you. Don’t you. Don’t you!!!!”), God begins to switch my thoughts. He redirects them from my hurt feelings to His goodness. He reminds me that even when others let me down, He never will. He embraces me with His unending and unfathomable love. Rather than leaving me to stew in my self-pity, He lifts me up high enough so I can hear Him again.

And even though my situation isn't totally resolved, and even though my feelings are still hurt, at least I've cleared out enough of the junk in my thinking to hear God speak wisdom, mercy and forgiveness into my heart.

An evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad. (Proverbs 29:6)

Are your thoughts distracted today with hurt and disappointment? Try singing a song of praise to God. And if you can’t think of a good song to sing, I’ll let you borrow mine.



Paint me with your purity.
That I’d attract your majest.
When others boast of fame and gold, the purest place is where I’ll go.

The purest place…I will draw near.
Do what it takes to keep me here
In the center of Your heart.
The purest place is where you are.

It’s not with mansions, not with things.
Not in these songs or offerings.
Not in this life, or what it brings.
The purest place is You, my King

If there’s such thing as too beautiful
If there’s such thing as too wonderful
If there’s such thing as to marvelous
Jesus, it’s You, Jesus it’s You.

Fitness Friday: Fitness Friday Girl Answers More Questions

Yes, it's true. This is the third post in a row where I'm answering questions. I'm like a walking Jeopardy Episode.

This week on Lysa’s TerKeurst’s blog, she asked a series of questions surrounding the topic of dieting and healthy eating. The kinds of questions that strike a chord, especially with women. This woman, to be exact. Because I adore Lysa and her blog, I left some insightful comments (read: LONG) in answer to those questions. In fact, after scrolling through them I thought that perhaps the sum of said comments would surely a nifty blog post make.

So here you go…Lysa’s fitness questions, with my responses:

Lysa: Let's be honest. It's hard when your best friend, sister, mother, co-worker, hair dresser…other women you do life with eat whatever they want, whenever they want and never gain an ounce. And while they are munching away on all things delicious, you look down at your mid-day snack of a slice of turkey wrapped in a lettuce leaf and you think, "This is not fair."

Now, I know there are a lot worse things in this world than this…But this is an honest, everyday struggle many of us deal with and I want to address it head on. So, please share your thoughts.


Fitness Friday Girl: I'm so glad you asked this question today. As one of the so called "skinny friends" I think it's important to note that just because my weight may be in a healthy range, it doesn't mean that I don't struggle with it. In fact, it's just the opposite. The REASON I'm fit and thin is because I work hard at it. Every. Single. Day.

For the last 25 years (when I first noticed my metabolism was NOT my friend), I have been making a conscious effort to educate myself about all things nutrition. I can tell you off the top of my head the general calorie count of nearly every food known to man. I read every label before I purchase or consume something. When I am in the privacy of my home, day after day, I can be found eating lettuce-wrapped turkey and drinking tons of water. In the wee hours of the morning, I can be found getting my butt kicked by my personal trainer at the gym or doing P90X in my basement. In the evening, I can be found taking Tylenol to ease the muscle aches from pushing myself so hard.

When I indulge, even just for a few days, the pounds jump on my body just like they jump on yours. The difference is that I spend the next several weeks watching every morsel that goes in my mouth so I can get the 5 pounds off...before it becomes 10, 20 or 30 pounds. Because it will, if I don't watch it. Just like it will on you.

So when you see me at the Christmas party or the girl’s night out, indulging in “all things delicious,” it's probably because I ate a salad for lunch and did 30 extra minutes on the elliptical to compensate for it. Not just this time, but just about every time I let myself really indulge.

When I have a heart-to-heart with those who "accuse" me of being able to eat whatever I want, and explain what I actually do behind closed doors, I usually get a response of, "Oh...I didn't know that." Or, “I could NEVER do that.”

So I guess I say all this to say, just because you have a "skinny" friend, it doesn't mean she doesn't struggle or work very, very hard to stay that way. It's just like everything the Enemy of our souls tries to do with women: Make us believe that everyone has it together but us. It's a lie.

Sure, there may be the rare person out there who is just plain genetically thin. But she is the exception. And just because she’s genetically thin does not mean she is healthy, and therefore, is not necessarily something we should strive for. She may not have weight issues, but if she doesn't watch it, she will have other health issues down the road from her lack of nutrition and lack of exercise.

And finally (deep breath...not that I feel passionate about this or anything!), remember that EVERYONE has weaknesses. While I may have a handle on my fitness routine and nutrition, I struggle with my temper, my impatience and my quick tongue. I absolutely hate it. I have to keep a CONSTANT check on it or it flares up and hurts others without warning. I often wish I had a different temperament...one that is naturally gentle and sweet. I’m afraid I don't.

Others may not struggle with weight, but maybe they struggle with gossip or drug addiction or impure thoughts or laziness or jealousy...It's easy to look at our sisters and say, "If only I had HER struggle."
But REALLY? Is that what we REALLY want? I don’t think we do.



Lysa: I realize this is probably the worst time to be asking this question. Which in a strange sense makes it the best time to ask this question. Why do we so often gain back the weight we lose? It's the worst time to ask this question because December is a month heavy laden with goodies of all sorts. But it's the best time to ask because December is a month heavy laden with goodies of all sorts. So, what are your thoughts?

Fitness Friday Girl: When we drastically change our diets for any length of time to lose weight and then start eating "normally" again, it totally messes with our metabolism. I don't think people realize how much food, chemicals, environment, stress and muscle affect our metabolism and thus, our abilities to burn calories efficiently.

In August, I went on a 40 day fast and only ate fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, water and tea. I continued to work out 3-5 times per week, but did mostly cardio and very little weight training, because I didn’t really have the endurance to do so. I lost about 5 pounds during the fast.

When I came off the fast and started to eat and work out normally--which is still really healthy, but includes grains, dairy, sugar and some meat--I gained 10 pounds in 6 weeks. TEN POUNDS! I freaked out. Never had I weighed that much other than pregnancy.

Six weeks ago in an effort to combat the weight gain, I hired a personal trainer, who I meet with once or twice a week. I also started incorporating P90X workouts into my routine, and added time onto each cardio session. In the last 6 weeks I’ve lost a total of, let's see here...hold on..remainder 5…carry the 2...that equals, um…NOTHING. NOT A SINGLE POUND! Can you believe that? I can't.

I totally messed up my metabolism by taking entire food groups out of my diet and then putting them right back in when the fast was done. I lost muscle mass because I stopped weight training for that period of time. And it doesn’t help that I’m 41 years old and the old metabolism ain’t what she used to be.

Though I don't regret doing the fast at all, I do regret adding all that stuff back into my diet so quickly. It has been very, very difficult to get the weight off, and it is very frustrating.

That is why we hear all the time that “fitness is a LIFESTYLE” and "Diets don't work." Because changing our eating and exercise for only a short time to get off the weight is just that: a short term fix. It takes complete and total life changes to keep the weight off.

Lysa: I think we all agree that making life style changes is the key to lasting success. So, let's chat about that. What is a lifestyle change? Is it truly possible to eat healthy forever?

Fitness Friday Girl: Lifestyle changes will be different for everyone. If a person struggles with eating too much, then a lifestyle change for her will be to learn to eat healthy portions. If a person lives a life of inactivity, then her lifestyle change will center on finding an exercise routine she loves and will do consistently. If a person is addicted to fast food or soda, then her lifestyle change will require her to cut unhealthy food out of her diet and incorporate healthy substitutes.

But the rules are the same for everyone. There are no short cuts. No quick fixes. A healthy lifestyle consists of eating nutritious food in healthy portions as well as exercising regularly (at the very least, three times per week.)

With regard to your question, “Is it really possible to eat healthy forever?” I have to answer a resounding “YES,” but with qualifications. We need to define what we mean by “healthy forever.” If you mean “healthy forever” as in a person will never eat another cookie or skip a work out as long as she lives—a life of total perfection—then, no. If you mean “healthy forever” as in a person eats a balanced diet consisting mostly of whole foods, then, yes. If you mean “healthy forever” as in a person leads an active lifestyle, engaging in some form of exercise on most days, then, yes.

I like to look at my fitness routine like a budget. Most of the time, I watch what I spend. I’m frugal by nature and ,therefore, usually look for smart buys and restrain impulse spending. But that doesn’t mean I don’t occasionally splurge on a great outfit or a memorable vacation. It just means that when I do splurge, I plan for the splurge…save for the splurge. If I splurge spontaneously (and that happens!), then I must adjust the budget for a time to compensate for the over-spending. If I don’t, I will eventually be spending more than I have, deplete my savings and bury myself in debt.

It’s the same with a healthy lifestyle. Most of the time—probably 80% of the time—I eat very, very healthy food. Lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins. But I also indulge. I like cookies. I like real cream in my coffee. I like Graeter’s Peanut butter Chip Ice Cream!!! Sometimes my indulging is planned, sometimes it’s not. But regardless, if I choose to indulge, I must compensate for it somewhere, either by eating fewer calories for a while, or exercising harder and longer for the next few work outs. If I don’t, I will gain weight. Striking this balance is the key to long-term lifestyle changes. Is it easy? No. Is it do-able? Absolutely!

Now I pose these same questions to you, readers. You're a smart group of folks. What are your thoughts?

And don't forget to check out Debbie at Heart Choices. She's back this week with her thoughts on proper body image. Love it!!!

And my friend Sarah at All Pain No Gain blogged about filling up the healthy way. Good stuff.

21 Days To Clarity, Day 7: Cast All Your Stuff On God

For Day 6, Click Here


Thanks to Writer’s Block Syndrome, I’m addressing a reader’s question today. Thank you, Lisa, for jolting me out of my catatonic state and giving me a viable subject for today’s post.

Okay Sandy, maybe you can blog about the kind of day I have had and offer some inspiring words. I had one of those days dominated by some evil force that negatively affected everything I touched. Bad incident at work involving incompetents followed by finding out someone I know has terminal cancer followed by my daughter hurting her knee at dance (not bad), followed by finding out how much money I will have to pay the dance studio for costumes, tuition, seminar fees and competition fees (ten days BEFORE Christmas thankyouverymuch), followed by spilling cold coffee on my kitchen floor and then having a kitchen drawer collapse after putting away a pot holder. Please tell me why there are days like this?

~Lisa~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Lisa,

Well, I think you were onto something when you said your day was “dominated by some evil force.” I’m not one to blame every bad hair day on the devil, but the Bible does give credence to the fact that there is an evil force, his name is Satan, and he walks around looking for ways to destroy us:

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

(I Peter 5:8)

So while all those things you described in your day may not have been a direct result of evil, some of it probably was. I’m thinking particularly the collapsing drawer. It simply defies the laws of physics, as a potholder cannot singlehandedly detach a drawer from its brackets. Only a possessed potholder could accomplish that.

Not only is Satan trying to destroy you, but he is the master of distraction. If he can get you to focus on all the irritating things of the day instead of focusing on God’s will for you, then he’s accomplished his goal and rendered you ineffective. Because, basically, whatever you focus on will be the thing you move toward.

To test this theory, drive down the highway at 65 mph and then look at the trash littering the side of the road. Now try to continue driving in your lane, while staying focused on the trash. See what I mean?

And while entire books have been written on bad things happening to good people, I can briefly say, one of the other reasons we have bad days is that people do stupid things. And sometimes the stupid person is me. And sometimes the stupid person is you. I’m not saying you did anything stupid to create the circumstances of your bad day, but sometimes we do and we reap the consequences. Other times we reap the consequences of someone ELSE'S stupidity. We all sin and sin always affects innocent people. That’s one of the reasons it’s so destructive, and basically frowned upon in Scripture.

But here is a really cool thing…look at that scripture in context:

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.


Here, God is telling us a few things about our trials:

1. We should cast all our anxiety (everything, even if we caused it) on to Him. God cares more about us than we are able to comprehend. So He certainly cares about the details of our day. It’s totally OK to throw up your arms to God and say, “Please help!” I do it all the time. I did it this evening, as a matter of fact.

2. We have the power to resist our enemy and stand firm in our faith. What does that look like? Well, with me, it goes sort of like this, “I refuse to allow the enemy or my circumstances to dictate how I will react. I know that God lives in me and therefore has given me a spirit of self-control. I do not need to freak out or be discouraged. I can still be loving, joyful and peaceful because God gives me the strength to do this. I will give thanks in all circumstances, because this is God’s will for me.”

You don’t have to say it exactly like this, but I can tell you that if you recite a little bit of Truth, the enemy will flee while you stand firm.

3. We can take comfort in knowing we are not alone…everyone has really, really bad days like the one you’ve described. Maybe not today, but rest assured, we have all been there or will be there at some point. It’s a sure thing.

And one last point: I believe one huge misconception about life, in general, and hearing God’s voice in particular stems from the notion that we have been guaranteed a trial-free life. We may not say those words out loud, but we live like we believe it. We are utterly shocked when things spin out of control. We’re certain something has gone terribly wrong. We must not be hearing God, or we must have stepped out of His will, or something somewhere is off-balance and we must fix it.

That’s pretty much the opposite of what the Bible teaches:

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

(John 16:33)
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

(I Peter 4:12-13)

Yes, God promises us trouble and suffering.

Um, Yippeee?????

But He does not want us to attach our joy and peace to our circumstances. The Spirit of God dwelling in us actually empowers us to transcend our circumstances. And then He does a really awesome thing…He actually takes those difficult circumstances and works them for our ultimate good.

God is a God of redemption. He can take the most painful, distressing and discouraging situation turn it around and make something really amazing come out of it.

Like this blog post, for example…your bad day produced this amazing blog post.

Just kidding.

There are so many examples of God doing this in the Bible, I wouldn’t even know where to start. Just trust me when I say, redemption is simply a character trait of God. If there is something destructive in your life—from difficult situations at work, to financial hardships at Christmastime to friends with cancer—you can be certain that God wants to redeem it.

Mainly by

1. Perfecting your character—that is, basically just making you a more loving, patient and faithful person

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (James 1:1-3)

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (I Peter 1:5-7)

OR by

2. Showing Himself strong in you. He knows sometimes the trials of your life are simply too much for you to handle. If you could handle them on your own, you wouldn’t need God. And, basically, God wants you to need Him. And then He wants you to tell other people it was God’s power that pulled you through.

But he 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. (II Corinthians 12:9)

So dear, Lisa, hang in there, my friend. We don’t always know why the bad days come, but we do know how to respond. And in doing so, we clear the way for God to work some pretty amazing things in our lives. I promise.

For Day 8, Click here

An Exclusive Interview with Me

God Speaks Today can now be found on the Five Minutes For Moms Directory. As part of this grand initiation, the lovely ladies there snagged an exlusive interview with me. It sounds like they came to my beachfront home while I sat cross-legged on my couch and sipped tea. In reality, I filled out an on-line questionnaire at midnight in my bed. And I live in a beach-front home only in my wildest imagination.

So, here it is...everything you ever wanted to know about moi.

Sandy, Why do you blog?

Because after years of journaling, I figured God wanted me to share some of the things He was teaching me with someone else. Besides, my journal never left me encouraging comments.

When did you start blogging?

March, 2008


What do you blog about?

With rare exception, I tie each and every post in some way to hearing God’s voice. I love to give vulnerable and honest examples from my own life to show how God can speak to anyone–even the simple-minded–if we have a humble heart towards Him. On Fridays, I always talk about fitness and nutrition. I’m a health nut and I love to inspire others to be healthy, too.

Do you have any advice for blogging newbies?

Yes! Here are some things I wish I knew from the beginning:
1. Write good content.
2. Write often.
3. Read and comment on other blogs.
4. Respond to your commenters
5. Say it simply
6. Always look for ways to improve your writing and your blog, either in content or in presentation.

Do you like to chat with your visitors through comments?

I try in some way to respond to all my visitors who comment. I realize that may not always be possible, but for now, it is, and I enjoy the community.


Do any of your family or off-line friends read your blog?

Only by force. Sometimes I drug them.

When and where do you blog?

Whenever the children are sleeping and wherever they are not.

How much time per day/week do you spend writing and reading blogs?

Probably 10-20 hours per week??? Yikes!

How did you first hear about blogging?

When I began blogging, the only blog I read was Lysa TerKeurst’s. I was so inspired by her daily writing that I decided I could do the same thing. Just not as well.

What was the first blog you ever read?
See above.

What inspires you?
Watching my children. Time in the Word of God. Exercising outside. Music of all kinds. A good cup of coffee. The ocean. Relationships. Silence.


How has blogging impacted your life?

Blogging has radically changed my life in countless ways. First, it has given me a writing venue through which I have literally reached people around the world. It has caused me to become more disciplined and serious about my writing. It has helped me find my writing voice. It has opened up a world of new relationships with some of the most precious people I know.

21 Days to Clarity, Day 6: Follow the Process

For Day Five Click Here


God knew exactly what He was doing when He called me NOT to home school. It’s not that I don’t think home schooling is wonderful and beneficial for the entire family. I do. And had God blessed me with a different temperament, we would have chosen that path. But if I home schooled my precious kids, as much as my children and I share mutual love and adoration, I fear we may hurt one another. See, the tension level rises exponentially in our home whenever a certain child needs certain assistance with a certain subject.

It usually starts off with a simple request of, “Mom, will you explain this to me?” and a simple reply of, “Certainly.”

Then I start to look over the material to figure out what she’s working on, and she immediately starts to get frustrated that I have to look back through the entire chapter to refresh my memory. She seems to forget that although I graduated from college with honors, it’s been about 31 years since I did fifth-grade math, and therefore takes about 31 years to figure out how to answer her question.

Anyway, once I get a handle on the material, I generally try to guide her through the entire mathematical process so she can answer the problem on her own. Her irritation with me escalates because now she KNOWS I know the answer, but instead of just telling it to her so she can get on with her life, I’m walking her through the problem, line-by-line, step-by-step. And, not only that, but I’m making her show her work.

“Mom! Just tell me the answer! I don’t need to go through this whole problem again! ARRRRRRRRR”

“Yes, you do. If you learn it now, it will help you solve all the other problems like this. I’m not doing you any favors by just giving you the answer. Math is like building blocks…you learn certain principles and then you build on them blah blah, blah blah blah blah blah blah….”

Usually, about this time, she’s rolling her eyes and mumbling something like, “I’ll just ask Mrs. W. in the morning…” While I’m hovering over her shoulder lecturing her about lining up her decimal points.

And it goes downhill from there. And herein lies the reason I send my kids to school.

In the practice of hearing God’s voice, I’m so much like my daughter. It usually starts with a simple request of, “God will you tell me what to do?” and a simple reply of, “Certainly!”

But it isn’t long before I start to get frustrated. See, I know God knows the answer. And I know that if He wanted to, He could speak clearly enough for me to understand—either audibly or through a vision or by way of angel or SOMETHING—anything to just give me the answer so I could obey and get on with my life. That seems like the easiest, most logical and most efficient thing to do, doesn’t it? But God doesn’t usually just “give” me the answer. He starts guiding me, directing me, convicting me, wooing me.

The Lord is trying to teach the people a lesson;
he is trying to make them understand his teachings.
But the people are like babies too old for breast milk,
like those who no longer nurse at their mother's breast.
So they make fun of the LORD's prophet and say:
"A command here, a command there.
A rule here, a rule there.
A little lesson here, a little lesson there." (Isaiah 28:9-10 NCV)

While God knows the answer to my question, He also knows that it will serve me better to guide me through a spiritual process. Serving God is like building blocks. The initial principles we learn never change, but instead provide a foundation upon which we build everything else we learn. Going through the step-by-step progression while we are seeking direction reinforces those Biblical truths and teaches us vital spiritual insight. Insight we will need tomorrow and next year and 31 years from now. Insight we will need for future hearing—future serving.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew 7:24-27)

So if today, you are rolling your eyes at God and saying, “Just give me the answer already,” remember that understanding the spiritual process will serve you better in the long run—so you can serve HIM better in the long run.

For Day 7, Click Here

Watch "The Doctors," Save a Baby

On June 30, 1998, my nine-month-old son, Noah, died. The disease that killed him is called LCHAD, and it is one of about 80 known metabolic disorders. Though this disease has no symptoms, it is completely detectable with a simple heel-stick blood test at birth, now known as Comprehensive Newborn Screening. Had we known about Noah's metabolic disorder, we would have been able to treat it...and today I would have four living children instead of three.

On Monday, December 7th, The Doctors will be discussing the importance of comprehensive Newborn Screening with special guests, Scott and Renee Baio. Opening the show will be the Save Babies Through Screening Foundation’s (SBTS) produced Newborn Screening PSA, featuring Scott and Renee Baio. Tune in to see Scott and Renee visit a brand new mom at the hospital and be there for the moment the baby gets his comprehensive Newborn Screening. Then, the panel of doctors, along with Scott and Renee, will discuss how screening regulations are different throughout the United States and what can happen when babies aren't screened properly. This episode could save a life; you won't want to miss it!

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS FOR AIRING TIME AND CHANNEL

Newborn screening is a vital public health activity that is essential for preventing the devastating consequences of certain metabolic, hormonal, genetic and or functional disorders not clinically recognizable at birth. If all infants are diagnosed and treated early, serious problems including disability and even death can be averted. Disparities among states screening tests persist, which could have dire consequences for an infant diagnosed with one of these rare and extremely serious birth defects. Early diagnosis and proper treatment are essential and can make the difference between lifelong impairment and healthy development.

“With all the statistics, politics, and government budgets, it is sometimes easy to overlook what newborn screening is all about - saving lives,” says Jill Levy-Fisch, President of Save Babies Through Screening Foundation. “This show is a great education and awareness opportunity for the more than 1 million viewers that typically watch the show. We are so thankful to Scott and Renee for all of their efforts to spread awareness of newborn screening. This also means that the SBTS Newborn Screening Public Service announcement will be seen by more than 1 million viewers on Monday – wonderful!”

The Doctors TV Show produced by Phil McGraw and his son Jay McGraw, talks about health and medical issues. The Doctors is hosted by ER doctor and The Bachelor contestant Travis Lane Stork, with pediatrician Jim Sears, obstetrician/gynecologist Lisa Masterson, marriage and family therapist Tara Fields, and plastic surgeon Andrew Ordon.