Lysa TerKeurst | 2010 April

Monday, April 26

the treasure of thrown away food

Last night I was editing my college son’s term paper when something so powerful jumped out and literally grabbed my heart. If there was ever a secret for unleashing God’s powerful peace in a situation, it’s developing a heart of true thanksgiving. My son, Jackson, knows this.

The truly thankful person is a truly peaceful person. They have made a habit no matter what to notice, pause and choose.

Noticing something for which to be thankful no matter what circumstance they’re in.

Pausing to acknowledge this something as a reminder of God’s presence.

Choosing to focus on God’s presence until His powerful peace is unleashed.

Jackson’s paper was about the corruption and greed that caused the civil war in his native land- Liberia, Africa. He did a great job recounting the facts of the story. But the difference between Jackson and most other kids explaining a historical event, is before we adopted him- he lived in the midst of the horrific conditions of this war.

During one part of the paper, he described what it felt like to be naked digging through the trash looking for the treasure of thrown away food.

The treasure of thrown away food.

I can hardly type those words without crying. This is my son.

And yet, despite the horrific conditions of His childhood there was an unexplainable thread of peace woven through his recollection of the story. A powerful peace centered in the awareness of God’s presence.

I doubt any of us will find our treasure in thrown away food today. But will we be a noticer, a pauser, a chooser- a person of thanksgiving no matter what circumstance we’re facing?

I find this truth about the power of thanksgiving over and over in Scripture. What was the prayer Daniel prayed right before being thrown in the Lion’s den and witnessing God miraculously shutting the Lion’s mouths? Thanksgiving.

After three days in the belly of a fish, what was the cry of Jonah’s heart right before he was finally delivered onto dry land? Thanksgiving.

How are we instructed to pray in Phil. 4:6 when we feel anxious? With thanksgiving.

And what is the outcome of each of these situations where thanksgiving is proclaimed? Peace. Powerful, unexplainable, uncontainable peace.

“And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,” (Phil. 4:7).

One of Webster’s official definitions of thanksgiving is: “a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness.”

I wonder how we might celebrate God’s divine goodness today?

I wonder what might happen if we decide in the midst of our circumstances today to notice, pause, and choose something for which we can truly be thankful…..

When my heart feels desperate

Welcome P31 Encouragement for Today devotion readers… I’m so glad you’ve popped over for a visit. If you are looking for the free download click on the box to the right called When God Hurts Your Feelings.

Yesterday, I wrote about praying that the Spirit of God would lay across my home. If you missed that post, you can click here to read more.

Today, I want to talk about asking the Spirit of God to lay across our heart.

For the past couple of months I’ve sensed I need God’s most tender mercies more than ever right now. It’s not that I’m going through any kind of crisis. I just feel completely desperate for Him.

If you’ve ever heard me give my testimony you know part of what I share is being a little girl twirling around next to my Daddy wishing I could know for sure that he loved me. I think in his own way, he did love me. But something was broken in our relationship that left me feeling desperate for reassurance.

Over the years, God has healed my heart in miraculous ways. God has whispered all those things I wished my earthly father would have said. I know for sure God’s love for me is deep, unwavering, and certain.

But there are still times I catch myself twirling again. Crying out again. Wishing I could feel totally secure. Hating my insecurities. And mad that this struggle I thought was over, surfaces still.

Maybe it always will.

And maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

For it keeps me desperate for a reassurance I can’t get any other way.

I can stand in an arena with thousands of people clapping for the message I just gave… and still feel my heart desperately twirling.

I can hear my husband tell me a hundred times that he loves me and no, my butt isn’t big… and still feel my heart desperately twirling.

I can conquer my food demons and finally fit back into my skinny jeans… and still feel my heart desperately twirling.

The only thing that stops the desperation, the uncertainties, the insecurities, the twirling… is for the Spirit of God to lay across my heart and make it still. The blanket of His presence and His protection is the only perfect fit for the deep creases and crevices carved inside me.

I don’t know what tough things you’ve been through in your life sweet sister, but I do know brokenness is universal. We all have things in life that trigger deep insecurities and our own personal twirling about looking for reassurance.

But here’s the amazing thing.

While brokenness is universal- with God redemption is also universal. No matter what cracks and crevices we have in our heart, if we seek the truth of God above all else He will work all things out for good. “Whatever is true… think about such things… And the God of peace will be with you,” (Philippians 4: 8-9).

Lord, may your spirit fall fresh upon each of us today. Remind us. Reassure us. Rest upon us. Help us to be still and know that you are our God.

It would be my complete honor and privilege to pray for you and whatever circumstance you are facing right now. Please leave your pray request in the comments box below. Throughout the day I will personally be lifting you up.

And if you identify with what I wrote about here or in my P31 devotion today, consider getting a copy of my latest book, “Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl” by clicking here. The accompanying DVD teaching series can be found by clicking here.

Sweet Blessings friend~

A contest and a stirring

Today is a big day at P31! We are giving away another Cecil Murphy She Speaks scholarships. If you’d like to join in the fun, hop over to Renee’s blog to get started and read all the rules.

I’ll be sure to enter my comments into the contest as well. So, if you want to be considered for the $575 She Speaks scholarship for speakers, say so when you leave your comment below. And be sure to include your name and contact info if you post anonymously.

I think I was supposed to write about speaking today. But something else is really stirring in me. So I’m being a little rule breaker in the hopes that some mama’s hearts need to hear this.

Several years ago I was reviewing an application one of my teen aged sons filled out in hopes of getting a job. I carefully examined each blank… name, date of birth, address, social security number… and then all of the sudden one of his answers made me giggle.

Beside the blank asking his sex, he simply wrote, “no.”

They were asking whether he was male or female, not whether or not he had ever had sex. But lands alive, I was sure happy to see that no. My giggles quickly gave way to a sigh of relief. I threw my arms around my boy and whispered how much I loved him and his sweet innocence.

Oh how I want each of my kids to stay pure and innocent.

I see them growing into ages and stages when I did some really dumb things. I had a great mama with a keen eye for keeping her girl on the straight and narrow when I was in high school. But when I headed off to college, things went a little haywire.

I started living for the moment and basing every decision on what would make me feel good and feel accepted into the “in crowd.”

It was a powerful lure then.

It’s a powerful lure now.

I think about this often as I pray diligently for my kids and train them to make good choices- often times uncommon choices in today’s society. This world is tough.

But the other weekend Angela Thomas was speaking just after me at the E-Women conference and she shared something so powerful, I feel compelled to share it with you.

She described how she prays every day for the Spirit of God to lay across her house. And she prays her kids will feel it. She prays they feel the Spirit of God when they eat their cereal and when they blow dry their hair and they kick their shoes underneath their bed and when they hang out as a family.

She prays the Spirit of God laying on top of them will become their normal and what feels right. That way if they leave home and start sticking their toes outside the will of God it will feel so wrong, they will just have to run back to Him.

I love that. I want my kids to crave the covering of God as well. So, I’ve started praying for the Spirit of God to lay across my house each day too.

I know with 5 kids I will probably experience some times where toes venture out. But I’m telling you right now, their mama’s prayers and the covering of God will be right there to step on them every time.

Yes ma’am.

And you better believe I will keep checking the sex blank on every single one of their job applications. I’m just saying.

I love you sweet sisters and am praying for you and your families today.

And for one of you, I’m praying God makes sure you get this scholarship so I can see you soon at She Speaks!