Liv
Extracts of Truth & Encouragement from a Growth Journey with God
How Beautiful Are the Feet … Especially in a Shoe Store
God brings His message and deliverance in the nick of time in the unlikeliest of places … even in a shoe store.
My Husband’s Story
My husband has had his eye on a different position within the same company for a year. There has been talk of the position being added to a certain department, and my husband has planned and prepared in order to be in the best position possible once it did come available. Crickets. We waited, trusting.
The long-awaited interview finally arrived last week. As my husband prepared, he carefully picked out his outfit for the interview. I know what I’m about to say doesn’t seem spiritual, but it does tie in; bear with me. His outfit had a lot of gray and black tones, but the shoes he had were brown with black soles. They didn’t give off the impression he was hoping for, so I suggested he go to the store and buy some different shoes.
We discussed several stores that may have what would look best with his outfit. I even looked up one of the stores online and perused what they had to offer. They really didn’t have what he was looking for in stock; only a couple pairs looked like possibilities, but they were online only.
As he planned his outing, he figured he would hit that store last … until he began to drive and decided to stop there first, instead. In the parking lot, before he entered the store, his nerves about the next day’s interview really stirred up … so did his conversation with God.
Once inside the store, he looked around and found a pair of shoes he considered. He sat there praying in the store, asking whether or not he really needed to buy the shoes. He had shoes that could work and thought if he got passed over for the job because of his shoes, it really wasn’t meant to be.
As he prayed, a couple approached him. He was in the middle of something very important to him, and the couple felt like a distraction … until they spoke.
The young couple explained what church they attended and that they were going about their day asking the LORD who He wanted them to pray for. They explained they were there shoe shopping, just like my husband was, but God led them specifically to him.
They proceeded to ask if there was anything, big or small, going on in his life that they could pray about. Now, you have to know my husband. He’s not one who will openly share the tough or personal stuff going on in our lives (that’s, obviously, me!), so the peace that he had about sharing with them was amazing!
My husband looked up to God, smiled, and proceeded to share with them that he was a believer, too, went to church just blocks from theirs, was anticipating a big interview the next day, and was just praying about whether or not God wanted him to buy the shoes he was looking at for the interview. As he recalled the story, he said the smiles on the amazed couple’s faces were huge as they listened and asked about the interview.
Now, they weren’t just planning on praying FOR my husband, though that would have been jaw-dropping enough; they prayed WITH him … in the store! The man asked permission to touch my husband on the shoulder while they prayed over him and his interview. There, in the middle of the shoe store, the three believers prayed together: quite an unlikely place, but it was the most perfect place!
The Peace and victory my husband experienced in that store were overwhelming, and he left without buying the shoes! As he put it, he got exactly what he needed there!
The Result
That Peace that rose over my husband has been consuming him ever since: leading up to the interview, in the midst of it, and even after! It’s all over his face and so, so evident! It’s beautiful!
“How beautiful and delightful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace, who brings good news of good [things], who announces salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’ Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices. Together they shout for joy … Break forth. Shout joyfully together … for the LORD has comforted His people … The LORD has bared His holy arm (His infinite power) before the eyes of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God.”
Isaiah 52:7-10 AB
The mountains, in this case, may be the aisle of a shoe store, but the feet of that couple who accepted the role of being messengers were beautiful and appropriate at just the right time! They brought good news of God’s watchful, intentional, loving care; of victory over the enemy who tried to bring fear and doubt; and of the One Who exercises His power and authority in everyday places!
What Now?
This is our God, Liv! We have been watching for His hand and have seen it in countless ways, but this experience is a mountaintop in our lives! He’s comforted us (His kids, whom He paid a valuable price for) and exposed His power: not just to us but also to the messenger couple and, maybe, others in the store! We can’t help but lift up our voices and shout for joy! Before all, we’re forever grateful!
If you’re willing, ask Him how He wants to use you to deliver His message!
Branded: What’s Your Mark?
Marked initials, cattle brands, trademarks, and logos all identify that something belongs to someone. What’s your mark or identifier, and how is it visible?
Marks are everywhere. Maybe you wrote a child’s name or initials on a backpack, or you put your name on something in a fridge to mark it as yours. Perhaps you saw a logo on something you bought, or you looked for the registered trademark symbol on a product to identify if it was real or a knock-off.
To know who something belongs to is easy if you take a look, even from a distance.
What a Shepherd Has to Do with Marks and Ownership
I was recently given a book entitled A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.
The book’s author, W. Phillip Keller, “grew up and lived in East Africa, surrounded by simple native herders whose customs closely resembled those of their counterparts in the Middle East.”1 He was also a sheep owner and rancher as a young man and brought shepherding full circle by being a lay pastor (shepherd) of a community church later on. His unique experiences have allowed him to shed light on things concerning sheep and shepherding that are, typically, not understood fully when we look at Psalm 23.
In the first chapter of the book, “The LORD Is My Shepherd”, he talked much about marks and ownership. He told how, to put his mark on his sheep, he had “to catch each ewe…and lay her ear on a wooden block, then notch it deeply with the razor-sharp edge of the knife. There was pain for both of [them]. But from [their] mutual suffering an indelible lifelong mark of ownership was made that could never be erased.”
This has stuck with me since I read it.
What’s the Significance in the Shepherd Owning and Claiming His Sheep?
If you own something and care about it, you protect your rights to it by marking it as yours. Companies and individuals go to great lengths to patent ideas, designs, names, and processes. People write on clothes, pencil cases, folders, and papers they turn in to claim things as theirs. We get beeped at stores, sometimes, and have to show a store employee our receipt, so they know that we paid for a valuable item (that it’s rightfully ours). Even our last names say we belong to someone…to our family.
In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation, and [as a result] believed in Him, were stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit [the One promised by Christ] as owned and protected [by God].
Ephesians 1:13 AB
Jesus called Himself “the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11), and He paid a price for us, His sheep. We’re a valuable purchase, and the price was steep! And just like a shepherd earmarks the sheep he or she buys to show they belong to him, Christ bought us with a price–His blood (1 Peter 1:9)–and marks us with His Spirit to make known that we’re owned and protected by God, our Father.
I’ve Heard This Before. What’s Your Unique Takeaway?
It may not be unique, but it has been stirring in my soul for days. Mr. Keller explained in his book that, even at a distance, “it is easy to determine to whom the sheep belongs.”
We have, at times, reminded our kids that their actions not only represent (sometimes, falsely) who they are; they also represent us and our family. Even bigger than that, they represent the One they belong to, their Shepherd!
You don’t have to be up close and personal always to tell. It can be from far away.
So, I’ve been asking myself:
- What marks am I displaying? Whatever they are, do they accurately reflect the One I belong to, Who paid an extreme price for me and thought I was valuable enough to do so?
- I have the mark of His Spirit on me, but is it visible to others? Am I allowing God’s characteristics (e.g., love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) to be produced in me through His Spirit to be recognizable to those who not only have close encounters with me but see me and my actions from afar?
Yesterday, my daughter and I went to our local farmers’ market. The parking lot was crazy, and it was hard to find a place to park!
A man behind us had gotten into his vehicle, pulled out of his spot, and headed toward us, not leaving much room between his vehicle and ours.
An oncoming vehicle was dealing with a vendor’s trailer in their lane. I wanted to help and give them room to exit, so I stopped, put my vehicle in reverse, and tried to back up. The man behind me wasn’t very patient nor understanding and began “laying on his horn.” I started waving to him to back up.
I didn’t think what I did would be seen as rude…until I felt the Spirit stirring and rolled down my window to speak to the occupants of the oncoming vehicle as they safely pulled up beside me to pass. Apparently, it looked to them as if I was throwing a fit. It wasn’t until I explained what I was doing to let them pass that they said, “Oooooooh!” and wished us blessings.
I’m thankful the Spirit stirred inside me and provided an opportunity to set my intentions straight, more properly representing the One Whom I belong to. They became aware of my goal, but did the guy behind us? That situation is fresh and has made me think, in considering Whose I am, if there was anything else I could’ve done to bear my Shepherd’s mark better. I want others, if they take a look, to always see that I am my LORD’s; and that I and my God are the real deal, not a knock-off.
- Keller, W. Phillip. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. Zondervan, 1970/2015. ↩︎
Hospitality Defined (It May Be Different Than What You Think)
What do you think of when you hear the word “hospitality”? Do you get an image of people gathered around a table, food in front of them, and a great time shared with friends? Does “spiritual gift” enter your mind or, even, the words “host/hostess”?
My mom and dad were often opening their home while I was growing up (they still are!). They housed music groups who sang at their church or missionaries who came into town. They invited people over for lunch after church or on a holiday, if they didn’t have family in town. Their home (and hearts) were open and dedicated to serving God and reaching out to others.
I read a devotional the other day about hospitality, and it got me thinking.
In Romans 12, Paul lists a number of things that should be part of a believer’s life, and hospitality is one of them! It’s not a gift given to some; it’s a command for all believers! Believers in Christ have received the gift of the Spirit of God (Eph. 1:12-14); the Spirit enables all believers to do all of the things listed below in order to bring God glory, that others will have a positive opinion about Him through encountering us!
“Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.
Romans 12:10-14 NLT
And this isn’t even all of the directives in this section!
So, this is the part that got me the most: As I read the devotional, I’d been bed-ridden for going on a week, which has been fairly typical this past month. I am physically unable to open our home, prepare a meal, and have people over. This got me wondering. If hospitality is a directive for every believer, it must be possible for every believer. Do I, then, have a correct understanding of what hospitality is? What does it look like, especially in my given state? How can I do what He’s asking of me? I set out on a mission.
In my digging, I found out that the Greek word that’s translated in many versions of Scripture as “hospitality” is philoxenia.
philoxenia = phílos (“friend”) + xenos (“a stranger”) = warmth (friendliness) shown to strangers
This gave me a lot to think about and cleared so much up for me! Hospitality isn’t about having friends over, according to this context. Can it be about opening my home? Sure. But the focus here lies on “friendliness shown to strangers”, which can be done anywhere.
- It’s the friendly words and tone I use in writing an email to a staff member at my kids’ school.
- It applies to how I chat with the representative who still hasn’t answered my question after my repeating it clearly and in different ways, literally, eight times!
- It’s dealing with the cashier at the restaurant who seems a bit short on patience and kindness and needs some sent her way.
- It has everything to do with how I treat those in line at the grocery store who are taking forever and just forgot something they need to run back for.
Before looking into the meaning of “hospitality”, I would never have categorized any of the things above as such, but it appears to be and makes sense. These are things all believers can do, with the enabling of the Spirit of God, no matter where we are physically, financially, etc.
The Greek word before philoxenia is diṓkō.
diṓkō = “aggressively chase, like a hunter pursuing a catch (prize)“1
This word can have a positive or negative meaning to it. In a negative context, it could be aggressively pursuing someone to persecute or hurt them. In a positive context, which Romans 12:13 is, it means that we’re to energetically chase after opportunities to be friendly to complete strangers.
How often do we do this? We may choose the right option if it’s placed in front of us, but do we hunt down opportunities to be friendly to someone we don’t know?
This week, pray about this and pursue opportunities (at least one) to be friendly to someone unfamiliar to you.
I’d love to hear about your experience! Give them a glimpse of Who God is! It may catch their attention and impact them for eternity.
1“5381.Philoneksia.” Bible Hub, accessed on 16 July 2023, https://biblehub.com/greek/5381.htm.
Is _______ Growing? I Can’t See It!
Maybe you haven’t asked this question in this particular way, but you may have asked something like:
- I’m obeying what You asked me to do, LORD. Why is this happening?
- I’m obeying you. I’ve stepped out and am following where You’ve led me. But is this REALLY is the path You have for me? I’m not seeing what I thought You’d bring from this.
- If You told me to go this way, LORD, why do I feel like I’m going solo?
Have you been there? I have…a number of times. Even in writing this blog, I’ve been there! I’ve wondered how He’ll use each post He’s led me to write, the blog as a whole, and even my obedience. Will He grow fruit now or further down the road?
We’ve been studying the book of Ruth at church. I love that book. I’ve deeply studied it other times in the past, and I’m still gleaning (no pun intended) truths that apply to my life today.
I was asking the LORD for direction in my alone time with Him this week. He specifically led me to a pod cast by Kelly Minter on His faithfulness. He so faithfully tied together these messages with the themes of Ruth, and, truth be told, they’re an excellent reminder for me.
While I’d love for all of you to take in the entire pod cast episode, I know you may not have over a half an hour to listen to it. So, to save you time, I’m listing some of her notes, some things that stood out to me, and what God’s revealed to me. I believe we all want whatever we’re doing to matter and point others to the One Who gave us our lives.
“You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you. And I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative], He may give to you.”
Jesus (John 15:16 AB)
It Was God’s Intent from the Beginning That You Bear Fruit
In, Genesis 1:28, God blesses Adam and Eve, THEN He commands them to “be fruitful and multiply.” Isn’t it interesting that we oftentimes equate being fruitful with God’s blessing? Notice that His blessing (or benefit) was on Adam and Eve BEFORE he commanded them to do something. God’s blessing could be the ability to do something. His blessing doesn’t lie solely in the outcome. He blesses us with Himself, too: He’s chosen us and set us apart for a purpose (John 15:16), which He will, obviously, enable us (through His power) to do!
God didn’t just give Adam and Eve the command to “be fruitful and multiply”; this command was repeated with Noah, Abraham, Israel (Jacob), and us (spiritually, in the New Testament). Note, again, in Genesis 9:1, that God blessed–or benefited–Noah and his sons BEFORE He give them this command. This command in Genesis, obviously, refers to having kiddos and populating the Earth, but it also has spiritual implications, too. We’re all to grow kids (even if they’re spiritual kids we’re mentoring) who’d “walk in the way of the LORD, who would love the LORD, and…enjoy [His] presence.”
God’s Fruit Can Only Be Borne God’s Way
Our Fruitfulness is Based on God’s Faithfulness (Not Our Ability to Make It So)
“I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.”
God Speaking to Abraham (Genesis 17:6-7 NKJV)
“I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.”
God Speaking to Abraham about Abraham’s Wife, Sarah (Genesis 17:16 NKJV)
“…Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.”
Jacob Recounting God’s Spoken Promise to Him (Genesis 48:4 NKJV)
God’s the One who causes growth in and through our lives! Growth may happen in the unlikeliest of places or circumstances, and it may look different than what we imagined, even on a different time scale.
Like Abraham and Sarah, we may see circumstances stacking up “against us” and feel the need to take matters into our own hands to “help God out,” but this only tends to make a mess of things. So many times, too, we do what Abraham did and, basically, ask God to bless our way…our plan, but then we hear God say, as He responded to Abraham, “No…”
“We cannot bear our own, spiritual fruit! We have to participate with God, and we have to do it the way that the LORD wants it done…[which is] rarely what we think and better than what we can imagine.”
Bearing Fruit is a Process, and Processes Take Time
Abram (later renamed Abraham by the LORD) was 75 years old when he left the land the LORD told him to leave, saying “I will make you into a great nation; I will bless you…All the families on earth will be blessed through you (Genesis 12:2-4 NLT).” He was 99 when the LORD told him He would make him fruitful through Isaac, son of Sarah (Genesis 17). That’s 24 years between the two conversations, and Sarah wasn’t pregnant yet with Isaac! And THEN, Isaac didn’t marry Rebekah until he was 40 (Genesis 25:20) and was 60 when she gave birth to Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:26)! Twenty years had gone by!
There are definitely areas in my life, too, where I’m in the waiting between the commission and the fruit.
Some days feel like a famine, and some days feel full of great growth. In the midst of every day, even if “famines” or “losses” abound, let’s remind ourselves that God is faithful, fix our eyes on Him, remember His promises/commission, and trust Him!
If you have time, dive in by clicking on the link below for Kelly’s full episode.
Soaking in the Light
You probably know that sunlight is powerful, necessary, and good for Vitamin D, but did you know that there are certain parameters in which soaking it in is most helpful to your body?
I’m sure you’ve heard people talk about getting time in the sun, saying they’re going to soak in some Vitamin D. Can you spot the error?
During a few recent classes I took on detox and toxicity, sunlight was often mentioned as a beneficial way to nourish the body. With my movement sometimes being limited, I know I don’t get out in the sun as much as I should. This led me to ask a couple questions:
- How much sun do I need?
- What’s the best time of day to soak it in?
As I searched for answers to these questions, more questions were raised in my mind. I realized there’s much I didn’t fully understand. Maybe there is for you, too.
When people say they’re going to soak in some Vitamin D by being out in the sun, they’re, actually, incorrect. The sun ISN’T the SOURCE of Vitamin D! Our bodies, actually, CREATE Vitamin D from “The sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays hit[ting] cholesterol in the skin cells, providing the energy for Vitamin D synthesis to occur.”1 The sun IS, obviously, NECESSARY for PRODUCING Vitamin D; it’s just not the SOURCE of it.
So, How Do We Safely Get the UVB Rays We Need from the Sun?
- Spend 10-30 minutes OUT IN THE SUN a few days a week (sitting in a car with the windows rolled up, wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt doesn’t count; glass blocks the needed UV rays from reaching your skin). Those of us having light skin may need closer to 10-15 minutes at a time as opposed to our darker skinned friends who may require more time in the sun to get what they need for adequate Vitamin D production. You can still get UV rays on a cloudy day, too, so don’t think that doesn’t count! Clouds covering up to 90% of the sky still allow around 70-90% of UV rays through (unless it’s an overcast day–95+% covered by clouds, which then limits UV ray transmission to around 30%)!
- Go out in the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s UV rays are stronger and more direct (some sources say as late as 4 p.m., but 10 a.m.-12 p.m. is best for other reasons, as well, like shrinking fat cells). The closer to noon you soak in the rays, the less time is required for your body to produce the necessary Vitamin D for optimum health.
- Expose your skin as much as possible. Clothes block the sun’s UV rays, which are necessary to produce Vitamin D. In the Spring and Summer, exposing 25-30% of your skin during the above intervals should provide you what you need to absorb adequate UV rays from the sun. A person wearing a tank top and shorts, sitting under a tree in the shade, will, actually, soak up more UV rays for Vitamin D production than a person out in full sun, wearing a long sleeve shirt and jeans!
- Protect your skin with sunscreen after your 10-30 minutes. If you plan on being out longer, put on 30 proof sunscreen to protect your skin from harm AFTER you’ve absorbed your sufficient amount of UV rays (re-apply every 2-3 hours after that). Why put it on AFTER the 10-30 minutes? “Some studies estimate that sunscreen of SPF 30 or more reduces Vitamin D production in the body by about 95–98%.”1
So, if you have trouble getting all of your Vitamin D requirements for the day from eating foods like salmon, herring, sardines, canned tuna, cod liver oil, beef liver, egg yokes, mushrooms, and other Vitamin D-fortified foods (i.e., cows’ milk, soy milk, orange juice, cereal, oatmeal), taking advantage of the sunshine, as listed above, especially during the summer months, should give your body what it needs to produce the recommended amount of Vitamin D.
Did You Know That Vitamin D is Tied to Strong Bones and Their Ability to Function and Carry the Load Put on Them?
You may think that’s the job of Calcium and Phosphorous, and it is! However, Vitamin D “instructs the cells in our guts to ABSORB Calcium and Phosphorous!”1 You can take a Calcium supplement and think you’re all good, but if your body isn’t getting the right kinds and amounts of Vitamin D, you may, literally, be flushing your Calcium supplement down the toilet.
So, What Happens if You Don’t Get Enough Sun Outside or Consume Enough Vitamin D?
Depression (you know this full well, if you live in colder areas in the winter and can’t get out in the sun much with exposed skin), muscle weakness, osteoporosis, and even cancer have been linked to Vitamin D deficiencies.
Do You Ever Feel Spiritually Deficient?
If you feel that way today, like you’re just not connected to or hearing from the LORD, think about these things:
- Are you focused on and purposeful in carving out time to bask in His presence?
- Are you spending sufficient time with Him?
- Are you giving Him the best of your day or distracted time?
- Do you come before Him, baring your heart, mind, and soul; or are you covered in shame, busyness, and not wanting to expose your sin (John 3:20)?
Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 ESV
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light”
Ephesians 5:8 NIV
If you have the Lord Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, in you (you’ve accepted Him as the sacrifice and payment for your sins before a holy God), then you are to shine the light of His goodness, Truth, and what He examines and approves to others (Ephesians 5:9); He will use this to reveal the life He gives. Shine on, Liv!
1 Raman, Ryan. “How to Safely Get Vitamin D From Sunlight.” Healthline, 4 April 2023, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-from-sun#overview.
Bitterness and the LORD’s Passover
He hurt our kid…and that hurt us. Unfairness screamed in our minds. We tried to see things from his perspective and even understand possible reasonings for his decision, but it didn’t take away the grudge…the bitterness…I felt rising inside.
Some time later, I was talking with a dear friend, who was going through some unfairness of her own (what I love about surrounding myself with believers who passionately follow their Shepherd is that sharing life with each other tends to herd me back to following the One Who’s everything I need). As my friend shared her grief, she also shared how she’d been forgiven because of what Christ did for her, so she was choosing to follow Christ’s example and extend forgiveness to the individual causing her pain. It was while she was talking that I heard the Spirit say to me, “You need to forgive him.” I knew whom He was referring to–the one who hurt my kid. With this beautiful example of forgiveness before me, I recognized the bitterness that had started growing in my heart, and I was responsible for it. I was humbled…and ready. After my friend and I got off the phone, before God, I dumped off the load of bitterness that had opened the door for Satan to take advantage of me (2 Corinthians 2:10-11) and forgave the offender. It felt so good to change clothes…to put on the humility of Christ, instead of wearing the pride I donned when I thought I had the right to hold the grudge.
“…All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. 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 the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts His blessing and favor], Who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish you [making you what you ought to be]. To Him be dominion (power, authority, sovereignty) forever and ever. Amen.”
1 Peter 5:5b-9 NIV; vv. 10-11 AB
Bitterness enslaves us. Pride binds us. These two sins go hand in hand. The opposite of bitterness is forgiveness, and the opposite of pride is humility; forgiveness and humility are both key in releasing the grip bitterness and pride (and the devil) have on us. Forgiveness isn’t saying what someone did to us is okay; it doesn’t mean we forget; it’s just making us right with God, releasing the offender and situation over to the ultimate Judge, the One Who’s in control, the source of power, authority, and everything/everyONE who exists. When we choose humility and forgiveness, we look more like Christ and give Him glory!
What Does Bitterness Have to Do with the Passover?
According to Exodus 12:8, there were three foods that the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron to have the people of Israel eat every time they’d observe the LORD’s Passover:
- A one-year-old, male lamb (a sheep or goat) without blemish or bodily defect (its flesh roasted in fire)
- Bread without yeast
- Bitter herbs
See that word, again? Bitter.
What Do Bitter Herbs in the Passover Symbolize?
Bitter herbs were incorporated by the LORD into His Passover to “symbolize Israel’s bitter existence under [Pharaoh’s] oppressive rule. As the Hebrews ate, the bitter herb would remind them how their cruel Egyptian enslavers ‘made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor, the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly’ (Exodus 1:14).”1
“Maror” (“bitter herb”), found in Exodus 12:8 and Numbers 9:11, refers to what was included in the LORD’s Passover, but the same word is also found in Lamentations 3:15; it’s translated “bitterness.” “Bitterness,” in this verse, embodies the prophet Jeremiah’s state and feelings–full of distress. I’d say the Israelites felt that way in Egypt, too.
Then the LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings,
Exodus 3:7 ESV
Life IS hard…severe at times. It’s easy to feel “a mixture of anger and resentment generated by the experience of unjust suffering;”1 that’s what bitterness is. Rest assured; God sees it all.
How to Fight Bitterness
Situations will feel unjust, but our war doesn’t need to be against the one who wronged us; fight against the true enemy (the devil) and sin itself. In 1 Peter 5 above, we’re instructed to clothe ourselves in humility. Why? Because God opposes pride; it’s against His character! He squares off against everything that makes up pride! “Opposes” is a military term; it’s an organized resistance.
So, how do we resist pride (and the real enemy)? With humility! How do we resist bitterness? With forgiveness!
Our Passover Lamb
This week, as we remember the LORD’s Passover as well as the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, we can be reminded of the bondage of our pride, bitterness, and any other sin that controls us; we can also remember the ways we may have seen the LORD leading us out of that bondage, unshackling those chains. Praise the LORD for His ultimate “organized resistance”–the forgiveness we’re freely offered because of Christ’s death on the cross and the conquering of sin and death through His resurrection!
Keep in mind: “…Jesus was offered the bitter cup of wine mixed with myrrh [meaning “bitter” in Arabic] at His crucifixion (Matthew 27:34; Mark 15:23)”1–talk about pain and unjust suffering! Thank you, LORD, for Christ, our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), and His humble sacrifice, covering our sin with His blood once and for all!
As you remember Christ’s example of sacrifice to provide the gift of forgiveness for you, is there someone in your life you need to forgive?
Are there things in your life that have been unfair, and you’re holding onto them with a club of bitterness? Are you ready to throw them off, like a dirty shirt, and trust that God will work ALL things TOGETHER for good, just as He did the Israelites, because you love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)?
1 “What is the meaning of the bitter herbs in the Bible (see Exodus 12:8)?” Got Questions, https://www.gotquestions.org/bitter-herbs.html. Accessed 4 April 2023.
Beliefs: They Affect Our Physical Health More Than You May Think
It’s been a while since I posted. This post is longer and contains a health update; it’ll take approx. 9 mins of your day.
We all know that our thoughts are powerful, but did you know that our beliefs impact our actual physical health? I guess it doesn’t seem far out there, but I never gave it a lot of thought…until two weeks ago.
I was blessed with the opportunity to take part in a masterclass on detoxing and toxicity. In one of the classes (Appropriately Pacing Detox for People with Chronic Illnesses), the doctor of clinical nutrition who led the class talked about our beliefs and how they impact our physical bodies. She explained that “fear can be more damaging [to the body] than actual exposure to a toxin;” this surprised me and is, probably, one reason why “Do not fear” is displayed all over Scripture. She also mentioned that changing someone’s beliefs about their illness can positively improve their chronic pain levels (up to 14%) during rehab. If a person believes they have control over their treatment options, this belief also makes a striking impact on his or her ability to manage chronic illness(es), especially in kiddos.1
“Pain” is when we encounter something (including an event) that triggers a reaction in an organ or tissue; this encounter can be from outside OR inside our bodies. “The information regarding the [actual OR potential] damaging impact of these [encounters] on bodily tissues is [converted] through neural pathways and [passed on] through the peripheral nervous system to the central and autonomic nervous systems.”4 Belief and safety are valid factors, when it comes to the autonomic nervous system (a part of the nervous system outside of the brain and spinal cord that regulates the functions of the body that you don’t really think about, like heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and digestion). Amazingly enough, if there’s stress on this system (from belief systems, unsafe feelings, etc.), there’s a high risk of cardiac and/or neurologic damage.1
Case in Point
At the end of each class, the masterclass host did a follow-up Q & A with the instructor. During that time (and to illustrate the doctor’s points above), the host shared about his wife, an ER nurse, who had dealt with a lot of pain! She’d tried all sorts of things and was coming up short…until she met a particular doctor. The doctor she met took time with her, listened, and validated the reality of what she was experiencing. They came up with a treatment plan, and he told her he’d write her a doctor’s note for work–that she needed to take six weeks off and rest. Then, and only then, would they be able to attempt to work into the treatment plan. Not all people work for someone who’d allow them to have six weeks off (doctor’s note or not), but for her, the combination of the doctor’s approach, knowing that someone was on her side, that there was a reason behind the approach (not just shoving “fixes” at her), and the thought of allowing her body time to rest had a profound impact on her physically! After meeting with that doctor (before ANY treatment was put in place), her pain reduced by a good 50%!!1
Please hear me! Physical issues are physical issues and NOT just dreamt up in the head, like some people think (I know this full well)! It’s just amazing to me how much we can help or hurt them with the thoughts that accompany them! Pain is just one example and, “whether linked with injured tissue, inflammation, or functional impairment, [it’s] mediated by processing in the nervous system. In this sense, all pain is physical. Yet, regardless of its source, pain may result in hypervigilance, threat appraisals, emotional reactions, and avoidant behavior. So in this sense, all pain is psychological.”4
How I Related
As the class was ending, I was thinking there was food for thought regarding this area, but it wasn’t until the host said something else that I realized how much. He mentioned that there were probably people listening who felt like they might never get better; wondering why things worked for other people, but they didn’t work for them; that there was something wrong with them. Tears streamed from my eyes. “Yes! That’s me!” I thought.
Some of you may know that I’ve had a set-back, if you will. I rarely have symptom-free days, and I went down, again, for a week and a half stint this past month, which hasn’t happened in a long time. This confused me and surfaced a lot of questions!
- Why was this happening?
- Why did it help so much for a while, but then it didn’t?
- What was I doing wrong?
- Why weren’t the positive changes I’d been making to get these bad things out of my body working?
- Why was I going backwards (at least, it felt like)?
As much as I’ve tried to keep a positive attitude and look for the good in all of this, this last stint has taken more of a subconscious toll than I realized, and I’m sure, knowing this, I haven’t helped my body any with my myriad of self-questioning thoughts.
It turns out, I now have a reason for my set-back: Chronic illnesses are, indeed, special and require a different approach. Unfortunately, I dove head-first into detoxing before my body was correctly supported and nourished, and it wasn’t physically able to handle the detox process properly. This, actually, broke down toxins in my body only to make them more toxic and lacking the proper, supported pathways to get rid of them. Strangely enough, knowing the reason, being armed with new information (including new steps I can take), and being “given” scientific “permission” to take this process ultra slowly and purposefully calmed my body and spirit.
Why Did a New Way of Thinking Calm My Body and Spirit?
“…When the brain is making a decision, different neural networks compete with each other. Eventually, one of the networks becomes activated and produces the desired behavior. This happens through nerve cells in the spinal cord…that fire and send an impulse down their axon. [This] travels to the muscle and causes the action” (like “throwing the covers over your head or actually getting out of bed,”2 when you hear your alarm).
So, repeating the same decision (or thought) over time will wear a “desire line” in your brain, if you will, that immediately associates thoughts with their triggers; this, ultimately, causes an action.
If you want that action to change, “you either need to change the trigger OR break the association with that thought.“2 This will take some effort! Ask yourself, “What’s my trigger? Is it something around me (i.e., an alarm clock) or from inside me (i.e., beliefs)?”
“When we have a thought, it…creates an electromagnetic [electric and magnetic fields] and neuroendocrine [the interaction of the nervous and endocrine systems] signal that causes our organs and muscles to react, brain chemicals to respond, and our glands to secrete hormones like cortisol [“stress!”]. So, our thoughts cause our bodies to change. This is basic science…known as the fight or flight response. Positive, healthy thoughts cause positive, healthy changes in our bodies. Negative, toxic thoughts cause negative, toxic changes in our bodies.”3
…Our thoughts cause our bodies to change...Positive, healthy thoughts cause positive, healthy changes in our bodies. Negative, toxic thoughts cause negative, toxic changes in our bodies.”3
Dr. Jamie, Ph.D.
So, How Can I Change Negative Thoughts?
We can consciously try to replace a negative thought with a positive one anytime we’re exposed to a trigger that would, typically, produce a negative response. This will take some consistent training, as does any new way of life.
For example, the pick-up lanes at my kids’ school are intentional. Those parked in the waiting lane on the right are to wait patiently for their kids. When their kids get in the car, they can carefully pull out to the left and pass the parked cars in the “continually flowing,” left lane. Unfortunately, more and more people are PARKING in the LEFT lane to wait for their kids, because they don’t want to wait ALL THE WAY at the back of the line! Yeah! You can imagine how this works out (or doesn’t) and is entirely inconsiderate (Sorry! Can you tell this annoys me a bit?)! Rather than exclaiming, “I just can’t believe people! They’re so rude!” which send signals from my brain to my body to accelerate my breathing and tighten my muscles, I’m working on focusing on my driving, making sure I’m being kind and considerate, and just looking forward to seeing my kid; this sends signals from my brain to my body to calm down.
All of this gives a renewed meaning for me to:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2 NIV
“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.”
2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Philippians 4:8 ESV
Join me in asking, “What do I believe, deep down, about ________? What does God say about this? Do my beliefs line up with His truth?
Keep an eye on how positive, mental changes you make affect your physical health for the better!
1 Drummond, Jessica. “Gentle Detox: Appropriately Pacing Detox for People with Chronic Illness.” Rebel Health Tribe, February 2023, https://rebelhealthtribe.com.
2 Cuncic, Arlin. “What Happens to Your Body When Your Brain Is Thinking?” Verywell Mind, 3 March 2023, https://www.verywellmind.com/what-happens-when-you-think-4688619.
3 Dr. Jamie. “Your Thoughts Change Your Biology–Why Your Mind Matters.” Dr. Jamie, Ph. D. https://drjamiephd.com/blog/your-thoughts-change-your-biology-why-your-mind-matters/. Accessed 1 March 2023.
4 Garland, Eric L. “Pain Processing in the Human Nervous System: A Selective Review of Nociceptive and Biobehavioral Pathways.” National Library of Medicine: National Center for Biotechnology, September 2012, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3438523/.
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