Life is unexpected. Have you noticed that things often do not turn out the way we think they will, even when we pray? Perhaps you have been praying for a certain friend or loved one, and you have not gotten the answer you had hoped for. Or perhaps you have been praying for a job or a mate, and it has not happened in the timing or the way you would like. Just like the disciples, we often do not get what God is doing. We don’t see the whole picture. Things don’t always turn out the way we think they should.

Jesus told His disciples to ask – to pray about everything.

He told us our Heavenly Father loves to give good gifts to His children. Jesus said, ”Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7). Sometimes though, our God seems to say “no” or “wait” to our asking and seeking. I have wondered what scripture has to say about these times, and I have found scripture does address these questions in many places.

Perhaps the oldest book of the Bible – Job – is an account of human suffering and records discourse about, and directly to, Almighty God. Job talks to God at length about his suffering and cries out for help and understanding. It is not clear from the text how long Job suffers before God answers, but it is clear that he had to WAIT on God’s timing. In Job’s case, God did eventually answer his prayers very clearly and with a blessed ending, though he would not see his children that had passed – ever again on this side of heaven.

The psalms are one big collection of communication with God through prayer and song.

Very often what we find in them is that God’s answers to prayer come slowly and sometimes very differently to what was expected. I think of Psalm 69 where the psalmist says:

“I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God” (Psalm 69:2,3)

And I remember again Psalm 27:13,14:

“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!”

I am also reminded of the account of David as he prayed for the healing of his first child with Bathsheba. He fasted and prayed and cried out to God for this child to live, but God did not answer his prayer with a “yes,” (Read the account in 2 Samuel 11 & 12:1-23).

Another more familiar account of an unexpected and very clear “no” in prayer was recorded for us in 2 Corinthians 12 by Paul the apostle. This was a man who had experienced so many supernatural miracles of healing. He had seen a man raised from the dead in response to his prayers (Acts 20:9-12)! And people of Paul’s day only needed to hold a handkerchief of his in faith in order to receive healing (Acts 19:11-12). But we have the account in 2 Corinthians (12:7-10) of a time when his own prayers failed to prevail, in the sense that he did not get a “yes” from God. He shares this account with us:

“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Paul shares the wisdom he gained from this experience with us. He basically says, “I prayed deliberately three times about this and God said ‘no’ to me,” but he says, “God also showed me that it was for my good.” And Paul says that what he learned from that is that the “no” of God is for our good. God is still at work in our lives, and we can learn to rejoice – even in God’s “no’s,” because God still has our good in mind.

I am comforted by the truth that it’s not just my praying that doesn’t always bring my expectations to pass.

At the end of the day, I know God is God, and I am His. He has the final say in how things turn out. And I know that God is working something much better than I could think of, something “exceedingly abundantly above all I could ask or think” is what He has said (Ephesians 3:20). However, I know I have a very limited viewpoint from this side of eternity. I am unable to see the Big Picture that God has in mind. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” I know I have to trust God and believe Him for things to come, for the substance of the things yet “unseen” (Hebrews 11:1).

One more example of seemingly unanswered prayer comes to mind in closing. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed to the Father, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will” (Mark 14:36) (See also Matthew 26:39; Luke 22:42). And the Father’s response, we know, was NOT to take the cup of suffering, the wrath of God upon the sin of the world, away from Jesus. Jesus HAD to drink that cup, and He willingly did in the will of God. And we thank God that He did! Jesus willingly laid down His life, so that we might take up ours before God for eternity!

I was recently discussing this topic with our son Isaac and was blessed by the thoughts he shared with me. I will conclude with his comments on the subject. He said:

“As I struggle to reconcile with suffering and unanswered prayer, here lies my hope – That God who was faithful to fulfill His promises from the Old Testament in the person of Christ, will surely be faithful to us until the end. Even when we cannot possibly see how our circumstance could be part of God’s redemptive plan, when we can’t explain how a good God would not respond to our plea, we can reflect on how the same was said of Jesus’ sacrifice. Yet, God used the death of His own son to bring about salvation, that we all might become His children.”

Isaac concluded, “I realize that God doesn’t want to just give me gifts. He doesn’t just want me to find Him. He wants to beckon me into His home, so I can know Him intimately and experience His love in full as his child.”

Knowing that is true, I want to continue to press into God. I want to “seek, ask and knock,” because in the process, I will get to know my God better. I may come to know “with all the saints what is the width, length, depth and height” (Ephesians 3:18) of Christ’s love, even through the tough circumstances in my life.

“O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come” (Psalm 65:2). I am so thankful for the character of the Living God! He is a good God…and He is a God who hears prayer!!

What if God was deaf to our prayers, or didn’t care?

Many think of God that way. So many people do not pray because they think that God does not know or care about their lives. But the revelation of Scripture from beginning to end shows that Yahweh God is one who hears, cares and acts on behalf of human beings. In Genesis we see a God that walked with the people He created and was intimately aware and concerned for their wellbeing. He gave them everything they needed to live, be healthy and enjoy life together with their Creator. And when they got into trouble, He was the first One on the scene to instruct them and give them hope for their future (Genesis 3).

Scripture reveals God as One who “comes down” (See Genesis 18:20-21; Exodus 3:1-8; John 3:16-17). He is a God who invests in the life of His people. He is a God who is willing to get involved and even to leave the glory of His heavenly home to “come down” to earth and even allow His own Son to experience firsthand the consequences of sin and life on a fallen planet, all for those He has made.

The Psalms record the honest cries of people like us, who cry out to God, and rejoice when God answers. Psalm 116:1 says, “I love the LORD, because He has heard my voice and my supplications.” I really appreciate the honesty of the psalmist here. I know this is a true statement for myself as well. I love the Lord because He hears my cries. I admit my shallowness in this, but just as a child loves a parent that is attentive to their needs, I can appreciate loving my heavenly Father because He is a good dad who hears my cries. That doesn’t mean things always turn out the way I would like (Stay tuned for part two of this series next time, as I will write on the subject of “When prayer doesn’t turn out the way we think it should”).

But the point here is that God is listening to us.

He is aware, and He is helping us. And quite honestly, we love Him because of that.

This past week I read again the story of Hezekiah in Isaiah 37. Hezekiah was faced with an incredible, life-threatening challenge. The army of Sennacherib, King of Assyria, had been destroying city after city. Sennacherib and his army now threatened Jerusalem. Hezekiah’s response to this threat was to take the letter of warning from the army of Assyria into his prayer closet and spread it before His God. Isaiah 37:14-20 records the event:

“And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. Then Hezekiah prayed to the LORD, saying: ‘O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the LORD, You alone.'”

And the result of this prayer is recorded as well. God heard and answered this heartfelt prayer and powerfully rescued Jerusalem and Hezekiah from this threat. You can read on in Isaiah 37 to find out the amazing deliverance. And reading on into Isaiah 38, you will find more answered prayer as Hezekiah pleads with God to extend his life, and God does!

These experiences of answered prayer are not just old stories in a book written long ago.

They are experiences still happening today in the lives of Christian believers worldwide. I have my own stories, and I am sure you have yours too! For instance, each of my children have had near brushes with death. And they are still alive and worshiping God by His grace and answers to prayer!

Isaac, our oldest son, nearly choked to death at six months old. I remember crying out to Jesus as he turned purple and then blue. I knew 911 would not be fast enough to help us, and I could not get the food un-lodged from his throat. Yet as I was crying out to Jesus, He heard my cries and opened our son’s throat! Our daughter, Lauren, caught a respiratory virus (RSV) at six weeks old and was hospitalized. The odds were very high that she would not survive the illness, since she was so young. Many people were praying for her, and she was released from the hospital in three days, already recovering! Our youngest son, Seth, fell from an eight foot high loft and hit a hard wood floor on his head at only four years old. He also turned purple and had a nerve- racking ambulance ride to the hospital. We were sure he would have broken his neck, back or worse, not even breathe again after hitting that hard floor! But amazingly he had no damage when he was examined and X-rayed at the hospital. They are all three alive and well, loving and serving Jesus!

There are so many more stories of answered prayer in our lives. I don’t have time to write them all! But as a pastor’s wife and missionary, we are so often literally living by faith “feeding on His faithfulness” (Psalm 37:3). And God has always taken such good care of us. As the Psalmist says, “I have been young and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread” (Psalm 37:25).

If you are wondering if God is listening, and if He cares, doubt no longer.

Open the pages of His word and see the revelation of His care from beginning to end. Cry out to Him with the burdens of your heart. It may not be immediate, and it may not be what you think, but He will be working in your life for good. That’s the kind of God He IS!

I love the book of Job. I am so glad that God included it in the Bible. Its wisdom and raw gritty honesty about suffering is refreshing. One of my favorite sections, though there are many, has been Job’s cry for wisdom in chapter 28. It is beautifully written poetry that yearns in us as “deep calls out to deep” at the noise of His waterfalls (Psalm 42:7). Job’s cry for wisdom to speak into the circumstances of his life is one that stirs my soul as I too long to find God’s wisdom for my life.

Job says, “Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore” (Job 28:1-2). “But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living. The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’ and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’ It cannot be bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price” (Job 28:12-15).

“From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding? It is hidden from the eyes of all living and concealed from the birds of the air. Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears’” (Job 28:20-22).

“God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. When he gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure, when he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder, then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out. And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding’” (Job 28:23-28)

Of all the things precious in this life, God’s wisdom is the most valuable resource, and it is hidden!

Other precious resources are hidden too. Gold is not easy to find, and when it is located, there is a massive “rush” to go dig it up. There are many stories of gold rushes and the trials that come with them in modern history. Many people have even died as a result of these gold rushes. For example, during the California Gold Rush between 1948-1950, more than 300,000 people poured into California as word spread of gold being found there. Fights and rivalries resulted too and over 4,000 of the native population were even murdered by enraged miners! During the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1890’s, men and women left everything behind to go search for gold in the extreme conditions of the Yukon. An estimated 100,000 people migrated north to try their luck at finding gold, even though the isolated and severe circumstances would mean that very few succeeded, and many died trying.

These just serve to illustrate the lengths that people will go to, to find something that they really want. But here in the book of Job we see that when we are going through trouble, gold and all the earth’s most precious resources are not what we need. We need God’s wisdom! But it is hidden, even more so than the gems and precious resources of this earth. Proverbs encourages us to dig it up.

“…Incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding…” (Proverbs 2:2-6).

It’s very encouraging to know that the Bible is clear that if we seek Him with all our heart, we will find Him.

“But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29). I love that in the end of the narrative of Job’s life, we find that Job does receive the wisdom from God that he so yearned for. He receives a very personal encounter from Yahweh in chapters 38-41. Consider Job’s response to the wisdom He received: “You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know…’I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.’”(Job 42:3,5-6).

God is a God of words. He speaks to us in our sorrows and in our joys. From the beginning, He Spoke the world into existence. And He currently speaks through His living Word to us. The Bible once spoken is the living Word that still speaks through the Holy Spirit. Do you need wisdom from God? Cry out to Him for it, doubting nothing as James 1:5-7 says. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting…”

God wants to speak to us! That is so exciting to me. I would rather hear a rebuke from God, as Job and Isaiah did (see Isaiah 6) when encountering the Almighty, than to hear nothing at all! I hope you will join me as I cry out to God for the hidden wisdom for life.

I have always hated roller coasters. Driving up great hills, only to be thrust down at “breakneck speeds” (I think rollercoaster rides are where that phrase was invented!), can in no way, be deemed fun in my book! I’ll never forget the time my husband talked me into riding the newly finished Disney ride, “California Screamin.”

Once I was safely off the ride with my feet on the ground, I honestly had to resist the urge to punch him hard for talking me into going on that ride! Surely, he knew better! Strangely enough though, too often, my life in ministry has felt like that ride. I never seem to know if I am coming or going. I take comfort in the fact that Jesus honestly warned us that a life lived following Him would not be an easy one. He said, “Take up your cross [a form of Roman punishment] and follow me.” Jesus is a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). But Jesus also said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest… For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Even in this, we can see the “highs and lows” of a life following Christ.

There is great joy in Him, but there is also sorrow and challenges.

Jesus is always our ultimate example. If Jesus had highs and lows in His ministry on earth, then so will you and I! As I consider this, I am reminded of another who has gone before us, and who’s highs and lows are put plainly before us in the pages of scripture. James 5:17 tells us that Elijah was a man with great faith in prayer, and yet he was also “a man with a nature like ours.” That means he was a normal human being with ups and downs just like us. Like Jesus, he knew what it was like to have times of great ministry “success” and times of great sorrow too!

The caption in my Bible above 1 Kings 18:20 reads, “Elijah’s Mount Carmel Victory.” What follows is the record of Elijah’s major confrontation of Israel’s idol worship and the prophets of Baal. As you read this account, you will see that Baal’s prophets are powerless, and our God is very powerful. After years of idolatry in Israel, this moment brought Israel to a place of repentance, and the people recognized, “The LORD He is God! The LORD He is God!” (1Kings 18:39). Israel’s repentance from idolatry was something for which Elijah had been praying and seeking God fervently for years. The glorious time on Mount Carmel was the climax of Elijah’s ministry. He had been willing to put his whole life on the line for this one thing. He had confronted the wicked king Ahab at risk of his life, of whom he had spent over three years in hiding, in lonely solitude as God’s provision sustained him. Then, at God’s command, he came out of hiding to boldly confront Ahab and the overwhelming idolatry of the land. At last, there was victory!! God’s people repented, and the false prophets were no more. Praise God!

Surprisingly, what followed this tremendous victory of faith for Elijah is a bout of major depression.

Sometimes discouragement takes us by surprise!

One would think this would be a time of great relief and joy for Elijah, but the opposite proved true. Elijah ended up running for his life for fear of Jezebel as she had a renewed death warrant on him. Elijah had stood boldly for years, with fear of no man. Now the isolation, physical and spiritual exhaustion had taken a real toll on his body and spirit. When Elijah heard Jezebel’s proclamation of his impending doom (1Kings 19:3), “…He arose and ran for his life.” That moment marked a real low for this giant of faith. It became worse before it got better as we find him running even further and sitting under a broom tree saying, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life! (1Kings 19:4). This was the first time we find Elijah giving God the instructions rather than the other way around. Depression warps our perspective.

But God is very gracious! He sent an angel to Elijah with a baked cake (angel food cake!) and water to refresh him! How good is our God? Just when we are at our lowest, God sends us the encouragement we need. Elijah woke up (after twice being provided for by this angel of God) and journeyed 40 days to Mount Horeb. Here God drew near and spoke to Elijah. Elijah revealed the loneliness and isolation in his heart as he said, “…I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” (1Kings 19:10). Whether he is right or wrong, in all his experiences, Elijah came to feel quite alone.

Often, we too feel alone in our sufferings, but God lets us know, as he did Elijah, that we are not alone!

God says to Elijah, “I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1Kings 19:18). Basically, “Elijah, you are not alone!”

When God spoke to Elijah, He first straightened out His warped perspective. Then He gave him a new ministry assignment and a kindred new friend in ministry. God gave Elijah some very specific next steps – a job to do! Sometimes we just need to know what God-given task to put our hands to! And next, Elijah anointed Elisha, his successor. The commentary of FB Meyer is insightful regarding this passage. He writes, “Remember there is company which is not companionship.”¹ Elijah had the company of ravens, a Sidonian widow and that of a servant, but he did not know close companionship. At this point in his life, he needed a good friend, and God blessed him with Elisha.

Have you known the highs and lows of Christian ministry?

Did you start out with a kick in your step and excitement in your heart, only to find trials getting you down? Know that our God is, “Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too” (2 Corinthians 1:4-5).

Jesus did not ask us to do anything that He didn’t do to an even greater extent. Hebrews says that it pleased God to make “the captain of [our] salvation perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 2:10). He went before us as our captain to show us the way through this life and into His arms. We walked the lonely road ahead of us and experienced firsthand the “highs and lows of ministry.” He had times when great crowds followed Him and listened to His teaching. A week before Jesus’ crucifixion, prophecy was fulfilled (see Zechariah 9:9) as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey as the multitude cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ “Hosanna in the highest!’” (Matthew 21:5). But very shortly after, the same crowd was crying out, “crucify Him, … crucify Him” (Mark 15:13)! And they did. Yet, death could not keep Him, and He rose from the grave, never to be defeated.

No matter what you are going through, know that God is not done yet. He is still working in your life to bring everything to completion (Philippians 1:6). The ups and downs are part of His plan to mature and perfect us. Sometimes brokenness, loneliness and hard times are part of what it takes to bring this human imperfection into glory. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

¹Rev F.B. Meyer, Elijah and the Secret of his Power. Morgan and Scott: London, p. 104.

There are many people that influence us over the course of a lifetime. As I head ever so quickly towards my fifties and simultaneously reflect on over 30 years of walking with Jesus, I realize that there are many people that have impacted me in my life. There are Christian mentors and leaders that God has placed in my life to learn from, for which I am very thankful. There are also real people in Scripture that have left their imprint on my life through the transformational work of the Holy Spirit. The list is long of both living mentors and of historical figures from the pages of Scripture. However, over the past 10 years of my life, the Lord has captivated my attention by the life of one famous prophet, the prophet Elijah.

Elijah is a greatly honored prophet for Hebrews, and to this day, there is a seat at the Passover meal left empty for his return. As I have contemplated the life of this man, the lessons to learn seem endless. Every time I revisit the passages covering his life (1 Kings 17; 2 Kings 2), I find there are new lessons in faith, courage and obedience. I would be honored to share just a few revelations here, as there would not be room enough to share them all!

Humble, Zealous & Bold

In 1Kings 17:1 we see that Elijah grew up in a small wilderness town. He was a “nobody” by probably most estimations of the day. He was not royalty; He was not taught in the best schools, but Elijah learned the Scriptures as a boy, and He believed them! In his simple humility, he had faith to believe the Scriptures.

As Elijah learned the scriptures, he became zealous for God (1 Kings 19:10,14). He reminds us of another who is of humble beginnings who was known for His zeal for God. In John 2:17 Jesus’ disciples were reminded of the prophecy in Psalm 69:9 regarding the Messiah’s zeal for God, which said of Him, “Zeal for thy house has eaten me up.” Elijah points us to Jesus. He was very grieved to see his nation, God’s chosen people, turning away from the true God to worship false idols. In response Elijah prayed. The book of James tells, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit (James 5:17-18). In the midst of Elijah’s prayer and zeal for God, He was led to confront King Ahab. Where every one else in Israel seemed to be weak-kneed and afraid; Elijah went to stand before the King. He brought a bold word for the king that was in line with the promises of scripture (see Deuteronomy 28:15,23-24).

Elijah’s example reminds me of the Proverb, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). I want to learn from Elijah’s example. I am a simple girl from a small town in Alaska. My natural human tendency is to be timid. I avoid conflict and am more likely to try to solve a problem by being “nice.” I see in Elijah’s strong courage a picture of my Bold Messiah, who was never afraid of a conflict. He did not solve problems through being “nice.” May I be transformed by Jesus to be more like Him, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Through God’s courage in me, I want to have the “right word in season” (Proverbs 15:23) to bring grace and healing to people.

Trusting & Obedient

Throughout the commentary on Elijah’s life, we read the words “the word of the Lord came to Elijah” and then we read, “he went and did according to the word of the Lord”(1 Kings 17:2,5; 17:8-10; 18:1-2). What a simple yet significant concept. Elijah did what God told him to do. Obedience. The principle and life example that Elijah set for us over and over again was to wait for God’s instructions and then follow them. I know this sounds so much easier than it is to do, but this is the basis of what it means to “walk with God.”

From the very beginning God created us for this purpose, to walk with Him and know Him as Adam and Eve did before the fall (Genesis 3:8). There are many examples in scripture of people who show us the essence of what it is to walk with God. In her book, The Magnificent Obsession, Anne Graham Lotz wrote about Abraham’s walk with God. She points out that, just as when walking with friends, in order for two people to walk together they must walk at the same pace and in the same direction, so it is in walking with God. If we are to walk with Him, we must walk at His pace and His direction. She adds, “One thing that I have discovered is that God won’t adjust His pace or direction to suit me. I have to adjust my pace and direction to His if I want to walk with Him” (p. 140). This means I need to obey His revealed will as a process of walking with Him. Elijah knew the will of God because he knew the Scriptures. Even when God told him to do something that did not make any natural sense (like being fed by ravens at a drying brook or taken care of by a poor Sidonian widow) Elijah went and obeyed God.

I want to know the Word of God like Elijah did, and ultimately like Jesus does. Jesus is the Living Word of God who teaches us the revealed will of God. May I lean in to hear Him speak to me so that I can follow what He says. Jesus said that those that build their house on the rock are those that not only hear His word, but also put it into practice (Luke 6:47-48). I know that if I am listening to God, and following His instructions, then no matter what comes to pass and how absurd it might seem to others, God will take care of me.

Revealing Christ

There is so much more to learn from the life of Elijah. Just from this section of his life in 1Kings 17, we have learned of his example of humility, faith and zeal for God. We have also seen his willingness to walk with God, day by day, taking steps of obedient faith. I hope you will be as inspired by the life of this prophet as I have been, and as you study him, may you be reminded of all the ways he reveals Christ to us.

How lovely is Your tabernacle,
O LORD of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the LORD;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
My King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
They will still be praising You.
Selah
Psalm 84:1-4

In the midst of the difficult and stressful times in which we now live, the best and most secure place we can find ourselves is at God’s altar. Here in Psalm 84 we read that even the birds find comfort and refuge there. In God’s presence is fullness of joy! (Psalm 16:11) There is no strife, no fear, and no unhappiness there. Perfect peace dwells with God, for He is the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). When I am in His presence I find peace and joy.

As I read Psalm 84, I envision a bird nesting in the corner of God’s cross, as near to God’s heart as is possible for a bird. And God calls us to do the same; draw near to Him! Dwell in God’s presence. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).

In the midst of the difficult and stressful times in which we now live, the best and most secure place we can find ourselves is at God’s altar.

We are called to know God. This is the greatest endeavor and the highest achievement of mankind—to know our Creator. We are made for this purpose: to walk with and know God intimately, as Adam and Eve did in the early days of creation. Because of sin, we don’t naturally walk with God anymore. We must respond to God as He seeks us out. Jesus taught that He is the Good Shepard looking for His stray sheep (Luke 15:4, John 10:11). He goes out of His way to find them. When we respond to God, and come to Him through the Way He has made—the cross of His beloved Son—we can know and walk with God again. Jesus gave everything to make this possible for us.

Draw near to God today. Build your nest in His cross. Give thanks to Him for all the love He poured out for you. Rest and take comfort in His presence. Jesus said, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26) And in Luke 12 He adds, “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7)

Draw near to God in Christ. Dwell in His house, close to His heart. Those who do will, as verse four above says, “still be praising You.” Even in difficult times, those who abide in Him will have a continual source of joy and praise and peace.

Pete and I have been a part of many church plants over the years. We have known many ups and downs in the process. We have come alongside others as they have planted, we have church planted in the United States, and we are currently venturing out again to church plant abroad in Australia. I have hopefully gleaned some lessons over twenty-five years in the ministry that I may pass on to those just contemplating a new venture of faith in church planting.

FAITH IN GOD’S LEADING – BEING UNITED

First of all, it is so important that a husband and wife are in total agreement about the call of God. This is vital so that once the hard times and battles come, you can reflect on God’s call with great assurance. Abram went out by faith in God’s Word to him and was “assured of what he hoped for, and confident of what he could not see” (Hebrews 11:1). And Sarah followed his leading by faith (1 Peter 3:5).

Do you know that God has called you? Do you have His Word on that calling personally? Does your husband have a similar personal confirmation from God’s Word? If so, then together you can remember those words to you and strengthen each other in God’s call on your lives. If division is there at the onset, I suggest you wait and pray, because a house divided against itself will not stand (Mark 3:25).

As Pete and I look back over our journeys, we have the blessing that in each of our moves, we can say with confidence that God spoke to us both personally and individually confirming the next step. We moved out with unity and confidence in God’s purpose. This did not save us from the many battles and struggles ahead, but it kept our faith firm in many dark hours.

PRAYER & GOD’S WORD

It almost goes without saying, but still needs to be said, that personal time in prayer and God’s Word daily are essentials to life, and to a church planting team! As a pastor’s wife, I find that the spiritual battle is too great to make it without the daily help and presence of Jesus! I need my own consistent devotional life with Jesus, as He is my supply. I recommend that every pastor’s wife find that devotional place and time every day, to make Jesus your all-sufficient resource. He will guide you and comfort you and strengthen you for the road ahead.

And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” (1 Kings 19:7)

“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan? (Jeremiah 12:5)

The point of these verses is the battle is too great and the race too long to run it on our own. It’s impossible to keep up with horses while on foot! God is essentially saying, “What I am calling you to is impossible without Me.” Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

WARFARE

Warfare. Expect it. Know it will happen. Be prepared with prayer and God’s armor (Ephesians 6:10-18). For some reason I seem always to be surprised at the fierceness of the battle and in the arenas of my life it takes place! I shouldn’t be. The Bible is full of warnings about the spiritual battle we are up against.

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:12-13)

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:10-13)

Jesus has given us everything that we need to overcome the world, the flesh and the Devil. We will be victorious as we abide in Him.

SERVE

God has given each of us unique gifts. Be who you are. Don’t worry about the expectations of others. People have all kinds of ideas about what a pastor’s wife should be and should do. These expectations have never held much sway for me. I love teaching and I love working in children’s ministry. I do it because I love it. I feel gifted and equipped by God to teach and to help. I would never do it just because someone else thought I should. Pray and seek God for clarity in your gifts and callings. Christ is the Head of His body, the church, and He will show you your unique role in His body.

SUPPORT

As a helpmate, women have such an important role as a supporter. Women are uniquely gifted as helpers. Your role in supporting your husband through the difficulties of pastoring and church planting cannot be overstated. Even though wives are many times serving behind the scenes in comparison to the public ministry of their husbands, their role is no less vital. In so many ways, he could not do what he does without your support! We need to be there in that role for our husbands. At the same time, we cannot minister to our husbands without the daily fellowship and strength we receive from Jesus! Again, God’s strength and His Spirit are the supply from which we draw.

GRACE AND FLEXIBILTY

Finally, expect the unexpected! We have learned that things usually do not turn out as we had imagined. The first time we went to Sydney in 2012, we did not think we would be coming back to America. Pete and I both had a clear word from God about leaving our country. It did not make any sense to us when after one year, there turned out to be no way to renew our visas. Now, almost four years later, we absolutely marvel at the plan of God. He had to bring us home in order to prepare us and to send us out more permanently. We could not have qualified for the visa we now obtained without the work experience He gave us after leaving Australia in 2013.

God has a sovereign plan that is much greater than you can understand. Hold on to Him and trust Him for each step. Have grace for each other and lots of flexibility. You never know what God has in mind or how He would work His plans out, but He will. May God’s grace and power be upon you.

And may the Lord add to the church daily those who are being saved (Acts 2:47).

What does it mean to be a woman? How can a girl know how to be a woman? We need not look far to understand the messages that the world is sending girls. “Be pretty… and seductive.” “Be important.” “Strive to achieve equality with men.” As pervasive as these messages are in our western culture, are these the messages we should follow in order to be the very best version of ourselves? Do these line up with God’s message to women? What is God’s view of womanhood, we ask in the midst of so many conflicting ideas.

Many women, like myself, did not grow up in a home in which their mother modeled godly Christian character. But as God’s adopted daughter, at the age of fifteen I began to learn what God designed women to be. God’s clear and wonderful Word helped me to know what womanhood looks like. God’s Word is full of examples that help us to decipher what godly femininity is, among the backdrop of our modern society’s mixed messages. By reading His Word and soaking in His Holy presence, I learned what it means to be a Christian woman. Let’s delve into the subject of biblical femininity together and find out what God has to say on the subject.

In the Bible we find that women are:

Loved by God

First and most importantly, as I study the Bible I find out that God loves women! From the beginning of the Old Testament to the end of the New, God goes out of His way to demonstrate His love to all types of women. He goes to outsiders and insiders, young and old, to intentionally display His love to all women. In cultures that did not traditionally give to women the same value as men, God goes out of His way to show His love and care for women. Consider Hagar, an outcast Egyptian slave, to whom the Lord personally appears, speaks, and encourages (Genesis 16:7). And consider Sarah, to whom the Lord comes and speaks when she is 90 years old and waning in her faith (Genesis 18).

Consider Jesus in the New Testament as He goes out of His way time and again to meet with women and address their needs personally. For example, He goes out of His way to meet a Samaritan woman by a well and has a lengthy, personal conversation with her. With great patience He shares His good news with her. His disciples could not fathom why He would do such a thing (see John 4). Consider the woman caught in adultery, whom the Lord Jesus sets free to “go and sin no more” (John 8:11). Consider the woman of Canaan, whom Jesus traveled far to meet (in the region of Tyre and Sidon). He strengthened her faith and healed her daughter (Matthew 15:28). A widow in the town of Nain felt the personal touch and compassion of Jesus too, as He raised her son from the dead (Luke 7:11-17)! It would take too long to describe here all the encounters, but reading the Bible all the way through, I find that God really does love women just as much as men, and He goes out of His way to make sure that we know that! This brings me great personal assurance to know that the Creator of the universe loves me!

Designed to Beautify, Help & Nurture

We are unique. As women, we have been uniquely designed by God to fulfill a purpose that only we can fulfill. God has placed certain attributes in women that enable us to fulfill our purpose. Firstly, God has given women beauty, and a desire to beautify. When Eve was brought to Adam, he took one look at her and he was out of his mind with excitement! Finally God had given to Adam someone like him, but beautifully designed to complement and complete him. “At last!” [Adam] exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” (Genesis 2:23 NLT). Women are continually recognized for their beauty (for example, Genesis 6:2, Genesis 12:11, Genesis 24:16, Proverbs 6:25, and Proverbs 31:30), and yet we are taught to seek the inner beauty of the heart. “Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:3-4). So while the world around us is teaching us to focus intently on beautifying our exterior, God in His Word teaches women that true beauty is found on the inside.

Women are also uniquely designed as “helpmates” and nurturers. These truths apply to women whether or not we ever marry or have children. Genesis 2:18 says, “And the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.’” God has made women helpers. Women have a natural gifting toward helping others. We instinctually see the needs of others and desire to help. Women are also designed by God to bear children. Within that design He has given to women a wonderful ability to nurture and care for others. Women are often the first to notice the emotional and physical needs of others, and desire to care for that need.

Called to Faith and Great Purpose

Although the Scriptures teach women to be in a support role, as helpmates submitted to God’s authority in their lives, this does not in any way mean that we are weak or less than men in God’s eyes. Women throughout Scripture who walk with God are valiant and courageous for Him. Consider Deborah (Judges 4:4), Rahab (Joshua 6:25), Esther (book of Esther), Ruth (book of Ruth), and Mary the mother of Jesus as just a few examples of godly women who demonstrated great strength and courage. When we too chose to walk with God, He will do incredible things in and through our lives. According to His Word, He is “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory” (Ephesians 3:20-21). Jesus has plans for us and through us that are greater than we could even imagine.

Made to be His Bride

Women uniquely understand what it means to be a bride! Almost every girl seems to be born with a desire to someday be a bride. Many little girls practice being a bride from the time they are very young. Girls dream and play and plan their weddings! The Bible teaches us that ultimately we are called to be God’s bride (Isaiah 62:5). While the church as a whole is called the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:31-32, Revelations 22:17), understanding that I am ultimately called to be Christ’s bride brings good perspective and balance to me as a married woman. And although earthly marriage is designed to be a gift from God, no man on earth can fulfill every dream in a little girl’s heart. In Scripture I find that Christ is the perfect fulfillment of that dream. God’s Word has the wisdom we need in order to know how to live on this earth. He teaches women what godly character looks like, and how to be a wife (Proverbs 31, Titus 2:4-5; Ephesians 5:15-33, 1 Peter 3:1-6). Ephesians 5 describes the roles of wives and husbands, while placing everything in the greater context of marriage as a picture of Christ’s love for His bride. Our marriages are to be a reflection of the ultimate marriage. How different is this message to the message of the world around us?

God’s Great Purpose

This world’s message directs people in selfishness and a survival of the fittest mentality. The message of the world is do whatever is best for you, with no greater purpose in mind. God has a greater purpose in mind. When we cling to Him, we find that everything “works together for the good of them that love Him and are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). May we as women seek God’s greater purpose and let His Word and His power through Christ, transform our lives. As God loves us, let’s pour out His love and grace onto others.

Jesus promised, ““He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:38 NASB). As women living in this world yet alive to God, may God’s living water sustain us, supply us with His grace, and pour out to refresh others.

My husband, Pete, and I just returned from the celebration of our daughter’s wedding in Australia. After three years of dating, she married her high school sweetheart and the man of her dreams. The ceremony was pure joy!

Every wedding is a preview and picture of an even greater wedding that’s to come.

There is a Groom, shining in glorious beauty, waiting for His bride and longing for their union. The joy of this wedding day will be unsurpassed by even the most glorious earthly wedding. Many weddings on earth start out joyous, but the marriages they represent may turn sorrowful as the years pass. But the wedding to come will bring only joy.

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

The first miracle that Jesus performed on earth was at a wedding. He turned water into very good wine at the wedding of Cana (John 2). The fact that His first recorded miracle is at a wedding points to the reason for Jesus’ coming. He came ultimately to bring joy at a wedding, a wedding yet to come. He came to earth to lay down His life in exchange for the sin of the world, so that the world would have the opportunity to join Him at that final wedding in heaven. Without His death, sin would keep us from the wedding and from union with God. What is holy cannot unite with what is unholy. We could not join God in heaven without the cleansing brought to us by the death of Jesus. So Jesus came and gave His life, for the love of His Bride. Those who acknowledge His gift, and respond to Him, are His Bride.

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (Isaiah 61:10).

“For as a young man marries a virgin,
So shall your sons marry you;
And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So shall your God rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:5).

In Matthew 22 Jesus said, “the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son”. Jesus goes on in the parable to describe the king sending out servants to invite people to the wedding. Of those initially invited, many made excuses and did not come. The king then invited everyone everywhere to the wedding. The wedding hall was filled with guests who were given wedding garments to cover their uncleanness. Without these garments they could not stay at the wedding (Matt. 22:11-12), and would be eternally separated from the King.

Our heavenly Father is the King who has arranged a wedding for His Son.

This parable vividly describes for us what the kingdom of heaven is like. Our heavenly Father is the King who has arranged a wedding for His Son. Among the Jewish people originally invited, many made excuses and were not willing to come to the King’s wedding. Now, all have been invited. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish, but receive everlasting life” (John 3:16). The doors to the wedding of the King are open to all. Jesus has provided beautiful white wedding garments for the Bride to wear, cleansing and covering her sin. The Groom has made provision for the Bride’s covering because she could not cover herself.

Now the Groom waits, in eager expectation of a wedding on the horizon.

His passion for His Bride, (those who have responded to His voice), is most clearly demonstrated in the cross. That Christ would be willing to leave the wonder and perfection of heaven, and humble himself to suffer a sinner’s death on the cross, shows the depth of the incredible love He has for the Bride He came to redeem. The love and passion of Christ for His Bride is again clearly portrayed in the Songs of Solomon. God uses the songs of the lovestruck King Solomon, who was in love with the very idea of love (1Kings 11:3), to reveal the heart of God for His people. For example, notice the “Beloved’s” words to His bride throughout the Songs of Solomon:

“Behold, you are fair, my love!
Behold, you are fair!
You have dove’s eyes.” (1:15)

“Like a lily among thorns,
So is my love among the daughters.” (2:2)

“You are all fair, my love,
And there is no spot in you.” (4:7)

“My dove, my perfect one…” (6:9)

“Who is she who looks forth as the morning,
Fair as the moon, Clear as the sun…” (6:10)

It is sufficient to say that the Groom is crazy about His Bride.

He thinks she is absolutely gorgeous, and “perfect”! She has “no spot” since the Groom (Jesus) has cleansed her completely. She is “clear” and “shining like the sun”. She is “like a lily among the thorns” of the world. And this bride feels confident in responding to her groom, “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me” (Songs 7:10).

Many years ago, as a young believer, the Lord made this truth very personal to me. In a time of sorrow in my life the Lord showed me a vision. I saw myself in a gorgeous white wedding gown shining brightly, and the Lord said to me, “I am preparing you to be my bride.” That truth has stuck with me all my life; it has caused me to understand the depth of the love that Jesus has for me as His bride. All the difficult things we experience in this life can serve to set us apart for Him. As the Song of Solomon 4:12 says, “A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.” We are set apart as a private garden for the Lord. He is our Groom. His love is for us and ours for Him.

As we prepare to celebrate Valentine’s Day in 2015, may we each be assured of the love that Jesus has for us.

He loves the whole world. He desires that each and every person would respond to His love. He died to bring us to heaven with Himself. As you respond to Him and choose to come after Him, to be His bride – set apart for Him, know the incredible and deep, abiding, love that Jesus has for you. He longs to be with you. He thinks of you minute by minute. He sees you (in Him) as a pure and beautiful bride who He cannot wait to embrace!

“And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17).

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“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1).

As Christians, we have the amazing privilege to be called children of God. When we come to believe in and follow Christ, the book of John says that we are then given “the right to become the children of God” (John 1:12). There is no better parent than God. I am so thankful that I have ultimately been “parented” by Him (Psalm 27:10).

I did not grow up in a believing home. My parents were part of the hippie movement of the 60’s and early 70’s. Drugs, excessive drinking, and “doing what was right in their own eyes” was what life was about. Yet, Jesus drew me to Himself as a young girl and I surrendered my life to him at the age of fifteen. Since that time, not a day goes by that I do not feel the loving parenting of my heavenly Father.

Parenting is God’s idea. He models it for us and sets children in homes to be guided by parents who are ideally also guided by God. As parents we have the job of modeling God’s love and instruction to our children and passing on His gospel to them. Deuteronomy reminds us, “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up”(Deuteronomy 6:6-7). God’s life, His love, and His Word are to be such a part of our lives that they naturally flow into every area of our lives and our time with our children.

Parenting is a tremendous privilege and responsibility that God has given to us. Our parenting can have lifelong effects on the future physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being our children. May the weight of this drive us to prayer, as I believe God intended it to. He knows we need His help desperately, and the difficulty of parenting well should lead us to God’s throne to ask for His help.

My husband, Pete and I have three, now nearly grown children (Isaac, Lauren, and Seth). Through the process of parenting we have certainly made many mistakes. However, we are delighted in God’s mercy as we see each of our children loving Jesus and walking with Him. In the end, we all look to Jesus to redeem the mistakes we make.

Over the years of parenting our children, we have implemented a few key principles, learned from our heavenly Father that we can pass on to you. This is not an exhaustive list, but instead, a few keys we have found essential.

Keep Love Central

Love must be the underlying foundation to everything we do as parents. God tells us in 1 Corinthians 13, that without love we are like sounding brass. We must continually check the motives of our rules. “Is love the motivation?” God’s love for us is the motivating factor behind everything He does. May we be imitators of Him and walk in love.

Keep the Rules Simple

The boundaries that God gives us are clear and simple. In the Old Testament law there were Ten Commandments, not 100. In the New Testament Jesus boiled all of the law down to two commandments: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. As parents we need to model this simplicity, by making the guidelines clear and simple to follow. We need not be overly picky about things that are not really a big deal, and major on the majors of God’s love and demonstrated obedience to Him.

Follow Through on Your Word

God always follows through. He does not make promises He can’t keep. He also tells us that every jot and tittle of His Word will come to pass. We need to make it our aim to emulate God in this. Our words should count. Consequences for actions both good and bad, need to be consistent. Just as Galations 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap”.

Overall, may God’s love, grace and peace rule in our hearts as we emulate Him in our parenting.