Diane Mickler's Blog

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. Thessalonians 5:11

Our household is sad to say that college football season is over, and with it go the Fromm and Swift era for our Bulldogs. We all have some great memories from this year along with some disappointments, but all in all, ending the season ranked in the top five in the country is awesome!

The best take away for me from the past season is the picture above that epitomizes the word, encourager. An encourager is one who inspires another with courage, spirit or confidence. I see the result of the encourager (Kirby Smart) on Jake Fromm’s face. We’ve all seen that look on the faces of children and adults when they hear those encouraging words of pride from coaches, teachers, parents or friends.

Teachers, coaches, parents, and other leaders have the demanding job of holding their students, players, children and others accountable while remaining encouraging. Every one of us face that in our daily life if we are true to our calling as Christians. In our churches today, we are called to be encouragers – building one another up, inspiring one another, and strengthening one another in the faith – not discouragers.

Although God has called us to be encouragers, sometimes we find ourselves doing just the opposite. We concentrate on weaknesses instead of strengths, we criticize rather than compliment good qualities, and we tear down rather than build up self worth and self esteem.

Just like the picture illustrates, we need to concentrate on the good things that people do and just tell them. It makes a world of difference to hear encouragment rather than criticism. We all hold the fate of others in our hands, and we hold the power to change their lives or destroy it.

There is not one among us who doesn’t appreciate a word of encouragement. It is always special to receive positive affirmation in one way or another. After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, several items were found in his pockets. Among the things, he had tucked away in his wallet were nine complimentary newspaper clippings along with a souvenir five dollar confederate bill. I’m sure it was rare for everybody to encourage him, but it meant everything to him to have those few encouraging articles.

I can’t imagine all the ups and downs that occurred before the picture above was taken, but I see in it the reward of the encourager as well as the encouraged.

In this new year, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all made it our goal to encourage at least one person every day, not only for them but for ourselves.

In the history of our country, we have faced many perilous times, and today is no exception. It seems that our leaders might need a prayer which was prayed around 1957 by the Chaplain of the Senate, Peter Marshall. It seems appropriate to share that prayer today.

God of our fathers in Whom we trust and by Whose guidance and grace this nation was born, bless these Senators of the United States at this important time in history and give them all things needful to the faithful discharge of their responsibilities.

We pray especially today for our President, and also for him who will preside over this chamber.

Give to them good health for the physical strains of their office, good judgment for the decisions they must make, wisdom beyond their own, and clear understanding for the problems of this difficult hour.

We thank Thee for their humble reliance upon Thee. May they go often to the throne of grace as we commend them both to Thy loving care and Thy guiding hand.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Isn’t it remarkable that a prayer prayed over sixty years ago could be so relevant today??

When we have the opportunity to help, we should do it.  Gal. 6:10 

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers.  You will always find people who are helping.”   Fred Rogers

The recent fires in Australia have given new meaning to the word helpers.  The fires have burned over twenty four million acres, destroyed over 2000 homes, and killed over twenty five people.  When I see the news coverage of the outpouring of help and helpers that are coming to the aid of the Australian people, it reminds me of how we are all called to this ministry of helping in different ways.  We can’t all be on the front lines of a disaster, go on mission trips, or give millions of dollars, but we can all try to bless others through our efforts to help.  Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Life’s most persistent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”

We are here to show the same love and compassion Jesus showed when it comes to helping others. When it comes to serving God, if it doesn’t cost you anything – it doesn’t count.  Jesus said if you help others, your return will be great, and the way you treat others is the way you will be treated in return.  

When looking for those who need help, it’s important to remember that we don’t expect them to reciprocate, that we encourage them, and that we make them feel special.

Sometimes people need to be strengthened; other times we need to be stretched.  Sometimes people need comfort, not correction; other times, we need correction not comfort.  Sometimes people need a handout; other times, we just need a hand up.  

Years ago during a graduation service at the church, Sam Halverson sang a song entitled Thank You For Giving to the Lord by Ray Boltz for the special music.  The words are beautiful, and it was a way of thanking the helpers such as small group leaders, teachers and parents, for all the ways they had been responsible for changing the lives of these graduates.  The words to the chorus say it all:  Thank you for giving to the Lord:  I am a life that was changed;  Thank you for giving to the Lord: I am so glad you gave.

As we reflect on how many helpers all of us have and have had along the road of life that have given of themselves so that we might grow,  accomplish our goals, and find wholeness and satisfaction, it is humbling.  Their sacrifice is why we are where we are today.  We never know how many lives might be changed if we take that first step toward being a helper.

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.  Anne Frank

 

Everything is possible for him who believes.                Mark 9:23

Years ago when Randy and I served Calhoun First United Methodist Church, the church sponsored a group of children and adults called The Winner’s Club.  It was the dream and ministry of a couple, Deacon and Inez Belue.  They were called to create a group for special needs children and adults, to help them dream of the things they could do.   The group loved to sing, so the couple worked with them, and they traveled around singing for churches and organizations.  The music was inspiring even if it wasn’t perfectly performed, but on stage, they had overcome their handicap.  These people had dreams, and this group helped them realize some of them.

Recently, I watched the movie, The Peanut Butter Falcon, and it brought back memories of The Winner’s Club and some of its members.  The star of the movie is Zak, and he is a Downs Syndrome boy who is living his life in a nursing home where he was placed until the case worker can find a home for him.  Zak has dreams of becoming a professional wrestler, and he desperately wants to attend the Saltwater Redneck Wrestling School.  He escapes the home and the adventure begins.  

The star of the movie is Zack Gottsagen, and he is a Downs Syndrome young man who dreamed of being a movie star.  The writers met him at a camp for people with disabilities, and when he told them his dream, they tried to dissuade him by telling him how hard it was to be a movie star for the ordinary person much less one with a disability.  Zack replied, “Cool.  Sounds like we do it together then.  You guys write and direct, and I can be the movie star.”  The movie is his true story.

The movie shows the power of dreams.  I came away realizing that human beings can’t be defined by their academic degrees, affluence, personal problems, or chromosomal disorders.  It shows the reality of life with a disability or handicap, and the realization that everyone has a dream.  In short, it reaffirms the value of every life.

The Bible implies that Jabez had some kind of handicap or disability, but he was stronger than whatever afflicted him, and his faith kept him going.  He kept his eyes on the future rather than dwelling on the past. I have friends who work everyday to overcome these circumstances and those who have a dream usually end up achieving great things.

When God gives us a dream, sometimes the circumstances required to fulfill that dream won’t be to our liking.  In the midst of the conflict, ask God, “What is it that You are saying or trying to show me in this situation?” Sometimes God ordained dreams aren’t just born, they have to be reborn.

I’m forever grateful for the friends I know who live their dreams every day and are all winners.

Expect great things from God, and attempt great things for God.                          William Carey

P.S.  Unfortunately, this movie is not for young adults or children!

 

Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Most every morning finds me at the pool for a water aerobics class. Before and after class begins, (if I’m early or stay late), I enjoy watching the swimmers who come to do laps. Swimming really is quite an art, and if one is good, it’s pure poetry in motion.

The seasoned swimmer literally uses their stroke and pushes water that is in front of them behind them. They are moving whatever stands in the way of their goal. They are confident, rhythmic, and they make swimming look effortless as they glide through the water toward their goal. These people are comfortable in the water, and they trust the water and their skill to make it all work.

Then there are those who are afraid of the water. We have a lady who wants to swim so badly, but she fights the water all the way and her body sinks like a rock. She doesn’t trust the things she has learned, and her fear is obvious. The fear will take you under every time. The situation would be comical if it weren’t so painful to watch.

Sometimes when I ask people how they are, they respond with, “Well, I’m keeping my head above water and pressing on.” These are times when we are just treading water. The fact is we can only tread water for so long, before, eventually, we will drown. The waters that we are treading through don’t determine our destiny; they either carry us over or take us under.

There are those times in life when we, like a swimmer in water, have to feel comfortable enough to take hold of the faith God has placed within us and keep moving forward through those times when we feel like we are sinking and there’s nowhere to turn.

It’s these times when the swimmer in us presses on and fights our way through while being confident that God is on our side because He surely is. Don’t quit pressing on, for if you do, God can do nothing more for you! No matter whether we are treading water or comfortable swimming, God is there for us.

The beginning of a new year offers the perfect opportunity to press on confidently and with a renewed faith in God and His plan.

The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
Luke 18:27

It’s hard to believe that we are coming to the end of another year and a new year and decade are beginning. This time of year always prompts us to stop, take stock, and look back at all our blessings from the past year. As I thought back over the year of 2019, I asked myself, “What is the greatest gift God has given me this year?” In counting all the blessings, it occurred to me that the biggest gift this year has been opportunities. God has opened so many doors and offered so many ways to glorify Him through so many different avenues.

This is not to imply that I’ve done everything I could have done in the past year, it’s just a starting point. Thomas Edison said, “If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we’d astound ourselves.”

This is the time of year for resolutions, commitments, and promises. Years ago, Randy did the Prayer of Jabez for his New Years Resolution because Jabez dared to ask God for great things and believed God would do great things. He wrote out the prayer and placed it above his study desk so that each day he could pray it. The prayer is simple, Oh that You would bless me indeed, that You would enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain. It can be found in 1 Chronicles 4:10. Since we cannot out ask God or out dream God, it seems a great start to the New Year to ask for what we want, and believe that God will give it to us.

I love that Jabez wanted God to “enlarge his territory” because as long as our horizons are expanding, we will be spiritually and emotionally happy. When we ask to have our territory enlarged, it has to be something new – unfamiliar land. We can’t be satisfied to start this new year as we have started others with the same resolutions, the same plans, the same habits, and the same land. This year we need to dream big!

Jabez also asked God to be with him because he realized that if he got more territory, he would have more responsibility which would require even more of God’s help. As we prosper in our lives, sometimes we think we need God less, but the truth is, we need Him more.

He asked God to keep him from evil and not cause anyone pain. Jabez needed God’s protection as we all do. The more successful we are, the more critics we have; the more critics we have, the more people will attack us; the more people who attack us, the more we need God. When God is closer, we can be sure that we have nothing or no one to fear. We have the opportunity to do great things.

My wish for all of us is that 2020 would be a year filled with opportunites, expansion, and big dreams!

Happy New Year!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.    John 3:16

This special verse was, and probably still is, the first verse we learned in our Sunday Schools and churches.  It is loved because it is inclusive, sacrificial, and a gift to the whole world.  In this season of giving, there is no better gift we can receive than the gift of love.

My Mama and Daddy always loved to give their grandchildren special gifts at Christmas, and for some reason, they always liked to wrap them in huge boxes.  The gifts inside the boxes were nice and appreciated, but the biggest thrill for the kids was playing with the boxes!  The kids looked beyond the gift inside and just looked at the package. Love doesn’t need to come in the biggest packages to be appreciated.

No matter how large or small the gift, nothing can compare to the love of God sent down in the form of a little baby.  His love isn’t based on looks, personality, wealth or even moral goodness.  It’s offered to us without any preconditions, and His love keeps no record of wrongs.  God’s love guarantees His acceptance when all others have rejected us, offers His forgiveness when others have judged us, and gives His mercy when others have condemned us.

Jesus came as a baby to tell us that nothing we can do will make God love us more, and we can do nothing to make Him love us less.  His love is constantly at work to direct us toward making wise decisions, to protect us when we make poor ones, and to correct us when we make bad ones.  The world didn’t give us this love, Jesus did, and so the world can never take it away.

God’s gift to all of us this Christmas is eternal life.  Our job this Christmas is to accept His gift of love and use it to believe and live.  That is the best news of the season!

The verse of When I Survey the Wondrous Cross says it best:                               Love so amazing, so divine, demands your soul, your life, your all.

When we open our gifts this year, remember all the love behind the most special gift – Jesus and His love.

Merry Christmas!

 

Our faith begins and ends with Jesus. 

Last week Randy and I had a chance to spend four days with our grand boys in Buford without parents around.  During the time there, we watched some of the traditional Christmas movies including The Polar Express which is one of my all time favorites.  The book and movie are magical for many reasons, but the theme, I believe, is the best analogy  of those of us who miss out on hearing the bells because we don’t believe.

When we arrived for our stay, we heard about how upsetting it was to Reese that the Elf on the Shelf hadn’t moved one day.  Now Reese didn’t believe anymore.  It took a trip to see Santa where the Elf was refilled with the spirit of Christmas to allow Reese to believe again.   The belief is restored, and the bells can be heard.

Isn’t it so like us?  We have those times when we can hear the bells ring loudly and we believe in God, His word, and His plan for us.  Then, He doesn’t come through for us as we think He should, our life doesn’t go as planned, or tragedy strikes, and suddenly, we can’t hear the bells of love and we forget to believe.

Often if we can’t see God or can’t see Him at work, then we just don’t believe He’s there.  The Conductor in the movie had a great point on this when he said,  Seeing is believing, just remember sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we cannot see.  Only when we put aside our doubt and believe can we actually see and allow ourselves to relate to Him.  God can’t be actually seen visibly or adequately explained or proven intellectually.  Only when we believe does His light illuminate our path.

The train in the movie likens itself to the journey of our life. The conductor says, One thing about trains.  It doesn’t matter where they’re going.  The important thing is deciding to get on.  Life is a journey of ups and downs, highs and lows, but when we choose God as our Savior, we have made the decision to “get on” and let Him lead us to our eternal destination.

The joy and hope of this movie reminds me that all of us hope for the peace and delight that the children experienced. Perhaps at Christmas more than any other time, we long to possess that fulfillment and satisfaction deep down in our souls.  The good news is that it is available to each of us.  Just as Santa gave the young boy a bell as a reminder of him, God places in each of our hearts the Holy Spirit as a reminder of the fabulous future which awaits us as Christians.

During this Christmas season, just believe and wait to see all that God can do!

Jesus once again addressed them:  “I am the world’s light.  No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness.  I provide plenty of light in which to live.”     The Message  John 8:12

A few weeks ago I was privileged to hear a very dear friend give a devotional on Light and how important it is in our lives.  One of the points she made that stuck with me states, “In the darkness, we only need enough light to see the next step.  God’s word is that light.”

If you’ve ever walked into a totally dark room with a flashlight or a candle, then you know how it lights your way.  Light doesn’t need to announce its arrival or ask darkness to leave, it just does.  When light walks ahead of you, darkness just rolls back like the tide.  Darkness can’t be where light is.

How often in our lives is having light enough to see the next step just not enough for us?  We want to be able to see the plan laid out in glowing color so we will be able to make the right choices, choose the right path, or say the right thing.  The problem that way of thinking presents, is that it is through our abiding relationship with Jesus that He lights the direction we should take step by step.

During this Advent season, we  should all be mindful of how much brighter this world is because Jesus was born into it.  His light gives us spiritual clarity and understanding .  With Him, we can walk with integrity, confidence, and boldness while He provides instruction and direction for our lives.

On that Holy Night when the world was walking in darkness, a Light came and shone in that darkness to lead those who would see, hear and follow Him to a new and perfect life.  The Holy Spirit works not by overcoming power with brute force, but by subverting power with gentleness and humility.

Now that He has come to give us light, our job is to let our light shine so that others might be drawn to His love.

Because he has focused his love on me, I will deliver him.  I will protect him because he knows my name.  When he calls out to me, I will answer him.  I will be with him in his distress.  I will deliver him and I will honor him.                  Psalm 91:14-15

Years ago the choir at Mt. Bethel held a talent show to benefit the music ministry. There was incredible talent that night (Elvis even made an appearance), but one of the acts in the program had a great song which was amazing then, and it still brings back sweet memories.  The song was, Operator (Get Me Jesus on the Line).  Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded it on one of his albums in 1982, and it brings up a visual image of talking on the phone with Jesus via a direct line.  I find that image so comforting.

In this culture, when the phone rings, the first thing we do is look at our contact list or caller ID to see who’s calling.  If we want to talk to this person, then we answer – if not, we ignore the call. If you think about all the times your calls go to voicemail, it could be quite sobering to think of the person on the other end of the line ignoring your call. I’ve heard people say, “Oh, that’s just whoever – I’ll call them back.” Sometimes they say, “This call is important, I have to take it now.” I began pondering how Jesus must feel when we ignore His calls or prioritize who matters.

The question arises, who in our contact list or life matters and who doesn’t?  Who makes a difference in our life?  Is Jesus’ call one that we would answer or ignore?  How accessible is Jesus to us?

It’s interesting to me that in research 24% of Americans and/or Christians today see God as distant and detached.  Another 21% see Him as distant and angry, while 31% see Him as involved but angry.  It begs the question,”Is it Jesus who is distant or could we be ignoring His call?

When God “calls”, it’s usually because He is seeking to help, not ever hurt.  We all matter to God, and if we call on Him, He never ignores the call whether it be to thank Him, beseech Him, or just talk to Him.

This dates me, but when I went off to college, my Daddy said, “You call us anytime and call collect”.  That phrase meant I could call anytime and not pay for the call – he picked up the bill.  Every time we need Him, God wants us to call collect because we matter.