February 19, 2021

Forgiveness Revisited

February 19, 2021/ jan

Several years ago, I met with a group of moms to explore one of our Lord's first words from the Cross: Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. Luke 23:34

As our discussion went on, we talked about the struggle we all have to forgive our offenders. I shared a short section from a book that years before had an incredible impact on me in the area of forgiveness.

I used to think that the struggle to forgive was itself sinful...as well as the horrible feelings I had in the whole thing. But I've come to realize that the struggle and the feelings are all part of the human condition on this earth.

February 19, 2021

Lenten Meditation: a Word of Forgiveness

February 19, 2021/ jan

Alexander Pope (1688-1744), English poet, once said,To err is human; to forgive, divine.

So true...but we humans more readily echo what someone else has said,

To err is human, but to get even? THAT is divine.

We struggle so, with forgiving our offenders! Perhaps that's why we are amazed and awestruck to realize that Jesus' first words from the Cross were ones of forgiveness.

February 18, 2021

Lenten Meditation: Last Words and Conversations

February 18, 2021/ jan

The last words of a dying person are important. They can communicate good or ill to those left behind. Why? Because the last words are so final...and so revealing of what was uppermost in the person's mind as he was leaving this earth to face his Maker. I've never been at the bedside of a dying person. But I have been with a few people just days before their death.

February 06, 2021

Hearing God...when getting mixed messages

February 06, 2021/ jan

I have a precious friend named Kitty. She sees and hears God EVERYWHERE! Her favorite "mantra," so to speak, is"He is is SO personal!" And that's what I love about Kitty!

However, for Kitty and for all of us, hearing God can be a little tricky. Jesus said we DO hear Him if we belong to Him. But how? Where does the hearing take place?

Kitty and I had such a conversation the other day. Here is my paraphrase:

Kitty: I'm struggling. One minute I hear this message in sermons and songs and blogs,
"Wait upon the Lord. Keep silent and wait."
And that's what I'm trying to do. But then the next minute, it is
"God is waiting for you to step out in faith, and then He will move."
Which is it?
Jan: This is the key, Kitty...

January 20, 2021

Joy in January: Greater!

January 20, 2021/ jan

. . . The Lord Jesus Christ in you! The Lord Jesus Christ in me! What glory right here...right now!
The Sovereign Creator of the Universe lives in each of His children! His life courses through our spiritual veins! What glory for this life as well as the life to come!
And so this week in the midst of has been a year of upheaval, let's celebrate and enjoy the joy of the One who is Greater by far!…

December 30, 2020

Facing the New Year without Regret

December 30, 2020/ jan

Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past.Behold, I will do something NEW, now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19

Everyone has regrets...it's part of the human condition!

December 01, 2020

Advent Devotions: the WITH-ness of our God {from nearness to oneness}

December 01, 2020/ jan

Jesus Christ the Son of God became one with us, so that we could be one with Him!

This glorious truth is at the heart of the Incarnation. God became one of us! One with us! Why? So that we could experience union with God.

And that takes us back to our 3 Greek prepositions for with: (see previous post: The WITH-ness of our God (prepositions):

para, meaning beside, nearby, in the immediate vicinity or proximity, alongside
meta, meaning with, in close association with, in companionship with
sun, meaning together in intimate union, inseparable from

November 30, 2020

Advent Devotions: the WITH-ness of our God {His Presence in prepositions}

November 30, 2020/ jan

Isn't it wonderful when someone wants to spend time with us? Not just a token, obligatory, "showing up" to either fulfill an obligation, salve guilt, or ask for something...a real wanting to be with us.

As special as it is in human relationships, think how amazing it is when we realize that the Sovereign God of the universe has wanted to be with us! Yes, US! and according to the Bible words used, we see that in Jesus, our Emmanuel, He is with us on every level possible.

In the original language of the New Testament, there are three Greek words that can be translated with.

September 16, 2020

"Never more than I can bear"-- Oh, really?

September 16, 2020/ jan

"God never gives us more than we can bear!" For some reason, I've been hearing that a lot lately, have you?

I don't know about you, but in my experience, it has been the opposite! God regularly gives me more than I can bear...and I'll tell you what I think is the reason.

As I now like to say, "I'm a tough nut to crack." I'm a pretty strong personality! So for a lot of my Christian life, I've believed that it's my strength and know-how and abilities and wisdom, coupled with the blessing and help from Above, that will get the job done...successfully...even in the spiritual realm. I've eaten over and over again from the "Tree of knowledge of Good & Evil" thinking that was God's will and way!

But now I know differently. His way is His strength in my weakness! Not His help in my weakness! HIM doing it and being it!

August 29, 2020

Where We Need to Live Today. . .Under His Wings

August 29, 2020/ jan

I posted this back in March. I need this again. Do you? Read these Scriptures aloud. Let them wash over your soul. Listen to the song … the words … the imagery … the truth.

And be still and know HE is GOD, and HE is what we need in the midst of the upheaval and discord and confusion and ungodly attitudes all around us. And may the mind of Christ have sway in us His sons and daughters! Amen….

…When in the deepest of troubles...when there is no consolation or comfort...go to the sacred place where you and the Lord live together and nothing can touch...the place of union with our God through Jesus Christ by faith (Colossians 2:9-10 ESV)...and rest in Him who rests in you (John 17:20-23 ESV)!

Hide me in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 17:8b

August 19, 2020

Sunrise Serendipities -- a trip into Yesteryear

August 19, 2020/ jan

Sunrises are always serendipities -- not that we don't expect them and not that they don't always come, but we never know what we will get. Each one is different, and each one is a gift from the hand of our Creator! Maybe the gift part is more true than we realize, because each sunrise signals a new day. And really, none of us is promised that day ahead of time...pure grace when it comes!

August 11, 2020

Ocean Sunrise in Scripture & Song

August 11, 2020/ jan

For several years before my mom went to Jesus, I spent lots of precious time with her on the coast in New Jersey. One of the highlights had always been my early morning walks along the beach at sunrise.

Since the summer is coming to an end, school is gearing up with all its uncertainties, and we are staying put in Ohio, I’m returning to this blog that I wrote after a sweet summer with my mom at my sister's house in Belmar.

Maybe you too need some peaceful reflection today. Why not join me as I "go down the shore" and enjoy the glory of our great Creator in pictures (my own), Scriptures and song.

Blessings, my friend.

June 25, 2020

The unfolding Way...the unfolding Day...the unfolding Life

June 25, 2020/ jan

First posted December, 2015:

These were my thoughts as I awoke early today. And it became a conversation with my Lord. Maybe this is for you too...

Let it happen... Let life unfold... Step into each day, each moment, and let it unfold before you...the moment...the day

But Lord, what about the preparing for what I know are my responsibilities? I don't want to be stressed, but how does that fit into my unfolding day?

I will unfold even the preparing before you, "This is the time...the way... for this preparing, for this scheduling, for this looking ahead... walk in it NOW!"

Yes, Lord! Is that how being "Ready for Anything" can be true? "Be it done unto me according to your word"...this way...this moment...this day...this life!

The skies don't seem to be as dark as usual The stars seem brighter then they've been before Deep within I feel my soul a stirring As though my hope has been restored

The shepherds say they've heard the voice of angels Confirming rumors spread across the land That a child protected well from Herod's anger Is our Father's Son, and the Son of man

Love is raining down on the world tonight There's a presence here I can tell God is in us, God is for us, God is with us, Emmanuel He's a Savior we have been praying for In our humble hearts He will dwell God is in us, God is for us, God is with us, Emmanuel

I feel compelled to tell all who will listen That peace on earth is not so out of reach If we can find grace and mercy and forgiveness He has come to save, He is all of these

You're the Savior we have been praying for In our humble hearts You will dwell You are in us, You are for us, You are with us, Emmanuel

June 20, 2020

Remembering my Dad

June 20, 2020/ jan

I'm so thankful for the man that GOD chose to be my earthly father. I wish I had had more time to get to know him as a person. He died young ... just 60! Twelve years on earth less than I have had to this point.

Here are my reflections of my dad from a post a few years ago. I hit a grief that caught me by surprise:
An Unexpected Grief, first posted November 2016…

There I was, sitting at the stop light. All of a sudden, an overwhelming grief ... not primarily for my mom who died an exact year before, almost to the day. No, for my dad ... who had died in 1983 right before Thanksgiving.

But why am I grieving now ... why this year, when I hadn't thought of him at this time other years?

I tried to track my train of thought and realized that my thoughts had gone from grieving over my mistakes in my parenting to the difficulties in my own childhood home.

June 13, 2020

Spiritual Fathers: Dead and Alive

June 13, 2020/ jan

I am writing to you, fathers,because you know him who is from the beginning. 1 John 2:13,14 ESV

Since the month of June is Fathers Day month, I'm thinking about spiritual fathers. I've been blessed to have some. My life has been forever enriched by being "spiritually fathered" by these people of God.

So this month, I would like to share a few of them with you. But first, let's think together about "spiritual fathering."

May 07, 2020

Vineyard Tour Stop #6 -- Ah! the Harvest...All About Love, Always Is

May 07, 2020/ jan

Ah! the harvest! The reason the Vineyard exists!

When our daughter and family lived in southern California, I was able to observe grape vineyards in all major stages of growth -- from pruning to blooming with green fruit and leaves and finally to the harvest of ripe fruit followed by early stages of the "dying" process. All of this to begin again the Cycle of Life!

I love the metaphor of the Vine & the Branches in John 15! It encourages me in my FAITH . . .

May 05, 2020

Vineyard Tour Stop #5: Growth in the Vineyard -- Extending Grace to Ourselves and Others

May 05, 2020/ jan

One year, I celebrated my June birthday with my daughter and family in California. To my delight, Beth took me to my vineyard for lunch at the lovely restaurant there.

On the way to the Temecula vineyard area, I was amazed to see how the former ruthlessly pruned vines were now covered with lush green leaves. You may remember those stark vines from a previous post.

May 02, 2020

Vineyard Tour Stop #3 -- The Father's Pruning: Stripped Bare? Why me?

May 02, 2020/ jan

I am the true Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Every branch in Me...that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit.
John 15:1, 2

From what I understand, important to the process of growing grapes is pruning the vine. Now I am definitely not a gardener! So if I have ever pruned anything, I've done a very wimpy job of it. So I was shocked a few years ago when we visited a vineyard in Temecula Valley, CA.

April 30, 2020

Vineyard Tour Stop #2 -- Job Descriptions: Who Does What in the Father's Vineyard

April 30, 2020/ jan

By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.John 15:8

Have you ever started a job with no job description? I have, and it's pretty confusing.

Years ago, I was looking for a part-time teaching job. A friend asked if I would like to apply to substitute teach in ESL & GED classes. I told her that I didn't have a clue about either one of those. She assured me that it wasn't difficult. All I had to do was follow the teacher's lesson plans. So I naively applied.

April 29, 2020

Vineyard Tour Stop #1 -- The True Vine: Tell Us about Your Name

April 29, 2020/ jan

I AM the True Vine... John 15:1

“Tell us about your name…”

That was the opening “ice-breaker” at a teacher in-service I attended a few years ago. I was glad for that topic, because I have an interesting name. In fact, each of my names (even including my married name) has something unique about it.

A Branch in the Vine