GodandMe2theMax

Perspective Lenses of Praise...

“I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”  Psalm 104:33

“Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!  Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises!” Psalm 47:1,6

 

On the way to church on Sunday, I heard an old Amy Grant song, “Sing Your Praise to the Lord.”  It’s probably been years since I heard that song, and even longer since I actually focused on the content and meaning of the song. To be honest, the introduction and instrumentals in the song are so cool, that my brain has always been drawn to the music instead of paying attention to the words.  When I heard the intro, I opened the window a little on a cool Texas morning, cranked up the volume, and tried my best to sing with Amy.  With each breath, each attempt to spit out a line of words that I’d not thought of for years, the meaning behind them came to life, perhaps for the first time.

Sing your praise to the Lord, Come on everybody,
Stand up and sing...one more Hallelujah,
Give your praise to the Lord, I can never tell you,
Just how much good...that it's Gonna do ya
Just to sing...anew...The song your heart first learned to sing when He
First gave His life...to you...The life goes on and so must the song…

Singing praise to the Lord isn’t just for Sunday, you know.  Our praises should be constant, not a set time to “praise” but a state of being.  Yet, what happens when I begin to focus on my own life’s problems?  Immediately, I stop praising.  The focus is on ‘me” instead of God.  It’s misdirected.

I love the line “life goes on and so must the song…”  How true! Nearly everyone can identify something we are going through right now that is causing pain or emotional anguish.  I sure can, and it doesn’t take even half a second to identify it, either.  That’s how close to the surface it is.  For you, maybe it’s the loss of a job or even being stuck in a job that consumes you.  Maybe you feel like your family is falling apart.  Maybe you’re a student who is overwhelmed with your workload.  It could be financial burdens, health issues, a wayward child…  Yes, we all have something.  But God doesn’t promise us a life without problems; that’s not what being a Christian is all about.  He does promises us that He will be here for us, and He promises abundant life in Him.  IN HIM.  Not in ME.  The only way to have that is to stop the self- focus and direct it toward Him.  “So life goes on, and so must the song.”

You gotta sing...again...The song born in your soul when you
First gave your heart...to Him...Sing His praises, once more
Sing your praise to the Lord, Come on everybody,
Stand up and sing...one more Hallelujah,
Give your praise to the Lord, I can never tell you,
Just how much good...that it's Gonna do ya

Think about the joy you had in your heart when you invited Jesus to take control.  As a small child, I remember kneeling down one Sunday afternoon with my mom in my bedroom.  She explained to me what the Bible says about becoming a Christian. As best I knew how, I prayed and asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and take control of my life.  Sure, I wasn’t a drug dealer or alcoholic, but I was a sinner just the same.  If you were a child like me when you made that decision, maybe you can’t exactly relate to this song and describe the joy you felt.  But I can sure describe the joy I have today because of that decision so many years ago.  He has spared my life from so many bad decisions because I made the choice at a young age to give Him control.  As I sang these words, I was reminded of the countless blessings God has given to me because I belong to Him.  No matter what, I gotta keep singing; keep praising.  “I can never tell you, just how much good that it’s gonna do ya!”

Just to sing...aloud...The song that someone is dying to hear
Down in the madd'ning crowd...As you once were before your heard the song,
You gotta let them know...The truth is a life to shine upon the way,
So maybe they...can go...Sing His praises, once more
Sing your praise to the Lord, Come on everybody,
Stand up and sing...one more Hallelujah,
Give your praise to the Lord, I can never tell you,
Just how much good...that it's Gonna do ya

How many missed opportunities have I had because my focus has been on me and my problems?  I don’t think I want to know the answer to that. Would you?  How many people around us are dying to hear about Jesus?  OK, in today’s western society, it’s not like they are knocking on the door begging us all the time.  But the truth is that people are searching for life’s answers, and it’s up to us to point them to the truth.  A lot of people know about God -- even believe in Him.  But so many have a misconception of Him and what the Bible says about becoming one of His children.  Just because they believe doesn't mean they're a Christian.  The Bible says in James 2:19 "even the demons believe!"  We must be vocal.  We must tell them the truth that it's only by putting your faith in Christ and Christ alone for salvation, repenting of sin, and giving Him control that is TRUTH.  We must sing aloud!  We must let them know “truth is a life to shine upon the way!”

Just to let the name of the Lord...Be praised, both for now, and evermore,
Praise Him all ye servants, Give Your praise to the Lord, Come on everybody,
Stand up and sing...one more Hallelujah,
Give your praise to the Lord, I can never tell you,
Just how much good...that it's Gonna do ya
Just to sing, sing sing...
Come on, sing, sing, sing...
I can hear you now, sing, sing, sing...

I learned a long time ago that when the path of life is blurry and you can’t quite see the way, all I need to do is put on my “Perspective Lenses.” Once I see myself and my problems with God’s perspective lenses, things start to become clear.  I may think my problems are ginormous.  (Yes, that’s a real word by the way, added to the dictionary in 2007!)  But my perspective lenses tell me otherwise.  They bring truth to focus.  They tell me that God has a plan.  It’s my choice to put this song into action each moment of the day.

So are you with me?  Are you going to praise Him in the good and the bad?  Are you going to praise Him “now and evermore?”  Are you going to stand with me and sing “one more hallelujah!”?  “I could never tell ya, how much good that it’s gonna do ya.  Just to sing, sing, sing…Come on sing, sing, sing…I can hear you now, sing, sing, sing!”

 

-- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

Fresh Look at an Old Story...

"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin,
but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty..." 
I Samuel 17:45

On Friday, I received a call I never could have anticipated.  One of my former clients, someone who I’ve not even communicated with in at least a year and a half, called me up and said, “I want to be there Sunday for your Living Stones Fountain dedication.”  I was shocked.  She lives pretty far away, and although I had talked to her on the phone quite a few times throughout our professional relationship, I had no idea she was keeping up with me and my family through my blog.  And so Hannah Smiley with the Father’s House Foundation made the trek out from Glen Rose to Wylie TX.  And let me just say, she came with a purpose.

You see, Hannah’s ministry works in Israel, taking pastors and church members on trips to the Holy Land.  For whatever reason, she had picked up along the years some stones from the Holy Land, and when she read my blogs about Living Stones, she knew in her heart that God wanted her to come and present these stones to me. Stones she had held on to for a long time.  Stones she had refused to give to others who had asked for them.  She knew that God would show her when, where, and who they should go to eventually. 

So Hannah came, and at the dedication, she presented me with a very special stone from Gilgal, found just a hike from where Joshua’s 12-stone memorial after crossing the Jordan was laid.  How awesome it was to finally meet this person I had talked to all those times, but it was even more special to watch her mingle with every one of my other friends, as if they had known each other their whole lives.  Isn’t that what the family of God is all about?  It came to life in front of my eyes on Sunday, and it was one of the most joyful afternoons of my entire life.    

When Hannah first arrived, she also gave me a stone from the Valley of Elah.  Never heard of it?  I have to be honest, I wasn't sure of it's significance either.  But this is the valley where David killed Goliath.  So this morning, I decided to ask God to give me a fresh look at an old story. 

 

 The stone on the left is from Gilgal, and the smaller stone on the right is from the Valley of Elah

 

Stop and read I Samuel 17, will you?  Prayerfully ask God to give you a fresh look, and please comment on what you see!  I see a lot of things I hadn't noticed before, more than I can even write about in this blog, so I'll focus on the biggest impression.  What I’ve found is that there’s a lot more to this story than what we tend to focus on…

Tidbit: The first thing I noticed after reading this passage is what was promised to the one who defeated Goliath.  Saul promised to give great wealth, a daughter, and a “get out of taxes for free” card for life (v 25).  I don’t ever remember reading that before!  I wonder how many Christians would take a stand against Goliath today, just for that card!

The next thing I notice is that Goliath was talking a lot of smack (vv 8-10, 23, 43-44).  Yes, he was a giant in stature, but his mouth might have carried the bigger load of fear.  He hurled insults left and right, and let’s be honest, David threw a few left punches back at Goliath (vv 26 & 36).  But what else did David do?  He combatted Goliath’s insults with God-talk.  Twice he refers to the armies
of the living God (vv26 & 36).  He talks about how God has saved him in the past and delivered him from the paw of the lion (vv 34 & 37).  He told Goliath “I come to you in the name of the Lord God Almighty!  This day the Lord will hand you over to me…the whole world will know there is a God in Israel!” (v 45-47).

You know the story, David took five smooth stones from stream.  He had five, but it only took one attempt to hit Goliath right between the eyes.  He then used Goliath’s own sword to end his life. 
The rest of the Philistines ran off in terror, and Israel won the battle.

So what are the giants in your life and how do you combat them?  With fear, like the Israelites?  (v 11 & 24)  When we face those tough circumstances, do cower or face it head on, with boldness from God?  I think there’s more to this old Bible story than a boy killing a big bully of a giant with a sling.  I know in my life when I’m going through my own “Valley of Elah” it’s been so easy to crawl up in a ball and wait for the giant to pass, hoping the damage will be minimal.  But I don’t believe that’s what God wants.  He wants us to face those giants with boldness, just like David.  He wants us to use God-talk, not focus on the negatve circumstances we are facing.  He wants us to rely on Him, and with faith, press on, just like David. 

…and it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to pick up a few stones along the way, because just like Hannah and David, you never know when they might come in handy.

 

Frank and Beth Banfill with Hannah Smiley of The Father's House Foundation

 

 

--Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

Propaganda or Living Stones (Part Two)

 "...and Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan.
He said to the Israelites, in the future, when your descendants ask their fathers,
'What do these stones mean?' Tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.'
For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over...
He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and that you might always fear the Lord your God."

Joshua 4:19-24

 

Some of you may know my story, some do not.  Track with me, please, because this concept of Living Stones, combined with the timing of this weekend, is my driving force in writing right now. 

It was five years ago this summer that I found out I had Follicular Thyroid Cancer.  I underwent back-to-back surgeries, an extensive (and expensive) radiation treatment, followed by something called an "i-131 Whole Body Scan."  Here's how it works.  Thyroid cells are the only cells in the body that soak up iodine.  For two weeks prior to the first radiation treatment, I had to be on a low-iodine diet, basically starving my cells of iodine.  Then I went to the Nuclear Medicine department of Baylor in downtown Dallas, signed my life away, and swallowed a radioactive iodine pill.  I had to stay in isolation for several days, and then I had to go back to Baylor for this big body scan.  As the pill made its way through my system, it would kill any remaining thyroid cells along the way, but if there was any area that had a large amount of thyroid cells together, they would show up on the scan, indicating the cancer had metasticized.

And that brings me to today.  It was exactly five years ago today, on Friday, July 27, 2007, that I had that first body scan.  I had Aflac supplementary cancer insurance, so before I left the hospital, I filled out the paperwork to have them send me the written report of the scan so I could submit it to Aflac.  To my surprise, by 3 PM that afternoon, I had a fax from the hospital with the results.

Now, I'm no doctor, but I could tell that this report was not a favorable one.  I immediately called my doctor and waited for her to call back.  Unfortunately, calls after 3 PM weren't returned until the next business day, so there I sat, me and the internet, to try to figure out what this all meant. 

If you know me, I'm the kind of person who hates surprises.  I like to be "in the know" about things at all times.  Let's just say patience is not my best virtue, in fact, I don't hold much of this virture if I were completely honest.  So by Saturday morning, I couldn't stand the suspense any longer, and I devised a plan to get some answers.  We had a radiologist friend from our church who had moved to Oklahoma, so at 9 AM Saturday morning, I gave him a call. After a brief run-down of what I'd been going through, I read him the report, word for word, start to finish.  Then I asked him that poignant question, "So, is this saying that the cancer might have spread to my spine?"

My mind can still replay his answer to me like it was yesterday.

"No Beth, that means it did spread.  I'm sorry, you have bone cancer."

I let the words sink in.  I replayed them over and over again in my mind.  Frank and I talked it over, prayed together, let it soak in as much as possible, and then - well, then we got ready for the day.  You see, our daughter Amber had a volleyball game to play in, and even with bad news, life still moves around you.  I'm not one to wallow with bad news, and I tend to surround myself with people to keep my mind off things.

After my second surgery, my vocal chords were damaged, and I could only produce a raspy whisper. But I went to the game, ready to cheer on my daughter's team, even if I could only do it with loud clapping.  Amber played on an amazingly talented team of girls, but these girls had some pretty special and Godly parents, too.  Among those were Steven and Jennifer Polk.  Steven is the worship pastor at Firewheel Church in Garland, TX, and I remember sitting there, telling Jennifer with my broken voice, the results of the scan I had just had.  Then Jennifer said, "You know, our church is having a 'Night of Worship' this Sunday night.  I know you can't sing right now, but why don't you come and just let the Holy Spirit minister to you?''

When Jennifer invited me, I really believe God confirmed in my heart that I should go.  I knew it was going to be a special night, and if I didn't go, I would miss some sort of blessing that God had for me.  I thanked Jennifer and told her I would try my best to be there.  We had Vacation Bible School kick-off at my church that Sunday night, so Frank agreed to take our kids there, then meet me at Jennifer & Steven's church later.  So I wouldn't be late, I rode with another friend and volleyball mom who attended their church. 

I walked in and immediately saw a good friend of ours, Sam Ingrassia.  Sam works for the missions agency we used to work with (now called E3 Partners), and he is the team leader for all the Colombia trips I've taken.  I looked at him in shock with an immediate "What are you doing here?" comment.  Funny, I had no idea at all he was a member of Firewheel Church or even connected to it!  I then told Sam I probably wasn't going to Colombia with him in October, and I shared the results of the scan. 

It was evident that a lot of prayer had gone into that Night of Worship.  I felt as though I was in the presence of Almighty God, and truly, I believe I was.  The Firewheel church family seemed to know all the music that the worship team sang, and there was one song, almost the "theme song" for the night, that God really used to speak truth to me.  It was Matt Redman's "You Never Let Go."  I had never heard this song before, but the words were powerful, especially given my circumstances.  As much as I wanted to, I couldn't even attempt to sing, because of my vocal chords.  But I know I worshipped God that night nonetheless, just soaking up the words on the screen and listening to that amazing worship team deliver God's message...as if it was just for me.

********

You Never Let Go

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won't turn back I know you are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles but until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth

(Chorus)

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles but until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You.

********

As the Night of Worship came to a close, Pastor Steven told the congregation that if anyone had a prayer need, that they should come forward and there would be people in the front to pray with them.  Sure, I had a prayer need, but I also had a death grip on the chair in front of me.  This wasn't my home church, and although I knew a lot of people there, in my mind, that invitation to go forward to pray was not for me.  OK, being honest, I felt like Steven was talking just to me with a personal invitation, but I still had that death grip on the chair in front of me. 

The next thing I knew, Sam Ingrassia was right next to me, telling me "Come on.  God is telling me to pray over you."  How could I argue with Sam?  Or more so, how could I argue with God?  Together, Frank and I walked up front with Sam and kneeled at the alter.  Sam prayed over me like I've never had someone pray over me in all my life.  He called on God to heal me and spoke with Holy Spirit power that only God can give. I could hear other people praying softly around me.  I felt their touch as I was surrounded by people, some friends, others who just surrounded me to pray.  I have no idea how long Sam prayed, only that I felt the Holy Spirit move in my life like I have never experienced before or since. 

On the way home from the Night of Worship, on the way back to our own church to get our children, Frank and I talked about the night and the outpouring of God Almighty on the evening.  I can't remember my exact words, but they went something like this, "You may think this is crazy, but in my heart of hearts, I believe God healed me tonight.  And if He didn't, I know He is going to heal me, whether through a miracle or modern medicine, but I know He will."  That Night of Worship was Sunday, July 29th, 2007.  Five years ago this weekend.

And today, I claim that miracle as truth and give God the glory. 

The next week, I met with my doctor who talked through the report with the radiologist and then with me.  They sent me for another scan to further identify the region where the cancer had spread.  But this time, the scan showed nothing abnormal.  Did you hear that?  Nothing!  The same radiologist compared the two scans, and decided he must have made an error.  Yes, that's what must have happened.  The cancer hadn't spread to my spine, the radiologist just read the $13,000+ body scan incorrectly.  Yes, now he said that the cancer had actually spread to my lungs.  So they sent me for a CT scan of my lungs.  Once again - nothing!  Finally, they did one more scan a few weeks later, just for good measure, and my doctor announced her bewilderment.  I remember her doctor saying, "I don't know..."  And I interrupted her with something like, "Well, I do know!  I believe God healed me!"  I was then able to share my experience from the Night of Worship.  She looked at me with unbelieving eyes, but she couldn't refute what I was saying.  After all, we have the evidence glowing on film!

And as you read this, like my doctor, you may read with unbelieving eyes.  You may look at this as propaganda - "Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view." (dictionary.com) 

Propaganda?  No.  Personal experience?  Yes.  You see, it's my story.  It's my story of God's healing in my life, and believe in God or not, believe in modern day miracles or not, no one can argue with my personal experience.   

And that brings me back full circle to Part One of this blog.  I've known that the five year anniversary of that Night of Worship was upcoming.  I had been reading in Joshua how the Lord parted the Jordan River and made a way for the Israelites to cross on dry land.  Then what did Joshua do?  He took twelve stones from the Jordan and set up a  memorial.  He did this "so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and that you might always fear the Lord your God."  Those stones that he placed, in essence, were living stones, telling the story of God's power and faithfulness to Israel. 

For me, I've been consumed, even plagued as of late with tying these two thoughts together...Living Stones incorporated into something tangible to give God glory for the miracle of healing me, much like what Joshua did.  I couldn't let the thought die, it was something I had to do.  I was compelled and driven (and I'm sure I've almost driven my husband crazy with it, too!)  We have spent days talking about different possibilities.  We have spent hours at every store we can find trying to find just the right memorial that we can do to honor this concept, to simply honor God without simplifying Him.  We even considered planting a tree, until a friend told us that trees planted in July have a 20% chance of survival.  Considering the reason for the planting, we opted against that idea pretty quickly. 

Finally, I believe we found the solution to my yearning desires - we settled on creating and dedicating a "Living Stones Fountain."  We strategically placed it in our front tree lawn, with stones that were left over from the construction of our home built-up around it.  I liked the idea of combining a fountain and stones, because of the symbolism of Christ being our "Living Water" and the stones come alive only through that Living Water.  You see, without God, without this Living Water, I believe things would be very different for me.

And so on Sunday afternoon at 4 PM, we will dedicate this Living Stone Fountain to God.  If you are in the Dallas metroplex, you are welcome to come join us as we give God thanks for all He's done, as we remember what He did five years ago, Sunday July 29th, 2007.  We will pause to thank Him for His power and faithfulness.  Why?  "so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and that you might always fear the Lord your God." 

 

And isn't that what it's about?  Making sure all the people of the earth know how powerful and mighty the hand of God is?  Sure, what we will dedicate on Sunday is a memorial, a remembrance, for what God has done in my life.  But the truth is that each child of God's should be the same kind of living stone.  As it says in I Peter 2:5  "You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house..." 

With Christ as the cornerstone, our lives are being built in Him.  As we allow His love to show through our lives, we become Living Stones.  We are alive.  We can speak of God's faithfulness!  And the message we speak, it's not propaganda!  We can know and have security in His plan, no matter what it is, because He is always faithful.  In a sense, we can predict the future, because we know one thing will never change, and that is our God. 

Will you join me on Sunday at 4 PM?  And if you cannot be here, please take time to thank God for His faithfulness in your life and mine.  Will you join me in committing yourself to be a Living Stone?

 

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

Propaganda or Living Stones? (Part One)

"...and Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 
He said to the Israelites, in the future, when your descendants ask their fathers,
'What do these stones mean?'  Tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' 
For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over...
He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and that you might always fear the Lord your God." 

Joshua 4:19-24

If you know me, you know I always have something to say.  So as you can imagine, there's not been too many times in my life that I've been completely speechless.  But believe it or not, that's what took place at the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington DC a few years ago. 

I remember walking through the halls of the museum in complete silence, tears randomly flowing down my face at the tragic story that was being told before my eyes.  I'm really not a history buff, and I'll be honest with you -- at most museums, I like to take the "quick tour."  If you're not a museum person, I dare say you know what I'm talking about.  Get the overview, the three main points of the museum, see the featured display, take a picture, visit the gift shop, and move on, all in an hour or less.  Details and me, especially historical details, well, they've never been a perfect match.  But this time was different.  I read each display.  I wanted to read every single word.  As I looked around, I couldn't help but notice the eery silence of others captivated just like I was.  Not to simplify history, but in essence, I stood in awe of how one man could use propaganda to change the course of the entire Jewish race. 

Propaganda.  Dictionary.com defines it as "Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view."  And that's exactly what Hitler did.  He convinced the German people that what they were reading was true.  He convinced them that the Jewish people were sub-humans and should be eliminated.  It was an intentional path to promoting the Nazi regime.  In his own book Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote, "Propaganda tries to force a doctrine on the whole people...Propaganda works on the general public from the standpoint of an idea and makes them ripe for the victory of this idea."  After visiting the US Holocaust Museum, I can honestly say I finally comprehended the use of propaganda. 

Now look at the passage of Scripture listed above.  God had just done another amazing miracle.  He had parted the Jordan waters so the people could walk through on dry ground.  He had already done it for them to cross the Red Sea, and now He did it again for them to cross the Jordan.  When they crossed, Joshua took twelve stones from the Jordan, and he then set up a memorial.  Why did he do it?  "...so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and that you might always fear the Lord your God!"  

Much like the purpose of the Holocaust Museum, Joshua set up that pile of stones to bring the people to a point of remembrance.  But this pile of stones wasn't propaganda, no, just the opposite.  The stories told weren't biased or misleading.  The stones weren't set there to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.  On the contrary.  They were there to remember the facts. The cold, hard facts of God's provision and how He changed the course of the entire Jewish race.  In a sense, they were Living Stones.  The story of how God provided a way for the Israelites to cross the Jordan would come alive with the twelve stones that Joshua layed, every time the story was told, and every time someone would pass. 

I can't help but think that God wanted Joshua to do this.  God wants us all to do this.  When God shows His power, when God "shows up and shows off" like He always does, He wants us to talk about it.  He wants us to take time to thank Him, praise Him, and give Him glory.  He wants us to remember.  And that's what took place with Joshua and the Israelites.  I believe that memorial could talk for itsef.  Everyone who passed by had heard the stories of God's provision.  Those twelve stones were alive!

The last few weeks I've been consumed with remembering God's faithfulness in my life.  If you've seen a few of my facebook posts, I've been consumed with this concept of Living Stones.  It's been driving my thoughts.  I'll write more about it tomorrow, but for now, just think about God's faithfulness.  Even when I'm faithless, He never fails me.  Yes, sometimes we have to face tough times, but God proves Himself over and over again.  I can look back at all my God has done, and I can know with certainty there's nothing to fear.  He holds my past; He holds my future. 

Were the twelve stones propaganda?  No, they were a living and breathing testament for all to know from that point forward that the God of the Jews was a powerful and mighty God.  They were there to point people to Him.  So today, as I close "Part One" of this blog, I've been asking God to help me grasp this concept of Living Stones.  I've spent a tremendous amount of time contemplating and praying through this whole concept.  I want to do something tangible so , "all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful."  But more so, I want to be a Living Stone that points to Him, just like it says in I Peter 2:5 "And you are living stones that God is building into His spiritual temple..."

Living Stones (part one)

A pile of rocks.  Placed years ago.
A faithful God.  A miracle.
And they were there.  To not forget.
So all who passed.  Knew what they meant.

They were Living Stones.
Breathing God’s faithful past.
They were Living Stones.
Predicting God’s future acts.
What He did back then, He’ll do for me.
Past performance predicts eternity.
I can look back and know the future.

Just look at the Living Stones.

 

To be continued tomorrow...

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

 

Sprained ankles...

"You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn."
Psalm 18:36

 

I came aross this verse the other day when I was looking for another one, and it caught my attention.  I've read through the Bible a couple of times in my life, and I just don't ever remember reading this before.  How cool is it that the Bible talks about sprained ankles?  So I've been pondering as of late exactly what this means. 

In my younger years, I used to be athletic.  I played volleyball and softball, with softball being my specialty.  I'm getting old now - today I turn 43 - so I can't really say I'm athletic anymore.  No, in fact, I have a little "arthur" and "itis" and body parts just don't move like they used to.  But I do remember preparing for a game.  In fact, every game, without exception, my coach always had us stretch, stretch, stretch, so that we wouldn't pull a muscle or turn an ankle. 

I think about that this morning, as I read this verse.  You see, God doesn't promise us the tough "games of life" aren't going to come.  In fact, He is constantly stretching us to grow in Him, strengthening and conditioning us along the way.  But you know what He does promise?  He promises to give us a sure path.  Look at the verse, "You broaden the path beneath me..."  But the path that He broadens is the one that He has planned for us.  It's God's home court, not the "away team."  The path is in Him. 

There's nothing we will encounter that will turn our ankles, if we stay on His path for us.  Sure, we will face challenges; we will grow, we will be conditioned as Christians, and sometimes that means some pain.  (Not that I speak from recent experience of exercise, mind you...)  But I do know this to be true: we aren't isolated from trials, just because we're Christians.  But I love this promise that God makes our path broader, so we don't have any sprained ankles along the way.

For me, this is just a reminder that I need to continue like it says in Philippians 2:12 to "...work out my salvation..."  Because just like my softball coach said, when I work out, when I stretch, I won't have my ankles turn beneath me.  More importantly, my Spiritual Coach, Jesus Christ, tells me He makes my path broad beneath me.  He preps the way for me, so those ankles don't turn!  What a great way to start the day pondering how much my God loves me and prepares my every step!

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

You Wanna Trade?

"You wanna trade?"

How many times do you remember looking at your friend's chips or better yet Swiss Cake Roll over the lunch table compared to the piece of fruit your mom sent you with? How many times did you say those exact words to your friend, knowing what they had was definitely more compatible with your longings? I can remember a lot of times, and if you grew up sitting around the lunch table with friends, you probably can, too. Sometimes we had to be quite covert to get the job done, because I can remember that we had "No Trading" rules, even in elementary school...and that was a very long time ago!

So I've had a rough couple days emotionally. I won't go into the details, but suffice it to say that I felt like some of my dreams came crashing in, never to be restored. I've poured buckets of tears, and I'm not usually a big cry-baby like that. Pretty much, things weren't going like I wanted them to, so I decided to have a big pity party for myself. Of course, in the moment, I didn't realize that's what I was doing, but in reality, it was exactly that.

When I woke up this morning, the Lord reminded me of Nehemiah 8:10. The end of the verse says, "The joy of the Lord is your strength." Then I started humming the words to the song, I'm Trading My Sorrows. If you don't know it, it goes something like this...

I'm trading my sorrows. I'm trading my shame. I'm laying them down for the joy of the Lord.
I'm trading my sickness. I'm trading my pain. I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord.
Yes, Lord, yes, Lord, yes, Lord, YES! Yes, Lord, yes, Lord, yes, Lord, YES!
Yes, Lord, yes, Lord, yes, Lord, YES, AMEN!
I am pressed but not crushed, persecuted not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed.
I am blessed beyond the curse for His promise will endure
And His joy's gonna be my strength.
Though the sorrow may last for the night, His joy comes with the morning...

I started to think about that song as I hummed it, and I realized, yes, God may give His joy in the morning, but I have to choose to trade what I've got for His joy. I've got to make a conscious effort to glance over at what God has and ask Him to trade with me.

Remember that feeling when you asked your friend if they wanted to trade something in your lunch, and they said, "No way, that's my favorite!" Yeah, I remember it. What a let-down after my salivary glands had already started to water, thinking about how good that swiss cake roll my friend had was gonna taste in comparison to my orange. But the cool thing about God is that He never does that. He will gladly take our bad life's fruit, our tears, sorrows and pain. He will take whatever nasty things we have to offer and replace them with joy. I've just gotta ask and actually make the trade.

So this morning, I can say that joy came in the morning. No, things haven't necessarily changed in my situation, but I have changed. My perspective has changed. I've traded a few things for joy.

When's the last time you asked God "Do You wanna trade?" Think about it. I know He'll selflessly trade joy for all of your life's bad fruit. "Though the sorrow may last for the night, His joy comes in the morning. Yes, Lord, yes, Lord, yes, Lord, YES! AMEN!"

 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

 

 

 

 

"My ways are not your ways."

Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."

This is the verse God has had me chewing on the last 24 hours. Maybe a better description is that it's been gnawing at me rather than me chewing on it.

You see, since Wednesday, I've been with my daughter's high school debate team at their national qualifier tournament. By far, it's been the most discouraging competition that I've ever attended as a parent. Our debate team was expected to do very well. The coach told me he's usually nervous going into this tournament, but this year he felt they were more prepared than ever. However, one by one, the leading debaters and orators from our school were dropping like flies, with quite questionable judging. I listened as the students told me about the repeated unfairness in their rounds. Controversy abounded, including in my daughter Amber's event of Original Oratory (OO). I shook my head as she was eliminated from the competition just before the final round.

Amber's speech surrounds the medical journey we've encountered with my son Jacob. It's personal and powerful, and she delivers it incredibly well. In fact, she delivered it perfectly in every round throughout the competition, yet she was still eliminated, in spite of others who advanced while forgetting their lines. A travesty? If you witnessed what I witnessed, you may think so, too. However, my ever spiritual husband reminded me that if God wanted her to go to nationals and tell Jacob's story, He would have provided a way for her to do just that.

"Thank you, Frank, for stating the obvious." OK, ok, he meant well. But sometimes you really don't need your spouse to tell you what you already know. To be honest, that just made me more mad. He meant well, he really did. But the truth is that I didn't want to hear the truth from him. I didn't want to accept this travesty as truth.

We got in at 1 AM Sunday morning, but even though it was late, I was determined to go to church. I knew I needed to. I knew God was going to speak to me. I knew I needed Him to speak to me. Sure enough, He did. You know what He said? He told me, "My ways are not your ways." And when He did, it was as if I heard it for the first time, even though I'd been chewing on it for about 24 hours. I needed Him to whisper that to me. He actually had, via my sweet husband. But at the time, I wasn't willing to listen or accept it. But today I heard it loud and clear as we sang the Hillsong song "Still." The chorus is so powerful:

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father you are King over the flood
I will be still and know You are God.

I don't know about you, but I just can't sing a song without thinking through every word. I was holding it together until I got to the "I will be still and know You are God" part; then I lost it. How can I sing that if I don't believe it? Can I actually drop the anger and frustration welling within me and "be still?"

With the events of the weekend, was God in control? Sure, my rational mind tells me yes, of course. But the emotional momma in me was outraged, hurt, angered, and just questioned how God could let this happen. I mean, Amber took two second places in OO this year, and first in all the other tournaments where she competed in OO. How could she be eliminated when two of the ones who ended up advancing to nationals had never even taken second to her all year? Why? How? These are questions I'll probably never have concrete black and white answers for. However, God gave me an answer this morning. Simply put, "my ways aren't His ways."

I must say, that Amber is an example to me. She was of course shocked and very upset at first, but she's made a choice to not dwell on it. She's moved on. She knows she did her best, and nothing can take away the pride she feels in doing so.

I sure wish things turned out differently this last weekend, not just for Amber. She's only a sophomore this year, but some of her teammates were seniors, and this was their last chance to go to Nationals. Seniors who like Amber, repeatedly beat out the ones who did end up advancing. But when I am tempted to pick up the anger and emotions again, I must remember these verses in Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."

May I reach for higher thoughts and take the higher road. May I learn, and may I grow. And May I fall more in love with Jesus every day as He teaches to trust His ways are best.

 

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

When we know what we need, we'll know when we have enough.

When we know what we need, we'll know when we have enough.

I went to visit with a client a few weeks ago, and I had the privilege of sitting in on their staff chapel while I was there. The president's wife was sharing a devotional, and she said these words. "When we know what we need, we'll know when we have enough." When you think about it, those words are pretty profound, really.

This Christmas, like so many other families I know, we've had to come face-to-face with identifying needs and wants. Between extra medical bills this year, lack of income for the ministry, and one of Frank's clients having a large unpaid balance on an invoice, we've been faced with tough choices. Praise God that at the end of the day, all our bills have been paid, without one of them being late. But we can't take the credit for that, this is truly due to God's miraculous intervention on numerous times!

I'm so thankful that my children are not materialistic. They don't have long Christmas wish lists. Last year, Amber asked for one thing - the Indiana Jones trilogy. This year, just one thing again - a lock for her door. And Jacob, well, he just had his birthday party, so he doesn't have much on his list, either. A few months ago, I told my husband, "For Christmas, I would really like a pair of cowboy boots." He quickly replied, "I don't think that's going to happen. You don't really need cowboy boots." I really couldn't argue with him, knowing our financial situation; I knew he was right. But in my mind, I definitely thought "Doesn't every girl who lives in Texas need a good pair of cowboy boots?" :)

Philippians 4:19 says, "My God shall supply ALL your needs, according to His riches in glory..." So this morning as I contemplate those words my client said, what do we really need? Let me draw the circle around myself. What do I really need?

There's an old Gaither song that goes something like this: "Loving God. Loving each other. Making music with my friends..." It kind of answers the question. Sure, besides the obvious, we "need" food to sustain us (some of us less than others!) We "need" warmth and shelter to make it in the cold night. But what do I really need? No, it's not a pair of Cowboy boots. And to be honest, the list is not very long and can be simply put, God, family, and friends. But in reality, He could choose to take away even the family and friends part of the equation...leaving the one true need - HIM.

This last week I was humbled beyond imagine as I was leaving my worship team practice. As I was walking off the platform, my worship pastor stopped me and handed me a small red bag with a greeting and a hug, "We want you and your family to have a Merry Christmas." It was from the rest of the team.

I was floored and speechless, and I must be honest, I'm a much better "giver" than "receiver". "This can't be happening," I thought. "No, I'm the one who usually gives. Why did they do this?" I made a mad dash out of my church and cried all the way home, even before opening the card inside. I knew what was in it, and I knew the love and sacrifice behind it. I got home and opened it with my family and found a wad of cash and a beautiful ornament. I've wrestled with that "receiving" over and over. God knew our needs as a family, and He met them. But the giver in me said, "Isn't there someone else who needs this more than us?"

Either way, God's promise in Philippians was fulfilled once again, in a miraculous way, He met our needs. He doesn't promise to meet our wants...but in reality, He even does that so often!

Matthew 22:37-38 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself."

This holiday season, with today's cares and tomorrow's concerns, I remember God's wonders and faithfulness of the past. He sustains. Always. I'm figuring out the difference between my wants and my needs so I know when I have enough. But one thing I know, I never can have enough of God. The more I understand Him, the more I realize how much deeper into this relationship I need to go.

 

--Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

Integrity

Psalm 25:21 "May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in You."

Proverbs 2:6-8 For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.

Integrity, Defined as a firm adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. The state of being whole, entire, or undiminished. Unimpaired. No, integrity doesn't mean you're perfect. As someone once said, it just means you do what is right when no one is looking.

You know, your reputation is something you can destroy in an instant. With one bad decision. It's also something someone else can attempt to destroy pretty quickly, too. What I've been struggling with lately is the latter. I made some completely upright decisions that others weren't too happy about, and my integrity is being threatened. In my adult life, that's one thing I've always been very proud of, and if I'm honest with you and myself, it is eating me alive that my integrity is being questioned.

But every time I pour out my heart to God about how unhappy I am that this is taking place, he just reminds me that He knows the truth. My hope is in Him, and He will protect me. He is my shield, guarding my path of justice.

Admitedly, I am a people person. No, I don't make decisions based on what people will think, but I do want people to like me and know the inner me. I want people to know the truth and believe the truth, especially if they have formed other opinions. I want to defend myself. It's the inner lawyer in me! I think that's human nature. But when I lose sleep over what people think, then it's wrong. When that happens, I'm not trusting in God. I'm not having faith that the truth will eventually come out. At that point, I'm more concerned about what people think of me than what God does. And if I'm honest with myself, that's called sin. I'm reminded of Psalm 20:7 that says, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."

I ask myself today, "What am I trusting in?" Am I putting my faith in my reputation that I've worked so hard to build? Or am I putting my faith in Jesus Christ, my solid rock who never changes?

I resolve today to try to let go of these things that others are saying. They are but fleeting. I resolve to trust God more and think less about what others might believe. I resolve to let God be my shield and defense. With Him on my side, I can't lose!

If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters. ~Alan Simpson

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

Hibernating through the winter storm...

Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is with you; He is mighty to save; He will take great delight in you; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing."

Last night, Frank and I were watching a television show called "Mantracker" on the science channel. It's another one of those reality tv shows; yes, I might need therapy. Emphasis on the word "might." Anyway, the premise of the show is that two individuals are dropped off in the middle of a rough Canadian terrain with a goal of getting to a pre-established "finish line" without being caught my "Mantracker." "Mantracker" has a horse, and attempts to use nature's clues to track down the couple before they get to the finish line. The Science Channel does a pretty good job making it an entertaining show to watch. I could never do it, for sure. Admittedly, I'm too bug-phobic and pampered. And last night, there were plenty of bear tracks to be found. No thank you, I will stay in the warmth of my media room and watch others be hunted.

So last night during the show, a bear fact was flashed across the screen. "Did you know that a bear's heart normally beats forty-fifty times per minute, but when a bear hibernates, the heart drops down to about eight times per minute?" That's more than a 75% decrease in activity!

This morning as I was thinking about that fact, I started to relate it to what we do as Christians sometimes. When the cold comes, when we feel alone in the Canadian tundra, when we feel like we're being hunted by "Mantracker", what reaction do we have? Do we thrive? Do we maintain the same number of heartbeats? Or do we go into hibernation, trying to hunker down til this winter storm is over?

When those storms of life come, I believe God has a purpose for them. ...And the purpose is not to hunker down and try to make it through. Either God wants to glorify Himself through the situation, teach us something, increase our faith, draw us closer to Him through the event, or any combination! But God does have a purpose in each trial we face. Sometimes we don't ever know it, and sometimes years later we understand. But I wonder, just like a bear in hibernation, how often do we allow our heartbeat to slow down during the winter of our lives? What reaction do we have when the trials hit?

On the contrary, when going through tough times, that's when our heart beat should speed up, not slow down. That's when we should hunker down even deeper into our Heavenly Father and His Word. Are you in hibernation today? Are you trying to "make it through" until spring and warmer weather hit your household? This verse in Zephaniah is one of my all-time favorites. I memorized it in 2010, and I'm reminded of it once again this morning. Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is with you; He is mighty to save; He will take great delight in you; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing."

No matter what the winter of life is that is causing you to want to hibernate, don't do it. Remember God is there. He delights in us. He quiets us with His love. He sings to us! Don't miss the voice of God because you're in hibernation. My God is mighty to save...even from the mantracker!

 

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com