Complete Joy in Friendship

Philippians 2: 1-2 If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose... 

A conversation took place this week between me and one of my closest friends. We talk almost everyday and even when we don't, I know, she knows, that our thoughts aren't far away from each other. I even texted her a question, a text she never received because she didn't have her phone with her, but she answered me anyway...10 minutes after I texted, on a different device. Yeah---we're just connected that way. 

Anyway, as we shared this week about other people we love and are praying for--all this stuff and heartache, people in desperate situations, health dilemmas, and ongoing family separations, we agreed, it is all so hard, but it is our choice--that we feel deeply, petition, encourage one another, hope together and love one another because the other alternative is isolation. We wouldn't have each other or the beautiful relationship and trust God ordained. Friendships with Christ at the center blooms continuously out the window of our souls, a creative, tangible view of God at work. 

Isolation: No true, authentic friendships in which one can share the deepest of hurts, frustrations, fears, prayers, intimate insights, JOY and HOPE from God. I am sure there are a number of reasons why this happens, but God doesn't intend our lives to be that way. Hope comes from seeing it in another and then believing it for yourself. It is a promise from God. God also instructed us to live in fellowship with one another. 

There is always, always HOPE.

I cannot imagine my life without these close friends who all are dealing with pain of some sort. We talk every day, share every day, pray for one another every day and love God in and with each other every day. God is good. I am hurting for all of them. I cry to God. They have done that for me--do that for me now. I know. I know I am deeply loved and cared for by each one of them in their unique and gifted ways. I learn and see God beautifully in my life through these women of faith. 

In His timing and sovereignty, God will make a way. Then, we will again, feel deeply and cry, rejoicing and praising our Heavenly Father for His divine intervention and our growth in trusting Him. 

It is a choice--to have a deep, intimate, authentic relationship with the Lord or to isolate yourself in your sorrows, disappointments and fears and pretend that nothing matters outside your own bubble of hurt. Eventually, I think, that just might turn into resentment and a very lonely existence. 

One small step of trust, one tiny but faithful prayer to lead you to a true and trusted friend, might just find you surrounded in a circle of deep and passionate relationships who will be your warriors when times are desperate or when joy is over flowing in your heart. It must go somewhere and to me there is no better feeling then praising God with friends who have prayed right along side for God to make Himself known. 

Lord, tonight I pray for the isolated, the hurt, the lonley souls that do not or choose not to trust in friendships. We are still abiding on this earth, thus we are not perfected yet, but God desires for us to live in unity and fellowship, and we must trust Him for the right people alongside us. Help me Lord to be the kind of friend that encourages and prays unceasingly for my friends and believes in all things good, that Your Hope and Your Joy are awaiting us. Thank You Lord that I, that we have seen it and we await for it again. We wait to plan a party! Amen. 

Brother (or Sister)
NEEDTOBREATHE with Gavin DeGraw 

Just Keep Believing

I Timothy 4:15 (ESV) Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.  

One of the enjoyments of life in summer, (in California almost year round) is taking a dip in the pool. I admit, swimming as eluded me these last few summers even though we have a community pool just a couple minutes walk from my front door. I know at my stage in life, swimming is an excellent exercise and quite relaxing. Refreshing and just plain fun go right along with the belly flops and Marco Polo shout-outs. We look forward to the Olympic Summer Games where swimming sports win gold and new hereos wear goggles and spandex.

Some though, find a pool and water up over their knees quite intimidating, down right frightening.

They stare at the steps and wonder, what the big deal is, yet don't move forward.


They can hear their friends,  even family coaching them on, reassuring them that all is OK, to trust the process.


"Come in. The water is great! No one will let you drown! 


You even have your cutest suit on, your boldest hawaiian print board shorts, sunscreen, and beach towel. You're ready, but...

look over there, a deeper place, a scary place...

Finally, you immerse yourself in the shallow end and feel accomplished. But it's there you stay, dog-paddling, blowing a few bubbles and hanging onto the edge with your eye on the easy way out.

You watch as laps are completed and head-first dives are executed off springy boards and...what is that?  --Synchronized swimming?  Ugh!

It's too much work, too deep, too many arm strokes and foot paddling and chlorine and this and that...

Lessons are rejected, breathing techniques are disregarded, safety doesn't mean much because you avoid any challenge. The exercise, the cheering section and the improvement stay packed away, no progress made. Hanging out with guppies becomes your norm. The shallow end--your only friend because the deep...

well, it's just over your head.

I think there are a lot of enthusiasts of Jesus like that. They received their "pool" invitation with excitement. Maybe even went and purchased all the accessories to make them look experienced and ready--even a spray-on tan!

Yet they never move out of the shallows of their faith. They don't learn to let go, be taught and trust--Trust in the Life Guard of Everlasting Life! They drown in their own tears of doubt and worry.

Everyone finds their beginings in the shallows, and that is a good place to start. But many continue to lean on their own understanding, that the deep is just out of their comfort zone. They miss the blessings of completing laps, seeing the end results of the effort, of learning the ways of the water and discovery of the depths.

-as Dory says,  "just keep swimming, just keep swimming."  
-as Jesus said,  "Just keep believing, just keep believing." (Mark 5:36). 

Lord, learning to tread water was a good thing. Holding my breath and trusting in You for my next inhale has strengthened me. Staying and swimming in the deep waters of Your love has refreshed me and taught me to know You are always on deck, always standing guard over my life. When I emerge from the waters of Your salvation,  I am covered in a warm towel of amazing grace. Help me Lord, everyday, to be synchronized with Your moves, immersed in Your Word and in Your will,  ready to go deeper in trust and faith for wherever the laps of life continue to lead me. Amen. 

Oceans ~ Hillsong United 

A Step in the Right Direction

Proverbs 16:9 "The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his step."


An important ministry for women I and many others devote ourselves all year to is temporarily suspended due to unforeseen changes in administration. A search for new leadership and God's timely directive in it all awaits us. The last two events continued as scheduled and our ministry teams  stepped up to provide the support for each other to allow this amazing night to proceed. 

In the six years "Coffee Break" has taken place, this last Monday night astounded us in every aspect, with an affirmation that this particular event will continue, grow and inspire us to be authentic and obedient in telling our story for His glory. 

When man plans to honor the Lord, He will surely direct the steps towards success! It takes communication, trust, a passion and a lot of prayer when a challenge comes, but how would we ever grow or see the beauty of the path if we didn't stop and take it in, re-evaluate and rally for what we know is a beautiful road of hope. We encouraged each other to persevere. It was said, "Coffee Break is writing its own story," and I found that to be true. Through this challenge, I got to know a few other woman better, encourage one another all the more and see God's direction illuminated in our leadership; our purpose, to share the hope of the Gospel through testimony. 

We played a game that night. We had to place a paper plate on our head and with a pen, blindly draw a picture, one step given at a time. 

Draw the ground. Now draw a house. Draw a door on your house, add windows. Place a tree in your picture. Add a sun. Some clouds, etc. After we were finished, we all looked at our drawing, our scribbles, and determined if we placed our pens and drew the picture to look as if these icons appeared relatable. 

Sometimes, life seems like that. We are blindly trying to create a "picture" of what we think we want and we just can't imagine the finished result because it just seems like a finger-painting, not the Renoir we pictured. It can be frustrating. But God sees what we cannot. If we trust Him with our hand--our lives to continue to guide us and follow His directive, we can be assured that what He is creating in us is a masterpiece and reflective of His glory. Your sun might even have a smiling face and a butterfly grace your view of heaven. 

Last night my son left his friend's house a little too late, about an hours drive home. While getting on the two lane highway not known for its safety, a bad accident happened just ahead of him. Two cars collided head-on when one car made an obvious unsafe attempt to pass a big rig on a hill. There were fatalities and a closure of the highway. My son and several other drivers were stuck behind the  scene, unable to move, turn around or proceed anywhere. He sat in his car for the next 5 hours in the middle of the night in the cold desert. 

How do I know all this? He called me, I called him, he called me. All night long, I lay awake as he did, resting, but calling every hour or so to check on the progress, make sure he was safe and staying awake, and encouraged. Someone at home was waiting for him, he wasn't alone and though tragedy and wreckage surrounded him, love still lit up his phone. Concern and hope still encouraged him in this lonely frustrating time in which he had no control over. The Lord directed his steps to be behind the caution tape and not inside it. Thank you Lord!  

Father God, we thank you for teaching us to trust you when things just go another way, not as we planned. Help us Lord to keep that trust and grow that trust, encouraging one another in love and hope. Help us Lord to slow down and look for obstacles and not have head-on collisions with doubt and fear. When things get out of our own control, surround us with the right people to inspire us and lift us up to see where our eyes should keep focused. Even when we feel we can't see beyond our own limitations, help us Lord to keep at Your directives, Your loving words because with each faithful step, You Lord are creating in us something glorious, something the world can see a bit of You in, a pathway to Your door of everlasting and abundant life. Amen. 

No Longer

II Corinthians 5: 15 "...and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose again on their behalf." 

We sort of went the wrong way home from Chino Hills tonight, a little longer loop around the city. 

"That's OK, my husband says. We'll drive by the church and say hi!" 

It's Friday night. No one is there. 

We skirt around Peyton from Chino Hills Pkwy. and the property is dark. 

But Ted doesn't miss the opportunity. 





"Hi CVCC. See you on Sunday!"

I just smile and feel the blessing for a time existed when seeing or even stepping inside the church only happened for him on Easter and Christmas, maybe an Awana event. 

No longer.  






I liked reading poetry, great multi-chaptered novels and dabbled in my own rhymes, my own stories. I always took great notes. I kept a journal now and then.  Sometimes, my words spoke back to me and I felt God. 

No one will get this stuff. It's too personal. Maybe I'm just a crazy dreamer. 

"That's OK, the Lord says. Trust me and I'll do wonders."

I type out a few things, create a blog or two and I hit send. I enter a room in a library with other "aspiring writers" opening journals and sharing. I witness an amazing  community with other  "crazy dreamers" and God sits right in the center. 

I just smile and feel a blessing for a time existed when my heart felt heavy and my words messy, tripping along a very uncertain path. 

No longer.  

NO LONGER!   

Thank you Lord for Your Resurrection and mine.  You are NO LONGER dead, but alive in me and through me. Never did You hold anything from me. Your sovereign plan allowed for times when I waited, I prayed, to find hope, and began to trust--a process of story, building up a faith and long-lasting joy in the outcome. No longer do I wonder if You are active in my life for You show Yourself everyday. Thank You, that I know that all things work together for Your glory. You Lord,  turn those "how much longer God?" moments into praises of glory, no longer doubting in Your plan. Help me to keep at it, no longer drifting as if unanchored. Show me everyday the way to press into Your plan in every thought and deed. Amen.  


Reflection for your journal: What is your "no longer?" praise to the Lord.  

Comments and sharing is encouraged.  Thank you.