christianity

We Need To Open Eyes To The Terrors Foreigners Are Exposed To For One Powerful Reason

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
close-up photo of persons eye

So I seized the homeless kid by the neck and violently shook him because he tried to grab my dime when I wasn’t looking at it for a moment.

Well, not exactly.

As proven HERE, you can’t trust EVERYTHING you read online!

The true story is HERE.

The summary of this event is:

  • We were on the other side of having relational connections that could help us (we were travelling)
  • We didn’t have a place to stay or some food either (we were robbed)
  • We were in a hostile situation (teen females travelling in a country that believed women brought trouble on ourselves for having the nerve to travel alone)
  • We were below being helped (the police wouldn’t let us use their phone to call our embassy!)
  • We were up the creek without a paddle (as the saying goes).

After the local police pushed us out of their office and told us to solve our problems ourselves, we looked around, stunned.

What do we do next?

“I know!” I announced energetically, my Ned Flanders optimism in high gear, even back then, more than twenty-five years ago. “Let’s return to our lodge and read what to do in our “Let’s Go, Europe!” guide!

“This is the worst thing that could have happened to us!” my friend yelled. “Nothing in that book tells us what to do next!” The truth of our situation was dawning on me, like a light bulb on a dimmer, slowly illuminating.

We sat on the curb, watching the street kids, whose faces had more grime than ours, though all our faces were marked with tear stains. They had bare feet, but otherwise, our hearts entwined as one as we experienced the beginnings of the emotions any other human would have felt in a similar situation – despair, alienation from “the rest” of culture, and fear. A few short hours had erased much of the divide between “us” and “them”.

“What now?” my friend and I asked each other silently. We were sitting curbside outside our motel. Despite our protests, the motel owner told us to get our stuff and ourselves out onto the streets where we belonged.

And then she came.

A local woman arrived bringing a tray of fruit and local bread to share.

She had heard about our “misfortune” from her daughter.

The one hiccup in this story of rescue is that her daughter was the one who immediately told us NOT to chase after the guy who robbed us. Was she an accomplice? Was her mother? Were they all working together as one terrifying mob? We didn’t have many choices, and so after inhaling the food, our eyes still wide with fear, we begged this stranger to let us stay at her home that night.

And she opened her home to us.

And she shared the Gospel with us.

In the years that followed, I had often wondered, did Jesus prompt her compassion so she would want to show up and check on us?

Maybe.

But opening her home to two teenage strangers until the embassy representative could arrive after Spain’s long weekend holiday altered the trajectory of my life.

What would my life have been like had I been tossed out onto the violent streets of the city for a week instead, I have often wondered.

This woman, obeying the inner voice of God, or perhaps the outer voice of a Pastor, or the words of a Sacred Text, saved my life from physical, emotional and/or spiritual trauma.

Oh, and so, why do we choose to open our eyes to dangers foreigners are susceptible to being exposed to?

But for the grace of God, that foreigner could be you or one of YOUR loved ones.

When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him. . . Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. . . . Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”

The Message

And so now I can put myself in more dangerous and stupid situations because I KNOW that you will help me!

Thank you!

And you’re welcome for the advice!

Good luck!

Seriously though – Who is God asking you to remember in prayer, or what is He asking you to do this morning as you open your eyes to another? Who can you share your measly lunch with? Who could use a heart of compassion and an “I see you” smile?

And I wonder at the joy unveiled, like the opening of a present, when we meet the people in Heaven who credit us as those who were the hands and feet of Jesus through listening and obeying and changing the trajectory of their lives for the better.

How much future joy are you stockpiling? Got your heart open to the promptings of Holy Spirit? Oh, and thanks from those of us who appreciate your open eyes.

a row of gold bars sitting on top of a shelf

Photo Credits: Eyes Open by Amanda Dalbjörn on Unsplash, Gold Stockpiled by Yana Hurska on Unsplash

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

Surprise! A Little Extra Joy Is The Thing That Can Be Extracted After Porcupines Quill Us!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
a hedgehog on the ground

Today’s newsletter consists of two parts:

Part 1 – A story (about ME!!!) – Written by my daughter, Esther!

Part 2 – An explanation (also by ME!) of why I randomly thought of porcupines after reading this!

Additional profound extrapolations of the text (by ME! – Of course!) are in the footnotes!

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

Part 1: Story by Esther

Sparse and invisible rain floats gently from the sky, sometimes merging on the skin or the pavement as several droplets.

The speckled street gives way to the cars that cruise amiably down it.

There is no rush in this town; there is a sense of welcome and leisure despite busy schedules and people filled with excitement for the day. Everyone knows everyone else by name, and even if one wanted to stay anonymous, one could not. The small businesses are like people; each one has their personality.

Or perhaps it is due to the lack of stores that each of them stands out all the more brightly.

One couple meanders down the street, hand in hand.

He is tall and strong, but his face radiates gentleness, and his laughter shows not only on his face but also in his eyes. The woman1 mirrors many of the same features, but her eyes gleam with a fire of intensity not commonly found. Despite this, her kindness (See Footnote 1) is evident in the smile lines around her mouth and her loving (See Footnote 1) eyes.

Woe unto the person who stumbles across the man’s path while he is hungry.

And woe unto the person who stumbles across the woman’s path when the woman is tired.2 Yet, they grow together. They challenge each other. They fight the battles of life together, side by side. They complement each other (See Footnote 1) with a bond made one of the strongest in the world.

The couple passes by the library, a place steeped in magic.

It is a chest that holds the secrets of life and beauty, and its key is given generously, though not many take it. Those who deem it ridiculous are those who refuse the key, but to the one who graciously takes it, wonders are in store. The couple’s two children are currently there, for the couple sees their melancholy dog sitting patiently outside, waiting for someone to pet him. He gets up and furiously wags his tail, assured that this means he is finally going home. After reassuring the dog that they would be back soon and trying to ignore the forsaken and betrayed look in his eyes, the couple wanders up the steps and into the library.

There they find a friend and exchange greetings. The man is asked about his work. His hands, though gentle and unassuming, have ministered to and helped thousands, but by his humble3 nature, he never boasts.

His wife, who stands beside him, is just as accomplished (See Footnote 1), with a heart for the betterment of people’s lives (See Footnote 1) and a passion for the preservation of the planet (See Footnote 1).

She sacrificed her career (See Footnote 1) for her children’s careers, homeschooling and helping them find what interests and motivates them. Sometimes, they drive her crazy. Well, maybe it’s a lot of the time. And sometimes she drives them crazy, too (See Footnote 2). Perhaps it is God growing everyone’s patience4.

The couple breaks away from the conversation and finds their children immersed in their books and hesitant to leave.

The family checks out their stacks of literature and heads to the car, picking up the relieved5 dog on the way. The car slowly pulls out and heads leisurely home. There’s no rush. Or, maybe there is because now the man is hungry.

Part 2: Random Thoughts Including: Porcupine Quills Can Eventually Bring Joy! by Me

I think of porcupines who quill each other when I think of this story. For example, I am mad at my daughter for writing things that are BLATANT lies about me and that don’t make me look as stupendous as I know I am deep down! Anyway, we (for example – HER) each come with our own set of quills, like porcupines, and we accidentally and purposefully (sometimes) quill each other and even ourselves. I.e., Remember when “the man” in the story above gets hungry? Watch out!

However, being quilled by porcupines (ironically) promotes our healing.

Why?

Because in our inevitable relational pain (that THEY cause), we finally draw near to God, who has been calling out and wooing us our entire lives.

And so, as we bring our faces full of another’s (and our own?) quills, God can use this situation to heal US, as He lovingly tends to each quill, sometimes removing it immediately and sometimes giving us healing oil and the strength to persevere.

And we can rest in the confidence of knowing that we are loved by each other (They HAVE TO love you!) and by God.

And this is where we find joy.

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy

Ancient Text

Photo Credit – Porcupine by Derek Otway on Unsplash

Footnotes

1 Author of this blog’s note – This is ME! She is talking about ME in this story! That’s how you know I’m famous and important, by the way!!!

2 WAIT – WHA…? I thought she only said NICE stuff about me in public! I’m going to ground her to her room for a month! But wait – she’s flying back to her job and University tomorrow!

3 WHY didn’t she call ME humble? Now I’m even madder! I thought she knew me SO well! (See Footnote 1). Obviously, I see now that she understands NOTHING about me!

4 AMEN!

5 Does she mean “about to pee?”

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

Demonic Art Might Look Like A Fantastic Thing! 3 Reasons Why Jesus Is Even Better!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
brown cross on brown rock during daytime

Now, I have been compared to Ned Flanders. I’m not sure why because, of course, we all know I am very cool! For example, check out my fashion and modern decor advice HERE, HERE and HERE!

As mentioned HERE, I’ve noticed a disturbing rise in pretty young restaurant servers and other seemingly normal people1 enjoying tattooing their bodies with overtly demonic art.

Why?

That’s my question.

I struggled with this question for a while, which means I thought and thought about it without doing any research or talking to anyone else about it, when it suddenly occurred to me that course, if we want to know the answer to ANYTHING, we only need to ask AI!

AI explains that demonic art is increasingly popular in modern culture for the following reasons:

Satanic symbolism [can be used] to explore moral dilemmas and question power and corruption, [and is] . . . a powerful emblem of change and resistance

Politics And Rights Review

And hey! These themes are very healthy to pursue and are topics I agree should be thought deeply about! My friend Ned told me not to get a demon tattoo, so I won’t, but the spirit behind what people are looking for when embracing this art is something I agree with, too!

But here’s the thing- Jesus has a way cooler way of talking about these themes!

For example, Jesus talked to a DEAD person, too!

Have you ever thought about that?

Of course, when Jesus talked to the dead person, he returned to life, one of the (more than!) three reasons Jesus is so much cooler than demons! Spiritual, intellectual, emotional and sometimes even physical LIFE happens when we hang around a guy like Jesus!

The second reason Jesus is cooler than demons is that when we align ourselves with Jesus, all kinds of great things come into our lives. When we align ourselves with the demonic, we’re very quickly over our heads, as this Exorcist Files Podcast is documenting is happening more and more in Western culture.

The third reason why Jesus is cooler than demons is because Jesus is all about love, and demons are all about hate. For example, think about all the great heroes of the movies you love best, and all of them gave up something so that someone else could flourish. (Sounds a lot like Jesus!2) Demons devour you for their advantage. For example, think about all the bad guys in movies.

And wouldn’t you rather be a good guy than a bad guy?

So try Jesus instead.

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

Photo Credit – Cross by Yannick Pulver on Unsplash

1 It’s not just Hells Angels members who are tattooing themselves with demons anymore. Hells Angels members are definitely not normal, but NO OFFENCE if you are a Hells Angels member, of course! We like you! Or we don’t like you, I mean, because maybe you don’t want to be liked! Whatever! (Who wouldn’t like to be liked? I thought that being liked gives our lives meaning and purpose! So Hells Angels are definitely whacked!) Note to Editor- I DID say that respectfully! And yes, I DID update my Life Insurance Policy. Why do you ask?

2 Another time, we’ll talk about the book all Disney Writers are encouraged to read so their content has a theme of self-sacrifice to help another flourish (Sounds like Jesus!).

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

After Being Wrong – 4 Attitudes To Soaring Again Now!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
a bird is flying in the air with its wings spread

We all know that God is sometimes wrong, as definitively proven HERE. That’s obvious! Many of us intellectuals know that!

But I was amazed when I was wrong!

Many of you often trip up and fall and are wrong about many things. I, of course, can’t relate to this, but my editor says I must be honest, or she won’t publish my work anymore, so okay! I WAS wrong! (At least once)

In fact, this happened as recently as . . . (Do I HAVE to be THAT honest?) TODAY.

I know. Once your shock has subsided, I’ll fill you in on the startling details and give excellent advice with four subtle attitude shifts to get you back soaring into God’s plans and purposes!

So here’s what happened:

I thought God said something, but He didn’t.

The good news is that giants of the faith are losers like us, so we can learn from them!

For example, HERE we learn of someone who heard from God and assumed that the other guy SHOULDN’T travel because if he did, he would get hurt. It turned out that the one who heard from God was wrong because the guy WAS still supposed to travel.1

The point is that toddlers fall as they learn to walk, and we, by necessity, sometimes look like losers as we grow spiritually.

Are we willing to look and feel silly and be wrong sometimes BECAUSE WE ARE LEARNING to keep our ears attached to perhaps hear a muffled whisp of the hints on the wind of what God may be saying and not to leave our ears lying around on the floor again?

Are we willing to step out in faith and try something but be wrong?

The last time I admitted that I was wrong, my friend said, “The fact that you AREN’T sure whether God is speaking or not makes me more likely to believe that God DOES speak through people.”

I don’t quite understand how my humility drew him to that conclusion. However, it got me thinking that maybe humility IS helpful for something after all.2

The point is, we don’t always FULLY understand God because we AREN’T God!

As my husband kindly reminded me yesterday, and seems to remind me often lately, “You’re not God.” This reminder is always helpful, so I remind you of that, too!

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

One last random, deep thought to profoundly help you is to remember that when you are confused, good advice is to listen to your children! This advice works surprisingly frequently for me! My children are sometimes much more spiritually mature than I am, which is exasperating!

For example, about this current wrestling that I am facing over being wrong, my (annoying) child said, “God answers everything in His own way, Mom. I wouldn’t worry about it too much.”

Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world.

The Message

So, remember that it’s okay if we’re spiritually wrong sometimes! And as promised, here are four attitude shifts to start soaring again the next time we (must regretfully admit we) are wrong. Remember:

  1. You are learning!
  2. You are growing in humility! (This is necessary because we are wrong sometimes. But I’m learning that humility has some advantages!3)
  3. You are held in God’s hands even though we have no idea what is going on most of the time!
  4. You aren’t God, remember?

God, help us all to soar, and when we fall, to get back up and try again, we pray. Please keep our butts and hearts soft from all the falls and help us to get up and try again. Be the wind under our wings more and more often, we pray.

As the song below plays, how do you sense God pouring love into your heart and gently correcting you about some misconception you have about Him?

Photo credit – Bird soaring by Elize Bezuidenhout on Unsplash

1 (Related to this, as a general principle, my Pastor says we shouldn’t tell others what to do by using the language, “God said you should . . .” but I find that advice tedious.)

2 (Manipulating people to believe you . . . ? That’s a JOKE people! A JOKE!)

3 Ibid – Means same as the above footnote (I.e. STILL joking)

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! (Proven HERE, HERE and HERE!) Let’s journey together!

We Travel For This One Hidden, Self-Deceived Reason

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

I’m feeling sad because today is the last day of our holidays.

I’m surprised because I’m going home to an awesome life! I mean, I take great pains to portray an image of having a fantastic life for you! (Why else would you read this stuff?)

I tenderly opened the depths of my heart to my empathetic husband, and he said something along the lines of, “Well, of course, you’re not happy to be going home! You’re a nutcase there!”

Actually, on reflection, he phrased it closer to, “You’re more stressed out trying to get a million things done at home.”

After I yelled at him and sulked for a while, I had coffee with Jesus, and that’s when I realized my husband was right.

(Don’t you hate it when that happens? I still haven’t admitted it to him, though. He is living under my condemnation, which increases the power balance in my favor for a while. I’ll be less mad at him the next time I do something stupid, and the power shifts in his favor. There’s some more free marriage advice! You’re welcome! Good luck!)

But we’re not done talking about this end-of-the-vacation-sadness thing.

The insight I had today is that the reason why we travel is . . .

. . . to get away from OURSELVES.

I mean, away from that feeling of wanting to be Jesus, get everything done, help everyone around you, and learn how to live a better life and stuff like that.

Wait. We’re not supposed to want to BE Jesus. It’s hard to keep all of that theology straight!

I left my To-Do list at home for just a week while we were on holiday. I left my neurotic rambling to try to figure out how to live a purposeful life closed up in my journal. Instead of powering through these lists and creating more lists, I simply enjoyed drinking fresh coconut water by the beach and laughing with the people I love.

And so it’s not that we need to get away from a particular PLACE to relax.

I’ve realized with startling insight and uncharacteristic blindness to my motivations that what I need to get away from is actually just ME.

Do you have any Type B  friends? Type B people seem to be more relaxed and don’t seem to wind themselves up so tightly about whether their life has meaning and unimportant stuff like that. I don’t happen to hang around any Type B people.

We don’t get along.

But perhaps the point of this trip is that shifting ever so slightly into that place where we put the responsibility for the meaningfulness of our lives onto the broad shoulders of Jesus is one of the ways that the weights can fall off of our lives so we can rise and soar like we’re meant to.

worms eye view photography of eagle flying across the sky

He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles

The Message

So no, I am not saying that Type B people have something we can learn from because I’m definitely not humble enough to admit that yet!

However, admitting that I’m not God is a good start!

And we all start somewhere!

I hope this helps you!

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

As the lyrics of the song below sing, “It’s all I can do to get up in the morning . . . But where else can I go . . . but to you?” do you see Jesus holding out his arms to you like a father, bidding his small child to rest in his arms? As you quietly rest in his arms and take some deep breaths there, what do you sense him saying to you as the rest of the song plays?

God, we carry burdens and responsibilities that are too big for us. We finally, reluctantly, hand them over to you, and we receive the peace of knowing that holding your hand as we live our lives allows you to carry the responsibility for a life well-lived. Wake us up to how we try to carry what only you have strong enough shoulders to bear.

Photo credits – Dog in car window by Avi Richards on Unsplash, Eagle soaring by Rachel McDermott on Unsplash

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! (Proven HERE, HERE and HERE!) Let’s journey together!

Are You Led By A Nose Hook To Death? Or By God To Life? One Way Is Better!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
a cow laying down in the grass next to a tree

I was an older teenager, finishing up a college degree and looking around me 360 degrees to figure out what direction to travel next.

I felt a spiritual pull to learn more and delve deeper into divine mysteries.

But I also wanted to travel.

Suddenly, my brain figured out the answer of how to merge the following heart’s cries for:

– spiritual digging into the depths

– travel

– figuring out which direction to go next

“I know!” my brain thought. “I will go to the ends of the earth and tell people all about Jesus!”

I stopped for a moment to pray, seeking my blue ribbon and crowns (that I would throw to the ground in humility before God if I received – of course!). God said,

NO

A firm NO.

Instead, it seemed He was suggesting I go to a center of learning, learn a bit more about Him, get out my pen and paper and sort out my thoughts to eventually delete the thoughts that didn’t align with the character of Jesus.

“Sounds like a drag!” I thought.

But I searched online for something that would meet both my desires and the direction it seemed God was directing me (Aren’t I spiritual and obedient? Did you NOTICE my willingness to follow God where He leads? Subtle clue there that you have MUCH to learn from me!)

Anyway, I compromised with God and found a spiritual school that was:

– In Costa Rica (fun!)

– In Spanish (Why not learn a language on the side?)

– And yes.. the other stuff God wanted – a place to learn more about God, yada yada.

So I waved goodbye to Canada and flew to Costa Rica, where I began with a month of intensive language training, several hours each day, in a small room in downtown San Jose.

And I learned a lot about God that year.

It turned out God was right!

I did have a BIT (Slight – a SMALL amount) to learn about God before I opened my mouth and spewed my slightly wrong “wisdom” for all to see! (Good thing I got that out of the way way back then! That’s how you know that now you can trust me implicitly, by the way).

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

How is God leading you, friend? Do you have a hook in your nose and are following where it seems your desires are leading you, even if it’s to the death of your growth and joy or something else that should be important to you? If so, this isn’t the gentle guidance of God.

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful face on an empty head.

The Message

He is sitting next to you, head in His hands, his heart ripping every time you step in a direction opposite to His leading.

In the other direction, the one He is leading:

He bids you to learn to fly

silhouette of bird flying

Are you ready to take one step towards following His gentle leading, steering you towards increased fruit in your life and those around you?

the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness . . .

The Message

As the song below plays, and after a moment of thankfulness, consider asking God which direction He may be leading you. If it is the opposite direction to where you thought you were headed, can you speak with a trusted friend to help sort out the knots in your heart and life so that you are taking God’s best steps for you towards the life of abundant fruit He so longs to give to you?

Footnotes

*For example read more HERE

Photo credit: Cow with nose hook by Taliwang Mengaji on Unsplash, Bird soaring by Naveen Chandra on Unsplash

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! (Proven HERE, HERE and HERE!) Subscribe below to soar together!

Ashamed Of The News? Surprise! Look Down! Peace Is Right Here Waiting To Be Found!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
person hands with black liquids

I felt shame when I read in the news that the Christian organization that I love had allegations of “sexual misconduct” splattered across their building.

I felt shame when I read in the news that the country that we are associated with, that is our friend, has allegations of “extortion” splattered across that beautiful landscape.

Why did I feel shame?

  • I am standing a bit close and am splattered a little by the mess.
  • “Sexual misconduct,” “extortion” and other stuff like that is wrong.

Similarly, I read Lord of the Flies this week, and when Jack stole Piggy’s glasses and purposely smashed them, that was wrong.

Jack stole Piggy’s glasses just before he and his cronies felt justified to do worse stuff.

And so, if we wonder where some parts of Christian culture and some parts of American culture are headed, check out Lord of the Flies to find out.

Thankfully, Jesus is seated on his throne, far, far above those who define themselves by His name. Thankfully, He sits far enough above us that the splatters of dirt and messes we make on Earth don’t reach His robe. His identity is not affected by what we do in His name.

HE defines US, instead.

And this is the good news.

Jesus, when He walked on Earth for thirty-three years didn’t intentionally pick up the banners to support the various political or religious quarrels of His day, and so neither will I.

Instead, I will continue to receive the love the Father so generously pours out when I stop to listen to His whispers.

And I will give away some of the overflow of the love I receive to others.

Jesus’ kingdom of love is the only powerful kingdom still standing thousands of years after Jesus roamed a tiny piece of Earth for thirty-three years. This kingdom of love is the only powerful kingdom guaranteed to stand indefinitely in the future. (For example, a dozen uneducated followers in a remote unknown town have turned into almost one third of the planet who claim to follow Him.*)

Thankfully, I’ve found a leader I am always proud to serve.

And so, I can curl up next to Him, feel the comfort of His presence, and know that since I’m His child, bearing His name, I can soar on the wind of His presence into whatever turbulence I encounter in the world.

Who defines you, friend?

When the lyrics of the song below sing, “You are the peace that settles around us,” are you ready to reach down in humility and pick up this peace, friend, carrying it close to your heart? God, we pray that everyone reading these smudged, messy, and grimy words will be surprised to find a handful more of peace they can carry today.

Footnotes

*Have you carefully examined some of the evidence for why?

Photo Credit: Dirty hands by Stormseeker on Unsplash

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! (Proven HERE, HERE and HERE!) Subscribe below so we can soar together!

Everyone Can Learn From Snails – 3 Lessons

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
yellow snail on purple flower
Photo by Dustin Humes on Unsplash

There was a snail on the inside of her forearm.

She was our waitress and the sight of the snail was jolting.

But luckily, I FULLY “get” modern fashion trends, including tattoos of snails!

(The snail on her forearm was a tattoo, not a real snail, if you haven’t figured that out yet. Don’t you like my artistic writing? Sometimes, you are completely confused when you read this, but that’s called “art,” not “bad writing.” I’m surprised you don’t know the difference!)

As proven here, I FULLY understand all contemporary styles, including tattoo trends, of course! It’s not like I don’t! But I still thought, “REALLY? – A SNAIL?”

Anyway, I tried to shake off the vision of the weird snail tattoo and order my lunch like regular people who don’t care about that stuff.

That’s when I noticed it.

On the wall of this restaurant, next to the beautiful, artistic photos of the “regular” animals – foxes, bears, salmon, killer whales, eagles, there was a painting of . . . you guessed it – a snail.

(There was also a prominent human smiling skull above all these photos, but OF COURSE, we expect that! See here for a CLEAR explanation of this type of fashion trend. You’re welcome!)

“What the deal with the snails?” my mind pondered, against its will.

I researched snails on Wikipedia – or I mean – I used my innate fashion wisdom to begin to unravel this enigma for you. Fertility symbol from ancient Egypt? Greek symbol of hard work?

“Why the heck do you have a SNAIL tattoo of all animals!” I accidentally blurted as she distractedly approached to take our order. Her eyes were fixed on me, not unlike when we turn a camera lens dial, trying to get it to focus. She was assessing whether she should bare her heart or smack me upside the head.

I suddenly and regrettably remembered the last time I asked a person, “WHY did he have THAT tattoo!” He very firmly told me to (equivalent of) stick my head up my rear end (what a WEIRD saying!) and not to ask such personal questions. “But the tattoo is THERE – for all to see!” I wanted to protest. He was bigger than me, so I nodded, took my coffee from him, and looked down submissively.

But a SNAIL!? Really! WHO can keep their curiosity at bay!

Luckily, this stranger opened her heart to me after sizing me up.

I’m not sure why. She did HAPPEN to be smaller than me. Perhaps I intimidated her with my ( – what it that Trump has? – ) POWER LOOK.

Photo: Regular look
Photo: POWER look

Or maybe she could inherently sense that I was lost on this journey of life, too, and could use some direction.

“Well,” she gushed, “I feel that a snail fits because I am always rushing around and want to slow…”

Rest. God reminded me as she spoke. My word for the year was Rest.

And our hearts melded into one – this stranger and I. It wasn’t the first time this had happened.

two white-and-black birds flying
Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash

I excitedly told her about last month when our church was celebrating its fifteenth-year anniversary. The year Fifteen, God highlighted somehow in my Spirit. I was to research this.

Two ancient feasts that symbolize Rest occurred on the 15th of the month. Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb on the 15th, symbolizing Rest. However, this is not a rest as in doing nothing, but a rest that comes as a bulb in the spring gathers water and warmth from the soil before it does what it must – produce a bloom, creating life from death.

It’s a rest that comes from sitting close to the One we love, listening to His whispers, picking up our shovels in response, and then doing some gardening.

Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

The Message

(Everyone can learn to slow down to listen to our hearts.)

And so, what are the lessons we can learn from snail tattoos, if we are listening?

  1. We are all sailing together on this crazy journey of life and encounter the same storms, though we may not have the language to talk about our travails to each other. (Do you also need a snail tattoo?)
  2. There is more, there is more, there is more . . . (Do you also need to slow down a little, friend?)
  3. Jesus is sipping coffee even now and waiting for you to join Him. (Do you have time to exit this reality for a few minutes to find the water your soul needs to grow its blossoms?)

As the song below plays, consider taking a few deep breaths and then asking God, “How do I need to slow down a little, like a snail?”

Jesus is handing you a sandwich. Got time to take a bite? (May you, too, find your inner or outer snail.)

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Social Media Consuming Your Joy? (May You See Breakthrough)

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
person holding clear drinking glass
Photo by Anastasiia Voitenko on Unsplash

I was flying, soaring like a bird, arms outstretched.

Not paying attention, and then AH! – What is that there in the sky? – And a sharp turn that spun me in circles as I nosedived. I was spinning and spinning, the hard ground beckoning closer.

And life sometimes feels like that, with the highs, lows, and pitfalls to avoid and crashing out of control.

One second, a youth raising my hand with all my effort, in fervent desperation to be picked for that promotion or opportunity.

And then, decades later, I’m too, sitting by the side of the road, homeless and friendless, holding my donation cup and wondering if I can find a few coins or some hope to get me through today’s dark night.

(Actually, I’ve never even been close to being homeless, but sometimes my interior life feels just as jumbled as their exterior life appears visibly.)

What do you do when life spins out of control and takes you with it?

Social media is good at depicting the moments in life when we are soaring in the sky like an eagle, enjoying the ocean view. And we’ve all had a few moments like these. But where do we go when the rain comes, we get kicked out of our nest, and our wounds and brokenness keep us stranded, exposing us to the weather as we sit and wait and wonder what to do next?

And as we hold out our cup seeking donations and hope like the other homeless people, as we look through the busy people rushing by us, we finally have the eyes to see that Jesus is crouched beside us, holding a blanket and a snack and offering his arms for a hug.

Got time for some comfort?

After writing the above, I went for a walk with her, the new friend.

She said this:

“Like everyone else, I was enjoying my life and had many good times.”

I imagined her Facebook and Instagram pages as she spoke.

“But then I suddenly crashed, realizing that my social drinks after work couldn’t easily be set aside, though I tried everything I could using my own strength. When I finally turned to Jesus and asked for help, things suddenly didn’t get easy, but He gave me the strength to put that dark chapter behind me. I am six years alcohol-free,” she continued.

“And people say I have fantastic strength to do that alone, but I know it wasn’t on my own – God gave me the strength.”

Her story fits here, that’s all.

What do your social media pages say, friend?

How are you really doing?

If you’ve recently crashed too, got time for a drink?

Jesus . . . cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 

The Message

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How To Hear God’s Invitation That Will Make You Dance With Him (Part 1)

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

girl twirling around room
Photo by Laura Fuhrman on Unsplash

“That’s crazy!” My husband responded.

But we are trying not to use that language. So we corrected each other. “That’s normal life as a Christian,” we corrected ourselves.

But deep down, we thought, “That’s kind of crazy.”

The crazy hasn’t become routine yet, though if you peruse through this writing, some published and some not (I’m working on it!), you may see hints, blips, or sparks of true Christian livening peeking through the darkness of this writing.

You may see moments where He has been showing up.

And though it is not every day that such experiences happen, they are happening more frequently, as we have been pressing into Him in prayer, scouring our Bibles like thirsty drunks, and asking more profound questions of others in our community.

As we surrender more fully and squeeze moments to pray from the busyness of the day, we have noticed His tangible presence more often. He is always with us – yes – but perhaps a more mute version of Jesus is who we expect. And actually, it is not that Jesus is mute but, more accurately, that we’re deaf. The volume of the noise of our life is turned up so high that we can’t hear Him for the headache-inducing drum beat.

Anyway, here is what happened.

I paid for my to-go coffee and snack.

Leave a tip, I sensed the Lord nudge as I hesitated on the “Add a tip” button.

It was a to-go item. Do they need a tip? I sensed God’s compassion for the barista for a moment. What would it be like to work in this cafe that hardly anyone comes to, and people are brisk all day as they get their coffee? He looked downcast, and I unwillingly felt my heart go out to him.

I had just quickly snipped that I wanted X decaf coffee with one pump of X syrup, and . . . I was in a hurry, ok?! So . . .

I didn’t leave a tip.

Did I hear from God? Maybe not. How can one REALLY be sure anyway and . . .

After paying for my coffee, I handed back the Interac machine, and my mind involuntarily returned to the growing rush of to-do items coming at me during my day like an ever-increasing tsunami. But then, I again sensed that still small voice, gently and patiently. Leave a tip. He spoke again as if I hadn’t just ignored Him. That’s when I noticed a tip jar.

I am trying to grow in obedience, and if I’m honest, all that change in my wallet is a drag, so I dropped one of the heavy, annoying coins into the tip jar.

Immediately after this, I felt a profound wave of God’s love for this young person working as a barista. I felt God say the word Mine, and I knew this young man was one of God’s children, whether he realized it himself or not. At the same time that I heard those words, I felt God’s love for him, which was overwhelming. It made me want to cry. Of course, theologically, this is only a tiny bit of God’s love for this person, but that small amount felt so overwhelming to me.

And that was enough.

Sensing more love for another is enough. God showed up. Love was passed, invisibly, imperfectly to another because God showed up.

But there was more.

And there was a surprise. But perhaps these surprises should become less surprising because we are learning to dance with God. And I’ll finish this story next time.

For now, how do we accept God’s invitation to dance with Him?

  • We expect God to speak, not only at church but even and especially in the most mundane of places. (Did you hear God asking you to dance?)
  • We get up after we fall. That day, would I tip the second time He nudged me? (What is God patiently whispering to your heart again?)
  • We obey the nudges of His Spirit. We get up and dance. (Will you rise from your seat and take His outstretched hand?)
  • We open our hearts to God’s love for others, as our hearts overfill with His love for us, as we are held close to His cheek, dancing with Him. (Will you let God open your heart to sense his love for those around you?)

As the song below plays, consider giving some thanks to God and then ask Him, “How are you asking me to dance? Do I hear Your invitations?” Sit quietly as the song plays. What does your heart sense?

God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will.

Expect love, love, and more love! . . .

You’ll resume your singing,

grabbing tambourines and joining the dance.

The Message

God, help us hear your invitation to dance with You more clearly, we pray. Clean out our ears. Clean out our hearts to notice the people You love all around us, we pray. Help us learn to touch them with the love for them that You want to pass through Your arm, to our hand, to touch their hearts, we pray.

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