Category: November 2020

• Day 17: Delighting

  Posted at 7:46 am by How the Light Gets In, on November 17, 2020

  Day 17; the light is coming in all sorts of ways bringing joy and happiness.

  DELIGHTING

  

  The light touches simple spheres of soap & water making them magical.

  

  Adding light to an ordinary night turns it into a summertime tradition of dance and attitude (clearly).

  These pictures make me smile from the inside out. Aside from the bubbles and glow sticks, these pictures also have kids in them.

  The littles are doing life right. You know?

  The American Academy of Pediatrics says: “Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength. Play is important to healthy brain development. It is through play that children at a very early age engage and interact in the world around them.”

  Play is not just for kids. We need it to so we can interact with the world around us with physical and emotional strength in love with creativity for the good of ourselves and everyone around us. When was the last time you found yourself delighting in something? What was it?

  TODAY: Go for a walk, play tennis, basketball, kick a soccer ball, play frisbee, cornhole, climb a hill and run down it, play a round of Go Fish, lay on some grass and stretch, blow some bubbles and get up and catch them, paint, take pictures of where you are; GO UNTIL YOU FIND YOURSELF DELIGHTING IN THE DAY YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN.

  

  Today, let’s go…

  Posted in November 2020, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged American Academy of Pediatrics, basketball, Bubbles, Delighting, How the Light Gets In, paint, photography, Play, soccer, stretch

• Day 16: Leading

  Posted at 10:09 pm by How the Light Gets In, on November 16, 2020

  Day 16; the light comes in LEADING us along our path.

  LEADING

  It’s important to understand that as it leads, the light illuminates our path but doesn’t lighten the load.

  

  Like this trail here. The light makes me aware of the rocky patches and the prickly cactus but the sunshine doesn’t erase them.

  There are still rough spots.

  Psalm 91 reads: “You will call on me and I will answer you. I will be with you in trouble. I will deliver you and honor you.”

  Isaiah 43 says: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze… you, YOU are precious and honored in my sight… Do not be afraid for I am with you.”

  Faith is more than a crutch or cliche. It’s work. It takes practice and effort. Just because you follow the light or love God doesn’t guarantee a cushy life. The scripture says “I will be with you IN trouble” not I will protect you from trouble. The verse in Isaiah says WHEN you pass through the waters not “follow me for an smooth ride.”

  Jesus himself, God in human form himself did NOT have an easy life. That says a lot. Despite it all, He came for you and for me giving more than this broken, rough world could ever offer.

  Call out to God when it feels dark, rough, overwhelming or scary. We have a God who knows what it’s like to lose a friend, to need some time away from the crowd, while also being the one who harnessed heat & light making the sun to greet us every morning.

  

  Posted in November 2020, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged How the Light Gets In, Isaiah 43, leading, Psalm 91

• Day 15: Unassuming

  Posted at 8:05 am by How the Light Gets In, on November 15, 2020

  Day 15; the morning light comes in breaking through the dark of night, ushering in quiet power to start the new day.

  UNASSUMING

  It’s the morning light in particular that wins the prize for “Most Unassuming.” There’s no formal announcement, other than the birds singing. There’s no call to celebrate or salute the event that happens every single day.

  

  And there it is, quiet and powerful and modest and faithful.

  Unassuming is a quality I appreciate now in the noisy world we live in. My life feels loud at most levels – sound, color and speed. Does yours?

  The quiet sunrise feels like a sweet secret I find for myself everyday. (No one else is waking up for unassuming light around here.)

  That’s the key about this modest, powerful, faithful everyday occurrence- it’s available to you and me but you have to look for it. And when you set the alarm to look for it, you’ll find it.

  We’re on Day 15 friends, so you have to know this paragraph is going to point to more than light. Here we go… because that UNASSUMING, have-to-go-seek-it-out quality is true about God too.

  He isn’t loud. He whispers.

  Look for Him and you will find Him. He says so over and over.

  You will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me WHEN you seek me with your whole heart. I will be found by you.

  Jeremiah 29:13-14

  Set your alarm for sunrise, go outside and salute the new beginning.

  Then with your whole heart, call on the One who is waiting to be found by you.

  Posted in November 2020, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged How the Light Gets In, Jeremiah 29:13-14, Sunrise, Unassuming

• Day 14: Nourishing

  Posted at 3:43 pm by How the Light Gets In, on November 14, 2020

  Day 14; the light comes in giving life to what it touches.

  

  NOURISHING

  The light comes in NOURISHING what it touches to reach it’s full potential.

  

  When something is nourishing; it holds ‘substances necessary for growth, for health and for good condition.’

  Scripture is God-breathed and full of light. If you read it every day, it can be NOURISHING for your heart, mind and soul. It can and will equip you for every good thing God has planned for you to do. (2 Timothy 3)

  Feeling stuck? Feeling blah? Feeling lost? That’s ok. You’re not done growing. So, make a move. Shift your posture. Open up God’s word and soak it in.

  Posted in November 2020 | 0 Comments | Tagged 2 Timothy 3, How the Light Gets In

• Day 13: Challenging

  Posted at 1:23 pm by How the Light Gets In, on November 13, 2020

  CHALLENGING

  Day 13; seeing light in the metaphorical dark is CHALLENGING. While Joseph’s brain was swelling, covered in lesions, his eyes crossing, white blood cell count rising; I was coming in and out of the hospital from one surgery after another at the same time. This kind of metaphorical darkness is when it can be CHALLENGING to see light.

  In the deep vastness of chronic pain or a devastating diagnosis or global pandemic chaos zero-ing in on your job security or holiday plans – the darkness comes in consuming your landscape.

  

  “I have learned things in the dark that I could never have learned in the light, things that have saved my life over and over again, so that there is really only one logical conclusion. I need darkness as much as I need light.” 

  Barbara Brown Taylor, “Learning to Walk in the Dark”

  This daily exercise of looking for how the light gets in is much more than looking for a silver lining. I’m not a fan of another positive spin. I want the real deal. The power of dark, looking for light in it, the challenge to appreciate them both is a daily exercise.

  So, everyday I bring what I’ve got. And Jesus sees it. Takes it. And Answers.

  

  With five loaves and two fish, Jesus fed thousands. A boy brought Jesus what he had, and Jesus worked a miracle.

  Bring Jesus your dark and your light today. He sees your darkness. He is offering light. Challenge yourself today. What will your miracle look like?

  Posted in November 2020, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Barbara Brown Taylor, Challenging, Darkness, How the Light Gets In, Jesus, Learning to Walk in the Dark, Matthew 14:17-20, Miracle

• Day 12: Distinguishing

  Posted at 1:44 pm by How the Light Gets In, on November 12, 2020

  

  Day 12: The light comes through and around this leaf DISTINGUISHING every detail.

  DISTINGUISHING

  The combination of my iPhone camera and the sun and this leaf is stunning, isn’t it? I stopped to take the picture only because of how pretty the tree was. The closer I got, the more I noticed. But the camera lens captured more than I could see with my own eyes.

  Do you notice the red veining, the transparency of the red and green “skin,” the tiny hairs on the edge of the leaf, how opaque the thin branch is? From far away, it’s just a pretty tree. The light distinguishes every magnificent detail.

  Today is, in fact NOT sunny, and my heart is a little sad and weary. How are you doing where you are today?

  God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart.
  Examine me through and through;
  find out everything that may be hidden within me.
  Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares.
  ²⁴ See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on,
  and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting ways—
  the path that brings me back to you.

  Psalm 139:23-24 The Passion Translation

  I’m not sure what problems are mine to solve or how to carry the ones I know are mine to work through.

  Holding on to the idea of DISTINGUISHING, I will pray these light-filled words.

  Amen?

  Amen.

  Posted in November 2020 | 0 Comments | Tagged Distinguishing, How the Light Gets In, Psalm 139:23-24

• Day 11: Unveiling

  Posted at 8:14 am by How the Light Gets In, on November 11, 2020

  Day 11; the light gets in to lift a covering of darkness.

  UNVEILING

  Light doesn’t just change a landscape; it gives meaning,

  

  When your 4 year old is shrieking about a “monster” in the room; turning on the light becomes a powerful tool UNVEILING the “monster” to actually be a pile of clothes in the corner.  Or maybe you and your spouse are holding onto resentment. Pulling that resentment into the light of truth unveils a deeper conversation needed. What if you are gripping shame or a belief about yourself? Bravely bringing that to a friend to carefully go over that idea in love and honesty is a powerful light lifting the veil to reveal who you truly are. 

  When something needs unveiling; that means we’ve wrapped it in a layer of our own fear. It doesn’t belong there.

  

  Today let’s pray for the courage to turn the light on the scary, resentful, shame-filled corners of our hearts. Ask God for the loving light of His truth to unveil that darkness. You belong in the light.

  Posted in November 2020, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged How the Light Gets In, Morgan Harper NIchols, Psalm 119:130, Unveiling

• Day 10: Spreading

  Posted at 3:14 pm by How the Light Gets In, on November 10, 2020

  Day 10; the light comes in spreading from one spot all across the landscape.

  

  SPREADING

  The sun is majestic on it’s own but there’s something about the way it’s light spreads across the mountains that takes my breath away. The glow is SPREADING reaching up, gathering from side to side, stretching down celebrating the far off purple-blue mountains along with each individual blade of grass.

  …the Creator of the Heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to it’s people, and life to those who walk in it… I will take hold of your hand. Isaiah 42:5-6

  There’s power in the reach of light and how it spreads. The same can be said of the power of God but there’s more to His reach. God spreads his arms out to also pull you in and take you by your hand.

  Our God spreads his arms to create scenes like this. And he pulls us close in comfort and protection.

  

  David Guzik digs deeper into the verse from Isaiah and the idea of spreading: “First look up, because He created the heavens and stretched them out. Then look down, because He spread forth the earth and that which comes from it. Then look in a mirror, because He gives breath to the people on it. The God who did such great things can fulfill His promises about YOU.”

  Posted in November 2020, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged David Guzik, How the Light Gets In, Isaiah 42:5-6, Spreading

• Day 9: Filtering

  Posted at 10:57 am by How the Light Gets In, on November 9, 2020

  Day 9: The morning light came in FILTERING through the trees.

  Sounds like an answer on a writing assignment. Doesn’t it? Teacher asks: What’s another way to say shine, kids? Be creative!” And we say:

  FILTERING

  My friend, Diane, captured this and sent it to me this morning.

  

  Not only is it pushing past the trees; the light is also showing us the path on the left.

  I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people and His incomparably great power for us who believe.

  Ephesians 1:17-20

  I hope you see this daily practice of looking for how the light gets in as more than a basic thesaurus exercise.

  Filtering through the crap in this world, in your life requires wisdom and revelation (maybe those sound like annoying bible words).

  How about…Filtering needs open eyes and hearts (cheesy Christian talk?).

  Let’s filter through all that too with a lens of truth. This bit of scripture is telling YOU that YOU are called to HOPE, RICHES and POWER from the sweetest God who will not give up until you understand.

  My goodness, if you watched the video I shared yesterday; I hope you got a glimpse of a God determined enough to push past my broken heart and messed up body to bring hope, generous enough to lavish me not just with relief but full healing and loving enough to keep showing up in His word, in friends, in songs, in peace. That’s just me!

  What does He have planned for You???

  I pray you open the eyes of your heart. I pray you are brave and bold and ask God to help you filter through the obstacles today. I pray you’re ready for how He answers. I pray you let the light of God push past the obstacles, showing you the way to go.

  Posted in November 2020 | 0 Comments | Tagged Ephesians 1:17-20, Filtering, How the Light Gets In

• Day 8: Healing

  Posted at 8:45 am by How the Light Gets In, on November 8, 2020

  Day 8: Oh my goodness. I’m excited and nervous to share this.

  Being honest, I don’t know why I got this and others haven’t.

  That’s a reason I didn’t want to share this story.

  It feels uneven because it is… but it doesn’t make it any less true.

  “Still, what I want in my life is to be willing to be dazzled – to cast aside the weight of facts… and maybe even to load a little above this difficult world, I want to believe I am looking into the white fire of a great mystery. I want to believe that the imperfections are nothing – that the light is everything.”  

  Mary Oliver

  HEALING

  O my soul, bless God.
      From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!
  O my soul, bless God,
      don’t forget a single blessing!

  ^3-5 He forgives your sins—every one.
      He heals your diseases—every one.
      He redeems you from hell—saves your life!
      He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.
      He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.
      He renews your youth—you’re always young in his presence.

  ^6-18 God makes everything come out right;
      he puts victims back on their feet. -Psalm 103

  It’s been one year God. I can’t thank you enough. Why me? I don’t know. I pray anyone and everyone who sees this feels hope stirring in their hearts. I pray they push past the idea that hope should feel solid. Hope is fragile and shaky and true. You God, promise healing and light and love. Your promises, better yet, YOU never change. Thank you. Thank you.

  Posted in November 2020 | 2 Comments | Tagged healing, How the Light Gets In, Mary Oliver, Maverick City Music, Pain, Psalm 103