One particular autumn morning at the onset of his junior high years, one of my sons (I won’t say which one) was going through a rebellious stage… Hard to believe, right? He was coming into his own, so to speak. Whether he was ‘trying’ to get my goat or not, I do not know, but he did!

He had mouthed off to me big time, and as I drove back home I was fuming… My irritation and frustration multiplied by eons, and retorts plummeted through the cosmic forces in my brain!! “Your father and I did not raise you to be like this! What is going on with you? Who are you anyway? Whose kid are you? And what did you do with my son?”

Oh, I had an entire list of questions for him after school that day…IF I decided to pick him up! Vindictively, I thought just maybe I would make him wait and worry for a while after football practice. “That will give him some time to re-think his words and actions toward his mother,’’ thought I!

Oh, I was angry, and anger always makes me physically productive, so I took to vehemently vacuuming the entire house. And was I ever going at it when the Lord reminded me of a day ‘way back when’ that I, too, mouthed off to my mother in the same exact way…in the car, on the way to school. Oops!

Humbled and convicted, I immediately turned off the vacuum cleaner, and called my mom… “Mom, I’m so sorry!”

Puzzled, she said, “For what???”

“For mouthing off to you when I was a teenager!”

“I don’t remember!” she said sincerely.

“Well, I do and I want you to know just how sorry I truly am.”

Bewildered, she said, “Oh, O.K. So how is everything?”

And the conversation moved on to our usual bits of catching up and chit-chat.

Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. —Hebrews 10:17

Looking at the Bible as a whole, we learn there was a day when God did remember our sins…at the cross of Calvary. It was there that every one of our sins was atoned for. He is a just God and a price had to be paid, not somewhere or somehow, but by Someone. And that Someone is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So now, when we call on God through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ and confess our sin to Him – past, present, future, you name it – His response will always be, “I don’t remember!”

But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God… For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. —Hebrews 10:12 & 14

So since Jesus Christ sat down and rested, we too can rest in Him, knowing that through His sacrifice it truly is finished, and now and forevermore we are made perfect and holy in Him! And that, dear blogging friends, is the only thing our Heavenly Father remembers!

Thank You, LORD!!!

Hebrews 10:12, 14, 17 – NIV® Copyright 2000 by Biblica, Inc.®

©Celebrate His Love, 2018

My dad was a wedding photographer, shooting weddings every weekend of my childhood. It was years before the digital camera was invented, so he would usually arrive home with a few pictures left on the last roll of film (digital generation, please visit photographic film). Naturally, my brother and I became the objects of his use-up-the-film photography, thus, we have lots…I mean LOTS…of family pictures!

Before shooting the pose and the smile, my dad would often stop and clean the camera lens, followed by, “Ah yes, now that’s perfect. Chin up, say cheese!!” Sometimes he’d joke to make us laugh, referring to the bald spot on his head…and ultimately, we looked very happy, loved and relaxed in the pictures he took. This was certainly not because we were perfect kids, but because our extraordinary photographer loved us, knew us and knew how to push our smile buttons.

Ultimately, He would show his photography – our pictures – to friends and family, never speaking of our flaws, only focusing on our highlights. Though he knew our faults better than anybody, you could only hear love ring through every word…just love. I wonder if it was because he kept his lens so clean. <huge grin>

My brother and I knew we were special to him, but my dad made everyone he photographed look comfortable, happy and loved. I’m sure his example is very much the reason I find pleasure in making others feel loved, encouraged and special. And it is also the very reason it saddens me when I do quite the opposite. I can chide myself for days on end when I think I’ve hurt someone’s feelings or have been a source of discouragement.! If you do the same, you will relate to Paul’s words as I do…

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in Godʼs law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to Godʼs law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Romans‬ ‭7:21-25‬

We tend to look at ourselves through the lens of what we see in our own thoughts, hearts, and actions…as if looking in a magnifying mirror first thing in the morning. YIKES! We make mistakes, blemishes as it were, and we disgust ourselves. How do I know? I know me…a cracked pot, a broken vessel, damaged goods, but at the same time, HIS vessel, bought by the blood of His precious Son, and now a new creation!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Even when I may succumb to my old sinful nature, my Father still beholds me through His spotlessly clean lens. Yes, He looks at you and me through the lens of His perfect, everlasting love. He only sees who we are in Christ.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Isaiah‬ ‭1:18‬

So I say with Paul, “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” God not longer sees our sin, but sees us through the lens of Jesus Christ…clean, pure and white as snow. This is amazing grace beyond our comprehension, but fully within our reach when we simply take it by faith and trust Him. We are new because when we come to Jesus and accept His extraordinary, priceless gift of salvation through His shed blood, He takes our sin upon Himself and exchanges it for His robe of righteousness. He suffered all we deserved on the cross of Calvary and gave us all He deserves, a spotlessly clean slate and access to the very throne of God, His Heavenly Father and ours!

We are created in His image, in Christ we beautiful in His sight, and He writes our names on the palm of His hand. I’m thinking that is God’s version of family pictures!

So, chin up, say cheese! 🙂

Romans 7:21-25; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Isaiah 1:18  © 2011-2016 BIBLICA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WORLDWIDE

Thoughts and feelings vary so drastically, even in our relationship with God. If you are anything like me (which is a scary thought in itself), you too are prone to wander. And yet, no matter how we feel, God is faithfully present, never changing or wandering from His love for us. And this never-changing God has left us with excellent examples in His Word and through His servants… here are just a few:

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. ~Psalm 63:1

A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t. ~C.H. Spurgeon

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” ~Exodus 33:14

Prayer is… doubt’s destroyer, ruin’s remedy, the antidote to all anxieties. ~C.H. Spurgeon

It is important to remember that HE never moves, so when we feel spiritually dry, parched, like we’re falling apart, alone, doubting, ruined or anxious…it just maybe, just might be, just could be time to draw nigh to Him again…seeking, thirsting, longing, reading, going back into His Presence and praying earnestly, honestly and openly to the One who is ever and always there for us.

So, am I right or am I right or am I right? Hmmm, I think I’m right. 😉

Psalm 63:1; Exodus 33:14 NIV® Copyright 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®

You have a story… The story about that one person in your life that simply does not like you, doesn’t approve of you, or rejects you time and time again. (Stick with me, here, this will get encouraging.) It can be a parent, grandparent, sibling, neighbor, friend, coworker, spouse, anyone! It may be a person or persons in your present, or it can be someone from your past whose words and attitude toward you crop up to reject you over and over again, often when you least expect it. Definitely when you don’t need the reminders. How do I know? Because I have that someone too. Sad to say, we all have a story like that to tell in one way or another. But today I’m here to remind you that you are 100% loved, accepted and approved! Yes, YOU!!!

As a child, I would sit on my dad’s lap (pictured) at the end of each day, enjoying him and ultimately getting to know him. I didn’t realize what deep roots his love cultivated in my heart until I was older. As a new believer, it was difficult at first for me to spend time with my Heavenly Father. I’d heard that a lot of this depended upon me reading His Word, and by nature I am not much of a reader. However, through my own neediness, time on God’s lap developed, and His Word became vital to a close relationship with Him and a fruitful life as His child.

The time spent on my dad’s lap as a child gave me perspective about all the happenings of each day…feelings of not being accepted by a sibling, disapproved by my mom or teacher, rejected by a friend. I didn’t know it at the time, but I needed my dad to model what a loving Heavenly Father looks like…and fortunately for me, he did. But what if you didn’t have that kind of dad…and believe me, I’ve met plenty of people that didn’t…well, I have great news for you! Please lean in and listen close because this is what I really want to say to you today. I’m getting so excited! Drum roll please…

YOU ARE LOVED…

Yes, 100% loved… This is HUGE!!! Jesus said in John 14:21, “…The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” Some may say, “But I don’t even know Him, and I don’t understand all that Christian-ese. It’s scary.” Yes, it is…I felt that way too, but God’s plan is simpler than you may think. I struggled with believing I was loved, even though I did have a loving earthly father. I could understand how God loved others, but I knew myself too well to believe He loved me. Listen closely… it is not about us. He loves us because love is foundational to His character. He IS Love. Isn’t that huge? So for now please accept that He loves you because of Who He is, and His character is non-negotiable. YOU are loved by the God of the Universe!

YOU ARE ACCEPTED…

Here’s where clarity begins. Ephesians 1:6 says, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” The bottom line is when we accept Jesus Christ, The Father accepts us. This is called grace, getting something we don’t deserve. And God loves us so much that He provided it for us in Jesus Christ. Sound too simple? I know it does, but it is truth and the truth will set you free…not just at the beginning but for the rest of your life. And more truth is found in John 6:29, “Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”” We think we have to work for salvation, but this is actually the only thing we need to do…believe in Jesus Christ. Invite Him into your heart and life, to cleanse you from your sin and to be your Savior… It can be a simple prayer in the simplest of words. He knows your heart! He will come in when He is invited, and yes, it is as simple as it sounds. It’s not a feeling, it is faith…you trusting that His Word is true, and believe me…He is true to His Word!

And with that comes full acceptance from The Father!! He sent His Son Jesus, the Perfect Lamb of God who never sinned, to pay the price for our sin. He took our place on the cross and His sacrifice guarantees us access to the very Holy throne of God. Nothing unclean can enter God’s presence, but Jesus Christ bought our sin with His blood and gave us His robe of righteousness. I like to call it “The Great Exchange.” He took all of our sin on Himself, clothed us in His wardrobe of righteousness, signed our adoption papers with His blood and we are now God’s children. We become joint heirs with Jesus, and because of this, we are fully and 100% accepted in the beloved. We are part of a huge Heavenly Family! Wow!

Truth be known, I was not a perfect child by any stretch of the imagination so please forgive me for using myself as an example of Jesus, but this is more about my dad’s example of The Heavenly Father. With that said, when I would introduce a new friend to my dad, he would look at me and say, “This is your friend?” I would nod yes and he would immediately turn to them and say, “Well, welcome to the family!” He only knew them for a minute, but because I accepted them into my life and they accepted me, he followed suit. And so it is with Jesus and His Father! John 6:37 says, “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” When we go to Jesus, we go to God and He will never drive us away…you will NEVER be rejected by Him, never, never ever! And my friends still talk about how my dad loved them…often when they were not feeling loved by their own dad. Maybe that’s you today… Your earthly father or other family member never showed you the love you needed. I share my earthly dad’s memory with you for this very purpose…to give you a clearer picture of our loving, accepting Heavenly Father!

YOU ARE APPROVED…

This one came out of my quiet time this morning (I have learned to enjoy reading!)… John 6:27 says, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” He is the Bread of Life that endures forever. When we feast on Jesus Who is already approved by The Father, we too are approved. Not because of what we do, have done or haven’t done, but because of Whose we are and all that He did on our behalf! The Father filters all He sees in you and feels about you through the lens of the perfect love He has for His only Son Jesus. He is approved… thus, you are approved!

Thank you for sticking with me through this long post. I hope you see it, know it, and feel it! YOU ARE LOVED, ACCEPTED AND APPROVED! And that, my dear reader, is something to celebrate!!!

Over 3,000 miles across the United States in a 1958 Chevy Belair… I traveled that journey three times in less than two year’s time. I was 9 when we began, 10 1/2 when we completed trip #3, always riding in the back seat behind the driver. The driver was my dad, my earthly hero, my Superman. At that time in my life he was still the biggest, strongest, smartest man in the whole world. I didn’t realize until I was older that he was only 5’8″ and had an 8th grade education. Of course even when I did find that out, it didn’t matter because my dad never failed me… not in any way that really mattered anyway.

So back to the journey, my parents decided to move from Boston to California… You know, swimmin’ pools, movie stars (for those who remember Jed Clampett). But the real reason my parents decided to uproot our family was because dad had bad ears and the cold weather caused him extreme pain. But after six months away from our huge family my parents got homesick… so we trekked back to Boston, bought another house, froze through another winter, sold that house and, yes, moved back to California. This choice was final…they chose California with its sunshine and ocean breezes, over freezing in Boston near my grandparents, 33 cousins and 20 aunts and uncles. My brother and I were not a part of the decision, but we were part of the journeys, moving, changes, and adjustments. In the process we lived in eight different places and attended six different schools within a two year time span. And though confused at times, I don’t ever remember questioning if we had done the right thing, or wondering how it was going to turn out. I simply trusted my parents.

As each road trip began, whether from east to west or west to east, I simply got in the car, back seat, driver’s side. Dad was always at the wheel, Mom road shotgun and my brother sat behind her. My mom was the navigator, with a map from AAA in her hand, and there was a compass on the dashboard telling us which way was north, south, east and west. Ah yes, the pre-GPS years.

Now my dad… he was deaf in his right ear and couldn’t hear well out of his left, so my mom would yell directions to him, or maybe it was AT him, “Wally, you need to take the next exit!” My dad would be silent… Then we’d hear more of a shriek, “Wally, the next exit! Wally, you missed the exit!”

My brother and I would be in the back seat singing the ol’ tune of “California here we come… right back where we started from.” My parents would argue about how to get turned around and back on the highway to find the correct exit before our car broke down or ran out of gas. We never did run out of gas, but we did spend an extra night or two in the middle of nowhere while waiting for some small town mechanic to repair our car on more than one occasion, one of which we got to stay in a motel with a pool… a real treat to a couple of east coast kids.

Eventually, we’d resume our journey, and regardless of the trials along the way, the rough road conditions, threatening weather reports or engine trouble, we arrived safely at our destination every time. And my brother and I always got in the car, sat back, relaxed and trusted my dad at the wheel, my mom with the map and the compass to show us the way.

My earthly father passed away seven years ago today, and though I miss him more than ever, I am so grateful for all the ‘pictures of God’ he gave me through his loving example. As I look back, this story is a picture of this journey we call ‘life.’ So often it takes us to unknown places… a little scary, a bit exciting, sometimes a combination of the two. Other times the journey takes us to familiar places, like going home. Along the way there are road blocks, detours, bumps in the road, poor weather conditions, break downs and delays. And then again, it can be like smooth sailing on the open road with a picnic lunch in the trunk. Either way, I can hop in the car, sit back and relax, and trust my Heavenly Father at the wheel, with the Holy Spirit as my Navigator and His Living Word as my compass (my GPS)…knowing I will always reach the destination He has mapped out for me. He has it all in control, He never fails, He has promised in His Word to never leave me or forsake me…and He never has. I can say with joy, I have NEVER been sorry for getting in the car and trusting my life into His most capable hands… He’s an flawless driver who not only knows the way, He IS the Way! Care to go for a ride?

The message of the attached music video (below) is so beautifully basic… You are loved!! Maybe the power of it comes from the fact that we don’t always freely receive love. If we truly knew how loved we were, we would be more apt to love others recklessly…especially other women. It doesn’t seem to take much to trigger our insecurities and make us feel threatened. Of course, I’m speaking from my own point of reference and I sincerely never want to feel this way, and I trust you don’t either. Chiding myself first, this is not faith, but fear. The spirit of darkness endeavors to bind our hearts with these chains of fear and discouragement, and take us back to the pit the Lord Jesus Christ redeemed us from. When we find ourselves plummeting down there again, we have a choice. We can wallow in the muck and mire of aloneness behind walls of self pity that no one can penetrate, or we can heed the words of Romans 14:23 that says, “…whatever is not from faith is sin.” Yikes! That means every time we feel this way we have a second choice: to escape the tempter’s snare! That speaks to me… I can choose to fall on my chubby knees and confess that this self-focus and fear is, in fact, sin; then turn from it in sincere repentance and trust God as I choose the path of faith again, focusing on His love and faithfulness. People may hurt us and let us down, but we need not fear when we know, ultimately, that we have a trustworthy Heavenly Father who doesn’t miss a second of our lives. When we choose to focus on His faithfulness again, loving Him above all else (Matthew 22:37-40), the path ahead is always more glorious! We find we are more open to loving others, with hearts beating to the rhythm of our Heavenly Father’s…His love flows through us and to them. We begin to love others as we love ourselves regardless of how we feel. We see His truth transform our hearts anew and we realize what a lie those mere feelings were. No longer deceived, we discover we do not even feel insecure or threatened anymore because faith and love took over, reigning on our heart’s throne. It all begins when we give away what we so desperately need ourselves. It sounds a bit backwards, but it is always that way in God’s economy. This is faith in action. The truth is we live backwards in our old selves, and when we learn to live as He designed us we are doing it right side out. My precious friend, feel it or not, you can fully trust Him with this…YOU ARE LOVED!

His feelings for you are vehement, intense and compelled by His giant, amazing, pure and holy love for you. There is no other love like it in the entire universe and it is all yours for the taking. He demonstrated it most clearly through His Son Jesus Christ who suffered and died for you and me so that through His resurrected life and Spirit we can have fellowship with the Father in this life and for all eternity. Yesterday my husband and I were sitting at the beach watching a couple of surfers ride wave after wave. I certainly understand why an energetic young man might want to pursue this adventurous sport in the heat of summer, but in 60 degree weather and freezing cold water until well past 8:00 p.m.? What compels a person to do that? The only conclusion I could draw is that it springs from a sincere and zealous passion for the sport. Then I had to ask myself if I had ever been THAT passionate about anything (?) …to be SO in love with something that I would spend all my energy and waking hours pursuing it, improving it and mastering it. Wouldn’t it be life-changing to be that passionate about our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ? I recently saw a poster that said, “I can’t brag about my love for God because I fail him daily. But I can brag about His love for me because HE NEVER FAILS.” Ever feel like you ‘wiped out’ again? It can happen in an instant… a bad attitude, a hasty response, an unkind word. But the father of the prodigal son is such a beautiful picture of God’s all-pursuing, passionate love for us even when we fail.  Luke 15:20 says, “But while he was still a long way off (the son who had spent all his inheritance on wild living), his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Yes, God is THAT passionate about YOU, dear sister-in-Christ! You can never wipe out so much that He will stop loving you. You can ride the wave of His passionate, sincere, zealous love for you every day of your life, in any weather! He is running to you, kissing you! Feel the grace, the warmth…and pass it on! 🙂

Good morning, Princess! If you are female in gender, that is how your Heavenly Father would greet you as you strain to keep your eyes closed for just one more minute’s sleep. And if you could truly hear it with your ears, wouldn’t your eyes pop open instantly to see the smile on His loving face and speak with Him more? (I might become a true morning person!) Well, Princess, HE IS RIGHT HERE! He is closer than your very breath. You may not be able to see Him, hear Him, touch Him or even feel Him, but He is here! Jesus’ very name, Emmanuel, means God WITH us (Matthew 1:23). And “he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). No matter what you are going through or where you are in your life, you are not alone! Even if your heart is heavy, your body’s weak, your knees are knocking and your world is falling apart, HE IS HERE! Maybe you can hardly stand to your feet today, but rise up, Princess, your King will take your hand and give you His shoulder to cry on, His arm to lean on and His promise to stand on…”And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Even when you can’t see it, God sees. Even when you don’t feel like it, you are are a princess, a child of royal birth!

Once Jesus became your Savior, you became joint heirs with Him. You are God’s chosen child, the one He has clothed in His royal robe of righteousness. You have a new Home address in Heaven, and earth is now a foreign country where you represent your King and your Kingdom. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (NIV) Yes, you are crowned for greatness! And now you represent the greatest Kingdom of all as His valued ambassador to a world in need. Through you, others will see your King’s heart for man and womankind, His everlasting love for all who believe, His compassion for the brokenhearted, His sacrificial forgiveness for sin…and yes, His service as you tangibly meet the needs of others with love. The life of a princess is not always glorious (even Cinderella had to scrub a few floors before she danced at the ball). We are not Home yet and until we parade down the streets of Heaven, we have a high calling, a job to do. Let us live so that others will see what it is like to be His child and maybe, just maybe they will want to be one too. Your life has a divine purpose that only you can fulfill during your pilgrimage here on earth. May you shine His wonderful light as you walk worthy of your crown each day of your life! You still may not see it, but it’s there! Have a blessed week, dear Princess!

From Genesis to Revelation, God has written a love letter that surpasses all others combined. HE does everything possible to express His love and great redemption for mankind [male and female]. Throughout this Book He has included priceless stories about women for the heart of woman… drawing extraordinary pictures of His Amazing Love! 189 of these women are called by name!!! This doesn’t include any of the innumerable women who are unnamed such as Noah’s wife, Jephthah’s daughter and Peter’s mother-in-law.

Women are so valuable to God, important enough for Him to include their stories in His Word, His Story! Whether in a leading role, a supporting role or in the background – what the world may list as an extra or a stage hand – whether a wife, mother, mother-in-law, sister, daughter, etc., every woman is of great value to the God of the Universe!

And you, dear Woman of Worth, are of GREAT VALUE to HIM as well! He knows your name, He knows your circumstances, your heart’s desires, your struggles, your failures and your successes and He wants to be a part of them all. It is my prayer that you will be a part of this journey as we focus on our giant God, His timeless Word and His unfailing love for us!