{your platform} today.

You will have a platform today. 

A place from which your life will speak.

A vehicle for your story.

A vehicle for God's story unfolding in your life.

What will you say? 

What will you do?

It doesn't have to be a stage lit perfectly.

You don't need a costume change.

And, no, eloquence has nothing to do with it.

God can use anyone

with any so-called limitation

any old time He chooses.

So what story will your life tell today?

There is a worship service happening each afternoon

right in the middle of my favorite theme park.

A gospel performance group 

has been given a stage

and I get goose bumps

every time I hear them.

They are there to entertain the crowds during

the busy Christmas season.

They are bringing their best

to the platform that God has given them.

And those around 

respond.

Some raise their hands.

Some dance.

Some sing along.

Some just listen

to the words

that tell God's story

in the middle of God and everyone.

And it's breathtaking.

So, you.

How will God tell His story through you today?

What platform will He give you?

A checkout line?

A cubicle?

A dinner table?

A phone call?

Whatever it is, 

recognize it. 

And use that platform

however God moves you.

What story will your life tell today?

Come and listen, all you who fear God,

and I will tell you what he did for me.

~Psalm 66:16

Many blessings,

Deni

hello, princess.

Hello, princess.

Just about every time I step into a Disney park,

I am called princess.

At first, I thought the security guard 

made a mistake.

That he called my daughter "princess" made sense to me.

Maybe he called me that without realizing who he was talking to.

Maybe he didn't look at me. 

And then it happened again.

Hello, princess.

This time, the person was looking right at me. 

Yes, I know they are paid and say that. 

I know.

But…

Princess.

Didn't he see my wrinkles?

The lines under my eyes?

Didn't she notice that 

I'm

forty-one

for crying out loud?

Me? 

A princess?

Yes.

As I have thought through the impact 

that this one word has had on me

…this kind act of a gracious word spoken...

God has reminded me that I am His princess.

He sent His Son…

this beautiful Child King…

for me. 

Me.

He sent Him for you.

You.

To ransom you.

And rescue you.

And help you see

that you are worth it all.

You are His princess.

So, 

on this Monday morning 

just days before Christmas,

hello, 

princess.

Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. You didn’t receive a spirit that makes you a slave to fear once again. Instead you received the Holy Spirit, who makes you God’s child. By the Spirit’s power we call God “Abba.” Abba means Father. The Spirit himself joins with our spirits. Together they give witness that we are God’s children. As his children, we will receive all that he has for us. We will share what Christ receives. But we must share in his sufferings if we want to share in his glory.

~Romans 8:14-17

Many blessings,

Deni

a warm blanket for your soul

From time to time, 

you might need a warm blanket for your soul.

Chocolate does the trick. 

Sometimes. 

But it doesn't last

(and the dentist bills are no fun). 

Busy schedules, on occasion, 

might seem to fill the gap

that your soul is feeling.

But then too much of too much

leaves you weary and worn.

And still needing that blanket.

And after all the stuff,

the noise,

is gone...

that longing is still there. 

That need to be filled

and known.

To be reassured that

you are 

enough,

loved,

worthy.

Need a warm blanket today?

Wrap yourself in God's Word. 

Psalm 23 is a great place to start.

God is everything you need. 

Everything.

He is truth.

He is taking care of you.

Even when things are scary and uncertain,

He's not scared. 

And He knows what's coming next.

That downcast face 

that stares at you from the mirror 

from time to time?

God is lifting your head.

And He will pursue you

with His beauty and love. 

Today.

And every day.

Count on it.

Count on Him.

Let your soul wrap up in that today.

Many blessings,

Deni

{the essentials} now.

A couple of Saturday nights ago,

I made the mistake of going to Target on a Saturday night.

We had moved into our new rental house that day

and I had a list of things we had to have.

So there I was, in Target, along with everyone within a 50 mile radius.

At 8pm.

And it was a zoo.

As I started to push my red cart around,

I watched the people surrounding me. 

And then it dawned on me

why these people were here.

They were on vacation.

It was a Saturday night,

and vacations tend to start on Saturdays.

Everyone not staying on Disney property

was here.

In my Target.

And they had lists.

They turned corners and peered down aisles

unsure as to where those important items were located.

They needed certain things

to make their vacation

that much better.

And so they searched and moved to and next aisle 

and searched some more.

I turned a corner.

There was a family standing there next to their red cart.

Dad was walking toward the cart with a box of Twinkies in each hand.

He had a look of fear and bewilderment on his face,

like he hoped these Twinkies would do.

And like he feared they wouldn't.

And, when you're exhausted and unsure, 

why get just one box of what you hope will do?

This Christmas,

what will satisfy you?

What will be the biggest, most concrete need that you have?

What about the people surrounding you?

Are the things most important?

Most essential?

All of the stuff?

The fluff and the loud?

Or maybe, 

could the essential

be the quiet,

the silent,

the calm?

If dad hadn't found the Twinkies,

his vacation would have still gone on.

The sugary little back-from-extinction snack cakes

weren't the most important thing.

It was time with his sweet family.

It was a moment or two of sheer joy shared.

It was a knowing smile and a bubble of laughter

that comes from deep in one's soul.

Perhaps that's what God has for you and for me this Christmas.

Let us get quiet

and observant 

and hope-filled.

May we strive to see

the essential 

and the important

and the worthy.

And 

may we have 

the wisdom 

to let 

everything else

fall away.

But Mary kept all these things 

like a secret treasure in her heart. 

She thought about them over and over.  

~Luke 2:19

Many blessings,

Deni

{carefree maintenance} now.

       

{Good morning.

Welcome to Monday.

Not ready for it?

Yep. I'm there with you. :)

But wait…Christmas is right around the corner 
and there's a million things to do…

before you do, take a deep breath

and stop.

I wrote this post a couple of years ago for Greenridge's 

Connect. Grow. Serve. blog. 

I no longer drive a Jetta-

(great car by the way)-

but the words still ring true.

God's words. 

May I have the ears to hear them.

Today.}

     I am sitting in the Volkswagen service department waiting room as I type this. No, nothing’s wrong with my car. I’m here for a check-up. You see, when we bought the Jetta it came with something that Volkswagen calls “Carefree Maintenance”. And, no, I’m not doing a commercial spot for VW, I have a point…so please hang in there with me, okay? With Carefree Maintenance, each big checkup and tune-up is already paid for. Done. My signature is all they need. That seems carefree to me. Volkswagen sends me a little note when the Jetta’s due for its maintenance. I make a call, set up an appointment, and voila! It’s done. Again, fairly carefree. Someone’s looking out for me and my car. I love that.  

  God got me thinking this morning as I lay in bed about just what He wanted to say in this devotional. I had planned on writing my devotional blog as I was sitting here in this very service department waiting room. And God…as He so often does…brought to mind the “everyday stuff” and tied it into His kingdom: carefree maintenance.

  Wouldn’t it be lovely if someone sent you a note every so often (at just the moment you needed it) that reminded you that you need a check-up of sorts? Perhaps the note would say “I’ve noticed you’ve been running without a break for several months now, come on in and take a rest” or maybe the note would read “You seem a bit deflated. Stop by for a checkup today…it’s on the house”. Maybe the note would be a bit more urgent, “Are you crazy? You’ve been coasting on fumes far too long. Stop by as soon as possible!” Hmmm…I think I’d like that. It seems to me that we, as God’s kids, already get those little “notes”. It’s easy to miss those maintenance reminders when we’re flying through our days at breakneck speeds, isn’t it? Yep. That’s the case for me and I’d venture to guess that it’s the same for you.

  Stop for a moment and breathe. No, not a teenie little “gotta-keep-breathing-to-keep-going” breath. I’m talking about a good, deep cleansing breath. It’s in these quiet moments that we can sometimes hear the Holy Spirit’s leading more loudly. It would be very easy to race right through December and, thus, through Christmas, wouldn’t it? You and I could even justify our fast pace when we look at our to-do list, couldn’t we? The kids’ concerts, the holiday parties, the big project at work, the anxiety over an impending family gathering…it’s a lot. But when we slow down enough to take a deep breath, I think it’s clear what God’s plan is for us this Christmas. He wants us to savor the moments He places us in. To fully experience where we find ourselves. To dance and sing and smile and laugh. He wants us to grow and be challenged and taste victory. He wants all this and so much more for us this Christmas. 

  Easier said than done, right? Let’s take a look at a story from the New Testament that rings loudly in my ears if I have the ears to hear it. It’s the story of the sisters Mary and Martha that we find in Luke 10:38-42. You know it, don’t you? Jesus came to the house of his dear friends Mary and Martha for a visit. Mary stopped and sat and listened to Him. Martha, bless her sweet heart, did not. You see, a guest was in the house and she had things to do. I bet if an outside observer looked closely into Martha’s eyes, they’d see a squirrely look in them. A crazed “I-have-so-much-to-do-and-not-enough-time-to-do-it!” look.  Maybe she was even muttering under her breath about that sister of hers and how she wished Mary knew all that she did to keep the house running. Perhaps she even slammed a pot or two before she could finally take it no more. She waltzed right out to the front room (with her hands on her hips I’m sure) and declared “Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand”. Hold on! Time out! Did she just say that? Yep, she did. And how many times have I done the same? Many. Too many, in fact. Stop and hear…savor…Jesus’ response to Martha. “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it- it’s the main course, and it won’t be taken from her.” Mary was doing the right thing by stopping. By listening. By savoring Jesus’ presence. She was squeezing everything she could out of the moment the Father had placed her in and Jesus used the teachable moment to give Martha a maintenance reminder.

  So, about your December calendar and your Christmas to-do list…let’s treat God’s Word as the maintenance reminder it is. Do you need to stop by and sit at Jesus’ feet for a while? There’s no better check-up than that. Do you need to stop and re-read the Christmas account in Luke chapter 2 and savor in a fresh way the story of The Word made flesh? How about your family’s schedule over the next couple of weeks? Hmm…

  The service team should be done soon with the Jetta and I will be off to run errands…Christmas ones, in fact. This Christmas, in the midst of all the busy-ness, I want to heed God’s reminders…and take advantage of the carefree maintenance He provides me. 

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? 

Come to me. 

Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. 

I’ll show you how to take a real rest. 

Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. 

Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. 

I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. 

Keep company with me 

and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

~Matthew 11:28-30 The Message

Merry Christmas and many blessings,

Deni 

{be what thankful is} now.

What does thankful look like?

Maybe it looks like a woman

scorned by society...

that had a reputation that ran ahead of her.

Who came to a well

at noon-

when the sun was hottest and highest-

in order to avoid the stares of others.

Perhaps she'd heard 

enough of their

chatter

and noise

about her and her life.

Their judgment perhaps was too much for her to bear 

another day.

So she went to the well at noon.

Maybe she was thankful for the silence.

What does thankful look like?

Maybe it looks like the Man with 

dusty feet and ruddy skin.

The Man who came by the well that day

perhaps not to drink water, 

but to offer it.

He traveled right through this area that 

was normally avoided. 

He knew she would be there at that moment

seeking solace.

Seeking water.

He knew.

What does thankful sound like?

Perhaps it sounds like the woman

who couldn't keep from telling her friends 

about this Man who

knew it all-

her past, her present, all-

and offered her a new life.

She found compassion and hope in Him. 

He did not scorn her

or chastise her

or cast a wayward glance her way.

He looked her in the eyes

and offered her a better way.

And she couldn't keep it in.

She told everyone,

and they believed for themselves.

On this Thanksgiving Day-

and every day-

we are offered the same.

Thirsty? Hungry? Lonely? Hopeless?

Get quiet with Jesus and accept His offer of new life.

Of hope.

And grace.

And mercy.

And love.

Again and again.

Be what thankful is.

Many of the Samaritans from that village committed themselves to him because of the woman’s witness: “He knew all about the things I did. He knows me inside and out!” They asked him to stay on, so Jesus stayed two days. 

A lot more people entrusted their lives to him when they heard what he had to say. They said to the woman, “We’re no longer taking this on your say-so. 

We’ve heard it for ourselves and know it for sure. 

He’s the Savior of the world!

~John 4:39-42

Many blessings,

Deni

{good morning} thursday.

Good morning.

Welcome to Thursday. 

It's just one (!) week until Thanksgiving.

How is your thankfulness list going?

Me?

I have a head cold that is creeping its way into my throat and chest.

This is the point every year when I lose my voice. For days.

Every year.

And sometimes twice.

So, today I'll try not to talk too much

(you won't hear my hubby and kids complaining about that). 

I'm hoping that if I'm quiet,

I'll save my voice.

We'll see…

On my thankfulness list today?

Keys.

Keys to the house that, Lord willing, we'll be renting for a while.

And tomorrow?

The magic crate that holds our stuff 

is scheduled to make its way to our new house. 

What about you?

What adventures are ahead of you today?

Tomorrow?

Whatever they are, savor them.

And quiet down and save your voice

and whisper a beautiful

"thank You".

Pray diligently. 

Stay alert, 

with your eyes wide open in gratitude.

~Colossians 4:2

Many blessings,

Deni

{do something} scary.

Do something scary today.

PIck up the phone

and make the call you've been putting off.

Pick up your favorite pen

and write that note you've avoided writing.

Because today would be a good day for that,

don't you think? 

That task you've been dreading?

Why not get it done today?

Wouldn't it feel good to scratch it off your list?

That conversation that you need to have?

Those words that need to be said?

Say them today.

Today is a good day 

to get something done

that might be scary.

If God leads you to,

say the words. 

Write the note.

Pick up the phone.

Get it done.

Stop avoiding the 

looming

and the large. 

Because, 

in the end,

maybe the 

looming

and the large 

aren't really so scary 

after all.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; 

but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. ~2 Timothy 1:7

Many blessings,

Deni

{this is a process.}

Longing for perfection?

To be "done"?

Ready?

(What does ready look like, anyhow?)

Maybe instead of "ready" or "perfect"

we are meant to be transforming.

To be changing.

To be us and then a new us. 

Each day different

and yet

just right.

This life is a process.

It just is. 

We are here for a journey…

for the long haul.

And yet,

we want what we want 

now. 

In fact, if possible,

we want it 

yesterday.

But that's not how life is. 

That's how waffle fries in the drive-thru are.

But you? And me?

We are ever-evolving works of art.

We are being 

painted,

crafted,

changed,

and transformed

by the Artist.

We are being written

by the Author. 

And how could you ever rush art?

Why would you ever want to?

So when, much to your chagrin, you're said that again,

or you've shared your 'tude and all its glory

with everyone in the checkout line,

take a deep breath

and remember that

this is a process.

When you get snippy with your kids

and you're tempted to tell yourself that you're less than,

close your eyes

and remember 

that you are being transformed. 

Each day brings newness. 

Maybe tomorrow, with God's help,

you'll react differently.

Meanwhile,

remember that 

this is a process.

You can't rush art.

Why would you ever want to?

Breathe deeply

and let

the Creator

create.

You.

Let us keep looking to Jesus. 

He is the author of faith. He also makes it perfect.

~Hebrews 12:2a

Many blessings,

Deni