Song Story: "My Liberator"

On the day before Easter a few years ago, my family and I were enjoying a laid-back Saturday afternoon, uncharacteristic of our normally soccer filled Saturdays in that season. Thinking toward Easter, I had a passing thought…“What if Jesus hadn’t died? Then, what if He hadn’t risen again? Who would I be? What would life be like?”

I hopelessly answered my questions in my own pondering thoughts - If Jesus hadn’t died, then I’d be a slave to sin, held captive by my unrighteousness. I’d owe the Lord a debt I could never pay back. If Jesus hadn’t risen to life, death would think it held the victory. The enemy would think He won.

Praise God that nightmare will never be!

Immanuel, God with Us, came to earth, suffered, and died to set us free from the law of sin and death! Not only did He die for us, He lives to intercede for us! He bridges the gap, once and for all! What FREEDOM!

So, from this short ponderance, came great joy and testimony in the form of a song. The lyrics proclaim the freedom we have because of our redemption. Jesus came to save us knowing we could never save ourselves. He endured the cross then defeated death for us!

“I was the captive,

but Jesus proclaimed my release.

So if the Son has set me free,

I am free indeed!”

HALLELUJAH!

Romans 8: 1-4

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Romans 6:6-23

6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, 7 since a person who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, 9 because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over him. 10 For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. 13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. 14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.

15 What then? Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Absolutely not! 16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey—either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, 18 and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. 19 I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness.21 So what fruit was produced then from the things you are now ashamed of? The outcome of those things is death. 22 But now, since you have been set free from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification—and the outcome is eternal life! 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:54b-55

Death has been swallowed up in victory.
55 Where, death, is your victory?
Where, death, is your sting?

John 8:36

 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Titus 3:3-7

3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Hebrews 7:24-28

… but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

My Liberator

(Verse 1)

Had it not been for the cross,

I’d be imprisoned in chains.

with a debt I could not pay,

I’d be labeled a slave to sin.

(Verse 2)

But you carried my sins

upon the hill of Calvary,

and You suffered and You died 

to pay the price for me to be free.

(Chorus)

My Liberator

has set me free.

Because of my Savior,

I’ve been redeemed!

Jesus fought the battle,

and triumphs in glory.

My Liberator

has set me free.

(Verse 3)

Had it not been for the resurrection

of Jesus, God’s own Son,

The grave would have conquered

and death would have won.

(Verse 4)

But you rolled away the stone

and you live to intercede for me.

So, now death where is Your sting,

O grave, where is Your victory?

(Bridge)

I was the captive,

but Jesus proclaimed my release;

and if the Son has set me free,

then I am free, indeed!

“Shrimp and Broccoli” - A Story Song and a Song Story

One July day, my three young kids and I pulled into the driveway, and the three kids proceeded to escape the van and the boundaries of a trip to the grocery store, including the putting the groceries away part. At that point, I was more than happy to put the groceries away by myself, because if you’ve ever had to endure taking three young kids to the less than desirable Walmart for groceries, you are happy for peace and a lack of what feels like a lot of “No, we don’t need that…please put that back” and herding cats by the time you arrive home!

I unloaded the entire back of my van on my own and began unpacking the groceries and putting them away. Meanwhile…..a small bag of frozen shrimp and a bag of frozen broccoli had managed to hide itself under the layer of soccer chairs that make their home in the back of the van. Unbeknownst to me, the thawing commenced.

A few days passed, and as you can imagine with the heat of July, each time we got into the van, the stench only became stronger. I searched the van high and low: under the seats, under the car seats, in the pockets, in my purse…but I could not find the culprit, and I was sure that a dead mouse was somewhere in my van, just decomposing by the minute.

The weekend came, and friends of ours invited us to swim, so we loaded up the van and headed to their neighborhood pool. The smell was obviously quite ripe at this point, but we overlooked it with the windows down and our hair in the wind as we happily thought about spending a summer afternoon playing in the pool.

After exhaustion had set in and three hungry kids were starving, we packed up our pool toys and headed to the van to bathe and eat. However, when we opened the back gate of the van, the smell overwhelmed us so much that we almost gagged! After removing everything in the gate, we found the culprit that had haunted our van trips for days….that hidden bag of shrimp and broccoli was obviously not frozen and compact, but swollen and bulging from the decomposing gasses preventing us from taking a breath of fresh air. Immediately, that bag hit the nearest trash can, and we just thought we had rid ourselves of the stench…but we were wrong! Days passed before that smell subsided!

A couple of years after this, I attended a funeral at a church where I had previously worked and attended, but that my family and I had left with great hurt. The place used to be one of great sentiment, including where I was married and my children were baptized. The day of the funeral loomed in the distance. I wanted to attend because of my love for my friend, but it would be the first time inside the building since I had left. I stood in line in that big sanctuary and could barely hold back my tears and desire to run out of there as fast as I could. I hugged my friend, told her I loved her and expressed my condolences, then left to break down in my van… a van that once again smelled of shrimp and broccoli that day.

In that moment, I recalled the laughter and horror of that day we found that shrimp and broccoli, and I chose to laugh about the events that had unfolded, not about my annoyance of the stench that still lingered. The Holy Spirit reminded me that although I had originally left with hurt from that place, that building didn’t have to stand for all of the rough memories. I had also had some beautiful memories there of our family growing, of friends who had cared for me and for us, and so many years of learning and being sanctified by the blood of Jesus on my continuing spiritual journey. He reminded me that I could choose to remember the goodness of God that I experienced there, instead of the sadness of when I left.

Even though it’s been years since then,

sometimes that smell appears again,

and the memories flood back in.

Isn’t that how life can be,

when a simple reminder stirs a memory,

and suddenly I’m right back in that place.

Whether shrimp and broccoli or joy,

I can choose to laugh or cry or grin,

when I remember when…

Years have passed and on certain days, you can still smell a hint of shrimp and broccoli. It smells a bit like someone left soccer cleats in the van overnight, but that smell is so familiar to me that I know its origination. Instead of remembering the money wasted on our limited budget and the annoyance of the aroma, I choose to smile every time I smell that stench, taking my thoughts captive to choose joy and love over hurt and sadness. The Holy Spirit continues to transform me by the renewing of my mind about so many circumstances in my life. The occasional smell is no longer just about broccoli and shrimp…it’s about beauty from ashes.

Listen to Shrimp and Broccoli

Lyrics to Shrimp and Broccoli:

It was a lovely summer day,

the kids and I were headed home from the store to play,

‘cause the store with three kids will make you insane!

Pulled into the driveway,

the kids escaped the van and ran away,

‘cause they knew what would happen if they stayed.

So I unloaded groceries by myself,

and I went inside to have a moment of peace…

But there was a bag, that I had left

in the back part of the van.

It was hidden from sight,

and although I tried to get them all,

that shrimp and broccoli bag was small.

The next day I got in the van,

and something didn’t smell quite right in there;

but, there wasn’t time for me to care.

The days passed and it got worse,

I searched under the seats and in my purse;

but, the culprit just could not be found.

And then I opened the back gate of the van,

and the smell hit me right in the face.

'Cause there was the bag,

that I had left

in the back part of the van,

It was now in my sight,

although I had tried to get them all,

that shrimp and broccoli bag was now thawed.

Even though it’s been years since then,

sometimes that smell appears again,

and the memories flood back in.

Isn’t that how life can be,

when a simple reminder stirs a memory,

and suddenly I’m right back in that place.

Whether shrimp and broccoli or joy,

I can choose to laugh or cry or grin,

when I remember when…

'Cause there was a bag,

that I once left

in the back part of my van,

and the smell calls to mind

that season of life when I couldn’t find

that shrimp and broccoli bag

I left behind.

Song Story: “I've Got A Savior”

Psalm 73: 23 Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart
    and my portion forever.

“I’ve Got A Savior” was crafted during a time of loneliness. Being home all day working on necessary (but seemingly mundane) projects by myself was beginning to take a toll. I do enjoy being with people, sharing stories and struggles and laughter, and I had discovered in a moment that I was a lonely stay at home mom, sorting through a type of dry, desert time of waiting and wondering what’s next (besides another load of laundry, another toilet to clean, another dishwasher to unload). I was thirsty for companionship and conversation, and often asked friends to let me know when I could meet them for lunch during their own busy days at work, but those times did not come.

On this particular day, I was telling God about how lonely that I was by myself and the Holy Spirit quickly reminded me that I was never by myself. He was always with me. Soon after, I was reading through Psalms, and Psalm 73 put more words to what I was experiencing - “Yet, I am always with you…Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.” This was not a new concept to my head or my heart, but you know how sometimes scripture just hits differently in different times, thanks to the Holy Spirit’s guiding? He was especially Comforter and Friend in that moment, and His tenderness was softly spoken and kind.

With that, I wrote “And when I’m wondering through the desert, and the way seems long and lonely, I will remember I’m not alone here in this world - I’ve got a Savior who walks with me.”

I pray this song is a reminder for those who listen as well. God is ever before us, ever beside us, ever hemming us in from behind. He is tender in the way that He helps us when we are weak and struggling, and He is mighty when we need shielding and defending.

He Shall Be Our Peace.

Song Story: “He Shall Be Our Peace”

““But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace…” Micah 5:2-5a

At the time of collecting songs to create a full album, I thought and prayed to God about what I needed to hear myself, along with what word I could put out into the world. It was the beginning of 2021, just finishing 2020, a year that we all now associate with the pandemic of COVID: the shutdowns, the uncertainties, the illnesses, the isolation, the deaths. Brothers and sisters in the music business in South Africa couldn’t gather to produce music, and I had some songs, so my friend and worship pastor Louis Brittz agreed to put this together to support their families.

When we tossed the 2020 calendar and replaced it with 2021, we all had hopes of a brand-new start and for things to be normal again, but we wished too soon while outbreak numbers rose and fell. What did we all need? Peace. Peace in our hearts, peace in our hospitals, peace in our schools. Peace that would transcend above all understanding. The only place one can find that kind of peace? Jesus - He shall be our peace.

From there, I began to sift through songs I had written to find songs that would bolster that theme, recrafting some lyrics and allowing my new brothers in South Africa to work their magic with jazz tones and groove. But there was a new song that needed to be written - the title to the album!

Scripture speaks over and over of the peace we have in Jesus:

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

John 16:33 ~ I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

John 14:27 ~ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Ephesians 2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

With these verses and others, I began weaving together attributes of our God to support the knowledge that He himself is our peace. He is our peace by never changing, a foundation upon which our feet may stand secure. Not only is He steadfast, but He is so gracious and kind to draw us in even when we doubt and don’t believe. When we are hungry for righteousness, He feeds us. When we are thirsty, He promises living water to drink.

Although this song came out of a COVID season, it rings especially true today with the war in Israel. So much devastation and uncertainty in the whole land, with believers on both sides. In all of it, we can still claim that God is sovereign. He promises not to leave nor forsake His people. As the prophet Micah said in the verses above, He will stand and shepherd His flock. May His sheep hear His voice, and may He draw in those who don’t yet know His voice. May we find peace in the steady, loving arms of Jesus.

“Though kingdoms may rise and fall, Your Kingdom will reign over them all.

We put our trust in God alone. We put our hope in God alone. We put our joy in God alone, and He shall be our peace…

We lay our burdens at Jesus’ feet, cast all our cares at our Savior’s feet. We fall on our faces at Jesus’ feet, and He shall be our peace.

Though kingdoms may rise and fall, Your Kingdom will reign over them all.”

Song Story: “Jesus Comes in Power”

Waiting for hundreds of years. Hundreds. 

A word. Any word! Then….

Immanuel comes to dwell with us as a baby. 

I love that Jesus came unlike how the religious leaders had anticipated. I love that Immanuel came without fanfare to a young girl and husband who trusted that the baby she carried was the Messiah, so they centered their world around his arrival. I love that John leapt in his mother’s womb at the nearness of Jesus. I love that He was born in a stable, among animals whom I am certain recognized His holiness. I love that He came from Bethlehem, “..small among Judah.” All of these humble beginnings are beautiful and inclusive to us all! 

However, I think sometimes we forget, in the candlelit sweetness of a “Silent Night” on Christmas Eve, that Jesus’ power was not diminished - Immanuel - “God with us!” He came with power that conquers death, conquers sin, and conquers fears! He also came with gentleness, kindness, compassion, and eyes to see the unseen! 

My friends, don’t wait without hope in this Advent season. Redemption comes. The Word of God made flesh in our midst. Power to conquer death, power to soften hearts.

————————————————————————————

Jesus Comes in Power (copyright Shannan Miller 2017)

(Luke 1:79; Luke 21:28; Isaiah 40:3-5; Luke 3:5; Micah 5:2; Malachi 3:3; Zechariah 6:13; Mark 13:26; John 1:14; 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Luke 19:10; Isaiah 9:7)

Those of you who sit in darkness,

Lift your heads, Redemption comes.

Prepare a way in the wilderness,

A highway for our God, who comes to reign in glory.

For, out of Judah comes a ruler,

as the prophets have foretold.

The King and Great High Priest the same, 

He will sit as a refiner

to purity our hearts in his Name.

Jesus comes in power,

the Word of God made flesh in our midst.

True justice and righteousness

comes to seek and save the lost,

and His Kingdom shall never end.

Every valley shall be raised up,

Every mountain be made low.

Rough places shall be leveled - 

The crooked roads made straight, and the glory of the Lord will unfold.

Jesus comes in power,

the Word of God made flesh in our midst.

True justice and righteousness

comes to seek and save the lost,

and His Kingdom shall never end.

So, awaken, O sleeper!

Jesus came for our salvation

and He will come again in glory,

then in a twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet sounds, 

we shall all be changed, and lifted up into the sky.

Jesus comes in power,

the Word of God made flesh in our midst.

True justice and righteousness

comes to seek and save the lost,

and His Kingdom shall never end.

This Moment

1 Corinthians 15:58: Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Ephesians 5:15: Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 

Our lives are a series of moments. Some moments overlap with other moments, but moments, nonetheless. I’m trying more intentionally to live in the moments, to be present in the moments, and to be aware in the moments - watching and listening.

After God spoke to me about how my disappointments are taming my faith, I have been more aware of my actions. If we live only thinking about what has happened to us, what we have done or what has been done against us, or wishing how things could have been different in the past, then we will miss what God has for us in the here and now - the present.

In the same token, I’m guilty of looking too much to the future. Some of my disappointments have come from trying to think forward too much. I do love to plan, have a plan, and check items off of a list! I find great satisfaction in that. Sometimes I even do things that aren’t on my list, but go back and write them on my list to immediately mark them off as completed. I do realize the ridiculousness of this.

In the present, God is teaching me that He has a plan, and I don’t have to know it and most times don’t get to know it. Oh, how He is teaching me to trust. (Don’t misunderstand me - I am learning trust only because I have to, not because I’m so open and easily willing to trust deeper in the hard times, in most cases.) I absolutely know that His plans are way more amazing and beautiful than anything I could craft in my own feeble, limited mind.

Last year, I was part of a songwriter’s competition. I was battling the Enemy on one side, saying, “No one wants to hear about Jesus at this thing. People will dismiss you because your song is talking about how the Lord is holding you up. There will most likely be much eye-rolling in the dark.” On the other side, I was battling myself and thoughts of, “Oh, wouldn’t it be cool if God was doing this because the next step is this…. then that….then that…” Ugh. I seriously wear myself out with this.

In the Holy Spirit’s tenderness and my “undoneness,” I stopped practicing one day and said, “Whatever YOU want from this. Use me.” I felt sure in that instant that I wouldn’t advance to the next stage of the competition. That wasn’t my purpose there. My prayer changed to, “God, help me be present in this moment. I don’t want to miss what you have for me. Open my eyes to see your glory.” (and from this prayer arose a song, below)

Changing my perspective brought peace to my heart, and a greater purpose to that night. Yes, I was going to sing about how Jesus holds me up when I feel like I’m drowning in my sea of responsibilities, but my purpose was to look for opportunities outside of the song. I was to look for moments to show kindness, encouragement, and love to other songwriters - in the name of Jesus. Suddenly, my eagerness was a different thing altogether, and the evening was a beautiful time to hear the artful composition of songs created in the hearts and minds of those gathered. As well, the evening was a time to celebrate the one who won!

All of this sounds so simple, but I find it difficult, and something I have to work at daily and moment by moment. “Help me be aware of you, God. Show me Your glory. Teach me Your ways. Push me.” I echo Paul’s prayer in his letter to the Philippians (3:10-13):

My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, 

Forgetting what is behind in the past.

Knowing Jesus and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings in the present.

Reaching forward to what is ahead in the future.

God, help me to make every effort to take hold of the goal - to know You and the power of Your resurrection in every moment. Help me to see how the past has shaped me for my good and to have great hope for what you are doing with my life in the future. BUT, make me aware of Your Presence in THIS moment, making the most of every opportunity. I don’t want to miss what you have for me - because you have taken hold of me. 

This Moment- ©Shannan Miller Music 2018

If I'm only looking to the next moment, if I'm only wondering what could be,

if I'm only hoping for what tomorrow holds, then, I'm gonna miss...

This moment.

Help me be present in this moment.

I don't want to miss what You have for me.

Open my eyes to see Your glory,

here in this moment, now.

If I’m only looking at my yesterdays, if I'm only dwelling on what was;

if I'm only wishing how it might have been, then I'm gonna miss...

This moment.

Help me be present in this moment.

I don't want to miss what You have for me.

Open my eyes to see Your glory,

here in this moment, now.

"I Feel You, Hawk!"

Just a few days ago, I headed to the wooded sanctuary behind my house where I walk (almost) daily with my dog. Most of the time, I am listening to a Tony Evans’ podcast, “Truth for Life” with Alistair Begg, or a new podcast I’ve found called “The Habit” from the Rabbit Room.

On this particular day, however, I decided not to listen to a podcast. As I was walking amidst the praise of the birds, the knocking of leafless limbs in the winds, and the rustle of the damp leaves under my feet, I heard the whistle of a hawk high above. It was a slightly windy day, and I looked beyond the barren limbs to find the hawk, floating as the wind carried it in long, figure-eight paths. I stood still to watch the carefree, peaceful way that it sailed, high above the trees.

Soon, I heard the caw of a crow and watched as it flew at the hawk. Within seconds, the crow had summoned any close friends to harass the hawk, morphing its peaceful, figure eight path into a sporadic, unpredictable path. The crows dove at the hawk, cawing and attacking it!

The moment was not lost on my heart and eyes, ready for wisdom from the Holy Spirit, as I smiled to myself and said, “I feel you, hawk!”

How many times have I found myself singing and soaring along as the hawk, enjoying life, reveling in my children and my marriage, when out of nowhere, a barrage of “crow” thoughts come at me?!

The Enemy will not let us rest and enjoy God’s Presence. He can’t stand it when we have peace! So, one by one, the crow thoughts will come to attack:

“You’re not doing enough.”

“You are wasting your time.”

“Who do you think you are, to think anyone will find hope in what you are doing?”

“You don’t serve your husband as well as you should.”

“You are not teaching your children enough about Jesus.”

“You aren’t a writer. Why are you writing?”

“You can’t trust people, so keep your distance.”

The Enemy is a thief, and he comes to steal our joy, our rest, and our peace. He wants us to be in a constant state of worry, anxiousness, and sadness. He wants to remind us how we’ve failed in the past, and how often we fall short, and how unworthy we are to serve God. He wants to isolate us from community, so that no one helps to correct our steps, speaks life into us, or leads our hearts and minds to what God says about us. He wants to destroy marriages, and to remind us of how short our spouse has fallen from our expectation. He loves secrets and thoughts of “What would they think if they really knew?”

With a quick shift in perspective, we can take the crow thoughts captive, set them against the hope we know in Christ, and listen with attentiveness as the Advocate reminds us of what Jesus promised (John 14:26-27):

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

The promise given through Isaiah is that those who hope in the Lord will renew our strength, and we will soar (Isaiah 40:30-31):

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Being reminded, our confident peace is renewed, our peace is restored, and our figure eight soar may recommence.

Back to the hawk - it moved on to a new air space after being attacked by the crows. The hawk didn’t care for the crows’ negativity, I think.

(Also, in case you read into this that I think crows are evil, I do not.)

Coffee with Substance

6:25 is very early for my brain, so one of the first things that I do after waking two of my three children and getting myself dressed is to make coffee. The smell of coffee brewing awakens my senses, and I love the heart satisfaction of knowing that Brian has a fresh cup of coffee as soon as he comes to the kitchen table to do his notes for work.

Only one light is allowed when I first enter the kitchen in the morning. More than that is absolutely too much for my “not a morning person” self.  

Recently, in an early morning, unawakened stupor, I made coffee in my mostly dark kitchen. In my head, I put the filter in, put the coffee grounds in, and filled the water tank, then started the coffeemaker. While the coffee was brewing, I proceeded to help the two older kids pack their lunches and get them ready to leave the house. 

At about 7:05, I usually make myself a mug of coffee to take with me on my morning Uber route (i.e. delivering children to school). On this particular day, I put the milk and creamer into my mug, then poured the coffee into the mixture…EXCEPT that it wasn’t the same caramel color that I normally see and know - it was a grayer, white.  

WHAT IN THE WORLD?! (My pre-coffee, non-morning self exclamation)

I pulled the pitcher from the coffeemaker to see that the coffee was not coffee at all….it was basically hot water. What should have been a rich, dark color was clear! I opened the top of the coffeemaker to see that I had indeed placed the filter into the coffeemaker, but had not put the coffee grounds into the filter. The most essential ingredient for making coffee: COFFEE.

After settling the fact that I would not have coffee on my morning route, I actually laughed at myself. God immediately spoke to me, using that moment as an illustration: If I don’t place my faith as the main ingredient in my daily filter of life, my life will not have its most essential ingredient! The sovereignty of God, the grace and truth of my Savior, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance give substance to what may seem like the empty moments in my day. 

Hebrews 11:1 spells it out,

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

And continues with many verses that begin, “By faith..”, recalling the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, David, Samson, and prophets…

“Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. (vs.33-34)

The substance of their lives gave them strength to withstand, courage to fight, and vision to see the unseen.  

I want that to be me. I can’t do it on my own, because I am not capable; however, the God who pursues me is more than capable!

The writer of Hebrews urges us on (12:1-2):

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

With that, my morning coffee pour now has a prayer:”Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Life with substance.