A Moment of Hope

by David Chadwick For the past two weeks we have looked at how to live a life of faith and hope. This week, we're going to look at developing a life of love. In 1 Corinthians 13:13, Paul wrote that it's important to have faith and hope "but the greatest of these is love." In fact, Paul makes an impressive list of the many attributes believers can attain, but goes on to say that without love, it's all just noise with nothing to be gained. Let's look at the biblical definition of love. Agape love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." Memorize these descriptions of real Christian love. Mirror your life against these verses. I like to call this "the agape test." This is a test that followers of Jesus should take regularly to see if they are living as Jesus intended us to live. How are you doing at "the agape test?" Be honest. Is patience a normal expression in frustrating moments? Are you choosing to not get irritable when something goes wrong? Do you rejoice when great things happen? Are you selfless, not insisting on your own way? In your marriage? All relationships? And if you come up short? Remember 1 John 4:18, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear." We don't have to do this in our own strength. 1 John 4:19 goes on to remind us that "we love because he (God) first loved us." After taking an honest look at your life against the biblical standard of love, and remembering God's immeasurable love for you, decide today: I will be more patient. Kind. Not jealous. Not selfish or rude. I won't store up the memory of past wrongs. And remember: Love is a choice. Not based on feelings nor circumstances. It's to be practiced regularly. Daily. Agape love is the most powerful force in the universe. It's a verb, something that needs to be done. Let's abide in the Father's perfect love. And see if the world around us doesn't change.

by David Chadwick We are finishing up our week of looking at what it takes to live a life of hope. Remember your story. Read Biblical stories. Read Christian biographies. Give hope to others. And today: know the character of God. You must know that you know that you know that God is the God of hope. This is a major way to increase hope in your own life. The Scripture is so clear that this is his nature and character. When you know who your Daddy is, you'll reflect him accurately and confidently to other people. Sometimes, we have to talk to our soul like David did in Psalm 42:5, reminding ourselves of who God is. As David poured out his soul before the Lord, he called his emotions and his circumstances into submission with who he knew God to be. Take note of God's nature and character with the Israelites during Babylonian captivity. Even after the 70 years of exile, God still had a hope and a future for them (Jeremiah 29:11). Our Father in heaven is long-suffering and gracious, slow to get angry, abounding in love (Psalm 103:8). Because of Jesus and his Resurrection, we now have a LIVING hope each and every day (1 Peter 1:3). This gives us the greatest hope of all: We will now live forever with him (Titus 2:13). Death is no longer the final answer (1 Corinthians 15:21-23). It has lost its sting! We have this hope as an anchor to our soul (Hebrews 6:19). Jesus is with us. We will never be alone. Make your anchor of hope stronger by practicing the five disciplines we have talked about this week. I pray your life flourishes with hope until you meet Jesus face to face.

by David Chadwick We are on day four of looking at what it takes to develop a life of hope. I want us to be a people of hope. Expectant. Fruitful. Full of life. Did you know Proverbs 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life"? Without hope, our hearts get sick. Some have said over the years that happiness is only true happiness when it's shared. I would add that hope is only truly attained when it's been given away. A principle of God's Word that teaches us this is to sow a seed to your need. How does this principle apply to hope? Well, if you need hope, find someone who is struggling with something, a situation perhaps worse than your present situation who needs hope, and go give them hope. It's even more powerful when you choose to give to the area of YOUR greatest need. Maybe you have a financial need? Try giving money away to someone in greater need. Maybe you're struggling to get pregnant? Go serve with a crisis pregnancy ministry. Are you in need of a job? Go serve those who are homeless and jobless. Give your life away. Give people words of encouragement. Bible verses. Prayers. Financial gifts (and do so anonymously, not letting the left hand know what the right hand is doing as Jesus taught in Matthew 6:3-4). As you have freely received so much from Jesus, freely give it away to others (Matthew 10:8). If you want more hope in your life, go give hope away to someone who needs it. Then watch and see how hope will increase in your life.

by David Chadwick We all should seek to develop a life of faith, hope, and love. But how? This week, we are looking specifically at cultivating a life of hope. What stirs up hope? How do we remain hopeful? First, remember your own story. Remind yourself of your history with God. Times where he provided for you, taught you, led you, or healed you. Secondly, read biblical stories. Study the accounts of heroes in the Bible who were people of hope and let them encourage you. Today's tip? Read biographies of Christians who lived by hope and saw hope secured. The list is inexhaustible. Saints through the ages who stood firm against all odds. From early church fathers to the Reformers to missionaries to modern day saints in today's culture, there are stories everywhere of God's hope being revealed. Take Jim Elliott, for example. He felt called to fly to the Auca tribe to share the Gospel of Jesus. He was murdered violently by those he tried to reach. Instead of becoming bitter, his wife went back to the very people who killed her husband and shared Jesus with them. This should invoke hope in your hearts! How about Amy Carmichael? An Irish missionary who went and rescued temple children in India and opened an orphanage to care for them. She dedicated her life to providing hope to children in distress. Listen to stories like these. Read biographies of saints through the ages who have lived by God's principles and promises. Find movies that reflect victory through persistent hope. Watch how their lives of hope changed the world! If you're in a time of waiting or suffering or even persecution, remember stories like these! They will help form a reality of hope in your life! Stories you'll never forget.

by David Chadwick A life of faith, hope and love is characteristic of the Christian walk. How do you cultivate a life of hope? Yesterday, we talked about remembering your story. How important it is to keep account of your story with God and to reflect on it often. Today, I want to encourage you to read biblical stories. Look at different biblical accounts where people stood in hope. Take Abraham and Sarah, for example. They waited in hope for 25 years, clinging to the promise of a baby long before they saw the fulfillment of the promise. David took on Goliath with a slingshot and a heart full of hope. He trusted in God more than he feared Goliath. How about Paul? He spent years murdering Christians and persecuting those who claimed to follow the one, true God. God appears to him and he is radically saved. What wonderful hope this should bring to our hearts to see radical salvation from darkness to marvelous light! And always remember Jesus. In three days, his Father transformed his ugly death into a glorious victory through his resurrection from the dead. These are just some examples. Comb through the pages of Scripture and find more examples of biblical characters' hope. They are everywhere! Use the hope you see demonstrated in their lives to stir up hope in your life. Watch as your own hope increases!

by David Chadwick Last week, we looked at what it takes to develop a life of faith. This week, I want to talk about how to develop a life of hope. Hope is one of the things that God's Word says will remain forever. "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13). Hope is a crucial discipline to develop. Otherwise, we will inevitably find ourselves in hopelessness and despair. Depression and despondency. Today's tip for stewarding a life of hope? Remember your story. Each one of us has a testimony. Our lives are made up of stories. As followers of Jesus, these stories should point to time after time where God saved us and transformed us. These stories should invoke hope! Write them down if needed. Revelation 12:11 says, "And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony..." Our testimony and the stories that speak to our history with God are things we can use to battle the schemes of the enemy. Take a moment and look back into your past. Remember all of the times that God came through for you. Do you remember a time where you waited for a long time for an answer and God came through? How about a surprise blessing that came after a long season of nothing? A financial provision that showed up when you had a need? List as many of them as possible. Then claim this truth: If Jesus did it once, he can do it again. Hope increases as you remember God's faithfulness in the past. Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Remember that truth both now and forever!

by David Chadwick This week we are looking at how to develop a life of faith. The only definition of faith found in the Bible is found in Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the convictions of things not seen." How do we develop a life of faith? We increase our faith and believe for more than what our human minds can conceive. We learn to have faith like a child. We learn to walk in authority and with faith like the centurion who knew Jesus could "just say a word" and change everything (Matthew 8:8). We continue to cling to faith even when life is dark. And today? How do we wrap up this conversation on developing a life of faith? We walk confidently knowing our sins are forgiven. Because of faith, we know we will one day live eternally because of Jesus's life, death and resurrection. Not by our works, but by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). We are either saved by our works (that we can see) or by grace through faith (that we can't see). The unique name of Jesus brings power no other name can bring. It's either "do" or "done." Either we are saved through something that we "do" right or we are saved by something God has "done" for us. "Done" demands faith to believe. "Do" and our measly works do not demand faith. "Do" is completely dependent on what we see with our natural eyes - our visible works. As believers in Jesus, we believe that Jesus is God. That he was raised from the dead (Romans 10:9) and that it is because of his perfect life sacrificed for us that we are saved. How do we get into heaven? It is all by faith. By God's work through Jesus on the cross. It's a free gift. We just have to believe it is true and accept it. Faith. Like a child. Total dependence. It moves God's hand. Just say the word. Nothing is impossible with God! Watch him work! For without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).

by David Chadwick We are practicing developing a life of faith. To be people of faith, we must increase our faith beyond what our human minds can comprehend. We must come before our Daddy God with faith like a child. We must learn our authority and walk in it. Today's point: we must be prepared to stand in faith even when life is dark. Life certainly does have hard times. When everything seemingly doesn't make sense. When it feels like we are walking in a fog. Jesus told us this would be the case. "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 16:33). Sometimes we look through a mirror dimly (1 Corinthians 13:12). Life can feel like a fog. We don't know the next step. But we look at God's Word. We stare at his promises. And we believe he is with us and for us. And we take the next step forward. And the next one. And the next one. Day by day. Trusting. Believing. This, too, is faith! Believing even when we cannot see. Standing on God's promises and trusting he is with us even if he feels far away and we can't see the next step. Trusting that his goodness is unshakable even when life feels lousy and we are ready to give up. Jesus knows what we are going through. He promised never to leave nor forsake us. Those are promises that aren't dependent on circumstances or feelings. Trust even when life stinks. The fog is dense. You don't know the next step. When you do, that's another evidence of true faith.

by David Chadwick We are learning how to develop a life of faith. To strengthen muscles that can be used to stand in victory no matter what is happening around us. We need to increase our faith and cultivate faith like a child. And we must operate in our authority and "just say the word" when presented with situations that need faith to arise. Just say the word. What do I mean by this? It's what the centurion said to Jesus in Matthew 8:8 when he wanted his beloved servant healed. The centurion was familiar with earthly authority because he would command 100 Roman soldiers to do this or that and they would obey him. As a man of earthly authority, the centurion knew Jesus carried authority over everything and approached him with tremendous faith. A key to faith as well: to believe Jesus's authority over everything else at work. Somehow, some way, Jesus wants us to know this authority that he carried. And to use it ourselves. In Luke 10:17-20, we see that 72 people who Jesus sent out to do ministry returned with a great and exuberant awareness that "even the demons are subject to us in your name!" Jesus went on to say, "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you." Isn't that same authority given to the 72 for us as well? The centurion told Jesus, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed" (Matthew 8:8). Note his humility. His total dependence on Jesus. Just say the word. Jesus marveled at the centurion's faith (Matthew 8:10). Would he marvel at your faith as well? Step out of your comfort zone. Practice a boldness Jesus would marvel at. Believe him at his word.

by David Chadwick All throughout Scripture, we see that Jesus loved children. He regularly used children and the characteristics and personality traits of a child to serve as a standard for how to follow and trust God. In Luke 18:17, Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." In Matthew 18:5 he said, "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me." Jesus said in Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." According to Jesus's teachings, do you see how in so many ways we should become increasingly childlike as we grow older? The world tries to snatch our innocence, pervert our purity, and rob the childlike faith we are supposed to have. If it's going to be, it's up to me. Take hold of your life by the bootstraps! But Jesus calls us all to a life of faith. He wants us to increase our faith beyond what we think is possible with our mere human minds. He also wants us to have faith like a child. Faith like a child can be likened to a child's dependence on a loving parent. Picture a nursing child. Fresh out of the womb. Vulnerable. Completely dependent on mom for sustenance of life. Reliant on someone else for food, love, protection, and direction. Or a child lifting up his hands to be picked up and protected. Loved. Cared for. This is the same picture of us with our Abba. We are fully dependent on our Daddy God. The Bible constantly refers to him as Father so we can see our dependence on him. For example, Psalm 103:13 says, "As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him." Dependence. Arms lifted up in worship and surrender. Faith like a child. This is another way to develop a life of faith.

by David Chadwick The only definition of faith found in the Bible is found in Hebrews 11:1. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the convictions of things not seen. Assurance is defined as "being certain in the mind." Conviction is "a strong persuasion or belief." As you can see, Biblically, faith is being certain of what you hope for and having a strong persuasion that what you can't see can actually happen. Note that we can't see faith. But it is an integral part of practicing a life full of the Spirit. In fact, faithfulness is one of the fruits of the spirit. How we learn to steward a life of faith and being faithful is directly attached to our hope, which we will look at next week. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "for we walk by faith, not by sight." Faith is the atmosphere of heaven. It is the rarified air that we will naturally breathe in eternity one day. It's the mark of a life that is dependent on God's promise and presence. When Jesus teaches his disciples to pray, he tells them to pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). When we operate in faith, we are believing God for a glimpse on earth of what heaven is like. How can you begin to practice a life of faith? Begin by asking God for his perspective on situations – big and small. Start to exercise a certainty of what you hope for. To believe against all odds, even if you can't see or feel it. Even if the outcome on this side of eternity is overshadowed by the brokenness of this world, you have spent time and energy developing a heart of faith that can never be taken away from you. Faith will increase miracles. Remember in Matthew 9:22 when Jesus turned to the woman who had been bleeding and said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." She was instantly healed. Start today to live by faith. Walk by faith. Believe in faith. And watch as God meets your faith with his power, peace and presence.

by David Chadwick We are wrapping up a two week look at how to have courage in culture. I have sought to impart principles to you that will help you stand when facing difficult situations. Remember to decide beforehand where your allegiance lies and remain submitted to Christ and Christ alone. Know God's truth and be able to express it in love. Expect to have resistance and when you do, train yourself to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Remind yourself regularly that there is no age limit to following Jesus, and the mission he has called you to is between your two feet. Remember that you serve a heavenly Boss who is able to promote you as you humble yourself before him and his truth. Finally, remember other success stories. Daniel was not the only success story in the Bible of someone standing for God's truth. Look at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were Daniel's three young friends who were cast into the Babylonian captivity with him. They, too, were probably teenagers. Yet they stood for godliness, holiness, purity, and truth. They were thrown into a fiery furnace for their beliefs. But a fourth person was with them in the fire – somewhat of a theophanic, preincarnate appearance of Jesus himself before he came to Bethlehem as a baby. Jesus rescued Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fire and they came out without even smelling like smoke. Their faith was noticed by the king. They, too, were exalted because of their faithfulness. These stories of victory go beyond Daniel and even Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Think of Nehemiah before Artaxerxes, the cupbearer of the king, who was given permission by the king to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the destroyed walls. Or Esther who became the queen over the entire Medo-Persian Empire, which had overthrown Babylon. Her courage saved the Jewish nation from Haman's evil genocide attempt. All got involved in politics and spoke truth to power. They all lived godly lives and were honored accordingly! If God can use all of these people in Scripture to stand courageously in the midst of godlessness, he can certainly use you. Choose today and for the rest of your life to be courageous in culture! And watch God use you, for his glory, forever and ever. Amen!

by David Chadwick We have two more principles to look at for how to stand courageously in culture. You must know your decision before you make it. Walking in truth, you must be able to speak the truth in love. Expect resistance and when it happens, choose to love your enemies. It paves the way for God to use you powerfully as you stand for Jesus. It doesn't matter your age, your mission field is between your two feet. Your boss is Jesus and you report to him and him alone! So how else do you stand for courage in culture? Stand knowing you just may be promoted! This may sound strange, but in God's Kingdom, you are lifted up to a place of honor as you humble yourself before his throne, his ways, and his truth (James 4:10). Jesus humbled himself by taking on human flesh, becoming a servant, and dying on a cross. But through this obedience, the Father lifted him up so that every knee shall bow and tongue confess that he is Lord (Philippians 2:5-11). Daniel experienced this. He rose from a teen immigrant to the second most powerful person in the entire Babylonian empire. By being faithful to God in every way, he became a close confidant of King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2) and future kings thereafter. Please note the importance of this principle, though. The promotion happened after Daniel stood up for his faith and for God's truth. He spoke the truth in love to people of power. He left the results to God. He cared about being truthful and faithful to his God. He was told to bow to false gods and idols. He refused. And God eventually lifted him up. Every day, Daniel worked hard. He worked smart. He was winsome. He got along with others (look at the eunuch over the princes in chapter 1!). He was successful. And his one, true heavenly boss noticed and gave him raises and promotions. More authority and influence. Cancel culture is not always the end result. Sometimes, your decision to be faithful to the Lord in the midst of a secular, hostile environment causes those around you to take note, appreciate you, benefit from your teamwork, value your loyalty, and will, in turn, give you a promotion! Christians then become not Christ against culture, but Christ in culture, salt and light, influencing culture toward God, not vice versa.

by David Chadwick Always remember who your true boss is! It's the next principle I want to give you to have courage in culture! In a world that wants you to compromise your convictions, at the end of the day, remember that your life is yielded to Christ and Christ alone. And one day you will be held accountable for your life to him and him alone. It is important to know what you believe before facing a situation where you must stand. You must know the truth and be able to speak it in love. Expect resistance and pray for your enemies. Know that there is no age limit to stand courageously and approach every situation between your feet as a mission field. Then, remember God is your boss! "God is my true boss!" is a whisper you should speak to yourself all day long. "I am answerable to him alone." Your desire must be to please him at all costs. No matter what your earthly boss may tell you to do, if it contradicts what your heavenly boss says, you must choose to obey God, not man. Look at Daniel. Notice how he was willing to stand up against the most powerful man in the world, King Nebuchadnezzar. He was able to do this because he knew that his true boss in heaven was the one to whom he was most accountable. That conviction allowed him to be faithful to God no matter what. Note too that even when he was thrown into the lion's den, God was with him. Protecting and overseeing him. He will do the same for you as well. If standing for truth costs you your job, so be it! If you get canceled by cancel culture, celebrate it! The pupil is not above the teacher (Matthew 10:24). If it happened to Jesus, and we are his followers, we should expect it to happen to us from time to time. Jesus said it would. And always remember this great truth: When you stand for truth, your reward in heaven from your true Boss will be great!

by David Chadwick The definition of courage is "the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty." You must decide to be a person of courage long before you face a difficult situation. You must know the truth and know how to speak the truth in love. When speaking the truth, you need to expect resistance. It is the sign that you are taking new ground for the Kingdom of light. As the resistance comes, pray for your enemies who may persecute you in the process. God calls everyone, no matter what age they are, to walk in courage. What else must you do to have courage in culture? Know that your mission field is between your feet. Wherever you are. Trusting God has you there at that moment for his purposes. If God is sovereign over all (and he is!), he has a call upon your life. A purpose and a plan, even in the midst of chaos, to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11—a promise given to the Jews while they were living in the Babylonain culture!). He strategically puts people in different places to accomplish his will. With Daniel, for example, God put him in Babylon as a teen and kept him there all his life. Yet he remained faithful to serve God at all stages and in each place where he was put. His love for God was never defined by how old he was. He was always faithful and, amazingly, was continually lifted up to places of honor as he walked in humility (James 4:10). This truth should give parents tremendous hope that your children and teens can resist the temptations of this world and stand for Jesus. And still be honored for doing so! No matter where you find yourself, your mission field is right where you are positioned. If you're seven years old, you have a mission. If you're 45 years old, you have a mission. If you're 84 years old, you have a mission! You can accomplish God's will wherever you may be in the culture where you live, no matter how Babylonian your culture might be. If God wants you in a different job, or place, he will put you in a different job. Until that point, be salt and light each and every day, wherever he has placed your two feet. For that place is your mission field!

by David Chadwick Last week we began to look at a series of ways to stand courageously in culture. I believe we are in uncertain times where we must be actively preparing for hard situations long before we face them. As we continue to explore how to have courage in culture, I want to remind you today that there is NO age limit to courage! Anyone who has the Holy Spirit residing inside of him or her has the same power that rose Jesus from the grave (Romans 8:11). There is not a biggie size Holy Spirit for adults and a junior size for children. If you have surrendered your life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells in you and empowers you to be a witness for Jesus (Acts 1:8). The book of Daniel begins when he is a young teen and ends when he is about 95 years old. Throughout his entire life, Daniel remains faithful to God. There are habits of courage he developed as a young boy that were strengthened and cultivated over the course of his life. By the time he was of ripe old age, he continued to stand. And if you look at Daniel's entire life, he influenced the four greater emperors/kings of that day (Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar 2, Darius and Cyrus). From 13 or so to 95 or so, Daniel remained faithful to his God. And two great Babylonian kings and two more powerful Persian kings all exalted him into positions of power and influence. Courage is never defined by someone's age or stage of life. Courage is only defined by the truth of God's Word. It's the absence of fear and the presence of faith, which sets people free. Whether you are nine or 99 years old, you can walk in courage! Wherever God has placed you in life, be faithful! Love God and choose to live for him every single day. And then watch as God is faithful to complete the work he began in you (Philippians 1:6). Observe that when you are humble to your Lord, he will exalt you (James 4:10). Raises, promotions, and influence can happen for the faithful follower of Jesus—even in a cancel culture that hates truth and people who stand for it.

by David Chadwick To finish this week's principles on how to have courage in culture, here is another truth: Love your enemies. We know we must decide beforehand what we believe, we must know the truth, we must speak the truth in love, and we must expect resistance. But we also must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us when this resistance occurs (Matthew 5:44). Jesus modeled agape love – unconditional love – because he knew how needed that would be in a culture that knows nothing about true love. A culture that only knows performance based acceptance. To continue to stand with a heart of flesh and not a heart of stone, we must understand how to love unconditionally, expecting nothing in return. A culture that does not believe in absolute truth and God's immutable grace will resist the message of Jesus. And when you speak the truth to this kind of culture, even in love, a godless culture will often be at enmity with you. They will try to cancel you, intimidate you, and silence your voice. Jesus knew all of this would happen, which is why he said to love your enemies. To pray for those who would hurt us. To not respond to evil with evil, but to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). I would like to think that Jesus's command to love our enemies is especially true when living in a Babylonian culture as a follower of Jesus. I truly believe unconditional love is still the strongest force in the universe. It still has the power to make an enemy a friend – even while living in Babylon. Daniel did just that. He pursued those who wanted to kill him with love. And this love allowed him to rise in influence. Look at his relationship with Nebuchadnezzar throughout the book of Daniel. It is a beautiful testimony to how God can use one young boy's decision to stand courageous throughout his life to influence an entire nation! If God did it once, he can do it again! If God did it for Daniel, he can do it for you.

by David Chadwick George Washington used to say, "The best way to prevent a war is to prepare for it." In an increasingly godless culture, we must prepare ourselves to stand and have courage. We must decide beforehand what we believe to be true. We must know that truth inside and out. We must speak the truth that we know in love. How else can we stand with courage in culture? Expect resistance. This is a tough one. No one likes to experience hard times. People who don't like us as Christians don't like our message about Jesus. But it's important to remember that because we live in a broken world, Jesus said that we will have trouble (John 16:33). When you speak the truth in love, you should expect resistance from people. Satan is called "the god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4). Often, his followers are referred to as "children of darkness" (1 Thessalonians 5:5-6). There are a good number of people in this world who love darkness. They are being used by the ruler of this world to do his evil bidding. These are people who, like those who lived in the Babylonian culture, believe that anything goes, that there is no truth, and that there is no authority outside of themselves. They want to live life on their own terms and be their own god. When you shine a light into the darkness and into unspiritual eyes, people often wince and strike back in anger. Truth is an offense and calls people into accountability for their godless behaviors. This is exactly what happened to Daniel. When he refused to stop praying to God and pray to the Babylonian god called Bel, it offended the godless Babylonians. They wanted Daniel dead. But Daniel did not care. He would not stop praying to God. He loved him too much, with all his heart. Jesus warned his followers to beware when all people speak well of you (Luke 6:26). It probably means you are not standing for anything. And always remember this immutable truth: the only way to never be criticized is to never stand for anything!

by David Chadwick We are taking two weeks to look at how to have courage in culture. We must decide beforehand what our answer will be before we ever have to stand for truth. We must also know the truth, standing as people of conviction whose lives back up what we say we believe. What else must we do to be people of courage in a godless culture? We must speak the truth in love. It is not enough to know the truth, even though that is very important, as we learned yesterday. We must find non-hostile and loving ways to share our deepest convictions with a broken, hurting, and often offended world. The answer is not to cower in the face of opposition. It is to stand – full of confidence and compassion. Full of conviction and kindness. Determined to remain truthful and loving. When Paul adjured the Christians in Ephesus to "speak the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15), he knew that love must be a driving force in releasing the message of Jesus. He goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 13:1 that if we have all of the gifts, but don't have love, we are just a "noisy gong or clanging cymbal." Someone once said that how you say something may be more important than what you say. If you angrily speak the truth, many will close their ears and refuse to listen. It will turn them off and they, in turn, will turn you off. But when you speak the truth respectfully to someone, listening to their views, not condemning them, practicing reflective listening, and really loving them as a fellow image bearer of God, you will be more likely to have an audience who is willing to hear of God's truth living inside of you. My dear friend, as we live in these days full of cowardice, be a person of courage. Walk confidently knowing that your life may be the reflection of Jesus that someone longs to see. Know God's truth in his Word. And speak the truth in love. See if it doesn't begin to change hearts toward Jesus. It is another way to have courage in culture.

by David Chadwick We must have courage in our culture. How can we? Are there some biblical insights that can help us do so? Yes, there are! And we are going to look at them this week. Long before we are ever presented with a tough situation in which we must stand for Jesus, we must know what we believe and decide beforehand how we would navigate resistance and opposition. Before you are ever confronted with a temptation–like a potential affair, or an illegal shortcut to make more money, or even slandering someone behind their back—you need to know God's opinion, his truth, about the situation. That adultery, stealing, and slander are all wrong in God's sight as revealed in his Word. We must know the truth! It's another important way to be courageous in culture. You cannot stand for the truth if you don't know the truth. Look at the biblical example of Daniel in the first chapter of the book written by him. He had been thoroughly schooled in Hebrew culture and beliefs. They were deeply embedded in his heart. Therefore, when confronted with eating the king's meat and wine, which had been offered to pagan idols, he had already decided not to do so and be defiled. He knew Jewish food laws. He knew God's command to be kosher. To survive the godlessness of this culture, where truth is relative and even non-existent, you must know the truth of who Jesus is. Do you believe he is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)? Do you understand that salvation comes through him and him alone? Do you know his voice? Do you follow him (John 10:27-28)? You must also understand God's Word. Is it hidden deep in your heart? Is Scripture a second language for you? You must also believe what you have read. It must be deeply printed in your soul. To know, like Daniel, what defiles you in God's sight. When you know Jesus and his truth, you can have courage in culture!

by David Chadwick Courage. Defined as "the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty." Throughout Scripture, God tells his followers to take courage, to be people of courage, to not fear, to stand in the face of opposition. Over the next two weeks, we are going to look at how God would instruct us to have courage in culture. How to prepare ourselves to stand for Jesus in these uncertain times. How to remain so fixed on what is before us and the eternal reward that we have through Jesus, that nothing can shake us! So, how do we have courage in culture? You must decide beforehand. You must have your answer already made long before you are faced with a hard situation. The story of Daniel gives a biblical account of this kind of courage. Daniel was exported at the age of 13 or so from Israel to Babylon during the Babylonian captivity. The Babylonian culture was godless in every way – much like our present western culture. Babylon was a polytheistic society, filled with New Age star-gazing and horoscopes, sexually profligate, prideful, and ridden with selfish ambition. It was a culture driven by capture and expansion, using humiliation to force foreigners into submission and servitude. Daniel and his three close friends were all teenagers when taken into captivity. They were the best and the brightest young men in Hebrew culture. Babylon's leadership knew the way to capture a culture was to take the youngest into captivity and force them to adopt all aspects of their Babylonian ways. Daniel had no choice but to go into captivity. But before he left Jerusalem, he had already decided and proposed in his heart not to adopt the philosophies and godlessness of the Babylonian culture (Daniel 1:8). He knew before he ever set foot in Babylon that he would not worship the Babylonian gods. We must do the same thing. No matter what age you may find yourself to be, and before you ever leave your house and go into the world, decide now, today who is your God. Decide now, today, that the godlessness of woke theology is not biblical. And you will never comply with its godlessness. It is the first and most important way to begin to have courage in culture.

by Marilynn Chadwick We live in troubling times. No wonder many wrestle with anxiety. Let's be honest. There's no shortage of things to worry about. So how do we build courage to help us face the things we fear? One way I've learned to calm my anxious heart is by watching for signs of God at work all around me. "Keeping watch," I like to call it. John Wesley believed it was important to be on the lookout for God and encouraged his early followers to practice the "discipline of watching." Here are three ways we can pray for God to open our eyes and increase our courage: Open my eyes to Your WORD. I find it helps to get alone with the Lord and take my fears to him. Here's my simple prayer: Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word (Psalm 119:18 TLB). I ask God to reveal promises that speak to my concerns. As one friend puts it, "I glance at the problem, but gaze on God's promise." God's Word ignites faith (Romans 10:17 NIV) and faith is the antidote to fear. Open my eyes to Your POWER. When traveling through a Middle Eastern refugee camp, I saw firsthand how God is doing amazing things in dangerous places. Several refugees even shared they had seen Jesus in dreams and visions! Though many had lost everything, their faces were alive with hope. Somehow, their joyous faith calmed my own anxieties as I thought, "If God can work in a war zone, surely he can deal with my daily problems." Open my eyes to Your BIG PICTURE. Let's reflect on the biblical account of the massive enemy army that surrounded the prophet Elisha. His young assistant was terrified until Elisha calmed him down with these words: "Don't be afraid," he told him. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." Then Elisha prayed, 'O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!' The LORD opened the young man's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire (2 Kings 6:8-17). Dear friend, be encouraged as you think about those invisible warriors—God's angel armies—ready to do battle on your behalf. And don't forget to be on the lookout for signs of God at work in the ordinary. If you want to increase your courage, remember to keep watch!

by Marilynn Chadwick "Make a wish." "Wish upon a star." "I grant you three wishes." These are all lines from some of my favorite fairy tales. A wish is exciting. Magical. But often out of our reach. Webster defines a wish as a "a strong desire to have or do something—usually unattainable." In John 5, we read about a crippled man with a wish that looked unattainable. He had been an invalid for thirty-eight long years. Life had passed him by. Jesus noticed the man lying by the pool called Bethesda (which means "site of mercy"). The disabled would often gather around this pool. Rumor had it that people sometimes got healed when they bathed in the water. "Do you want to get well?" Jesus asked the man (John 5:6 NIV). Seems like a rather insensitive question to ask a crippled guy at a healing pool who had been desperately trying to get well for thirty-eight years. Or had he? Let's take a closer look. The word Jesus used here for "want" is thelo, which means "to will, wish, or desire." It not only describes a wish but also a pressing on to action. Simply put, thelo executes. "Do you want to get well?" Notice the man never really answered Jesus' question. Instead, he gave a couple of excuses. He had no one to help him get into the water. Every time he tried to get near the pool someone else got there first. Jesus' response? A startling command: "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk" (John 5:8). Look at what happened next. "At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked" (John 5:9). Could the crippled man sense that Jesus had already healed him when he stood up and took that staggering first step? What was there about Jesus that ignited the faith to stand up after thirty-eight years as an invalid? That guy went from passive to active, hopeless to faith-filled, discouraged to courageous in an instant! "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk" (John 5:8). Could Jesus be saying something similar to us? Sometimes our act of faith—after we've prayed and prayed and prayed about a problem—is to "stand up, pick up our mat, and walk." Even if we've asked before. Even if the answer has been slow in coming. Even if we've been disappointed. Even if we are afraid. What is the Lord saying to you through his Word? What is your big ask? Do you have the courage to take Jesus at his Word? Today could be your breakthrough!

by Marilynn Chadwick There is strength in getting alone with God. Time with the Lord increases our courage. Jesus knew this full well. The Bible tells us he "withdrew often" to be alone with the Father (Luke 5:16). How much more should we? There's no more important task on earth than seeking God. When trouble hits, I've learned to go into my room, shut the door, and seek God through his Word and prayer. Sometimes God may close doors in our life so that we have the time and space we need to draw close to him. We get alone to shut God in, and to shut other things—like distractions and discouragement—out. Think about it. Some of God's greatest miracles have happened behind closed doors: A man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house. His only daughter, a girl of about twelve, lay dying. While Jesus was still speaking to the group, Jairus received word that his daughter had died. Jesus said to him, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed" (Luke 8:41-50 NIV). "When Jesus arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, and James, and the child's mother and father" (Luke 8:51). In other words, Jesus shut the door. He shut some things in. And he shut others out. Then Jesus took the little girl by the hand and said to her, "My child, get up!" (v. 54). Her "spirit returned," and at once she stood up, fully revived. We see another shut door in 2 Kings 4:18-37. A young boy suddenly died and his mother ran to the prophet Elisha for help. When the prophet returned, he found the boy dead on the couch. Elisha shut the door. The prophet prayed fervently and the boy was restored to life. Yet another miracle behind closed doors! So when you are worried, weary, or when you need fresh courage, that may be the time to strengthen yourself in the Lord. Remember to go to your room and shut the door to be alone with God. But take heart. Some of God's greatest miracles occur behind closed doors.

by Marilynn Chadwick God loves us when we are weak, but he delights in making us strong. The Bible is filled with stories of how God empowers broken men and women to conquer their enemies, pull down strongholds, move mountains, and accomplish his work on earth. Gideon sure felt less than courageous. He referred to himself as the "least" in a family whose clan was the "weakest" in his tribe. But God sent an angel who greeted the tired and broken man with these encouraging words. God told him, "The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor" (Judges 6:12 ESV). It took a little persuading, but God gave amazing strength and courage to this unlikely hero who defeated enemy armies and returned Israel to her former glory. "The angel of the Lord" is a term reserved for a very special kind of messenger. Most scholars believe "the angel of the Lord" describes an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ. Read a little further. You'll notice that instead of "the angel of the Lord," this visitor is actually referred to as the Lord himself. The Lord turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?" (Judges 6:11-14). This was a defining moment for Gideon. He asked for a sign to see if this was really the Lord. He made an offering of meat and meal, which the Lord touched with his staff. The offering burst into flames, so Gideon knew it was the Lord. He was terrified, certain he would die because he had seen the Lord. But God assured Gideon he would not die. So he built an altar to the Lord and called it, "The Lord is Peace" (Judges 6:24). God then asked Gideon to do a very hard thing. He told him to tear down the altar to the rival god Baal at his father Joash's home. Gideon took ten servants and did as the Lord had told him. "But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night" (Judges 6:27). "Who could have done such a thing?" the men of the town asked the next day. They discovered it was Gideon. So they went to Joash and said, "Your son Gideon knocked over Baal's altar… Hand him over, so we can kill him!" Gideon's father replied, "Are you trying to take revenge for Baal? If you are, you will be the ones who are put to death. If Baal really is a god, let him take his own revenge on someone who tears down his altar." That same day, his father changed Gideon's name to Jerubbaal, explaining, "He tore down Baal's altar, so let Baal take revenge himself." (Judges 6:30-32 CEB). This marked the beginning of Gideon as a leader of Israel against her enemies. He is listed among the great heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11, a chapter many call the Hall of Fame of Faith: And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies (Hebrews 11:32-34 NIV). Walk in courage. Let Christ's power be made perfect in you in times where you feel weak and less than. His grace really is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).

by Marilynn Chadwick We've been exploring practical ways to increase our courage. We see in 1 Samuel 30:1-7 how King David strengthened himself after a devastating attack by the Amalekites. David first got alone and "strengthened himself in the Lord his God" (1 Sam 30:6b ESV). He sought God's wisdom. Then he courageously obeyed God's instructions. In the Hebrew language, the words "strength" and "courage" are interchangeable. So when David "strengthened himself in the Lord," he also gained new courage to fight his battles. The brave warrior gathered his men and set out to attack the Amalekites—with God's assurance of victory. And sure enough, David brought back all the women and children that had been captured, as well as all the property. He had experienced God's power in battle before, so he was certain God could be trusted again. David's courageous obedience resulted in a thrilling victory. In both Hebrew and Greek, the original Bible languages, the words for listen and obey are virtually the same. So hearing God implies that I will obey his marching orders. If I want to grow strong in the Lord, it's vital that I learn to both hear and obey. What's more, obedience to the voice of God increases both strength and courage. But sometimes, God asks us to do hard things. What about you? Do you sometimes avoid stepping into the fray—as I've been known to do? Especially when he asks me to do something that calls for courage and self-sacrifice. Remember, we have an advantage over King David when it comes to hearing God. For one thing, as believers in Christ, we have the gift of his Holy Spirit who dwells in us. So we have access to God's voice in a much more intimate way. And second, we have the entire Bible available to us. Imagine how David would have felt if he had the whole Bible in his hands—complete with his own book of Psalms! Learning from King David, we must sometimes withdraw and give God time to speak to us. A few minutes each day to read and reflect on God's promises—letting them sink down deep—are nourishment to our soul. God's Word sharpens our inner hearing of God's voice. Jesus said believers will recognize his voice. "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27 NIV). Has God ever asked you to do a hard thing? Did you say yes? How did obedience to God's Word help you grow stronger? Increase your courage? Perhaps he is asking you to do a hard thing today.

by Marilynn Chadwic Who can find a woman of valor? (Proverbs 31:10 OJB) The dictionary defines valor as "courage and bravery in the face of danger." But the Hebrew word for valor, as I have been sharing with you, is chayil. Chayil is a much more vibrant definition, depicting "a warrior, army, strength, honor, even wealth." Chayil is actually a military term. So I was surprised to discover that the famed Proverbs 31 woman is called eishet chayil, or "woman of valor." Woman of valor. What a beautiful description. All over the world, on Friday evening before Shabbat, the Jewish husband will recite or sing "Woman of Valor" as a way to honor his wife—to reflect upon all she has done for him, his family, and for the community (Proverbs 31:10-31). But again, why a military term? Let's remember that the life of the Proverbs 31 woman would not have been easy. She likely faced marauding thieves, extreme heat and cold, and a myriad of pestilences. She needed to be strong, brave, and always prepared, because in one way or another, she was always at war. On a spiritual level, it makes sense that every woman, every home, every community–in every part of the world–is also at war. The Bible warns all believers to be alert, watchful, armed, and ready for battle against the enemy of our souls (1 Peter 5:8-9). It makes me wonder why we lost sight of the woman of valor in the first place. From the beginning of time, the devil has been intent upon robbing the woman of her true purpose and worth. God created her part nurturer and part warrior. Let's face it. If you defeat the woman, you can attack marriages, families, and communities. My friend Barbara, who ministered for many years in the inner-city, once said it this way, "If you take down the mamas, you will take down the babies." It's time to reclaim the woman of valor. Our world needs women who are full of strength and gentleness. Both tough and tender. Adapted from Woman of Valor, Discovering the Courage and Strength God Gave You by Marilynn Chadwick. To download a copy of Woman of Valor please visit: momentsofhopechurch.org/books

by Marilynn Chadwick Sometimes God provides a deep spiritual lesson when we least expect. While reading through Matthew's Gospel one day, I was struck by Jesus's words to His disciples: Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3 NIV). The word used in this verse for change means "to repent." That's a strong word. What keeps me from becoming like a little child? In what ways do I need to repent? Then, it suddenly became clear. I need courage to become childlike. The next verse gave even more motivation. Whoever becomes simple...like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom (Matthew 18:4 MSG). If we truly want to experience the kingdom of God like children, we must have the courage to make some changes. We must dare to become simple. Becoming simple means lightening our load, which in turn, helps us navigate the daily stresses and trials that come our way. Becoming simple also helps us see more clearly when we face challenges. I've come to believe that in some way, becoming simple makes us brave. I can think of a lot of words to describe my life, but simple isn't one of them. We live in a busy and noisy world with to do lists and deadlines. Simple? Who can afford to be simple? I decided to do a little "research" about children on my own. I was sharing a cup of tea one afternoon with my then four-year-old granddaughter, who was feeling quite grown up as she carefully balanced the delicate cup and saucer on her lap. "Guess what Jesus tells grownups," I said to her. "We have to be like little kids if we want to know him better. Why do you suppose Jesus likes kids so much?" She just looked at me for a minute as if to say, "You should know that answer." And then she said matter-of-factly, "Because we are so fun to play with." It was that simple. To a child, Jesus is not only God of the Universe, He is also their friend. He actually likes children. My granddaughter's natural assumption? Jesus likes her. Not because she's wise, rich, talented, or in control. He likes her just because she is who she is. And probably because she's fun to play with. In this complex world, I must repent and let go of control if I want to become simple. If I want to run my race with courage. Yes, it's simple to believe in Jesus and to trust him like a child. Simple, but certainly not easy. It takes courage to believe like a little child. Humility to admit my need for God's strength. I have to wrestle to the ground all the doubts and fears that attack my mind. All the clutter that robs me of clarity. If I want to clearly see Jesus, I have to get back to simply believing in him. Like a child.

by Marilynn Chadwick She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come (Proverbs 31:25 NIV). Our daughter Bethany struggled with fear from a very young age. It would try to envelop her and hold a tight grip on her. This struggle with fear bothered her young, tender heart. We would read Psalm 91 over her again and again. She would memorize it with us, wielding her sword against the enemy's wiles. But David had a way of penetrating this battle with fear that eventually left her changed. Forever. In fact, it changed me too. One of the things I love most about my husband David is the way he would always encourage our children to laugh at the very things they were afraid of. He referred to their fears as "fret flies." With Bethany, particularly, he would sing this silly song about fret flies with her and get her laughing. As the laughter bubbled up, the fear subsided. One time, when Bethany was very young, David challenged her to conquer her fear of riding ferris wheels. The anticipation of the joy and thrill of riding a ferris wheel finally helped her muster the courage to step out and take a risk. With Daddy cheering her on, she was overjoyed to finally defeat another "fret fly!" I'm glad David is not a worrier. But that doesn't mean he's unaware of danger. He just doesn't overthink imaginary scenarios. What's more, he doesn't spend needless energy looking back at the "if onlys" or ahead to the "what ifs" of life. Like any pastor, he's had to deal with all kinds of tragedies and emergencies throughout our years of ministry. But I've seen firsthand how his faith has strengthened him. I've often told him that the greatest gift he has to give others is his faith. And sometimes his laughter! David is right. It is incredibly liberating to laugh in the face of fear. Laughter is a healthy way to lighten up. I wonder if the secret is to have such strong faith in the Lord that we can laugh at our fears. We may discover greater joy and courage than we ever thought possible when we conquer our fret flies!

David and Marilynn Chadwick join Jenn Houston in a discussion about today's blog.

by Marilynn Chadwick I agree with Indiana Jones: "I hate snakes!" Maybe some of you share my distaste for these slithery reptiles. A while back, when cleaning our garage, our son found a small copperhead hiding behind a box. My first response was, "Yikes! Go hide!" My next thought was, "Go get 'em!" I grabbed the nearest gardening tool and went after that snake with a warrior-like vengeance, sending him into the grave! Why? Because he was in my garage…near my kitchen door…a threat to my home and family! Though I'm scared of snakes, my love for my family made me brave. Maybe you can relate. Is there a time when you did something that scared you in order to protect someone you loved? If so, you were showing courage, or what the Bible often refers to as valor. I'm captivated by the Hebrew word for valor, chayil. In the Orthodox Jewish Bible translation, chayil is used to describe the famed Proverbs 31 woman. "Who can find a woman of valor?" (Proverbs 31:10). Clearly, she was part nurturer and part warrior. Chayil is used to describe David's mighty men of valor. It is also used to describe a reluctant hero named Gideon. Simply put, "valor," or chayil, is personal bravery in the face of danger—especially courage in battle. In its nearly 100 uses in the Old Testament, chayil most often depicts warriors. I believe we need to become courageous men and women of valor as we face today's battles: addiction, divorce, poverty, injustice, domestic violence, child abuse, abortion, poverty, unemployment, pornography, human trafficking, joblessness, homelessness, racism, persecution, terrorism. I'm sure you could add to this list. As I listen to conversations with men and women of all ages, stages, and walks of life, I'm hearing a recurring theme —their heart's desire to be strong for their families and communities. In short, they long to be courageous so God can use them to change the world. Is God calling you to have more courage? Remember, it's love that makes you brave.

by Marilynn Chadwick "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?" (Hebrews 12:7 NIV). While waiting for answers to my prayers for a baby, I found that simple, daily disciplines were somehow connected to hope. Small habits often lead to big dreams. And big dreams can have a wider reach than we may imagine. Navy Admiral and former SEAL William H. McRaven challenged graduates at the University of Texas to realize how simple, daily habits can have world changing impact. "Changing the world can happen anywhere and anyone can do it," he said. "But change starts with small actions. Every morning we were required to make our bed to perfection. It seemed a little ridiculous at the time, particularly in light of the fact that they were aspiring to be real warriors, tough battle-hardened SEALS—but the wisdom of this simple act has been proven to me many times over. If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter." His advice to the graduates? "If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed." During my years of infertility, I grappled with the long time spent "waiting." I wonder how I would have responded if I could have fast-forwarded my life's video for a glimpse of my three wonderful now-grown children? And our soon to be ten grandchildren? If I had known the outcome in advance, I might never have learned to draw meaning from the ordinary moments along the way. And I might have missed the life lessons and "little habits" I learned during my season of waiting. Today, I have practically forgotten the pain of wondering if I'd ever be a mom. I walk around every day like these amazing miracles are, well, ordinary. And in his kindness, I think this is just how God intended it. The daily adventure of taking my worries to God and watching for the answers has given a touch of wonder to my days. Ordinary? Yes, but with a bit of bling. I've come to believe seasons of waiting are not wasted. These and other lessons are still part of my days even now. I wait differently now because I really do believe in miracles. "Wait training" has taught me that hope counts. Faith works. And with love, anything is possible. Miracles are for real. And I really do believe I can change the world. But first, I think I'll go make up my bed.

by Marilynn Chadwick During my hardest days of waiting for a baby, there were certain friends who breathed fresh faith into my soul just when I wanted to quit. It's humbling to realize how much you depend on others. I've never liked being the needy one, much preferring to be the rock that others lean on. A Marine friend is one of those strong types. He saw lots of combat duty in Iraq and shared a lesson I'll never forget. "When danger hits," he explained, "I'm trained to run toward the danger. But my second response is to look around for my men." "So that you can protect them?" I asked. "No," he said firmly. "I look around for my men because I know I cannot do this mission by myself." Suffering humbled me. And so I let myself lean on and even into the strength of friends. They listened, cried, prayed, and waited with hope, daring to believe with me that God was greater than my prognosis. I knew I couldn't do this by myself. Marriages can dry up during a long trial like ours. Somehow, ours grew stronger. David and I learned the delicate dance of knowing when to be strong for the other and when it was ok to fall apart. Sometimes, falling apart together was all we could muster. I'm sure it was in those moments we forged our strongest bonds. Months became years, and by the end of the fourth year, waiting had become a way of life. I hovered between my dream and the daily need to live well in the moment. I wanted my life to count. While working on my master's in counseling, I spent time in vulnerable communities. My practical work and internship were mostly among the poor. Serving those hurting worse than I was turned out to be a surprising form of "self-help." I spent months working with young women caught in crisis pregnancies. An infertile woman desperate for a baby working with women who didn't want to be pregnant? An odd assignment, but it was strangely healing. I used to joke that I was like a recovering alcoholic serving drinks at a bar. I was surrounded by that which I could not have. Some say we should live to give. I discovered that I could give to live. And the mysterious alchemy of serving always worked its magic on my soul. Fighting forward was the healing, comforting, drug of choice that brought relief and filled the empty places of my soul. Again and again, I would say to God, "I'm entrusting my 'business' into Your hands while I put my hands to work on Your business." Are you waiting for something? Don't do it alone. Put yourself around people who will continue to spur you on toward the very thing for which you are waiting. And watch what God does in the process.

by Marilynn Chadwick "I'm sorry," the nurse said gently, "you are not pregnant." I sat stunned. All signs had pointed to pregnancy. It looked like our long wait was over. But once again, our hopes were dashed. Month after month of disappointment had left me raw. I couldn't have imagined that waiting for something I desperately wanted would be so hard. Nor could I have realized then that I would eventually come to find treasures in the dark place I called barrenness. Maybe you've tasted a similar despair when gazing over the wreckage of broken dreams, wondering, "How can I possibly get back up and try again?" It's easy to become battle-weary. Hard not to grow cynical. Desperate. It's the word I used to describe myself on hard days. Desperate. For. A. Baby. Now. My friend's three-year old daughter Molly summed it up quite well one day when, in the middle of a toddler tantrum, she cried out with all the drama her little heart could muster: "But Mommy, all I want is what I want when I want it!" Yes, Molly. My sentiments exactly. Woodrow Wilson once said that men "grow great by their dreams." I would learn that my life was shaped by the dream to have a baby and even more by the waiting. It ended up being a total of 96 combined months of waiting for our three beautiful children. Each one, something of a miracle. The struggle proved to be an expensive education in what I've come to refer to as my season of "wait training." For one thing, I learned to deal ruthlessly with worry, the most exhausting emotion of all. I was diligent to purge fear, or in Bible language, I took my thoughts captive. Guess you could also say I binged on faith. My hope soared in proportion to this lighter mental load. Learning how to wait required a fight. It took spiritual muscle to guard my hope. I resisted discouragement and fear as I would an aggressive intruder. After our cutting-edge medical treatments fell short, I was left with two choices. I could obsess about the lack of a baby—and probably go crazy—or I could find a way to have a meaningful life while I waited. In the end, a good dose of grace and grit were forged into my character. Other rewards were won. I became more resilient. I gained greater compassion for the suffering. I learned to find hope in life's barren places. And I discovered some surprising benefits of not getting what I wanted when I wanted it. Put simply, I learned how to wait well.

by Marilynn Chadwick "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" (Hebrews 6:19a NIV). God's strength can help us keep our hope alive. Hope, in turn, makes us stronger—like an anchor for our soul. Perhaps you're fighting to hold on to your hope. The mountain of obstacles facing you looks too big to overcome. When circumstances look bleak, it takes spiritual muscle to keep dreaming. We need daily, supernatural strength to resist the aggressive intruders of discouragement and fear. Years ago when I was walking through infertility, I experienced God's strength in practical ways. The lessons I learned are with me even today. One thing's for sure. Waiting is hard work! One day, my husband David spoke words that helped me turn a corner. He looked at me and said quietly, "You know, we'll never be happy with a baby unless we're happy without one." We were on vacation at the time. So I went for a walk to do business with God. Two hours—and a very long walk on the beach later—I returned. I had surrendered my dream to God. "Buried" my dream to have a baby in the sand. But I still held onto the hope that God had a plan for us that was good. I felt strangely empty and free at the same time. There was a new fire for change. I wanted to begin again. And this time, I held my dream with a looser grip. I took stock of where I was. What I had. What I lacked. Where I could grow. In short, I began to clean house. This was part practical and part spiritual. I worked at redoing the fixer-upper we had purchased a few years earlier. Paint, wallpaper and yard work were doable. These, I could control. I also took stock of my physical "house." My health had suffered from all the infertility drugs and treatments. Plus, I had always been a junk food addict. So I found a good naturopath and began to eat organic and healthy foods. This was not easy, nor was it embraced by most people forty years ago. I also found ways to discipline myself through exercise. I discovered that structure and order kept me mentally healthy. There was some comfort in controlling what I could control. I could not control when I would get pregnant. But I could make a conscious choice to declutter both my soul and my surroundings. Turns out our faith grows stronger when we lighten our load. The Bible encourages us to "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1). Maybe there's something in your life slowing you down. If so, I encourage you to pray this prayer: Lord, reveal any sins, habits, or circumstances I need to "throw off" so that I can grow stronger and wait well. Empower me anew to pursue the dream You have placed in my heart.

by Marilynn Chadwick "How do I hold onto my hopes and dreams when God seems silent?" The question came from a good friend and a sincere follower of Christ. Her question hit a chord. How do we handle those times when we have prayed and prayed, but the answer is so slow in coming? Perhaps we sense that a particular dream is God's plan for us. But the days, weeks, months, and even years go by. How do we keep our dream alive? I think back to what I refer to as my season of "wait training." In our early years of marriage, David and I looked forward to the day we would have children. But our hopes for a baby stretched into six months, a year, two years, and eventually four years. Forty-eight straight months of drugs, surgeries, tests, tests, and more tests. And still no baby. But the years of waiting proved to be a good time to seek God. Strength came as I rested in the Lord, studied his Word, and held fast to his promises...day after day. I learned what Jesus meant when he encouraged us to "abide" in him (John 15:5). I drew special strength from Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." I began to believe that God would either fulfill my heart's desires or change my desires to reflect his will for me. I also found comfort when I stepped out of my own pain to serve others. I explored ways to serve the least and lost in my own community. Opportunities opened up to travel to Africa on my first of what would be many missions trips. I discovered that when I poured my life out for those hurting worse than I was, an unexplainable joy began to spring forth. Isaiah 58:10 became a life verse: If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. Seeking God and serving others while waiting for my own dream gave birth to a larger purpose. And "not getting what I wanted when I wanted it" turned out to be one of the best tools to sharpen my hearing of God's voice. I discovered what it means to "delight in the Lord." Friends, our seasons of waiting can open the door to deeper intimacy with Jesus. What's more, those times we thought were barren can become our seasons of greatest fruitfulness and joy.

by David Chadwick The full armor of God must be put on each and every day as we face the wiles and tactics of the enemy. As we learn to guard ourselves, we discipline ourselves to walk in greater measures of wholeness as we are transformed more and more into the image and likeness of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). Jesus believed the Bible to be true. Is Jesus God? He claimed to be in John 14:6 and many other places. Either he is a liar, a crazy person, or he really is the way, the truth and the life! If Jesus is, in fact, God – and the Resurrection proves it – then we must take note of the things he said. He constantly used the Word of God in his teachings, quoting from the Old Testament often. He swung the sword of the Spirit in his own life to defeat his opponents (see Matthew 23), predict his death and resurrection and defeat Satan himself from tempting him. And here is a simple syllogism. If Jesus is God, and he quoted the Old Testament constantly to defeat his enemies, then a) the bible must be God's Word and b) we too should use it to defeat the spiritual enemies who attack us. Also, please consider this reality. Jesus must have learned and memorized God's Word as a child because he was able to quote God's truths when needed. Think about the intentionality of Mary and Joseph to raise him up with an awareness of the Holy Scriptures. It is so important for parents to teach your kids to memorize God's Word. And, finally, if Jesus needed to use the Word of God in his life as God's Son in human flesh, how much more should we need to know it and use it? God's Word is true! Wield it in this godless culture! And choose to walk in confidence that the truth that comes from the Word of God sets captives free! If someone says to you, "I don't believe the Bible is true," simply respond, "Well, I do!" Then use it against the devil's constant accusations, lies, and slander against you. I pray this week has given you more confidence to believe in God's Word. But, more importantly, to use it in your constant battle against the enemy. He doesn't relent in his desire to kill, steal, and destroy your life. You must be equally resistant to use, quote, and believe God's Word in the fight. After all, the battle belongs to the Lord. Jesus has won the victory. And we fight from this victory, not for victory in everything we face. In Jesus's mighty name…Amen!

by David Chadwick God's Word is so important. Followers of Jesus must adhere to its accuracy and demands. It's not a theoretical suggestion. It's the heart of our Creator for his Son's disciples. It's the wisdom from our Father for his children. We see so many reasons, both spiritual and practical, for why God's Word is important. Spiritually, it is the gift God gives his people to use as an offensive weapon against our spiritual enemy, the devil. But there are also practical reasons to trust God's Word. Thus far this week, we have explored the manuscript evidence. Yesterday we examined the archaeological evidence. Today, let's glance at the prophetic evidence that points to the significance of the Word of God. Prophetic evidence is tremendous confirmation for the importance and accuracy of God's Word. Predictive prophecies are used all throughout Scripture to give clarity on what is to come in the future. With great specificity, the Holy Spirit gives different writers insights on what's going to happen in the future. For example, there are over 300 biblical prophecies in the Old Testament about the coming of Jesus hundreds of years before his arrival. For example, his birthplace in Bethlehem was prophesied in Micah 5:2 some 500 years plus before it happened. Psalm 22 prophesied the suffering Jesus would experience on the cross, written some 900 plus years before it happened. We see the prophecy of Jesus's substitutionary atonement and specific aspects of his suffering in Isaiah 53, verses written 500 plus years before it ever occurred. Now think about 300 plus prophecies having been specifically fulfilled by Jesus hundreds of years before they ever happened. The probability factor of this happening is incredible! If you were to take just eight prophecies being fulfilled in specificity in Jesus, it's a one to the 10 millionth chance of it happening. Friends, that is mind-blowing! The Holy Spirit truly wrote this book, inspiring men to put the actual words of God to paper. He knew that these predictive prophecies would be fulfilled in Jesus, pointing to the true and compelling message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is yet another extra-biblical reason to believe we can wield the sword of the Spirit in confidence. Because it's true. Now quote it regularly when the enemy attacks you. He knows it's true. So should you.

by David Chadwick We are taking time this week to deeply examine the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. This part of the full armor of God is the only offensive piece of armor. It is so important to believe in its absolute authority while also understanding how to use it against the enemy's lies. God's Word is important because it is the only offensive weapon against the enemy's schemes. But there are also practical reasons why God's Word is important. Why can we trust it? Are there reasons to believe in its authority? We saw yesterday that there is overwhelming manuscript evidence pointing to both its importance and veracity. There is also archaeological evidence that supports it. Did you know that archaeology was a scientific discipline founded in the mid 1800s? More than anything else, its primary purpose was to either prove or disprove the Bible. Suffice it to say, after all these years, there is nothing that archaeology has discovered that disproves one biblical teaching. In fact, it's just the opposite. What has been discovered supports the biblical narrative. New evidence is constantly being found to continue to support the historical accuracy of God's Word. We know that God calls us to live by faith. As you remember, the shield of faith is part of the full armor of God. But sometimes faith has concrete reasons to support the belief. That is the case here. The scientific research of archaeology supports the biblical narrative. This reality should help your confidence as you study and obey God's Word. And then wield it as a powerful offensive weapon against the enemy's incessant lies.

by David Chadwick This week, we are taking a deeper look into the last piece in the armor of God, the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." The Word of God is not an archaic book with no impact on today. It is full of truths, principles, and realities that will push back against the dark schemes and tactics of the devil. It's God's story, giving us direction for how to live in a way that reflects the heart of God on earth as it is in heaven. How, when people obeyed God's directives, they were generally blessed. When they didn't, they were generally cursed. Today, I want to help you walk in greater confidence in God's Word as you use it as a weapon. There is a great deal of manuscript evidence to support the truth of God's Word. Did you know there are over 5,500 New Testament manuscripts? And the closest ones are within 100 years of its origination. No other historical document has even close to that number and proximity. The Iliad and The Odyssey have around 90, and the earliest one is within 900 years of its origination. Yet no one doubts their veracity. Some raise criticisms of supposed "variants" in the Bible and point out over 25,000 supposed errors in the New Testament. But these errors are mostly copyist errors (an "a" that should be "an"). These minor errors have no effect on the understanding of the clear meaning of the text and overall Christian doctrine. 99% of the Bible's doctrines of faith are clearly understood. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Old Testament documents are more proof that this is, in fact, the Word of God! Do some study here. The accuracy of these documents being handed down for hundreds of years is undeniable. By the second century, there was a mostly complete Bible of both the Old Testament and New Testament - circulating around Christian communities. The Holy Spirit was working mysteriously behind the scenes to give us God's Word for all ages. The Bible really is trustworthy! It is true. Quote it against the enemy's lies and watch him flee!

by David Chadwick Last week, we looked at all but one part of the full armor of God. Today, and throughout this entire week, we will look at the final needed piece in the full armor of God. It's time to pick up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. It is the only offensive weapon given to us to fight against the enemy's wiles. With every other piece of armor, we are to operate defensively by guarding ourselves with the truths and reality of salvation of Jesus Christ. We are to bind truth to us with the belt of truth, discerning good from evil and knowing truth from error. We are to cover our hearts with the breastplate of righteousness. The shield of faith is full body coverage, intended to call our entire self to live in alignment with the atmosphere of heaven, which is faith. The shoes of the gospel of peace to give us peace in all circumstances. But there's one more piece: the sword of the Spirit which is God's Word. The Bible. Scripture. Why do we followers of Jesus believe the bible to be true? Inerrant? Authoritative? Let's begin with this reality. Think about it. God's Word was written over 1500 years ago in three different languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek), on three different continents, by 35 different authors with one central message: Jesus came into this world to die for our sins. The entire bible points to this one reality! How could such amazing unity have happened unless the Holy Spirit wrote the Bible? That's what the bible says about itself. Look at 2 Timothy 3:16-17. It is the Bible's self-attestation that its words are God-breathed. For centuries, it has been the world's best-selling book and I think it will continue to be so. Man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God – Jesus said so in Matthew 4:1-4. This week, we will look more specifically at wielding the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, so that we can have victory over the enemy and all of his godless forces.

by David Chadwick This week, we have been looking at the full armor of God, being intentional to learn how to put it on piece by piece. The shoes with the readiness of the gospel of peace are the next things we must put on to be fully covered in the armor of God. A soldier can't win without shoes that grip the earth. We can't defeat the enemy unless we can stand firmly on the gospel that gives us peace. Peace means Jesus's presence is readily available in anything you face. Though the world is crazy, and your life will be challenged - when you choose to believe the gospel you are not only given the gift of eternal life, but Jesus promises to be with you. He will give you his peace amidst the storms of life. Did you know peace also means shalom? Shalom is intricately connected to the word "wholeness" - abiding in the deep understanding that no matter what, God blesses your life with his eternal presence. The gospel assures Jesus's followers that his love conquers all. Because of this gospel, we can walk in peace. As you stand firm against the enemy, your shoes are firmly gripped to the ground. In the midst of conflict, they do not slip and slide, but are planted confidently and courageously. But don't miss this: these shoes have a purpose beyond your security. They are also to prepare you to be ready, at any moment throughout the day, to share the gospel of peace with anyone who walks into your life at any time. "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…" (1 Peter 3:15). We are to be ready to share Jesus with anyone! To give a defense of the hope that lives in us. And this happens when we put on the shoes with the readiness of the gospel of peace. That was Jesus's design to give us daily security. It was his design as well for how the gospel would be shared around the world. Walk well!

by David Chadwick The next piece in the armor of God is the helmet of salvation. We are called to have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). To think like he thinks. We are transformed by the renewal of our minds (Romans 12:2). As we think like Jesus thinks, we change and are renewed. We are to focus our thought life on things that are above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2). As we learn to have the mind of Christ, we become transformed and renewed, and our thoughts will actually start to recalibrate toward the things of God and his kingdom. The spiritual battleground is in your mind. Control what you think and you will control how you feel. Change your beliefs and you will change your behavior. If I could make this one plea to you - please be mindful of what you are allowing into your minds. It really does affect you more than you know. For example, the power of social media comes largely because of how well it can control your mind. After you put on the helmet of salvation, ask the Holy Spirit to show you if there is anything that could be hindering your ability to control your thought life and call it into submission with Jesus. The world wants you to think that you are subservient to your feelings. It's not true. You CAN control your feelings by controlling your thoughts! If you don't believe me, I would lovingly challenge you to memorize some of the Scriptures that I shared above. Or maybe try fasting. Ask God to replace bad patterns with holy ones. He might even ask you to delete your social media. Put down your phone. Go for a walk each morning. You might be surprised what solutions the Lord will show you if you are faithful to put on the helmet of salvation and ask him to change the way you think. And please note this fact: the helmet of salvation should remind your thought life daily that you are saved! Your entire life–body, soul, and spirit–belong to Jesus. Your eternity is secure. You are headed to heaven! He who lives in you (Jesus) is greater than your enemy (Satan) who lives in the world (1 John 4:4). Memorize this verse for help every day! Something is molding you into its image at every turn: the world or the Word. Christ or culture. Put on the helmet of salvation. And live in Jesus's victory every moment of every day.

by David Chadwick The full armor of God is to be put on by every believer to protect us from Satan's attacks during perilous times. The next piece is the shield of faith. The only definition of faith in the Bible is found in Hebrews 11:1. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:6 goes on to say that without faith, it is impossible to please God. The shield for a Roman soldier actually covered his entire body. It was thick with leather and metal so that when the enemy's fiery arrows would hit the shield, they would immediately be extinguished. We, too, have an enemy. When he daily fires his arrows of lies, accusations, and threats, we hold up the shield of faith – a shield that says our God is in control. Jesus was raised from the dead and rules over all. Nothing is impossible for him. We belong to Jesus! We are his. Therefore, nothing can harm us. I want you to take note of something else. In Roman culture, not only were these shields able to cover the entire body, they were also able to interlock with other soldiers. When God said to pick up the shield of faith in Ephesians 6, it was to represent the full body protection that comes from walking in faith. It was also to stress the powerful connectivity that takes place when those in the bride of Christ operate in faith together. We are connected to Jesus by faith. Please note how we need the church! The body! The bride of Christ! It is essential in our culture. And when we stand alongside other believers with our shields held high, we stand interlocked with a unity of faith and a protection that frustrates and thwarts the enemy's plans. Pick up the shield of faith. Faith is the rarified air of heaven. We need to breathe it with every breath. When we do, the enemy cannot get to us. Our air of faith will choke out his tactics. And always remember, because of Jesus, we win!

by David Chadwick This week we are going through each of the pieces in the armor of God. In order to be protected, we must apply the full armor of God. The next piece in Ephesians 6 is the breastplate of righteousness. It covers our vital organ: the heart. A breastplate, in Roman times, was made of such a strong metal that any weapon would bounce off it. The heart must be protected by the strongest possible means! This is especially true with our spiritual hearts. They must be covered with Jesus's righteousness. His forgiveness. We must know how God sees us post-conversion to Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that Jesus did not know sin, but willingly took on our sin so that we can become his righteousness. The Father looks at those of us who have received Jesus just as if we have never sinned. We need not worry about anything because the breastplate of his righteousness covers our hearts. Therefore, all the enemy's lies must bounce off our hearts and never penetrate them. We must constantly believe and practice Matthew 6:33. "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Jesus calls his followers to prioritize him above all else. And then everything else in life will fall into line. Because Jesus's righteousness is now in our hearts, we act righteously in accordance with the Father's moral will and law. We hunger and thirst after righteousness because that's who we are! We do it because we want to, not have to. We know all acts of righteousness please the Lord, the One who gave us his righteousness through the cross of Calvary. May the breastplate of righteousness guard your heart, for from it should flow the springs of life (Proverbs 4:23).

by David Chadwick We are taking the next five days to look at the full armor of God found in Ephesians 6:10-20. Dear friends, our war is not against flesh and blood. It is against powers and principalities of darkness. Spiritual enemies. Forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). Therefore, we must fight spiritual powers with spiritual weapons. Paul outlines in these verses the essential pieces of the armor of God to put on every day to "stand" victoriously over the enemy. The first piece is the "belt of truth." Other pieces are attached to the belt, but the belt must be put on first. It is the necessary first piece for all other pieces to make sense. Followers of Jesus must believe that there is objective truth in God's world that undergirds everything. Satan is the "father of lies" (John 8:44). To destroy people and cultures, he does whatever he can to convince people that there is no such thing as objective truth. What is clear in nature and God's Word. But there is absolute truth! It is first embodied in a person. His name is Jesus. In John 14:6, Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Truth is also found in his Word. Jesus says in John 17:17 "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." There are moral boundaries in our lives, like guardrails on a highway or banks on a river for health and protection. Without them, there is destruction on the highways and rivers become illness-infected swamps. But when you know God's truth in Jesus, you will be set free. With God's safe boundaries, to live and enjoy life as God intended (John 8:31-32). Put first the belt of truth around your waist. Every morning. Every day. For without a belief in absolute and objective moral truth, you are vulnerable to every lie of the spiritual enemy of your soul.

by Marilynn Chadwick When people meet my 95-year-old father, they often ask, "What's his secret? How does your dad look so young and stay so sharp?" Daddy would be the first to tell you that part of his secret was caring for his beloved wife. He and my mom had been married just shy of 70 years when she died this past January. My mother had been bedridden the last fifteen years of her life. A ruptured appendix and complications from the surgery robbed this once-robust grandmother of her ability to walk. But enough of her razor-sharp mind was still there that conversation was still possible. Daddy insisted upon caring for her at home with nurses' aides to help him with wheelchair transfers and daily care. When I was growing up, Mom and Dad would each say they "married up." Mom would tell us three girls how lucky she was to find Daddy. And Daddy said he was just glad his "turn in line" finally came. To which Mom would answer back, "Well, I was hoping you would ask me out!" One day toward the end when Mom was barely hanging on to life, Daddy looked at her lying in bed after he had brushed her hair and said quietly, "Doesn't she look pretty?" Few can imagine the challenges Mom and Dad faced on a daily basis. Daddy did the grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Also catheters, baths, and diapers. There were occasional trips to the emergency room because of infections. It's easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. Sometimes we overlook the heroic nature of the people right in front of us. They seem so, well, normal. Ordinary. But looking back, I can see how Mom and Dad's values quietly shaped my own. "Live a life of sacrifice and honor. Give yourself for the greater good. Put others first. Don't give up. Family is worth it. No matter what comes your way, persevere. Trust God. And always do the right thing." These were some of the lessons my parents taught me by example. Now Daddy is creating a new life for himself without my mom. It's been comforting for our family to reflect on the legacy that she left. I feel enormous gratitude for their sacrifices. Quite often, the most noble and enduring way to live is with a love that never dies. God has given us ordinary heroes, often within our own families. To inspire us. To strengthen us. So that we, too, can finish strong.

by Marilynn Chadwick Sometimes an ordinary person assumes hero proportions only after we hear their story. Such was the case with one of my seminary classmates. From our cohort's introductions, I learned this man, whom I'll call Ahn Wok, was a neurosurgeon. Impressive enough. He was lighthearted with a quick wit and a kind manner. During one class, he shared how he had escaped Vietnam on a boat during the war. It was only then I realized he was one of the famed, freedom-seeking "boat people" who endured harrowing dangers as they fled their nation's communist takeover. Thousands of Vietnamese fled their country by sea following the collapse of the South Vietnamese government in 1975. What's more, he and his mother watched in horror as Ahn Wok's father and sister were pushed out of the overcrowded boat and left behind. Ahn Wok's family was finally reunited, but only after twelve years of separation and long stretches spent in refugee camps in Indonesia and finally America. He loved America and he was deeply grateful for his freedom. Now married with three children, Ahn Wok had become a highly respected neurosurgeon whose deep Christian faith inspired him to seek a seminary education in addition to his multiple medical specialty degrees. For one assignment in our Spiritual Formation class, we were instructed to practice "Sabbath moments" as a daily spiritual discipline. Ahn Wok's words challenged me to see my life with new eyes. I hope the words he shared with our class will similarly inspire you to approach your own days with a sense of awe and wonder, even gratitude: "For me, I found throughout the week that Sabbath moments give us time to rest and be closer to God. My day usually starts around 5am with a peaceful reading and studying of the Bible. This is a mini-Sabbath that sets the stage for the rest of my day. As I reflected on what it means to have opportunities to rest and commune with God, I realized my 'Sabbath moments' are often experienced during surgery. Those are the times when I get to rest and feel closest to God. I am away from the world, unreachable by phone or text. Through the lens of the operating microscope, I am transported into God's world within the body. I am mesmerized by all the unfathomable beauty that God has created within each of us. From the 5mm strand of optic nerve that meanders through the optic canal into the brain allowing us to see the magnificent world, to the wisps of nerve roots that allow us to wiggle our big toes, it is an awe-inspiring view each and every time. I am very thankful to experience 'Sabbath moments' in the Operating Room every week." Why not begin today to explore ways to keep watch for the tiny wonders of your daily life? Go for a walk. Watch the sky. Play with your children. Whatever you do, draw from the example of Ahn Wok, a man who knows what it means to lose one's freedom—and to get it back.

by Marilynn Chadwick Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7 NIV). I've long been inspired by the vibrant faith of believers in China's underground church. No one is sure, but some think there may be over 60 million believers in these secret house churches. Astounding when you consider all the forces over the years that have tried to stamp out the Gospel in China! Chinese believers are known for their steadfast and joyful faith in the face of intense persecution. A man who had just returned from visiting members of an underground church was asked how the believers were able to cope with the continued trials. "These brothers and sisters know this is not the end of the story," he explained. "They EXPECT God's glory to come at the end of their trial. They believe the trial will end. And they expect to be victorious." Are you wrestling through a tough problem? Maybe it feels like your trial will never end. Perhaps we don't suffer the same kind of intense persecution as Chinese believers, but we fight the same devil. James urges us to "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7 NIV). Peter challenges us to join the "resistance": "Resist him [the devil], standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings" (1 Peter 5:9 NIV). We can draw strength from the example of Chinese believers. True heroes of the faith, they remind us that our trial "is not the end of the story." They inspire us to "expect God's glory." We strengthen our own faith when we encourage each other to stand "firm in the faith." Joy in our journey comes as we team up with other believers. The Christian life is meant to be enjoyed, not just endured. So daily, let's ask the Lord to help us find joy while we persevere!

by Marilynn Chadwick I still marvel when I remember the beautiful young mother I once met in a tiny country in a forgotten corner of the world. She was a survivor of the horrific genocide in Burundi that had exploded alongside Rwanda's frenzy of killings. I'd been invited to teach on the subject of prayer to a group of church leaders and pastors' wives. All were survivors of the war and no strangers to prayer. So I asked if any had personal stories to tell. One by one, the women stood and shared stirring accounts of God's miraculous power during times of great danger. Finally, this young mother rose to her feet and began her story. She had eight children, she told us, and lived in the countryside. One day she left her children in the care of a neighbor so she could gather vegetables. Later that day, her neighbor rushed out to tell her that her two-year-old son had suddenly fallen ill and died. She paused—then haltingly resumed her story. "Desperate and afraid, I suddenly remembered how Elijah prayed for the widow's little boy who died," she said. "The boy finally came back to life." So I cried out to God, "You did it for Elijah—do it for me!" She prayed and prayed and prayed. "Finally," she said quietly, "I could not look at my son any longer, so I went outside." She faltered for words. By this point, I'm thinking of what to say to her. How do I comfort this woman who had obviously lost her child? And how do we respond when our prayers are not answered the way we want? However, I was not prepared for what happened next. "I went back inside," she continued slowly. "But this time, when I put my hands on my little boy's lifeless body and began to pray, he suddenly coughed and sputtered and sat up—he was alive!" A hush fell over the room. I was face-to-face with an ordinary mother who lived oceans away from me. But I knew I was in the presence of a woman of great faith. A true warrior. A hero. Now, you may be thinking, her little boy wasn't really dead. Or why didn't God heal my sick child? A story like this raises many questions for which I don't have answers. But I do know this: In a place like Burundi, where they have tasted death up close and where doctors are nearly nonexistent, believers sometimes experience a dimension of God's grace I seldom see in my safe, suburban world. I've heard similar stories firsthand from war refugees in the Middle East and slum dwellers in India. Such women remind me that faith is a fierce fight. I walked away from that encounter in awe, but also challenged. I realize God doesn't always heal or deliver or raise someone from the dead. But I was inspired by the way this young mother fought for the life of her child. She was courageous. Persistent. And she encouraged me to keep on fighting the fight of faith, even when things may look hopeless—and to never be too quick to give up on God.