scripture

Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, christian men, christian parenting, Christian women, Faith, god, Jesus, Jesus Follower, prayer, religion, scripture, Uncategorized, wisdom

Loving Enough

October 30, 2026October 29, 2026 krisshetter

First published December 2025 as a Christmas message

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

Hello Friends! I haven’t written for the blog in over a year and have missed hearing from you with your comments and insights! Many of you know that this year has been filled with both highs and lows. In April, I became a full-time caregiver for my father, who had been diagnosed with advanced bladder cancer the previous July. It was a blessing filled with trials, sadness, and laughter. In September, my eldest daughter and I sat by his bedside watching him take his last breath.

As many of you have experienced yourself, being a caregiver not only takes up your physical time but also your mental and emotional time. The thought of researching and writing was a dim, distant light this year. Recently, that light has burned brighter with each passing day. My prayers have included this burning desire. I just today began gathering materials for a possible study in Romans. I don’t know where it will lead but I know being in His Word is always fruitful.

As always happens when I start pondering writing with more fervor, the Holy Spirit nudges me and reveals truths to me. Today, in fact, just a few moments ago, was no different.

In my Truth for Life devotional (Alistair Begg), I was challenged like King David, to repent and humble myself. To stop covering lies and let God cover them for me. I wrote that I don’t love God as I should, nearly enough. It was a hard truth to write but one that has weighed on my mind for some time.

And because God often uses vivid illustrations to bring His point home, both my dogs approached me while I was sitting indisposed in the bathroom. I say “both” because my dad’s dog now lives with us. A dog whose fur is the exact color of my late mother’s hair. A dog who has lived most of his life in an unhappy home, full of strife and anger.

As both came to nuzzle against my knees, I begrudgingly petted Ben – my dad’s dog. Yet when my dog Tucker put his cold, wet nose on my skin I leaned in to snuggle with the big lump. Tucker wandered off and little Ben laid close to my feet. And I felt that Holy Spirit nudge on my heart.

You see, my allergies have gotten terrible with a second dog. And after just one day of my new carpet Ben peed on it in two places. He’s kind of neurotic and yelps at the slightest movement. He follows me around breathing heavily and anxiously wherever I go. He wanders off when we are at the beach as though he’s forgotten what I look and sound like. His bark is sharp and annoying. He’s underfoot and overly needy.

And I don’t love him like I should. Like he needs.

Ben is cute as a button. But I don’t want to love him. I don’t want to give myself fully over to him. He represents a terrible past that I just want left behind.

In that moment, I realized Ben wasn’t really the subject of God’s lesson. I was. My reluctance to love him revealed something deeper: I don’t love God the way I should. I stand at arms-length from Him. Because if I were to truly love Him, I would have to give all of myself to Him. I would have to accept both the blessings and the trials that come through His hands. I would have to give up my fears, my prejudices, my preferences. I would have to go “all in.”

While God may not sneak over to a corner and pee on my new carpet, He might bring people (or dogs) into my life that will. People who need mercy, forgiveness and love. I know this because He put me, a broken, sinful person, into other believers’ lives. And I pray for their mercy, love and forgiveness towards me.

Ben, sweet goofy Ben, needs a lot of love and patience. I need a lot more Zyrtec. More than that, I need a lot more Jesus. I need to love Jesus a lot more than I do. So, I prayed for forgiveness today that I don’t love enough the God who sacrificed His Son for me. Who has forgiven my yelping and my anxiety. For making a mess on beautiful things.

While I know the coming year will be full of unbelievers doing terrible things, I also know that God will be at work. He will be in the tears and the laughter. His glory will be available for anyone to see. And I want to see Him, trust Him, and love Him in every season, every place, and every circumstance.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Ben and Tucker

Show Me, Tell Me

October 29, 2026October 14, 2026 krisshetter

First published September 8, 2020 as part of the His Works Project series.

They didn’t want to add to our current, stressful situation. My husband, their son, owns and operates residential Alzheimer’s care facilities and each day the state government was changing rules related to COVID-19. The staff were worried. The residents’ families were worried. True to their gracious nature, they didn’t want to add another burden.

You see, my precious mother-in-law had been diagnosed with uterine cancer. When we talk about angels on Earth you’re talking about her. When I picture her, I see love. I see goodness. She is one of my touchstones. She’s a lot of people’s touchstones. During the last 32 years she has quietly guided my faith journey. And she has cancer.

News like that can stop your heart for a moment. It certainly stopped mine. Yet almost immediately, my mind drifted back to a passage in James that had been challenging me for months. In our first look at the book of James, we see him leap from the starting gate in his letter to the church with a challenging statement:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:2-3

A few years ago, that statement might have earned the response, “Are you ‘cray, cray’?” Meaning you’ve got to be kidding. Not only “joy” but “pure joy.” It reminds me of the scene in the movie Animal House — a pop culture film about a college fraternity. In it, actor Kevin Bacon is being initiated into the fraternity. He is required to be harshly paddled by its members. But not just paddled, he must also request the beating each time by yelling, “Thank you sir! May I have another!” The pain is evident on his face with each whack. Yet he knows he must ask for more to achieve his ultimate goal — membership.

While I don’t believe God wants us begging for trials, He knows in the course of our existence they will naturally come. In Mark 10, Jesus tells the disciples that not only will they receive a hundred times what they have given up to follow Him but also persecutions. Throughout the Bible we are encouraged to embrace our trials, whether from persecution, loss, or affliction, so that our faith may mature.

I’ve often heard the phrase “baby Christian,” describing someone who has accepted Christ but not yet matured in faith. Just as physical maturity requires effort and discipline, spiritual maturity requires intentional growth. Trials are often God’s classroom.

Our stunted Christian spiritual growth doesn’t always seem as obvious to us as our physical issues do. However, it takes much of the same concerted effort to grow in our faith. Too often our spiritual lives become a cycle of victories and setbacks. We make progress, lose ground, and begin again. But we need to seek to be at the place James calls us to — finding Pure Joy in the difficult times.

With James’ simple opening salvo he blasts us into paying attention. We can either 1) scoff and choose to ignore him as a crazy person or 2) say, “tell me how.”

In Luke 22:28 Jesus listens to a dispute among the disciples. They are arguing who is the greater disciple (sounds like one of my PTA meetings). He interrupts and tells them, “You are (all) those who have stood by me in my trials.” His trials. You see, Jesus was sent to not only verbally teach us our Father’s ways but to experience our earthly ways to show us how to handle them. We mark our spiritual growth chart with each trial when we turn to Jesus and say, “you’ve been here, show me what to do.”

There are plenty of self-help books out there to guide us to being mature adults. But the best book to read for both spiritual growth and worldly maturity is the Bible. Every single book of the Bible talks about trials or persecution. And without fail the solution is prayer. Not just any prayer. A personal plea. A demanding of God’s blessing to rain down on us. A clearing of our eyes to see the joy. And then listening. He will speak to you.

God rarely just throws us first into the fiery pit. And even if He does, He is always with us. That alone is a blessing for which to be thankful. With each trial, each persecution, He expects us to grow more trusting of Him. Yes, expects. Dr. Charles Stanley’s Life Lesson #7 says, “The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us.” So, my advice to you, accept and learn early and as quickly as possible.

With each trial thrown in your path, you gain perseverance, patience and clarity of God’s presence. But we must do the work of asking Jesus, “Show me.” I once told my Bible Study group we need to shorten the “ah ha moment gap” from years, to months, to days, to instantly. We all can look back at situations where maybe we didn’t get the job we’d hoped for or maybe even got fired from a job. Or a loss of a home due to fire, a friendship that soured, a marriage dissolved. How long has it taken you to accept the way God was working in that time? Have you seen it yet? He was there. He spoke to you.

Why is all this important? We know there will be trials so that means we can’t do anything about them, correct? When we dread what we think is to come, when we are poured into concrete boots of fear during trials, we’ve taken our eyes off Jesus. And if we are to grow in this project called Us we need a strong foundation of keeping our faith and trust in Him alone.

This is not an easy task. For some of us it takes every minute of every hour re-focusing our mind on Him – especially when we are afraid. I’ve come to use the term, “Perspective Change Moment” with some of my friends. When we start in on our ills, fears, anger, dread it helps to have someone say to us, “Yes, that’s awful and…..”

With the same practice we put into doing our hair every morning or working out or learning how to use our smartphone or figuring out how late we can sleep and still get to work on time we need to attack the devil that keeps trying to pull our eyes away from Jesus. Show me, Jesus. Speak to me, God. It’s not enough to tell yourself, or others, “don’t worry” or “don’t be afraid.” We must fill our minds with something other than that fear and worry.

In Luke 11, Jesus tells the story of an impure spirit coming out of a person and goes looking for a better place. When the spirit doesn’t find it he returns to find a nice, clean, empty house. And you know what that impure spirit does? He invites a few more friends to join him! Had that person cast out the spirit with Jesus’ help and filled that home with God’s Word, Jesus’ love, and the constant presence of the Holy Spirit you can bet the evil spirit wouldn’t make it past the garden gate!

I have a good friend who was laid off from her church position about three years ago. It has been difficult for her to find the joy in that trial. For me, I can remember how unhappy she was in that job. But no matter how many times I told her how miserable she was, she still couldn’t accept it. Until she finished one of her journaling books.

One day a week or so ago she started reading through her old journals from that time. In them she found her old self praying for God’s intervention constantly. Each workday entry was a distraught woman praying for God to fix the problems swirling at work. She finally had her “ah ha moment.” God was there, telling her to leave. But she kept holding on. That day she made a new mark on her spiritual growth chart. God had spoken to her and she had the joy of knowing He was with her. She could release all the negative emotions surrounding losing that job. It wasn’t where God wanted her to be.

So, here I was, working on being the best team member I could be for my husband as we waded through the throes of the COVID-19 lockdown and my in-laws finally decided we needed to hear the news. Cancer. Just a year ago this would have put me in a tailspin. But in just that year’s time, I’ve gone through a family death, putting on a distance wedding, accepting the fact that I’m not going to work anymore, and much more. With each trial, I leaned a little more heavily on my Rock and learned to recognize the joy hidden within it.

So, after the news I took my dog for a quiet walk in our nearby canyon and asked Jesus, “Show me.” I cried out to God the great Counselor, God my Comforter. I first pleaded and said, “You can’t take her.” I raised my hands high and begged for mercy for my sweet mother-in-law. I reminded Him she is a faithful servant. She is His loving daughter. And then I listened.

He reminded me we all must pass one day, just as her own mother did a year ago. He reminded me that He loves her even more than I do. He told me to just keep loving her and living out joy moments right now, today. He showed me that when her time comes, just as mine will too, she will join her mom in glory at God’s card game table. The battle of who is the best 31 card player will continue into eternity. And I laughed.

Are you going through a trial and need prayers? I’d love to pray with you. Have you gone through a trial and had your “ah ha moment?” Please share.

Amazingly Interrupted

October 28, 2026October 14, 2026 krisshetter

First published November 16, 2020 as part of the Living Amazed series.

“One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.” Luke 5:1-11

I think a lot of us feel like 2020 has been one giant interruption in our lives. We had weddings to celebrate, vacations to enjoy, careers to launch, businesses to grow, and retirements to embrace. And then March descended upon us. To put it mildly, it’s been one giant cluster.

Recently, I saw an Instagram post by the Christian women’s group Proverbs 31 that addressed our need to rely on God during these tough times. One of the commenters posted a very heartfelt account of what she has been dealing with, including the loss of a loved one. She said she was having a hard time seeing God in the middle of everything. And yet He is right there if we truly know His character. He’s the one interrupting our plans.

In the verses today, Simon, an experienced fisherman, had just pulled his boat in after a long, hard, unsuccessful day of fishing. He sat and listened to Jesus as he preached to the masses on the shore. Suddenly, Jesus asks for a ride out away from the shore to better speak to everyone. I’m sure Simon had a mix of emotions. Here he was, probably exhausted but still might have been honored to have the famous rabbi use his boat. And then Jesus interrupted his plans to get home, have dinner and finally get some sleep.

The experienced fisherman was quite sure that another few hours on the lake would produce nothing. After all, he’d fished those waters his entire life. Jesus wasn’t even from a fishing family! But something about the rabbi made Simon comply. And as the story finishes, we see Simon and the other fisherman completely interrupting everything about their lives and deciding to become disciples.

God often interrupts our “bright ideas” and “best-laid plans.” The question is: when the Holy Spirit urges us in a new direction, will we respond like Simon and obey? Or are we like the rich king, unwilling to give up what we have and know? Many of us say we want God to speak to us. But do we really?

A couple years ago I was amazingly interrupted by Jesus. I worked as an administrative substitute in our local school district. I was very busy. I wore my busyness as a badge of honor. I had jobs assigned five days a week. Then Jesus interrupted me.

He urged me, through a vision, to take specific action each week and feed the homeless for a year. This was not in my plans. But it was something I had asked for. I had been praying for growth in my trust in the Lord. I kept asking for direction. Serving the homeless in our downtown area had never crossed my mind. What also wasn’t in my plan was giving up working a few days a week to accomplish Jesus’ vision for me. It was an amazing interruption.

He said, “Do this for me.” So I did. The lessons I learned during that year were ones that no sermon or Bible study could ever teach me. My patterns of worry, distrust, control, over-planning, pride, feeling alone, all were tested. It was never about feeding the homeless. It was about God finding a way to snap me out of destructive patterns – interrupting me and re-setting me.

I’ve told many people about this experience. At the same time I tell them they should pray for something equally amazing to interrupt their lives. So many of them either look scared or even voice their fear of such an occurrence. That’s why I ask, “Do you really want to hear from God?” Because I can almost guarantee that what He says to you will be unexpected and will challenge you to interrupt your life.

“The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters.” Job 42:12-13

But like Job whose life was severely interrupted, the amazing blessings you receive will be immeasurable. God has interrupted my life a few more times since my vision. And each time has brought me closer to Him. I urge you today to pray for interruption. Pray for the courage to do God’s work. Pray for the faith to push your boat into deeper water when He calls. The greatest blessings often begin where our plans end.

30daysofpraise, Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, christian men, christian parenting, Christian women, Faith, god, Jesus, Jesus Follower, prayer, religion, scripture, Uncategorized

She Loves Like Jesus

October 27, 2026October 14, 2026 krisshetter

First published June 4, 2021 as part of the Jesus Mindset series

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13

“Jesus sees you. The first lesson of this miracle is a welcome one. You and I aren’t invisible. We aren’t overlooked. Jesus spots us on the side of the road, and he makes the first move.” Max Lucado

There are three women in my life whom I count as having had a significant influence on me. Two of the three will probably never know me. That’s the power of having an outlet to reach millions of people either through radio, books, television, and other media My long commutes as a young working woman were filled with life wisdom dished out with borderline harshness by Dr. Laura. She made sense to me and helped me to see different perspectives in relationships both personally and professionally. Later, my faith life received a much-needed injection of God’s truth from the formidable Joyce Meyer. Her devotional, “Power Thoughts,” was Dr. Laura on faith steroids. But again, these two women and I will probably never cross paths.

The third woman God placed in my path couldn’t have been more different. Unlike the others, she never stood behind a microphone or published a bestseller. Yet she taught me more about loving people than anyone I’ve ever known.

She and Jesus share a beautiful character trait. They love all. They have compassion for all. They know just what someone needs at their darkest hour. When Jesus was asked how the masses would be fed, He stepped up to the plate. And so does my mother-in-law, Bev Shetter.

When I first would visit Bev in her hometown of Longmont, Colorado about 30 years ago, I would find myself frequently annoyed. As when people surrounded Jesus on His way to an official’s home, Bev couldn’t get through one aisle at the local grocer without multiple people approaching her. A quick trip for a loaf of bread turned into an hour.

The whole experience was foreign to me. How could one person, not only know so many people, but know so many people so well? She wasn’t some famous tv personality. She didn’t write a book. She didn’t operate the local bakery, or any business for that matter. She wasn’t even head of any organization. She was a housewife who occasionally worked part time at a flower shop here or a dress shop there. And, a faithful member of her church.

She remembers names, families, struggles, and milestones. She knows who is hurting, who needs prayer, and how to make everyone feel seen. At the end of a “short” trip for a few groceries I felt a bit like Peter, annoyed that we might be late for our next engagement because Bev needed to say yet another kind “hello” to an elderly woman.

She makes you feel loved, special, remembered.

“It’s funny how God leads us to just the right person to guide us through life. Bev has been that trusted loving spiritual friend to me for some 40 years. She has modeled the commandment of Jesus to love one another putting into action all the teachings of Jesus. We have shared laughter, faith, tears, fears, and all that life gives us and I am so grateful to her for walking beside me and revealing Jesus to me.” Longtime friend, Jane Nelson

Jesus did that. You knew you were in the presence of someone special because He made you feel special. The disciples knew that when Jesus said, “Follow me” they would be well-loved. They would be remembered. He wasn’t famous when He first called His disciples. He was an unknown. Not a rich businessman or even mildly successful tradesman. Yet He made sure to make people feel known and loved.

“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.” John 17:9

Even in His last physical days on Earth, He remembered His friends. Not just the disciples. You’ll notice in the verse above He is praying for everyone that the Father sent to Him – that’s you, me, Peter, John, the tax collectors, the adulterers, the gentile and the Jew. Everyone who has turned their lives over to Him.

When I committed myself to my husband, I was given the gift of moving into Bev’s large friendship circle. It wasn’t easy at first. We are also opposite in personality. I was angry, unsettled, untethered to God. I welcomed outrage in my life, judged harshly and forgave reluctantly. But the thing about Jesus is when He steps into a relationship with a Saul He transforms the Saul into a Paul. And when someone like Bev enters your life, you can’t help but come out changed.

And so I watched and listened. I saw the peace she had in her life that I did not. I watched her minister to the homeless, the shut-in, the sick, the needy, the hurt, the lonely. I listened to her words of compassion and quiet, unassuming advice to her friends. She opens her home to visiting missionaries, childhood friends, family and anyone else that needs a pillow to rest their head. And I said, “I want some of that.”

Isn’t that what we do when listen to Jesus talk to a hurting person? “I want to be able to love like that.” Isn’t that what we pray for when we watch Jesus stop and pay attention to one person on the street whom nobody sees? “I should stop and help them.” Isn’t that what we long for when Jesus tells us He will never leave us? “I want to be loved and be remembered.”

“My grandma doesn’t wait around for approval, compliments or appreciation. She has a keen eye for what people need before they may even know it themselves. She is one to show up with a warm meal before your stomach starts to growl or a blanket before you start to shiver.” Granddaughter, Haley Shetter

Jesus and people like Bev show us how to love and be loved. They show us how to be the faithful and loving friend. They aren’t looking for 10,000 “likes” on Facebook. They stop in the grocery aisle and say, “Hello, friend, how is your mom feeling today?” They give their time and prayers one person at a time. And from that, Jesus and Bev have gained a multitude of loving and faithful friends.

“My sister Bev cared for my blessed mother for many years. Her dedication in honoring God through love and service is selfless and enduring. Many times her faith has been tested but never paled.” Sister, Kathy Pisano

The people like Bev, who live out this Jesus character trait so well, don’t work hard to make friends. They don’t work hard at keeping friends. They work hard at loving people. They look for ways to show compassion. They know that even doing their little part will mean something for somebody. People like Bev are remembered wherever they go, because the people they touch feel something special.

“From her I have learned to watch and listen to her ways. This is not something you develop overnight but attributes you gain over time. She surrounds herself with people who also have these qualities so they can act as a tribe, a community, to build and share their love.” Granddaughter, Haley Shetter

Bev and her “tribe” are truly special followers of Jesus’ command to love one another and be faithful to others. I’m a living example of someone who can learn to imitate Bev and Jesus. I may never achieve her level of influence but God knows my efforts.

It’s important for those of us who aren’t naturally inclined to be like her to know that Jesus still expects us to work at it. I’ll never be Bev 2.0, and God never intended me to be. But through her example and Christ’s guidance, I can become a little more compassionate, a little more attentive, and a little more willing to love people the way Jesus does.

Bev (front left) with a few members of her “Tribe”

My sweet mother-in-law passed away almost a year after this essay was first published. I miss her more than words can express, but the legacy of her kindness lives on in the countless people she loved so well. Today she rests safely in the arms of Jesus.

The Healing Power of Forgiveness

October 26, 2026October 14, 2026 krisshetter

^{First published June 13, 2022 as part of the Lessons from Cherith series.}

^“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Matthew 18:21

He’d been a drug addict and alcoholic for at least the 35 years I knew him. In fact, this lost uncle was my husband’s main reason for why he never touched drugs in his college days. My husband saw the path of destruction his uncle created throughout their family. This uncle, my mother-in-law’s youngest sibling, took the road so many addicts follow. They demand help, make others feel guilty for not rescuing them, promise to do better, then start the cycle over and over again.

In my visits to my husband’s hometown, we’d have infrequent contact with his uncle. But we would hear of his begging his own mother for money and complaining of how “lucky” and “privileged” everyone else in the family were because they weren’t always so down on their luck. To be fair, this man carried wounds from being the youngest child of an alcoholic and unfaithful father. As for my in-laws, they gave money, moral support, food, and more for much of his life. But after a number of run-ins with the law and intolerable behavior toward my husband’s grandmother, the uncle found himself eventually with backs turned. Enough was enough.

^“Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:22

Let’s face it, we are only human. We get our feelings hurt. We often seek to protect ourselves from harmful relationships. We don’t want to be taken advantage of and have our kindness thrown back at us with vitriol. Like many of Jesus’ expectations for us, the concept of forgiveness is not easy for our sinful human nature. We reach the end of our rope. We feel as though we have no tears left to shed.

I remember when my loving, caring mother-in-law said to me one day a few years ago, “I’m done. I’m tired of being blamed for his problems. I’m tired of being taken for granted that we will always help. I’m angry how he treats our mother.” And honestly, could anyone blame her? But the thing is, I knew deep down she didn’t mean any of it. I knew if her brother came again with hat in hand she would help. Because she knew that Jesus would do the same for her.

^“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25

We can be thankful that God has not assigned us the role He gave prophets like Elijah, who were called to proclaim judgment. Throughout the Old Testament, God’s people repeatedly turned away from Him despite countless warnings. Yet alongside His warnings came opportunities for repentance. Ultimately, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, not only to proclaim truth but to offer forgiveness and reconciliation. Through Him, we learn that when we seek forgiveness and extend it to others, we experience the healing grace of God.

Jesus does not only desire healing for those who need forgiveness. He also desires healing for those doing the forgiving. When we honestly examine our own lives, we quickly realize how much we ourselves need mercy. We all come before God with empty hands, asking, “One more time, Lord. Please forgive me.” And by His grace, He does.

I’ve been fortunate to witness the healing power of forgiveness in a few people’s lives. My friend Andrea will forever be changed simply by forgiving a family member for past hurts and asking for forgiveness for how she has hurt others. My own relationship with my parents has required me to forgive them. And although the situation can still be painful, I now have the healing strength which forgiveness affords to help me pray for them each day.

^“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32

I started this message about a man so broken from addiction. A man who most would say was without hope, without the peace from God. But God is a miracle worker as we all know. So, after another stint in prison about a year ago, my husband’s uncle finally said, “Enough is enough.” He turned to God for forgiveness and healing. When he got the news that his oldest sister was now riddled with cancer he came immediately to be by her side.

We met in the hospital lobby, just the two of us. His eyes were clear, he looked healthy, and there was a peace about him I had never seen before. I took him up to his sister’s room and we sat and chatted. I felt like I should leave the room and give them some alone time when suddenly he took her by the hand and with tears streaming down his face he asked for forgiveness. He asked to be forgiven for the destruction he caused, the pain, and for all the lost years that could’ve been different.

I don’t know if I’ll ever again witness such a beautiful miracle, seeing God’s grace and love transform a room before my eyes.

My mother-in-law thanked him immediately. She said, “I needed to hear this. It hurt so much when you blamed me for your troubles.” And they wept. For the next two weeks I witnessed this man stand guard outside her room, praying and participating in her last days. I listened as he asked the rest of the family for forgiveness. And saw them weep from the healing love of God. I watched as he helped lift his sister’s lifeless body onto the gurney for her final road toward home. He was in pain but was healed. He was washed in sorrow but cleansed from forgiveness. And he knew he was loved.

Who do you need to forgive right now?

Who do you need to ask for forgiveness?

It’s time for healing.

From Why? to What?

October 25, 2026October 14, 2026 krisshetter

First published May 23, 2022 as part of the Lessons from Cherith series.

“He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?” Luke 24:38

During the time in my own land of Cherith, a place where I was separated from my regular way of life and exposed to great sadness, I desperately needed to rely on the vast promises of God. Yet each day I wrestled with the “why” of it all. Why didn’t the doctors recognize the rising cancer markers in my beloved mother-in-law’s blood tests? Why did each visit to the emergency room end without answers? But more importantly, why would this woman, a shining light for God, an inspiring gift to everyone around her, a woman whose pastor reflected at her funeral that she seemed surrounded by a beautiful aura, be stricken with cancer and taken so soon? Why God, oh why?

How often have we lamented that why question in our lives? Why are we suffering financially? Why is my child rebelling? Why is my marriage on the rocks? Why did I suffer that abuse? As Christians, we often feel expected to answer those questions. I believe many of us hesitate to share the Gospel because we fear being asked life’s difficult “why” questions.

As a young college student who was approached one day on my campus by two religious folks, I too asked the big why – why is there suffering? I believed in God, but I didn’t really know Him. Unfortunately, neither did these two young proselytizers.

I recently heard the statement: “If we view the world as a Christian, it all makes sense.” On the surface that’s a real head scratcher since this world seems so upside down especially now. Broken families, broken lives, so much pain and death abound. But take a step back, way back to Genesis 3.

“To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.” Genesis 3:17-18

And that’s just a taste of what man’s rebellion wrought. Creation is currently at odds with God. And just as cells divide and life moves without our intervention, our world around us is no longer under our full dominion. So yes, there’s floods and fire and famine and cancer. And it has absolutely nothing to do with whether we are a good person or not. In addition to this result of The Fall, we became separated from God, always seemingly looking for ways to buck His system. And we face the consequences for our actions, both individually and collectively.

“Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’” Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.” Exodus 5:1-2

We know how well that went for Pharaoh. But what was Moses’ first reaction after Pharaoh knuckled down and made the Israelites work harder? “Why?” He asked God why did He have to make things worse and why did Moses have to be the brunt of everything? From a Christian point of view, we should say, “There’s consequences in this world when anyone chooses to not submit – whether you choose to believe in God or not.” This is not “Karma,” it’s simply a cause and effect of acting outside God’s desires for us.

While we may cry out, “why?!” in the moment whether in situations of our own making or of those in which we have no power, we need to remember the “what.” What is God doing in me or even in the world? What is God expecting of me as a believer? What is the promise I can hold on to? The early Israelites had a decent excuse. They didn’t know God as well as we do now. They didn’t have all the stories of how He has rescued and protected His people. They didn’t have Jesus’ brother James telling them there will be trials and in them they need to seek the lessons of God. They didn’t have Jesus come to earth and die for their sins. They didn’t have the Book of Revelation. But we do.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Day after day, as I sat beside Bev’s bed while her body succumbed, not to cancer but to infection, I fought the persistent question of “why.” I wanted someone punished. I wanted someone to suffer like I was now suffering. Then I heard a whisper, “She gets to come home to me. And you need to see what I am teaching you.”

You see even in her suffering, on her death bed, this Christian called Bev was a conduit for Jesus. A teacher and a comforter. I finally realized it didn’t matter the “why.” For one, there really were no answers that fully satisfied. At times like that we just need to submit to God’s sovereignty and say, “I don’t know but He does.” The only real answers that I continued to come back to were the “what.”

What did I truly believe about God? And what was He trying to teach me?

Christian Friend, if you earnestly believe the Bible, believe that God is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth and all its inhabitants, if you believe He is sovereign and He sent His Son to die for our sins, if you believe that there is a place greater than Eden awaiting us then you could understand why Bev wasn’t worried. Why she could make us all laugh at her darkest hour. Why, in the middle of a conversation she looked over my shoulder, waved and with a child-like voice exclaimed in joy, “Hi Jesus!”

^“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” John 14:2

I didn’t need to know the answers to my worldly questions and I definitely didn’t need retribution. I needed to remember that Jesus hates death because it’s a sign of our broken world. Even now, He is preparing a place more beautiful than I can imagine. When He comes back we will all be raised up to live forever in a beautiful place that has no suffering, no death, no pain, no war, no hate, no fear. And that is just what I needed to learn.

Are you asking “why” in your difficult time when you should be asking “what?”

What is the Lord teaching or asking you right now?

He Will Provide

October 24, 2026October 14, 2026 krisshetter

First published May 16, 2022 as part of the Lessons from Cherith series.

“The Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down”. Psalm 145:14

We had come to Colorado after receiving the news – my mother-in-law’s constant bowel pain was the result of peritoneal cancer, a rare and deadly disease. She had never fully recovered from her battle with uterine cancer, diagnosed just eighteen months earlier. Her cancer markers were clear, yet the persistent abdominal pain continued to sideline her. We will never know why it wasn’t discovered sooner but there are blessings even in that.

And so, after setting her up on hospice and determining that additional in-home care wouldn’t be sufficient and was well beyond what my father-in-law could afford, I offered to stay longer. As I said goodbye to my husband who needed to get back to San Diego for work, I found myself wrestling with familiar self-doubt.. “I’m not good at this kind of thing,” I said to myself. “I’m not a sweet, kind, compassionate person,” I lamented. “I never know what to say in difficult times,” I fretted.

I was scared to face day-to-day the woman I love as my own mother as she lay living out her last days. I was worried about how to be around my quiet father-in-law. I definitely was concerned how to handle all her friends who wanted to visit and needed a shoulder to cry on. Then, in the midst of all those fears, I remembered God.

“He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.” Psalm 111: 4-5

I went for a walk and soaked in the beauty of the Colorado mountains and realized I didn’t need to have all those gifts. He has blessed me with so many other gifts that were needed – organizing, communication, and more. And what I now needed was to lean on Him for the rest of what was required.

My BSGs had just finished Shirley Giles Davis’ study book, God. Gifts. You. Which takes a deep dive into the list of the gifts given by the Holy Spirit. Coincidentally, she lives and works in Boulder, Colorado, just a few miles from where I now found myself needing the strength of God’s gifts. She reminded us that our gifts can be used for good and have their own pitfalls if used incorrectly. She showed us how God’s beautiful world can only function properly when we appreciate and honor the intricate ways all people’s gifts are used in harmony.

“As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me.” Psalms 55:16

And so, I called on God in humility. I thanked Him for the blessings of financial security that helped me be there. I listed in thankfulness the gifts of the Holy Spirit which have been endowed to me. And I prayerfully spoke the following:

“Lord, I cannot do this without you. I don’t have the right words for the right moments so I need the Holy Spirit to speak for me. I don’t have the strength for this gracious Father. I need you to keep me strong and lifted or I will fail. Only through your loving grace, using my gifts that I have been blessed with and you filling in the rest will I be able to glorify you and help Bev and all those around her. Please Lord speak in place of my words and be my strength.” Amen

His intervention was immediate as He surrounded me with His love and peace. All those worries and fears dissipated. For the next three weeks, the Holy Spirit sustained me and spoke through me. He comforted friends who left Bev’s room in tears. He guided conversations with family members who grieved differently than I did. He ministered to Bev as I read Psalms aloud each day. And He kept me from being tired and weak. I could wake at any hour with ease to administer medication, keep the house clean, and make meals for the ever-changing number of people at the house. He provided, just as He promises, just as He always has.

“You are my strength, I sing praises to you; you, God are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.” ‘ Psalms 59:17

My BSGs recently completed Priscilla Shirer’s study on Elijah. In her week 6 video she mentions the definition of faith as aligning our entire life with God’s 8,000 promises found in His Word. Our faith doesn’t need to be some mysterious feeling that is undefinable. Faith is simply believing God’s promises and living as though they are true.

That’s what Elijah did when he went, as directed by God, to Cherith — a lonely, dry, desolate place. God provided in extraordinary ways, sending ravens with food and sustaining him with water for nearly two years. Elijah knew he couldn’t make it on his own. He needed God to survive. His own knowledge and abilities were not enough. God would need to fill in where he was lacking.

Friends, God promises over and over to provide for us. The Bible is filled with endless stories of His provision. Our own lives are testimonies to those provisions. Sometimes we just need to remember to humbly ask for Him to provide where we are weak and not gifted.

The morning my beloved Bev went home to our Father I was blessed again to have God show me how much He had answered my prayer. I needed some alone time so I decided to take a shower. As I stood in the bathroom waiting for the water to warm up, I suddenly felt a huge weight press on me – like an anvil was placed on each shoulder. I cried out in surprise and then it was gone. I knew He was showing me what He had sheltered me from for the last few weeks. And although I am still experiencing the grief of Bev being gone from this earth, that heavy weight has never returned. I can thank God and the Holy Spirit for being my weight bearers. And I can thank God that He will provide in our weakest moments.

Where in your life do you need to ask for God’s provision?
Where do you feel insufficient and weak? Ask Him today He will provide!

I’m Fine, It’s Fine

October 23, 2026October 14, 2026 krisshetter

First published January 31, 2022 as part of the New Beginnings series.

“Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews.” Esther 4:13

In a way, I hope you’ve never heard of Annie Lobert. But, if you or someone dear to you has ever found themselves trapped in the world of sex-trafficking and drug abuse I pray that God would lead you to Annie. She started out as an ordinary girl from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She became a prostitute, exotic dancer and drug addict. To make more money she moved to Las Vegas, Nevada with her then boyfriend who soon took her ID, her cell phone and every penny she earned, in effect turning her into a sex slave. After five years of physical abuse she escaped her pimp. In 2003, Ms. Lobert found herself in a hospital, the result of a cocaine overdose. As she tells her story this was the moment she finally took a true stock of her life and turned to God.

With the support of a former customer who loved her and her newfound faith, Ms. Lobert left prostitution and began a new life. The former customer trained her in estimates and service reviews in order to work with him at his auto body and design firm. It is a powerful story of God’s intervention in the life of a nonbeliever and sinner. To some, she was a “throwaway,” someone so entrenched in sin that change seemed impossible. And by all accounts her story, if it ended there, would sound admirable and a great testimony to God’s love for all people. But that wasn’t His plan.

In fact, if you read all the stories in the Bible, God’s gift of pulling us from the fiery furnace is never the end of the story. It’s never the end of His expectations of us. It’s always a new beginning.

“The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.” Esther 2:17

The story of Queen Esther has some disturbing parallels to Annie Lobert’s. After becoming an orphan, Esther (a Jewess originally named Hadassah) was raised, by all accounts, by a good and decent Jewish cousin named Mordecai. However, when King Xerxes decided he needed a new queen he called for all the most beautiful young women to be brought (kidnapped) into his harem. Night after night these very young virgins were raped by the King. They were then placed amongst his concubines. Stripped of their names, their families, their everything, they became sex slaves.

And Esther, who was eventually selected as the new queen, could end her story at reaching such a high status. She had received wisdom and help from the right people – pagans and Jews. She had attendants, great food, a comfortable life. In fact, when palace intrigue resulted in a decree to kill the 15 million Jews scattered throughout King Xerxes’ dominion she was insulated from the information. When word came via a messenger that her cousin, a palace official, was at the gates in torn sackcloth crying in despair her response was simply to send him new clothes. She didn’t want to know what caused him so much grief. Her life was good. I’m fine. Everything’s fine.

“Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people.” Esther 4:8

It was not known by the king and his people that Esther or even Mordecai were Jews. But Mordecai’s very public reaction to the decree made their background known. And therefore, he implored Queen Esther to act on the Jew’s behalf. She was uniquely positioned to petition the king for relief. But she initially refused out of fear. She refused because the king still didn’t know she was a Jew so why not just leave it that way? Why rock the boat? I’m fine. It’s fine.

She had decided when her God-given new beginning would stop. For some of us that’s where we stop. God has rescued us over and over and over. He has placed us just where He wants us and we stop. We thank Him for the past with our words and don’t plan on thanking Him with our works. I’m fine. It’s fine.

But you can see by today’s first Bible verse Mordecai reminds Esther that she too will be swept away eventually. That the decree will come to all of them. She finds herself at a crossroads of sorts. To speak to the king without being called by him might mean death. To not speak up for the Jews will probably also mean death. For some of us we get stuck here. Fretting about what to do. And Esther finally decides to show the Lord her commitment to Him — to continue her new beginning.

“Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai,“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:15-16

She, in effect, prays. And she trusts. God had placed her with Mordecai, who himself had good standing in the government. He placed her with Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem with whom she found favor. Hegai imparted wisdom on how to act and speak around the king. God placed her as Queen. God put all the players in place for Queen Esther to bring about the removal of an evil man from the court and overturn the death sentence for the Jews. And the new edict which she helped the king craft elevated the Jews to such a place that “many people of other nationalities became Jews.” (Esther 8:17) And to this day, the Jews celebrate Purim in her honor.

“God is preparing His heroes and when the opportunity comes He can fit them in to their places in a moment and the world will wonder where they came from.” AB Simpson

You and I are being prepared to be ordinary heroes. You and I have been rescued by God already so many times and placed here, right now for these times. But too many of us say, “I’m fine, it’s fine.” We say it by telling ourselves, our Christian friends, our pastors, that we aren’t needed by God or we don’t have enough time. We have retired and now want to coast. We say we are happy where we are and don’t need to send God a “thank you note” by obeying His Great Commission. We say we feel uncomfortable feeding His sheep. We say we don’t need a new beginning.

Warren Wiersbe issues this warning in his commentary on Esther: “God will accomplish His purposes even if his servants refuse to obey.” Esther could’ve been the loser in this story. We either miss out in participating in His full glory like Moses did when he told God not to ask so much of him or we get disciplined like Balaamwhen he refused to do God’s bidding.

If we love God, love the fact that He loved us before we were even out of the womb, we must be compelled to be His servants instituting His plans. I heard a pastor today say we need to “Get in, Get out, or Get Run Over!” Complacency in faith, complacency with the gifts God has given us is no faith at all, truly. And it certainly isn’t God’s plan for our new beginning.

“Again, Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” John 21:16

As for Annie Lobert? She came to a crossroads too. She could’ve been like so many Christians and said, “Thanks for saving me Lord” and gone about her life. Instead in 2005, she established Hookers for Jesus, a safe house program in Las Vegas with the mission to Hook (outreach), Hope (Jesus), Help (housing) and Heal (restoration).

Annie Lobert is an ordinary person committed to God’s plan to rescue others from evil. We may not all be in the position to save as many people as she will but if we commit to refusing to remain “fine where we are” and to ask God every morning to place us in positions to share His Word and do His good works we are well on the way to being an ordinary hero. We would be well on our way to our new beginning.

There are such calls in the Bible as “Universal Calls,” ones which every follower of Jesus is called to. One of these is 2 Corinthians 5:17-20:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Not Me, Lord

October 22, 2026October 2, 2026 krisshetter

First published January 24, 2022 as part of the New Beginnings series.

“Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.” Exodus 1:22

Whenever I picture Moses, Charlton Heston comes to mind. For those of you too young to know that reference, Mr. Heston personified Moses in the blockbuster 1956 movie The 10 Commandments. He was sweaty, swarthy, muscular, bold, and fearless. Some of his final scenes show him standing fiercely on top of a mountain, wind blowing his impressive white beard and long gorgeous hair as he calls on the name of God. A hero. A rescuer. A man not to be trifled with because God was with him. As usual, the big screen skips over a few of the finer points of history for the sake of the storyline. Like the fact that Moses, despite being rescued by God again and again, really didn’t want the job of rescuing Israel. Of being the leader of the new beginning for an entire people.

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11

That interaction alone might lead the reader to think Moses, well, he’s just being humble. But by my count Moses tries to point God toward someone much more suited, much more capable than he, eight times! I can’t! What if! I’m not! Why should I? Sound familiar to anyone out there?

Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” Exodus 4:1

My BSGs (Bible Study Girls) and I have embarked on a new study by Shirley Giles Davis called, God. Gifts. You. In our first week we were asked: “Where are you hearing God, but your excuse for delaying sounds a lot like “Lord, I’m afraid.”?” Moses afraid? Not that guy. God saved him from death as a baby. God placed him in the care of royalty. God gave him incredible opportunities for gaining knowledge and physical strength. He saved him from capture. There’s no way Moses was afraid of yet another challenging new beginning, right?

Eight times. Standing in front of bush that was talking to him even! I don’t know about you but if I told my husband when he walked in the door from work that one of my bushes in the yard was on fire and speaking to me about going to the governor’s office demanding, “let my people go!” he’d be very, very concerned.

In fact, this was a point of discussion with my BSGs. Not burning bushes, mind you, but whether or not God still speaks audibly to us. And if he does, do people think we are crazy? It’s an unfortunate state we are in that some pastors and biblical teachers try to assure us that God doesn’t speak out loud to us anymore. And while I agree we need to use God’s character, gleaned from His written Word to discern whether the voice we hear is His, I completely disagree that we no longer hear His audible voice. I know. I’ve heard Him.

Some of my BSGs have heard Him. To me the real question is now that you’ve heard Him, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to accept the challenge of this new beginning or find another excuse?

But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” Exodus 4:13

Noah went. Abraham went. Isaiah practically raised his hand: “Me, Lord, send me!” Moses? “Not me, Lord. Please send someone else.” It’s hard for a lot of people, I believe, to relate to those other guys. We regular folks sometimes are more like Moses. We list our reasons why God’s plan won’t work. We aren’t smart enough, strong enough, likeable enough, talented enough.

But if God wants us in His service He won’t let go. He wants us to be part of a new beginning. And so, he nudges us to the right people and places. He puts other saints in front of us to help open doors. For Moses? He said, “Fine, I’ll give you Aaron to use as your spokesperson.”

But here’s the thing. Even though Moses is the one remembered and exalted, it was Aaron that got to wear the priestly, holy robes. It was Aaron that was allowed into the most holy place. Think if Moses had responded like Isaiah – “Me! Me! I can do it Lord because you have rescued me so many times!” We can’t know what might have been different had Moses responded in this way. But we do know that fear nearly caused him to resist an extraordinary calling.

His new beginning, as Moses led the Israelites toward the promised land, would require him to call on the Lord for strength and rescue many times. I find it interesting that Moses had to listen to all the people constantly complaining to him about why he took them down this path. Do you think he occasionally thought, “That sounds a lot like me with God.?”

Friend, whether it’s a nudging or a clear directive from God I want to urge you to step up in faith and raise your hand. Resist the instinct to say , “Not me, Lord.” Use all your resources (prayer, scripture, pastors, teachers) plus God’s past intervention in your life to discern what He is asking of you. In your new beginning when you step out in faith you can then say “I overcame my fears and allowed God to take my weakness and turn it into strength.” This blog and podcast was my big step. Let Him work a New Beginning in you and He will let His glory shine brightly through you!

Not Yet Home

October 21, 2026October 2, 2026 krisshetter

First published on December 8, 2023 as part of the Soli Deo Gloria series.

“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:13-14

I had just found out that my boyfriend of three years was seeing another young woman behind my back. I didn’t know her, but she apparently knew all about me. I discovered this betrayal during a surprise visit to my (soon-to-be ex) boyfriend’s house –finding the two of them together. Now, looking back, it seems almost funny that he ran away and she stayed to tell me about the affair. I drove away, anger, sadness, betrayal, and confusion swirling inside me.

As I made my way home those emotions turned to despair. At 18 my world revolved around him. I was crushed and felt broken. Just a few miles from home, driving on the freeway, I did the unthinkable. I looked up and said, “I’d rather die right now.” Then I let go of the wheel.

Thankfully, the usually busy freeway was almost devoid of traffic as my car veered out of its lane and crossed two others. Then came a whisper: He isn’t worth your life. As I grabbed hold the wheel again I realized it wasn’t time for me to go to my eternal home.

I’ll admit that a couple of other times in my life I’ve wished it was my time. The last time I felt that way I finally sought help and realized my menopausal body was in complete disarray. With a caring, thoughtful doctor I went on a small dose of antidepressants to get me through this life transition. At the same time I turned and grabbed hold of the Lord. And I asked Him to heal me.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4

This week my church has taken a deep dive into this passage. This idea of “going home.” The promise Jesus makes to His disciples, and all other believers, is that He has made a beautiful, comforting place for us. We only need to seek Him and believe. But at rare times we yearn so much for that place we go ahead of God and try to take a shortcut. We want to be in control of that timeline because of pain and sadness.

Friend, I want to remind you, however, of two things. First, when Jesus took the glorious and awe-inspiring step to leave His earthly home and join us in the flesh He declared the Kingdom has come. We look to the heavens and dream of that place. But Jesus brought the Kingdom to us. John the Baptist was the first to herald this truth.

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2

He came so we would experience great joy, love and peace through Him in this earthly kingdom. He came to give us the great command to love one another as He loves us. We can experience His peace and love right now. We just need to ask Him to show us the path. Throughout Scripture, He reminds us that His great love is not only for His people collectively, but for each of us individually. He loves every single hair on our heads. He can wipe away our tears with a gentle reminder that He loves us so much He took on our pain and suffering.

Secondly, He came to prepare us for an eternal kingdom. He wants each of us to complete our God-given purpose while we are here for a relatively short time. We have a purpose and He has a plan. That purpose? To glorify Him each and every day through our works.

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12

Jesus never promises us a physically easy life. A life full of rainbows and unicorns. In fact, He makes it clear to the disciples that we may even be despised by following Him. But He does promise that we won’t be alone, that we can ask for help and He will provide. That we will experience the fruit of the spirit when we love others. And when the time comes we will be welcomed home to join in His glory.

He asks us to live outwardly: serving, washing feet, loving, and making peace. Not worrying about today or tomorrow but trusting in Him. Keeping a watchful eye for the smallest of blessings and sharing them with others. He asks us to live our best and brightest life in service to Him. When we obey and trust in the Lord we find our despair, our anger, our hurt shrink as our hearts grows bigger. Sounds a litte like the Grinch, doesn’t it?

While we aren’t promised to never experience loss or pain we are promised our great Comforter. When He left the heavenly kingdom He opened Himself up to tears, physical pain, and even death. He knows how you feel.

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. … I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.” John 14:15-19

Jesus in the most glorious of ways lives in us so that we may live to glorify the Father. To look outward so that He may heal us inwardly. And when we have run our race, touched as many lives as He has planned for us, squeezed every last bit of love we can from our bodies in service to others, He will surely welcome us home.

May all Glory be given to Him alone. Amen

Friend, if you are experiencing overwhelming despair and sadness first look upward to the Lord for help. Seek immediate assistance through the many resources available in your community — possibly through your church, a Christian counseling group or a hotline. If you have a friend or family member you can go to knowing you will be received well, call them today and tell them you need help. You are precious my friend. And you are needed here for a specific piece of God’s plan.

If someone you love or know has talked about suicide here’s some ways to respond (from the Mayo Clinic)

Get help from a trained professional as quickly as possible. Your friend or loved one may need to stay in the hospital until the suicidal crisis passes.
Urge the person to contact a suicide hotline.
- In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Or use the Lifeline Chat. Services are free and confidential.
- U.S. veterans or service members who are in crisis can call 988 and then press “1” for the Veterans Crisis Line. Or text 838255. Or chat online.
- The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. has a Spanish language phone line at 1-888-628-9454 (toll-free).