WMTRBW - Chapter 21

Is God still in business of miracles?  In today’s culture, some people hold that the age of miracles is over; that it ended when the Bible was completed. Others take the opposite position and say miracles are available to everyone, if they only have enough faith to believe.  But thinking of miracles in those terms limits God, by attempting to define the parameters of His sovereignty. In Isiah 55:8 God tells us “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. So the truth of the matter is God can do what He chooses, when He chooses, for whom He chooses, and for whatever reasons He chooses.

I think in all our business, as we rush through each day we miss array of miracles that God has given us. Like the miracle of a beautiful sunrise or sunset, or in a baby’s smile, or a loved one’s laugh, or (for me, my personal favorite) the miracle of a close parking space on a busy street. It’s the day to day miracles that we totally overlook or are too busy to take notice.  But perhaps the greatest miracle of all is that miracle when a sinner accepts Christ and passes from an eternal death sentence to eternal life with Him.

What are your thoughts about miracles? Do you have any miracle stories you would like to share?

WMTRBW - Chapter 20: Join the Adventure!

In Chapter 20, we examine the importance of enduring a period of preparation in joining the adventure of following Jesus...

The author draws a parallel between Jesus’ fasting in the desert for 40 days, both with Moses’ 40 years in the wilderness prior to freeing the Hebrew slaves and with the Hebrews’ 40 years in the desert before making it to the promised land.

To be alive in the adventure of Jesus is to accept the invitation to follow Him and enter discipleship.  This means we need to clearly understand what it means to follow Him – to align our mission with His.  If we dare to follow Jesus, we can also expect to enter a time of preparation;  a time for refinement; a time to shed earthy desires and shift to an eternal perspective.

Let’s consider a few things:

What is the temptation you need to overcome?

What do you need to be freed from?

What promised land are you striving for? 

And finally, do your answers to these questions line up with His mission for your life?

It is a beautiful thing to choose to be His disciple and also to endure times of preparation, even though preparation can be painful.  I believe this preparation time is actually not just one period of time but that it continuously weaves throughout our lives, refining different aspects of our character and building our spiritual muscles to match up with His plan for our life.  For example, do you need to be more courageous? Then perhaps you will endure a season which requires bravery.

Share a story about a time you went through some hardship or temptation that prepared you for a later opportunity, or a time when you missed an opportunity because you were unprepared.

Chapter 19 Redux
REDUX -- TO BRING BACK, TO REVIVE

Since I mistakenly posted my blog on Chapter 19 of Making the Road by Walking several weeks ago, REDUX came to my mind.  Let's bring consideration of that chapter back, revive it.

Our Scriptures  this Sunday gave us not only pictures of two young men Jesus and Timothy but the reactions of several people to these obviously precocious young men.  Men?  I'll give you that Timothy was a man but Jesus at age 12?  Well, at least close to it.  Jewish boys were said to be men at 13 and Jesus like some of our young people may have been saying, "I'm twelve and a half or twelve and three quarters" and feeling very 'adult'.  As we heard in our sermon, Jesus was fully human and fully God and was surely living in the tension of his childhood obligations to his parents and others around him yet increasingly aware of the grown man obligations on his life both at twelve and in the future.  Jesus certainly was acting an adult role -theological questioning and debate with the temple teachers.  And Timothy?  He was certainly young yet already in a leadership position in a community of new believers. We know their stories.  Let's look at some other actors in these men's lives.


Jesus' parents were upset with him and basically did what we would call fussing at him for his staying in the temple engaged with matters of his growing faith and knowledge.  They wanted this young Jesus to be a dutiful, obedient son.  They wanted him to fulfill his culture's expected role.

The temple teachers obviously found Jesus' attention, questions and his answers impressive enough to sit and discuss scripture with him for two days.  They wanted to both learn from him and encourage him to pursue a teacher/learner role.

Paul saw a need in Ephesus in a new community of Christ followers for a wise, prayerful, loving leader.  He could have filled this role himself, but instead gave full support to a young Timothy and followed up with wise counsel delivered in a thoughtful letter.  Not only did he give wise counsel; he gave strong encouragement.

*  Jesus' parents weren't bad parents. They were worried and upset and most likely too near     him to yet see his potential.

*  The teachers didn't know Jesus' past childish mistakes and errors. They weren't tasked to    help him conform to his cultural background.  They experienced him as a wise stranger        and by accepting him helped him find more about where he could serve God and mature      in his faith.

*  Paul saw great potential in a young person who had been raised well by two wise female       relatives and helped  him find where he could serve God and mature.
    Paul was not a parent to Timothy.  He could not be blamed if Timothy failed to grow in his     faith. Paul only saw two things.  A need in God's kingdom and a man he thought could         fill that need.

All of us as adults can fit into the life of some child or youth in one of these ways. What role can YOU play in the development of a young person?  Can you raise a boy or girl wisely as a parent? Can you interact with a child as a growing believer?  Can you point a child or youth to Godly work that fits their gifts?  Can you help some young person learn to make the road while walking?  

Now,  if you skipped it three weeks ago or forgot it, go back on the blog and read that original blog about this chapter.  Are you still who you were at twelve years old?  Have you grown?  Have you changed?  Who helped you walk the road?

WMTRBW - Chapter 18: Sharing Gifts

In Chapter 18 of ‘We Make The Road By Walking’ we learn about sharing gifts. During the Christmas season we might try to figure out if someone has bought us a gift we have really wanted. Perhaps we might even snoop around the house to find what has been bought. It is very easy to get caught up in the materialism of it all and forget that the real message of Christmas is not found in the gifts that we give to one another. Rather, it is a reminder of the gift that God has given to each of us. It is the only gift that truly keeps giving. Here are a few thoughts about God’s gift of Jesus to us:

• God's gift came to us in the humblest of wrappings. What would we think if we saw a gift under the Christmas tree that was wrapped in dirty newspaper and tied up with string? But that’s exactly how God presented his gift to us. Jesus was not born in a palace of gold; He was born in a stable with animals. He was clothed with rags. He was laid in a feeding trough. What a great sacrifice God made for us! God's gift to humanity, the ultimate gift of eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ, came in the simplest and humblest of wrappings.

• We don't deserve the gift God gave us. At Christmas, we give gifts to those who we care about, those who have been kind to us, or who have given us a gift first. We don't give gifts to the person who has been talking about us negatively of gossiping about us or to the angry neighbor who never has a kind word to say. Yet God gave us His gift when we were His enemies. He didn't give this gift to us because we deserved it. In fact, it was just the opposite. The Bible tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

• The gifts we give always tell us something about the giver. When we want to give someone a gift, we might start thinking about it ahead of time. Hopefully, we try to find what that person wants or needs. However, when God decided to give us the gift of eternal life, it wasn't something that He just thought of. Way before there was a town called Bethlehem, there was a garden called Eden, and a decision was made in eternity that God would send forth His Son, born of a woman, made under the law, to redeem those that are under the law.

So Christmas isn't about those gifts that we have under our trees this season. All of those things will be gone one day. All that will be left after this life is the human soul, and that will live forever. We put so much stock in what we have, but it will all pass away. Life is about what happens beyond the grave. Life is about knowing the God who made us and who gave us the greatest gift we will ever receive. Let’s take a moment this Christmas season to give our Heavenly Father the greatest gift He desires: the gift of our heart.

What one thought or idea from today’s lesson especially intrigued, provoked, disturbed, challenged, encouraged, warmed, warned, helped, or surprised you?

WMTRBW - Chapter 17: Surprising People

In Chapter 17, we focus on the genealogy of Jesus, from the gospels of Matthew and Luke. If you are like me, you may find comfort in knowing Jesus' ancestor list is full of flawed people, as are many characters of the Bible. Matthew's version also includes pivotal, yet flawed, women in Jesus' lineage. Similarly, in Luke 2:8-20, we are reminded of how God gave the lowly shepherds special access and viewing to our beautiful baby Jesus! Our God is an awesome God! He cares for the lowly and also for the poor.

I can relate to being flawed. Can you? It excites and motivates me to know God uses imperfect people to fulfill His great plan. No matter how many mistakes we may have made, He is eager to use us as well! This is surprising, exciting, and yet terrifying to me! What a honor it is to partner with God in fulfilling His will! What a beautiful gift, indeed! 

And knowing God holds a very special place for the poor, our care and concern for the poor might just be how we can also be key partners in the history of fulfilling God's will! All glory to our Father in heaven!

As we prepare for Christmas this week, take special care to consider if you are partnering with God in your everyday life as part of your calling. Are you reaching the poor? Are you serving in some manner? We want to examine how to better ourselves spiritually to bring all glory to God. And we want to be serving Him all year round, not just during the Christmas season when our hearts may be feeling more generous than usual.

This week: look for surprising people to whom you can show uncommon respect and unexpected kindness.

Jesus Coming of Age Chapter 19

People often ask me, "Have you always been this skinny?" I usually answer either, "Yes, since 1952." or "Ever since I was 12 years old."  In Chapter 19, which is this week's reading, the questions that intrigued me were such echoes of the 'skinny' question.  "What were you like when you were 12?  How are you the same today? How have you changed?

I have pondered these questions for several weeks. Here are some answers about Nancy at 12.  I was a daughter, a niece, a grandchild.  All of these roles are now past with the deaths of each elder.  I was a sister and still am.  I was too talkative and ....(well you know me).  My church friends were my role models and closest friends.  You continue to fill that part of my life for me.  Mentally I was curious, quick to learn and eager to share what I leaned with others.  Ditto 2015.  I had a long period of illness that year.  Thankfully I have never repeated such a trauma. So far I've found only one difference. Well...... Oops.  So far I might as well lie on my forms and put DOB 6/13/1940 and still be a 12 year old.

So.... what lessons have I learned from life?  How has living far from my village of 100 persons ever since 1961 changed me?  I guess if you have 4 or 5 hours some day I can BEGIN to tell you.  I'll list some of the things I know have changed me and perhaps you will do the same in the next few days so you too can ponder.  "Am I still my 12 year old self?  How has life lived with God and others changed me?  What has God done for me (what Amazing Grace)? Have I gained wisdom as I have gained stature?

I have been changed by my years at Carson-Newman College, by pastors (too many, too marvelous to list them all), the Alliance of Baptists, Wanda Barker, Joanne Davis, Glen Stassen, Nancy Hatfield, Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, Park View Mennonite Church,  Gallaudet University, foreign students living in my home, working and teaching in Xi'an, China, Moscow, Russia, Prague, Czech Republic, IBTS students, gay co-workers, friends and relatives, my first female boss, my first female pastor, close friends of different races, books I have read.

OK  --  I can't list even a quarter of the life changing experiences I have had.  .  My mind is reeling?  Time for you to start your list!  Hurry!  It will be amazing to you.  Then perhaps you will share what you have learned from this pondering and let others be amazed at how God is working in all circumstances in your life

In Chapter 16 we see the brutality that is often used to either lay hold to or retain power.

Here we are in the midst of Advent awaiting the baby Jesus even as we bask in the joy of the birth of William Mark into our church family.  We know there is nothing his parents or any of us would withhold from him, no harm we would allow to befall him.  In the past we have felt this same way about Evan, Isaac, Mishi, James, Jaxon, Jordyn, Reginald, Angelina, Marcus, Tucker and Caleb all born in recent years and in a real way added to our family. 

The horror of war we see everyday as children just as helpless and precious as these are sacrificed in power grabs by Isis and Boko Haram remind us of the sacrifices of babes to false gods as recorded in Jeremiah and the misery of parents in Bethlehem as Herod sought to eliminate the baby Jesus who threatened his power. Poor helpless babes!  Then closer at hand we see the death of Black boys and men in our own land leaving mothers crying like Rachel of old. We too are or should be crying at such horrid loss.

What can be our response? Do we arm ourselves?  Do we send more sons and daughters to be sacrificed and to kill others to 'prevent terrorism'? Does peace come from two sets of mutual destruction?   Do we ignore slaughter on our own city streets? How do we heal the wrongs done to gain or maintain power?  How can we empower others to live as God intends them to live (as those God's son set free)?

Read the words of this Graham Kendrick hymn  which you can hear on YouTube.  See the way the Creator of the world sought to end conflict and violence in contrast to guns, drones, bombs and lost lives.

Servant King

From Heaven you came, helpless Babe,

entered our world, your glory veiled; 

not to be served but to serve and

 give your life that we might live.

      This is our God, the Servant King

      He calls us now to follow him

      To bring our lives as a daily offering

      Of service to the Servant King

So let us learn how to serve,

and in our lives enthrone Him;

Each other's needs to prefer,

for it is Christ we're serving.

CCLI  78897

As we give our lives in service to others let us follow Christ's way of peace - sacrificing only ourselves and not demanding the rights of power. Let us protect the vulnerable, uphold the weak and weary and help bring Christ to all.