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Standing at my kitchen sink, I heard a commotion in the hallway outside. What’s going on? I wondered.  The hallway is the place where people put their trash to be taken away. Over the weekend, a family had moved out so there was a large pile of trash there.  The commotion I heard was the cleaning ladies having “discovered” the discarded items.  They weren’t upset at the large pile of trash, but rather, they were excited about the items they had found.  It was as if they had discovered a great treasure. There was a suitcase with a broken wheel, a handful of old DVD’s, last year’s Christmas candle, and a few empty cardboard boxes.

Why did they want this stuff? It’s worthless, I thought. What are they going to do with it?  In many places, the items casually tossed out by most of us westerners are a treasure to others.  To them, the value of these items is obvious. They could be repaired and sold, repurposed, or reused. The ladies were probably thinking, “Why would anybody throw this stuff out?”

The differing perspectives made me think of what is truly valuable in this world and what most people are pursuing.  Proverbs tells us: “How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.” (Proverbs 16:16 NKJV)  Really? Then it seems the whole world is pursuing the wrong thing because, if you look around, cash is king and wisdom seems to be in short supply.  Scripture also tells us that riches are “deceitful” ¹ and that they “fly away” ² . It’s true, an unexpected medical bill, a market crash, a bad financial decision or set back may take our material wealth. After it’s gone, then what? What do we have left? Well, if wisdom is better than gold, and understanding is to be chosen rather than silver…What is wisdom? What is understanding? How do we get it?  The Bible tells us:

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10 NKJV

So, if we don’t have that, we don’t really have anything of value at all. But to know Him is to have eternal wealth that can never be taken by inflation, taxes, or thieves. 

I admired the ladies in the hall for their resourcefulness. And, I was a bit ashamed at how wasteful I can be at times. But I don’t ever want to be wasteful of the true riches He has given to us as followers of Jesus – 

the treasure of wisdom, knowledge, and the understanding of Him. For by God’s standard, we are rich indeed. In fact, our faith is more precious than gold.³ So, let’s share the wealth with those around us who so clearly, and desperately need Him above all else.

¹ Matthew 13:22 

² Proverbs 23:5

³  1 Peter 1:7

It was near 11:00 p.m. when the emergency alert on our phones went off with a deafening tone and the message:  “EMERGENCY ALERT! Missile Launch. Missile Launch. A missile has been launched from North Korea. Please evacuate inside the building or underground.”  Next, loud speakers outside began blaring, “Emergency Alert! Missile Launch! Evacuate!”

Now, for most people, that message would cause your heart to race and your blood pressure to rise in a “fight or flight” response. At the very least, a clear thinking person would find out what was going on, right? Not me. 

I’d love to tell you that living in this part of the world, I was simply inoculated to such emergency alerts. Or, that I was so “at peace” with the situation that it didn’t alarm me one bit. But the truth is, I slept through the whole thing! That’s right, all of the alarms and loud speakers didn’t move me an inch. In fact, I didn’t know anything had even happened until the next morning when I checked my phone and saw the emergency message still blinking on the screen. Incredible.

I started to think about the situation and possible scenarios. What if that had actually been a missile launched at us, instead of the failed spy satellite launch that it actually was? I wouldn’t have even known it was coming until it was too late. Would it even matter? What would we do anyway? How can you hide from a missile? 

As followers of Jesus, we don’t need to fear.  We know that turbulent times are coming, He has told us so in His Word. And, I’m sure there will be many more “Emergency Alerts” in my future.  However, we can be confident in what the Bible declares about us and the things to come for our world. He will return for His children and He will judge righteously and justly. That’s the evacuation I want to be ready for. Don’t you? 

Jesus said…

”Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8b NKJV

Oh Lord, help us to be always mindful of You, to trust in Your Word, and may we be found faithful and ready when You return. Amen

If you enjoyed this post, you may like to order Lorie’s book, Pondering on the Way, available in paperback or Kindle.  Go to:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RFSPLY3

It started as a dare. “Hey go over there and ask that guy with the spiked hair to take a picture with you.” 

Here we were in the largest city on earth, at the busiest intersection in the world, the Shibuya crossing.  Every three minutes, thousands of people cross the street from all different directions. It’s known as the “Shibuya Scramble” and it’s fascinating.  You see all kinds of people there…tourists, locals, and people like “Spike”. As an older person, I find you can get away with a lot more. Especially in this culture, gray hair seems to be a superpower.  So, I agreed to my friend’s dare.  

Walking towards the young man, I was wondering, Is he going to be mad? How did he get his hair like that and why? Are there wires inside? How long did that take?  I timidly approached and tapped him on the shoulder. “Excuse me”, I said. “May I take a picture with you? Your hair looks really cool.”  He smiled widely and said, “Sure!” Glad that he spoke English, I stepped next to him and asked if it was ok to put my hand on his shoulder for the picture. He agreed. I noticed he was wearing a suit jacket with no shirt underneath, revealing several tattoos on his arms and chest. We smiled together as the picture was snapped. Afterwards, he held out his hand for a handshake and as I grabbed his hand, he pulled me in for a hug. I was surprised at the gesture because hugging is not normally done here, especially with a stranger. I gladly hugged him and we exchanged a few words, but I had to leave quickly to catch up with my friends. I couldn’t risk getting lost in this crowd.

Our encounter was brief, but it stayed with me. Why did he pull me in for a hug? Maybe he thought it was funny?  Maybe he felt seen or accepted by me? Maybe I reminded him of his grandma? I’m not sure, but what I did know was that although vastly different from me, he too was created in the image of God.  And, when I looked into his eyes, I knew he was somebody who needed Jesus’ love just like everyone else. 

I was reminded:

“The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV)

If God doesn’t look at the outward appearance, but only at the heart, shouldn’t we? 

If you enjoyed this post, you may like to order Lorie’s book, Pondering on the Way, available in paperback or Kindle.  Go to:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RFSPLY3

While living abroad, and especially in closed countries, we realized the need to have all our important documents (diplomas, passports, birth certificates, visa documentation, etc.) all in one place.  That way, if we need to get out of the country, or if there is a threat of some sort, we could just grab it and go. It works equally well in the U.S. to have everything in one place. We call it “The Football”.  We named it after the satchel, or the so-called “Football”, that every U.S. President carries and never travels without.  That mysterious briefcase is said to contain emergency procedures, documents, and nuclear codes in case of an emergency. We thought the name was fitting for us, even though ours is just a plastic portfolio.

In a similar way, God has given all of us everything we need to be “thoroughly equipped”¹. It’s all in one place, and never needs updating. I’m talking about, of course, His Word.  So, with all respect, I’d like to suggest that the Bible is God’s “Football”! Here’s what I mean:

The Scriptures contain God’s plan for us, His provision, salvation, and the future He desires for us. It has Books of History and Prophecy.  Those tell us where we’ve been and where we’re headed, giving us strength for today and hope for the future. His Word has Books of Wisdom, Poetry, and Songs that I turn to again and again to soothe my soul.  The four Gospels tell us about the earthly life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, His teachings, and His words (precious indeed). The Epistles (Letters) give valuable and practical instruction for living the abundant life that He desires for us. And sprinkled throughout, are “great and precious promises” ² I love to discover, remember, and hold onto. In addition to all of that, He has given us His Holy Spirit to teach and guide us through it all! (John 16:13) 

So, when the world seems like it’s on fire, and it does…pick It up! I think you’ll see that:

“The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” Psalm 19:7 NLT

Now that’s good news for all of us!

¹ 2 Timothy 3:16-17

² 2 Peter 1:4

If you enjoyed this post, you may like to order Lorie’s book, Pondering on the Way, available in paperback or Kindle.  Go to:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RFSPLY3

I knew the streets would be muddy after the recent storm, so not wanting my feet to get dirty, I passed over my flip flops and grabbed a pair of canvas slip ons. As I began to slide them on, I immediately felt something inside.  Ugh! What is that? Sand!  How did that get in there? Then I remembered… The last time I wore these shoes, we were at a beach in California with my daughter.  Now months later, I was on the other side of the world, and there was still sand in my shoes!  I suppose most people would have immediately dumped it out. But not me. Instead, I slid my feet in deeper, squishing my toes in the gritty stowaways.  The sand brought vivid memories of that day and they were something I wanted to hold on to. It’s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. That may be true. But, I think my sandy shoes were worth 10 times that.

There’s a Carrie Underwood song that goes, “Don’t forget to remember me”.  I love that song.  Jesus said something similar to His disciples at what we know as “The Last Supper”. As He gave them the bread and wine, (common elements that would take on profound meaning) He said “Do this in remembrance of Me”¹.  The first thing I think of when reading this, is how could they ever forget You? They walked and talked with You for years! They saw You perform miracles! Really Lord? Did they need something to remember You? Do we?

The second thing that strikes me is what He didn’t say.  He didn’t say, “Remember this moment”, or “Remember what I’m about to do” (go to the cross), He didn’t even say, “Remember what these things mean” (although He told them). No, He said “Remember Me”. Perhaps it’s because He desires a relationship, not just a ritual. 

My sandy shoes reminded me of more than the beach, they reminded me of my loved one. Likewise, when we gather together in our churches to receive the bread and wine, sharing communion together, may we not forget to remember Him.

“In the same way, He took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and His people–an agreement confirmed with My blood. Do this to remember Me as often as you drink it. For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until He comes again.” 

1 Corinthians 11:25-26 NLT

Amen! Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.²

¹ Luke 22:19-20

²  Revelation 22:20

I don’t like dentists. Sorry friends, but who does? Recently, I discovered a problem that required an exam by a local dentist here.  I’ve always been blessed with good teeth. In fact, I have escaped most of my adult life with nothing but an occasional cleaning. Still, I was anxious about it.

At my examination, the dentist told me that I have a problem with one of my teeth and probably a few more! What?  Evidently, the old childhood fillings are no longer adequately protecting my teeth. Some of them were cracked, chipped, or worn down and over time have allowed decay to creep in. I could see this in the x-rays. But I still couldn’t believe it.  I thought once you had a filling, it was one and done. Apparently not. He informed me that I may need at least one crown and possibly a root canal as well.  A crown!? A root canal?? How is that possible?  I’m not in any pain! I’ve always had good teeth! I use a sonic toothbrush! I floss! I use Listerine! Is he trying to rip me off?  These thoughts raced through my mind as he spoke and I tried not to hyperventilate.

He explained to me that decay can happen slowly over time. You may not experience any pain at all, until you do! He was trying to help me avoid pain and additional problems by taking care of it now, before it got any worse.  

The same thing can happen in our spiritual health.  Sin creeps in slowly over time. Chips or cracks in our faith have allowed little compromises here or there. Perhaps over time we have become worn down and are no longer as diligent in reading the Word, going to church, or praying.  We think we are still doing okay.  We’re not experiencing any crisis or pain of any sort from our behavior. But that’s the problem, we don’t see it in ourselves. We don’t see the decay that has begun to spread until we are in pain.  Then, we wake up one morning and wonder how we got there.  

I think the key is regular checkups.  David had it right when he prayed:  “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24 NKJV  Our Father loves us. There’s no need to be afraid.  Let Him x-ray our hearts and reveal to us areas of our life that need His touch, His cleansing.

Well after discussion, I agreed to the treatment plan that the dentist prescribed for me.  I will get my crown this week.  I told him, “Oh well, at least now I can truly feel like a queen cuz I’ve been crowned!”  I’m not sure he got my humor.  But one thing I do know, someday…

“And when the Chief Shepherd [Jesus] appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” 

1 Peter 5:4 NIV

I can’t wait!

If you’ve never gotten a haircut in Asia, I highly recommend it.  Primarily because most all hair cuts include an extensive scalp massage.  I’m not talking about a violent scrubbing, although I’ve experienced that once or twice as well. No, I’m talking about a deeply relaxing scalp massage. The kind that drains the tension and stress right out of you. 

Recently, I went in for my usual haircut. They took me back to the washing stations where they began washing my hair, followed by the luxurious scalp massage. As I began to relax, I closed my eyes and started to feel the tension drain right out of me. But in a few minutes, I heard something that alerted me. Someone is snoring! Oh no, how embarrassing…Wait, is it me? No it can’t be, I just opened my eyes! Phew! Humiliation was averted when I realized it was the woman next to me. She had succumbed to the shampoo slumber. 

I grinned, but began to wonder…Should I rescue her from this social faux pas and wake her somehow? Should I cough, or start talking loudly? Not knowing what to do, I did nothing, and was soon taken to the chair for my cut. Amazingly, she remained asleep at the shampoo station the entire duration of my appointment. No one woke her.

Although sleeping is normal (we all do it), there are definitely times when it’s not a good idea.  Like, falling asleep on the passenger sitting next to you on the plane (I hate when that happens), or when someone is trying to share their heart with you (even when it’s super late at night), or during a sermon (even when you haven’t had your morning cuppa), and especially never, ever when you’re driving! Yikes!

The incident at the hair salon reminded me of an old Keith Green song, “Asleep in the Light”. If you don’t know it, it’s worth a listen.  Here’s some of the words that always get to me:

The world is sleeping in the dark

That the church just can’t fight

‘Cause it’s asleep in the light

How can you be so dead

When you’ve been so well fed?

I begin to wonder, Is that me, Lord? Am I asleep in the light?  Am I too comfortable? Am I in danger of being lulled to sleep?  As I look at the world around me right now, clearly, it’s not the time to be in a spiritual snooze.

Oh Lord, open our eyes and help us to see what the prophet Joel saw:

“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.” Joel 3:14 NKJV

While showing some friends around town, we ended up in the middle of what’s known as the Old Quarter at St. Joseph’s Cathedral. It is a famous site where tourists, influencers, YouTubers, Instragramers, and TikTokers all flock to get the perfect selfie.   This monument to the by-gone days of French Colonialism is quite impressive. The magnitude of it, the gothic architectural details, and gorgeous stained glass windows are all photo worthy for sure.  But, in all the years I’ve lived here, I’ve never once stepped inside. The gates have always been closed. But today, one of the side gates was open so we decided to go in.

Inside was dark, quiet and calm; a welcome respite from the noisy tourists outside. For a moment, I thought I might sit down and rest, but I was drawn to all the stained glass windows. The sunlight outside vibrantly illuminated each one depicting a different “Saint”.  There was St. Martha, St. Therese, St. Timothy, and many others. I even noticed a window dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel.  Hmm…I thought,  I didn’t know angels could be saints. I continued walking around the cathedral and realized something was missing. How could I have missed Him?  I turned to my friend and asked, “Hey, where’s Jesus?”  As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized how funny that sounded.  After all, I’m standing in a church, right? But in all the windows honoring various “saints”, I didn’t see even one that depicted our Lord.  How can that be? My friend said, pointing to a side wall, “Oh, I think He’s over there.”  Oh, okay, I thought. But shouldn’t He be the main thing? Should I really have to search for Him in a church?

Now, at this point I could go on a rant about how churches these days have become mere monuments, or how they aren’t teaching the Word, or there’s too many programs and not enough Jesus, or blah, blah, blah.  And, some of those things might even be true.  But perhaps the lesson from that cathedral is best applied to myself first. As a Christian, a follower of Christ, do people see Jesus in me?  Is He obvious? Or, do they have to go searching to recognize His presence in my life?  Is He off to the side, or front and center in my actions, my conversations, my thoughts, my relationships, and even in my smile? I remember what Jesus said:

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 
John 7:38 NKJV

May these words of Jesus be truly said of us and may everyone we meet be in “the splash zone”!

After a short hike, we arrived at a beautiful plateau atop a 400 foot sheer cliff known as Hacksaw Ridge.  If you’ve seen the movie, you know it was the site of one of the bloodiest battles in World War II.  I read that 2,500 Americans were killed there and perhaps twice as many Japanese. Images from the movie flashed into my mind. Standing there in my flimsy flip flops, knowing the ground beneath my feet was blood-soaked ground, was an eerie feeling. I didn’t have any flowers to leave, nor was there any soldier left to thank.  It just seemed right to pause for a moment and ponder about the battle that had been fought there and the many that had died. 

Thinking about it later, I realized that as followers of Jesus, in a real sense, we all walk on blood-soaked ground.  But it’s not our blood that was shed. No, there was only One who could pay the price.  Jesus, in a great rescue mission, came and shed His own blood to secure our salvation and win our freedom from sin and death. It’s a freedom we readily enjoy, but certainly don’t deserve.  Jesus willingly laid down His life – One for all.  Mission accomplished.  

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the Champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT

Recently while teaching at a conference, we found ourselves in a “Blue Zone” (no, we weren’t feeling gloomy). A “blue zone” is a unique region of the world where there is a high percentage of people who live to be 100 or more. Scientists continue to study these zones trying to figure out “what’s the “secret sauce”? “How do they lead such long and healthy lives?” Scientists are quite literally trying to identify and then reverse engineer the source of long life. Not that I particularly want to live a long time here on earth, but I’ll admit, I too was hoping to gain some insight. After all, I want to live as healthy as possible and have a good quality of life for as long as God has me here.

So, like the scientists, I wondered, What are they doing that I’m not doing? What are they eating that I’m not eating? Here’s what I observed: It’s true, the environment was very clean, the people do walk a lot more than I do, and their normal diet was probably healthier than most. But you know what else I discovered? I can still be unhealthy, even in a blue zone (shout out to Captain Kangaroo Burgers)! Just by putting myself in a “blue zone” doesn’t automatically make me healthier. I need to make some better lifestyle choices.

Just as on the physical level we make choices every day about how we live and what we put into our mouths, etc. Similarly in our spiritual life, we make choices every day about how we will live, what we will allow into our minds and hearts. We decide what we will watch, what we will read, what we will listen to, what podcast to follow, and how we will spend our time, etc. In short, we decide what we will fill ourselves with and what environment we put ourselves in. So, as we mature in the Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will probably need to make some lifestyle changes if we desire to be strong and healthy spiritually.

God describes it this way in Galatians 6:7-8 NKJV “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Makes sense, right?

So, do you want to live in a spiritual “blue zone”? Let’s be “doers of the Word and not hearers only”* In His Word, He’s already given us all we need.

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” 2 Peter 1:3-4 NIV

* James 1:22