1 Thessalonians 5:18 is a daily challenge to me, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I remember the first time I really faced this challenge. I was newly married and pregnant with our first baby. Colin and I were already in full-time work for the Lord and the mission organization we were with sent a team to the Philippines. They felt I should stay back because they did not know what circumstances would await them. It would have been fine if I knew he was coming back in a certain time, but he went out not knowing when he would return! Would it be months or years?

I was devastated. I didn’t weep. I heaved. I wondered when my little baby would see his father! As I cried and wallowed in self-pity, God spoke to my heart, “Do you want to do my will?” “Yes, Lord,” I answered. “Then, thank Me,” I heard God say. Did I want to thank God for taking away my husband? No way. But, I began to thank Him in obedience, against everything I felt inside. As I continued to thank Him in cold-blooded faith, victory came into my soul, and I continued to walk in victory until the day he came home (which was after the baby was born), but sooner than I thought may happen. Obedience to God’s principles always brings victory.

Nancy
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I’ve coined a new word—ordinariness. It’s a place where many people live. I’m not talking about the “sameness” of your everyday tasks in the home, for even the most mundane tasks are sacred and therefore extraordinary when you allow God into them. I am talking about living in the state of thinking like the status quo, fitting in with the humanist agenda of our society, and trusting in your own resources and understanding. There is no other word for this state than ordinariness.

To move out of this comfortable state and live in biblical mindset takes you into extraordinariness. It is a challenging life--a realm of faith, hanging on the edge of a limb, adventures of trusting God when you cannot see where His provision is coming from, battles against the adversary, speaking up for truth and God-given convictions in the face of popular opinion, and receiving ridicule from family members and neighbors. We are out of step with the world but in step with God. We are out of sync with public thinking in the media and humanistic education, but we seek to listen to the mind of God. It’s not the easy life, but it’s definitely not ordinary.

Why live in ordinariness when you can live in extraordinariness? If God has anything to do with your life, it will be extraordinary, for God is anything but ordinary. Where do you and your family live?

Love from Nancy
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Does your spirit cringe as you see evil encroaching more and more upon the land? My heart grieves, even though God’s Word tells us that “darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people.” But my heart is inspired by the rest of the prophecy, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee… the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee” (Isaiah 60:1-2).

It’s time for us to arise and shine and to eradicate all darkness and sin from our lives and homes. A little glimmer of light is not enough to push back the darkness. We have to be a GREAT light. This is what Jesus was. Speaking of Jesus Matthew 4:16 says, “The people which sat in darkness saw GREAT light.” What kind of light do people see in us? A faint glimmer? Or a great light? It won’t just happen. We have to ARISE and shine.

Let’s remember that THE GREAT LIGHT dwells in our hearts and wants to shine His light through us. Let’s make our marriages and homes lighthouses and beacons of God’s truth to point the way to those who are groping in darkness. We know the Way, the Truth and the Life. Why do we hide it? “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Love from Nancy
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Have you ever worn a crown? Yes, you have, perhaps without realizing it! As we read from The Daily Light in our morning devotions, we read Psalm 103:1-3, “Bless the Lord, O my soul… who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” Every morning God puts a crown on your head of His lovingkindness and tender mercies. Thank Him for this beautiful crown and be consciously aware of wearing it as you walk through this day. It will change your attitude and turn your heart to God in gratitude and awe.

The Hebrew word, “lovingkindness” is chesed, one of the most beautiful words in the Bible. It descries God’s unfailing love and mercy to undeserving sinners and relates to “grace” in the New Testament which can be understood as “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”

Psalm 103 gives us more understanding. Verse 8 tells us that God ABOUNDS in lovingkindness. Verse 11 says that God is GREAT in lovingkindness, and verse 17 says that His lovingkindness is from “EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children.”

Tell your children about this wonderful blessing. Encourage each one in the family to be consciously aware of God’s crown upon their head.

Love from Nancy

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