Dwelling on the Name

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

For a couple of weeks, leading up to Thanksgiving, I could feel it coming on. I just couldn’t make myself face it. I just didn’t want to go there. I would have paid money to skip over not only Thanksgiving, but Christmas too.

I call it “the empty chair” factor.

Even if we don’t leave an empty chair at the table where our loved one used to sit, it’s still there in our minds. We still have to look at the huge, gaping hole left by the ones we love who have died. Holidays make that so much worse.

I’m not sure why those days and seasons are worse, except that they are full of traditions. We have a lifetime of memories – celebrations with the people we’ve lost.

For me, going through a holiday is like having to watch Old Yeller. I know it’s going to make me cry. I know it’s going to break my heart. Again.

Thinking about all the sweet memories of my daughter and my dad; remembering their favorite foods, remembering – just remembering…

Even though I tried to avoid dealing with the hurt I knew would come with Thanksgiving, it came anyway. It always does.

But, I did something different this year. Something the Lord prepared for me to do; something that gave me such peace that I cannot describe its sweetness. The day before Thanksgiving, and on Thanksgiving Day, I thought about the name of the Lord.

I’ve been studying Hebrew words and letters lately, and I learned that the Lord’s name YHWH (what we pronounce as YAHWEH) is so much deeper than we could have imagined.

The Hebrew letters are Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey. Because each letter in ancient Hebrew was a picture, each letter has a profound meaning. When you put them together, they mean even more.

Yud means arm, hand, and work.

Hey means look, reveal or behold!

Vav means tent peg or tent spike.

I see Jesus in all those and in the whole. I see that He is the arm of the Lord. He is the finished work of God the Father. I see the nails of the cross in the tent spike. I see that Jesus is the tent (tabernacle) of God. I see that Jesus is God revealed.

There is more. There is always more that the Lord has yet to reveal about Himself, even in His name. Imagine how much more there is in the rest of His Word!

As I went about the days around Thanksgiving, whenever I felt the sadness of missing my dad and my daughter, I would spell out the name of the Lord. Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey. I thought about what each letter means, and how magnificent the Lord is. I chose to dwell on His name.

As I did this, I would thank Him for letting me even know His name. I would thank Him for loving me, and revealing Himself to me.

This is not a formula for happiness, my friend. This is praise to the Living God. When we praise Him and agree with who He is, He does something so generous. He turns our praise into joy that warms and comforts us. He turns our praise into peace that cannot be shaken, because it is deep and smooth, gentle and strong at the same time. Just like He is.

Did I have joy that day? Oh, I had such joy! While I never stop missing my dad and my daughter, I had joy because my Heavenly Father reminded me that my loved ones are at His table, and that my joy cannot even be compared with theirs right now!

I made the choice to thank Him simply for who He is, and that He loves me. Oh, how He loves me!

You can be assured of this, dear friend: He loves you too! He loves you with an everlasting love that will never, ever be shaken. And He has done all the work necessary in Jesus to make His love available to you. All you need to do is to rest in His love.

Take time to rest by dwelling on His name – the name of the One who dwells on you.

Phyllis Keels

My “Seriously Write” Post

I was really excited when I was asked recently to write a guest post for “Seriously Write” – a blog for Christian writers. The post comes out today, so I also want to share it with you. To visit the Seriously Write site, please click the button above or the link below .

I hope this post blesses you, and also that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, my friend!

http://seriouslywrite.blogspot.com/2013/11/being-thankful-for-writing-community-by.html

Phyllis Keels

The Sunlight of His Smile

Recently, while I was searching through photos on Pinterest, I noticed something interesting. It was while I was looking for a delighted expression on somebody’s face while playing with a puppy. I wanted something to show what we look like when we delight ourselves in the Lord.

I didn’t have a specific photo in mind. I just thought there had to be one of somebody laughing or looking delighted while watching a puppy play.

There were hundreds of images of adorable puppies, many with people laughing in delight because of them. I smiled the whole time I scrolled through the pictures. Then it hit me – we look like what we look at.

My mom told me eons ago when I was a child, to be careful of what I watch and read. She said to put uplifting things in your mind. She was right, of course. She usually is about most things.

But I hadn’t thought about how much we reflect what we see and focus on. Have you noticed that people who are in a group of happy people, usually smile. They probably don’t even know they’re doing it. Smiles are infectious.

So are frowns. It’s very difficult to smile back into the face of a frowning person.

All of this made me remember the title of a Joyce Meyer book called, “God Is Not Mad at You.” I love that! It is so true.

I’m grateful for transparent people like Joyce who have learned two valuable lessons: don’t waste your time caring what people think of you, and believe the truth about God and how He sees you. I’m grateful, because people like her freely share those lessons with the rest of us.

If we think of God as being mad at us, we imagine Him frowning down on us. What happens when we look into the face of a frowning person? Yep, we frown back.

My friend, Jesus took all the “mad at you” from God on the cross. Because Jesus did this for us, we can now receive all the approval of the Father through Him.

If we agree with the truth that God loves us (so much so, that He gave His Only Son Jesus whom He loves for us), and that He accepted Jesus’ sacrifice in our place, then we will see Him as smiling upon us. Radiant sunlight on a clear day pales in comparison to the brightness of His smile.

When we see the Lord like that, when we see His loving smile, then we have believed the truth about Him. We can see Him as He really is.

Then, we can only smile back and say, “Thank you for your love, my gracious Heavenly Father.”

Fix you eyes upon the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Open your heart to the truth, and see His smile that is fixed on you, dearly loved one. Live your life in the sunlight of that smile, now and throughout eternity.

Phyllis Keels

Apprenticeship

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

I love “do it yourself” shows. You know, where you can learn how to make a picture frame or build your own chimney? It’s not very likely that I’ll ever do most of the things they do, but I still love to watch the shows.

They teach you how to think differently. Instead of being stuck with an overwhelming problem like, your whole house needs to be remodeled or repaired; some of these shows tackle the obstacles in such creative ways.

I love the “on the cheap” versions of the shows. Using what you have and repurposing it. Scrounging through salvage or thrift shops for unique pieces. The creativity of these people amazes and delights me.

I guess these shows speak to the kid in me. I grew up with a dad who could build a deck out of Popsicle sticks if that’s what you wanted. If he didn’t have the tools or materials he needed to work with, he could improvise.

He didn’t know it, but I watched him intently when he worked on his projects. I had to watch. I had to have something to do while I waited for him to let me help.

I know now that he didn’t let me help more because he didn’t want me to get hurt. Some of the tools were dangerous. Plus, if he got distracted, he might get hurt.

The whole thing was a great picture of apprenticeship. The master is the one who knows what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. The apprentice spends a lot of time watching and waiting.

All that waiting showed me how a good apprentice must be full of of humility and trust – acknowledging the skill of the master, and trust in who the master is.

I’ll never be the master engineer and craftsman that my dad was. I don’t have the math brain for it, but I sure did learn a lot watching him work.

The best lesson I learned was that even though we might become a master one day, we can never stop being an apprentice.

We won’t know everything about anything as long as we live. We will always need to learn, and there will always be someone who knows something we don’t yet know.

Accepting the apprentice stance of humility allows us to receive when someone shares knowledge or wisdom with us. For me, it means not falling into the trap of “I’ve got this.”

I trip into it all the time – the “I already know about this,” the “I’ve already done that” trap. Many times I miss a wonderful new aspect about something because I think I’ve already got all there is to get on the subject. Lord, help me!

None of us will know it all until we reach the fullness of heaven. Then, as Paul said, we will know fully, even as we have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12) Only then.

Whether we apply this knowledge about being an apprentice is up to us, but if we do, it can help us understand so much more about life.

If we can apply to in our work, or in using our gifts of writing, teaching, baking, photography, or whatever, then we can be sure of this: when we allow ourselves to receive anything good that comes our way, we are being a picture of humility to someone else.

That is a picture I want to be, one that is a reflection of humility in the flesh – the Lord Jesus. Who being Master of all, made Himself the lowest for us.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for what You have done for us, and make us into beautiful pictures of You.

Phyllis Keels

The Thing About Pressure

Pressure. Daily pressure, mental pressure, emotional pressure, work pressure… Do you feel it too?

Sometimes I think we get so used to it, because it increases so subtly. By the time we realize how weighty it is, we see how much it is affecting us.

I’m going to say something really obvious. Pressure is hard. Going through any period of pressure, from any source is hard. I have to say it, because most of the time I won’t say it. I just deny the pressure.

Why? Probably because I’m not very bright sometimes. Maybe because if I ignore it, it will go away.

Actually, I do know better. I just don’t always remember.

What I need to remember is that I don’t have to bite my lip and deal with it all by myself. I don’t need to try to avoid it. What I’m really supposed to do is tell my Heavenly Father that I need help.

Pressure is not always a bad thing. Without it, I’d probably never get anything done. I would lollygag around thinking I have all the time in the world and can get things done later.

Pressure is hard, but it’s what turns coal into diamonds. In the same way, as Paul said:

…but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5, NASB)

Did you know that the word tribulation he uses here means pressure? It means to press hard upon, like crushing grapes for wine…

If we remain under the pressure, the Lord will produce in us these wonderful qualities that give depth to the wine of our lives. He will produce in us a fragrant, beautiful, full bottle that is like no other, and is highly prized.

There is a way to remain under the pressure and not turn sour from it. The Lord reminds me all the time to stay connected to the Vine – the Lord Jesus – by telling Him how I feel, what I need, and that I will choose to stay with Him.

He reminds me that I must let Him help me. I must.

He shows me that I can rest under the pressure by remembering what Jesus has done for me, and how He loves me. He reminds me that I can let Him order my priorities, and that He holds the outcome to that I do, when I offer my work to Him in love.

Then, and only then, do I feel the pressure as something good and not something to be avoided, or as something harmful to me. Then I can feel rest. Then, I can feel the faith in Jesus grow even more.

Let Him do a mighty work in you today by allowing Him to help you, dear friend. Let him show love to you. It is what He longs for, and what gives him great joy – to bless you right where you are.

Enjoying the Gift

A dear friend of mine edited my draft manuscript of The Yeoman of Daldriada recently. I was very grateful for that, but I’m almost more grateful for something else she did. She had the whole thing printed and spiral bound for me. (She said she likes to hand-write the suggested changes. I know exactly what she means!)

It wasn’t until later that I saw the value of her gift. After I had made all the corrections to my electronic version, along with many of the other suggestions I received from those who had critiqued it, I realized that I was stuck. The problem was that some of the things I needed to fix were hard for me to figure out how to do.

Several scenes needed to be combined, or needed a little more depth, or had too much action and needed to be slowed down. Some of the plot lines needed to be strengthened, and pulled through to the end. Others needed to be dropped.

I worked on it for several weeks and didn’t feel like I was making any headway. Until the other day…

I thought, why not use the printed copy my friend gave me? Well, I think we all know where that suggestion came from. I’m never surprised at how the Lord goes before us, but I am always delighted.

You don’t know what a thrill I had as I read through the first scene in the book using the printed version! All of the adjustments I needed to make came out of my hand, through my pencil and onto the page just as easily as breath from our bodies.

I’m a third of the way through already, and I can’t wait to do the rest of it. I’m amazed at how easy it is to see what needs to be perfected. I’m also amazed at how much fun I’m having with it.

I had forgotten how satisfying it is to write something by hand, and even to appreciate holding a book in my hands. Maybe it’s because I’m old and that’s how we used to do things. I don’t know, but I was thinking whatever we have to do to hone our works, whatever makes it pleasant we need to do.

If you love electronics, use them gladly. If you love having your own darkroom to develop film, build one in your house. Whatever makes you squeal with delight when you use your gift, do it.

Writing, like any gift you use, should be fun, but there are parts of the process that we enjoy more than others. They all have to be done. We can’t do only the pieces we enjoy the most and neglect the rest.

I understand how it is. If it were up to me, I’d sit in a quiet, sunny room, with a cup of coffee, my dogs at my feet, and write new stuff all day. That’s not practical to only write new stuff all the time.

What I’ve written has to be refined, just like precious metals. We don’t dig silver out of the ground and call it a ring. It has to go through the fire and have the impurities burned out of it.

That’s not a pleasant process, but it is necessary. Going through our writing again, and again, and again to make it enjoyable to read is not pleasant either, but it is vital.

I simply want to encourage you, dear friend, to look for ways to make every part of using your gift fun and even thrilling. I know you can do it. Ask the Lord and He will show you.

After all, He gave you the gift, and He wants you to have great joy in using it, because He loves you so.

Phyllis Keels

Strength in Weakness

The world will tell you to take pride in your own strength; that youth, vigor, riches, beauty, and popularity are to be prized above anything else. The world will tell you to get these things at all costs, to focus all your attention and energy on getting those things.

My friend, that is all a big, fat lie. Think about it. If youth, beauty, our own strength, wealth, and the adoration from others are so great, why do they disappear? Why are they so fickle?

Fame only happens when we present ourselves as what other people want. The more we try to hold onto money, the faster it leaves us. Beauty doesn’t last, and physical strength will vanish one day when we are old.

The lie that we should run after these things is designed to distract us from the truth – the truth that is two-fold: we are weak, and in that weakness we can have a strength that will never fail.

Ah, but first we must admit we are weak. Not so easy, I know. Yet, we must admit the truth.

If we never think we need God’s help, we will not ask for it, will we? If we do not acknowledge the truth that real strength comes from Him, we will never tap into the infinite power of the Most High, will we?

There is no shame in admitting that we need help. The shame, I think, lies in our pride when we fool ourselves into thinking that we have any strength compared to the Lord’s. Our strength compared to God’s is like a gnat to a hurricane.

I’ve relied on my own strength before. Many times. And it has failed me every time. Yet, when I knew without a doubt that I was incapable of saving my own daughter from death, I knew just how weak I was.

That was the day I began to see, really see, the massive power of the Living God.

Paul wrote about this. He knew much better than I what weakness is, and that real strength is found only in the Lord.

But he [the Lord] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, NIV)

My friend, if you are a woman whose desire is to know Jesus, and you want to feel the indescribable strength of Jesus Christ in your life… If you’re tired of trying everything else so you can have peace…

Please come and be with us on Saturday October 5^th from 9:00am-noon at Mt. Zion United Church of Christ in China Grove, NC.

I will be there to speak about this very thing, along with some anointed worship leaders and teachers of God’s word. We have all experienced the failings of our own strength, and have witnessed the Lord’s mighty power in our lives.

We want so much to share the Lord’s blessings with you. Why? Because when you love someone, (the someone who rescued you, who treats you with such tenderness and care) you can’t help but tell others how great He is!

We have to share. This stuff is too wonderful to keep to ourselves!

To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 1:24-25, NIV)

Phyllis Keels

Into Your Lap

I’ve been making jewelry lately, something fun to go along with my books when I have a book signing. Necklaces, bracelets, and a few key chains.

Each piece is meant to be a visual reminder of some Scripture, so each piece will have a card with that passage on it. You know, a necklace with a heart would have Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23, NASB)

I’ve made necklaces off and on for years, just eclectic stuff made from parts of old pieces I didn’t wear anymore. As a result, some of my friends and family have given me their old jewelry so I could make more.

When I started fashioning these pieces for the book signing, more of my friends and family gave me from their surplus jewelry. I probably have enough to make dozens of necklaces and bracelets.

I think what I’m seeing here is a picture of what Jesus said. “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:38 (NASB)

You see, almost all of the pieces I made over the years, I gave away. Now the Lord is showing again that we can’t out-give Him. He multiplies and returns to us exponentially more than we gave.

He does that with everything: our money, our time, our writing. You see, the Lord’s way is pleasant, it is right, and it is good. When we simply operate in the ways He set up (give, and you will receive more than you gave), He shows Himself faithful. Whether we give or not, He is faithful. It’s just that when we follow His ways, we get to see Him work.

My friend, write because you are grateful He gave you the ability and then give generously. Paint because you are grateful. Cook, serve, sing, play music, whatever, because you are grateful He has blessed you.

Then give it to whoever He puts in your path, knowing that the Lord of all creation will take care of the outcome. Knowing that He will do it in such a beautiful way, it will astound and delight you.

Why? Because He really is faithful, and because He cares about you.

Phyllis Keels

A Daily Dose of Hope

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NASB)

Hope is essential to our survival. Just like air. Just like water. We can’t live very long without it.

Hope kept Joseph going while he was a slave in Egypt all those years. It kept David alive and writing Psalms while he lived in the desert so he could escape from Saul. Most of all, I’m certain it was part of helped the Lord Jesus to endure the cross.

It’s what keeps a bride faithful to her bridegroom. It’s what helps a parent through the heartbreaking times when a child rebels. And it’s what heals a terribly shattered grieving heart after an unthinkable loss.

Hope. You can’t see it, but you can definitely feel it. It’s like a bright light inside your soul. It banishes the darkness and chases all the fears away. It is an encourager, a strengthener, a protector, and a foundation.

That’s because hope has another name. It’s Jesus. You see there would be no hope without Him. There would be no joy, no peace, no security. He is the God of hope, because He is hope itself.

If He were dead, where would our hope be? There would be none because hope is tied to the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. If He were not alive, we would have no joy, no peace, no security because He would not be here to give those things.

But praise God! Jesus is alive, my friend! And He wants so much for you to know real hope – the confident expectation of the good He has for you today and every day.

That is why I wrote this little book, From Hope, With Love. Something short to read each day for a month, just enough to give you a dose of confidence in who your Hope is, how fiercely He fights for you, and how tenderly He loves you.

Let Him fill you with His hope – the sure knowledge that Jesus is intimately aware of everything you are going through, and that He has good for you in those things. Once you trust Him, you will see how these good things far outweigh any suffering we will ever have, because that is when you’ll be looking at Him.

God bless you, my friend, now and forever more!

Phyllis Keels

Having Delight

It sounds like a formula, but it’s not. It looks like one of those package deals – “Here is how to get everything you’ve ever wanted, in 10 minutes!” – but it’s not.

I’m talking about Psalm 37:4. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

It sounds easy, doesn’t it? Just delight yourself in the Lord and you will get what you really want.

That’s the way the world would phrase it, but it’s not a formula. It is a promise – a promise from the Lord who loves you, not a merchant who is trying to sell you something.

See, I’m pretty sure that we don’t even know what we really want. We think we know, but it’s so hard to tell what is hidden deep within our hearts. Only the Lord knows and He is willing to help us discover those desires.

But, we go after whatever is on the surface, don’t we? We chase after whatever we can see with our eyes – whatever we think will make us happy. My friend, the Lord has so much better for us than that.

If we could only take delight in the Lord Himself first – simply see Him as valuable; more valuable than anything or anyone – then we would have the greatest treasure we could ever have.

Jesus is that treasure. Oh, how beautiful He is! One instance of His presence at your side, one movement of His hand in your life, one leading of His Holy Spirit… One lovingkindness from Him is worth everything else we could ever desire.

Think of it! The Lord Jesus loves you with all His heart! You. Right where you are, no matter what you’ve done and no matter who you are. He loves you.

When we embrace that truth and let it sink in, we can delight in Him. We can delight in the truth that He loves us and always will. That, my friend, is when we step through the door to really knowing Him.

Once inside that door, we begin to see the deepest desires of our hearts. We see things more beautiful and pleasing that anything we had ever imagined. We see that our Heavenly Father was not satisfied with blessing us by anything small. He is satisfied only with blessing us abundantly, overflowingly, richly.

If you can see Jesus as the greatest treasure of all, then you will unlock your own heart to find the glorious riches that come along with Him. All because you place Jesus first, highest, most valuable in your life.

Simply thank Him for His love. Honor Him by returning His love. Then you will see. Then you will have a delight that is in itself a great and lasting treasure. Just like Him.

Phyllis Keels