Sacred Mundane: The Blog

The kids were beyond excited. Papa was treating us to dinner out at a restaurant. Not just any restaurant, a buffet. Not just any buffet, Hometown Buffet (I made Jeff promise not to instagram any photos of us there, but then here we are … the secret’s out). For this one night the kids could choose anything they wanted to eat and I would keep all my food-snob comments to myself about pesticides and GMOs and feedlots and HFCS. Corn on the cob and pizza? Absolutely! Mashed potatoes and chicken nuggets? Eat your heart out. Popcorn shrimp and beets? Pile ’em on! (Okay, that was me.) I even let them each have a taste of Icee, that bright blue (poisonous) concoction flowing freely from a dispenser. They were in heaven.

When we arrived it was Family Night, so each kid received a balloon. They were delirious with joy. However, Dutch’s wasn’t sealed correctly so within a matter of minutes his balloon was completely flat while Heidi’s bopped happily in the air.

He was crushed. Somehow the excitement of the evening and the busyness of the restaurant and the dozens of food options in front of him completely overwhelmed him (me too!) and he was so upset he wouldn’t eat. He wouldn’t stand in line (it was long) to get another balloon. He couldn’t think rationally. And even though Jeff sat alone with him for 5 minutes trying to talk reason into his brain, he couldn’t get himself put together. Finally, they walked over to me, I suggested we just go eat together, and Dutch agreed and was absolutely fine. Jeff (understandably) felt frustrated. He had suggested that same exact thing for 5 minutes straight:

Why hadn’t Dutch listened to him?

I thought of Exodus 6: “Sometimes people are too crushed to hear you.”

See, the children of Israel get a really bad rap.  Yes, they complained. And complained and complained and complained. But if I read through the exodus story and honestly put myself in their shoes, I must admit I’d be complaining too.

And a short sentence from Exodus 6 might help us be a little more patient with the people in our lives who don’t hear us.

Moses returns to Egypt with high hopes. He’s excited to free the nation of Israel from Egypt’s slavery, and God speaks life and encouragement to Moses, promises of hope.  So Moses takes courage, and goes and repeats all of these words of hope and reassurance to the people of Israel,

“But they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.” (6:9)

I always focus on the part where they don’t listen to Moses.  Listen to him! I think to myself. Listen! Quit complaining and not having faith. See the great things before you! Believe!

But their spirits were broken.

They couldn’t listen. They couldn’t hear. They had no spark of hope or faith left in their hearts. They had endured harsh slavery.  Their spirits were broken.  It was as if Moses was talking nonsense. They had seen no good, no hope, no life, no promise. How could they believe Moses’ words? All they knew was cruelty, slavery, hate, bondage.  Their spirits were broken.

When God calls us to minister (and he calls all of us to minister) He calls us to give hope to those whose spirits are broken. And, if their spirits truly are broken (because of any form of harsh slavery that is sadly present all over our world), it is possible that they cannot listen. They cannot even muster up the strength to believe the good news.  They may not see the vision you see.  They have been blinded by hurt, their sense of hope seared by pain.

Even though it was only a balloon, it was a picture of Dutch’s heart, so when it was crushed so was his spirit, and it took some time before he could hear. 

So what do we do? We share words of hope, life, and truth with others, and if someone cannot listen, we must carry on anyway.  Rather than get frustrated or angry because they cannot see the promised land, we must, like Moses, continue to pursue their freedom, their good, whether they can see the light or not.  If we hold out our hand they bite it (!), we must hold out our hand again.

And again and again.

Remember these words, “They might have a broken spirit.”

This doesn’t excuse others’ sins, but it covers them (1 Peter 4:8). It says, “It’s ok if you don’t listen. It’s ok if you can’t see the vision. It’s ok if you can’t see past your pain. I’ll still take your hand and help lead you out of slavery, help lead you toward the promised land, help you be all that God wants you to be.”

Isn’t that what Jesus did for us?

We live in a world of broken spirits.  God, fill us with a compassion that quells impatience, an understanding that removes frustration. Help us see your people as you see them. And when our spirits are broken, help those around us to be patient with us, and fill us with your hope.

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Is there someone in your life who won’t listen to your encouragement no matter what you say? Do you find yourself getting frustrated? How can you pray for that person, that God would heal their broken spirit, and how can you choose to continue to bless that person today? Thanks for reading.

• This special family … and our beloved Mary’s last HS basketball game. 
• Seeing Dutch turn bright red blushing when she ran off the court to hug him! My boy has great taste in girls! 🙂
• RENEW women’s night! Love those ladies so much.
• My friend Janae. Just can’t thank God enough for her.
• College roommate reunion — missing half our ladies but still a fun time!

• Growing.
• That God uses us, loves us, cherishes us, despite our weaknesses and failings.
• Believing.
• Trusting.
• A gift of new appliances through our home warranty to replace our (non-functional) ones. Delivered on Valentine’s Day. THAT is the perfect gift for a practical girl like me!
• Clean counters.
• Heidi’s artwork.
• Sleeping in.
• Snuggling.
• People who smile often. Bless ’em! They make the world so much brighter!
• Heidi’s sense of humor.
• Raelene.
• My husband who I love more and respect more every day.
• A morning with Elisa!
• New friends.
• How God connects us.
• Early morning runs.
• Honey.
• Learning different perspectives.
• Seeing hope in hopeless situations.
• That God is ALWAYS GREATER.
• When something hard turns into something good.
• AWESOME parenting book, Boys Should Be Boys. Must-read for mamas of boys!
• So glad the world does not depend on me.
• His amazing grace.
• Rest.
• Loving Sundays.
• Crock-pot.
• Coffee.
• Hope. 

Have a blessed Lord’s Day today, worshipping the Savior with your local church family. Thanks for reading.

This week Jeff and I were laughing and reminiscing about how clueless we were in our first years of ministry and marriage. Oh dear. We seriously didn’t have a clue, but praise God He used us and graciously let us play on His playground in make disciples in our own bumbling way.  We both agreed that someday we would look back and say, “Ohhh…do you remember when we planted Renew?! Oh we were so clueless! What on earth were we doing??!!”

Praise God for His infinite grace.

I’m always encouraged when I see who God chooses to use for His glory in the Scriptures.   Noah, Jacob, Rachel & Leah, Joseph–all of whom had rather obvious shortcomings. Yet they were used for God’s purposes. How encouraging is that?

Though all of these characters has weaknesses, there’s one who was particularly aware of these weaknesses. Too aware.

Conscious of self; self-conscious.

In Exodus 4 God gives Moses the great call to return to Egypt and free God’s people from slavery.  He has already witnessed the burning bush, he’s already had lengthy conversations with the Lord about all this, and now he witnesses two more miraculous signs (staff becoming a snake and hand becoming leprous) confirming that God is indeed calling him to this task. No one else in Scripture thus far has had such a clear calling.  No one else gets a burning bush.

God is making it clear: Moses, you’re it. 

But Moses is quick to make excuses, right? 

“Oh Lord, I am not eloquent … I am slow of speech and of tongue.” (4:10)

Oh Lord, let me go ahead and tell you all about my shortcomings.  I’m really not the man for the job. You must have me mixed up with someone else. My mouth is really not the mouth to use.  There are much better mouths out there.

God’s response?

“Who has made man’s mouth?…Is it not I, the LORD?” (v.11)

How ridiculous is it that Moses is complaining about this mouth.  He is speaking to the God who created it. How incredibly absurd to complain about an obstacle that God Himself created and controls!

That one sentence can put our entire life in perspective.

“But God, the economy isn’t good right now.”

“Who controls the economy?”

“But God, I’m not a gifted leader.”

“Who made the gifts that are deposited in you? Who put them there? Who knows what they are better than you?”

“But God we don’t have enough money.”

“Who made money? Who owns the cattle on a thousand hills? Who gives and takes away? Who rules economies?”

There are no excuses before the God of all things. Before the one who made all things, controls all things, and uses all things for our good and His glory.

The next time we catch ourselves protesting, “But God…”

Remember: Who made ________? Who controls it all? Who is able to do all things?

The God of all creation holds all things in His hand. Let’s keep that in perspective today, when circumstances overwhelm us and our shortcomings eclipse His greatness. God made it all. He is greater than our weaknesses. In fact, He’s glorified in them. This frees us from excuses, once and for all. Whatever He’s called us to He has equipped us for.  And that even applies to the most terrifying calling in the world–that of raising children! Be encouraged, sister.

God made you for this. You’re it.

Thanks for reading.

I felt, last week, that I was probably walking the tightrope, but I didn’t know how to stop.

So I just fell off instead. 

Have you ever been there? Because of busyness I don’t take time to process different stresses or emotions, don’t take time to let God work deeply in my heart, so I settle for the tightrope walk of happiness. I teeter carefully, avoiding anything that might bump me the wrong way. But the inevitable result is that a tiny nudge of another person can send me tumbling off my tight-rope of happiness, when I had thought I was firmly planted on the ground of inner peace.

Have you ever walked that tightrope?  

My grandfather, Howard Zoet, was a prize-fighting boxer and a poet. He was also an amazing man of God, the kindest man I’d ever known (until I met Jeff, who truly is the kindest man I’ve ever met), and a lover of words. He is the one who gave me my passion for writing.  It was at my grandma’s funeral, at the age of 11, standing before the kind eyes of my grandpa, that I read my first poem out loud–a tribute to her life.  I did it for him. Now, in my kitchen I keep a photo of him, holding me as an infant–asleep in his arms.  He died when I was 13.

But when I was just a toddler, he published a book of poetry. In the back he included a section where he wrote a silly little poem for each of his grandchildren–just five of us.  I was the youngest, and the only girl.  The part I’ll always remember, from A Poem for Karina, is this stanza:

Kari, you are kind of funny. When you’re good, you’re oh so sunny!

But when you decide to cry, things sure change–oh me oh my!

Yes, I was 2 at the time, but I think if my grandpa were here today to write my poem 30 years later, it may read exactly the same way.  I still am amazed at how I can swing from high to low.  Why? We all know the answer–not keeping our eyes on Jesus, being too concerned with self, etc. But I love this example in Genesis, that I just read again the other day:

Joseph’s brothers, who had long ago sold him into slavery, now experienced the grace and deliverance of living in the land of Goshen, in Egypt, and receiving provision during the famine. They’d experience miraculous grace, forgiveness, provision. But as soon as their father, Israel, died, they panicked.  Chapter 50 tells us they feared Joseph would pay them back for all their evil, so they sent a message to him (too scared to go in person!), begging him to be kind to them, then they went in person and fell down before him, offering themselves as his servants, if Joseph would just promise to be kind to them.

And what I love is Joseph’s response, which is a comfort and a rebuke all at once:

“Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?” (50:19)

The comfort is, don’t worry–I’m not going to harm you. But the rebuke is–Why have you put me in the place of God? Why have you set your hope on my mercy, rather than God’s? Why have you made me big and God small?  Or, perhaps applicable to us today, Why have you set your happiness on my approval, my provision, my decisions?

Their fear, anxiety, and turmoil was all simply because they had placed someone else in the place of God. They’d put Joseph there instead, and there’s only room for One. And amazingly, Joseph himself is the one to remind them that he belongs in no such place. No one is in the place of God–no boss, no spouse, no friend, no family member, and no circumstance.  What they had meant for evil, God meant for good.  Nothing can thwart the will of our God.

Of course as long as we live we’ll have those ups and downs, oh me oh my! But my hope and prayer is to at least be a little more stable than I was when my grandfather penned those telling words. 30 years ago  I believe Joseph reveals the key to it all.  Who or what is in the place of my God?  There’s only room for One. And when He’s there, there is no tightrope walk. We can climb down from that unstable place and plant our feet on the stability of the Rock.

Standing steady, at least for today! Thanks for reading.