KathyAddis

In 2 Chronicles 7:11-14, the Lord speaks to Solomon after Solomon has completed the Temple and his own house. The Lord identifies Solomon as a praying man as He says, “I have heard your prayer.” Solomon was the king of a very cast land AND he was a man of prayer. He had prayed about the Temple in chapter 6 which is what the Lord references when He speaks of there being no rain, locusts devouring the land, and pestilence among the people. Assuring that the Lord had indeed heard Solomon’s prayer.

The Lord then calls out a very specific group of people “my people, who are called by my name”. That is us. Christians. Those who profess to follow Jesus. The next words in scripture are for us.

We, Christians, are to:
Humble ourselves. We must realize that we don’t rule in this land, we serve. We are under the command and protection of God Almighty. When we realize and accept our place in HIS family and adopt His perspective, this will naturally cause humility in our lives. Humility is not acquiescing or becoming a door mat just to keep the peace. Humility in the Bible is defined as “bridled fury”. It is allowing God to determine when we stand up and fight and when we lovingly hold fast.

Pray. The Lord is not specific in this verse as to how we should pray, although He does offer a very detailed example in the book of Matthew. Here, He simply tells us to pray. Communicate with Him. Take time to talk and then listen. Have a conversation. Real. Honest. This is prayer.

Seek His face. Once we pray, we should expect Him to do something. We need to watch, look, seek, expect. It may not always be obvious to us what He is doing so we need to always be on the look out for what God is doing and be willing to join Him in it. To seek Him means to actively look for Him in what we say, the decisions we make and in our actions and reactions.

Turn from our wicked ways. Some things we do we know are obviously wicked, or we know are “wrong”. To God, they are the same thing. We may not think the “wrong” things we do are all that bad compared to the world, but to God they are wicked. Sometimes the things we do are so “ok” with the world that we amy not even realize He would see them as wicked. It won’t be until we do what He’s already told us to do, (humble ourselves, pray, seek His face) that we will see our fault. If we trust Him to show us our wicked ways, we can trust Him to help us turn from them.

So what is the pay off for doing these things? He says to Solomon, “then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

It is no secret we need forgiveness and our land certainly needs healing. He has given us the answer. The hard part for us as Christians is that we can’t blame the lost for chaos in our country. Lost people act lost. God has given His people who are called by His name, the key.

The question is, will we do it?
11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king’s house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the house of the Lord and in his own house he successfully accomplished. 12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:11-14English Standard Version (ESV)

I know that this happens to people all the time, but I’ve never had it happen to me. I have had this Bible for 14 years. It has seen me through some of the darkest days of my life and helped me find the words to rejoice and give praise during the greatest days too.

My Sweetness gave me this Bible on Mother’s Day, 2001. It came with a sweet note from Andy and a signature from my then 2 year old Noah and “witnessed” by a 2 month old Nathan. I have countless notes in the margins and on far too many pages I have underlined so much you can barely read the text.

I have quotes in what Andy calls the “Hall of Fame” on the once blank pages in the front and back of it by people who have made an impact on my life. I have used pencils, pens, highlighters, colored pencils (which is what I recommend), and even crayons to mark passages in hopes of bringing them to mind later. I have made notes to myself to remind me of what God has shown me in His word. I have prayers written out for myself, my husband, my children, my family, my friends and my church. I have my spiritual goals and my admitted failings penned on these pages.

I have read this Book cover to cover more than once and the tear stained pages prove it. I know it’s “just a book”, but it’s the Book that my Heavenly Father has given me as a guide through this crazy life.

As I look at it in pieces now, on one hand my heart aches thinking of the countless hours I have poured into reading it, trying to understand and being overwhelmed when He shows me what I need. On the other hand, I am kind of excited to start again; to read the same words with fresh, clean pages; to write new notes and scribble new thoughts as God reveals His plan for me.

I praise Him that His word is living and active and that while I will miss this Bible, there are things that He wants to show me in His word for today and they are every bit as important and poignant as what He has shown me in the past. I praise God for this ol’ Bible.

He and I both know that I am no spiritual giant nor do I always “get it” when I read His word. We both also know that I don’t read it nearly as often or with as much focus as I should. Yet, He is faithful and consistent and His word is the same yesterday, today and forever.

“I have treasured Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You” -Psalm 119:11

“We’ll done!”

We all love to hear accolades from those around us. In fact, some of us feel that if we don’t achieve an accolade from someone then we have somehow failed in our task or mission. God must know this about us because He gives us one in Matthew 25:21:

“Well done, good and faithful servant!”

I love that!

The problem is that so many of us leave that verse there ignoring, or just refusing to acknowledge, what the rest of the verse says:

“You have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

We, I, often want to leave it at the “Well done” part and pretend that I have accomplished something, so I can chill out and take a break from from whatever God is trying to do in, and through, and with me. The reality is that He is far from finished with me. While I am thankful for that I know that it means He is requiring more of me.

In the book “Experiencing God”, Henry Blackaby reminds us that when we accept Christ and make Him Lord of our life, He then has the right to interrupt us in any way He sees fit.

Additionally, He will use these interruptions to better us to further His Kingdom. This is huge.

On July 26, I will have been a believer and follower of Jesus Christ for 24 years. While this may seem impressive to some, it is actually pretty sad when I sit back and think about all the times I know that God has wanted to use me and I have either flat refused or procrastinated in the name of “praying about it”.

On the other hand, I can clearly see that I am not the same person I was 24 years ago and how I praise God for that! I know that God has had to stretch and mold me in so many different ways in order to make me ready for the next assignment He wants me to pursue that honestly, Matthew 25:21 scares me little.

Looking back over my walk with the Master, I can see where just about the time I think I can relax and bask in His “We’ll done”, that is when I am faced with another situation that I am pretty sure my faith will not be strong enough to handle. My focus is wrong. I don’t need to work so I can receive a pat on the back from my Savior, I need to “share in my Master’s happiness”.

It’s all about Him. It always had been and may it ever be. If my focus is on Him and His happiness then I’m free to follow Him wherever He leads me and do whatever He asks. This will mean that I will be “in charge of many things”, which can be terrifying if I’m focused on me. It can also be exhilarating if I am focused on Him.

The excitement that comes from boldly walking with Jesus and being wiling to be used by Him is unlike anything we can manufacture. It is true happiness.

So, I will ponder the implications of what it means to be a “good and faithful servant” and I pray we will be faithful in a little so we can become in charge of many things, all to share in our Master’s happiness.

I am not much of a “girly-girl”. I don’t know if this is from living with two boys and a husband on “Testosterone Island,” but I don’t wear a lot of make up, I would rather watch wrestling than a soap opera, and I hate glitter.

Strangely, I’m also not a big fan of “chick flicks”.

It’s taken me a long time to figure out what it is about these love stories that makes me kind of crazy, but I think I may have finally figured it out. See, most of these stories are based on unlikely loves brought together by predictable happenstance that results in drippy-sweet romance that could give any normal human a cavity.

This is not the part that bothers me though, not really. I think the part of these all too predictable stories that bothers me is the emphasis that is always put on the “newness” of the romance, the electricity that is between these two supposedly unlikely lovers. Now, I realize that it can be real, it can be exciting, and it can be fantastic, but it doesn’t have to be what makes the romance great.

I think what makes romance really exciting is when someone is willing to put forth the effort when the “newness” has turned into familiarity. Song of Songs (Solomon) is quite the love story. It is a very sensual book that some say is an allegorical story about God’s love for us or is an actual story about King Solomon and his young bride. The book walks us through how they felt about one another through their courtship, engagement, and wedding.

I love what she says in 8:3 “Your left arm would be under my head, and your right arm would embrace me.” (Song of Songs 8:3 NLT) And he talks to her in verse 8:13 “O my darling, lingering in the gardens, your companions are fortunate to hear your voice. Let me hear it, too!” (Song of Songs 8:13 NLT)

When you read this you can tell she is yearning, confident, deliberate and specific concerning the intimacy with her husband just as he is in wanting to be with his wife. That, to me, is pure romance.

That is what causes the spark that leads to a fire in a relationship. It is not always about the new, it is about knowing the familiar. When two people are willing to communicate, to take the time to get to know each other not just physically but spiritually and intellectually and to work on bringing out the best in one another, that is powerful.

It is rarely easy, but it is always worth it, that is what makes it so romantic. It takes effort. A new or secret or unlikely relationship is usually easy, but one that has stood the test of time takes work. That’s why an unexpected date night or a candlelit anything or maybe a long kiss in the kitchen can take a breath away.

There is something to be said for a husband that knows just how to place his hand on his wife’s face to make her weak in the knees, or a wife that knows how to wrap her hand around her husband’s arm to make him feel empowered and strong. These “familiar” relationships deserve to be celebrated.

They deserve romance.

So, I may not be into the mooshy-gooshy, girly stuff, but I am definitely in to romance. I am definitely in to what the Song of Songs has to offer. And, I am definitely in to what is “familiar” to me.

I am 42 years old today. I know some people, mostly women, don’t like for people to know how old they are and they certainly don’t advertise it, but I see my birthday a little differently.

When I was 15 years old, I very distinctly remember thinking that I would never live to see 30. Honestly, I was living a life with an attitude that was pushing very hard to guarantee that self-prophesy.

I didn’t care any more. I had given up. I didn’t really care about others and I certainly didn’t care about me, or so I told myself. My actions spoke quite to the contrary. I was very selfish and so self absorbed, I could only see myself and my life and how miserable I thought I was. What I couldn’t see then, but is so clear now, is that I had lost hope.

My childhood was not exactly easy but it wasn’t horrific, even though at 15 I I thought it was. My circumstances weren’t ideal, but they weren’t insurmountable; still at the time I thought they were. My past was not unforgivable, but I was certain it was.

Two times in my adolescence I made the decision to end my “miserable existence”. Despite my selfishness, I was unable to follow through. What I didn’t recognize at the time was the hand of my precious Savior was loving me when I was so very unlovable. He interceded so that I could live out the life He had planned for me from the beginning of time.

I continued in my self destructive ways, all the while desperately trying to hide it from those that loved me most. As I look back I can see where He was trying to get my attention through His loving children, but like always, I rejected them and Him.

July 25, 1990. That is my spiritual birthday. That is the day Jesus Christ met me face to face and told me unequivocally that He loved me and my mess of a life. He assured me that all the promises that my grandparents had told me about in His word really were for me if only I would allow Him to take control. He would fix it. He did so much more than that.

He gave me hope.

He didn’t change my circumstances, He changed me. He took my focus off of me and put them on the One that changes destinies.

On my 30th birthday I woke up and was instantly reminded of the self prophesy of 15 years earlier. I remember shouting with great joy and victory, “I’m 30! I made it to 30!” This has changed my attitude and appreciation for my birthday ever since and hopefully for the rest of my life.

I don’t take for granted the celebration of the day God put me on this earth. He has me here for a purpose and He is determined for me to live it out. My prayer is that I will do just that. I know I have in the past and continue to fail Him daily. I confess that I am a sinner saved only by His grace and mercy. I am messed up and I know it. However, I am also saved, redeemed and sanctified by the blood of the One who loves me regardless.

He has blessed me far beyond what my 15 year old imagination could have ever dreamed. My life is the life I would have wanted for me back then. I have an amazing, God loving husband who both leads and walks beside me. I have two incredible boys who I could not be more proud of. Most of all, I have a relationship with Jesus that will never end no matter what and that gives me what I had longed for…hope.

So, I may not be typical and it may not be socially correct to talk about your age as a woman, but I don’t care. Today I am 42 years old and I praise God for it!

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b

Angie,

Wow. I can’t believe it’s been 11 years. Some days it seems like yesterday and some days it seems like a lifetime ago. I don’t cry as often and I can think about you and laugh at the memory of your silly antics and goofball anecdotes.

Still, there are those times that I think of you and burst into tears. In those moments I swear I would do anything to be able to hear your voice, or laugh with you, or just give you a hug. Those are the days I miss you so much it physically hurts.

It’s funny to think that when we were kids we fought so much, never once thinking we wouldn’t have each other. In fact, we couldn’t wait to get away from each other most of the time. If only we would have known, huh?

The hope that I have and the thing that brings me joy is that I was there. I was there when you raised your hand when the evangelist asked if anyone wanted to ask Jesus into their heart. I was there when you made your decision public by following through in believer’s baptism with the witness of our new church family. I was there to watch the change in your heart and life as the harshness that had always guarded your heart securely began to melt, and the Jesus in you began to make His way to the surface. I was there as hope started to shine in your life and joy started to take the place of bitterness and anger.

What a peace that gives me since I know the Word promises that You are in the presence of our sweet Jesus. My heart aches because I miss you but I don’t hurt for you. You are where I long to be and as a follower of Christ I will someday join you in dancing before our Lord. That thought makes my heart smile.

Until then I will continue to love and miss you, and occasionally burst into tears. By the way, I very much see your glimmer of orneriness in your daughter’s eyes. That makes my heart smile too.

I love you and I miss you Ang.

~ Kat

For those of you reading this, I don’t know if my sister will ever read it. I don’t know if she can hear me “talking” to her and I certainly don’t pray to her. There is a lot about her current situation I do not know or understand because as the bible puts it, for now I see dimly but then it will all be made clear. Meaning when I join her in heaven I’ll get it, but until then I know I can stand on the promises that I do “get” and that is when she left this earth she immediately found herself amongst the Holy of Holies. And where she is now there are no tears and there is no pain. To wish her back here and away from Paradise would be the epitome of selfishness. I confess that there are times that I do fight that selfishness because I just flat miss her. But because I love my big sister, I want God’s best for her and I know she has it. She has Him.

So I write this letter “to her” but for me and I share it with you. I guess because I know everyone has lost someone that they love and sometimes it’s just nice to know you’re in good company.

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NLT)

I was involved in a conversation last night with some gentlemen that sparked some serious thought and prayer for me. One man said that he was so upset that he felt like he has been loosing passion for what he as a Christian should be doing to stop the ‘evil’ in the world. Another man gave an example of a local controversy that seems to be yet again stomping on Christian beliefs and what are we as Christians doing about it? Another man in the conversation insisted that the recent events weren’t a big deal but that it all boils down to a heart issue with people and that we as Christians are to work on people’s hearts to lead them to Christ and that alone is what is going to change the world. Another man, who happened to be wise and exceptionally good looking (yes, it was my husband) said he felt that is was “both/and”. He feels we are to both work on helping others come to know the Lord as well as “do” something if the Lord is leading us to do it.

I tend to agree with all of them. I know that makes me sound pretty wishy-washy and if this was actually a debate, I would agree with that. However, I think in this case, I can agree with all of them.

I tend to be a passionate person. If there is what I believe to be an injustice, I get pretty fired up. The problem is I don’t always know what to “do” about it. After thinking and praying about this conversation, I think I know why.

I think God made it pretty clear to me that what I/we should “do” in these cases is to use the gifts that He has given us to make a difference in the situations that He has made us passionate about. My primary spiritual gift is intercessory prayer and when I get fired up about a situation, I think what God wants me to do first and most is, well, pray. The man who was talking last night about it being a heart issue and thinks we need to lead all men to Christ has the primary spiritual gift of evangelism.

I do think there are situations that He will ask us to “do” more than what we are comfortable with and it will grow and stretch us, but those will be to His glory and for our benefit. I think they are more rare than the norm.

May we learn what our spiritual gifts are and determine to use them. He equips us with these gifts for a purpose and He expects us to use them to “do” His will. I pray I/we will never lose our passion, still get fired up over injustices, stand up for what is right and never ignore the opportunity to help those in need but that we remember to “do” what we “do” the way God would have us “do” it. “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do , do it all for the glory of God.”

1 Cor 10:31

To be honest with you, I have been truly heart sick over the state of our world lately. I have openly wept over the twisted and corrupt culture that we live in that allows such repulsive and depraved behavior. I have prayed and prayed but with little hope. I don’t say that lightly because I truly believe that God gives us the privilege of prayer for a reason!

I guess I’ve been so heavy hearted because a small part of me has started to believe that God has somehow lost control. I want to bite my lip, or slap my own hand for even typing those words but in all honesty, that is where my thoughts have gone. Until this morning.

In His loving, yet disciplinary wisdom, God led me to read Romans 13. I don’t want this to be about politics, although I will mention that I vetoed any watching of anything political for about a week before the elections…I just couldn’t take any more! No, I mention it because the movement of an organization, company or a nation begins from the top down. So I read Romans 13, 1-7 to be exact.

“Obey the government, for God is the one who put it there. All governments have been placed in power by God. So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow. For the authorities do not frighten people who are doing right, but they frighten those who do wrong. So do what they say, and you will get along well. The authorities are sent by God to help you. But if you are doing something wrong, of course you should be afraid, for you will be punished. The authorities are established by God for that very purpose, to punish those who do wrong. So you must obey the government for two reasons: to keep from being punished and to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid so they can keep doing the work God intended them to do . Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and import duties, and give respect and honor to all to whom it is due.” Romans 13:1-7

So there you have it: Obey my government because GOD PUT THEM THERE! For me, that was good enough. It is proof that regardless of who says or does what, God IS truly in control and no matter what happens He has not left us.

On went my rebellious ranting to my ever gracious Father: “Why is the ‘media’ so ready to bash anything that is ‘right’! I am so tired of this. It seems like such an endless battle, no one will ever know that there are really good people and a really good God if they keep showing and printing such filth all time! “They” don’t play fair! “They” are biased and one-sided! “They” are slanted and partisan!” – I told you, He is very loving and unbelievable patient with me.

He very quietly reminded me that He didn’t send the TV or the newspaper to tell the world about Him…He sent me.

Ouch.

My job as a child of the King of Kings is not to ‘fix’ “Them”, it is to tell a dying and lost world about the most amazing and precious Gift this world has ever been given in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is to tell the world that there is hope outside of depraved and repulsive behavior. It is to let the world know there is forgiveness and peace and joy and kindness and goodness and gentleness and love.

God made it clear that He is still in control and even if “They” don’t play fair, I still have a job to do.

I know I have co-workers out there. We may be a little dismayed by all that is happening in this ol’ world, but take heart, the great I AM has things fully in hand and we have our orders.

Let’s get to work.

You know, I sure have a lot to be thankful for.

Not just today, even though today is my birthday. Forty first to be exact. I’ve had a lot to be thankful for my whole life. In fact, the fact that I’m here at all is something to be thankful for.
I can hear my Grandma Hixson telling the story to complete strangers as if it were yesterday, “And this is Katsy-Baby. She’s our little miracle. She was born three months early. Why, she only had one in one hundred chance of living!”
While I believe her facts were true, I found it incredibly embarrassing to be introduced that way every, yes every, single time! She was thankful for her granddaughter and maybe a little bit proud, too. And, I’m thankful that her facts are true and that I was a miracle, to be born that early in 1971 was certainly a miracle.
And no, you may NOT call me Katsy-Baby! That right was reserved for Mary Ellen Hixson only! …I love and miss you Grandma…
To list all the amazing miracles in my life since then would simply be impossible. Although, I think sometimes it’s a good idea to jot things down so as to not forget them, or to help keep us on track.
That’s where I am today, trying to stay on track.
You see, I’ve gotten a little distracted lately with a couple of the things I should be thankful for; specifically, my kids. Maybe not in the way you’re thinking.
They are typical boys in that they are ornery and silly and can have a tendency to make you a little nuts at times, but my distraction has been that I miss them.
My boys are eleven and thirteen years old now. And for the first time in their lives I have really missed them being my babies. If you know me you know this is weird.
I’m not really the “baby” type. Don’t get me wrong, I love babies. I love to hold and love on them and then to give them back when they get cranky. I do not consider myself to be an exceptionally patient person, so, why on earth would I want my amazingly self sufficient young men to be babies again? Why would I reminisce to the point of real heartache?
I think the answer lies in being thankful.
I think I allowed the enemy to distract me with the memories of how adorable and shy and cute and sweet my boys WERE that I was forgetting to be thankful for how thoughtful, smart, genuine, kind, loving and amazing they are now.
“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all your wonderful deeds.” Psalm 9:1
When I feel that twinge of heartache for my two babies, I quickly thank my God for my two young men. I stand in awe of how He takes the heartache and turns it to joy and pride (the good kind) in a heart beat.
He knows this mom so well.
I know I can’t recount ALL the wonderful things God has done in my life since that miracle 41 years ago today, but He has taught me it’s good to be thankful.

How they must of felt on this day, the day in between. The Disciples. As the reality of what they have just witnessed sinks in, the realization that their Savior has just died. He really died. Just like He said He would. He really meant it.

How could this be? I think about of all the emotions that must be raging as they do inside us when we loose someone we love. But, somehow I think it might be even more for them. Somehow more intense, see they didn’t just loose a friend, a teacher, a mentor, and a brother. They lost Jesus.

He had called them out, by name, knowing full well what they were leaving behind. For some that was not much of a sacrifice really, but for some, it was immense. All He had to do was ask and they came. Some of them had the advantage of having their actual siblings there to help comfort each other, some must have felt very much alone.

On this day, the day in between. The day after He died on the cross and the day before Hope was born for all mankind forever. Ironically this was the Sabbath. The day when all good Jews were to stop everything they were doing and worship God.

Are you serious?

Their Lord was just crucified and now they are supposed to spend an entire day doing nothing but worshiping and thinking about God. Maybe that was the plan all along. Maybe the day in between was divinely situated so that they would have time to reflect on the words and works of their Lord and Savior. Maybe that was the whole point of the day in between.

Maybe that is still the point of the day in between? Maybe we get so caught up in getting our grocery list together for Easter dinner or making sure the kids look nice for Easter Sunday that once we get past the Good Friday service we forget to think about the day in between. We forget there was the Sabbath, a time to reflect and focus before the celebration.

Thank God the celebration is coming but let’s not lose sight of the day in between.