Shelley – Page 15 – The Shepherd's Daughter

Author: Shelley

Perfect Peace

Posted on February 1, 2012October 29, 2017 by Shelley

Whenever God wants to tell me something, He usually has to repeat Himself a few times before I clue in. Often He uses a particular Bible verse to speak to me. After bumping into it every time I turn around–in a book, in a magazine, in a conversation–I finally start to pay attention.

I’ve been playing “bumper cars” with a couple of verses recently, one of which is Isaiah 26:3. I’m familiar with this one. In fact, I used to have a little wall hanging of it in calligraphy in the King James Version on my college sorority room wall. It looked something like this:

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

I’m not sure I’ve been getting a passing score in the subject of “Peace” lately, much less a perfect one, so I decided to do a little extra credit in the hopes of raising my grade. One of my favorite Bible study tools is an online Bible site where you can click on individual words to find their meaning in the original language. (You can find it at www.biblestudytools.com.)

So I typed in “Isaiah 26:3” and began clicking away. Here’s what I found:

The Hebrew word for “keep” means to guard, watch, watch over. (If you read my previous post titled “Guarded” you’ll understand why I liked that reference.) Another definition for “keep” is to be kept close.

I clicked on “peace” and up popped a familiar Hebrew word: shalom. I clicked on “perfect” and lo and behold, there it was again! So “perfect peace” is literally shalom shalom. Like I said, I start to pay attention when God repeats Himself. This is obviously something He wants us to understand. Shalom is not so much about perfection as it is about “completeness, soundness, welfare.”

Next up was the word “mind,” which, interestingly, is most often translated imagination in the KJV. My imagination definitely likes to run off, taking my peace right along with it. The word for “mind” literally means form, framing, purpose or framework. Hmm. The image of a picture frame came to my mind.

“Stayed” means to lean, lay, rest, support, uphold, lean upon. One of the other verses that I’ve been bumping into also contains the word “lean”: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5) This may be an indication that I’ve been feeling old lately, but I imagined an elderly woman, hunched over, leaning on a cane for support.

Finally, “trusteth.” What does it look like to really trust in the Lord? To “trust” is to have confidence, be bold, to be secure. It can also mean to feel safe, be careless.

The first point I felt God was trying to make was that HE was the one responsible for my peace, not me. I was stressed because I was failing to experience “perfect peace.” Only that wasn’t an assignment He had given me. He is the Prince of (perfect) Peace. It’s His job to provide it and to keep us there.

I returned to the word “mind” and the idea of a frame. If my life and circumstances are like a canvas, then perhaps the frame represents my perspective, my thoughts about my circumstances. Framing them correctly, with God’s Word and His perspective, is something I can do. It’s too easy to lean on our own understanding of a situation instead of keeping our mind “stayed,” or leaning, on His viewpoint.

My daughter Emily is a college art major and has practically taken over one of the rooms in our basement with all of her art supplies. Included in the piles of paint tubes and brushes are several easels that she uses to prop up her canvases. It struck me that we also need an “easel” to hold us up. I thought about how easels stand at an angle, and how the painting “leans” back on the wood for support.

I pondered this word picture as I left the house yesterday to pick Laurel up from her homeschool P.E. class. While I waited outside the gym in the van, I closed my eyes and imagined myself leaning on God. Only instead of hunching over a cane, I now pictured myself reclining, like a painting rests on its easel.

To do a little “field study,” I pushed the automatic recline button on the side of the driver’s seat and went for a little ride. I could feel the weight of my body shift as the seat angled back. I’m sure I looked a bit strange reclining there in the parking lot. (“Mom, WHAT are you doing?” was Laurel’s response when she got to the van.) But as I lay back in my seat, I began to feel relaxed. Yes, even…peaceful.

I noticed that the arm rests were also supporting my arms, and that’s when it really hit me. The very capable arms of Jesus Himself form the easel, and we lean back into His strong chest. THIS is the place of peace. This is the secret of shalom. HE is the easel propping us up, holding us in place and keeping us close!

So that is my report on what I believe God was trying to teach me from Isaiah 26:3. I’m reading a wonderful little daily devotional book called Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young. I really like the way she writes in first person, as if God were speaking directly to us (which He is). I thought I’d attempt to do the same as I close:

I am the Easel, and it is My job to support and hold you up. You are the canvas. The circumstances of your life are the varied colors on the canvas. Allow Me to frame these circumstances with My perspective. Your job is to lean on Me, resting your full weight on Me. When you do this, you demonstrate your trust in Me. Perfect peace is not something you achieve. It is a gift I give you as you rest safely and securely in My arms. You do the leaning. Let Me do the keeping.

Guarded

Posted on January 30, 2012June 17, 2015 by Shelley

Antelope are a sight I see every day. Hundreds of these agile creatures call the Wyoming community where we live home. They are beautiful animals; their dark horns and eyes a striking contrast to the tan and white stripes on their necks. The pronghorns, as they are also known, form larger herds in the winter, frequenting our residential areas in search of a blade of grass or a pile of leaves poking up through the snow. In the spring and summer, when food is more plentiful elsewhere, they spread out. From what I understand, they are rarely solitary.

So I thought it was peculiar when I first spied the lone buck that May. I’d notice him in the field adjacent to our house, sunning himself or munching on some foliage. He was a majestic figure. His horns towered above his head like a crown, and, judging by their size, he was not young. I was inspired by his nobility and quiet strength. He seemed unrushed, content.

I, on the other hand, was anything but a picture of calm. An unanticipated personal storm had recently descended upon me, and my stress levels were high. It was an emotional time, and my anxiety manifested itself in physical symptoms ranging from eye twitches to chest pain. I had never been through anything quite this intense before.

I began to notice that the antelope was often nearby. He seemed to appear just when I most needed a reminder that I was not alone. I felt strangely comforted, protected, and guarded. (With the exception of the night my daughter called to inform me that the antelope was eating my newly-budded daisies! I told myself that a few flowers were a small price to pay for the pleasure of his company.) His presence became to me a symbol of the nearness of God.

Spring stretched into summer, and my trial persisted. But so did the daily antelope sightings. I found myself watching expectantly for him, peering through the windows to see what side of the house he might be on. The rest of the family even got into the action and shared in the fun of spotting him. We affectionately dubbed him “The Lone Antie.”

One night in late July, feeling especially stressed, I opened my Bible and turned to Philippians 4:6, a familiar passage: “Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything.” I could recite it from memory. But it was the following verse that really struck me: “…then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

I had never paid much attention to the word “guard” before, but that night it seemed to flash like a neon sign. The study note in my Bible below the verse read: “guard…a military concept depicting a sentry standing guard.” I could picture God’s peace, standing like a military security guard at the gate of my heart, denying access to worry and fear.

The very next morning I noticed my antelope friend, bedded down across the street. Wanting to savor the moment, I poured a cup of tea and settled into a chair on the porch. Just then I observed something about the buck that I had previously overlooked. He was lying in the shade of a pine tree directly in front of our house, but I hadn’t paid much attention to his position. He actually had his back towards me, facing out, as if he were guarding our house! I was moved to tears by yet another reminder of the Lord’s vigilant presence.

I pondered this vivid picture God had given me that summer of His protective care. I felt surrounded by His peace and enveloped in His love, overwhelmed that He would go to such lengths to provide tangible evidence of His nearness during a trying time in my life.

God never promised to insulate us from heartache and storms. But He did promise to be with us, and to guard our hearts and minds with His peace. “The Lord Himself watches over you!” declared the writer of Psalm 121, “The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.” If you find yourself in the middle of a difficult season, know that God is always close at hand, and then be on guard yourself! He may “show up” in the most unexpected places.

(Not So) Silent Night

Posted on January 29, 2012June 22, 2013 by Shelley

With the smoke detector situation completely under control and my cell phone fully charged, I declared our bedroom a “Beep Free Zone.” My hopes were high for a peaceful and silent night.

Somewhere between 4 and 5 am, however, I was once again awakened by a familiar sound. This time it wasn’t a “beep.” It was Chris’ snoring.

I gave him a little love kick, which I have found over the years to be most effective in startling him just enough to interrupt the snoring but not enough to actually wake him up. My technique once again proved successful. I had just rolled over to resume sleeping, when the first fear presented itself.

Don’t you want to worry about ———? it greeted me. I was reaching for the doorknob to let it in, when I remembered what I had learned yesterday. I had a choice.

No, actually, I don’t, I responded. Silence.

Then. But what if ———? it countered.

I’m not going to entertain that thought, was my reply. More silence.

One more attempt. But what about ———?

God is in control, I addressed the fear firmly. Complete silence.

This surprising silence was such a total turn-around from the previous few nights, when my fears had thrown a boisterous slumber party in my bedroom. Yes, I was the one who had invited them in. But they had taken advantage of my hospitality and overstayed their welcome. The party was over. It was time for them to go.

Confronting them and refusing to give them free rein actually worked! I was amazed at how much quieter it was and how much easier it was to sleep when my worries weren’t jumping on the bed like little monkeys. I had won this pillow fight.

“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Victory over fear IS possible!

More Things that Go Beep in the Night

Posted on January 28, 2012July 2, 2013 by Shelley

4 am, and there it was again.

Beep.

I was half asleep, but awake enough to recall that Chris had replaced ALL of the batteries in the smoke detectors yesterday afternoon, in order to put an end to these early morning wake up calls. So what was this?

Beep.

I realized the sound was coming from my nightstand. It was my cell phone, alerting me to it’s low-battery status. I groped in the dark for the charger and inserted the plug into the phone, which silenced the beeping.

If it’s not one thing, it’s another!

Isn’t that just like worry? You no sooner escort one fear out, shutting the door behind it with a sigh of relief, and the doorbell rings, announcing the arrival of yet another uninvited house guest. Fears are persistent little buggers. Like little kids they will press the bell over and over again until somebody responds.

Ring.

I’ve been realizing that while fears may not take kindly to “No” for an answer, I do have a choice as to whether or not I will embrace and entertain them. While they may rap relentlessly on the door of my mind, disturbing my sleep, they can be confronted and quieted. Just like replacing a battery or charging a cell phone, there are things I can do to silence their beeping. I can do more than just lie there helplessly and be subjected to the noise.

The Bible instructs us more than 350 times to ‘fear not’. Worry and anxiety are mentioned more than 25 times in the New Testament alone as something to be avoided.* This is more than just a good idea. It is a command. But whenever God issues a command, a promise is inherent in it. If He says, “Don’t worry,” then we can safely assume that it is indeed possible not to worry, and that He will help us live this out.

Believing freedom from fear is attainable is the first step towards conquering it.

Here’s to a “silent night” tonight!

* From Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver

(The saga continues in “(Not So) Silent Night”…)

Things that Go Beep in the Night

Posted on January 27, 2012July 2, 2013 by Shelley

I rolled over in the pre dawn darkness to catch a glimpse of the numbers illuminated on Chris’ alarm clock.

5 am.

I lay there for a moment trying to figure out why I was awake. Then I heard it again.

Beep.

For the third morning in a row one of our smoke detectors was emitting a low-battery warning signal. Chris had hauled out the ladder and replaced the batteries in two of the detectors the day before. But in the middle of the night it is difficult to tell which direction the sound is coming from in this big, echoey house, without actually getting out of bed to investigate. The fact that there is a smoke detector in each of the five bedrooms, two in the hall and one on the stairs also makes detecting the detector a challenge.

2 down, 6 to go.

The smoke detector wasn’t the only thing keeping me up the past few nights.

A call from my doctor earlier in the week, recommending some further tests, had triggered my own alarms. Visions of worst-case scenarios danced in my head, preventing me from settling down for any long winter’s naps. Despite my efforts to muffle the sound with the pillow of reason, my fears kept emitting a low, intermittent “beep.”

Today I am wondering…

Do I need to pinpoint the source of my anxieties to help me understand where they are coming from? Are my spiritual batteries low? Is a fresh encounter with the Lord needed to replace my fears with His peace? What will stop the constant beeping of the “What Ifs” in my mind?

I don’t have all the answers yet. But I am up and investigating. I will let you know what I discover.

(Read “More Things That Go Beep in the Night” for the continuation…)

What’s a Mom to Do?

Posted on January 25, 2012April 14, 2015 by Shelley

A friend whose oldest son was entering the teen years asked me if I had any parenting advice for her. I thought for a moment, searching for something profound to share, some pearl of wisdom that might help her sail more smoothly on the often choppy waters of adolescence. But all I could come up with was one word.

“Pray.”

I remember feeling somewhat apologetic. Like I had disappointed her with the simplicity of my answer and lack of practical help. But the more I thought about it, I realized that that one little word really was the one big thing that had helped me through every challenge I had encountered as a mom of teenagers.

Sure, I prayed when my children were young. Back then, though, I was the one planning the play dates and calling the shots. The kids were never far from sight, or if they were, they were under the watchful eye of someone I knew and trusted.

With teens there were so many more variables and unknowns. So much was out of my control. And it seemed like every time I turned around I was being faced with a decision that needed to be made–now.

“Mom, can I spend the night at Amanda’s after the game tonight?”

“There’s this Halloween party Saturday night and EVERYone is going to be there. Can I PLEASE go?”

“Friday night this REALLY cool band is playing that I’d REALLY like to go hear.”

Help! First I would try to gather as much information as I possibly could about the situation. Who is going to be there? Will there be adult supervision? Would it be ok if we just locked you in your room until you turn 18? (Just kidding. But I will admit the thought has crossed our minds. More than once.)

But then what? What’s a mom to do when she doesn’t know what to do? I believe the answer is found in James 1:5:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

It’s that simple. Ask God. Pray. He promises wisdom and guidance to those who ask in faith. The right path didn’t always appear instantly obvious, but, with His help, a wise decision could eventually be made. (Which would then be followed by even more prayer–before, during, and after the event!)

Other times it wasn’t a specific question needing an answer, but more of a vague uneasiness that would settle over my maternal spirit. Like Madeline’s Miss Clavel I would “turn on the light,” sensing “something was not right.” I believe the Holy Spirit was alerting me to a need or potential danger and prompting me to pray. Often I would discover that the child I was burdened for was indeed in the midst of some struggle and in need of my prayerful attention.

“But I am in prayer.” (Psalm 109:4)

David spoke these words during a trying season when he was facing great opposition and oppression. When I have been overwhelmed by a difficult parenting challenge, or felt like we were losing ground in a particular battle, this phrase would encourage me to keep interceding for my children. Prayer really does change things. I have seen healthy relationships begin, unhealthy relationships end, sins exposed, and breakthroughs occur–all in answer to prayers I’ve prayed.

Joining with other like-minded moms in prayer has also been a huge source of strength and support during these years. My weekly “Moms in Prayer” (formerly “Moms in Touch”) group has been a place to share burdens and agree in prayer together. I always leave that time feeling lighter in spirit, less anxious, and more encouraged. Prayer has changed ME.

So perhaps I AM wiser than I thought when it comes to offering parenting advice. Or maybe I just know what to do when I don’t know what to do.

I pray.

Freedom and Fences

Posted on January 21, 2012June 17, 2015 by Shelley

I let up on the accelerator when I spotted the two young antelope out the left window of my mini van this afternoon. Now antelope are not an unusual sight on the Wyoming prairie. Hundreds of pronghorn antelope roam freely on the gated community we currently call home. But these two had wandered outside the gate and were grazing on the grass median between the on-ramp and the highway, oblivious to the danger speeding past them at 65 mph.

I breathed a silent prayer, wishing there was some way to shoo them back under the overpass and into the safe confines behind the gate. Didn’t their mama warn them not to play near the highway? Weren’t they free to move about wherever they wished as long as they stayed within their boundaries? Didn’t they understand that the fences were there to protect them?

I don’t suppose we humans are all that different when it comes to boundaries. We truly have been given “a spacious place” (Psalm 18:19) in which to graze and roam. But the grass always looks so much greener on the other side of that fence. Surely a quick trip to check it out won’t hurt anything. And next thing you know we’re dodging semis out on a four-lane highway.

Here are a few things our Father God has been trying to teach His prone-to-wander children since the beginning of time:

1) His desire is that we experience freedom and provision under His loving care. “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden…”

2) In His wisdom He has established certain boundaries. “But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil…”

3) These perimeters are for our good and for our protection. “For when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)

We mistakenly equate freedom with a complete lack of restrictions. But the fences are the very things that guarantee our continued ability to enjoy our freedom. To live contentedly within the perimeters God has laid out for us in His Word, we must trust His heart towards us. If He says “No” to something, it is only because He wants to protect us and provide for us.

Temptation will call out to you from across the fence. Our culture will try to convince you that following God is too restrictive and that you will miss out on all the fun. The enemy will put his own spin on God’s instructions: “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1)

Don’t be fooled. An interstate is no place for antelope. Or people. True freedom is found in listening to God’s voice, and remaining within the protective confines of His love and care.

“Whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” (Proverbs 1:33)

When Tears Fall

Posted on January 19, 2012May 26, 2014 by Shelley

It has been a sad start to the New Year for the F.E. Warren AFB community. One of its own, TSgt. Matthew Schwartz, was killed in Afghanistan on January 5. He leaves behind a wife and three young daughters.

The news was brought even closer to home when we learned that his oldest daughter, Aliza, is a member of the Cheyenne All-City Children’s Chorus, along with our daughter Laurel. Although we do not know this family personally, our hearts and prayers go out to them.

What can you possibly say to a ten-year-old girl who has just lost her father?

That is the question that kept running through my mind as I checked the choir members in before yesterday’s rehearsal. I didn’t know how I might react if I were to look up from the attendance sheet to see Aliza’s sweet face. I was worried I might burst into tears.

Should I hug her? Say I’m so sorry for her loss? Or just try to carry on without comment and allow her some sense of “normalcy”–whatever that might be for a young girl who has just said a final goodbye to her dad?

Aliza stayed home from choir yesterday, understandably, since the base memorial service was only Tuesday, the day before. So I didn’t have to figure out what my response should be. But I have a pretty good idea of what Jesus would do…

John 11 records the story of Lazarus’ death and resurrection. Jesus, this man and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, were friends. Lazarus became ill and died. When Jesus arrived at their home a few days after the funeral, he encountered the sisters, whose emotions were still raw with grief.

Joanna Weaver, in Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, describes what happened next this way:

Even though Jesus knew Lazarus was about to be raised from the dead, he understood Mary and Martha’s pain. He did more than understand it. He felt it too. John 11:35 tells us, ‘Jesus wept.’ The word for wept denotes a deep sorrow with great emotion.”

Jesus wept. It’s the shortest verse in the Bible, but perhaps the most poignant. It reveals something almost unbelievably tender about the heart of God. He sees our tears, and adds His own. He feels our hurt, right in the center of His own gut. He enters fully into our grief.

Weaver goes on to say:

Because Jesus loved this family from Bethany, he wept, and he weeps with us as well. Though Jesus knows our triumphant outcomes, though he sees the joyful ending just around the bend, he still gets down in the middle of our sorrow and holds us close, mingling his tears with our own.”

How I love this about Him. He doesn’t distance Himself awkwardly from our heartache, unsure of how to respond. He is, after all, “a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.” (Isaiah 53:3a, NLT) He can go there with us.

While I don’t always know the right thing to say or do when faced with someone else’s pain, I know the One who does. And so I pray for a little girl named Aliza and her two sisters. I pray they will climb into the Daddy-lap of Jesus, feel His strong arms hugging them to His chest, and grip the nail-scarred hand holding tightly to theirs. I am so, so sorry that their innocent young lives have been shattered by such a terrible loss.

I pray they will know that they do not cry alone.

In Tim We Trust?

Posted on January 14, 2012May 25, 2013 by Shelley

I had a dream about Tim Tebow last night. Unfortunately, it wasn’t about the outcome of tonight’s playoff match-up with the New England Patriots. In the dream Tim and I were friends. He trusted me and I was giving him sage advice about the challenges of celebrity life. Because I have so much experience with that.

Tebow was voted the #1 athlete by fans this week in an ESPN poll. “In Tim We Trust” signs can be seen at every Broncos game. “I Believe in Tim Tebow” was the title of an article I read this past week. Tebowmania reigns. At least for one more day.

(My good friend) Tim is, from all accounts, just a regular guy who loves Jesus and happens to play pro football. He works hard to stay humble and grounded by surrounding himself with people who know him, love him and will tell him the truth about himself. He believes God has given him a platform and he wants nothing more than to make HIS name famous.

Yet maintaining this perspective must be difficult in a culture that insists on enthroning its athletes, actors and artists, turning a platform into a pedestal. We feel this intense desire to idolize and worship someone or something. Athleticism, Beauty and Success are our gods.

There is nothing new under the sun. I’m reminded of this account in the Bible…

In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas were preaching in the town of Lystra, when a man who had been lame from birth was healed. The people responded to this miracle by exclaiming, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” (verse 11b) The whole town jumped on the bandwagon and called a prayer meeting. To worship Paul and Barnabas. Oops.

But look at their response: “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.” (v. 15)

They had their theology straight. He is God, capital G. We are not. Give up your gods, little g, and serve HIM.

We were made to worship. The problem comes when we substitute false gods for the One True God. When we elevate created things over the Creator. When we idolize men and forget their Maker.

Only once has God taken on human form. And unlike Paul and Barnabas, Jesus did not refuse worship when Thomas proclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). HE is the One worthy of our praise and adoration.

Lesser gods will fail us. Idols can do nothing to save us. The only way off of a pedestal is down. So worship the Living God, and Him alone.

I’m sure Timmy would agree.

Of Broncos and Belief

Posted on January 11, 2012January 18, 2014 by Shelley

“They’re going to lose,” eleven-year-old Laurel kept repeating at the start of the Broncos game on Sunday.

“Quit saying that!” I admonished her. “Anything can happen.”

Anything indeed.

I’ve been a Broncos fan since I moved to Colorado in 1983. John Elway also moved to Denver that year. One of Chris’ and my first dates (and the first time he held my hand!) was at a Broncos game. I cheered for them through their Superbowl losses and victories.

Nothing, however, can quite compare with the amusement-park-worthy ride we’ve been on this current season. (Except of course The Holding of the Hand. I had to say that because my husband reads my blog.) Fourth-quarter heroics, game-tying field goals and 80-yard overtime touchdown passes have made Broncos games not-to-be-missed Sunday afternoon TV fare. Even naysayer Laurel had donned her Dad’s Tebow jersey by halftime and was jumping up and down in front of the screen.

It’s been a nice change for Broncos fans.

There’s been a change in my perspective too. Instead of writing them off and counting them out when things look bleak, or turning against them like my dear husband does (maybe he won’t really read this!), I find myself holding onto…Hope. I’ve seen the underdog defeat the favorite and the trailing team come from behind to win too many times this season to doubt. I BELIEVE.

I’ve needed this reminder that Davids sometimes still defeat Goliaths and Red Seas still can part. Instead of letting the arrival of a “giant” on my playing field cause me to retreat in fear, I’m now at least entertaining the possibility that I might be able to face it down. When a friend shares an overwhelming burden with me, I’m more inclined to pray in faith, remembering we serve a God who specializes in pulling out improbable victories. The Bible is filled with such accounts. And He is still in the business of authoring unexpected and impossible endings to stories today. I BELIEVE.

So thank you, Broncos. It’s been an unforgettable season. But more importantly, a great lesson for life beyond the football field.

There’s always hope. Nothing is impossible. Anything can happen.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” (Mark 10:27 NLT)