Wisdom Wednesday: The Wisdom of Compassionate Creativity

                    The Wisdom of Compassionate Creativity                       

                                                Submitted by Debbie’s Dad

The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion (Psalm 116:5)

 

In 2008 our family moved from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Chantilly, Virginia . She continued to work on her blog, writing devotionals and working on a book manuscript. She prepared a new resume, and we began searching for openings and applied for job after job, with no results. Debbie had transitioned to the Virginia medical program and started having visits from new nurses that would periodically check up on her. Finally, one day in the summer of 2013, a new nurse visited Debbie and talked to her about her health and what she was doing with her daily writing. She was very impressed and told Debbie, “You should certainly be able to get a job.” Debbie explained that we had been praying and seeking a possible job because now we were in the Washington DC area, which might increase her possibilities. The nurse said, “I am going to see what I can do.” That was an answer to prayer!

    Within a few days, Debbie was contacted by a contractor for the State Department and invited to submit a job application. We did not realize that the nurse’s husband was an official who managed the disability office at the State Department. Debbie applied, and on July 8, 2013, she was employed as a Communication Specialist; she had a fantastic job working from her apartment writing materials to train people on how to comply with Section 508 of the law that requires federal government websites to provide access to disabled people. It was a dream come true for Debbie; it gave her a sense of purpose, the sense that others on the team depended on her, a daily routine, and a sense of accomplishment. She was even to State Department meetings in DC and welcomed as an offsite team member. What a contribution to Debbie’s self-esteem. And, like all employees, she looked forward to Friday evening and the weekend!  

    Her work lasted for two years until June 2015; the State Department manager moved to a position out of the country, and the new manager reduced the staff. Debbie’s employment was over; it was heart rendering. It was an incredible two years, and I often thought about those years of work. It was all because of that wonderful young man and his wife, who had the unique combination of compassion to see Debbie in need and the creativity to find a place for her. I believe that all employers who employ disabled people must have this unique combination - compassionate creativity. It requires compassion to see the potential in the disabled person and the innovation to find a way for them to contribute. I will always be grateful to that wonderful couple for giving Debbie two years of employment.

Shareable Attributes of God

Theologians distinguish the attributes of God that are shareable with humans. Of course, the most obvious ones, like omnipotence, omnipresence, etc., are unique to God and not shareable. But many attributes God will freely share with those who ask. For example, we know we are invited to pray for wisdom to make wise decisions that glorify God (James 1:5). Compassion and creativity are two of those shareable attributes God will provide to us to glorify His name as we help others.

Compassion

God is described as the God of compassion and comfort in both the Old Testament (But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Psalm 86:15) and in the New Testament (Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. II Corinthians 1:3–4.) Throughout the Psalms, compassion is attributed to God (See 51:1, 86:15, 103:13, 116:5, 145:8-9). And His followers we are encouraged to take on this attribute of their heavenly Father: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” ( Colossians 3:12.)

Creativity

God gave a man named Bezalel the “skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship” to create the elements of the tabernacle, working in precious metals, stone, wood, and weaving materials. (Exodus 35:30-33) He also taught others these capabilities (verses 34-35). This creativity was in creating physical things, but God also gave creativity in reasoning and discerning. We see this in King Solomon, who asked God for wisdom (rather than wealth), and God responded, “Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.” (I Kings 3:2). Here, wisdom and discernment are given, and these are key elements to a creative mind – the ability to discern patterns, make relations, see analogies, and generate new ideas.  

Compassionate Creativity

When applied together, these attributes will bless others and accomplish the kinds of good works that help others see the character of God – compassion to see the situation of others and the creativity to take action so we can reach out in love. May we all pray for these attributes that God will freely share. 

 

Wisdom Wednesday: The Wisdom of CS Lewis - : One Man's journey to Wisdom and Joy

One Man's Journey to Wisdom and Joy

For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God's sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:26. (NASB95)

 

The recent movie, C. S. Lewis: A Most Reluctant Convert, gives the Christian testimony of C.S. Lewis (1989-1963), a British scholar, writer, bestselling author, broadcaster, and Christian apologist. The movie is told as his life story narrated by an elder C.S. Lewis, who walks through his own life explaining the thought process that ultimately led him, though very reluctantly, to believe in Jesus Christ. We'll quickly scan how he shared his mental journey:

His Thoughts as a Solid Atheist

In the movie preamble, Lewis describes his worldview in the 1920s as a hardened scholarly atheist, a materialist. But, if asked, "Why not believe" he would give his cynical line of reasoning:

•         Just look at the universe: empty, dark, cold.
•         And what is life? We prey on one another! Even more, we are aware of this and given a conscience so we can experience pain and die in our pain!
  
•         And look at man. We have reason to see our own pain, which leads to suffering. But more than that, our reasoning has enabled us to invent more ways to inflict pain and suffering.
•     Yet the astronomers tell us that the whole universe will ultimately run down; we are all on a sinking ship!

So, Lewis would respond, "So you think there is an omnipotent God?"… "Ha!" He added that he would be angry with such a God anyhow for willing us into existence without even asking our permission.

His Childhood

Lewis's mother died of cancer when he was a small boy, and he did not have a good relationship with his father, who continually berated C.S. and his brother Warney. But his home was loaded with books, and he enjoyed reading. He thought he was a Christian because it was the family religion. As his mother died, he prayed for a miracle as if God were a magician, not a judge or a savior. Her death left him a pessimist about life and fed his atheism; at 14 years old, he became an apostate and was relieved to become a normal mode, an educated young man rejecting superstition. Yet when he reached the age of confirmation in the Christian church of England, he proceeded to act out the commitment knowing it was a lie and that he did not believe in any of it. He was aware that his cowardice led him to an act of hypocrisy that he later realized was an act of blasphemy.

Following Great Thinkers and Learning the Classics

His father sent him to be tutored by a Mr. Kirkpatrick, who was called "the Great Knock"; he spent two years in his tutor's home learning to think, reason, create arguments, and provide backing for his every assertion. He studied the classics in Latin and Greek and read the philosophers and their views for the explanation of life.

Tasting the Occult

During these teenage years of reading, he was introduced to Yeats, who rejected hard materialism and led C.S. to look into the writings of the occult. They PROVIDED him the concepts of imagination, wonder, and beauty that materialism lacked. Reading Gordon Macdonald's Phantasies introduced him to the concept of holiness and sadness. He spent his time reading, walking, and listening to music in a search for beauty; he realized that the ultimate search was for joy. Later in life, he noted that a person upon finding joy would not exchange true joy for all the pleasures in the world. But he also realized that unfortunately joy is not within our power, but pleasures are.

World War I and Oxford

At 18, C.S. headed to Oxford but at 19 was sent off to World War I and experienced the horror of the trenches where he was hit by a mortar and thought he had died. It was a ghastly interruption to his rational life. However, in the hospital, he read GK Chesterton and loved the "bloom of his arguments." He continued his studies and loved debate and rational argumentation. After two years, he moved to Gordon College and loved being among scholars. He felt he had arrived.

Incremental Conversion

These years began an ongoing debate with his friend Owen Barfield. Barfield challenged his materialism, arguing that materialism was contrary to rational reasoning. If reasoning is a product of a brain that is a product of the accidental collision of atoms in the sculls, then it was not logical to deduce that the mind, reasoning, imagination, and consciousness could be trusted. He convinced C.S. that "rock bottom reality had to be intelligent" if we can trust our thinking. C.S. was also befriended by other Christians such as Hugo Dyson and JRR Tolkien, who moved him to believe in a Spirit, but not a personal God. Yet his thinking also convicted him of the sinfulness and imperfection of his own life. By 1929 he gave in and admitted that God is God - he was a theist! This caused him to begin attending the Chapel at Oxford. One day walking with Tolkien, he asked about the Gospel, "How can I believe what I do not understand?" Tolkien explained that Jesus' claims were unlike any other in any religion and that his claim to be God required us to consider him either a liar or fraud, a lunatic, or the very son of God!

C.S. was amazed and considered the analogy of Shakespeare writing himself into his own story. Could God have written himself into the story of the universe? He pondered these things long and hard until the fall of 1931 when writing in a motorcycle sidecar; he truly believed and felt as though he had woken up from a long sleep in another world! Finally, he realized his search for joy was complete and he realized the ultimate joy is not in the pleasures of this world but in the world prepared for him.

This movie was an excellent example of one man's search for the wisdom in knowing God in a personal way and finding joy in the walk of wisdom.

  

 

 

 

 

 

Music Monday: "Look What You've Done " By Tasha Layton; 3 Reasons Why Christians Don't Need to Live in the Past

 Music Monday: "Look What You've Done " by Tasha Layton

by Debbie Waltz

 

As a writer, I try and attend as many conferences as possible to strengthen my craft. Many of you may remember me mentioning the virtual conference I attended last week; as expected, I am experiencing what many call the "coming down from the mountain" feeling. After being filled with The Spirit and connecting with the community, returning home with a lot of energy and losing it over time is expected. This isn't losing my purpose, just energy, and motivation.

 

Why We must Remember the Past

As I wrote this, I couldn't help but realize how this paralleled our walk with God as Christians. Stay with me here. When we first believe, we are all in- dedicated to the cause of Christ. Over time, though, the newness of our faith wears off as it then becomes part of a routine. This is where the danger lies.

. "Why is that?" You may be asking.

The answer is quite simple. Our faith becomes less effective when we forget how far we've come because of God's grace and mercy. Granted, this happens slowly with a gradual belief that we can do this life on our own. Must sign. We must never forget our past and what God has done for us.

Three Reasons Why We Don't Have to Live in The Past

         While we must remember where we've been, God doesn't intend for us to stay there. Why? I will list the reasons below and explain them more in-depth in the paragraphs below. First and foremost, He loves us just the way we are. Second, He redeemed us because he has better plans than we could have for ourselves. Third, no matter what happens in this life, God will work it out for your good if you are a Christian.

         Now let's take a more in-depth look at these reasons, shall we?

1.   God Loves Us Just The Way We Are

We've all heard the lyrics to "Jesus Loves Me" at some point in our life, but have we taken the time to think about it. God didn't have to create us; he could have made anything to satisfy his need for a companion. He did it anyway. He also could have given us a mind that automatically believed; instead, he allowed us the choice of free will. Romans 5:8 states, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Paul expands on this idea even further in verse 10 as he continues," For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!"

^2.       God redeemed us; his plans are better than the ones we could have for ourselves. Not only did God love us, as illustrated above, but he acted on that love by sending his one and only son Jesus Christ to redeem us from our sinful state. In Latin, the word "Redeemer" literally means to "buy back." The Greek translation also defines redemption more aptly as "to purchase something that has been lost." Jesus paid the price for our sins past, present, and future. (Isaiah 53:5-6.) In this one sacrificial act, he ends the need for animal sacrifices. He, after all, is the only perfect and spotless lamb there is. Therefore, we should rely on God's plans rather than our own. Even though we can't always see what God is doing, we can trust Him. Remember what Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Unlike us, Jesus sees what the future holds and knows how our choices will impact those around us- both the good and the bad. Isaiah 55: 8-9 reiterates, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.."

3.   Everything will work out to fulfill God's purposes. As Christians, we all have grown up memorizing Romans 8:28. But, contrary to popular belief, this doesn't mean everything will turn out perfectly; instead, God will take our choices (both good and bad) to further His kingdom and our sphere of influence.

I chose Tasha Layton's "Look What You've Done" precisely for this reason. The song begins by mimicking discouragement, voicing our thoughts as we try to live up to God's standards and purposes for our life, but we fail. As humans, we aren't perfect, and we will not be until we reach Heaven. We live in a fallen world; as such, we are prone to fall back into old habits

 

But there's hope. God will always help us stand back up and keep moving. If we truly repent and turn our back on our old ways.

 

Jesus knows we will stumble; He wants us to get back up…

 

No matter how many times, just stand back up..

He is waiting for you...

To listen to Tasha Layton's "Look What You've Done," it can leave found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyfUdwGBjtk

 

 

Faithful Friday-Chuck's story: finding God in the dark

Faithful Friday: Chuck's Story: Finding God in the Dark

By Debbie Waltz

Do you find yourself amid a struggle right now? Do you wonder if God has left you alone to figure things out on your own? You're not alone. Join me as I interview fellow writer and friend Chuck Carr as he shares his story of finding God in the dark.To hear more of his amazing story, please go to:https://www.chuck-carr.com/

The Top 3 Traits For A Godly Young Woman

The Top 3 Traits For A Godly Young Woman
by Debbie Waltz

[Disclosure: I apologize for my absence; I attended the virtual Colorado Christian Writer's conference/Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference this past week. I forgot to post this before things got a little. My dad is doing well; he is home and recovering.

         Let me begin this post by wishing all the mothers a happy Mother’s Day. This weekend was full of memorable moments for my family and me. As well as celebrating Mother’s Day, my niece attended her first formal at her Christian school with a friend of hers; they stopped by our house for pictures and then went out to dinner afterward. As the school doesn’t have your typical dances, they went out go-carting. It was neat.

         If I didn’t know any better, you’d think my niece was attending a wedding and not a school function. She has grown into such beauty right before our eyes. Not only is Elizabeth beautiful on the outside, but she is always willing to help me out with navigating my wheelchair through tight spaces. So, Elizabeth, may you never lose this heart of gold you have!

         This Sunday was the last opportunity to get together to celebrate my birthday, Tim’s birthday, and my birthday as well since dad will be having his shoulder surgery on Friday. Unfortunately, we couldn’t celebrate sooner because of all the activities on our schedules; anyway, they gave me this precious mug with part of Proverbs 31 on it. It says, “She is clothed         with strength and dignity.”

Imagine my surprise when the same verse is on my friend's Facebook page today. That got me thinking - what biblical advice would I impart to my nieces and the generations to follow. For that reason, I’d like to take a closer look at the proverb. I know it has a lot to say about the characteristics of a noble wife, but these characteristics are not inherited. They are LEARNED- passed down from one generation of godly women to another. A healthy fear of the Lord is necessary to produce a godly woman. I’m not speaking of anticipation or awareness of danger but rather to possess a reverential sense of awe for God.

Having a personal relationship with Jesus is essential. Through this relationship, she learns the value of trust not only in God but also in herself. The rest will come naturally if we have some kind of godly role model in our lives. Here are my top 3 qualities from Proverbs 31 that every girl should strive for

 

1.   She Is Dutiful. She understands her role as a part of the household growing up. Later, this will turn into the duties of a wife. But I am speaking to young women now; they understand what is expected of them and do what is asked of them by the older generation; by that, I mean parents, teachers, etc. Young girls rise early and are attentive to their schoolwork.

2.   She Is Cheerful. This doesn’t mean we always have to have a smile on our faces. We know we will face adversity because of sin, but because of God, we know how we should react. Now we are not perfect; we are going to fall down sometimes. That is what grace is for! After all, look at what it says in Ephesians 1:7-9, “In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ….”

3.   She is kind. Out of all the characteristics I have described, I believe this is the most important. Proverbs 31:20 - 21 says, “She opens her arms to the poor, and extends her hands to the needy.  When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. “ There are two things about this passage I would like to point out.

a.   First of all, this is God’s ministry - to serve and heal the needy both physically and spiritually. As his ambassadors, it is our job to continue serving. To use our talents and gifts to minister to those around us about God’s love and mercy

b.   Why is the Godly Woman not afraid? Simple. She knows who she is and who provides for her. In their time, purple was the symbol of royalty. Did you notice the use of the word scarlet; I believe that was intentional

PS.I fully intended to post this on Mother's Day and dedicate it to my mother as well as both my nieces. Mom, you have shown me what it means to be a Godly Woman.

Faithful Friday: Faith to the Rescue by Joy and Eric McPherson

 Faith to the Rescue

By: Joy and Eric McPherson

 

     Tears came to my eyes as I watched the other little boys in the classroom running around, playing a competitive game of tag. With laughter and giggles spilling out across the play area, the boys chose who was “it.” I watched in awe as they ran, mesmerized by all of the activity. There were other children too, playing with brightly colored toys, happily chatting away, interacting with their peers, and mostly ignoring us adults in the room. Only occasionally asking one of us for a drink or a snack. I looked over and found my little guy Eli huddled in the corner, present but in his own little world. Eli wasn’t playing with any of the toys surrounding him or interacting with the other kids, and this was breaking my heart. His autism diagnosis was still so fresh, and I could feel the tears building up, threatening to spill out of the corners of my eyes. Something had to be done, and FAST! My heart raced rapidly, just as quickly as my body temperature rose. Oh boy! I was entering the danger zone, sensing that full-blown sobs were only moments away. Digging my fingernails into the palms of my hands, I desperately tried to distract my heart from processing the scene unfolding in front of me. Thankfully this time, the panic inside blew over as quickly as it came, and I could smile my way through. For now, the moment was over, and time was moving forward, although peace was far from my heart.

     Arriving home shortly after, my husband Eric met us at the door. He could see that I was visibly distressed as he picked Eli up, and we walked inside. Of course, by the time I set my purse down on the cupboard, the tears were pouring down my cheeks, and I was crying uncontrollably. As I began to try and explain what had unfolded earlier, regret began to enter my heart. This was not how I wanted Eli’s and my day to end, and I certainly didn’t want him to see me again upset. Eric stood silently and listened intently, as he usually did. He comforted me, held me, and asked me one simple question. Did I have faith? Faith that someday Eli was going to something AMAZING. He was going to play! WHAT? Was he not here in this room with me, and had he not just listened to my concerns? Witnessed my tears? What did faith have to do with this? Kids were climbing on the walls today, and I’d barely held it together! What in the world did he mean? Exasperated and unable to process his words, I retreated.

What did Eric know, anyway? Deciding to ignore his wisdom, I bolted into the bathroom and drew a bath, choosing to soothe my aching soul with warm water instead of having faith. The water moved, up and down, just like tiny waves. I watched them intently when Eric popped his head into the bathroom, reminding me about the mustard seed verse. The verse about FAITH. He even had it highlighted on his phone and read it aloud. Annoyance bubbled inside of me as he closed the door. His exit left me pondering my faith. Was it the size of a mustard seed? My faith, just like those tiny waves, was wavering, going up and down. God wasn’t done with this family just yet, and we needed him now more than ever.   

     Later that evening, I pondered Eric’s words. Sometimes, especially in times of sorrow, I’m unable to speak and only able to cry. So often, my faith is so small and as tiny as that mustard seed. Thankfully life wasn’t slowing down anytime soon; it was moving on. Showing us that amazing moments happen because we serve an AMAZING God. Nowadays, my heart soars with happiness when I walk into a room, watching my little boy with his action figures. Moving them around in the air, PLAYING!!!! This is the place where faith has taken our family. A place of beauty and peace, and a place where I’m able to sing, “God is so good, he is so good to me.”

 

 

 

     

Wisdom Wednesday: Practical Steps to Wisdom by Malissa Chapin

 Practical Steps to Wisdom

by: Malissa Chapin ( Malissa Chapin) 

 

[Message from Debbie: Many thanks to the writers that have agreed to blog here in my absence. I hope these authors provide another perspective besides my own on the topics that the Lord laid on their hearts. In my absence, I plan on completing chapter 19 as well as figuring out what the future holds in terms of dad’s health and surgery being rescheduled. Long story short, doctors became concerned that his blood pressure was too high. So, they canceled his surgery and insisted he go see a cardiologist before they reschedule. Update: My dad got the go-ahead and called the scheduler to see if they could fit him in again.]

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7 (KJV)

 

     I don’t know anyone who wishes to be a fool; we all desire wisdom. But are we actually wise? Are we willing to do what God says to do to gain wisdom? How do we even get wisdom?

    Too often, I think of wisdom as something to attain in old age—gray-haired grannies dispense wisdom like candy. I love many wise gray-haired women and am thankful for their influence in my life, but God doesn’t reserve wisdom for gray-haired old ladies and gentlemen. The good news about God’s wisdom is that we don’t have to wait for old age. God will give us wisdom right now.

What is wisdom? 

    Martin H. Manser, in his book Dictionary of Bible Themes, describes wisdom as “The quality of knowledge, discernment and understanding characteristic of God himself.”

How do I get wisdom?

     Ask!

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5 (KJV)

 Where do I find wisdom?

      The Sunday School answer is “the Bible,” but God’s Word is the correct answer. The source of wisdom is our Bible.

    The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7 (KJV)

 

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; Proverbs 2:6 (ESV)

      What are some practical ways to gain wisdom?

1.     Read God’s Word

        My mom always read one Proverb a day and her other Bible reading. The book of Proverbs contains thirty-one chapters and can be read in a month. A bonus to reading a Proverbs a day is that you always know which Proverb you should read by the day of the month. *If you get behind, don’t worry. You’ll read it next month. Feel free to skip ahead to the correct number Proverb and catch the one you missed on your next read-through.

    We visited a church on vacation, and the speaker shared that when he was a young boy, his father made him read one Proverbs a day to “idiot-proof” him. We laugh about the idea now; That's exactly what we should focus on. The pull of the world, media, and false teaching easily fills our minds and hearts. Instead, we should fill our hearts and minds with the wisdom of God’s word.

 

2.     Memorize Scripture.

 Oh how I love your law!  It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:97 (ESV)            

          What better way to meditate day and night on Scripture than memorizing passages?

Memorizing the Bible benefits you in multiple ways, but wisdom is an excellent reason to memorize God’s word.   f you’re not sure where to start, try Psalm 1, Psalm 23, 1 Corinthians 13, or Ephesians 6:10-20.

Memorization tips—pick one or two

1.   Write the passage out.
2.   Read the passage out loud several times.
3.  Say the verse out loud a phrase at a time. Repeat until you’ve memorized that phrase then add another phrase and repeat until you’ve memorized the new phrase.
4.   Listen to the verse set to music if you can find a song. Psalms are easier to find set to music
5.   When you’ve finally memorized the passage, have someone listen if you’re close.
6.   Take time to review the passage every few weeks to keep the verses fresh in your mind.

 When I was in elementary school, we sang this song. The words ran through my mind as I wrote on wisdom and I’d like to share it with you today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-ykfw3-i7s

 

“…so in Christ are hid all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God.” John Huss

 

 

 

 

^[1] Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).