The memory is as clear as if it was yesterday. Our family (our two high school aged sons, Bill, and me) were sitting at our kitchen table in California. December was waning and we (actually they) were talking about new year’s resolutions. I was avoiding involvement in the conversation.

Why my resistance? Was it because of personal insecurity? Perhaps. My history with new year’s resolutions wasn’t stellar; I could usually successfully keep them until February. I didn’t want to set myself up for failure. Again.

But I think down deep something else was going on. Before I even began to think about the fact that I was a human-being not a human-doing, before I really grabbed hold of the gospel of grace, God was at work in my life.  The thought of making a plan to do something in the new year didn’t seem quite right to me. I resisted.

A few years ago, I was introduced to the thought of picking a word for the year. A word that characterized who you wanted to be.

At first I resisted. Wasn’t this the same as making a new year’s resolution?

But the niggling thought would not leave. And two years ago, I began the practice of having a word for the year.

You know, I’m not sure I remember any of my new year’s resolutions, but I can tell you my words. Rest was my 2017 word. https://suetell.com/reflecting-on-the-gallop/
Choose was my 2018 word. https://suetell.com/choose-2018/
Secure is my 2019 word.

Do you see a pattern? I do. Truly I believe God continues to deepen my understanding of rest.

Deuteronomy 33:12 in the NIV translation says, “… Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him …” And the other translations give me deeper understanding into those words. Often they are translated “the beloved of the LORD dwells in safety.”  But in the NIV, rest and secure are right next to each other.

I believe security which is known by God’s commitment is a basic need for all of us. And God desires to be our main provider. Am I experiencing God as my security? Is that leading to rest?

I might ask myself, if I’m not experiencing rest, I wonder if my security is misplaced? Am I looking to a ministry opportunity, or a certain family time for my security, or obtaining a certain goal, or, or, or?

For 2019, secure is my word. I’m trusting that I will grow in experiencing God as my security and that will lead to a deeper understand and reality of rest for me.

I wonder, what might be the word God wants you to trust him for in 2019?

Having a word for the year is a popular phenomenon. There are books to read on the concept; there are workshops to participate in. The Dayspring company even offers a multiple-choice quiz to determine your word of  the year. (I took the quiz and was surprised by their suggested word … although it could be a piece of the definition of secure for me.)

But all these helps encourage finding your word as opposed to asking God to reveal your word.

One BIG suggestion – Don’t just think about what you want for the year and come up with a word that describes it, ask God what his word is for you for the year. Then pray for several days, asking God to confirm his choice of a word for you. I believe that this will lead to a spiritually  transforming new year, instead of a word that is no different from a resolution that may not last past Valentine’s Day. And as Grace says below, it helps you live intentionally.

Grace Cho, writer, editor, and speaker said it this way in her article, “Why Finding Your Word Matters” …

“I wonder what God is whispering to your soul as you look toward the new year. I wonder what word He has for you and what ways He’s going to work that word out in your life. He is speaking, and He is wanting you to hear. He wants you to draw near, to be bold in obedience, to stay rooted, and to grow more into maturity in Christ.

Be still, even when things are not, and seek the word He has for you, seek His purpose for the year ahead. Let’s live intentionally this coming year!”

And when you hear from God, and if you would like to share it, I’d be honored to pray for you.

“The faithful love of the LORD never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!””
Lamentations 3:22-24, NLT

and May your experience of God be more real than ever in 2019!

 

What a special gift to us these 5 are. The oldest are visiting from Kansas; the younger 3 from California. We are rarely all together. So these moments are precious. Thank you for allowing Echoes of Grace a brief pause.

“Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,”
Proverbs 17:6a

Echoes of Grace returns next week sharing on A New Year’s Resolution or a New Year’s Word. Come by next Thursday for my big reveal.

Blessings to you as we jump into a new year and all God has for us!

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing (as you trust),
so that
by the power of the Holy Spirit
you may abound in hope.”
Romans 15:13, (parenthesis mine)

A benediction for “Christmas Words” to carry you into the new year.

Last month The Navigators asked me to write an article to put on their social media sites about discipleship in the month of December.

Click on the link below to see my offering. Please know that the 4 principles I shared are applicable any month of the year.

Discipleship in December

May you continue to receive the joy, peace, and wonder of the Christmas season and may it follow you into the new year.
This is my prayer for you. Amen!

Christmas Words, Advent 2018
Receive is a Christmas Word – This concept is foundational for all the other Christmas words.
Joy is a Christmas Word
Peace is a Christmas Word

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Our GRAND-son Jack was three years old when his mother captured this moment as he stood in awe seeing his first real rainbow. This picture hangs on the wall above my desk reminding me of the gift God offers in wonder.

Children are naturals at wondering.

As a child of God sometimes it’s easy to lose the ability to wonder. I don’t want that to be true of me!

Zechariah, Mary, Elizabeth, the Shepherds, Simeon, even Zechariah’s and Elizabeth’s neighbors give clues helping define wonder. Check out Luke 1 and 2.

Questions are important, really important to understand wonder.
“You learn more by living with the questions than knowing all the answers.”
Bill Tell, my hubby

When Gabriel visited Zechariah while he was serving in the Temple (Luke 1:8-18), Gabriel’s first words were “God has heard your prayer” referring to Zechariah’s desire for a son. I wonder, was this a prayer Zechariah prayed in his 20s, or 30s, or maybe even his 40s? Or as an old man, was he still asking God for a son? The scriptures don’t tell us.

Gabriel continued,
“You will have great joy.”
“he (the son) will be great in the eyes of the Lord.”
“He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth.”
And much more.

Zechariah did question Gabriel. But his question was not one of wonder, his question communicated doubt and asked for proof. Not the roadway to wonder.

Gabriel also visited Mary. (Luke 1:26-38) In his first words to her, he affirmed her. “The Lord is with you … you have found favor with God.” He went on to share …
“You will conceive … and bear a son.”
“He will be called the Son of the Most High.”
“And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David.”
And much more.

Mary too had a question, but unlike Zechariah’s question, her question was one of wonder. “How will this be …?” Mary’s question did not ask for proof, she asked about the process. It was a question of wonder.

Synonyms for wonder abound in the Christmas narrative.

“Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood …” Luke 1:65 NLT
“Everyone who heard about it reflected … and asked …” Luke 1 66 NLT
“All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished,” Luke 2:18
“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 ESV
“But Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.” Luke 2:19 NLT
“All who heard him were amazed …” Luke 2:47 NLT and ESV (This is 12 years later referring to Jesus.)
“And his mother stored all these things in her heart.” Luke 2:51 NLT (treasured up, ESV)

Wonder is not asking for proof,
it is expecting God to be God
when we have no idea how that will happen.
Wonder makes me to ask, what might my assumptions cause me to miss?

Author John Blase suggests, “Truths unlived are not truths.” Wondering, pondering, reflecting allows up to live with questions, to live with truth and let it become ours.

I’ve found that wondering, reflecting, pondering lead to stability.

“and he will be the stability of your time,
abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;”
Isaiah 33:6

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A scripture to meditate on: “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45

A question to ask: What has God spoken to you and asked you to believe (trust)?

A prayer to pray: God, please create in me a wondering, pondering heart who learns to trust and experience the stability only you offer. Amen

 

 

 

Receive is a Christmas Word. Both transformative & foundational.
Joy is a Christmas Word .

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Peace is a Christmas Word!

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 5:1

Paul penned a very bold statement to the church at Rome … and the Holy Spirit speaks it to us. We have peace, right now, in whatever circumstances, present tense.

But is that peace our reality?

In the midst of writing this post, I’m surrounded by friends battling cancer, living with the destruction of the Camp Fire, the imminent death of a parent, even computer issues potentially stealing the peace of God we are promised.

I remember walking into the counselor’s office with Bill for the first time. I’m sure he (the counselor) noticed my self-protective posture and the defensiveness in my countenance. At that moment my life was emanating the very opposite of peace. But by our second day with him, my shoulders were relaxing, my jaw was un-clenching, and trust was beginning to flow. And as trust flowed, peace followed. Peace, another fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) became my reality.

As Hebrews 12:11 describes, “the peaceful fruit of righteousness” took over.

What made the difference?

Jesus was there waiting for me. His peace was mine to receive;
and receiving is different from finding.

I began experiencing the counselor’s help.
I began trusting his wisdom.
With grateful humility I received what he offered.

Peace is a Christmas Word.

Peace is another gift Jesus offers. Peace is ours to receive.

Jesus, the gift we celebrate at Christmas is the peace we long for.

Isaiah prophesied about Jesus long before he was born calling him the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
Jesus testifies about himself that he is leaving us his gift of peace which looks different from the peace we expect in the world. John 14:27
Paul describes Jesus as Lord of peace in his benediction to his letter to the Thessalonians.
II Thessalonians 3:16

Peace is a Christmas Word. Peace is a gift that is ours to receive.

Kara Tippetts, in the introduction to her first book says, “In the depths of my illness, I have been able to set aside my striving and look for God’s presence in my suffering. My season of weakness has taught me the joy of receiving, the strength of brokenness, and the importance of looking for God in each moment … because hard is often the vehicle Jesus uses to meet us, point us to that peace, and teach us grace.” The Hardest Peace. (Italics within quote, mine)

This second week of Advent two of my friends also penned blogs about peace. I think you’ll appreciate their words. Thank you Janet Newberry, Recognizing Peace This Christmas and Cheri Johnson, You Can’t Buy Peace.

https://janetnewberry.com/recognizing-peace-this-christmas/

https://cherideejohnson.com/you-cant-buy-peace/

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A scripture to meditate on: Isaiah 53:5, “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

A question to ask: What would it look like for me to experience Jesus’ peace being brought to me?

A prayer to pray: God, I want your peace to be my reality. Today, help me to receive the peace you have promised. Amen

Next Thursday, Wonder is a Christmas Word.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wonder, do you love this Christmas hymn as much as I do? Interesting, right on the heals of these words are, “Let earth receive her king;”

Joy is connected to receiving!

Did you miss Echoes first Advent post, Receive is a Christmas Word? You might want to go back and read it.
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Luke starts the familiar Christmas narrative with the angel Gabriel visiting Zechariah followed quickly by Gabriel visiting Mary. Their stories are similar and also different.

Luke 1:12 – Zechariah was troubled; Luke 1:29 – Mary was greatly troubled.
Luke 1:13 – to Zechariah, “do not be afraid”; Luke 1:30 – to Mary, “do not be afraid”.
Luke 1:13 – to Zechariah, “your prayer has been heard”; Luke 1:30 – to Mary, “you have found favor with God.”
Luke 1:18 – Zechariah had a question; Luke 1:34 – Mary had a similar question.

As Gabriel responds to both, their stories go down different roads highlighting the good news in different ways. Focusing just on Mary …

She is affirmed by Gabriel.
She has a question that shows she believes Gabriel, How …?
She responds with submission, “let it be to me” (verse 38).

The next thing Luke records is Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. Mary, a teenager runs to Elizabeth, Zechariah’s pregnant wife who is advanced in years. And again Mary is affirmed: “Blessed are you among women”; “Blessed is the fruit of your womb” (verse 42). “When the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” (verse 44). “Blessed is she who believed” (verse 45). Mary’s belief resulted from receiving the truth that Gabriel shared.

Joy – Elizabeth’s baby John, experienced it before his birth. Elizabeth recognized the joy. And Mary now also responds with joy. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices (the verb form of joy) in God my Savior, (verse 47).

Joy is at the very inception of the Christmas story. Later on when the angel is communicating with the shepherds, he calls it “good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10).

What is joy? Definitions are descriptions of the way we use words. The definition of joy in many dictionaries includes something like the emotion of delight.

The word joy is used 155 times in the New Testament alone. And yet as I think about the New Testament narrative often the realities shared and the word joy don’t line up; they don’t evoke the emotion of delight.

Despite the great joy of Jesus’ birth, it is followed by the fear of Herod causing the slaughter of all the baby boys under two years old. (Matthew 2:16)

John, the baby who knew joy before his birth, was later executed.

Jesus, whose birth ushers in “good news of great joy” was headed for a cross.

Although not joy-filled instances, they also do not negate joy!

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22) God produces joy. Joy is a relationship word.

Joy results from knowing Jesus and knowing our identity as children of God.

John’s testimony (the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth) in John 3:28 and 29 is an illustration. “I am not the Christ,” John knows who he is not. “The friend (John knows who he is) of the bridegroom (Jesus)” “rejoices greatly”. “Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.”

The author of Hebrews speaks of Jesus and says, “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2.

Because of the joy … Could that be spending eternity with us (relationship)? … Jesus endured and put up with the shame. His joy was not related to his circumstances as he hung on the cross.

Joy is like an undercurrent produced by the Holy Spirit
flowing beneath the surface of our lives  bringing its truth to reality.
As my friend Janet says, there is great hope.

 

The amazing story behind the O Holy Night, the wonderful Christmas hymn understands this truth as well. “The thrill of hope the weary world rejoices …”.

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A scripture to meditate on: Nehemiah 8:10 – “… for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

A question to ask: In the midst of your right now, how can you experience joy?

A prayer to pray: Father thank you that the joy is a fruit of the Spirit. Please help me to trust that today. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas is the season of giving. So Christmas must also be the season of receiving.

As I think about receiving in my life, three instances rise to the surface.

1. The Christmas gift from my parents when I was in junior high, a princess phone. It was the first time our family had a second phone in our home and it was going in my bedroom. With this gift, my parents acknowledged who I am, someone who loves being in connection with her friends. Bill (my husband) has often said that my spiritual gift is telephone. Receiving this gift was easy.
2. It was my sophomore year of college when I received the gift of eternal life. It was explained to me from John 1:12, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-” (RSV). I had always believed in God, but for the first time I understood the connection of believing and receiving. That night I prayed to receive Jesus into my heart. Christianity was more than my religion, by receiving it became a relationship with the living God.
3. Oh, you shouldn’t have contrasted with grateful receiving. I often heard those italicized words growing up. Receiving is hard. Last Christmas a friend was sharing Christmas with us. Of course we had gifts for him. His humble receiving was manna for our souls.

Did each of these receivings lead to transformation or was it merely a transaction?

Although I didn’t know the concept of transformation as a young teen, I look back and see that gift of a princess phone as a transformational experience. My parents knew me and by their gift, they acknowledged who I am.

The second scenario was definitely transforming. Again, I would not have used that word, but that evening was a proverbial transformational stake in the ground. And the beginning of many transformations on my spiritual journey.

Receiving is humbling. Our friend’s humble receiving of our gifts brought greater joy to our Christmas celebration. A bit of transformation happened that Christmas morning.

Mary, the mother of Jesus demonstrates humble receiving.

“And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord;
let it be to me according to your word.”
Luke 1:38

After a lengthy discussion with the angel Gabriel, Mary humbly surrendered to his words. She received God’s plan for her life. Transformation happened.

Andrew, my cousin’s son, created this wonderful picture of Mary that is the cover for the 2018 Advent Devotional for Presbyterians Today, a publication of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The way Mary’s head is bowed in submission speaks to me of her receiving the will of God. Mary was destined to be the mother of Jesus. And in the process, Mary didn’t just agree to a transaction, she was transformed by God. (To see more of Andrew’s work, click here.)

I want that to be my response; I want to be a receiver as I hear God’s whispers to me. I want transformation to be reality for me.

Jesus is a receiver.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.”
John 15:9

Jesus received God’s love for him and is able to pass it on this transformational reality to us.

I cannot give what I have not received.
I want to receive God’s love daily
so I experience transformation and can pass it on.

Often life is hard. Receiving is painful. Ann Voskamp challenges me with her words, “But it’s not about growing tough enough to take what life throws at you: it’s about staying open enough to all of life to simply receive it.” The Way of Abundance, p. 32. She is referring to receiving what life throws at us knowing that it has first passed through the hand of God and allowing this hard to be transformational.

“If we do not transform our pain,
we will most assuredly transmit it.”
Richard Rohr

Whether receiving a gift, receiving eternal life, or receiving the hards that come our way, receiving is a gift back to the giver. Receiving is transformation.

Each week during Advent I plan to continue the thought of the blog in the personal note I write to the ones who sign up to follow Echoes of Grace. You can do so on this site, or email me sue@suetell.com and I will sign you up.

Also, I’ll share a scripture, a question, and a prayer for you to continue to ponder … like Mary … on your own. See below.

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A scripture to meditate on this Advent, John 1:16, NLT: “From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.”

A question to ask: How can I be a receiver of the blessings God has for me this Advent season?

A prayer to pray: Father during these weeks of Advent, please help me be aware of all you have provided for me. And help me to receive each of your gifts to me with thanksgiving. Father, please transform me in these days. Amen.

Thank you to my friend Janet Newberry who shared the concept with me of transformation versus transaction in the receiving process.

And thank you to Theresa, Joann, Sandy, and Denise who also contributed their thoughts on receiving.

 

 

 

 

 

Here we are gathered together. Yup, I’m in that picture. Can you find me? I can’t. It was the Nykerk competition for the women at Hope College between the freshman and sophomore classes coached by the juniors and seniors. (The men’s competition is a tug-of-war.)

This three part annual competition includes a speech, a play, and for everyone not in those events, a choir.

My freshman year, I was too intimidated to participate. But my sophomore year I was determined to! There was one SIGNIFICANT issue: I knew I wouldn’t make the cut to give the speech or participate in the play AND I am tone deaf. But the choir was my only hope to be involved.

My friend Jan took it on to mentor me, to try to help me learn the notes. Bless you Jan and thank you. But in the end, the choir director looked at me and suggested, why don’t you mouth the words. And that’s what I did. (BTW, the our class lost that year, but remember I was mouthing the words.)

Why would I share this story on Thanksgiving Day?

Because God used it to plant spiritual seeds that have germinated and grown through the years.
And, I am thankful.

We sophomore women gathered together and created a special memory, even though we lost.
My faith was clarified during my college years at Hope. The Nykerk seed has blossomed.
I am thankful for life long friends who formed from my Hope years, including my husband.
I am thankful to have learned about the fun and the necessity of community.

And speaking of gathering together, one of my favorite Thanksgiving hymns is “We Gather Together”. As I was reading (not singing) through the words recently, I took the liberty to re-write the third line of each stanza to reflect my personal thanksgiving. This is my thanksgiving prayer for you as well.

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing –
He chastens and hastens His will to make known;
He loves us completely, He calls us sons and daughters:
Sing praises to His name – He forgets not His own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine;
His purpose transcending, our lives without ending:
Thou, Lord, wast at our side – all glory be Thine.

We all do extol Thee, Thou leader triumphant,
And pray that Thou still our defender wilt be;
Let thy congregation live in great anticipation:
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

With a special thank you to Theodore Baker who translated the words of this 1625 hymn from the original author who remains anonymous.

May the rich blessings of God inform your heart this season of Thanksgiving.
Love to you, sue

 

 

 

hymn

John Lynch gave me permission to copy his words from Facebook (below). My friend John is a husband, a father, a GRAND-father, a dog lover, a pastor, an actor, and a phenomenal creative communicator. But most of all he is a child of God. He understands and communicates the gospel of grace as good as any God has gifted me to be exposed to.

“If Jesus indwells you-and He does
If Jesus is able to draw you to Him-and He can
If Jesus promises He will always love you to the
exact extent His Father loves Him-and He does
If Jesus loves it when you show up-in touch with authentic expressions of worship, gratefulness, delight, or hurt, anger, confusion, even doubt about His existence-and He does
If Jesus would adore you endlessly if you never spoke to Him again-and He would…
Then…”ought” would have no place-and each of us could experience a magnificent motivation to be with the One who formed all elation, outrageous laughter, purpose, destiny, redemption, healing, compassion…and endless interest in you.”

John and the rest of the Trueface team created a devotional, Trust For Today. Click here to check it out. And while you’re on their site, scroll down and invest 6 minutes and 35 seconds to the video John shares. It just may start you on a new and exciting journey.

Trust For Today is a devotional. Yes. But I also may describe it as …

365 stories of encouragement.
365 gifts of inspiration.
365 ways to communicate the gospel of grace.
365 prompts to examine your own spiritual life.
365 offerings that will take you 2 minutes to read and the rest of the day to think on.

Here is an illustration …

It is available for pre-order and and is coming out December 4.

Oh my gosh … GOOD NEWS!!! I just learned this yesterday, Trust For Today arrived early at the Trueface office!

“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself,
if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus,
to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
Acts 20:24

 

 

Recently Shawna asked if I would come to their women’s weekend retreat for the University of North Florida that was held in North Carolina. About 50 women came to be together and to grow in their walk with God.

This was a first for me. Bill, my husband, set up a studio in our living room in Colorado and recorded my words. We zipped it off to Shawna and I joined them on Saturday night.  Not professional, but from my heart. I hope you have 11 minutes and 47 seconds to listen.

BTW, Dennis helps me with the technical aspects of Echoes of Grace. Thank you Dennis.

“May my teaching drop as the rain,
my speech distill as the dew,
like gentle rain upon the tender grass,
and like showers upon the herb.”
Deuteronomy 32:2