When Life Has You Puzzled

Kolleen Lucariello's mind is a wonderful thing. Creative and inspiring, she approaches life with a unique spin on God's hand in our lives. In this Wisdom UPGRADE, she offers sound biblical truth for times when life has us puzzled.

"My granddaughter held the box in her hands and asked, 'What do you say, Mimi? Want to do this puzzle with me?' Hesitation swelled within," Kolleen says, "when I saw which puzzle she held."

I (Dawn) love everything "puzzles," so Kolleen's title immediately drew me in. But her application stuck with me long after I read this post. I've been puzzled about something in my life, and I needed to hear her words.

Kolleen continues . . .

The puzzle contained 1,000 pieces and our time together was almost over; it would be impossible to complete before she left.

My face gave away my thoughts so she followed up with a “Puh-leeeeease?”

“Oh, alright. Let’s give it a try.”

I knew they’d be leaving soon and intended to throw it all back into the box once they walked out the door. However . . .

To my surprise, more family members decided to join in the puzzle fun. Soon, the outer edge was well on its way to completion. Then, with multiple pieces in place we heard, “Okay, kids; it’s time to go.”

After a short discussion on how to proceed, Papa and Mimi decided we’d come too far to take it all apart and throw it back into the box. So, we pressed on. 

As we worked toward our goal to complete the puzzle, there were moments when the similarities between life and a puzzle became clearer to me than the piece I was looking for.

Life certainly can be puzzling sometimes, can’t it? 

I lost count of how many times I’d scan and search for one particular piece for forever, only to have my puzzle partner stand over my shoulder, pick up the piece which was laying right in front of me, slide it in perfectly, chuckle and say, “You mean this one?”

And just like that the missing piece I’d spent an hour looking for was found. 

It’s puzzling how quickly fresh eyes can pick out what has been staring at you but remained unseen.

Why couldn’t I see that?

We may wonder when another brings light to our blind spots. At the moment, it might also be a tad bit frustrating. But it’s valuable if progress is to be made. 

Having my blind spots exposed is humbling. I prefer to believe I don’t have any, but I live knowing I do.

I’ve come to appreciate and value the way God uses others to help me see what I either can’t or, quite honestly, don’t want to. 

As we pushed forward with our puzzle, I noticed how tempting it became to place a wrong-but-close piece into what seemed-like-it-should-go-there.

The puzzle was on our kitchen table for weeks.

We soon had a strong desire to git-r-done. This desire provoked a “close enough” attitude—numerous times. But, one misplaced piece led to several more and caused moments of backtracking when one would say, “That’s not right.” Sigh. 

Things began to move along nicely after we began asking, “Do you think this piece goes here?” 

Puzzle pieces were designed to fit where they were designed to fit. It doesn’t matter how hard you try, you can’t force the wrong piece in where it wasn’t intended to go.

Mistakes happen, but the greater tragedy is our refusal to admit them or seek advice in the hopes of limiting them.

A countless number of people are backtracking through their life story to find healing from wounds inflicted through mistakes and missteps. When we don’t know how to proceed, wisdom asks, “Do you think this piece goes here?” 

Perhaps God would use our journey through Puzzle Park to bring an upgrade in a life that’s been puzzled by circumstance.

If that’s you, I’d like to offer you these two nuggets. 

1. Walk in Wisdom

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice” or “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered” (Proverbs 12:15, 28 ESV).

Whether it is in our parenting, marriage, career, life-choices, or relationships: God used Solomon’s words to reveal the important role we play in the lives of others—to help uncover blind spots.

Only a fool would want to live blind and frustrated by what others can see.

2. Don't Give Up.

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 ESV). 

When you’ve hit a snag and want to cater to the “close enough” attitude, please remember there is beauty in completing the work God set before you. Press on!

The puzzle we almost gave up on due to its difficulty is now framed for full display during the Christmas season.

God holds the pieces to our life puzzle.

• He knows the entirety of the plan He has for us.
• He’s aware when we’re stuck behind blind spots and has planned our way to clarity. We are wise to listen.
• He also knows when weariness is hindering our attitude to give our best effort. We are wise to ask for help.

So, when life has you puzzled, do you allow wisdom to lead the way?

Kolleen Lucariello, #TheABCGirl, is the author of #beYOU: Change Your Identity One Letter at a Time and is the Co-Director of Activ8Her, Inc. She is passionate to every woman realize her identity in Christ and live accordingly. Kolleen and her hubby, Pat, make their home in Central New York. She’s the mom of three grown children and Mimi to six incredible grands. For more information about Kolleen, visit www.speakkolleen.com

When I Feel Forgotten by Jesus

Some people, like Debbie W. Wilson, continually draw out fresh applications from old truths. In this UPLIFT Encouragement, using the story of Lazarus, Debbie reminds us that our Savior will never forget us—even if we feel like He has sometimes.

And especially when He delays to come to our aid.                    

"My standard poodles’ big brown eyes melted my resolve," Debbie says. “'Ok. You can go with me.'”

I (Dawn) totally understand. My dog gets puppy-dog eyes—what else would I call them?—whenever I head for the door. "Pleeeeeeease don't leave me," he seems to say.

How can I say no?

Debbie continues . . . 

Max’s fluffy tail thumped excitedly. His sister pranced with anticipation. And I smiled.

I hate to disappoint pooches and people. Especially, my pooches and my people.

That’s why Jesus’ actions in John 11 astound me.

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days” (John 11:5-6 NIV).

Without divine intervention, Lazarus would die.

Jesus had the power to heal.

Lazarus’ sisters sent an urgent message to Jesus,

“Lord, the one you love is sick” (John 11:3 emphasis added).

As a close friend of this family, surely, Jesus would rush to the rescue. He would not disappoint those He loved.

But Jesus waited.

Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So…He waited???

That doesn’t compute.

Jesus finally arrived—after Lazarus had been in the tomb four days.

Jewish tradition held that the spirit left the body within four days.

Lazarus was gone.

Confusion complicated Martha and Mary’s grief.

• “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (vs. 21).
• Mary fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (vs. 32)
• Even their friends were confused, “But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’” (vs. 37).

And they were right. If Jesus had been there Lazarus wouldn’t have died. Jesus said so (John 11:14-15).

For me, being misunderstood ranks up there with not disappointing someone I love. Jesus wasn’t calloused to their feelings (see John 11:33-38). But He was willing to be misunderstood to bring about a greater good.

He allowed Lazarus to feel forsaken on his deathbed, Mary and Martha to feel forgotten in their grief, and the villagers to question His love for His friends.

Why?

Because the eternal benefit outweighed the temporary discomfort.

He wanted for them SOMETHING BETTER than relief.

He wanted them to gain unshakable faith.

No one doubted Jesus could heal. But no one had ever raised someone who’d been dead four days.

Has Jesus’ timing ever disappointed you? What answer are you still waiting for?What “no” pains and confuses you?

Take heart from Jesus’ delay.

Listen to WHY He waited.

• “It is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it” (John 11:4 NIV)
• “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him” (John 11:14-15 NIV).
• “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25 NIV).
  
• “‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’…‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me’” (John 11:40-42 NIV).
  
• “Therefore many of the Jews … believed in him” (John 11:45 NIV).

When it looks like Jesus has forgotten you, when He seems to ignore your needs, draw hope from this story.

Stretching our faith is more important than our comfort. It’s how we come to know God is bigger and better than we can imagine.

Let’s allow Jesus to smash the boxes we’ve confined Him to and not lose heart when He delays.

He hasn’t forgotten you.

"Dear Father, Your will and Your ways are always better than mine. Feel free to tell me 'no' when You have a better plan."

When has a bitter “no” turned into a better “yes” for you?

Debbie W. Wilson, Bible teacher and former biblical counselor, combines insight and encouragement to inspire people to trust Christ with their lives. Her books include Little Faith, Big God, Little Women, Big God, and Give Yourself a Break. She and her husband Larry founded Lighthouse Ministries, a nonprofit biblical counseling and Bible study ministry. Debbie enjoys dark chocolate, a good mystery, and the antics of her two standard poodles. Find free resources and connect with Debbie at RefreshingFaith.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Mediamodifier at Pixabay.

Painting of "The Raising of Lazarus" by Rembrandt, on Wikipedia. Part of the Google Art Project—Harmensz VanRijn.

Is Today, This Year, Your Watershed Moment?

Pam Farrel is a hope-builder. Through her writing and speaking, Pam encourages Christians to ground themselves in God's Word, and watch how He uses them to accomplish His purposes. In this Faith UPGRADE, Pam writes about watershed moments God brings into believers' lives.

"The Bible is full of promises," Pam says. "These promises become moments of personal choices of belief: a watershed moment that vitally impacts our future."

I (Dawn) learned what a "watershed" is in college. It's a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt into creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually it swells to outflow points like reservoirs, bays, or the big, wide ocean.

For a Christian to experience "a watershed moment" is to be so suddenly and deeply moved by something that it changes the believer's life and/or ministry.

Pam continues . . .

I was eight months pregnant when an invitation to a free marriage retreat arrived from Forest Home Christian conference center. Bill was a youth pastor at the time, so I leapt at the opportunity for a rare cozy weekend away for us.

At the Saturday evening session, we experienced a God-ordained watershed moment listening to the story of God giving the covenant promise in Genesis 15:5-6: (NIV)

"Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them. Then he said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Abram believed the Lord."

One of the preeminent watershed moments in the Bible was when God asked Abram to bring a sacrifice that was symbolic of the life and death commitment made in a covenant between two parties.

So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”  Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. …

"As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, …

"'In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here...”

"When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram” (15:9-18a).

God knew Abram was human and would fail, so He made a promise with HIMSELF to keep the promise.

The promises in the Bible are as good as the One making the promise.

God used this covenant process because it was familiar to the culture.

People knew that if a person broke the promise, the other could slay him as punishment.

God was proclaiming the same type of agreement. Because God made this promise, if He failed to keep it, He would have to die. But God cannot die.*

Revelation 1:8 says of God: “Who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (NIV).

Because God is pre-existent and self-sustaining, He was never born, so He can never die—so He is fully able to keep every promise.

In OUR watershed moment, as we sat in a chapel at Forest Home years ago, Bill and I recommitted ourselves to be used, as a couple, to share God’s love and equip people to love wisely.

Others' Watershed Moments

Many others have had watershed moments at that same conference center: Forest Home. The founder, Henrietta Mears, brought young leaders to the mountain.

One of her famous quotes is,

“There is no magic in small plans. When I consider my ministry, I think of the world. Anything less than that would not be worthy of Christ nor of his will for my life.”

Years later, many former students—now leaders—assembled for a recommissioning and vision-setting gathering. They represented more than 50 Christian organizations.

Billy Graham—while a speaker at Forest Home at the start of his evangelistic ministry—laid down his Bible on a stump in his watershed moment.

He prayed, “Father... I will believe this to be Your inspired Word.”

Weeks later, Graham preached at the Los Angeles Crusades. More than 300,000 people heard the gospel, sparking the evangelistic crusades that defined the rest of his ministry.

Christ brings each of us to a watershed moment to make a choice to believe in Him, in His Word, and in His ability to keep His promises.

He brought the disciples to Caesarea Philippi, where worship of many false gods including the Greek god, Pan—half man, half goat—was taking place. Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do people say the son of man is? … Who do you say that I am?” 

It was their watershed decision point.

Peter rose and replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:13-18 NIV).  

Hebrews 11:1 calls us ALL to this decision point: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (ESV).

• Faith is to have a solid conviction, to be fully persuaded
• Assurance is the picture of a land deed.
• So, faith is like the legal title to hope.

The definition of hope I formed when writing Discovering Hope in the Psalms is “to wait expectantly for God to show up and show off for your good and His glory.”

Hope believes God keeps His promises—even in the waiting.

Today can be YOUR watershed moment.

Are you fully persuaded that God loves YOU? That God’s Word is a love letter of truth to rescue, redeem and restore YOU?  Why not take a moment to write a declaration of your faith belief. Then hang your heart on the God who keeps ALL His Promises.

Pam Farrel is a bestselling author of 56 books, and the co-author of Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament: A Creative Bible Study Experience. (This blog post is adapted from this ECPA award-winning Bible study from Harvest House Publishers.) Download Infectious Joy 30 Day Creative Devotional for a simple 10-minute-a-day faith builder. The Farrels co-lead Love-Wise and the Living Love-Wise Community.

Graphic adapted, Courtesy of Sergey Pesterev at Pexels.

* For further explanation of the ancient covenant sacrifice that Pam described, you can read here. - Dawn

Help Your Child Connect to God and His Word—6 Easy Steps

Morgan Farr has four children. She homeschools them and teaches them the Word and ways of God. In this Parenting UPGRADE, she explains how she helps connect her children to God, and how the Lord used a simple question to help her examine her own heart.

"Kids ask the craziest questions," Morgan says. "As a mom, answering these questions can be a challenge."

Yes, I (Dawn) remember those questions so long ago from my two sons. Sometimes they made me dig for answers, and sometimes, their questions were either convicting to me personally, or they made me pondering some aspect of parenting. Morgan's story reminded me of one of those questions.

Morgan continues . . .

Recently my oldest son—who just turned seven—asked me what God was like.

At first, I was confused by his question. I started to say that no one knows what God really looks like.

Clearly not happy with my answer, my son tried again. He asked, when I “do my God time” in the morning, what is God like?

Explaining God to a child is an incredible thing.

When you know Christ as your Savior, it is almost overwhelming to explain what God has done for you. The only way I could explain what God is like was to say that God is pure love.

Sitting and thinking about that had such a profound impact on my heart.

I want to share how to help a child connect to God and His Word—to develop a heart for God—in Six Easy Steps by sharing how I explained God’s character to my seven-year-old. 

1. Set the Stage

If you are raising children with an understanding of Christianity, then they likely know about creation and the serpent.

It is our job to help our kids to connect the Bible to their lives.

I explained that we are broken sinners, separated from God (Isaiah 59:2). I talked about the sins that I struggle with, and explained that each person struggles with sin because of the fall.

2. Tell the Truth

We cannot get back to God on our own.

Telling children the truth about our separation from God helps them understand the significance. 

Romans 3:23 tells us we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

While we do not want to shame children, helping them understand the magnitude of salvation starts with understanding of how powerless we are without Christ.

3. A Planned Provision

In his incredible mercy, God sent His only Son to die for our sins (John 3:16).

I explained to my son that God loved us enough to provide a way back to Him. This way back was not cheap or easy. In fact, it came at the cost of His Son’s life.

God loved us enough to make that sacrifice on our behalf.

What a miracle that is!

4. Secure in Salvation

Once we have accepted Christ and turned our lives over to Him, sin no longer defines us.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

We are forgiven, washed in Christ’s sacrifice.

It is crucial when telling children about salvation that we explain that sin will still happen, because of the fall. The important thing is that Christ washes us clean, allowing us to be with God.

5. Grow for God

When we understand the magnitude of Christ’s death on the cross and the gift that God gives us each day, we cannot help wanting to know more.

2 Peter 3:18 tells us to:

“...grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever!”

This incredible, loving gift is then the catalyst for growth in our faith.

6. Live the Life

Once a person understands sin, the separation, the gift, and the growth, the final step is to live the life God calls us to.

God has different jobs and callings for each one of us. He equips us for these callings uniquely.

Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”

It is important to take what we have been given by God and turn around and use it for His glory.

Finally, I explained to my son that the way I see God’s love is in the way that He draws us to Him. 

• The choice to get up and spend time in the Word is a way of living the life that God called me to.
• Homeschooling, teaching my children about Jesus, and loving my husband are all ways that I live the life God called me to.

The life God called me to is an example of His incredible love for me. I spend time with God because as I look back through my life I can see God’s incredible love for me.

I want to honor Him with my life and my service.

Adults can easily fall into the drudgery of everyday work. It can be hard to see how we are glorifying God when we are scrubbing toilets or whipping noses.

But, looking back at each of the steps, I realized that God was loving me each and every step of the way.

I want to help my children connect to God—and it is incredible to me that God used a question from my seven-year-old to remind me of the importance of honoring God with my labors. And He reminded me to turn my heart to Him.

What an incredible God we serve!

Which of the six steps speaks most to your heart? Which can you use today to help your child connect to God and His Word?

Morgan Farr is a Texas-loving, succulent-cultivating, book nerd and aspiring author. Stationed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this Army wife is learning to train dogs, develop her four young children, and tackle homeschool life—all while moving all over the country. Morgan believes in integrity, authenticity, and grit. Although she writes for many different publications, you can almost always find Morgan’s most recent ramblings on her blog, "Musings by Morgan."

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Marina Abrosimova t Pexels.

Spread the Aroma of Christ at Christmas

I love the inviting scents of Christmas. Cookies baking in the oven. Christmas ham. Hot chocolate with crushed peppermint on whipped cream. Cinnamon, cranberries and cloves simmering on the stove.

I recently saw an article titled "Super Simple Holiday Stovetop Simmer." In the article, Lora Bloomquist said, "With a few simple grocery store ingredients and tap water, you can enjoy a fragrant-smelling holiday home every night of the week." (Ah. I like simple.)

The RECIPE includes cranberries, cloves, Saigon cinnamon, and sliced lemons. (What's not to love?)

Fragrance is part of making the home "cozy" during the holidays, Bloomquist said, and this is "easier and less expensive" than burning fragrant candles. (Some candles can be a problem for people with allergies; but I'm not sure about cinnamon and cloves.)

As I thought about Christmas fragrances, a passage of scripture came to mind:

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

For we are the aroma of Christ to God . . . (2 Corinthians 2:14-15a).

Yes. There is an aroma more fragrant than any Christmas spices that might simmer on your stove!

The Sent One is the 'Fragrant' One

Let's backtrack a bit into the Old Testament.

• We first hear about pleasing aromas—or "sweet savors"—rising to God in the Jewish sacrifices (as in Exodus 29:18, 25; Numbers 15:3). Some of the sacrifices were designated for the atonement of the people until the promised Messiah would come.
• Later, when God, through Ezekiel, told the Jewish people He would bring them from all the lands where they had been scattered, God said: "As a pleasing aroma I will accept you . . . And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations (Ezekiel 20:41).

The aroma of a sacrifice is important to God. Over and over in the book of Leviticus, the "aroma" of sacrifice is mentioned as pleasing Him. But why? 

It's not the smell, but what the smell REPRESENTS.

Jesus was the "sent One"—the promised Messiah. The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14; Galatians 4:4-5). When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, He would as an adult become the "once for all" sacrifice for sinners (Hebrews 7:27). He would die in our place—the substitutionary atonement for our sin.

Paul said Jesus loved us so much He chose to die for us, and that sacrificial offering was "fragrant" to God (Ephesians 5:2b).

At the beginning of Jesus' ministry, the Father said He was "well pleased" with His Son (Mark 1:11). Jesus was without sin, and the ONLY ONE who could provide the perfect and pleasing sacrifice—acceptable to God.

Jesus' life is the sweetest "savor" of all, because He is our Savior!

According to John 3:16, those who know the Savior in a personal relationship have eternal life—and that is cause for great rejoicing!

But not everyone we meet knows Him!

That's why 2 Corinthians 2:14-15a is so important. Paul said our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.

If you are a Christ-follower, God desires to use you to spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere!

• In your family
• In your neighborhood
• At your workplace
• In every setting the Lord opens to you

Just as a holiday fragrance might waft from our stovetop and fill the house with a pleasing aroma, our lives ought to fill the world with the pleasing aroma of Christ.

I laughed a little as I wrote that last sentence.

I realized it takes heat to make a stovetop fragrance fill our home. It doesn't do much sitting in a pan of water with no heat.

It may take a little "heat" from the Holy Spirit—or some difficult circumstance God uses to fire us up with a reminder of His great mercies and grace—to motivate us to share the Gospel with others.

We who enjoy the fragrance of Christ in our salvation: how can we not desire that beautiful blessing for others?

As you consider some of the lovely scents of Christmas this week, how might you share the "aroma" of the risen Christ in your circle of influence?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for women's teacher and revivalist, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth at Revive Our Hearts, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and Dawn has traveled with Him in Pacesetter Global Outreach. They have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Public Domain at Pixabay.