Tell the Story

"In the future, when your children ask you,

'What do these stones mean?'

tell them that the flow of the Jordan

was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

When it crossed the Jordan,

the waters of the Jordan were cut off.

These stones are to be a memorial 

to the people of Israel forever."

Joshua 4:6b-7

Osmosis is the process by which molecules of a liquid pass through a semi-permeable membrane from a less concentrated solution into a more concentrated one.  The result?  Equal concentration on both sides of the membrane.  This process is spontaneous and requires no input of energy.

While this process is useful in science, it doesn't work when it comes to relationships.  Sometimes, I tend to think that just because someone spends time with me, they know what I know, perhaps by osmosis.  Instead of making the effort to tell the story of how God has worked in my life, I assume they already know.  This is especially true for my children.

The truth is, however, osmosis is only possible in biology and chemistry, not in relationships!  Therefore, it is important that I intentionally and purposefully work to leave a legacy.  Just as Joshua was called to set up a lasting memorial that would initiate conversations about the greatness of the Lord and His mighty works in the lives of His people, I must do the same.  God has called me to tell the story of His power at work in my life.

Stones of Remembrance

The journal rests on my nightstand beside the bed.  Each night I record what God has done in my life.  Sometimes, it's an answered prayer.  Other times, it's an unexpected blessing.  Many times it's the little ways He cares for me.  When I'm feeling discouraged, I can pick up that Stones of Remembrance Journal and flip through the pages, reminding myself of the mighty acts of the Lord that I have witnessed in my life.  Before long, my heart soars as I see with my own eyes what God has done, giving me hope to believe I'll witness the same tomorrow.

Life can be hard and my memory is so fleeting.  While difficulties easily overwhelm me, God's provision, care and protection often escape my consciousness.  Since my fleshly mind tends to focus on the negative, I must make the effort to refocus my thought pattern, training my mind to think about what God can do instead of what I can't.

Unfortunately, I am not wired for positive thinking.  Instead, I'm naturally inclined to fear, anticipating the worst scenario that could happen for every situation.  God knows my fondness for fear.  He knows me better than I know myself.  Since He understands the way I'm wired, He has left a message for me in the pages of His Word.  If I'm paying attention, I'll heed the warning and take the advice given.

In the same way that the people of Israel needed a lasting memorial to trigger their memory of the greatness of God, I need the same.  I won't naturally keep the Lord's power and sovereignty in mind when I've been diagnosed with the unthinkable, or am plagued with excruciating pain, or feel like I could die of a broken heart.  No, I must build my own memorial designed to prompt thoughts of God's great plan for my life that will spur on my faith in times of trouble.

If I want to leave a lasting legacy of God's goodness for others to see, I must set up my own stones of remembrance memorial.

Eyes of Faith

I couldn't believe we were looking at the same thing.  Where I saw an old, decrepit piece of junk, my husband saw a treasure that needed to be saved.  Not surprisingly, I was ready to set the old boom box out at the curb for trash pickup but my beloved wanted to hang onto the stereo like some kind of prize.  What does he see that I'm missing? I thought.

As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  What one may see as a field of beautiful wildflowers, another sees as a pasture full of weeds.  We perceive according to what is important to us.

Therefore, if I want to notice all the good that God is doing in my life, I must put on eyes of faith.  Moses used his eyes of faith when he fled Egypt, believing that God had gone before him even though He couldn't be seen with the naked eye.  (Hebrews 11:27)  

Abraham also looked through eyes of faith as he raised the knife above his one and only son, believing God would somehow preserve the life of the one through whom the promise would come.  (Hebrews 11:17-19)

Another man who chose to see through eyes of faith was Noah.  He believed in God enough to build a huge sea-going vessel in the midst of dry land.  (Hebrews 11:7)  Noah's view of God's sovereignty was greater than any doubt he may have felt at such an odd command.

Today is the day for me to utilize my eyes of faith, choosing to look for evidence of God's work in my life.  In this way I will leave a type of memorial which can hearten those whose faith has grown dim.

If I want to leave a lasting legacy of God's goodness for others to see, I will need to look at the world around me through eyes of faith.

Quick to Tell

Once I've set up some kind of memory-trigger to remind myself of God's amazing deeds and have donned my eyes of faith, I'm equipped to give testimony to His greatness.  While I may naturally talk about all that is difficult in my life, I can learn to share what I've discovered about God and His goodness through my observations.  This kind of story-telling will work to spur on the faith of those who are listening.

Once I commit to telling this kind of story, I will find that my lips will often speak of God's amazing grace.  Words that give testimony to His great love for His people will easily spill from my mouth.  Testimonies of His provision and protection will spring forth from my heart and mind, making their way to the ears of others.

I will find that once I get on a roll, it will be hard for me to talk about anything without including words of praise for God and His goodness.  It will become habit for me to speak of His kindness and care.  Soon, others will catch on that the Lord is worthy to be praised and may start telling their own stories of faith.  Before I know it, there will be legacies of God's greatness left all around.

If I want to leave a lasting legacy of God's goodness for others to see, I must be quick to tell the story of God's work in my life.

Everyone has a story to tell.  The only question is what kind of a tale will I be passing on?  If I keep some kind of memorial to God's great works in my life, intentionally look for how God is at work and am quick to tell of His greatness, that story will be one that glorifies God.  If I assume that my children and those around me will know of these testimonies through osmosis, I'm only fooling myself.  Therefore, let today be the day I tell the tale of God's amazing deeds so everyone will know that He is the Lord my God!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can look for evidence of God's love all around me.

When do I tend to pay more attention to what is difficult than on how God is using the hard circumstances for my good?

How am I quick to gossip or complain instead of telling my latest testimony?  


Originally published on February 20, 2014

Get Rich Scheme

In honor of today's 800th post on 

Writings on the Doorframe, 

I am offering free signed copies of my book: 

If you would like to be entered in the drawing, 

please email me at boosehome@aol.com
or leave me a comment below 

by the end of the day on Sunday, March 22nd.  

Winners will be announced on 

Monday, March 23rd!

"Praise the LORD.

Blessed are those who fear the LORD,

who find great delight in his commands.

their children will be mighty in the land;

the generation of the upright will be blessed.

Wealth and riches are in their houses,

and their righteousness endures forever.

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,

for those who are gracious 

and compassionate 

and righteous."

Psalm 112:1-4

There are hundreds of get-rich schemes.  Most everyone has dreamed of winning the lottery, scoring a huge sum of money, or suddenly finding themselves with resources beyond measure.  As a teenager, my friends would sometimes ask what I would do if I won a million dollars, a seemingly unfathomable amount.  The question would get me to think about what it would be like to find myself suddenly rich.  How would I live?  What would I buy first?  Would it change my lifestyle, my habits, my circle of friends?

While it may be fun to daydream of sudden wealth, it won't happen for most of us.  Still, it doesn't stop people from buying into methods designed to bring about material prosperity, but there is only one lifestyle that bestows heavenly treasures.  When I respect and revere God enough to walk on His obscure, narrow path, submitting to His will for my life and worshiping Him in the choices that I make, I will find a kind of wealth that is unsurpassed in worth.

Legacy.  The bank account can dwindle, inheritances can amount to very little, and family heirlooms can subsist of a few sentimental items, but there is still a treasure that can be left to future generations that is priceless.  While I can't always control how much worldly wealth that can be passed down to my children, I can focus on a more valuable inheritance; faith in Jesus Christ.

When I devote my life to Christ, letting Him live through me, keeping in step with the Spirit and allowing Him to control my life, I am leaving a legacy of faith behind for my offspring (Galatians 5:16).  I can be assured that generations to come will live as salt and light in the world, impacting it for Christ selflessly and joyously (Matthew 5:13-16).  Strongholds of sin and Satan that I tear down now will benefit those coming behind as the generational transfer of sins throughout the years and demonic activity that plagues my extended family will be vanquished.  My descendants will benefit from my current victories in Christ.  

My legacy of faith in Christ is a rich inheritance I am leaving for future generations.

Riches.  There are some houses I walk into and feel instantly at home.  Decor and color schemes can be mimicked, styles of furniture can be copied, and similar furnishings purchased, but the riches found in these homes only come from the bond the owners have with Christ.

When I invest my life in my relationship with Jesus, I will find many treasures building up at home.  I'm not talking about the stuff that I see in the pages of Better Homes and Gardens that make so many homes pleasing to the eye and comfortable to live in.  Rather, I'm referring to the riches of a strong family who thrives, healthy relationships that grow stronger through the years, and peace that permeates the very air and cannot be duplicated nor understood.  These are the profits of heavenly investments.

My faith in Christ earns the dividend of a rich home life that has nothing to do with the house.

Light.  Life is not easy, let's just get that straight.  No matter how I live my life, who I follow, or what religious structure I adhere to, I will have hard times.  In fact, I have heard many say that dedicating one's life to Christ actually makes life more difficult as we live in opposition to the world (John 16:33, John 15:19).

The good news is that in Christ, I have the promise of a beacon of hope shining in the darkness.  No matter how bad things get, God's grace and mercy will prevail, overflowing into my life to enable me to succeed (Hebrews 4:16).  I know He will get me through whatever I face.  In addition, I can rest assured that He is always at work on my behalf, fighting my battles for me and bringing about perfect justice.  In these ways, no matter how bad things get, I have the hope of His Light leading me through the darkness.

My faith in Christ means I'll never be left to my own devices because no matter how dark my days get, I will always have His Light to guide me.

While I could go after worldly riches, I'd rather pursue something more lasting.  Therefore, I will run after Jesus, making Him my Lord and Savior.  When I do, I will reap many rewards.  I will find a rich legacy of faith passed on through the generations that earns for me a home filled with eternal riches and a Light that shines in the darkness.  In these ways, I'm wealthy beyond compare.  Now this is a get-rich scheme I can buy into!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to place all my hope in Him.

When do I dream of earthly riches when the heavenly ones are so much more valuable?

How am I focused on the wrong goals in life?

The Golden Years

"Now that I am old and gray,

do not abandon me, O God.

Let me proclaim your power to this new generation,

your mighty miracles to all who come after me."

Psalm 71:18 NLT

It was always the goal, the target for which he aimed.  He worked hard, socking money away through the years with this objective in mind.  He could see the finish line in his mind's eye and he fantasized about his final day of work, after which he would be free; liberated from the daily grind and able to do whatever he wanted.  He'd finally get to work on his bucket list instead of accomplishing the goals of his job.  Instead of rising early to try to get ahead, he'd start sleeping in and enjoying the fruits of his labor.  He could not wait for retirement.

While this is the scenario played out and held up as the ideal by this world, is it what God intends for His people?  Is this God's intention or man's?  To find out, let's take a look at the cry of a heart inclined toward God.

With Me.  David knew he was nothing without God.  If the Lord abandoned him, there would be no hope for carrying on.  After living a life in His presence, David knew he could no longer bear his life alone; he was fully dependent upon his Father and counted on the fact that He would always be there.

Do I know this as well?  Or do I get caught up in self-reliance, depending upon the feedback of others to make me feel good about myself, and looking to the world to find my identity?  Once I realize and acknowledge that God is my source of strength, obedience to Him is what brings peace as I fall in line with His purpose for my life, and that my worth is in who I am to Him, I will feel the same way as David did.  Apart from Jesus, I can do nothing (John 15:5).

It is God's desire that I depend upon Him wholly.

Legacy.  I don't like to think about death.  It's uncomfortable to consider it.  I enjoy thinking about joining my Jesus in heaven, but it's hard to wonder what it will be like after I leave.  Will anyone remember me?  When they think of me, what will come to mind?  What kind of memories will my family carry with them?  My legacy is important.

It seems that David wanted to be remembered for proclaiming the mighty acts of his beloved God.  He wanted nothing more for the end of his life than to tell another generation about His greatness, to brag on the Lord and to introduce this group coming up to the intimacy he enjoyed with his Father.  Instead of wanting to be given more years to live for himself, he couldn't wait for the next batch of children to come up so that he could tell them of God and His ways.

Each day is a gift and could be seen as another opportunity to spread the Good News about our King.

More.  No matter how many people David told about his God, there were always some that had never heard the stories.  When relating any truth to people over and over again, I sometimes get the idea that everyone must know.  It's like I've heard it so much myself, and repeated the same truths so many times until it's quite familiar to me, so I think it must be the same for everyone.  But there is always someone who has never heard about Jesus.

I can take a cue from David and keep the stories of Jesus fresh, remembering that there are always more who have never heard.  If the Gospel is a whole new concept to entire groups of people, then I must keep in mind the treasure I have the privilege of revealing to them.  Instead of seeing the act of sharing Jesus as an obligation, I can take it as an honor to be the first one to introduce Jesus to another whose never heard of Him.  And the longer I live, the more opportunities I'll have.

There is always more to tell, uncharted territory to cover when it comes to sharing Jesus.

The golden years can be a time to kick back and relax, enjoying the fruit of my labor, or I can take a different tack.  I could realize my desperate need for Jesus, desiring to leave a legacy that points people to Him for generations to come, and realizing there is no time to stop sharing the familiar stories of Christ because there is always someone who hasn't heard.  In these ways, retirement can be more than just rest from work, it can be a time of even more fruitful labor.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God to transform the way I think so that I can desire nothing more than You, seeing You as my greatest treasure.

How do I run after things that will not last?

Am I investing in God's kingdom in any way?