What is gentleness? Is it a weakness of character when one chooses "to be soft"? I asked the Lord these questions and He gave me an opportunity to learn by experience...

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Last Saturday, I took some newly purchased clothes over to my parent's house for my mother to try on so she wouldn't have to enter stores at this very strange time. As she and I "set up shop" in her bedroom, I helped her in and out of each outfit, one of them being a potential rehearsal dinner dress for my daughter Emmy Baxter's wedding in a few weeks. Due to my mom's ongoing back pain and unsure footing, I had to be very gentle with her as I placed, pulled, zipped and buttoned each outfit. Every touch of mine had tender love within it. (A little history concerning my mother and me: Fifty years ago, when I was 3, 4, 5, and 6 years old, my sweet momma would gently rub lotion all over my little legs because they itched and itched and itched due to being badly burned as a toddler. Her strength was my security in this ongoing healing process). It is an honor to zip her dress.

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Interestingly, only hours later in the day, I went home to the future bride. She too, needed my help as she wanted to try on her wedding gown with her newly purchased jewelry. Again, I carefully repeated the dressing process...another moment in time to cherish.

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After Saturday's hand's-on lessons and also digging into His word, here is what I wrote in my journal:

--Gentleness displays powerful love.

--Gentleness is partnered with wisdom. (James 3:13-17)

--Gentleness is administered appropriately and selflessly.

--Gentleness is not a weak attribute; rather, it is a carefully-distributed-strength.

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Jesus says, "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30)."

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Isn't it interesting that the same God-Man who had the power to calm a raging storm with three words ("Hush, be still") chooses to describe Himself as "gentle and lowly in heart"? Was He a push-over? No, remember He CHOSE to lay His life down for you and me. He humbled Himself, and emptied Himself, so that He could walk beside us. Like a strong arm around our shoulders, He pours his Spirit inside of us and whispers encouraging words to us as we walk out our days. He has committed Himself to us, step by step.

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I think you would agree with me in saying that our world needs a little gentleness right now. Who knew that 2020 would hold such harsh chaos? First disease, now destruction. Is there someone in your world, or maybe even outside your comfortable world, that you could touch with the gentleness of Christ? Who do you need to put your arm around and walk alongside of for a while? Ask God to put someone on your heart. Allow the Spirit to speak and then follow through today. Do not wait...because great healing can come from the power of gentleness.

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‍You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. Psalm 18:35

Are you in the midst of a storm today? Are you desperate for some peace?

Allow me to direct you to seven short verses in the Bible, Mark 4:35-41. In this passage, Jesus is asleep in a boat in the middle of a storm while his disciples are trying to arm-wrestle the wind and the waves without Him. As things get worse, the fearful disciples shake the Prince of Peace to upright position and plead for help.

In order to make this passage become more vivid in your mind, step into the storm-tossed boat with the disciples. Feel the waves crashing in and the boat filling up with fierce surges of water. Frantically shake Jesus’ shoulders and ask with them, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

(Have you ever felt like Jesus went to sleep in the midst of your storm, and that He simply didn’t care? I have.)

The story continues, and remember, you are still a main character in it. The next words spoken were directed not to the disciples but to the wind and the waves. Jesus, now awake, simply said three words, “‘Peace. Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:39). Experience the awe of the God-Man’s commanding peace; like a light-switch, the raging storm changes to placid silence.

(Realize that sometimes the greatest storms are the ones that are within us.)

I think the main point of this story is found in the two follow-up questions that Jesus asks the disciples. Remember, you’re in the boat, and He’s asking you:

“Why are you so afraid?”

“Have you still no faith?”

Pause a moment and answer Jesus.

Goodness, sometimes I don’t like my answers! Why do I tend to be fear-full and faith-less?! Ugh!

Bottom line, we need a change in perspective. Again, we see this in our passage. It says, “And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and sea obey him?'” (Mark 4:41). If we could have the “right kind of fear” THEN we would have the right kind of faith. When our focus is on Jesus, our perspective changes from fear of our current reality to awe of His supreme authority. This accurate kind of fear is one that builds our faith rather than diminishes it.

Friends, your Creator and Commander is “in your boat.” Even if your storm continues to rage, be confident that He is not going anywhere. “Wake Him up” with your fervent prayers. He sometimes waits to move through them. Also be certain of this: He does care, and He is in control. For He Himself is your peace (Ephesians 2:14).

I will end with an old but familiar saying that I think sums up what the disciples learned long ago, and what we can hold as true today:

No Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, know peace.

Dear Lord,

You are the Keeper of the Stars. You are the Creator of the Universe. You are the Sustainer of all that Breathes. You are the Holder of the Wind and Commander of the Waves. And You are in my boat. I am awed at Your power and humbled by Your love. Today, let my soul hear and receive one more time Your personal words, “Peace, be still.” Amen.

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Dumb question, but have you ever been really sad? Maybe it’s now. Maybe you have suffered a loss recently, whether it’s a loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job, or a dream. When I was thinking about how the Lord describes Himself as the Comforter in Scripture, I prayed, “Lord, please speak. Bring things to mind that help me understand Your role in our times of deep sadness.” Well, here is my brainstorming list, some of which may be heaven sent, but with fair warning, some may be just my blonde-headed-muddled-thoughts:

I have comfy slippers that I wear all day long when I am at home. These slippers are worn with my comfortable daytime-wear. (In this quarantine time, I’m getting them confused with my comfy nighttime-wear). Also, certain foods, such as anything pasta or anything chocolate will forever stay on my comfort-food-list. And of course, as an introvert, I have a specified comfort zone in which three is a crowd. Finally and most importantly, for the sake of my sanity, I have a special spot on my comfortable couch in the mornings where I drink my coffee and have my quiet time. At this moment, I am sitting, looking out into the beauty of nature, meeting with Jesus and writing to you.

So, what do my slippers and other “go-to-things” have to do with the role of the Holy Spirit as our Comforter? I asked the Lord the same question. The simple answer is this: just as our physical bodies crave comfort, so do our souls. I think it’s safe to say we all make time and even insist on meeting our physical longings; likewise, it’s even more important to take time to meet the deep need of our innermost being (which is the home of our mind, will, and emotions). The abiding Spirit of the living God is the only One who can fill this place sufficiently. His intimate love touches us in our intense sorrow.

We see this in Scripture when Jesus comforts the disciples. John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, had been wrongfully imprisoned and then needlessly beheaded on the whim and the wish of a teenage girl and her mother. The disciples were devastated at this loss of their friend. Jesus says to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while”(Mark 6:21-31). Jesus took them to a quiet place. There, the Good Shepherd gathered them together so He could listen to their bewildered hearts and then speak into their very real sorrow.

What amazes me time and again, is that the same Jesus that sat with the disciples in this scene, is the same Jesus that lives and abides in me this morning. And hear this truth…by faith, He lives and abides in you! He has something to give you right now. He is calling you directly, saying, “Come away by yourself to a desolate place and rest a while.”You may need to weep with Him. No doubt, He will weep with you. Talk to Him like the disciples did long ago; speak to Him about your confusion and sorrow. Pour it all out to Him. Then, stick around long enough for Him to pour into you. Allow His soothing words and His abiding Spirit to move gracefully within you.

We must realize that no comfy clothes or comfortable couches, or slices of pizza, or types of chocolate can truly touch our soul’s desperate need. He knows how to calm us from the inside-out; everything else is from the outside-in.

This blonde-head of mine gets it now: Jesus in my soul is like the slippers on my feet. His Spirt wraps around me, I in Him, and Him in me, an individually molded fit. I can now rest in the comfort of His love.

Indeed, the Lord will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden. And her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of a melody. Isaiah 51:3

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How is life for you right now? What is your state of mind? Are you living…I mean really living?

These are questions I asked myself when I read this simple yet thought-provoking phrase in scripture: He lived among the tombs (Mark 5:3). The passage surrounding this verse tells of one of the many miracles of Jesus. By merely speaking, the Messiah cast a legion of demons out of a man and into a herd of pigs. Close your eyes for ten seconds and envision this story played out–wow, wow, WOW! My favorite verse in this passage is: And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid (Mark 5:15). The people were filled with fear because of the incredible power they had just witnessed; the man was filled with peace because of the inexplicable freedom he had just experienced. Let us remember that Jesus is the same today.

With that being said, I so wish that we could experience miracle after miracle after miracle like this one, but really, is that what Jesus is trying to teach us in this story? Are instant miracles really the building blocks of our lifelong faith? They most certainly contribute to our faith, however let’s just look at Jesus’ day: the very people who saw these miracles are also the ones who crucified him. (Let’s face it; we all crucified him). I think the main point of this true story, and other miracles, is to speak into our greatest disease, which is SIN. It’s deadlier than any virus ever, and we all have it.  Our sin sickness is way worse than we can imagine, but Jesus’ power over sin is even greater than that. And when we confess and BELIEVE we are forgiven, we, just like the man in the story, are flooded with peace.

Now, we can WALK IN FREEDOM–miracle of miracles! Scripture says this about the man after he was healed: And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled (Mark 5:20).

So here is our hard personal question, “What do you and I need to be released from today? Is it anxiety? control? bitterness? doubt?” Each one of us could have a different answer. For me, among many things, I need freedom from worrying about the future. My daughter Emmy Baxter is getting married next month, but due to the pandemic, what will that look like? Worry IS sin! I need God’s power to take over, and his peace to flood in.

Take time to “get real with God” and look into the mirror of His word. Become the man that Jesus heals in Mark 5:1-20. Ask the Lord, “In what way am I ‘living among the tombs?” The flesh is so very strong and the enemy is equally deceiving, but remember the Spirit is stronger and the truth sets you free! The battle will be real and ongoing until we cross heaven’s threshold, but the Victor lives within us right now. Allow His power and peace to help you moment by moment by moment. And then, let’s learn to count each of these moments as miracle after miracle after miracle, because they are.

The stone has been rolled away. It’s time to step out into freedom…will you?

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Isaiah 61:1-3

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Have you believed the lie that you "have to have it all together" to meet with God? Well, let me remind you of the story of Zacchaeus. He was that "wee little man" that some of us used to sing about in our childhood Sunday school class. Can't you envision this short-legged-long-robed man running ahead and climbing a tree in order to get a good look at Jesus in the midst of the upcoming crowd? And then can you imagine his surprise when Jesus called him by name saying, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." Wow! Scripture says that Zacchaeus received Jesus into his house with joy. (See Luke 19:1-10 for the full story).These verses also tell us that Zacchaeus was a rich tax-collector. He made his money by over-charging his own people. His lifestyle was full of deception, and not many people liked him, at all. But then there was Jesus, dining with him at his kitchen table! Something beautiful happened in this One-on-one "lunch hour." Jesus, (God in the flesh), spoke to him Face to face, Heart to heart, and the small man came out of this divine interaction magnificently changed. The cords of deception and ropes of selfish living had been severed by the only One who could do it, and he was free! And with this new found freedom, he ran to out of his house to give to the poor and to pay back four times what he owed to those he had cheated. Another wow -- that must have been quite a holy conversation in Zaccheus' kitchen!Do you know that He is also calling you by name? He wants to sit with you and have a very personal conversation with you. You and I both have different cords of sin that keep us in bondage; but take heart, this is the very reason Jesus wants to sit with you. There is no such thing as "having it all together" first. If Jesus were sitting across the table from you right now, He would explain that at the cross, He purchased you with His very own holy blood, a choice-act motivated by His love, and a must-act in order for you to be in His presence. He would go on to say that this Life-for-life transaction covered all your sin, and I mean all of it. He would then encourage you, like He did Zaccheaus, to expose these sins so He can cut these cords and set you free.Let's be today's Zaccheaus. Let's be so intrigued by Jesus that we do something radical in our quest for Him (but maybe not climb a tree!). Then let's hear the Lord personally call us by name. Be delighted and humbled to sit with Him. Feast on His word; engage with his Spirit. Give Him space to speak to you Heart to heart. Believe this: His sacrificial love was the price He paid for you to be His child. The promised Redeemer has come! Let this truth sink in until it changes you. And then run out of your house in freedom, or I should say in our current situation, get on-line, and tell the world about your personal encounter with God.For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. Isaiah 55:12-13

About a week ago during one of my quarantine days I was curled up alone in my bed feeling quite pitiful due to a relational spat I was having with a very special someone. (I will not mention names, but bottom line, he took a long drive and I had a big ugly cry). We can both chuckle about it now, but it was no laughing matter then. The most comforting thing about this time was that I knew the Lord was with me, seeing my tears, understanding my heart, entering my mess.In times like this, I have learned to take the ancient Bible stories for face value:--God was with the people of Israel as they crossed the divided Red Sea.--God was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the fiery furnace.--God was with David as he ran toward the battle line.--And... God is with me today, right now, this very moment.Do you believe the presence of the Lord is with you? This truth makes ALL the difference. It changes everything! Believe He is with you in the mighty moments and believe that He is with you in the darkest hour. We see this once again in scripture when Paul was put in prison because of the people's dissension; they were ready "to tear him to pieces." In his prison cell, "the night immediately following, the LORD STOOD AT HIS SIDE and said, "Take courage..." (Acts 23:10-11, emphasis mine).Just the way the Lord stood by Paul and so many others in the Bible, he stands by you and me, telling each one of us, especially in this very strange and uncertain time, "Take courage." Believe that He is standing by you, supporting you, comforting you.I choose to believe this truth in my own life-circumstances:--I want to say to my quarantined mother-in-law who just lost her husband of 60 years, "Mev, take courage, He stands by you."--I want to say to my daughter Emmy as she walks into every Covid room on her nursing floor at Vanderbilt, "Emmy Baxter, take courage, He stands by you."--I want to say to my other daughter who sweetly, yet wearily walks into her three-month-old baby's room in the wee hours of the morning to nurse her (again), "Maggie Marie Gilmer, take courage, He stands by you."And I want to say to you, my friend wherever you are in your circumstances, "Take courage, He stands by you.”You are not alone. The God that hung the sun, moon, and stars is in your midst. The Creator that knows your inner most fears is surrounding you with His love. The Savior that came out of the tomb is alive and well within you through His spirit. Talk to Him. Give Him all your worries. Ask for help. Thank Him for His strong support. Trust Him with all your heart, even if it's your darkest hour.Yes, take courage today, because the Almighty God, who is also your closest companion, is standing in your midst.Nevertheless, I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me. Psalm 73:23-24