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Thank You for Loving Me!

Never could I have imagined hearing such tender words wrapped in such irrepressible joy. Maybe an “I love you, too, Nana.” But not this.

My three-year-old granddaughter had just stepped out of the tub from her evening bath. Her back to me, I softly toweled off her wet hair; and I whispered gently into her ear, “I love you, Zoey Gail.”

And that is when it happened!

In one swift motion, Zoey spun around to face me; her rich, brown eyes beaming. With unbridled joy sweeping across her face, she threw her arms around my neck, capturing me in her embrace.

Her response stopped me short: “Oh, Nana. Thank you for loving me!”

Later as I relived that moment in my mind, my heart still taken aback at Zoey’s reaction, I wondered how often have I expressed such pure, unrestrained gratitude to my Lord and Savior? Have I ever?

But in Christ, God gives us much, much more … Joy unspeakable.

Joy in the Giver

The once childless Hannah did.

See the unbridled joy written on Hannah’s face; expressed through her song as she brings the child Samuel to the house of God. Experience her delight recorded in the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel:

My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high … 1 Samuel 2:1

Hannah tells Eli, the priest, “I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him” (v. 27). She doesn’t commend Samuel for his behavior, or his intelligence, or even the good sense he showed at such a young age; something most parents are prone to do.

Hannah sang praise to the Giver.

There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2

Joy in Community

What about Naomi, the one who “went away full,” but the “LORD brought back empty” (Ruth 1:20)?

Because of a famine in her native land, Naomi left Israel to go with her husband and two sons to Moab. The intent was to stay just “for a while.” But there in that foreign country, a godless place of worship, Naomi experiences the loss of her husband. Her sons, who had married women of Moab, also die. Abandoned — a widow and in poverty — Naomi retraces her steps back home to Bethlehem with one of her daughters-in-law, Ruth.

Cutting My Teeth on Christmas Blog

At a time when hope appears lost, God’s mighty hand was working and Boaz, a kinsman-redeemer, was provided. Oh, that moment when Boaz and Ruth’s first-born child, Obed, was carried to Grandma Naomi. Picture the unbridled joy as a long, desolate winter passes and a time of birds singing emerges: “Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him” (Ruth 4:16).

That joy was also celebrated among those in Naomi’s community as, “The women living there said, ‘Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you … Naomi has a son!’” (Ruth 4:14-17).

At one time thought perished, Naomi’s family was restored to Israel’s genealogy. That infant Obed lived to become the father of Jesse, who became the father of King David, the ancestor of Jesus (Matthew 1:5).

Joy in Hope Restored

Mary was there that first Easter morning. But there was no joy, unbridled or that of any other kind.

Exhausted, the past hours swelled with agony and heartbreak. How could this be?

She had heard Jesus’ bitter cries. She had stood near the cross, her presence all that she could offer Him in His deep suffering. She watched through those excruciatingly dreadful hours until finally the Roman soldier speared the Savior’s side.

“Dead,” came the declaration.

But there she was — outside the empty garden tomb — early on that Sunday morning. She knew the right place, for she had also been there watching when they laid the Lord’s lifeless body to rest (Matthew 27:61).

Now to find the Lord’s grave empty! Her grief knew no bounds. And she wept (John 20:11-18).

“Mary.”

As the morning light breaks through the darkness of night, so, too, that one word broke through the gloom of indescribable sorrow. One word uttered from the Voice she recognized.

Who Am I to You? Blog

Unbridled joy gripped Mary’s heart as she realized her Savior actually stood in front of her. In reverent love she cries, “Rabboni!” (John 20:15-17). My God and my Master!

He is risen from the dead! Jesus is alive again!

Do gratitude and joy come only out of a satisfied desire, a recovered loss, or hope restored? Oh most certainly, getting to the other side of deep hardship is like a green light straight to amazing joy. But in Christ, God gives us much, much more. True blessing, deep happiness right where we are — in the life He has given us. Jesus came that we might “have life and have it to the full.” Joy unspeakable.

Sometimes it takes a 3-year-old child to show the way.

Though you have not seen him, you love him;
and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him
and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
for you are receiving the end result of your faith,
the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:8-9

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Masterful Hands

Some flour, milk and eggs, and just enough salt “to taste.” In my mom’s hands those baking ingredients meant mouthwatering Blatz Kuchen, Koffee Kuchen, and donuts.

Nomadwife Blog_Stitches_Salt_Seedlings

Add a swatch of material to a needle and thread; and in mom’s hands, she could conceal fine running stitches within the seams of a new Christmas dress, a patch to a pair of daddy’s bulky work pants, and tailor-made gowns for a child’s Barbie doll.

She had a green thumb, too. Put a strip of rich dirt in her hands, combine it with seedlings, some water, and weeding — definitely, weeding, and she would have a garden brimming with rows of juicy, plump tomatoes, sweet corn, and a kaleidoscope of Irises, Poppies, and Hollyhocks.

What is that in your hand?

In the Old Testament book of Exodus, we read of Moses, a Hebrew born to slaves. He was raised and educated during his first 40 years in the household of Egypt’s Pharaoh. Through a series of events and poor decisions, however, Moses ends up fleeing from Egypt. Looking to put his past behind him, he settles down in Midian and becomes a shepherd (Exodus 2). But then God comes. God has something different for Moses.

After 40 years in Midian, God calls to Moses in a burning bush for his greatest work yet — the immense task of leading the people of Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3). An assignment that would not be accomplished without leaning hard on the LORD God.

“Who am I that I should go?” “Who are you?” “What if they don’t believe me?” Insecurities swell. Focusing on his inabilities, the excuses begin. Moses even says, “Please send someone else” (Exodus 4:13).

I wonder. It had been about 400 years since any Israelite had heard a word from God. Did God graciously give Moses the signs recorded in Exodus to help boost his faith (vv. 2, 6, 9)?

The ordinary and impotent becomes powerful when yielded in obedience to the Lord.1

“What is that in your hand?” God asks.

In his hand, Moses carried a shepherd’s staff. Used for herding and defending sheep, it reflects the simple existence he had settled for, becoming part of his identity and security.

“Throw it on the ground,” the Lord instructs Moses. When he does, the Lord transforms it into a serpent, a sign of Egyptian power that kings wore on their headdresses. Moses runs from it. The Lord then tells Moses to grab it by its tail. Now, grabbing a snake by the tail is usually not a good idea! But Moses obeys and when he does, it becomes a staff again.

That dry stick shows a lowly shepherd that “the ordinary and impotent becomes powerful when yielded in obedience to the Lord.” In Moses’ hands it is a long, albeit sturdy, stick. Released to God’s masterful hands it becomes a tool to accomplish God’s purposes. As God transforms the staff, He also begins to transform Moses, who will dominate a fearful Egyptian tyrant and lead a people out of slavery. The shepherd’s staff (Exodus 4:2) becomes the “the staff of God” (Exodus 4:20).

You give them something to eat.

Jesus taught this same fundamental lesson to His disciples in the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000; the only miracle recorded in all four of the New Testament Gospels.

After a day of teaching and healing, Jesus and the disciples are tired. “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest,” Jesus commands (Mark 6:30-44). But there is no rest; for in the remote place to which they go, a large crowd finds them. It is here that Jesus gives the impossible command, “You [disciples] give them something to eat” (v.37).

Can’t you just hear the weary disciples. “Seriously? Can’t we just send them away? Even if we could find enough food, we would have to spend a half year’s salary!”

The meeting of need is not dependent on the supply in hand, but on the blessing of the Lord resting on the supply. 2

As God questioned Moses, “What is that in your hand?”, Jesus asks in a similar way, “How many loaves do you have?” (v. 38).

“Only five loaves of bread and two fish” (Luke 9:13). Not anywhere near enough to feed thousands of hungry people; at least in the hands of ordinary men.

But then the Son of God takes the “only” into His hands. Looking up to heaven, Jesus gives thanks and then passes the loaves and fish to His disciples who in turn feed the people. In God’s masterful hands, “They all ate and were satisfied,” with leftovers filling twelve basketfuls (vv. 42-43).

Later those same powerful hands are nailed to a cross on Calvary as the Son of God satisfies the wrath of God, bearing the sins of all people for all time, bringing us peace with God.

Who am I to you? Blog

God created each of us uniquely, male and female; each with our own blend of personality, abilities, passions, and experiences. Sometimes it may seem that what others have in their hands is more grand, of greater importance, or more worthwhile.

My mom wasn’t a top chef or master gardener feeding the masses or an acclaimed seamstress transforming the fashion world. Baking “flops” were a fact. She ripped out many-a stitches, removing unwanted threads. And now that I think about it, she never won a blue ribbon at the county fair for her flowers or her cheese cake, either. In God’s masterful hands, however, what she had in hers served her well as she served her family.

Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
(Romans 6:13)

Take My Life and Let It Be, Frances R. Havergal, 1874

1 Stephen Cole, Serving God Effectively
2 Watchman Nee, Expecting the Lord’s Blessing

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Here I am, Nana!

“Here I am, Nana!” my three-year-old granddaughter calls out. Patting her chest in earnest, she looks up. And she waits. Hopeful.

I love those tender, soft hands. They speak of her innocence, to the joy of childhood. Oh, and those wide, deep brown eyes. She practically wills my gaze to drop down on her.

“Of course,” I reply as our eyes connect. “There you are!”

The moment of discovery pays off in squeals of delight, followed by a monster embrace and kisses. Satisfied, she goes off to the next thing; another round of our combined Lost and Found/Hide and Seek game over.

Zoey was confident of two things: Her Nana always knew where she was. And, there is great pleasure in being “found”!

Expecting Marvelous Things

In the Old Testament of the Bible, we read of another hide-and-seek incident. I think it is very likely the saddest story of all time.

In a perfect creation by the perfect Creator, the Lord God had provided for every genuine need. The shrubs and plants needed water. God provided. Cultivation and irrigation were needed, and God provided that. Adam needed a helpmate, and God wonderfully provided Eve. And, God set a boundary in place; the bounds of which led to life. (Genesis 2)

But then, tempted to choose independence from their Creator God, Satan’s twisted remarks lead Adam and Eve to consider that just maybe they needed something more. Something desirable that God had not yet given. “Did God actually say … You will not surely die …” (Genesis 3:1-4, ESV).

Enticed away from the One they could trust to satisfy every need, Adam and Eve disobey God’s command. And, now they are in unchartered territory.

I wonder, did they expect marvelous things?

Instead, it is shame and fear that immediately unfold in the aftermath of their disobedience. Too late, Adam and Eve realize the foolishness of doing what had been forbidden.

THEN the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked … Genesis 3:7, emphasis added

Adam and Eve were never afraid in the presence of God before; but happiness has turned to misery. A once joyful relationship is broken, and something is very different when they hear “the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day …” (Genesis 3:8).

Worse still, where before Adam and Eve were “both naked, and they felt no shame” (Genesis 2:25), they have gone into hiding. Fearful, they are separated from the very help they need.

But God graciously does not hide from Adam and Eve. God seeks out the fig-leaf-clad couple.

Awesome Dread. Astonished Devotion.

“Where are you?” the LORD God calls to the man (Genesis 3:10).

Unclothed, unarmed, fearful to contend with God, Adam admits, “I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10).

A good question to consider here might be: Wouldn’t you be? Fearful of the Almighty God of the universe, that is.

I often think that today we have lost the “fear of God” in favor of a too casual, lax attitude.

David Jeremiah, in one of his sermons, calls this lost fear an “awesome dread”: Awe and dread. Natural responses from the imperfect to the perfect, of the marred to the beautiful, of the contaminated to the pure, culminating in a healthy fear of a holy God (Isaiah 8:13).

Who Am I To You? Blog

God knew full well what had transpired with Adam and Eve; just as He knows us and our sin. And God never ignores sin or brushes it aside, like we do.

Without the righteousness of Christ to clothe us, we have reason to be afraid of approaching God. Yet in His perfect love, God provided — a love so strong, so available, so secure. God pursues the guilty sinner, leading us to repentance and forgiveness.

… the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin … If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:7-9

There. Right there in Jesus Christ is the courage to not hide (Romans 8:1-2). Right there is the amazing grace to walk in humble boldness straight to God (Hebrews 4:14-16).

And there in astonished devotion, we come with honor and reverence because of God’s greatness and majesty. Right there in worship we enter into the fearful wonder of who God is (Psalm 89:6-7). What great pleasure there is being found!

Fear of God and love of God are not in conflict. When we truly know the fear of God,
we will also truly know the love of God. And when we truly know the love of God,
we will also truly know the fear of God.
– David Jeremiah

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Life’s Journey, Destination’s End and the Almighty God.

You have seen them. They are sitting in the vehicle parked in the fast-food restaurant lot, just off the highway. The car’s engine is running; made obvious by wispy smoke coming from the engine’s tailpipe.

A man, a woman, a couple of kids. Maybe a dog. Each eating their meal. Not the dog. It’s usually sleeping. The out-of-state vehicle tags confirming it: Folks heading somewhere.

That is my family. Self-described destination people. Whether the first leg of a trip traveling to visit family for the holidays or returning back home again, we are all about the place to which we are going. Our goal is being there.

My best girlfriend was a journey gal. She loved detours. Oh, her family got to where they were going. But a six-hour trip could easily become eight, improved only by a roadside excursion touring the world’s biggest ball of baler twine, the largest rocking chair, or a Great Lake’s sand dune.

We destination folks focus on the last stop. Breaks are limited, and those we do take are short in duration, which explains eating our meals in the car parked in a fast-food lot. We are skilled scoping out at a distance the best restroom facilities, the shortest drive-thru lines, and the fastest gas pumps. Journey people take it in stride; their eyes peeled for what is coming next as they are getting there.

Abraham’s Journey. Reaching Destination’s End.

When God calls Abram to leave Haran, the story of a man unfolds — a promised land, a promised people, and the response of faith (Genesis 12:1-3). At first look, it may appear that Abram’s call is about the place he is going to: “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you’.” Ahhh, keep reading.

We are not told how much time transpires between Abram’s response “setting out from Haran” and “they arrived there” (Genesis 12:4-5). But those 425 miles to physically arrive in the land of Canaan, to the place to which Abram was called, is but the beginning of an enduring 100-year journey.

Remarkable experiences merged within the lulls of everyday living. Detours, trials and tests focusing not on what seems impossible, but on what is possible only through the one true God.

Decisions to wait. Others made in haste. Big messes, with even bigger fixes. And miles and miles developing obedience and trust.

In the journey, Abram fully experiences the ever-present, sovereign God as Promise Keeper. Not some bogus magical genie that appears for a time, grants a wish or so, and retreats. But the real, loving God, who is intimately involved as His words are fulfilled through people in His time and in His way.

Abram comes to know personally the God who knows all things, the God who desires to be known by His people.

The Big Three in Moving Blog

Through Abram’s journey, retold in the Old Testament book of Genesis, we also discover God. We meet the One who does the calling (Genesis 12), the One who pours out blessings on those who trust and obey (Genesis 12-25). The One who faithfully protects (Genesis 12, 14). A just God, who in His compassion, befriends (Genesis 18), who knows us by name and actually sees us (Genesis 16).

We witness the I Am, trustworthy in growing His children (Genesis 22), patiently restoring in failures (Genesis 20). The One who understands heartache and grief, who comforts (Genesis 21, 23). The immutable God who does not change; because in His absolute perfection, He always works for the good of His people.

As for Abram, he does change. No longer “exalted father” advancing and pleasing himself, but Abraham, “the father of many nations” who learns that God is El Shaddai, God Almighty.

It was a lot of years and a lot of miles, an amazing journey of hope and grace experienced in God. The same hope and grace on which we all still depend today in a world of bad news, poor choices, lapses in judgment, and wrong behavior. God’s grace that knows no limitations, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1-3).

To borrow from Bible teacher Eugene Peterson, Abraham’s journey was one long obedience in the same direction. A journey bringing him to his destination’s end: “By faith … longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:8-16).

Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou are mighty; Hold me with Thy pow’rful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven. Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.

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Time to Carry the Torch

Well, it’s official. It is time to carry the torch. My uncle died a few days ago. In his passing, he signals the end of a generation.

Uncle Sonny was the last living uncle on my mom’s side of my family. He had been married to mom’s youngest sister, Viola.

His smile. That is what I remember most about him. A warm expression that seemed to go straight from his eyes down into his soul.

As the last surviving member of the “senior generation,” he had held a special distinction — an honor bearing the inherent responsibility of family and faith. My mom enjoyed the same regard when she was the last surviving aunt on the Haertling side, my daddy’s family. To some extent, those “seniors” took me off the hook.

But now, that generation is gone. It is time to carry on the spiritual torch of faith.

My mother, her sisters and brothers, with their spouses, and my Grandpa Richter, circa 1978.

A Legacy Worth Living Blog

I lived among people who were distinguished as both speaking and seeing witnesses of their faith. Parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles who by their words spoke of who Jesus Christ is. Through the hard times, in dark nights of grief, and in celebrations of joy, they sang of the Lord’s faithful love. In their prayers and words of encouragement, in their stories, and in what they taught raising and correcting their children, they spoke of what they knew.

As seeing witnesses, nothing was circumstantial, nothing indirect. Recounted in how they lived, they testified to a heritage of faith in Christ Jesus from what they understood firsthand: God is good. It was the same torch they had seen. The one the generation before them had passed on, preceded by the one previous. Flawed, imperfect people? Obviously. Faithful to God? Unmistakably.

Cutting My Teeth on Christmas Blog

In circa 67 AD, knowing his time here on earth was growing short, the Apostle Paul prepares to pass the torch. He writes the most amazing letter “to Timothy, my dear son” (2 Timothy 1:1-2).

Full disclosure: You may feel a little embarrassed reading such a personal message. It is one filled with deep emotion. (2 Timothy)

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
2 Timothy 2:1-2

A speaking witness and a seeing witness, Paul charges Timothy, “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings … the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them …” (2 Timothy 3:10-11).

It is now Timothy’s time to carry the torch: “But as for you [Timothy], continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14-15).

Quite a stirring message for us living in the 21st century. We are each recipients of the same Truth. Earnest remarks that Paul appealed to Timothy: to remain loyal to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to avoid godless chatter, to remain on guard of false teaching, to keep our head in all situations. To endure.

So, a generation is gone. They were people who ran with perseverance. Their testimonies remain.

I am no longer a daughter or a grandchild or a niece. But, I am not alone. Less I forget, I am in the company of four siblings and 17 cousins who each belong to the now senior group of the Ben Haertling-Hugo Richter clan (sans spouses). And what a group we are.  

The torch of faith is entrusted to each of us. It is now officially ours. And sustained by God’s faithfulness, it is time to carry the torch forward.

  • The Hugo Richter Seniors
    One cousin missing from photo. c. 2000
  • The Ben Haertling Seniors
    Vernon and Norma Haertling, four cousins now deceased. c. 2000

Let us ever walk with Jesus, Follow His example pure,
Flee the world, which would deceive us, And to sin our souls allure.
Ever in His footsteps treading, Body here, yet soul above,
Full of faith and hope and love, Let us do the Father’s bidding.
Faithful Lord, abide with me; Savior, lead, I follow Thee.

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I Never Asked

Great joy filled the Haertling home situated just east of the village of New Wells, Missouri, that July day in 1932. Into a family of three daughters, a healthy son was born.

The child came from a long line of Saxony German Lutherans who had immigrated to America in the mid-1800s for religious freedom. His father was a farmer, as was his father before him, and his father before him, who was also born to a farmer. By the grace of God, that boy child grew to adulthood. He became a farmer, too … and my father. A man of character. An authentic mix of courage, commitment and creativity.

I don’t know where my daddy was born. “Behind the wood pile” he would say with an impish grin during one of those silly childhood questioning games. To which I can still hear my grandma’s “O Gott!” response. He was likely born at home. But I never asked.

A Saxon father was concerned for the well-being of his family. Consequently, faith played a vital role in a child’s upbringing. Daddy was Baptized into the Christian faith on August 14 shortly after his birth. Fourteen years later, after instruction and having “professed faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and vowed obedience to His Word,” he was “received into full Communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church by the solemn rite of Confirmation.”

Professed faith. Vowed obedience. Solemn rite. Some rather weighty words for any person, much less a young teen. Did he ever question his commitment? I never asked.

Daddy attended a one-room school through the eighth grade. Did his sister Melva, who was six years older, show him the ropes the first days? Maybe where to store his lunch box or put his coat?

His First Grade marks hint at a slow start to his schooling. It seems after the first quarter, however, he figured things out. In fact, in later years he received National Board of Examiners certificates in both penmanship and reading. I wonder what books he enjoyed most? Who was his best friend? What games did he play at recess? I’m afraid I never asked.

He and my mom began their married life in the same church in which he was Baptized and Confirmed. They remained together 53 years, until his death. I never asked how they met or how he knew she was “the one,” nor about the courage he mustered at age twenty-five to raise five children under the age of three.

My sisters, two of my three brothers, and me, circa 1958.

I loved watching him record the play-by-play action during the St. Louis baseball games we attended. Daddy was a “south paw.” The brisk strokes of his pen gave an account of athletic skill; letters and digits documenting each player’s performance. That’s right … penmanship certificate … grade school. I never asked why as a Cardinals fan he came to admire Steve Carlton, a Philadelphia Phillies player.

Focus on the Family, A Father’s Day Tribute Blog

Dad sang in the church choir. Mom was in the choir loft, and my sisters and I eventually joined, too. He loved to dance: polkas and two-steps, waltzes and the Schottische. And when he got the chance to combine the two — to sing his favorite, “Lucille,” at a community dance — well, that was the cat’s meow! When did he develop a fondness for music? I never asked.

My dad was not flawless. His commitment could border on hardheadedness, as surely as it could reflect a tender heart. What joys and heartaches of life shaped him? Was it family needs? Community issues? Our nation’s struggles? I never asked.

Daddy with his firstborn son, Glenn.

On another day some 2,000 years ago, there was no joy in a home in the village of Bethany, located on the eastern slope of Mt. Olivet, southeast of Jerusalem. Only deep sorrow. Jesus had delayed arriving. The young man Lazarus, who had been ill, had died. (John 11)

From the language of the New Testament book of John and the order of the three names, we may reasonably conclude that Lazarus was the youngest of the family, with two older sisters. And Jesus loved them — Martha and her sister [Mary] and Lazarus. John 11:5

Likely, the last time Jesus had been with them, He left the family well, in health, and joy. (Luke 10:38-42) But changes come, don’t they? When we part from our friends, we don’t know what may affect us, or them, before we meet again.

Now present, Jesus — the true Son of God and true Son of Man — stands before the grief-stricken Martha.

Confident of His power to heal the sick, Martha addresses Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11:21

With no explanation for his absence, Jesus tenderly leads Martha’s thoughts away from her dead brother to the most remarkable revelation of Himself. Listen. Hear his compassionate voice. “Your brother will rise again … I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”

And then He poses to Martha the most decisive personal question: “Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

Who am I to you? Blog

Martha knew what the ancient Hebrew Scriptures taught and what Jesus Himself endorsed concerning the resurrection (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28, 6:40, 44, 54). Yet, was she prepared that the One who stood in her presence did not merely have power to resurrect, but that He is the Resurrection and the Life? How astounded she must have been as she listened.

In the midst of her pain, with her heart stilled in the calm majesty of His presence, the Master beckons Martha to the most significant confession of faith. To declare what she knows about Him: “Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” John 11:27

Martha may not have fully understood the depth of her own words. She may not as yet fully connected Jesus’ teachings with who He is. Could she have ever dared to imagine what she was about to witness?

At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus’ claim becomes clearer: He calls in a loud voice and raises the man dead four days to life. In this momentous event — in which others are allowed to share — they lift the stone, but only Jesus can bring the dead man out. They free him from the grave cloths, but only after Jesus has given life to him.

Jesus is the author of the Resurrection. More than a doctrine, much more than a theological concept, Jesus not only gives new, eternal life, He is the very source of Life. That is part of His glory! (John 11:4, 40)

Jesus performed many signs while He walked on this earth, with the raising of Lazarus the seventh and final sign recorded in the book of John. And like a historian, the Apostle summarizes his narrative in the book’s final chapter: But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31

It is a shame that many questions in life never get asked. This one, the most significant, however, does: Do you believe Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life?

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised.
Hebrews 10:23

Cover photo: My then 10-year-old father’s elementary school class of 1942, #16, far right side.

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Living Requires Effort

Life is not a movie. Criminals are not brought to justice, nor are terrorist’s plots or attempts at world domination foiled, in a short 120 minutes of time, sans commercials, by the likes of Jessica Fletcher, Benjamin Matlock, or Ethan Hunt. Chance meetings leading to misunderstandings and broken hearts are most definitely not resolved into happily-ever-after endings in single two-hour sittings.

No. Living is just not that simple. Living life through faith in Jesus Christ requires effort.

In “A View from the Zoo,” Gary Richmond writes about one such remarkable effort in the animal kingdom — the birthing of a giraffe calf.

Who would not agree that the Creator God’s amazing design of this gentle giant is quite extraordinary: long spindly legs with an equally soaring, powerful neck? Distinctive spotted markings, much like a human fingerprint, make each animal individual. Gorgeous!

At delivery, momma giraffe drops her bundle a scant ten feet to the ground … the plucky little one landing on its back. Ouch.

Lying there, getting its bearings, the calf scrambles. Legs underneath, it peers out to see what is going on. There is momma!

Then in the most unreasonable manner, momma giraffe swings her pendulous leg sending her calf sprawling head over heels. What? Why?

Richmond notes, “Because she wants the little guy to get up!”

As the baby struggles, momma is not hesitant to stimulate its efforts with another kick.

Soon the calf gets to a wobbly stand. And momma? Well, she is at the ready to serve up another helping of effort — another boot sending the little one back to the ground.

In the wild, this little guy needs to remember how to get up and get on with it … and it must do so with haste, without hesitation. Mother giraffe knows they both need to get with the herd for protection from life’s predators: lions, hyenas and hunting dogs.

In the Old Testament book of Genesis we read of Joseph who experienced his share of kicks as he got his bearings. (Genesis 37-50)

Joseph was the son of Jacob, the grandson of Isaac, and the great-grandson of Abraham, who is called God’s friend. (James 2:23). Quite a lineage with which to begin one’s life. But ancestry does not make for uncomplicated living.

The favorite son of his father, Joseph’s ten brothers hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Genesis 37:4

Somewhere around age seventeen, Joseph’s father sent him to see how the elder brothers were doing grazing the family’s flocks some miles from home. Arriving in camp, Joseph’s brothers stripped him of the richly ornamental robe he wore. They threw him into an empty cistern with plans to kill him. Now, that was one good kick.

When an Ishmaelite caravan came through on its way to Egypt, the brothers instead sold Joseph as a slave. (Genesis 37:12-36) That double whop* must have sent Joseph sprawling!

Arriving in Egypt, one of the Pharaoh’s officials bought Joseph. And there in Potiphar’s house, Joseph prospered; that is, until his master’s wife took notice of the well-built, handsome young slave. Refusing the woman’s advances, Joseph is falsely accused of attempted rape and thrown into prison. (Genesis 39) Smack! Down again.

In prison, Joseph found favor with the warden, who put him in charge of those held in the prison. When the Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and baker were put in custody, Joseph interpreted dreams that the two men had. He asked the cupbearer, whose dream was one of restoration to his original position, to remember him and get him out of prison. The chief cupbearer was reinstated … Joseph was forgotten. (Genesis 40) What a wallop!

Two full years passed before Joseph was remembered. This was when Joseph was brought before the Pharaoh to interpret the king’s two unexplainable dreams, and Joseph is recognized as a man in whom is the spirit of God.

It had been some thirteen years since Joseph was taken from his homeland. At age 30, he enters the service of the Pharaoh becoming second-in-command in the whole land of Egypt. (Genesis 41)

God toughens us in the ups and downs of living. He prepares to use us in days to come, for His glory, for His work. Alone in a pagan land filled with idolatry, Joseph needed strength to live a lifetime for Jehovah God.

Thankfully, our Father God is more gentle than a giraffe — although at times life’s “kicks” may not feel very good.  

Look back again at Joseph’s life. When Joseph arrived on that slave block in Egypt, we are told, The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered. Genesis 39:2

When Joseph landed in prison under false allegations, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. Genesis 39:21

And upon interpreting his dreams, the Pharaoh said, “Since God has made all this known to you [Joseph], there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders.” Genesis 41:39-40

The Lord God never left Joseph. In humility, Joseph remained under His loving hand; he made the effort to cooperate with God throughout his life.

“How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God!” Joseph told Potiphar’s wife. Genesis 39:9

Taking no credit for himself, Joseph told the chief cupbearer and baker, “Do not interpretations belong to God?” Genesis 40:8

To the Pharaoh, Joseph said, “God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.” Genesis 41:25

Joseph was a real man living in a real place in a real time in history. He got up each day. He made the effort. He lived a life faithful to the Lord God. By the grace of God, so can we.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of living water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
Psalm 1:1-3

*NOTE: Abraham had two sons: Isaac, the child of God’s promise, and Ishmael, the child of compromise. Ishmaelites, also known as Midianites, were descendants of Ishmael. (Genesis 21:8-21)

Bitter fruit was produced when Abraham sent Ishmael away. This bitterness survives in the religion of Mohammed, of those in the Moslem Arab world. Little did Sarah know when she persuaded Abraham to take Hagar to have a child, she was originating a rivalry which has run in the keenest strife through the ages, and which oceans of blood have not stopped. (Biblegateway.com/All the Men of the Bible)

Posted on by Faithfully Following

A Legacy Worth Living

Nomad Wife Blog A Legacy Worth Living

Were she still alive, we would have celebrated my mother’s 91st birthday recently.

Mom lived 88 full years. She didn’t have it easy. She didn’t have a lot of stuff. But she had purpose and meaning. She left a legacy worth living.

She was the great-great-granddaughter of legal German immigrants, common farm folks who left their homeland for a home where they might enjoy religious freedom.

Her own mother died in childbirth when Mom was eight years old. A relative raised the infant sister. Her father never remarried. Mom helped her 15-year-old sister with the care of their four siblings; on the heels of the 1929 Great Depression.

Faith was central in Mom’s life. An enduring faith lived out in the everydayness of life. Belief in the One True God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus was her Savior from sin, death, and the devil. She was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith and attended school through the eighth grade. The Scripture verse she was given on her 1942 Confirmation Day to help guide her through life was alive in her memory until her death: Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. (Psalm 143:10)

1942 Confirmation Class of Evangelical Trinity Lutheran Church. Mom seated, first on the left.

As to marriage, a covenant relationship with God between one man and one woman for life (Genesis 2:23-25, Matthew 19:4-6). She never entertained other options. She and my daddy were married until his death. 53 years. Sure, they had their differences. But I guess you learn how to work through those when together you trudge to the milk barn every morning at 4:30 a.m. and again in the evening and milk some 60 dairy cows. Every day. Twice a day. Seven days a week. Fifty-two weeks a year. On the coldest, darkest days of winter and the blistering, hot days of Missouri summers. Note to self: Substantial “gray matter” required.

Life was precious. Children a heritage, a gift from God (Psalm 127:3-5). Mom gave birth to three boys and three girls; one child was lost through miscarriage. The taking of an innocent life through abortion: incomprehensible. Mom silently carried to her death the grief of burying her 5-year-old firstborn son lost in a tragic accident.

My mother had a gentle, giving spirit combined with grit. She lived patiently, worked hard, and minded her own business (1 Thessalonians 4:10-12). Following her wedding day, she moved in with her husband’s parents, into their home for 20 plus years. Mom performed with grace the very delicate act balancing her roles of wife, mother and daughter-in-law in a three-generation household.

Faith. Marriage. Life. Family. My Mom left a legacy worth living. That I leave such a heritage.

Jesus lead thou on
Till our rest is won;
And although the way be cheerless,
We will follow calm and fearless.
Guide us by Thy hand
To our fatherland.

Cover photo: One of my favorite memories with my Mom. (Norma Haertling, 1929-2017)

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The Big Three in Moving

New schools? Check. Place to live? Check. A Christ-centered church? Check. The big three in moving.

My husband’s business career gave our family a grand tour of the United States — from Colorado’s majestic mountains in the West to the region of our country’s founding in the East to snowy winters in the North and the old-fashioned charm of the South. Along the way I learned the big three in moving: schools in which our children could thrive, a community in which our family might flourish, and a Christ-centered church to worship God and grow our faith. These three became intricately intertwined.

So he [Abram] built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. (Genesis 12:7)

The Scriptures do not record much about Abram’s early years. Born in Ur, a Chaldean city located in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), his father was Terah, his two brothers Nahor and Haran. His wife was Sarai and his nephew was Lot.

Archaeological and historical facts identify the area of Abram’s birth as the cradle of civilization, a thriving place, bustling with culture, commerce, learning, and pagan worship of mythical gods ruled by Sin, the moon god. It was from this place, this life that Stephen (the first Christian martyr) tells us God called Abram (Acts 7).

Scripture does not speak specifically about Abram’s beliefs prior to his encounter with God; although he likely worshiped idols and accepted mythology as truth, as did his family and neighbors (Joshua 24:2). Once called by God, however, Abram went without knowing where he was going (Hebrews 11:8).

Moving in the general direction of Canaan, Abram got stalled when he came to the city of Haran. Three main trade routes converged there offering an abundance of materials. Did Abram get sidetracked by the appeal of building his fortune? Was it the lure of Haran’s “house of rejoicing” sanctuary devoted to the worship of Sin? Maybe Terah, a lifelong devotee of the moon god, lingered and Abram couldn’t say good-bye to his father.

We don’t know how long it took, but at the age of 75, following the death of his father, Abram sets out again for the land of Canaan.

This time something different happens: Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem … So he built an altar there to the LORD. (Genesis 12:6-7) Abram then went on toward Bethel and There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. (Genesis 12:8)

The altar is a symbol of a two-fold purpose: worship, an active response to God whereby we declare His worth. And cleansing, the foundation of true worship found in the blood of Christ shed on the cross. Bible teacher Ray Stedman writes, “When we come before the cross and rightly judge the reality of our lives, acknowledging and confessing our sins to God, He cleanses us.”

As a pilgrim in the Christian life I need a daily altar experience with God. I need to connect with Jesus my Savior. Certainly in the privacy of my home. But, oh! Add in a community of fellow believers and the benefits are incomparable.

The Church, over which Jesus rules, is a calling together of all God’s people. Its purpose is to glorify God, to ascribe to Him supreme worth for He alone is worthy. To meet in a local church with fellow believers — everyday folks, like me, with broken lives — we come for worship, for encouragement, for instruction, for expression, for support. To receive forgiveness, grace and mercy to live out a God-given role that will never be matched or surpassed on earth. A Christ-centered church. An unrivaled big three!

Just as I am, without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me
And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee
O Lamb of God I come, I come.

Posted on by Faithfully Following

Caught Off Guard

Caught Off Guard - Nomad Wife Blog

Sierra. Stop. My dog enjoys our daily walks even more than I do, as long as we are not caught off guard.

Our purpose is exercise, so we move at a pretty good clip. We follow a familiar route and I pretty well know where to watch for other dogs. The length of freedom of those leashed to a stake. The little, yappy ones controlled by an invisible fence (man, do they get under Sierra’s skin). Ahh, yes. And those with no restraint, allowed to roam freely.

Focused. Alert. Eyes up. I’m good. It’s when I become distracted, absorbed in my thoughts, that trouble hits. Mentally I revisit a learning from Bible study, dwell on a family issue, plan out what I will do next when I get home, or simply think nothing at all.

BAM! A hard tug – sometimes a down-and-out yank – on the leash I hold, usually accompanied by some unfriendly, gruff barking. Roused out of my thoughts I quickly rein Sierra back into safety.

So it is with the everydayness of life. In the New Testament book of 1 Peter the Apostle urges us, Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

Yes, the devil is out to consume, to destroy us. Interestingly enough, he comes at us with nothing new. His three-fold strategy has not changed since Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) and Jesus in the desert (Matthew 4): the desires of our flesh, the longings of our eyes, and the pride of life.

Jesus shows us best how to handle those unexpected moments. Reaching into His armory He unleashes the Word of God. Three times Jesus responds, It is written … . (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10)

That same armory, the Word of God, is available to you. A lamp to your feet, God’s Word throws a beam of light on your path keeping you from hitting ditches and ruts (Psalm 119:105). Holy Scripture guards your heart, helping you stand against the devil’s schemes (Romans 8:37-39 MSG). It is a well-made weapon of the best material. But only effective if put to use.

Eugene Peterson writes, Be prepared. We’re up against far more than we can handle on our own. Take all the help … every weapon God has issued so when it is all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. (Ephesians 6:13-18 MSG)

Commit to it. Read it. Learn it. Memorize it. Use it. God’s true Word will help keep you from getting caught off guard.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17