Psalm One Update - April 2019

I love Spring. Everything reminds me of growth happening where dormancy has been. New life coming up from ground that looked dead. Perfect imagery for me right now, as I recover from an extremely stressful 2018, and hopefully enjoy a better 2019.

Most of 2018 was survival mode. Between my parents’ declining health, my dad’s Alzheimer’s and final days, my own illness, and making the 200-mile round trip to Louisville at least once a week, life seemed to go from crisis to crisis. We never fully understand how much stress we are under until we are in a new season.

Some stress is inevitable and inescapable in the tough seasons of life. Certain stages of life are tough no matter how you slice it. Just. Plain. Hard. One of the things God continually whispered to me during my prayer pilgrimage last year was, “The next few months will be very, very tough.” He wasn’t kidding.

Some stress is avoidable, voluntary, a result of choices I make. Overscheduling, pushing beyond my limits, ignoring warning signs. I have limited capacity. I am obviously not Super Woman. I need to subtract some things from the Day-Timer (yes, I still use a paper planner). Another whisper from God: “Continue to say an enthusiastic yes and a discerning no carefully.” When I try to be all things to all people, when I try to please man rather than God, when I listen to every voice except the Lord, I become exhausted, frazzled, and defeated.

Margin:

o   Protects me from “fraying around the edges”

o   Prevents me from playing Messiah--from thinking it all depends on me

o   Provides life-giving resilience for the bumps and bruises of life

o   Improves my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health

o   Makes me easier to live with! Rested people are more kind.

I had to say no to a lot of very good people, projects, and places in 2018. I need space for recovery, rest, and recalibration. I want to make a special effort to leave space for the Lord to set up His divine appointments.

In “From Solitude to Community to Ministry”, Henri Nouwen says, “In the spiritual life, the word discipline means ‘the effort to create some space in which God can act.’ Discipline means to prevent everything in your life from being filled up. Discipline means that somewhere you're not occupied, and certainly not preoccupied. In the spiritual life; discipline means to create that space in which something can happen that you hadn't planned or counted on.”

Is there any margin in my life for Jesus to interrupt and reassign me? Any space for air, light, and water? Any possibility of serendipity?

Some stress can be diminished by adding life-giving experiences.  Yet another message from the Lord: “Tend your soul and you will be protected. Neglect your soul and you will be vulnerable.” I know that in order to tend my soul, I need to reorder my inner life, my rhythms, patterns, and pacing. I need to live a pattern of Rest à Prayer à Work à Play instead of Run à Crash à Burn à Recover. I need to include fun and renewing people, places, and playtime into my schedule.

I look forward to another prayer pilgrimage in 2019. I have learned it is absolutely essential for me to have an extended time alone with God each year. I would not have survived 2018 without my “Jesus Journey”. Through the Prayer Pilgrimage God gave me a well of strength from which to draw.

I will also get away with great friends this year to catch up, laugh, and explore. Good rhythms, good pacing, good friends, good times. Relaxation, fun, connections. Sometimes you need to get out of town with friends. Sometimes you need pizza and board games. Sometimes you just need to meet for lunch.

Here’s to a bit less stress in 2019!

This week, may we celebrate God bringing forth life where death has been. He is risen! He is risen indeed.

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Psalm One Update - January 2019

Good riddance 2018. Goodbye. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out.

The last six months have been incredibly difficult. I have been quite ill with a dangerous lung disease. My father died December 30 after a long and excruciating battle with Alzheimer’s. I know many of you have been there. You understand. We are grateful that he is no longer suffering, but we have been dealing all aspects of grief and loss. Between his escalating care needs, nursing homes, multiple ER visits, hospital vigils, caring for Mom and her own health struggles, driving the hundred mile trek every few days, my own weakness and pain, and constantly changing situations, it’s been exhausting. I’ve been helping my mother with grieving, arrangements, finances, red tape, and other adjustments. I am so grateful for all the friendship, support, and prayers during this very challenging season.

Last July, God called me away with Him for an extended prayer pilgrimage. If it weren’t for the strength and messages The Holy Spirit gave me out there to prepare me, I don’t know if I’d still be standing. It’s almost as if He knows the future, knows me, and is sovereign! Almost as if He’s omniscient, communicative, and loving! So many words, impressions, visuals, and lessons whispered straight from Jesus. But two stand out:

• “The next few months will be very difficult. But you are stronger than you think you are.” Over and over, in so many ways, God warned me, “The next few months will be tough”, “This Fall will be very hard”. There’s a lot of very questionable theology out there that says if you’re walking with God, you will have nothing but riches, health, favor, ease, butterflies, unicorns, and rainbows. To which I say, “Have you ever read the Bible?”

We are promised suffering. We are told, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12) Sometimes believers going through rough times are blame, shamed, and judged instead of encouraged, strengthened, and supported. But God is the ultimate realist. He reminds us that we will go through pain and trials. The Lord prepares us and walks beside us.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; 

And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. 

When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, 

Nor will the flame burn you.” (Isaiah 43:2)

When. When, not if. God is not the bridge over troubled waters. He is the One who walks through the troubled waters with us. Immanuel. God with us. Through everything—the good, the bad, and the ugly. I am so grateful for His crystal clear heads-up that I would be heading straight down into one of the valleys of life.

• "For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,

But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, 

And My covenant of peace will not be shaken," 

Says the LORD who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10)

As I traveled over jagged mountains and endless hills, God kept repeating this passage over and over. The world will shake, but through it all, the Lord’s lovingkindness and covenant of peace would remain. The Lord would be my stability, my security, my Paraclete. Through a very shaky Fall, I have experienced a peace that passes understanding and lovingkindness that has held me tight. So many glimpses of grace, reminders of love, experiences of laughter, and abiding security while everything around me hit the fan. My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken. No matter what. What an amazing gift.

I don’t know what the next chapter holds. But I know Who holds me through it all.

In His love,

Linda

Psalm One Update - November 2018

One cup is enough.

Life has a way of reminding us of our limitations. I have a rare illness, and right now I am dealing with multiple complications. I am also caring for two parents who are very ill and live 100 miles away.

A friend at University used to say I needed to marry three men, because I would wear one out with my boundless energy. I could keep going like the Energizer Bunny. That is not exactly my current situation.

Every morning I get one cup of strength. One cup of energy. Some days the cup is a little larger. Some days I get a whole bucket! Some days it is quite small. A bit like a thimble. I can pour that energy out any way I choose, but once it’s gone, it’s gone. I cannot refill it. No second helpings.

That means I need to budget my cup of strength well. I need to choose who and what will receive my energy that day. I have to carefully and wisely set my priorities. Right now, my top expenditures need to be my family and my health. 

That means I may not have any extra in today’s cup for wonderful people and projects I value highly. I may have to say no (or not yet) to very good people and very good things. I may not be able to return every phone call, email, and text in a timely manner. I wish I had an unlimited source of strength, so I could keep pouring out to everyone. But there is one Messiah, and it is not me. His name is Jesus. I need to cling to His robe, and point myself and others past my limitations to the Unlimited One, the Alpha and Omega, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace.

Scripture encourages us to pour out our hearts to God, but then to move on toward the truth and strength of Someone far greater. After pouring out his extensive (and very understandable) complaint to God, Jeremiah returns to his place of rest:

The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, 

 For His compassions never fail. 

They are new every morning; 

Great is Your faithfulness. 

"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, 

"Therefore I have hope in Him." 

The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, 

To the person who seeks Him. 

It is good that he waits silently 

For the salvation of the LORD. 

Lamentations 3:22-26

The Lord is my portion. Is He enough? Yes. Yes. Yes. Therefore I will give thanks for my cup every morning. I will be grateful for the lovingkindness, compassion, hope, and goodness of the Lord no matter the season of life.

I am surrounded by amazing, supportive people. As my wise and loving friend Jim reminds me, “The same God who moves at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second) also moves at the pace of a snail (25 ft per hour). He is at work in you and for you. Don't forget that you are loved. And don't forget what you preach: your value is not determined by what or how much you do. Your worth is found in the reality that God has adopted you into His Family.” Amen, Jim, Amen!

This is a challenging season, but I will not always have such limitations. I will be far stronger and far more available soon. It takes more than this to keep Goodtime Linda down. But may I always point you far beyond Linda Kline to Jesus, the author and perfecter of Faith.

Thanks for listening and praying,

With much love,

Linda