Godly Insights for the 21st Century Life

     This past year has been horrible in so many ways. Our world has been cowering in the shadow of a pandemic since March, and in some way, its tentacles have seeped into everyone's lives. The deaths of black men and women this spring at the hands of police sparked protests and riots for months. Wildfires burned through Australia, the Atlantic hurricane season spawned so many storms that meteorologists had to dig deep into the Greek alphabet for names, and murder hornets sprang up out of nowhere.      In a year with so much bad, it can be a challenge to remember the good things. I decided to take up the challenge to find 20 good things that happened this year, and while it was hard at first, once I started it was hard to narrow it down to only 20. Here, in no particular order, are 20 things that have been blessings in my life in the year 2020. Performing in  Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat :  This was a blessing this year i...

We're living in a world that keeps breaking But if we want to find a way to change it It all comes down to this Love God, love people ~ Danny Gokey, " Love God, Love People "      These past few months have been crazy. A pandemic has been working its way through almost every country in the world. Churches and schools have closed, and many are not opening again anytime soon.  "Essential services" has been defined in such a way that abortion is allowed while important surgeries and therapies are put on hold. Many people are without work with no end in sight. Mask mandates have led to violent confrontations between employees and customers. Tragic deaths of blacks at the hands of police have led to protests and riots. Governments throughout the country come up with mandates to help curb the spread of the virus for people's physical health without giving a second thought to their mental and spiritual health.      All these things can make our situat...

     Throughout America right now, places are starting to ease back into normal life post-pandemic. However, since the pandemic hasn't been completely eradicated, the CDC recommends wearing masks out in public, and in some places, masks are required. Many people are resisting wearing masks, which has led to a few violent confrontations in places where they are required. While I can understand why people feel like wearing a mask is a control issue, especially when it's not optional, I don't see it this way. Even though I live in a place where masks aren't required, I still choose to wear one for a few reasons.     The main reason I choose to wear a mask out in public is because if I were exposed to the virus, I probably would be an asymptomatic carrier. I am a healthy young woman with a strong immune system. Even if I ended up getting symptoms, they probably would not be severe, so I could easily misinterpret them. I have seasonal allergies, which can cause cough...

It has now been over a month since my life was normal. For some of you, it may be longer, and for some, it may not be as long. Unfortunately, this global pandemic has left few unscathed throughout the world, even if no one they know was affected by the virus itself. This past month has brought some good things, and some not so good. I was reminded a couple of weeks ago of a youth group tradition at my church of sharing pows and wows (bad things and good things), and so here in no particular order are the pows and wows of this last month, starting with a few things that were a bit of both. Pow/Wow- The news:  While it's been good to get information about what's going on, the constant updates get to be a bit much. A few of my friends have decided to not watch the news at all, but I think that's a bit extreme. I have decided to still watch and read some news but limit how much I watch and read. That often means reading only part of long articles and occasionally muting the T...

"For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence ...You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that stalks in darkness , or the destruction that wastes at noonday." ~ Psalm 91:3, 5-6, emphasis mine I'm guessing that you already know about the global pandemic of Coronavirus. You are probably suffering some of the effects, not from the virus itself, but from the panic and social distancing its path through our world has caused. Just this past weekend, the cast party for  Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat , the monthly Kansas Authors' Club meeting, and all services at my church were canceled. Not only that, but I found out yesterday that everything at church is canceled until April 1. I was able to go to Zumba Sunday after being gone for a month and a half while rehearsing for and performing Joseph , but before the day was over, the local YMCAs closed for the next week at l...

"My God has set me free Opened my eyes, now I can see The devil is a liar And he's not fooling me" ~ " The Devil is a Liar " - We Are Messengers As anyone familiar with my blog probably already knows, my life has not been an easy one. I've dealt with the deaths of people I loved dearly, seen my dream lying shattered at my feet, and at one point saw no purpose left in my life but to end it. The past week has been no exception. I had to deal with a costly repair to my car and students who refused to listen or work. To say that my depression hit me hard on Tuesday would be an understatement. Not only that, but I also developed a headache by the end of the day that lasted well into Wednesday even though I went to bed early that night to try and dispell it. However, I don't tell you these things to try and get you to pity me. Instead, I tell you because these events do not define me, and similar events in your own life don't define you. One of th...

My entire life, I have had no desire to smoke. My maternal grandfather died six years before I was born from the one-two punch of emphysema and lung cancer caused by years of smoking. From what I have heard about him, he and I would have gotten along very well because I am so much like him. With each thing I learn about him, I become even more resolved to never let the butt of a cigarette touch my lips. However, there was one day I desperately craved a cigarette. It had been a stressful day at work, as many of them are. The field of special education is not for the faint of heart. As I began my drive home, I craved something to release the tension flowing through me, and a cigarette seemed like a viable option. After all, many people turn to them for the same reason. My promise to myself to never smoke was the only thing holding me back. Now, I easily could have just given in, but that option seemed almost too easy. Instead, I prayed and asked God why I was feeling that pull toward...

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord" ~ Isaiah 6:1 Recently, I was reading Isaiah 6, and I was struck by the contrast in the opening verse. Isaiah kicks off this passage about an amazing vision of God he experienced that led to his calling as a prophet by saying it happened "In the year that King Uzziah died". Now, in his time period, describing a well-known event that also happened that year was a great way for listeners to understand when he had this vision. The year designations we have now weren't around back in the time of the prophets because they're based on when Jesus came, which was hundreds of years after the time of Isaiah. However, even in the 21st century, we can fall into this same pattern of telling time. A few examples of this from my own life: 2004: In the year both my grandmothers died, I got my kitten Angel and went to a wonderful church camp. 2012:  In the year I was in a scary car accident, I went to Scotland and start...

"Maybe it's okay If I'm not okay 'Cause the one who holds the stars Is holding on to me" ~ We Are Messengers-" Maybe It's Okay " There may be some people who see the name of my blog and assume I have it all together. After all, Godly Insights for the 21st Century Life sounds like it was written by a well-studied theologian, someone whose faithful leadership guides others to know Christ as well. While it is true that others have come to know Christ through my faithful witness, I am still far from perfect. As I mentioned in my earlier post " Haven't Seen it Yet ", I struggle with doubts about many things. I also suffer from anxiety that at times can be almost crippling, and often that anxiety will morph itself into depression. The most recent instance of this was a little over a week ago when I participated in a local small business fair. Before the event, I worked hard to make new items to display, worried that I might run out ...

Celebrating Thanksgiving last month got me to thinking about what I'm thankful for. Here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite things from the past year. Christian Music:  I have listened to Christian music since fourth grade, but this past year has been a particularly good one. My favorites include "The Breakup Song" by Francesca Battistelli, "Best News Ever" by MercyMe, and "He Still Does (Miracles)" by Hawk Nelson. "The Breakup Song" is written as a letter to fear to pack up and get out of our lives, and I had some fears that needed to go away, and listening to that song helped me to face them and get rid of them. "Best News Ever" is the message of the gospel in song form, and reminds us that the story of Jesus isn't just good news, it's the best news ever. "He Still Does (Miracles)" is a reminder that the power of God to perform miracles is not just something that happened in biblical times, but so...