A Quiet Life

February 5th, 2015 dsisler

 

I live a quiet life. There I’ve said it. I don’t do anything big and bold. Nothing exciting happens to me. Some may say my life is boring, but I’d say, my life is quiet.

 

Daytona Beach 021mI have read stories of or have met people who have done some pretty remarkable things in their lifetime. Skydivers. Mountain climbers. Life changers. Public speakers. Their lives are huge. Their personalities are huge.

 

You probably can recall some biblical characters that fit this description. Joshua. David. Daniel. Peter. Paul. Even as a boy David did more than I have done in my entire lifetime.

 

But then, I find great comfort in reading stories about Ruth, Esther, Priscilla, Lydia, Lois and Eunice. These women lived quiet lives.

 

There are even some beautiful verses of Scripture that tell us we are to live quiet lives. Take a look at a few.

 

“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 – NIV)

 

In 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV), we read that we are to pray for “kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

 

And in 1 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV) we see these words. “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”

 

Phew! I’m so glad these verses exist. It means that I can continue with my quiet existence.

 

Or does it?

 

Ruth led a quiet life until God called her to step out of her comfort zone and live among God’s people. He called her to a life that would be anything but quiet as she became the grandmother to King David (Ruth).

 

Esther also led a quiet life until God called her to be queen and to ultimately to be in a place at such a time to save her people from annihilation (Esther).

 

Priscilla led the quiet life of a tent maker, alongside her husband until God called her to travel with Paul to Ephesus. In Ephesus Priscilla was able to work with the new church and to explain the way of God more adequately to Apollos (Acts 18:18-28).

 

Lydia was a seller of purple. She worked in the market place and while some may believe this was a brave life, it was a quiet life. Until God called her to sit by the river outside the city gate. It was here that her life was markedly changed. She heard the message of Jesus, believed and was baptized…along with her household. Lydia opened her home to Paul and his band of disciples. Her life suddenly became exciting (Acts 16:13-15)!

 

Lois and Eunice lived their quiet existence in Lystra until God called them to rear a young lad named Timothy. They were called to teach him the ways of Jesus and to prepare him for his exciting life of companionship to Paul. How their quiet little lives were changed by this calling (1 Timothy 1:5).

 

While I may believe I live a quiet life, and am happy to live in the ways mentions above, when God calls to action, I must be prepared to step out of my comfort zone and do as He asks. I’ve tried to obey. I started writing this blog. I went to SE Asia. I lead women in Bible study. But have there been times when God asked for more, but I didn’t respond.

 

Sadly, I must say yes. I’m sure you can say the same. So what is it that we are to do? Say yes when God asks us to put some extra life in our quiet lives. His ask may be as simple as say an encouraging word to that young mom to raise money to start a non-profit organization. Whatever it is, do it. Don’t hesitate. Do it.

 

I do love my quiet life. But I wonder, what is God up to?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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On the Lookout

February 4th, 2015 dsisler

 

I needed to find something at work yesterday. I looked in the logical place. It wasn’t there. I asked a few people if they knew where this item might be. No one had seen it. One of our facilities guys went searching for this item and when he found it, he brought it to my office.

 

mag glassThis is what he had to say. “I looked everywhere. Just when I was ready to give up, I thought of one more place. It was there. The last place I looked.” The crazy part is that it was in the room right next to where this item was supposed to be and where I looked. I was so close, but didn’t find it.

 

Jesus told a couple of parables about items that had been lost. The lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7). The lost coin (Luke 15:8-10). The lost son (Luke 15:11-32). In each of these parables, the lesson to be learned is that no matter how long it takes, God is not willing for one soul to be lost. It is His greatest desire to rejoice over the one who was “once lost, but is now found.”

 

So how does God search for the lost? God does some of the same things the woman searching for her lost coin did.

 

Seeks to Save

Jesus came to earth for the purpose of redeeming mankind. Luke 19:10 (NIV) tells us that “the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” I don’t know about you, but I am thankful that God didn’t give up on me after my first effort to ditch Him. He continued to work on my heart until it was softened to His message. How blessed we are for God’s diligence.

 

Dissolves Darkness

Jesus also came to earth to provide light. We see in John 12:46 (NIV) that Jesus came “into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in him should stay in darkness.” Part of the search plan is to reveal glorious light that provides a way to maneuver in this dark world. When we come into the light, we can easily be seen and found. Again, how thankful I am for the Light of world, Jesus.

 

Purifies

Once we are in the Light, the dirt and grime of our past lives are swept away and our lives are purified by the blood of Jesus. In 1 John 1:7-9, we find that as we confess our sin, God forgives and cleanses from all unrighteousness. Because of God’s faithfulness, all of this is possible.

 

Unlike my friend who stopped looking after the item was found, God continues His search. He not only seeks to find those who are lost, but for those of us who have already found His righteousness, His eyes are still upon us. Remember, “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer.” (1 Peter 3:12 – NIV) And 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NIV) says, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”

 

Again, I am thankful for God’s continuous desire to seek those who are lost. I have been found because of God’s faithfulness. Have you?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

 

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In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning

February 3rd, 2015 dsisler

 

Mason has started a new shift this month. He’s gone from working nights to days and now we have a new schedule to figure out. Day 2 didn’t go so well for me. I woke at 3:45 this morning. I stayed in bed for a while, but finally got up.

 

Moon2I’ve always had this issue. If I wake up any time after 3:30 or 4:00 am, I will probably be up for the day. For me, my brain seems to work best early in the morning. I used to wake up in college early to study. When my children were little, it seemed this was the best time for “me” time. As I’ve grown older this hasn’t changed. I’ve found that it’s easiest for me to write my blog or work on Bible study earlier in the day as well.

 

So what do I do at 3:30 in the morning? Before I get out of bed I pray. Sometimes it will be all that’s necessary to help me fall back to sleep. But if I’m still awake a ½ hour later, I get up and work on Bible study. After that, I move to writing.

 

This little routine works for me. I know, not everyone is wired this way, but I can tell you, there were a few people in Scripture who got up early to see what God was up to. Let’s take a look at some of them.

 

I don’t know if Abraham was a regular early riser, but we find two cases in Genesis when he got up early. In Genesis 19:27, Abraham got up early to see the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. And again in Genesis 22:3 we see the account of Abraham being tested by God. Early in the morning, Abraham took a couple of servants, wood, a donkey and Isaac. They traveled to the place God told him about. There, Abraham prepared to sacrifice his only son because God had asked him to do so. In the end, Isaac was spared and a ram was sacrificed instead.

 

Jacob woke early after his dream of the stairway to heaven (Genesis 28:10-22). It’s hard to believe that Jacob was able to sleep at all with a stone as a pillow, but God was able to use Jacob’s sleep to share His message and pointed Jacob to a time of worship early in the morning. Another very good way to spend our early awake hours.

 

After the Sabbath, a group of ladies went to Jesus’ tomb “very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise.” (Mark 16:1-7) They were unable to prepare Jesus’ body after His death because of Jewish law, but they wasted no time to spend a few moments with their Lord. Mary Magdalene, James’ mother Mary and Salome took spices and oil to anoint Jesus. And what did they find? Not the body of Jesus to anoint, but an angel telling them the good news that Jesus was alive. Now that would have been worth waking early to see.

 

And finally, we see that Jesus seemed to find times of refreshing through the night and early in the morning. In the beginning of John 8, we see that Jesus went to the Mount of Olives at night. Then at dawn, Jesus was found in the temple courts. Early in the morning, Jesus was teaching.

 

Mark 1:35 (NIV) tells us that “very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

 

I believe we are able to find a list of things we can do when we find ourselves wide awake early in the morning (or late at night if you are a night owl).

 

  • We can think about God
  • We can be reminded of ways God is at work in our lives
  • We can place our trust and faith in God
  • We can worship God
  • We can anoint God as Lord of our lives
  • We can pray to God
  • We can meet God in the moment
  • We can learn about God

 

Perhaps there are other things we can do when we can’t sleep (some not so good), but with these examples, I believe these are a great place to start. Maybe the next time you find yourself in this situation you’ll remember a few of these ideas and will enjoy the extra time with God. I did!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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“Nothing But the Blood” – Monday Musical Musings

February 2nd, 2015 dsisler

 

It hasn’t been all that long since we sang beautiful hymns of Jesus’ birth. It was a peaceful night. A holy night. And all the world rejoiced because the Messiah had arrived.

 

???????????????????????????????But what we sometimes fail to remember is that Jesus came to earth on that quiet, holy night for one purpose. To redeem the world. He was born to die…on purpose.

 

Leading up to His death, Jesus shared God’s message of salvation with those who would listen. He mentioned that He was the only Way to be saved (John 14:6). Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper on the night of His arrest stating that His blood would be the new covenant, poured out for the forgiveness of sin (Matthew 26:28).

 

And let’s not forget Jesus’ stunning words in John 3:16 (NIV). “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

 

All of these verses point to one thing. Without Jesus, there would be no redemption of mankind. We only find salvation through Jesus Christ. There is no other way.

 

The disciples and epistle writers offered more evidence of this as well. Peter, speaking before the Sanhedrin told them that “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 – NIV) Perhaps you know another musical piece which uses this verse as the basis for the lyrics.

 

And then, if you take a few moments to read Hebrews 9:11-28, you’ll find this section of Scripture is all about the blood of Jesus. It is a good reminder that without the shedding of Jesus’ blood “there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 11: 22 – NIV)

 

So today, I’ll share a version of the idea that there is nothing, nothing that can save us except the blood of Jesus. I pray that you will be more aware of His sacrifice as you read through the lyrics and listen to this melody. Remember, He died for you.

 

“Nothing But the Blood”

 

Your blood speaks a better word than all

The empty claims I’ve ever heard upon this earth.

It’s righteousness for me; it stands in my defense,

Jesus, it’s your blood.

 

And your cross, it testifies in grace;

Tells of the Father’s heart to make a way for us.

Now boldly we approach; not earthly confidence.

It’s only by your blood, your blood.

 

Chorus:

What can wash away our sins?

What can make us whole again?

Nothing but the blood,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

 

What can wash us pure as snow?

Welcomed as the friends of God?

Nothing but your blood,

Nothing but your blood, King Jesus.

 

Your blood, it speaks a better word than all

The empty claims I’ve ever heard upon this earth.

It’s righteousness for me; it stands in my defense.

Jesus, it’s your blood, your blood.[i]

(Chorus)

 

Click here to listen to The Swift sing their version of “Nothing But the Blood.”

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] “Nothing But the Blood,” words and music by Matt Redman, Thank You Music/PRS, 2004.

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Just a Dusting

February 1st, 2015 dsisler

 

I was awakened in the night by a big gust of wind. I knew there was a possibility of snow overnight, but I didn’t know what to expect when I woke this morning.

 

???????????????????????????????As I peeked out the back door, there was just a dusting of snow. Phew! But I know that some of my friends and family are waking to much more. Some, 4 to 6 inches more!

 

I pray that if you are rising to unfavorable weather this morning that you will be safe as you go out and about it. I also pray that you won’t let the devil keep you from attending church this morning because of the weather. If at all possible, get to church. There’s a special message for you this morning.

 

I am up to “Z” on my Blogging A to Z challenge reposts. I pray that you will find something to touch your heart in these words today. Blessings!

 

ZYD – Blogging A to Z

 

My Ford Escape has had the same license plate the entire time I’ve had it. It was looking pretty beat up, so when it came time to get new tags, my husband thought he would just get new plates. I must admit they look nice. Clean. No dents. However I see a couple of issues with the addition of these new license plates.

 

First of all, it makes the rest of my car look pretty bad. You see, my car is nine years old. There are dents. There are scratches. There are discolorations. My car looks pretty tired compared to the new license plates all shiny and new.

 

And then there is the difficulty in remembering a new license number. A couple weeks ago after grocery shopping, I placed my items in my car and then took the cart to the corral. As I returned to my car, I noticed the license plate. The first thought that ran through my mind was, “I put my groceries in the wrong car!” Now I know that isn’t possible, but it’s what I thought.

 

If you haven’t guessed it yet, the letters on my license plate are ZYD. With this blog post, my Blogging from A to Z challenge is complete. I’ve run the race. I’ve made it to the goal. I’ve completed the task at hand. Well kind of, sort of.

 

You see, only part of the challenge was to write about the letters of the alphabet on my own blog. But there was more. I also needed to stop by five other A to Z bloggers each day, read their post, and then make a comment.

 

At first, I was diligent. I chose five blogs that I thought I would enjoy reading and return to visit each day. I took the time each day to read some great blog posts. Some inspirational. Some about cooking. One about a move their family was making. After reading these posts, I would write my comment and I prayed for these individuals who had written these blogs.

 

Then the trouble started. I got a job. My brain and my body weren’t ready for that one. But still, that’s no excuse.

 

There also were others stopping by to read my blog and then I wanted to visit their blog in return. Suddenly I was reading between 8-10 blog posts per day. Overwhelmed is an understatement for what I was feeling. I wanted it all, but couldn’t possibly do it all.

 

The best thing about this whole challenge is that I found some wonderful blogs that I thoroughly enjoy reading. I’ve had the opportunity to “meet” (if you can say that about an internet friendship) sisters in Christ who live all over the world through this challenge. I also believe that some non-believers have read some of what I had to say and if a tiny seed has been planted, then it’s worth it all.

 

I’ve been challenged for certain, but not for the reasons I thought I would be. It was easy to come up with something to write about. That has never been my problem. I write every day, so that wasn’t the challenge. The challenge for me has been to keep all the plates spinning and still come out on the other side without a plate falling.

 

You know the feeling. Balancing work with volunteer roles with family life, with daily errands, with “what to make for dinner,” with my personal time with God, with leading a Bible study, with caring for myself, with loving on others, with anything and everything else that is thrown onto one of those spinning plates. Phew! Looking at it this way really puts it in perspective!

 

So how do I do it? When I try to do it on my own, I am not very good at it. In fact, I might even say I fail. But as I give each one of those plates to Jesus, I release that part of my life to capable hands and He keeps them spinning.

 

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you know that I love music. Music speaks to me and today I want to share a piece that I have loved from the moment I heard it, because it puts all of my thoughts and feelings about this plate balancing thing into melodious words.

 

“Refuge” was written by a young musician Luc DiMarzio. Luc leads worship for one of the multi-sites at the church I attend and is talented in many ways. I pray that you too will find refuge in Jesus and that you will allow His strength to carry you through your day.

 

“Refuge”

 

I can’t live my life alone so many times I’ve tried.
I am weak but I can see Your strength can change my life.

 

In the shadow of my day, be my rock be my escape.

 

You are my refuge;
You calm my doubt and cure my pain.
You cleanse my sorrow;
Your grace erases all my shame.

 

I can’t do this on my own, the truth is rarely clear.
When I’m weak it’s hard to see if You are really here.

 

In the shadow of my day, be my rock be my escape.

 

You are my refuge;
You calm my doubt and cure my pain.
You cleanse my sorrow;
Your grace erases all my shame.

 

In the darkness in the flame, the beauty of Your name.
Mountain valley or plateau, no other name I know.

 

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.[i]

 

I offer you two versions of this song. The first is the original recording (click here to listen). The second is the professional recording (click here to listen). Both are very good and maybe, just maybe you’ll want to listen to both.

 

It doesn’t matter what you’re going through in life, Jesus can be your rock. He can be your escape. Find shelter and rest in Him. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1 – NIV)

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] “Refuge,” Luc DiMarzio

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    "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19


    I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in southwest Ohio.

    I am passionate about helping women find their way to Jesus through Bible study, teaching, speaking, inspirational writing and creative Bible journaling.

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    In September 2012 I went to SE Asia on a service trip. For more information, check out preachitclearly.blogspot.com.

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