The Great Turn-Around God

“How fast did we go?” I yelled to my dad when he stopped pedaling to give our legs a break.


“44!” He yelled back. I smiled as we flew past a speed limit sign that read 30.

Flying down big hills and seeing how fast you can go is only one of the many things that I love about biking. I also love the wind in my face that keeps me cool and the sun on my back that makes me sweat. I like watching the trees go by as I pedal along. The more mileage you cover, the more sights you see: windy lakes and trickling rivers, fields of wildflowers and horses, drifting clouds and brilliant sunsets. Riding with groups of friends and family is extra special because I love the camaraderie that comes with group cycling. I even enjoy the burning of my thighs when I climb a big hill and the sense of accomplishment when I reach the top.

It’s funny how I didn’t always enjoy biking. Running has always been my first preference, but this semester I injured my leg to the point that I was no longer able to jog. Instead of running for exercise, I began biking. At first, I biked with my dad on the tandem (two-person bicycle), but now I am learning to bike on my own and ride with groups. What I used as an alternative at first has become my favorite form of recreation! When I rode my bike this morning with a group of girls, I found myself actually thanking God for my hurt leg. Because I couldn’t run, I had discovered the joy of cycling.

We can all probably remember a time when something bad in our lives turned into something good. God is the worker of those miracles because He is the great turn-around God. But not only can God turn anything bad into something good, He is able to turn everything bad into something good. With God, every single bad thing can turn around to become something wonderful. There is no exception! That means whatever hardship or struggle you are facing now can become something beautiful. God is the master at taking ashes and creating beauty, taking the broken to create the whole.

It’s easy to go back and thank God for the hardships that He has already turned into beauty. That’s why it was easy to thank God for my hurt leg. Hindsight enables us to see the picture a little clearer. But what about the difficulties that we face right now? Have we thanked God for our troubles even though we haven’t seen the redemption yet? God is teaching me to be thankful for all my problems because He absolutely will make beauty from the brokenness when I trust Him to do so and when I surrender myself to Him.

Even though we may not be able to see it yet, we know that God is working behind the scenes of our struggles to turn around the situation. Difficulties become deliverance. Pain becomes passion. Hurt becomes a hunger for God. He is working to make it happen for us. And so let’s thank Him for the struggles and the stresses because of the hope we have. God is working to create beauty from the ashes.

Fill 'n Go

"Welcome to the Fill 'n Go gas station!" I said enthusiastically as the children entered the classroom and parked themselves in the parking spaces that we made using yellow duct tape on the floor. Our center for this summer's VBS was colorfully decorated with gas pumps made of large sheets of butcher paper. At our "service station", we were teaching the kids about choosing to serve others instead of self.

"Just like cars need gas to go, we also need fuel to energize us and enable us to serve others," we told the children. "It is only when we fill up on Christ's love that we are able to pour it out onto others."

At VBS, I was the one teaching those children as they gazed up at me from their parking spots on the floor. But in real life, I am the child gazing up at the Lord as He is trying to teach me the same lesson. Ashli, you can't go out and live passionately for me without being filled with me first. And you can't be filled with me until you are empty of yourself.

I want to go! This summer, my foot has pushed the pedal to the floor only to find that my tank is not filled with the fuel I need. Oh, it has been full - full of self and not of God. So the Lord has gently been ripping away my perfectionism, pride, and selfishness until I am left completely empty of self. I will admit, it was not a comfortable place at first. It was only yesterday that I finally gained the strength to tell the Lord, "I am comfortable being empty." And I heard Him whisper back, Now, you are ready to be filled.

Praise God for His kindness and patience toward us. When I have gradually filled my tank with selfishness, He is gentle and loving in removing my pride. He has honored my desire to go and serve Him by first siphoning out my selfishness and emptying me of my pride. Even though it has been difficult to feel so weak and vulnerable before the Lord, this humility has left me available to Him. Now that I am empty of myself, I am open to be filled with the gas that will really make me go - the unconditional, unending, unfailing, unbelievable love of the Almighty God.

Come into the the presence of the Lord and allow Him to empty you of youself. When you tell Him, "I am comfortable being empty," He will fill you to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:19)

Free Floating

With the sun burning bright on this 95 degree day, nothing felt better than the cool, clear water of the Buffalo River. Lathered in sunscreen and equipped with inner tubes, my family and I happily kept cool on this hot summer afternoon by relaxing and floating down the river. The water was the perfect temperature for an occasional dip, and the current was swift enough to keep us bobbing along. Dad summed up the way we all felt when he said with a smile, "This is the life!"

We especially enjoyed shooting the small rapids in our inner tubes. We would link arms, pick up speed, and let the water carry us. Then, in the pools where the water was not moving as swiftly, we would take a quick swim. In those lazy-river-moments, you could just lean back, close your eyes, and free float downstream.

At first I didn't like closing my eyes and floating freely. Without seeing, I didn't know where I was going. Even after closing my eyes for a few seconds, I felt like I had to peek just to make sure I was still on course and not about to hit a rock. But I soon realized that the flow of the river would keep me in the center, away from the "snakeville" banks (as my mom calls them) or dangerous rocks. I could rest contently, close my eyes, and trust that I could float freely down the river without worry.

God's love is like a river that sweeps us away in it's current. His love is long, wide, high, and deep. It is also beautiful, perfect, refreshing, and satisfying. When the weather of life becomes unbearable and the heat of circumstances wears us down, we can take a cool dip in His marvelous love. We can rest assured that His love keeps us afloat and that we are free from harm when we close our eyes and let the current move us. God's love carries us if only we allow ourselves to free float within it. As we relax in the unending, always-moving love God has for us, we can smile and say, "This is the life!"

Twenty Going On Fifteen

I glanced outside the large window of the car dealership at the little white 2007 Honda Fit parked nearby, and then I turned toward the office window where I could see my parents signing the papers. A sweet smile crept up the corners of my mouth and I started to get excited about driving that little car home.

"Are you getting a new car today?" A salesman interrupted my thoughts, but I turned toward him and said with delight, "We sure are!"

"And who will be driving that cute little car?"

"Well," I began to explain, "My mom will drive it for now, but I will get it in a couple of years."

"Oh! You must be learning to drive. Are you about fifteen?" He asked.

"Uh...no, I'm twenty."

I think I saw a silent "oh" come out of his mouth as he turned red and walked back towards his office. I just laughed to myself because I'm used to it. People usually think that I am younger than I really am, so I might as well find the humor in it! After all, they say that it will be a good thing once I get older because then I'll look forty instead of sixty. We'll see about that...

The truth is that youth is a thing to enjoy. Ecclesiastes 12:1 (the Message) says, "Honor and enjoy your Creator while you're still young." The rest of the passage goes on to talk about the woes of growing older (not a recommended read for those in mid-life crisis) and how youth is a time to enjoy while it lasts. But the chapter is not really about the benefits of youth or the pains of growing older, but about making sure that you are enjoying your relationship with God right now and not putting it off until later. The point is not to enjoy youth, but to enjoy God...no matter what age of life. But when it comes to knowing the Lord, the sooner the better! A relationship with Him brings a bounty of blessings that make life full and abundant. You don't want to miss out on that!

Remember When . . .

After twenty years, the project has finally been completed. My mom just added the last pages to my baby book! I have thumbed through some of its pages before it was done, but I have never seen all of it. Just the other night, my mom and I sat on my bed and looked at each page together. We read cards that my grandparents had written to me when I was just a baby. We looked at old pictures taken at VBS - the kind that popped right out of the camera after you took the picture, and then you had to wave the picture in the air while you waited for it to develop. We laughed hysterically at stories I had written and pictures I had drawn when I was in preschool. Before we were even half way done, we realized that we had been pouring over that baby book for an hour.

Each picture, drawing, card, and letter reminded me of something from my childhood. My grandmother's card reminded me of going to her house and smelling the aroma of chocolate cake when I walked through the door. The pictures I drew reminded me of events that I had forgotten, like watching fireworks on the lake for the 4th of July, "shooting the rapids" on the Buffalo River with my family, and playing basketball at the park with my mom. I loved looking at my class picture from the first grade and comparing the cute little faces to all the grown-up ones I know now. Every page caused me to ooh and aah as I "remembered when..."

It amazed me how much I had forgotten from my childhood, but it also amazed me how quickly I could remember. I may have not thought about kindergarten for years, but all it took was a funny drawing of a chicken to remind me of story time, grandparents' day, singing songs, and field trips. Just a simple letter from my grandmother reminded me of her character and personality, even though she has been away from this earth and with the Lord for many years. I recalled family pasttimes and elementary school friendships that may have faded from my memory, but are etched on my heart.

I am so thankful to my mom for keeping all these treasures and preserving them. Looking at my baby book challenged me to hold onto cards, letters, pictures, and records that will be valuable and special to me in the future. It also challenged me to remember. I want to remember the big events of my life, but also the small things that make each day special - like Mom taking me to the pool or buying me pretzels at the mall. Those memories remind me of who I am how and how I am loved.

Most of all, I want to remember what Christ has done for me throughout my life, for that is what really reminds me of who I am how I am loved. As long as I remember who He is and what He has done for me, every day is "life to the full". (John 10:10)

Scriptures to Brigthen Your Day

"Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts...Remember the wonders He has done." Psalm 105:2, 5

How quick we are to forget everything that God has done for us! This Psalm reminds us to reflect on everything that God has done for us personally as well as what He has done for others. We should write it down as a testimony to His character, for we are so quick to forget who God is and what is able to do! He is a faithful God who has written a story for our lives. How simple and meaningful it is to chronicle each chapter that He writes so that we will not forget His faithfulness. Then we will be ready to share with others all that He has done.

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"Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare His praise?" Psalm 106:1-2

Who can fully declare God's praise? We can see His works and tell of all He has done, but ultimatley His love is so beautiful and His works are so awesome that no one can fully declare them! His goodness is beyond comprehension, His greatness beyond grasp. Francis Chan, in Crazy Love, says, "Isn't it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate?" Even if the sky was a scroll and the ocean made of ink, all of God's love, grace, and strength could not be expressed. His vastness is incredible, and yet He works His infinite power and intimate love in our very lives.

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"Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress." Psalm 107:13

When distress comes, what is our first response? If you are like me, you might ignore or it deny it. You might keep it to yourself so that you won't bother the world. You might hold it all inside or try to fix it on your own. I have tried all these things, but I learn from this Psalm that crying out to God is the answer to any distress. He is the deliverer, chain-breaker, comforter, provider, healer, and rescuer. When we cry out to Him, He hears. And He is already on the job.

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"They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds." Psalm 145:5-6

God's greatness is worth sharing! "Speak of it, tell of it, proclaim it!" the Psalm says. How often do I want to mention Christ in a conversation, but just hint at it? How often do I feel the urge to share a story of God's faithfulness in my life, but let the chance slip away because I am afraid of how others will respond? Or how many times am I just too hurried to notice the opportunity to "proclaim God's great deeds"? No more shying away for me! I am ready to be bold and intentional when it comes to speaking aloud about my Lord.

All of these Scriptures and devotional thoughts have been inspired by our summer GAP time.

GAP Time

"Remember when we used to have GAP time in the summers?" Mom enthusiastically reminded my sister and I one morning. "I think we should do it again this summer."

When we were younger, my mom cleverly named our daily devotional time together as GAP time, which stands for gather and praise. Every morning, the three of us would sit in the living room floor to do a devotional, sing, and pray together for a few minutes.

When my mom announced her idea to "revamp" GAP time, my sister and I were a little hestitant at first. In our heads, we pictured an elementary-style circle time with VBS songs and picture books. But we agreed to give mom's plan a try since she was so excited about it.

Now that we have completed almost a week's worth of GAP time, I am proud to announce that I am just as enthusiastic about it as my mom is. It has been so much more than circle time. Now that my sister and I are a little older, we are using GAP time to dig into God's Word for practical lessons and life applications.

Let me tell you - there is nothing more encouraging, challenging, and transforming than spending time in God's Word every day. That book is alive, and God speaks directly and personally to our hearts through it's words.

God has really blessed me immensely through our GAP times this summer. We have been reading a few of the Psalms and Proverbs aloud and them discussing them with one another. God has given me some personal revelations and has encouraged me through things that my mom and sister have shared. Stay tuned because I will post some of my favorite verses in the next few days, but in the meantime, I challenge you to spend time in God's Word every day. That habit has transformed my life and relationship with God, and I have no doubt that it will for you, too. A great way to start that habit is to find a friend and start your own "gather-and-praise-time". You don't have to sit in a circle and sing, but you can do something as simple as meeting for coffee and talking together about what God is communicating through His Word. Just give it a try and hear how the voice of God will whisper through the words.

Camping Out

For a girl that is used to college life, coming home for the summer requires a little bit of adjustment. I am used to running at a hundred miles an hour, packing every day with as much activity as possible. At home, we sometimes don't even eat breakfast or get dressed until 10:00. When I ask mom, "What are we doing today?" She replies, "Laundry!" like that is the big event of the day.

Now I am not complaining in any way - I love staying in my pajamas until noon. I really enjoy not having a to-do list that is ten pages long. At the same time, this kind of lifestyle switch has required a little bit of adjustment for me.

I have a goal-oriented, purpose-driven personality, so I wake up every morning with this question on my mind: What is my purpose today?

At school, that question was easy to answer with so many opportunities available to me. This summer, I have struggled a little more with answering that question. How do I find meaningful purpose in doing laundry or going to the grocery store?

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When the Israelites journeyed through the desert, God guided them through a cloud pillar during the daytime and by a fire pillar during the night. I love what Numbers 9:18 says:

"At the Lord's command the Israelites set out, and at His command they encamped."

When you keep reading you will find that the Israelites followed the cloud/fire pillar wherever it went. When it got up and moved, they got up and moved with it. And when it stopped to camp, so did they.

I am pretty good at getting up and going when God leads me to do so. But when He parks it and starts to camp out, that's when I have a hard time. I want to say, "Come on! Let's keep going! We don't need to stop here. Let's keep moving to somewhere exciting." No, I am not very good at camping out. I want to be on the move constantly, but that is not what God always wants for me.

So here I am, spending some time "camping out" at home this summer. I am used to being on the go, which is what I am good at and what I desire. But right now, God's glory is hovering over my home town, asking me to camp here for a while. There is a time to move and a time to stay, and I believe that God is calling me to stay for now.

So what is my purpose when I wake up every morning? Well, I am still learning to answer that question. But I know that God has something in store for me here, something He wants me to do for Him to draw closer to Him and bring Him glory. And who knows, it may be doing laundry with my mom or hanging out at the pool with my sister.

So if God is calling you to move out and journey with Him to new places, take courage and jump into action. If He is calling you to be still and camp out right where you are, take a deep breath with me. Rest in His presence, and look for the opportunities right in front of you. Whether you are moving onward or camping out, God has a beautiful mission in mind just for you. When you obey Him, you will be blessed as you discover how perfect those plans are.