Category: joy

I spend half my hours each day at school teaching seventh grade boys… a great joy. Last week we looked at Paul’s instruction to “honor God with our bodies.” When I asked how we are to do this, I was reminded why it is good to be around kids… they keep it simple: “Don’t do things that are harmful to your body; do things that make your body healthy and strong.”

If grace involves the truth that ‘God is with us,’ it is natural to wonder what result this has in practical living. God likes simple too: “As I live in you, you will learn to live in Me. I will teach you to avoid those things that harm yourself and others and I will lead you to do good. As you walk in My light, I will shine through you… and others will notice. Your life will reflect My love and I will receive glory.”

Jesus used the analogy of the Vine and the branches to teach us: “I am the Vine, and My Father is the Gardener… I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing… Remain in Me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the Vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me… This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.” (see John 15)

Thank God for being the perfect Gardener. Thank God for the perfect Vine. Thank God that He produces good results in our lives. Thank God for grace.

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:11-14

As we begin a new year it is good to find joy in the goodness of God. I was asked recently to summarize fourteen years of dealing with cancer for a group of doctors and researchers in San Francisco. My conclusion was to give thanks… to God and to people.

One of the doctors I thanked was the oncologist who diagnosed my multiple myeloma in 2000. I had not seen him in over two years, so I decided to visit him after returning from the conference. Upon arrival at his office, the receptionist at the desk screamed my name and started a big commotion. A nurse I knew well came into the waiting room and gave me a big hug. And, of course, Dr. Saker was very excited to see me healthy and strong. Gratitude tends to be contagious.

On a winter day in 2001, I remember a young man getting a similar reception as I sat at this same doctor’s office receiving chemotherapy with a dozen other patients. He walked into the room wearing shorts, flip flops, and a Hawaiian shirt. He was carrying a large tray of sand and a vase of flowers. After giving each nurse a flower and a hug, he sat in the chemo chair, stuck his feet in the sand, and with a big smile exclaimed, “OK, let’s get started!” Looking around at the rest of us, he said, “I’ll tell you guys, attitude is everything when you’re going through the fight.”

I was forty-one years old at the time and this patient looked at least ten years younger than me. A nurse told me he had endured three or four different bouts with cancer since he was a teenager and one of the diseases had returned. As the nurses prepared him, he told us that present treatments are a lot easier than they were when he was younger and that we would all be OK if we just took one day at a time. I think most of us thought this guy was a little crazy, but he encouraged everyone with a joyful attitude.

Of course, no one smiles through all the pain or laughs at every hardship, but this man’s determination to think positively while encouraging others left a mark on me. I heard later that he did not survive the new cancer he faced, but that did not change his influence and it made me ask myself a question: “Live or die, what will be my influence?”

If you’ve read these writings over the years, you may have noticed their conclusion that Jesus is the One who has the greatest power to influence. Unless we’re alive when He returns, we’re all going to die some day, so why not look to the One who holds life eternal? He tells us that if we believe in Him, death has no hold on us and we need not fear it. And since He faced greater trials than any of us ever will, He understands exactly what we feel. Jesus embraced suffering with eyes fixed on the joy to come and He invites us to do the same.

Happy New Year!

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:2-3

Since 2002, this is the thirteenth May I’ve shared that a school year has ended and these weekly writings will cease for a couple of months. How does one calculate the faithfulness of God? I believe it is beyond measure, but the Father wants His children to know Him. This means we are to be sure that no matter what happens or what anyone else says, our Creator loves us and is faithful in every way.

My summer prayer request is that you lift up our youngest daughter Karlyn, who leaves Saturday to spend two months working with children in Uganda. This is the child who hangs over waterfalls and waves to the camera, so please pray that God will give her wisdom, health, and safety as He accomplishes His purposes.

I pray you all have a wonderful summer. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. I finish this school year as healthy as I have been in quite a while. I’d like to be like David who wanted all to know his Good Shepherd. He wrote, “I do not seal my lips, as you know, O Lord. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.” (Psalm 40:9-10) May we ‘walk in the light of His presence.’ (see below)

With love,
Dana

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in Heaven itself… The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones… O Lord Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you… Righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.” Psalm 89

“Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” Psalm 33:3
“Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.” Psalm 96:1
“Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.” Psalm 98:1

So what new song will you sing to the Lord? If my life could be considered a song and this new year represents a clean slate, what would I want to express?

Every song ever written was once a new song and the psalmist David wrote many. He wrote in the good times and in the bad; he wrote songs of praise and songs of lament; he wrote honestly, knowing God already knew his heart and circumstance.

Though times aren’t always easy, I want to sing of the Lord’s goodness. Though life often requires waiting, I want to sing of God’s faithfulness. Even in the midst of trials, when we see what God has accomplished through Jesus and when we remember that he has given us the Holy Spirit as Comforter and Counselor, we recognize that we have a reason to sing and a reason to worship.

O for fresh revelation this year! Paul prayed that the children of God could “grasp how wide and long and deep and wide is the love of Christ,” knowing such truth would produce many new songs. The world needs to hear such singing, as the absence of God can only result in worry, fear, and despair.

So, let us sing of hope and a future! May our lives mirror God’s love and may we depend on him to live as Jesus did on this earth, remembering that “the Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.”

Happy New Year!

I will exalt you, my God and King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.
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.
They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.

The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
All your works praise you, Lord;
your faithful people extol you.
They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.

Psalm 145:1-13

Twelve men gathered for fellowship and prayer one recent Saturday morning and we sang two or three songs before we prayed. The singing reminded me a bit of the dwarfs singing in The Hobbit. J.R.R. Tolkien loved to put songs in his stories. Sad songs, happy songs, songs of war, songs of peace, silly songs, and serious songs were part of his fantasy world.

God intends for songs to be a part of our world too. “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Jesus had just completed his last supper with his disciples; and knowing what lay ahead, they sang a song.

This is the month of much singing. Fun songs of the season and serious songs of the Savior are traditions of Christmas. And don’t we now remember the heavenly host who sang the Good News to the shepherds in the field? “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

I pray you and your families have a wonderful holiday week. And may we always sing the praises of the One who gives us life.

Merry Christmas!

“Don’t drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:18-20 (The Message)