MY BLOG POSTS

Book #2 in THE ELI DIARIES is available!

In case you missed the initial announcement, THE ELI DIARIES is a series of novellas that address the question, “What if Jesus were in high school today?” Bill Myers, best-selling author (and so much more!), created this world, where Jesus (Eli Shepherd) lives in Ventura, CA and attends Ventura High. His classmates include Maggie (Mary Magdalene), Jude (Judas Iscariot), Martha, Tommy (Thomas), and Pete (Peter).

The first book, The Battle Begins, written by Myers, is told from Satan’s perspective – the Enemy wants nothing more than to destroy Eli’s mission before it ever begins.

This second book, written by the amazing Melody Carlson, is from Maggie’s perspective. I got to read this a couple weeks ago and it is SO good. We all know Mary Magdalene after she surrendered her life to Christ. But what led her to that decision? Who was she before, and how did she leave that behind to follow Jesus? Melody Carlson begins to examine these questions in this first installment of Maggie’s story.

The third book in the series will release next month and will feature Jude. Mine, starring Martha, will be out in November. (Then Maggie comes back in December for the next chapter of her story!)

These books are short – easy weekend reads that will keep you thinking long after you put them down. I am excited to be part of the team writing them, and I hope you join our team of readers!

Over the last few weeks, I’ve heard of a lot of things done “In God’s name” – many of them are awful: Some of the white supremacists who attacked Charlottesville did so believing they were acting on God’s behalf. I know of husbands who pervert scriptures and mistreat their wives, believing they have God’s authority to do so. I know pastors who encourage their people, from the pulpit, to behave in ways that directly oppose the word of God. Daily, I see and hear people spewing hate and justifying it, saying they’re doing “God’s work.”

No wonder Christians are viewed as dangerous.

I vacillate between complete frustration over this and overwhelming heartache.

Followers of Christ – we must be VERY careful when we say we are hearing from God. We should not use that phrase lightly. We should be like the Bereans in Acts 17, who “searched scriptures daily” to determine what was true.

Does God speak to us? Yes! But His will is always consistent with His Word.

Sometimes it’s very clear: My daughter felt God telling her to share Christ with her co-workers last week. That was certainly from Him – we are clearly told to share the Good News with everyone.

Sometimes it’s not as clear: Two and half years ago, we made the decision to move to CA. There was no, “Hey, McGee’s, go to CA!” verse in the Bible. But there were principles we could rely on – We sought wise counsel from others (Prov. 11:14). We discussed who we were with the leadership of the church/school, and found that our gifts could be used to strengthen that body (I Cor. 14:12). And Dave and I were in agreement about the decision (Phil. 2:1-2). All solid evidences that this move was directed by God.

I urge you, sisters (and any brothers reading this), don’t use God’s name as a weapon, don’t sin and say you are doing it in God’s name. Don’t say you’re doing God’s will if it contradicts His word. And study for yourself to see if what others are saying is from God is truly from Him.

“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

I am ashamed to admit it, but even after 30 years of walking with the Lord, I still doubt sometimes. I still look at situations and feel like I need to – or can – fix them. And, yet, because God is incredibly patient and kind, He still , after 30 years, graciously reminds me that He is in control, and He loves us.

Here’s my most recent “Crisis”: My oldest daughter’s college choice. First, I need to tell you that I agonized ALL YEAR over the fact that Emma would be leaving home. I was stressed, my body was messed up, my emotions were all over the place. I was a wreck.

And then, when I finally worked through all that and was at peace with her leaving…everything fell apart. The financing we thought we had for her to attend college away from home fell through.

So then I was stressed because I felt badly for her – all her plans, all her friends…my poor girl!! Why can’t she leave home?

So we spent the summer trying to help her adjust to this new reality. (By “we”, I mean my husband) She cancelled her registration, room and board, and schedule for her out-of-state school, and registered for classes at the local community college.

I struggled with that, too, because Emma wants to be a Christian counselor. To best prepare for that career, Emma would most benefit from attending a Christian college. But the Lord didn’t seem to be allowing that.

And then, less than a month before school was to start, God started blowing open the doors for Emma to attend a Christian college in our area. She got scholarships, a Grant, and gained entrance into the school’s Honor program, where she can major in Psychology, taught from a Christian worldview. And she can live at home!

God, of course, knew all of this. He knew this last year when I was having my meltdowns over Emma leaving home. He knew it when I was stressed out all this summer over her not  leaving home. He knew it when I chose to wallow in fear and worry instead of trusting in Him.

Now, as I look back over this incredibly unexpected turn of events, I realize I spent a miserable year, living in fear and worry and stress, when I didn’t need to. God had everything worked out for Emma’s good. He cares for her far more than I do, and He knows what is truly best for her.

I could have enjoyed last year more, I could have slept better this summer, I could have rested in the peace of knowing God is in control. But I didn’t.

Because God is a good Father, He isn’t done with me. He wants me to learn this lesson, to trust Him no matter what. So He has dropped another situation in my lap where I can either choose to fear or choose to trust. And I’ll be honest, my flesh wants to fear, to stress, to question…But the Spirit reminds me of who God is, what He has done. His Word reminds me that GOD IS IN CONTROL, and I don’t have to worry about tomorrow. God is at work. And He is good. I can – and should – place all my trust in Him.

The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. ~Proverbs 29:25

I always worry when I write about legalism. It’s like writing about humility – the minute you think you’ve got it, it’s gone.

But I feel the need because it’s just so easy to slip into a legalistic attitude. I know, because I fight that battle daily.

So what is legalism? Most simply put, it’s “pursuing good works with the intention of earning God’s favor.” Few Christians would say we believe that – obviously, we know the Bible says salvation is by grace through faith. But practically, it just “feels” like we should have to do more.

I, personally, like “checklists”. Right now, I have a long electronic Post-It note on my computer with a list of papers I need to grade, emails I need to send, people I need to contact. I love deleting each task as it’s completed. I feel so accomplished!!

But when that attitude worms its way into my Christian life, I’m in trouble. When reading my Bible, praying,  and going to church becomes a “checklist”, I am moving into legalism. When I feel like checking those “boxes” earns me ‘points’ with God, I am fully immersed in legalism. Once there, it’s an easy jump to look at others and judge them – they aren’t reading the “right” version of the Bible, they aren’t praying in the “right” way, not going to the “right” church. They, in short, aren’t serving God “my” way, so they are wrong.

What’s the cure for this? Jesus. 

Seriously.

Jesus didn’t come to bring us a “To-Do” list. The Old Testament believers tried that for  a couple thousand years. It didn’t work. Trying to earn salvation is like trying to dig a hole to get to the moon: with every move, we just get farther from our goal.

Jesus came to offer us the GIFT of salvation because He loves us. He loves us!! I sing and say that so much that I sometimes forget the amazing truth of it. Jesus loves ME!!

So the cure for trying to earn God’s favor is to accept God’s favor. And, once we accept it, we can love others because Jesus loves us. We can forgive others because Jesus forgives us. We can accept faults in others because Jesus accepts us, faults and all. Reading and praying and attending church isn’t a means to earn the favor of God, but a way to rejoice in the fact that we have it.

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Gal. 5:1