Broken but Priceless Ministries

The Ultimate Networking Connection

7/13/2017

By Josie Siler

So many things happen in life because of who you know. As I delve into the world of writing and authors I’m finding this truth enforced, and reinforced. It’s all about connections. Of course, talent and skill are part of the equation too!

They call it networking. True networking is more than a connection, it’s a relationship. We don’t connect with someone only looking for what we can get out of it – what they can do for us. There’s give and take, supporting each other, and helping each other fulfill our dreams in any way we can.

My first published work, a book that I could hold in my hands and smell as it came out of the box all fresh and new, came because of a connection. An opportunity was presented to me and I said “yes.” My dear friend Katy (you know Katy Kauffman, she designs Broken but Priceless: The Magazine) asked me to write a guest post for her blog. It was part of a series and I was happy to do it.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think saying “yes” to writing a blog post would lead to my first published work in a compilation when Katy turned that series into a book. That blessing came to me because of a connection, a relationship, a friendship.

Spiritual blessings also come to us because of Who we know. Ephesians 1:3 (NLT) says, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ (emphasis mine).”

We’re blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we’re united with Jesus Christ. Think about that for a minute. Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms is ours. Fausset and Brown define blessings as:

blessings--Greek, “blessing.” “All,” that is, “every possible blessing for time and eternity, which the Spirit has to bestow.”[1]

And how do we get these blessings? Through our unity with Christ. Jesus is the source of every spiritual blessing. He’s our ultimate networking connection. It’s the most important relationship we’ll ever have.

Unlike connections and advancement in the field of writing (or any other field) I don’t need talent or ability, I just need Jesus. He will give me the talent to do the work that has been prepared in advance for me to do. He will give me the ability to love God and love others.

We’re blessed for the same reason Abram was blessed way back in Genesis 12:2. “…I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” We’re blessed so that we can be a blessing to others. Just like networking, when we’re blessed and advance, it’s our job to bless others and bring them up with us.

So what are some of the spiritual blessings we receive through Christ? Ephesians 1 (NLT) goes on to list several spiritual blessings:

1.      God chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes (verse 4)
2.      God adopted us into His own family (verse 5)
3.      God brought us to Himself through Jesus Christ (verse 5)
4.      God poured out His glorious grace on us (verse 6)
5.      God purchased our freedom with the blood of Jesus (verse 7)
6.      God forgave our sins (verse 7)
7.      God has showered us with kindness, wisdom, and understanding (verse 8)

All of these blessings are found in one paragraph. There are so many more! What other spiritual blessings can you think of?

Today, let’s say “yes” to the spiritual blessings God offers us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Let’s celebrate our unity with Him. Remember that God blesses us so that we can bless others. Share in the comments one way that God has blessed you or one way that you have been able to be a blessing to someone else.

*If you aren't on our email list to receive Broken but Priceless: The Magazine and would like to be, please let us know!

[1] Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 341). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

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Jesus Doesn't Come in Miniature

6/29/2017

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By Josie Siler

So many things today come in miniature. Candy bars, cakes, artwork, furniture, clothing, books, luggage, horses, dogs, and certainly technology – just to name a few. I’ll admit I’ve never understood the idea of miniature candy bars or cake. I’m a king-sized kind of girl!

Why do we think that things are suddenly better when they’re smaller? Sure it’s great to be able to fit a small cell phone in your pocket, but what happens when it gets so small your fat fingers can’t hit the buttons? We all know that auto-correct is anything but our friend!

Some artists are miniaturizing books and turning them into necklaces. First of all, I kind of want one. I mean, they’re stinkin’ adorable! But you can’t read them. At least my 30-something eyes can’t! Like many miniature things, their purpose is purely decorative.

I hate to admit it, but for a very long time I pictured Jesus in miniature. I grew up believing that when I accepted Jesus into my life He came and lived in my heart. Now don’t get me wrong, this is true, but it isn’t the whole picture.

When I thought about Jesus living in my heart I pictured a miniature Jesus, almost like a little plastic G.I. Joe, camping out in my heart. Of course I knew that’s not who Jesus really was, but that’s often how I pictured Him. I couldn’t quite grasp what it meant to have Jesus living in my heart. I took the statement too literally. Once I began to really grasp what it means to be united with Christ, it changed my life. My world was rocked and there’s no going back!

There are some things that we just can’t fully understand until God reveals them to us. Friends, let me be very clear. Jesus doesn’t come in miniature. He isn’t some plastic action hero we play with. He’s God incarnate, living in us. We get all of Him and He gets all of us.

That’s what it means to be united with Christ. We can’t tell where Jesus ends and we begin. We’re all His and He’s all ours. He lives His life through us, as us. When I take the time to remember this, I can feel all the pressures of life lifting off my shoulders. I don’t have to worry what other people will think about me because it’s not me who lives, it’s Christ in me. When I allow Him to live through me, I don’t have to worry if I’m going to say or do the right thing or make the right decision. I can walk with Him each day in confident assurance because I know that the things that happen are in His control, and He is good. And that, my friends, is the feeling of freedom.

Ephesians 3:17 (NLT) says, “Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.” When we trust Christ in us we establish deep roots and grow strong. We aren’t just given a portion of Christ’s love and strength; we have access to all of it because we have access to all of Him. We’re united with Him so the things that He has, we have too.

The Apostle Paul doesn’t stop there. He goes on to write, “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God (verses 18-19).”

Paul is praying that we will be able to understand the depth and strength of God’s love for us. In fact, the only way we will ever comprehend any truth is if God reveals it to us. No person can make us understand God’s truth no matter how hard they try, but God can reveal it to us. He can help us understand the mystery of His deep love for us, and of Christ in us. He can help us understand that our spirits are literally united with Christ’s Spirit.

Once I understood that this wasn’t just a concept or an idea, but a literal reality, my mind was blown. It’s as if the heavens burst forth and for the first time I realized that I didn’t have to live in defeat because Christ has already overcome everything and His life is my life. He lives in me so I’m an overcomer too.
And you know what? His life is also your life. He lives in you so you’re an overcomer too! It is my prayer that each day God will not only remind us of this truth, but also remind us to walk in this reality. Jesus may be united with little ol’ us, but He will never come in miniature. He’s big and He’s mighty. He’s powerful and He’s perfect – and He’s one with us. Praise His Holy Name!

Dear Lord God, thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus. Thank You that He didn’t just die for us, but that He lives for us too – He lives IN us! Wow God, what a concept! Will You reveal to each of us what that really means for our daily lives? Will You help us to understand what it means to be united with Jesus Christ? Will You give us patience when we don’t understand? God, thank You that Your timing is perfect and that You reveal to us things just when we’re ready to hear them – not a second before and not a minute too late. You’re always right on time, Lord! Thank you for Your gifts and for Your deep love for each of us. Help our roots grow deep and strong, Lord. We love You! In Jesus’ precious and powerful name, Amen.

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Lessons from Wonder Woman

6/22/2017

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By Josie Siler

Do you want to know a secret? I kind of want to be Wonder Woman. I’ve always loved Wonder Woman, and I don’t even know why. I haven’t read any comics, I haven’t seen any other Wonder Woman movies, and I’ve only watched the old TV show a couple of times and, well, that was pretty cheesy. But for some reason, I’ve always identified with Wonder Woman. She’s “my” superhero. Needless to say, when the previews for the new movie came out I was pretty excited.

When Erin and I were together a couple of weeks ago we went and saw the movie and I loved it. The entire movie I was making comparisons in my head between the movie and the Christian life. (Note: There are no major spoilers coming so you can keep reading if you haven’t seen the movie yet. Personally, I would not take young kids to this movie. Parents, see it first and judge if it’s appropriate for your child.)

I didn’t have a clue what the movie was going to be about, so everything about it was a surprise. If I had to sum it up in one sentence I would say, “Wonder Woman is a movie about a girl discovering who she really is and learning to walk in that knowledge.” And isn’t that what the Christian life is all about?

As Christians, we’re on a journey to discover who we are in Christ and how to walk in that knowledge. Diana, aka Wonder Woman, didn’t know the full extent of who she was. As she slowly discovered the truth about herself she became more confident and powerful. As we discover the truth about who God really is and who we are in Him, we become less fearful and more powerful. We discover that our power comes from Christ, and when we allow Him to live His life through ours, we have no limits. We have nothing to fear. We’re prepared and equipped to face any battle, any fight.

I’m so excited to introduce this new series with you. Each week I’m going to be writing about our unity with Christ. What does it look like to be united with Him? How does it affect our daily lives? Does scripture really say that we’re one with the King of kings and Lord of lords?

Galatians 3:26-27 (NLT) says, “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.” Isn’t it nice to put on new clothes? They’re fresh and clean, not yet faded, and we feel like a million bucks. We want to show off our new clothes so others can see how good we look in them. Being united with Christ is even better than new clothes! Clothes rest on your body, but being united with something or someone is much more intimate.

Is there a time when you felt really close to Jesus? I’d love to hear about it in the comments. Also, please let me know any questions you have about being united with Christ. I’ll try to answer them throughout the course of this series.

Before I go, I have to share this video with you. Singer/songwriter Jamie Grace made a video that perfectly sums up the way I felt after watching Wonder Woman. Sorry Jamie, I think Gal Gadot is more graceful than we’ll ever be (even if Grace is your last name)!

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An Identity Crisis

5/11/2017

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By Erin Elizabeth Austin

Who are you? I had the privilege of attending the Women of Joy conference this past weekend, and this question was asked several times. I’m thrilled to say I knew the answer to the question, something I couldn’t have done a few years ago. Now, I know what you’re thinking. “How can you not know who you are?!” Believe it or not, most people get the answer to this question wrong, and for years, I was one of them.

Most people, when asked this question, respond with answers like, “I’m a wife and mother of two children; I’m a nurse who loves to have adventures, etc.” Yet none of these answers tell who you are! They describe what you do. Intrinsically, at our very core, very few know their identity.

I was reminded of this after the massive response from last week’s devotion on expectations (see http://www.erinelizabethaustin.com/blog/great-expectations). Although the devotion was about our unrealistic expectations of God, it triggered many of you into thinking about the unrealistic expectations you place on yourself and how you struggle because you don’t measure up. That’s why this week’s name of God is my all-time favorite. I think it’s one of the sweetest, yet most revealing names we see throughout all of Scripture. The name is Abba, which means Father in Aramaic.

When we see our need for a Savior and repent of our sins, Scripture tells us we are adopted as God’s children. He becomes our Abba, our Daddy God. Romans 8:15-17 says it best, “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

Let that truth sink down deep into your soul. God doesn’t care what you can and cannot do. He doesn’t care about the size of your portfolio and your bank account. Your net worth in God’s kingdom isn’t dependent on your job. A CEO of a corporation isn’t considered more valuable than a homeless person. If you have a personal relationship with Christ, then God says you are His child. You are valued. You are cherished. You are wanted!

For years, I could not comprehend this. Life had beaten me down to the point I was beyond broken. I was shattered in a million tiny pieces. In my mind, I knew God had to love me because He was God, but that didn’t mean He was happy about it. Twisted though it was, I honestly believed I was the black sheep of God’s family. Just because God loved me didn’t mean He liked me, so I worked hard to be the best possible person I could be. And then sickness happened. I couldn’t work because my body wouldn’t allow it. I will never forget having to quit my job because I was too sick to work, thinking “What am I going to do now? I was doing all of these things to show God I deserved His love, and now I can’t. How am I going to show Him I’m valuable?”

That time in my life was one of the darkest times I’ve ever experienced, and I am so grateful for it! As odd as this may sound, sitting on the couch doing absolutely nothing helped me FINALLY begin to understand who I am and Whose I am. Now I know, I am Erin Elizabeth Austin and I am a daughter of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. If I ever become a best-selling author and world-renown speaker, my value will not change from the beaten, broken down girl eight years ago.

God’s love never changes. Even better, it’s unfailing. It’s unshakeable. It’s unstoppable. He is a good Father who loves you when you think you’re unlovable. Do you believe that? Do you know who you are? Do you know Whose you are? Do you know that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords says you are somebody?

If you don’t, know you’re not alone. Ask God to show you the truth of who you are in Him. Pray that He will help you see the beauty of your life through His filter of truth rather than society’s unrealistic expectations. Ask Him to help you block out the lies you have believed for so long. You, my precious friend, have a Daddy God who loves you in ways you can’t begin to fathom. Choose to believe what your Abba says about you. I promise, your life will never be the same.

“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” ~ Ephesians 3:17-19

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Great Expectations

5/4/2017

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By Erin Elizabeth Austin

I’m a perfectionist. To be honest, it’s a family characteristic. Although not everyone in my family is a perfectionist, most of us are. People may disagree with me, but being a perfectionist isn’t always a bad thing. It means I work hard and do my best, no matter what I do. Yet there’s a downside to striving for perfection. It’s unattainable.

I was reminded of this last week when I went to see my nine-year-old nephew play soccer. Unfortunately, he too has inherited the perfectionist gene. I watched him play goalie, his favorite position. Even though I am biased as his aunt, he did an amazing job, especially considering his team has played more games than they’ve had practices due to rain. Under the circumstances, his team played a good game, but they didn’t understand the positions they were supposed to be in during the game, so 80% of the game was played in front of my nephew’s goal. Understandably, my nephew had more attempted goals he had to block than normal for a soccer game, and he did an exceptional job. He blocked two-thirds of the attempted goals, yet seven still made it past him. Being the perfectionist that he is, my poor nephew didn’t see how well he did. He only saw the failures, and by the end of the game, he was in tears. His expectations were simply too high.

As I’ve pondered this over the week, I can’t help but think we’re all like this, whether or not we’re a perfectionist. Since we started this series on Believing God I’ve had more conversations with people about why they struggle to trust God, and the number one reason given is “because a situation I was praying about didn’t turn out the way I expected it would.” In other words, we struggle to trust God because He doesn’t do what we want Him to do.

I can’t help but think of Job, who found himself in a similar situation. After losing everything, he cried out to God, “What are you doing? I’ve been a good person. I went to church. I tithed. I followed Your laws. Why aren’t you doing anything to fix this?!” (Job 31) For a long time, God let Job vent. He just sat there and listened while Job complained, but then, God spoke! I encourage you to read Job 38-41. It’s one of those passages of Scripture we all need to read every now then because it reminds us how great God is and just how small we are. Like God said in Job 38:12, “Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, and caused the dawn to know its place?”

Somewhere along the way, we’ve forgotten just how insignificant we are. On this planet, we are the top dogs - the alpha. We rule over animals and things which are weaker than us, so in our minds, it’s easy to forget that we are as small as a speck of dust compared to God. He is the One in control, and who are we to be upset when our expectations don’t line up with His? The further I get into this study, the more I’m amazed at the sheer audacity of believers in Christ. The God who set the world into motion knows our names. He knows the number of hairs on every person's head. Not only that, He knows the number of tears we cry, and He cares! We fail Him in countless ways every day. We demand He do things our way, and when He doesn’t, we say He isn’t trustworthy. And yet, God loves us with a love that can’t be contained. That’s why this week’s name of God is important, because it makes us stop and think about how big our God is. He is El Elyon, “God Most High,” (Gen.14:18, 22).

This is actually one of the more commonly used names of God in Scripture. Personally, I think it’s because we need to be reminded that God is the One in charge and not us. As you go throughout the next week, I encourage you to ask God if you have some unrealistic expectations. Maybe you’re expecting to meet your future spouse or get pregnant by a certain date, or maybe you believe a situation in your family will be resolved in a certain way. It may even be that you’re praying for a resolution to a problem and you’re demanding God fix it without stopping to hear what He has to say.

As children of God, we should start each day with one expectation, and that’s to see God. How would life change if we stopped demanding things happen in a certain way and our heart’s cry became to simply see God each and every day of our lives? Problems and circumstances probably won’t reach the resolution we thought was best, but I guarantee we’ll see God in ways we never expected or imagined. He is El Elyon, the God Most High. The God who knows when an ostrich flaps its wings on the other side of the world knows what is best for you and me. Trust Him! Choose to believe that God in His infinite wisdom will work out the minute details of your life in the best possible way. Expect to see God!

“But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside.” ~ Job 23:10-11

© May 4, 2017

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A Handbook for Freedom: Breaking the Chains

4/27/2017

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by Katy Kauffman

Do you feel “chained”? I did. You wouldn’t have been able to hear the clanging links as I walked by or seen the chain that was metaphorically wrapped around my heart and mind, but for years, I struggled with chains of my own making. When I realized they were hindering my walk with God, I wanted to be free. I just wasn’t sure how to do it.

Have you been there? Even children of God battle bad habits or detrimental ways of thinking, feeling, and acting. Jesus died to set us free from sin’s power in our lives, but we can still walk hindered. We can let fear, anxiety, anger, loneliness, and so forth hinder what God wants to do in our lives and how we relate to Him and other people. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can break free and stay free. The strategies to do it are in our new book.

I am excited to announce the recent release of Breaking the Chains: Strategies for Overcoming Spiritual Bondage. Published by my family’s ministry/publishing company, Lighthouse Bible Studies, this compilation features the insights and strategies of 20 contributing authors—all writing about how to break spiritual chains and walk in freedom. Six members of the Broken but Priceless staff and writing team have contributed to the book—Erin Elizabeth Austin, Josie Siler, Lauren Craft, Tessa Emily Hall, Rosemarie Fitzsimmons, and myself—as well as three past guest writers—Ron Gallagher, Cherrilynn Bisbano, and Jeannie Waters.

This is what our book is about:

Just like God’s people in the Old Testament longed for freedom from captivity and oppression, God’s children today long to be free from spiritual bondage. Powerful enemies such as fear, anxiety, anger, and loneliness war against our souls, but Christ empowers us to break their chains. Freedom doesn’t have to be a distant dream. It can be our reality.

Does your soul long to be free? Twenty authors have joined forces in this compilation to offer strategies for freedom by sharing personal stories, meaningful Bible verses, and chain-breaking principles. There are even some short stories.

Discover the strategies you need to break free from spiritual bondage and to form your own battle plan for victory. With God’s work and our cooperation, strongholds can crumble, chains can be broken, and freedom can usher in God’s peace and joy.

Our Contributors

The contributing authors come from all walks of life—a pastor, an engineer, an adjunct professor, a CFO, an ESL teacher, editors, novelists, nonfiction authors, ministry leaders, mothers, grandmothers, and one biker chick! (You can guess who that last one is.)

The “Chains” to Break

The first section of the book discusses how to overcome 25 forms of spiritual bondage. Could any of the strategies to overcome these chains help you or someone you know?

Fear
Guilt
Anxiety
Hopelessness
Loneliness

Enslaving Thoughts
Pride
Unforgiveness
Bad Habits
Legalism

Anger
Negative Thinking
Spiritual Depression
Indifference
Complaining

Rebellion
Prejudice
Low Self-Image
People Pleasing
Lust

Worldliness
Self-Reliance
“That’s Just the Way I Am”
Prolonged Emotional and Mental Pain
Idolatry

Our Short Stories:

I have always believed that fiction can teach truth. The second section of the book includes five short stories that illustrate a particular spiritual chain and the struggle to break free.

Breaking Free and Staying Free:

The final section of the book gives valuable examples of how believers have broken free from bondage and how to stay free.

Help us spread the word about Breaking the Chains and its freeing principles by sharing this post. Overcoming spiritual bondage and winning the victory is possible because God makes it possible.

Order your copy of Breaking the Chains here.

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A No Good, Very Bad Day

4/6/2017

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By Erin Elizabeth Austin

Have you ever woken up knowing it was going to be a bad day? I think, if we’re honest, we’ve all had days like this. Maybe that’s why I’ve always loved the children’s story by Judith Viorst entitled Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Not only do I find it amusing, but there’s a lot of truth to it. In case you haven’t read it, the book starts with Alexander waking up saying he knows it’s going to be a bad day because he went to bed with gum in his hair and woke up with gum in his hair, and it was a sign of how the rest of his day would go. Towards the end of the story Alexander realizes that even though bad things are happening he can choose to have fun and make the most of his day. What a powerful truth so many of us adults need to learn!

I’m not going to lie. I didn’t always understand this. For the longest time after I was diagnosed with lupus, I struggled with my attitude. I was often guilty of saying, “If it’s going to happen, then it’s going to happen to me.” Although I didn’t realize it at the time, that attitude set the tone for how each day would go. I expected difficulties, so all I saw were difficulties.

It’s easy to do this when you’re diagnosed with a chronic illness. Let’s be honest. Being sick or the caregiver of someone who’s sick is hard. There’s nothing easy about it. Sickness steals your time, health, money, and sometimes, even those you thought were friends. When that happens, it’s easy to become so wrapped up in what’s happening you miss seeing all the good in your life. Life becomes a series of no good, very bad days.

Yet as I’ve studied God’s Word, I’ve realized we choose whether or not we have a bad day. In Psalm 27:1, we are introduced to another of God’s names. It’s here He’s called Jehovah-‘Ori, which means “The Lord is my Light.” I love the verse because it’s says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?”

We all go through difficult times, times when it feels like our world is caving in and we’ve been left locked in a dark room trying to dig our way out. That’s why it’s so important to believe God is our light. He can give hope and joy on even the darkest of days. I can’t help but think as we approach Easter that God did this on the day Jesus died. Before Jesus’ death, He told His disciples He would come again (John 14:2-4). Even when all hope seemed lost, God was working.

Therein lies one of the great privileges of having a relationship with Christ. Bad things may happen to us, but God gifts us with hope in hopeless situations. Because of Him, even on the worst of days, there is always a possibility for joy. When our focus is on God, who brings light to every situation, we can honestly say our day hasn’t been bad because God is there.

It's taken me years to understand this, but this is a truth that’s transformed my life. There is a difference in a day being bad and a day being hard. When we say a day is bad, we’re saying absolutely nothing good was a part of the day. We’re, in essence, saying it doesn’t matter that we’re alive, have people who love us, have a roof over our heads and food in our bellies. We’re saying everything is horrible and there’s no good to be found. Yet when we say the day is hard, we’re acknowledging difficult things have happened, but we refuse to negate the blessings we have been given. Do you see the difference?

Every day is good when we keep our eyes focused on God because He brings light to the darkest of situations. No problem can outshine the power of God. He is greater!

Do you find yourself going through some dark times? Have you asked God to shine His light into your situation? Jehovah-‘Ori wants to shine His light on your life. Choose to stop having no good, very bad days. Take your eyes off your problems and focus on the One who is greater.

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” ~ John 8:12

© April 6, 2017

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More Than Anything

3/23/2017

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By Erin Elizabeth Austin

Can you believe it? We’re finally on the last segment of our mini-series on healing and deciphering what God’s Word actually says about it. Over the course of the past month, I’ve had some interesting and often intense discussions with many of you about this topic, and I want you to know, I applaud your tenacity in doing this study. By no means, is this an easy topic. I’m proud of you for seeking God through this issue! So, once more, let’s step into the last part of our study and see what God has to say about healing and death.

I think, more than any other subject, death is probably one of our greatest struggles in believing God. Honestly, I’ve lost count of the number of people who’ve approached me disheartened, ready to quit on God because they prayed for a loved one to be healed and God allowed the person to die. They quote verses like Psalm 103:2-3, which says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,” and then they feel God lied by allowing their family member/friend to die. We discussed this two weeks ago, but let’s stop here for a moment so there’s no confusion. Verses like these are a wonderful promise from God, but if you actually study the original language, it’s written in future tense, meaning God will heal your diseases in Heaven. We all will be completely healed when we reach Heaven, so when you pray for God to heal your loved one and the person dies, God did in fact answer your prayer. The problem is, He didn’t answer your prayer the way you wanted. Again, let me be clear, you should pray and ask God to heal you in this lifetime, and He does sometime answer that prayer; however, you need to be ready to accept whatever His answer may be.

This is where it gets tricky. People are temporal, meaning even though we know about Heaven, we can’t fully grasp the concept that there’s more to life beyond the here and now. We see what’s in front of us; we feel the pain and hurt of now, and we fail to truly understand we have an amazing future promised to us in Heaven if we have a personal relationship with Christ. Even worse, whenever we encounter problems, we get desperate. We can become so focused on resolving our problems that we miss what God is doing in our lives.

I never truly understood this until I met Sharon. Even though I only met Sharon once, she changed my life more than anyone I’ve ever met. After speaking at a small church, a friend of Sharon’s asked me to go visit her because she only had a few months left to live. She was dying because of ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. For those who don’t know, there are two common ways to die from ALS – either your diaphragm is paralyzed and unable to make your lungs work so that you literally suffocate, or you choke on food, drink, or your own saliva because you lose the ability to swallow, and you asphyxiate. It’s an incredibly painful, agonizing illness which slowly kills you, which is why I was so surprised to meet one of the happiest people I’ve ever met. I went to Sharon’s home and spent several hours with her talking and laughing. When I asked her how she was so joyful, Sharon’s response changed my life. She told me that for the longest time she was too focused on her illness and her healing, or lack thereof. As months passed, God challenged her to not be so focused on her death that she forgot to live. So, she began to daily ask God to help her see Him throughout the course of the day, and He answered her prayer. She saw Him in her granddaughter’s laughter, in her husband’s tender care, in the sound of the ocean crashing on the shore, and in the kindness of a stranger who was willing to hug her when most people were scared to touch her.

That moment challenged me and changed me. You see, two weeks after I turned eighteen, I was told I had one of the most severe forms of lupus and would live a maximum of ten years. When I met Sharon, I was eight years into what I called my prison sentence. It was in that moment I realized I was more focused on my healing than I was on the Healer.

Don’t we all do that? We find ourselves in the midst of a major trial and we so desperately want the problem to go away, we become more focused on the solution than we do on the Problem Solver. Even worse, when God does step in, we often thank Him once and then move on in celebrating the fact our problem has gone away. As I’ve studied Jehovah-Rapha, “The Lord is my healer,” I can’t help but feel we’ve all done God a huge injustice. We get angry if He doesn’t answer our prayer the way we want, we pout like a two-year-old, and then turn our backs on Him. We say He’s not trustworthy, even though He’s daily walking with us through our trials, bringing good into a bad situation.

I took Sharon’s words to heart, and began to ask God on a regular basis to help me see Him in each day. His answer blew me away! When I stopped focusing on the negative, I saw God do things I never thought possible. The amazing thing is I just celebrated my thirty-third birthday. I’m five years past my expiration date. I’m still sick, but by the grace of God, I’m still here. Yet, I’ve realized over the years, my healing isn’t nearly as important as I once thought it was. More than anything, I want to see God in each day.

What about you? What is your focus? Do you see God in each day? Are you focused on the healing or the Healer? Are you so focused on the possibility of dying that you’ve forgotten to live? What do you want more than anything?

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” ~ James 1:12

© March 23, 2017

3 Comments

Why me?

3/16/2017

3 Comments

By Erin Elizabeth Austin

I’ve been very honest with you all about my thoughts, opinions, questions, and doubts I’ve dealt with over the years in regards to God and sickness, and I admit, there’s been a lot. After I was diagnosed with my third chronic illness and forced to quit work, I spent over a year studying Scripture trying to figure out what God was doing in my suffering. Once I finally realized that my definition of healing and my understanding of Scripture was wrong, I still couldn’t help but feel dejected, as I imagine many of you were after reading last week’s devotion. As wonderful as it is that God cares about our heart, mind, and soul, that doesn’t take away the frustration of living with a chronic illness. I admit after finally coming to terms with what God has to say about healing and sickness, I still couldn’t help but ask the ever-present question since I was diagnosed with lupus, “Why me?”

I know from talking with many of you that I’m not the only one to ask this question. To be honest, I think it’s normal when a crisis happens in our lives to wonder why we have to go through difficulties. Whether it’s a chronic illness, a broken family, or financial difficulties, the temptation to throw our hands up in aggravation and shout “why me” is at the forefront of our thoughts. Personally, I asked God this question countless times over the course of several months. After months of fighting with myself and God, I heard a gentle whisper in my soul late one night saying, “Why not you?”

It’s a difficult question, but it made me stop and think. And once again, I found myself learning some uncomfortable truths from God’s Word. We want God to take away all our problems and fix everything, but we also want freewill to do whatever we desire. We want the best of both worlds, and we can’t have it. God loves us so much, when He created the earth He chose to give us freewill, meaning we can choose to murder someone or we can choose to worship God. We can choose to be kind and considerate, or we can choose to be rude and say whatever we want without thinking about how our actions affect others. God made us different when He gave us freewill. Unlike animals who have certain parameters and rules they must live by, people aren’t confined in such a way. A bear must hunt in order to eat, and he will because it’s been predetermined that’s what a bear will do. Unlike a Disney movie, a bear won’t suddenly decide he wants to be a vegan and eat salad for the rest of his life, because it isn’t in his nature. However, we have been gifted with a life of freewill. We can choose to do whatever we want in this life and unfortunately, we chose sin, which made this world broken. When Adam and Eve chose to willingly turn their backs against what God said, our world became broken, meaning our world was no longer perfect. Brokenness comes in all forms, and chronic illness is simply one of them.

Somewhere along the way, we got the idea that having a relationship with Jesus meant we didn’t have to suffer. Yet because we live in a broken world, we aren’t exempt. The only way for us to no longer endure brokenness is to no longer live on this earth, meaning we’re dead and in Heaven. So, where’s the hope if we’re going to be exposed to sickness?

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that one of my favorite passages of Scripture is found in Daniel 3, when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were thrown into a fiery furnace for not denouncing their faith. The reason I love this passage is twofold. First and foremost, we see in verses 24-25 they weren’t alone in their suffering. Jesus joined them in the fire. Therein lies the great promise to those who have a relationship with Christ. Yes, we will endure suffering and hardship in this life just like everyone else, but we don’t walk through our trials alone. We have been promised that God will never leave us or forsake us (Deut. 31:6). Because of Jesus willingly choosing to die on the cross so that we might have a relationship with Him, we are offered comfort only God can give to His children who are going through hard times. He may not take away the suffering, but He does ease the burden. Even better, God will use our trials and turn them into something good. One of my favorite verses in all of the Bible is found in Daniel 3:27 when it says, “The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.”

Have you ever been around a campfire? As fun as they are, the smell is awful once you step away from the fire. The smell of smoke permeates everything on your body. That’s what normally happens when a person endures a personal trial. It negatively impacts him or her. Yet when we have a relationship with God, if we keep our focus on Him, it doesn’t matter how severe the trial or how big the fire. We will come through and we won’t smell like smoke.

Talk about a testimony! Have you ever been around someone who radiates joy despite all they’ve had to endure? Compared to someone who is negative and bitter, the difference is astounding. People are drawn to those who have hope and joy even though their lives are challenging, and because God made it possible for us to have a relationship with Him, we get to be those people who point others to God no matter what. I want that more than anything else! Yes, I have three chronic illnesses, but it doesn’t have to destroy me because my God is bigger than any fiery furnace this life throws at me.

God is walking with us through the fire! Do you see Him? Are you looking? More importantly, do you smell like smoke?

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.” ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

© March 16, 2017

3 Comments

What if...?

3/9/2017

4 Comments

By Erin Elizabeth Austin

You came back! I have to admit, I wasn’t sure how last week’s devotion would be received. To my surprise, the response was HUGE! Apparently, many of us struggle to believe God because we question why He doesn’t always heal. This topic is so complex we are going to discuss it for another two weeks, because we need to understand what the Bible says about sickness, healing, and God’s role in it. Please come back next week; today’s devotion only covers part of what God has to say about healing and sickness. If you have questions after reading today’s devotion, chances are we’ll cover it in the next two weeks. For those who haven’t read last week’s devotion, I urge you to take a moment to read it (http://www.erinelizabethaustin.com/blog/when-sickness-prevails). Otherwise, this devotion will not make sense. So, are you ready to dive in?

We’ve all prayed for healing, yet few of us have gotten the answer we were hoping for. So, let me ask you a question. When you pray to be healed, what exactly are you wanting? I can hear many of you thinking “Duh!” all the way over here. I know it’s a straightforward answer, but it needs to be said. Yes, we’re praying that we will no longer be sick, but let’s take it a step further. Why are we praying this? Because being sick is hard and uncomfortable, and we want God to take away our discomfort. When we pray for healing, we are praying to be physically comfortable. Yet what if God sees something as more important than our discomfort?

I have spent years studying God’s Word. More specifically, I have studied all the references throughout Scripture about healing, and I was shocked at what I learned. The word for heal, which we see throughout the Old Testament, is rapha, and it does not in any way reference physical healing. It’s talking about the healing of our souls. If you study Hebrew, rapha actually means several things in regards to healing. The actual definition is to “to heal, become fresh, completely healed, repaired,” and my personal favorite, “purified.” When you know this, you can see how far we’ve taken Scripture out of context. In fact, one of the most misquoted verses in the entirety of the Bible is on healing. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our sins; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by His wounds we are healed.” So many people pray this verse out of context! They “claim” God’s promise to heal them from their diseases, when in fact, God’s not promised that at all. In this verse, the word healed means “to be completely healed,” and the language in the passage indicates it’s talking about being forgiven. As wonderful of a thought it is that God would heal us from our chronic illnesses, to me, the verse is so much more beautiful when you truly understand what it’s saying. It’s saying “God loves you so much, He sent His Son to be beaten, whipped, and hung on a cross to forgive you of your sins. He wants your soul to be healed.”

Maybe it’s just me, but I find that mind-boggling. For years, I was angry because I thought God wasn’t fulfilling His promises to heal me. I thought being sick meant God didn’t love me. And I was mistaken! Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s okay to ask God to heal us, and we should. However, we need to be prepared for whatever His answer may be. God does heal people, but it’s not His first priority. Even Jesus, who often healed people, didn’t focus on the healing. His priority was always on a person’s soul, and although it’s not a popular thought, the number of people He didn’t heal is far greater than the number of those He did. In John 5:1-17, when Jesus healed the man at the pool of Bethesda, he only healed one person, when it clearly says in verse 3 that there “lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered.”

Now, this doesn’t mean that God causes you to be sick. Sickness and health problems are a part of living in a broken, sin-filled world, but that doesn’t mean God isn’t Jehovah-Rapha, “The Lord who heals.” If you get sick and God doesn’t answer your prayer for healing, then God has a purpose in your sickness. God not only cares about our physical health, but He cares about our emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Sometimes, in order for us to be healed in other areas of our lives, we have to be physically uncomfortable. I can honestly say that after being sick for over fifteen years, I’m a completely different person. God has healed areas in my life that I didn’t even realize were broken. Even though being sick is hard, I can honestly look back at all I’ve been through and be thankful because God has changed my life in ways I never imagined. He's used me, not in spite of my chronic illness, but because of it. There’s an old song by the Gaither’s called “He Touched Me.” I love the chorus when it says, “He touched me. Oh, He touched me. And oh, the joy that floods my soul. Something happened, and now I know. He touched me, and made me whole.”[i] God’s priority is for us to be whole. He is working in each of our lives, but it may look different than what we imagined. Some of the greatest stories in life are about transformation. God is in the process of transforming each of us to bring about a complete healing, from the inside out.

As you think on this over the coming days, I want to challenge you to ask yourself some questions. What if you’ve been asking the wrong questions? What if God is answering your prayer for healing? What if you’re so focused on not getting healed physically, you miss what God is doing in other areas of your life? What if your anger in God has been misplaced? What if God loves you so much He’s willing to allow you to remain sick in order for you to become spiritually, mentally, and emotionally whole? What if because of your illness, God is in the process of transforming you into someone absolutely amazing?

What if…?

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~ Romans 8:38-39

© March 8, 2017

[1] http://www.lyrics.com/lyric/17363580

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