Be still and know that I am God

10 ways to recognize God's power in times of trouble

Every time a trial comes to me or my family, I think of the words from the Bible in Psalms 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God,” and I am often comforted. Sometimes, though, I wonder just what it means to be still and what exactly I need to do to make that happen.

When we face difficulties in our life that would make it seem as if we are on a ship being tossed upon a stormy sea, how exactly can we be still and a strength to our family while a storm rages around us? As I looked up the definition of still in the online Merriam Webster Dictionary, not only was I enlightened when I learned the definition for still, but learned very valuable lessons from its synonyms as well.

Here are ten words and their definitions that can teach us how to be still in the times of a storm and recognize the power of God.

Still: free from noise or turbulence; untroubled

When we are free from outside noise or turbulence, we are able to hear the still small voice of God's Spirit as he comes to comfort and guide us through our trials. Some of the noise we experience that could be blocking our ability to feel God’s presence is our own worry. When we learn to change our thoughts from negative to positive, we are more able to feel God’s love because we are in harmony with him. The noise and turbulence is replaced by a sweet melody of peace.

Calm: a period or condition of freedom from storms; a state of tranquility

To be calm does not mean that the storm is no longer all around you, it means that the storm is no longer within you. The storms may still rage, but you are free from the effects of them. They no longer trouble you because you know in whom you have trusted. You are in a place where you no longer fear.

Hushed: to put at rest; mollify-to soothe in temper or disposition

Often times, when trials come, we tend to get angry with God and cry out in complaint. When we do this, we lessen our ability to feel the Spirit, because we leave no room in our hearts for the Spirit to dwell. God cannot dwell in a heart that is full of anger. It is when we learn to put at rest our complaints and cast our burdens on the Lord, to hush our cries and wait upon him, that we will find solace. He will bind our broken hearts.

Peaceful: untroubled by conflict; devoid of violence or force

Sometimes when difficulties arise, we allow the anger and frustrations from those trials to push us into violence, or we try to force our will upon the Lord. Neither one of these choices will bring us peace. When conflicts come and we are untroubled by them because of our faith in God, only then can we know peace.

Placid: serenely free of interruption or disturbance

We can learn to be still as we pray, read scripture, go for a walk, meditate or give ourselves time to ponder free from interruption or disturbance. This not only allows us to communicate with our Heavenly Father, it allows our Heavenly Father to communicate with us.

Restful: marked by, affording, or suggesting rest and repose; being at rest

Often times, the busyness of life makes it impossible for us to truly hear what God is trying to tell us. It is when we slow down and allow ourselves the opportunity to rest that our mind and heart can focus on those things that are of the greatest importance. God wants to talk to us, but we have to be ready and available to listen.

Serene: shining bright and steady
While reading with my children during home-school, I learned that the sun does not rise and the sun does not set. It is an illusion. Instead, the Sun stays still, steady and bright, and as the Earth turns to face the sun, that is when the morning comes. The darkness of night comes when the Earth turns away. It is the same with us. In our trials, when we turn to face the Son, who is steady and bright, just like the Earth, we are filled with light. If instead we choose to turn away from him, the darkness of night will surely come. Choose to face the light.

Quiet: gentle, easy going, i.e. quiet nature

When we are gentle and easygoing, we are more able to hear God’s commands. He gently persuades us to love him and serve others. We are more able to ease our own troubles, and we will carry God’s spirit within us, which will aid us in easing the burdens of others.

Stilly: in a calm manner

When we approach life, and our trials, in a calm manner, we are more able to see the bigger picture and outline a plan of recovery. Not only does it allow us to have a clear mind, but it allows us to help calm the fears of those around us.

Tranquil: free from agitation of mind or spirit

When our mind and spirit are still, our whole body is at peace. We are able to see things with a clear mind, feel things with a pure heart and hear the voice of our Heavenly Father with ears that are open and in tune with his spirit. We will know God because we will be one with him.

“Be still and know that I am God,” is not just a saying, it is a state of being. It is the ability to know God well enough to trust in his abilities to rescue you. As we learn to be still and trust in God, we come to know and understand that we are God’s children. We are never alone, never unaided and never forgotten. He will come to us. All it takes is for us to be still.

Source: Tiffany Fletcher, FamilyShare

Earning the title, Stay-at-Home Dad

Being a stay-at-home dad was never a role that I imagined that I would play in life. And maybe, that is why I have not lived up to that huge responsibility, especially recently. Not at all. Not even close!

Now, don't misunderstand. I don't say that I never imagined myself as the stay-at-home type because I am of the traditional mind-set that a man's place is out in the workforce, "bringing home the bacon," while his wife tends to the children and upkeep of the home. I am not that guy! I instead, always imagined myself married to a strong and independent woman whom I would work hand-in-hand with to build a welcoming home that is full of happiness, hard work and God's love.

God sent me that strong and independent woman and later this year we will celebrate 10 wonderful years of marriage. I thank Him every day for the blessing that she is and continues to be in my life.

God also blessed me with two beautiful children who are overflowing with love, their momma's brains and work ethic, and my sense of humor and stubbornness.

Together, my wife and I were forging ahead. We were working diligently to build a home for our children that had all the warmness that a child should remember their upbringing for having.

Then, a few years ago, God gave me yet another blessing: Congestive Heart Failure. (How generous, right?)

You are probably thinking, what?!?! How is this guy going to sit there and tell me that Congestive Heart Failure (or CHF) is a blessing??? Well, for me, it truly was. I'll spare you the details of the many trials and tribulations that the past several years have dealt us and instead share with you this lyric from the song "Beautiful Boy" which was written and released by John Lennon in 1980. The song says: "Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans."

Man, oh man, how true are those words?!?! 

We were so busy making plans for the rest of our lives together that we seemed to lose track of the notion that God already had a plan laid out for us and we were well into the second act of His plan.

We all know how impossible it is to support a family on one income and it was becoming obvious rather quickly, that I had to go back to work. I have to admit, I was relieved. Don't get me wrong. I love my kids. They are the center of my universe. But being with them all day, everyday, and having no adult interaction for a vast majority of the day, was not my cup of tea. So quickly, before things could get any worse, I went out and got a part-time job. Just as I was settling into that job, I got called back to the job to a previous job that I had. I would be making double what I was making at the part-time job and I loved that job when I had it before. Not to mention, WE NEEDED THE MONEY!

So, I settled back into that job, with the long work days and an hour and a half commute every day, not considering for one moment that it was in God's plan for me to be at home with my children at this point in their life. That maybe, I was meant to be at home, caring for them and offering support and encouragement to my wife as she worked her tail off to provide for us. That I needed to be her backbone and He was going to take care of the rest. 

I had been back at that job for maybe two months when I became desperately ill. I fought it, and fought it like I always do, because, "I'm not going to the doctor." 

"I don't need to go to the doctor," I said.

Then one Saturday morning, I woke up and went to get ready for work. I still had this crud. Some sort of chest cold or something that I just could not shake. I remember that morning so vividly. I called one of the other assistant managers and asked if he could go and open for me. I explained that I was going to the hospital and that hopefully, I could get some sort of antibiotic and that I would be on in as soon as possible.

Three days (and many tests) later, I was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. My ejection fraction was devastatingly low. But I wasn't going to pay no mind to those doctors when they told me that I needed to take it easy for a little while. I hurried back to work and threw myself into it headfirst. We had some important things coming up and I was going to make sure that it all went perfectly.

Long story short (but not really), my body just couldn't do it anymore. After a long conversation with my cardiologists and me sifting through every other option, it was made readily clear by both my cardiologists and my wife that I was going to have to take an indefinite amount of time off and get my heart back in shape and my health back in order. 

I've told you all of this for a reason. I probably could have said it more eloquently or possibly got to the point a bit quicker, but I didn't. Besides, we are here now.

God sent me several signs that He wanted me at home with my children. I chose to ignore those signs until he forced my hand and showed me that He was going to get His way. You know, that whole, "Thy will be done..." part of the bible. (Matthew 6:10)

His will was for me to be at home with my children. I have been home with them for over two years now. And yet still, after all this time, I am still not doing His will. I am not living up to what he expects of me. 

Last fall, one of our children moved on to Kindergarten, leaving her younger brother at home. It was so much easier when they were both at home. They kept each other occupied, making it so easy for me to ignore the fact that I wasn't doing as I should have been. Since she went off to school, and I only have one child at home, I have noticed how much down time he has. Time that could be spent doing so many entertaining, educative and enriching activities. Simply put, I have really been doing a disservice to the child at home. And that is where the title of this entry comes into play. I have been playing the role of a Stay-at-home Dad, but I haven't even come close to earning the title.

Today, I wanted to begin to rectify that. He and I went to the Arboretum, the State Botanical Garden of Kentucky, and to McConnell Springs, a twenty-six acre natural areas park located at the historic springs where the city of Lexington, Kentucky was named. We wrapped up our morning by joining a friend for lunch at her job. 

I really think/hope that he had a grand time. At the Arboretum we talked about the different flowers and trees and that were blooming and the fact that the seasons were changing and what that meant.

At McConnell Springs, I made a very bad attempt at explaining to him what the springs were and what was going on there. I really could have used my wife's assistance there. Especially considering the fact that she has a Bachelor's degree in teaching Science. Maybe next time I will ask her to write up a brief lesson plan. :)

Although days like this are hard on me physically, I hope to have more of them in the future. I need to work on finding things to do with my children that expand their minds and make them think but that are fun at the same time. With summer coming, and the older child being at home, I need to work diligently to not slip back into old habits and let them become one another's entertainment. Every now and then, that's okay. But not on every minute of every day.

For the past couple of years, I have played the role of Stay-at-home dad. Now it is time for me to earn the title. They deserve nothing less.

30 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 1

Today, like everyday, I am so thankful for a loving, faithful, and patient GOD. It was HIS hand who I have held onto for the past two years as I have battled Congested Heart Failure.

It was very hard to find out at 27 years old, with a wife whom I adore and two very, very young children that I was as sick as I am. It has not been easy and there have been many very dark days where I have prayed for the will to go on. 

It was early on in my sickness that someone said to me, "If God brought you to it, HE'll bring you through it." And HE has shown me that many, many times.

And so, on this first day of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for GOD's grace, mercy, and wisdom. Without it, I could not and would not have made it these past two years. I don't deserve it, but I'm so blessed by it.

Pillow Talk

A bed is an interesting object. It's something we can all relate to. Almost everybody has one-whether it's a mat on the floor or a California King- unless they are experiencing some pretty unusual conditions. Another interesting aspect about beds is that they typically reveal us in our most transparent and unpretentious moments. We can wear a lot of disguises out in the world. We can pretend to be someone we're really not at work, at the gym, at a party, at the supermarket, and even at church. But when we go to bed, all semblance of superficiality is stripped away, and we become the person we really are. Our beds represent the most personal and private part of our lives. And it's here, in this place where our true colors are revealed, that the Psalmist calls us to meditate or dwell upon the things of God-who He is and what He's done. Why here? Why on our bed? Because God wants us to acknowledge and invite Him into every aspect of our lives, especially the most personal and private places. Nothing should be off limits to Him. And if that makes us uncomfortable, it's a sure sign that something is "off" in our lives and needs adjusting. If we can't be close to God in the place where we are most real, are we really ever close to God at all? We need to see our beds, the place of rest and repose from the world, as a sanctuary where God is invited, and not a place where we retreat from Him.

Father, may we invite you into every corner of our existence, and may you be our meditation day and night.

'Reign Over'

To "reign over" something is to have absolute authority and control over it. God has ultimate rule over the earth, and he exercises his authority with loving care. When God delegated some of his authority to the human race, he expected us to take responsibility for the environment and the other creatures that share our planet. We must not be careless and wasteful as we fulfill his charge. God was careful in how he made this earth. We must not be careless in how we take care of it.

Credits: Life Application Study Bible Devotion

Most Americans believe in God but don't know religious tenets

Americans are clear on God but foggy on facts about faiths.
The new U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey, released today by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, finds that although 86% of us believe in God or a higher power, we don't know our own traditions or those of neighbors across the street or across the globe.

Among 3,412 adults surveyed, only 2% correctly answered at least 29 of 32 questions on the Bible, major religious figures, beliefs and practices. The average score was 16 correct (50%).

Key findings:

•Doctrines don't grab us. Only 55% of Catholic respondents knew the core teaching that the bread and wine in the Mass become the body and blood of Christ, and are not merely symbols. Just 19% of Protestants knew the basic tenet that salvation is through faith alone, not actions as well.

•Basic Bible eludes us. Just 55% of all respondents knew the Golden Rule isn't one of the Ten Commandments; 45% could name all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).

•World religions are a struggle. Fewer than half (47%) knew that the Dalai Lama is a Buddhist; 27% knew most people in Indonesia are Muslims.

"People say, 'I have a personal connection with God and that's really all I need to know.' Who am I to argue?" says Pew's Alan Cooperman, a co-author of the report.

But religion, as a force in history and a motivator in present times, "has consequences in the world," he adds, so an intellectual baseline, whatever your faith or lack of faith, can "shape your role as a citizen in the public square."

The top scoring groups were atheists/agnostics, Jews and Mormons. These tiny groups, adding up to less than 7% of Americans, scored particularly well on world religion and U.S. constitutional questions. It's unclear why, although highly educated people overall did best on the quiz, researchers say.

It may be that the conscious choice to take a minority faith or philosophic stand requires an intellectual engagement with religion to a greater degree than experienced by Protestants and Catholics, who dominate U.S. culture. Eight in 10 atheists and agnostics grew up in a religious tradition, chiefly a branch of Christianity, says Greg Smith, a Pew senior researcher.

The single question most people answered correctly: 89% knew that according to rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court, public school teachers cannot lead their classes in prayer.

But only 36% of respondents knew teachers are allowed to teach classes comparing world religions, and just 23% knew that teachers can read from the Bible as an example of literature.

"If the public thinks there are greater restriction than there really are, how much impact does this have in the real world when they are looking at religion's place in public life?" Smith asks.

Most respondents have some understanding of the First Amendment: 68% knew that the Constitution says "the government shall neither establish a religion nor interfere with the practice of religion." But, says Smith, "they don't get the specifics."

Questions about half of respondents nailed: 51% knew Joseph Smith was a Mormon; 54% could name the Quran as Islam's holy text. (The survey was conducted May 19-June 6, before a Florida pastor's threat to burn the Quran made headlines.)

Stumpers: Just 8% knew Maimonides was an influential Jewish rabbi. Only 11% knew that the fiery preacher and theologian who participated in the First Great Awakening, an 18th-century Protestant revival, was Jonathan Edwards, not 19th-century evangelist Charles Finney or today's Billy Graham.

Smith says education was the single best predictor of how people scored.

Respondents who went to graduate school answered twice as many questions correctly as people who didn't complete high school.

Overall, men scored better than women, whites score better than blacks and Hispanics, and Southerners did worse than the rest of the nation, Smith said.

The authors say they didn't give the public a grade on its religious knowledge like a school test, such as an A or F.

Why? Because, they say, "We have no objective way of determining how much the public should know about religion."

Credits: Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY

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