“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he 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 sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV
Hello, dear Reader, and welcome!
Thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Lisa, and I am first and foremost a long time follower of Jesus. Please don’t think religious or church lady. No, that’s not me.
I first learned about Jesus at VBS (Vacation Bible School). At the end of that very fun week, I was offered an opportunity to say yes to Jesus. I was told that my YES would guarantee that my eternal home would be with Jesus in heaven rather than hell at the end of my physical life. I said yes to Jesus at the tender age of 9 and was baptized as a public statement of my faith.
It wasn’t until I ventured off to college that I began to comprehend just how incapable I was (and still am) to live a righteous and holy life in my own physical power. During those four years of first freedom in the world, I recognized myself as a sinner wholly in need of a Savior. Thus began my journey into the local church. I landed in a lovely suburban Methodist Church, in which I soaked up every Bible teaching like a dried out sponge dropped in a puddle of water. I was now a follower of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Redeemer.
And then again, it wasn’t until I became an early 30-something wife and momma that I awakened to a deep, gnawing hunger to know God’s Word. Simply consuming sermons was not satiating my desire to know Jesus more. With the help of couple of friends, I dove headfirst into in-depth precept by precept Bible study. The late beautiful saint, Kay Arthur, was the Bible teacher who helped me comprehend the blessing of being saved by grace.
It was during one of our Bible study sessions that I jumped out of my seat crying out, “I get it! I don’t have to earn my way to Jesus!” While sobbing out joyful tears of gratitude, the teaching video was stopped, and all attendees surrounded me with cheers and thanksgiving to God for His goodness and revelation.
These years that make up the early years on my timeline are wonderful to recall. And so, even as write my testimony here, I am reminded of God’s bounty of blessings as He has always been with me, and has never left me. It’s been a wonderfully bumpy and sometimes painfully adventurous journey – this life-giving walk with Jesus.
I give thanks to You God, for You are good; Your steadfast love endures forever.
For 20+ years, I was wholeheartedly committed to living out a good Christian life while simultaneously fleshing out marriage, parenting sons, working a job, volunteering in community, and studying God’s Word. As our sons were preparing to fly the nest, and I was grappling with the idea of becoming an empty nester, my (physical and spiritual) eyes were opened to my desperate need for God.
It felt like a slow motion crash into a proverbial ditch. I was dry, empty and shallow on the inside, and yet from the outside, we appeared to be an amazingly stable family living the American Christian dream. Reality settled in, and my failures felt exposed. This unraveling of all I cherished most and felt I had worked so hard to create, became the hard reset of my life. It was necessary and it was time.
It was time to confess. I couldn’t live a perfect life for God without Him.
Wait. Let me check that confession.
First, I can’t live a perfect life.
And second, I can’t live for God without bowing before His majesty.
It way past time that I surrender ‘my life’ to God’s Sovereign Lordship. I did. Lying heart-wounded at the bottom of the “do it myself” ditch, I sensed the hands of Jesus reaching toward me. In the desperate silence, my heart recognized His whisper.
“Are you ready to follow Me?”
I had so many questions and doubts. I still battled my own stubborn willfulness. At the heart of the matter, the very root, was my distrust and fear. I wasn’t sure I was ready to trust Jesus with total control of the route to my journey home. I wasn’t sure that I could trust Him.
What would it cost to follow Jesus His way? Would I have to go alone? Was I going to lose everything? Would I look like a failure? Was I going to be ridiculed? Ostracized?
I was self-absorbed obviously, but I was more-so desperate for life. I had read in the Bible that Jesus said that He came to give abundant life. I didn’t know much about that, but I knew I didn’t have it. On one particularly mundane day in the ditch, my eyes began to burn with angry, bitter tears. I was alone in our house, and finally I let go. As the hot tears spilled out, I screamed into the silence, “Jesus, where is this abundant life You promised?”
It turned out that Jesus was patiently waiting for me to get to the end of myself. He was pursuing me the whole time. Greatly mistaken, I thought I could grab some good advice from Jesus through His word, and then run off to work out the details on my own. This was a kairos moment. I was desperate enough to surrender to His Way.
“Are you ready to follow Me?”
Yes!
I said yes to following Jesus no matter what, and wherever He was leading. I chose to forsake any further debate as to the cost. Because I declared to Him my thanks that He already paid the highest price, I said yes to the abundant life of simply following Jesus!
I daily take up my cross to follow Him.
I am a woman who is still in process. I’ve worn many hats, overalls, tool belts and aprons in my 60 years on planet Earth. Working with my hands in the way of restoring old chairs, weaving, sewing and gardening, brings me great joy. Beyond the work of my hands, I pursue my passions of writing, talking, and drinking coffee with those who want a friend for the journey. My permanent walking partner is Jesus, and I hope many of us will enjoy Him together – arm in arm!
Currently, I’m trying to find my way through to the next chapter in a new decade as my husband of 35 years and I have recently made a cross country move. In order to gain some footing in our new desert community, we’ve made our church home the center of our radius. From there, we’re meeting neighbors, volunteering with some amazing organizations, and getting to know Jesus through so many new faces. We’re not sure yet why we’ve been transplanted on the west coast, but we’re quite convinced God said, “Come and learn.”
Together we have two sons. Our dear young men have each blessed us with a daughter in love, and grandchildren, plus 3 granddogs and a grandcat. Additionally, we share our home with our one remaining rescue pup, Liberty. Our cup of joy is overflowing!
More than anything else, I hope that through my written words your eyes are drawn to Jesus. My prayer for you is that you will crave His words and desire to know Him better all the rest of your days. No formulas. No easy, instant answers. A long term, weaving pathway full of all the challenges and joys of becoming who He always thought you to be!
You can never do anything to make God love you more. You’ve never done anything to make Him love you less, and You never will. You are wholly loved by the One who designed you and gave you life.
I pray you want His abundant life. All you have to do is bend your knee, submit your willful heart under the authority of Jesus Christ, and say yes to following Him wherever.
If you did, welcome to the abundant life.
Eyes on Jesus and Shine,
Lisa
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