What Should We Know When Crisis Hits? By Lisa Burkhardt Worley

February 23, 2021 No comments Article

Like many of us in Texas, I was worn out from the repercussions of the frigid temperatures and snow that slammed into our state.

The rolling blackouts that lasted several days were enough, but then water began gushing into our garage because of a busted water pipe. Until we could get a plumber to the house, we were forced to turn the water off (Digging through the snow to find the turn off valve was an adventure) or our home would suffer a lot of damage.

We were without running water for several days but there was hope! A plumber was scheduled to come out on Saturday morning, but when he didn’t show up, I was beside myself.

While we were able to get someone else out to fix the pipe later that day, by the time I made the drive to church, I felt like I needed a nap. It had been a rough week and I wanted to make a u-turn and return home, but it was my bad attitude that made the turnaround. When all of us church volunteers were gathered in the pre-service meeting, one of the pastors said, “This might feel awkward, but I want us all to pray silently and ask God to show us what we were supposed to learn from everything that happened this week.”

I learned that I don’t like being cold and not being able to take a shower. No, that was my thought but not what God wanted to say to me. When I bowed my head, I heard a different message: There is no other. Skeptical me wanted to make sure I heard right and asked, If this is you LORD, will you say it again? Then I heard it again, There is no other.

So I pondered this word from God and I did a search of There is no other in the Bible and this is what I found:

“I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things” (Isaiah 45:5–7).

I believe God was reminding me He allowed this storm—for some it was a disaster— and instead of thanking Him for the bad and relying on Him to guide me through it, I was saturated with worry and putting all my faith into my husband, plumbers, the electricity and the water supply. If all that is stripped away, what’s left?

God.

There is no other.

He is the one who creates the storm but strengthens us in the midst of it.

He allows the lights to go out to see if we’ll gaze into His light.

When the flow of water stops, will we drink His living water?

Sometimes He takes things away to get our attention.

By the time I walked into the church service, I was a different woman and when I praised God through the worship song Raise a Hallelujah, I meant it.

I’m gonna sing, in the middle of the storm
Louder and louder, you’re gonna hear my praises roar.

When crisis hits, we need to remember There is no other. There is no one who loves us more, who cares more about our well-being and who can provide strength when our soul is weary.

I pray I remember this when the next storm blows in.

A Friendship Forged: A Lesson From Elle by Dr. Lynnette Simm

February 20, 2021 2 comments Article

Elle’s death hurt me beyond words; fortunately and unfortunately, it changed me. I regret it took me so long to learn her parting wish for me—to love a friend again. I had some healing to get through and some growing up to do. I am glad I was gifted with such a special relationship for a season.

I have learned that the Lord gives us each person in our lives for some special reason. That’s why He keeps saying that every one of us is so unique and valuable, The relationship I had with Elle was forged by Him in a way that reached the deepest part of my heart, in a way I had never expected or experienced before. This was partly because of the book we wrote together, but there was so much more.

For a long time after her death I was angry and then I just felt lost. Subsequently, I have kept a lot of people at arms length in my life and in my heart because I feared they’d die. It seemed as if so many people around me have teetered between life and death, and I didn’t think I had the heart, energy, or faith to deal with any kind of death after Elle.

But what I have realized, in the almost four years since she’s been gone, is that we all are teetering. That is, we are all teetering on the edge between life and death—both physically and spiritually. Our lives are fleeting. Yes, it’s a cliché, but unfortunately, it’s a fact. I’ve seen it with the passing of my beloved Grandma, Uncle, two Aunts, and up-close twice with two of my dearest friends. I’ve witnessed the anguish and prayed for a lot of people who have walked through the process and pain of dying and death. These last few years, I’ve witnessed the pain, struggle, and teetering with my mother as she battled cancer. And finally, I witnessed the journey, struggle, and death of my father-in-law.

There is only One whom each and everyone of us has to hold onto, God. Everyone else will fall away in some form or fashion —relationships end, ties break, and yes, there’s death. However, a dear friend told me, “When it comes to the moment where we teeter closer to death, it is only God that is with us, even though physically others may be around. He truly is all we need.

Yes, life is fragile and temporary but the next one is more real and eternal. And every now and then when death draws near, we get to see and long to be where our Father waits. And Jesus, who is the light and love, waits for us to come home. We may all fear death, sometimes not so much the idea of death itself, but the pain of dying. What I have learned is that while our hearts may yearn for heaven because we know the blessings that await us, we need to keep doing our best to faithfully complete the work the Lord gives us.

For many who have not reached this state of consciousness and growth yet, I ask you to open your hearts again. Stop rejecting those around you, rather do as Jesus asked —no commanded us—to do, LOVE. Bring people in. Bring them into your life, your family, your home, and into your hearts. Stop manipulating religion, politics, race, and anything else as an excuse to reject, but rather use them all as reasons to love. Love our uniqueness, love our differences, love our different paths, and most importantly, love others as you wish to be loved. Unconditionally.

May the Lord forge a friendship for you where you show love and are loved so deeply that it blesses you even when the piercing sting of death hits your heart.

We would love for you to join us for POP Chat this Wednesday, February 24th at 6:30 p.m. when Pearls of Promise Team Marketing Director, Aurora Ortega Geis, will be speaking about “How to Navigate Change.” Aurora is a Business Strategist, Leadership Coach and the Founder of A GO Strategy, a Leadership & Life Coaching, Consulting and Digital Marketing Company.

Our Worship Leader for this POP Chat will be Renee Rollins. Renee is a Singer/Songwriter who has performed at the Olympics. She is currently the Worship Leader for the Pre-Service Prayer at Gateway Church’s Shabbat Service. Her music has been heard locally on Dallas radio stations and in Hawaii, her home state.

The “Fast” Answer

February 16, 2021 No comments Article

“Distracted.”

That’s the best way to describe how I’m feeling right now in the midst of the Texas snow event and the rolling blackouts. Power on. Power off. Power on. Power off. POWER ON! Hurry up, get that load of laundry done. Run the dishwasher. Better yet. Send emails! How should I spend this window of connection? Those of you who live in Texas can probably relate.

My Hebrew class was cancelled yesterday, as was a radio interview I was supposed to do. An event scheduled for Thursday—delayed for two months.

However, I am realizing this “pause” on top of the pause we are already experiencing, because of the Pandemic, has created some additional time to catch up on studies and take care of projects that had been lying dormant. Projects like cleaning out email on my computer (thanking God there’s a light on my computer), removing moldy food from the fridge, and giving the floors a once over. It feels good to have more order in the house. After all, we are created in the image of God and He is a God of order.

What is interesting is that last week I fasted from my usual eating regimen for a couple of days because I was feeling overwhelmed with my schedule and needed guidance. Between leading Pearls of Promise and other ministry commitments, there are a lot of moving parts. I specifically prayed about one organization that I love but that requires a lot of my time. Am I supposed to remain involved? So that was the focus of my fast. G-d is faithful. He made it very clear through repeat messages that I was supposed to stick with this commitment. I then said to the LORD, Well okay. Then could you expand my time so I don’t feel like I’m always behind?

That’s when everything came to a standstill because of the snow storm. I am not saying this happened because of my fast, but the timing is interesting. He used the snow to open up a window of time to play catch up—a quick answer to my prayer. Mummified in a couple of throws because of the lower than usual indoor temperature, I spent extra time studying yesterday afternoon and feel more confident about my classes. Today, I plan to actually get ahead in Hebrew, and last night I cleaned out about 7000 emails from my inbox.

I also realized that fasting is a certain way to hear from God and to perhaps move a mountain that seems immovable.

When the disciples were unable to heal a boy with an evil spirit, possibly embarrassed by their power outage, they asked Jesus why they weren’t successful. Jesus said, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29).

So we are no different than the disciples. When we’re facing a roadblock, uncertain about direction or have a big decision in our lives, then setting aside a day or two to fast from food—I ate only fruit—could save us from additional days of uncertainty.

When we need an answer fast, it’s time to “fast.”

While we are just experiencing “rolling blackouts” at our home, today I want to pray for the millions of people in Texas who are without any power or water. LORD, keep them safe. Provide your warmth. Stretch supplies of bottled water and food and I pray that this situation turns around quickly. We trust you, LORD, to take care of your children. In the name of Jesus I pray, AMEN.

Redeemable by Dr. Lynnette Simm

February 13, 2021 1 comment Article

I have often lamented about my past. I believe most people do. Daydreamed about going back in time so I could un-say something, undo an action, or not have taken that risk, opportunity, or challenge. Unfortunately, there are rarely any do-overs. Yet there are so many, “I wish I hadn’t said that and/or done that.” No one is free from mistakes or regrets.

Recently, a friend of mine was attacked for something they said over thirty years ago, during the time in our lives when we are still learning and discovering the world outside our small bubble. Thirty years ago, there were no internet, social media, or the ever-present cell phones, and yet this person was dragged through the mud, nonetheless. I guess we should have expected it, high profile people, who make history, are easy prey for ridicule and judgment. All that she had been working on for nearly a year crumbled after her past mistake was not only thrown in her face but also blasted on social media for world judgment.

You know what I’m talking about—it’s called cancel culture. Unfortunately, we have seen this all over. Jobs have been lost, lives have been threatened, and people nearly destroyed. The idea that every mistake, or perceived mistake, you have made will define and affect you your whole life is only partly right.

Yes, there should be consequences from our actions, but hopefully, we learn from our mistakes. Hopefully, we mature, grow, and gain wisdom from our mistakes. This can happen when we accept personal responsibility for our actions. This is the part when our past can help define, redeem us, and positively affect our future.

The part of this phenomenon that is wrong, is the all-consuming punishment and disgrace people are being inflicted with. Also, when people are not charged, judged, and convicted by the same standards, then you have some people being ruined and others are given a pass. The crushing part of this cancel culture is that it leaves no room for redemption and no room for grace and forgiveness.

As a woman who does all she can to follow Christ, I am determined to do my best to give grace and forgiveness. I try to help others see where they may have made a mistake, how to rectify it, and how to also give grace and forgiveness. I love reminding others that our Lord, Jesus Christ, forgives and redeems us and continues to help us daily to make the right decisions. And when we don’t and we make a mistake, He allows the consequences to help us learn and grow in His grace.

John 1:29 reminds us that Jesus took the sins of the world for us all. Leviticus 16:30 speaks of a day of atonement where we get to be cleansed of our sins and as Christ-followers, we can do this daily. Psalm 51:10 follows Leviticus by letting us know that He can create a good heart in each of us and renew us with a steadfast spirit. Psalm 103:12 tells us that he does this by removing our sins as far as the East is from the West. 1 John 1:7-9 explains that when we walk with Him, He can purify us. For no one can claim that they are without sin. But He is faithful should we confessed to Him; He will forgive and redeem us. And finally, in Hebrews 8:12 we are reminded that the Lord will forgive each and every one of us and will remember our sins no more.

There is no need, no purpose, and no grace when we cancel a person’s life for mistakes they have made. Our communities, world, and families would be better served learning from our mistakes, growing, and sharing grace and forgiveness, for we are all redeemable.

Vertical by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

February 9, 2021 No comments Article

When Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, I thought they were commandments blanketing all of the Israelites as well as us. Hey Everyone—“You shall have no other gods before Me.” All of you—“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.” Listen up people—“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” Commandments to all people for all time.

However, yesterday in Hebrew class, I saw the Ten Commandments in a different light while studying imperative verbs. Our professor, Dr. Stuart Chepey, showed us how all of these commandments were written, not in the plural, but in the singular. In other words, the LORD was talking to each of us individually. These ten laws spoken to Moses on Mount Sinai were personal.

From the very beginning, God created us to have a one-on-one relationship with Him. He and Adam and Eve were lodging together until sin came in and separated them. It’s not about your mom or your dad or your sister or your brother. He wants to know you intimately. The Hebrew word for “know” is yada. It also means to know someone like a husband knows a wife. It’s a covenant relationship similar to marriage that God chooses to have with us. Close. Just Him and you in a room. He wants to be your best friend, Abba Father, the One you share everything with.

How about another imperative in the Bible?

The Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 is also written to you rather than the crowd. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (NKJV).

Through this imperative written to you, singularly, The LORD of Hosts is zeroing in and asking you to love Him first and with everything you have inside of you. After all, he created love.

For many years as a Christian, I’ve talked about having a “personal relationship” with God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who bridged the gap that sin created. However, what I am realizing now is that the LORD has always desired a one-on-one, vertical relationship with His people, even after “the fall.” Today, will you spend some time with the God who loves you and who desires for you to know Him better? He is waiting to have a conversation—with you alone.