Author: Patsy Kuipers

The Inheritance

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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:3-5

Bittersweet Blessing

An inheritance is a bittersweet blessing. By definition, you only receive it when someone who loved you is no longer alive (Hebrews 9:16-17). Such was the case when my dad died in the summer of 2023. Engulfed by grief from losing him and grappling with my new orphan status since Mom preceded him in 2021, I was overwhelmed as I contemplated my position as their only child and sole heir. Gratitude and guilt mingled with an intense sense of responsibility.

My parents married young and had little material wealth to their names. Dad served in the Air Force and went to college on the GI Bill after he completed his four years of active duty. Mom worked various jobs to help pay the bills. From these humble beginnings, they labored together over nearly 70 years of marriage to build a comfortable life. They provided for me while I was under their roof and shared graciously with me and my family as the years progressed. Dad invested wisely, always with the goal of having something to leave for future generations.

Unmerited Benefits

I didn’t do anything to deserve the inheritance. If anything, I drained my parents’ finances instead of contributing to their wealth. As grateful as I was to receive it, I also worried I would make poor decisions and somehow waste or misuse what they’d left to me. One day, when I was engaging in just such hand-wringing, the friend listening to my angst said, “Your dad didn’t have to leave his inheritance to you. He could have given it to his alma mater or another charity, but he entrusted it to you. He knew you would handle it well.”

In the nearly two years that have passed since Dad joined Mom in the presence of Jesus, the powerful, mind-numbing grief has subsided to a dull, ever-present ache. Able to think more clearly than in the early days of loss, I’ve taken heart in what my friend said and have endeavored to make decisions that honor my parents’ memory and the values they instilled in me, including generosity, appreciation for education, and planning for the welfare of future generations.

Spiritual Inheritance

Navigating the realities of my material inheritance has provided ample opportunities for me to contemplate the importance of how I steward my spiritual inheritance.

Unlike Mom and Dad, Jesus was wealthy beyond measure, but He became poor for my sake so that by His poverty, I might become rich (2 Corinthians 2:8-9). He didn’t consider equality with God something to grasp. Instead, He left His throne and humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8). His death secured an eternal, imperishable inheritance I did nothing to deserve (1 Peter 1:3-5).

Several years ago, our women’s Bible study worked through Entrusted to Be Invested by Karen Hodge. As children of the King, we’ve been entrusted with the greatest treasure of all, the Gospel. Unlike our earthly inheritance, which may become vulnerable to loss regardless of our best efforts, our inheritance in Christ is eternally secure, kept safe for us by the power of His blood.

Just as I strive to steward the earthly treasures my parents entrusted to me, I desire to steward the treasure of Gospel hope in a way that brings honor to my heavenly Father as I live out the values He’s imparted to me through the power of the indwelling Spirit.

Dear readers, in him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory . . . I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe (Ephesians 1:11-14; 18-19).

May we endeavor to pass this priceless inheritance from one generation to the next until He returns.

Room to Learn

/ Patsy Kuipers / 2 Comments

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17

No matter how long we’ve walked with the Lord or partaken of sound Biblical teaching, we can always learn more.

I spent the past three days at my denomination’s annual Women’s Ministry Leadership Training conference – LT for short. Each year, I look forward to taking time away from my daily activities, to participate in stimulating workshops, listen to thought-provoking keynote presentations, and reconnect with friends from other parts of the country.

I come home tired but inspired, drenched with points to ponder and potential programs to implement, as if I’d been caught in a sudden summer downpour of experiences. And, true confession, I always pick up a few items at the bookstore to add to my to-be-read pile, regardless of how many unread titles it already contains!

This year is no different. Even though I’m still in the early stages of processing, I want to share a nugget or two with you.

The theme for this year’s conference was “Big Picture Perspective.” I know the Bible is one continuous, extraordinary story of God pursuing His people and being faithful to His promises even when His people are unfaithful to theirs. I’m also familiar with the four main parts of His great big story:

  • Creation – when God spoke everything into existence and declared it to be very good. There was perfect peace between God and His creatures and between the creatures themselves (Genesis 1 and 2).
  • Fall – the terrible instant when Adam and Eve reaped the consequences of their disobedience, consequences that would impact them, their offspring, and all of Creation, which has been groaning ever since (Genesis 3, Romans 8:19-23).
  • Redemption – when Jesus, the promised Messiah, came, lived a sinless life, and paid the debt we owed God so that He sees Jesus’ righteousness, not our filthy rags, when He looks at us (2 Corinthians 5:21).
  • Consummation – when Jesus returns to make all things even better than before because there will no longer be the possibility of losing the perfect peace. No more pain, no more tears, no more death (Revelation 21:1-5).

I’ve often said death hurts because it wasn’t part of God’s good plan. Neither were sickness, injuries, conflict, chaos, or disorder. We can look at the way things were in the beginning and see why the brokenness in the world pains us. We were created for relationships and community. No wonder it hurts when we’re left out and isolated. We were created to tend the earth, which would easily flourish under our care. No wonder battling weeds and briers is so burdensome. We were created to live in a peaceful, well-ordered world. No wonder conflict and clutter are so unsettling.

So, what was one of my ah-ha moments at LT?

Creation not only informs our hurts, but it also informs our longings. It’s good to desire close, healthy relationships, pluck weeds from our flower gardens, keep the neighbor’s cat away from the bird feeders, paint, sing, dance, write, and perform for the glory of God. In fact, tending and beautifying all He’s entrusted to us is very good because He declared it so.

Reframing the contrast between the now and the beginning in a more positive way helps my heart focus on the glimpses of goodness God sprinkles throughout my days, to see that He is already making all things new bit by bit, including me.

We know God created the perfect beginning and has promised us a perfect ending. Between those two, we have the assurance that He is with us in the messy middle, transforming us more and more into the image of His Son while advancing His kingdom to the foreordained consummation we long for.

Lord, thank You that I will never fully plumb the depths of Your wisdom and ways, and for the opportunities to learn from my fellow finite sojourners until the day You call me Home!

Our Part

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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
Ephesians 1:3-4

Chosen

Like most children, my grandson Joshua had a wonderful imagination when he was little. I never knew from one visit to the next what scenario I might be stepping into, but he always had a story ready to enact, complete with props. Sometimes, he would hand me a lasso (one of the dog’s leashes), and we’d ride off to rustle up some cows. Then again, he would give me a plastic sword, and we would protect our ship (a large cardboard box) from pirates. One day, we even boarded a train (the sofa) and headed west to visit our South Dakota relatives. Regardless of the adventure, Joshua always made sure I had a role to play, announcing, “This is your part, Grammie!” as he handed me the appropriate accessory.

As touching as it was for Joshua to include me in his storylines, I am astounded when I think that God chose me before the foundation of the world to be part of His story (Ephesians 1:4). But that’s not all. He also:

  • Determined the specific time and place for me to live (Acts 17:26).
  • Prepared good works for me that I should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).
  • Wrote all my days in His book before even one came to be (Psalm 139:16).
  • Is preparing a place for me so I can dwell with Him forever (John 14:1-3).

These things are true for every one of God’s children. Isn’t it amazing that the infinite God, who lacked nothing, chose to share the love and communion enjoyed by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Trinity and give us parts in His grand story?

Equipped

And, just as Joshua provided the trappings I needed to fulfill my various roles, God also equips us. He has given us:

  • His word, living and active, to teach, reprove, correct, and train us in righteousness (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16).
  • Different spiritual gifts for building up the Church (1 Corinthians 12).
  • His Spirit, to instruct and empower us (John 14:26; Ephesians 1:19-20).
  • His grace which is always sufficient (2 Corinthians 9:8, 12:9).
  • The promise of His presence so we’ll never be alone or forsaken (Matthew 28:20; Deuteronomy 31:8).

Sustained

Joshua is a teenager now, several inches taller than me, and still growing. Gone are the days of defending cardboard ships and boarding sofa trains, but I’m blessed to still have a part in Joshua’s life. Last week, he created a spreadsheet listing the botanical field trips we hope to take this year. Our adventures have evolved from imaginary to real as we explore God’s beautiful creation, discussing plants and animals.

As long as I’m alive, I pray I will always have a part to play in his story. And in God’s.

Aging brings about many changes, including questioning our purpose as roles shift and abilities decline. But, praise God, our identity in Christ – beloved children of the King – and our purpose – to glorify God and enjoy Him forever – never change, regardless of our age, though how we live out our identity and purpose most likely will.

Just as Scripture describes how God has chosen and equipped us, it assures us that the righteous will flourish and bear fruit even in old age (Psalm 92:12-15) and that God will be faithful to complete the good work He’s begun in us (Philippians 1:6).

May the knowledge that our Heavenly Father has called and outfitted us to fulfill the roles He’s ordained and the assurance that He will sustain us all our days fill us with joy as we seek to live lives that honor and glorify Him, all the way to the day He welcomes us Home!

Recounting Our Stories to the Glory of God

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Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.
Psalm 78:1-4

Life-changing Moments

There have been many life-changing events in my six decades of living. Some were happily anticipated, like my wedding day and the births of my daughters and grandchildren. Others caught me by surprise, and not in a pleasant way.

Two events in the latter category  – the sudden death of my 39-year-old husband and the elimination of my job – severed my life into before and after segments so that what followed wasn’t just a new chapter but a whole new volume in my life story. Each year, when the anniversaries of those events come around, I intentionally look back at what’s happened since, remembering all God has done.

My reflections remind me that His ways are not my ways (Isaiah 55:8-9) and that He is able to do far more than I ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

Telling and Retelling the Story

Sometimes, I wonder if I should keep discussing or writing about these experiences. Maybe others are tired of the repetition. Then I remember Elisabeth Elliot talking about how many times she told the story of losing her husband, Jim, and four friends in the jungles of Ecuador. Yet that was the story entrusted to her, and she faithfully told and retold it, always wrapped in a message of God’s sovereignty and providential care.

Author and friend Sharon Betters refers to such stories as our credentials, i.e., the very things that allow us to speak credibly into the lives of others because of God’s faithfulness to us in hard times. Furthermore, Scripture instructs us to comfort others with the same comfort we’ve received from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Fourteen Years

Today is the 14th anniversary of one of the life-cleaving episodes. On January 26, 2011, my 30-year career ended abruptly in a windowless conference room. Seeing my manager file in accompanied by her boss signaled what was to come. My heart rate increased as she calmly pronounced the death sentence on my career.

“I know you’re expecting to have your annual review, but you won’t be having it because your job has been eliminated.”

Thus ended the saga that had begun the previous year when she became my manager. Once promoted, she systematically removed most of my responsibilities, excluded me from meetings, and barred me from customer visits. Things became so stressful I wondered if God wanted me to stay or leave. I asked friends to pray for clear direction and wisdom to know what to do.

As the day of my review approached, I became increasingly convinced I’d be fired or put on probation. Still, hearing my manager’s words stunned me. My first thought? “This is real.” My second? “Thank You, Lord, for giving me a definite answer.”

A Fateful End

The HR Director came in as my manager and her boss departed. She described the severance package and pertinent legal details and told me to turn in my badge, company credit card, and computer, then added, “Please leave without talking to anyone.”

I followed her directions, each step feeling surreal. I exited the building, entered the misty chill of the gray winter afternoon, and walked to my parking spot one last time.

The following morning, I awoke to brilliant sunshine streaming in my window. Though I still couldn’t fully grasp my new status – unemployed! – I clung to my belief in God’s goodness and sovereignty. I posted on Facebook, “30+ years of continuous employment came to a halt yesterday when my job was eliminated. God obviously has something else for me to do. I can’t wait to see what it is!”

A New Beginning

Even so, I couldn’t imagine the gift God had planned for me. Two days after my job ended, I contacted the local technical college and began the process of returning to school to study horticulture. Six months later, my first grandchild, Joshua, was born. Eighteen months after that, he, his mother (my daughter Mary), and great-grandmother (my mom) were at my graduation. They watched me realize my dream of receiving an Environmental Horticulture diploma.

In the years since graduation day, my granddaughters were born. I’ve had the joy of spending time with them and Joshua on a regular basis since their earliest days, something I wouldn’t have been able to do if I’d been working full-time.

The intervening years have held some hard times, too. Mom’s health declined as she progressed through her 80s, and then she passed away several months shy of her 90th birthday. Six months after her passing, Dad experienced a stroke, which left him unable to handle the details of daily living. 

Being happily retired has allowed me the flexibility to help my family members, both young and old, pursue my passion for horticulture, become involved in women’s ministry at my church, and develop my writing skills. Though some may have meant evil against me, God surely meant the job elimination for good (Genesis 50:20).

Telling of His Glorious Deeds

We’re in good company when we retell our stories. The Israelites repeatedly told the story of God’s deliverance, as He commanded them to do so future generations would know all about His glorious deeds (Psalm 78).

And what story did they tell? The story of God’s rescue, how He brought them out of slavery in Egypt by sending plagues,  sparing the firstborn sons of families whose houses had lambs’ blood on the door frames, and drowning Pharoah’s army in the Red Sea after the Israelites passed over on dry ground. He gave His chosen people laws to live by and provided for them as they wandered the desert for 40 years. Disobedience brought about consequences, yet throughout the Israelites’ history, God faithfully preserved a people for Himself, even grafting pagans and Gentiles into His family.

Our Common Story

No matter the details of our individual stories, believers share the story of God’s rescue. We weren’t enslaved to a human taskmaster, but, dead in our trespasses, we were enslaved by sin, in desperate need of a Savior (Ephesians 2:1-3). God sent His Son, the spotless Lamb, whose blood made it possible for God’s wrath to pass over us as it did the night He rescued His people from Egypt. Unlike the Passover lambs and subsequent sacrifices performed year after year, Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient for all time (1 Peter 1:18-19). 

So, dear readers, let’s continue to tell our unique stories of God’s goodness and faithfulness as we seek to encourage others in similar circumstances. But even more, may we recognize that our little stories are part of God’s great big story of redemption and point others to the hope we have in Jesus, the One in whom all God’s promises are yes and amen (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Dear Lord, thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your beloved Son to save us from our sins and make us alive in Him. Our lives have meaning because You chose us to be your treasured possession. May we honor You by giving You the glory in all of our stories.

Another New Year

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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17

There’s something about the beginning of a new year with blank calendars and planners yet to be filled in that inspires hope. Hope that comes with a fresh start. Hope that some of the disappointments and failures from the past year can be set aside or at least learned from.

As I’ve begun to write a few lines in my new daily journal each evening and add birthdays and anniversaries to my planner in anticipation of future celebrations, I’ve been reminded that the Bible, our ultimate source of hope, has a lot to say about new beginnings and fresh starts.

New Creatures

Regeneration begins with God, who promises to give us new hearts and spirits that long to please Him:

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules (Ezekiel 36:25-27).

Though God immediately counts us righteous, redeemed by the blood of Christ and new creatures whose old natures have been crucified with Him, we won’t be wholly sanctified until God calls us Home. Thus, we’re to strive to put off our old selves, which belong to our former manner of life and are corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of our minds and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).

New Goals, New Perspective

Because we’re living in that in-between time, the now and not yet, there will be occasions when the old nature reemerges regardless of our best intentions and staunchest resolutions. When those times occur, instead of self-recrimination, we can turn to the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians for encouragement to stay focused on the goal:  But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).

I’m a goal-setter and a list-maker. Unfortunately, when I look back at a to-do list or a list of goals I set for myself, I’m prone to emphasize the things I haven’t accomplished instead of the ones I have and chastise myself for perceived failures. Satan, the accuser and father of lies, is all too ready to pile on, but when we hear the accusations, we can be sure it isn’t our heavenly Father who’s pronouncing them because:

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
Psalm 103:8-14

New Mercies

Undoubtedly, the year ahead will hold a mix of joys and sorrows, victories and defeats, successes and failures, just like every year. But when things don’t go as we hoped or planned, when we disappoint ourselves or others, and they disappoint us, let us remember the steadfast love of the Lord and His mercies that are new every morning and put our hope in Him.

But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
Lamentations 3:21-24

Even though our planners may be blank, we know that God has declared the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), and we can trust that He is always at work moving history to the conclusion He’s ordained, even if we don’t always see or understand His ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).

 “Remember not the former things,
    nor consider the things of old.
 Behold, I am doing a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert.”
Isaiah 43:18-19

New Commandment, New Song

As we await the promised and ultimate renewal, we are to be obedient to the new commandment Jesus gave us: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

And we can sing the new song of joy and gratitude to the Lord for our salvation, pointing others to the hope we have in Christ.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.
Psalm 40:1-3

New Resolve

So we press on to cast off the old, put on the new, humbly and gratefully rest in the Lord’s steadfast love, and look forward to the day when everything will be made new, including us. No more failures, no more sin, no more disappointments. According to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace (2 Peter 3:13-14).

I will endeavor to remember these things as I fill in my planner, work on my to-do lists, and jot nightly notes about God’s goodness in my journal. How about you? Are you looking forward to Jesus’ return when He will make all things new? It is our glorious hope!

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end (Revelation 21:1-6).

The Best Gift

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And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Treasured Traditions

My family treasures our traditions and can confirm that they create lasting memories and form the basis for generational connections. We sometimes make good-natured fun of ourselves by saying something becomes a tradition once we’ve done it two years in a row. Take, for example, our now annual visit to see the magnificent light display at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. It took seven years after the initial opening before my younger daughter and I fit the first visit into our busy holiday schedule, but by our second visit, we were hooked, and we’ve been back every year since. This year, our eighth, my grandchildren joined the fun.

Still, despite our love of traditions, we’ve had to accept that there are times when circumstances intervene and precious customs must be modified or set aside entirely.

My husband Ray’s sudden death when our daughters were still in elementary school ushered in significant changes to our Christmas celebrations. Years later, our eldest daughter married her high school sweetheart, bringing about another shift in the flow of holiday events, as did the births of her children. Not only were there in-laws to visit, but she and her husband sought to develop their own blend of old and new traditions as Ray and I had done decades earlier.

One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is our oft-uttered proclamation, “Being together is the best gift.” Reiterated on various gift-giving special occasions, the truth of that statement has been confirmed as family members have gone Home, leaving their seats around the holiday table empty, and our hearts longing to be with them again.

Treasured Connections

Perhaps that’s why several of my most cherished Christmas traditions are connected to beloved family members:

One of the first decorations I pull out each year is a small plastic, light-up Frosty my maternal grandfather, PaPa, gave me for my first birthday. PaPa was a kind, godly man, a deacon in the small country church within sight of his house. Even though he passed away a couple of months before my 7th birthday 59 years ago, I can still feel his love and cherish the memories of the brief time we had together. That enduring connection gives me hope that my grandchildren will feel my love for them long after I’m gone, too.

Unlike the few minutes it takes me to free Frosty from his box and plug him in, setting up my Dickens Village requires many hours across several days. Ray bought the first pieces for me in 1989 and continued to add pieces each year until he died. I kept adding to the collection after he passed and it now resides in three rooms of my house from late November through mid-January. Each year, when I set up the village, I hope Ray somehow knows how much it’s grown and how thankful I am that he started it for me. My grandchildren look forward to the annual display and finding pieces that represent them throughout the sprawling town, including a young boy riding a pony, a little girl putting her letter to Santa in a mailbox, and children gathering around the toy vendor’s cart.

Then there’s baking. For years Mom and I made “goodie boxes” full of an array of homemade cookies and candies. The list of recipients evolved depending on our life stages and included teachers, friends, family members, neighbors, and work colleagues. Mom and I set a record one Christmas by packing and delivering 100 boxes of sweet treats! When my daughters graduated, and Mom and I retired from our jobs, the list of potential benefactors dwindled, as did the number of goodies we prepared, but Mom still made her fudge and rum balls each year. I treasure the memories from our last baking day together, when my daughters and grandchildren joined Mom and me, stirring batter, shaping run balls, baking cookies, and sharing recollections of past goodie box preparations. Those memories will remain for three generations and fuel fond reminiscences as we continue the baking day tradition.

Forever Connections

These precious traditions have meaning because I associate them with people I love. Sharing those connections with my grandchildren gives them a fuller picture of my relationships with those people and creates a connection for them as well.

Christmas is about a Person too – the most important Person in my life. Just as I delight in telling my grandchildren about the loved ones connected to my treasured traditions, I delight in telling them about Jesus, my Savior, Lord, and Friend, and His faithfulness to our family. But unlike the conversations that center around Christmas traditions, I endeavor to weave stories about God’s goodness throughout all of our times together, when we sit around my table or go for a walk in my neighborhood, when I tuck them in on sleepover nights and when I get them up for church.

Family traditions can cultivate a strong sense of belonging and lay a foundation for future connections when children and grandchildren grow up and have families of their own. But there’s no firmer foundation and no stronger connection than knowing Your heavenly Father loves you and chose you before the creation of the world to be adopted into His forever family (Ephesians 1:4-5).

My grandchildren have visited the small country cemetery in North Carolina where PaPa, Ray, and Mom are resting, awaiting the glorious resurrection day. Because God gave us the priceless gift of His Son, we can be assured that when Jesus returns, we will once again experience that “Being together is the best gift” –  with Him and our loved ones, eternally secure in His presence.

I pray that until that day, one generation after another of my family will carry on the tradition of telling their children about the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders that He has done (Psalm 78:4).

Overwhelmed, Christmas 2024

/ Patsy Kuipers / 2 Comments

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 1:3

Much like the post I shared two weeks ago featuring Mom’s mottos, I’m considering rerunning this one each year because inevitably, despite my best intentions, there comes a point in the weeks leading up to Christmas when I nearly have a meltdown wondering how I’ll ever get everything done. I lose sight of what we’re celebrating, and the wonder and joy of the season ebb away. When that happens, it’s time to refocus on eternal truths that will remain the same regardless of how many to-dos I cross off my list this holiday season. Knowing some of you might need to refocus, too, I’m reposting this lightly edited version of “Overwhelmed.”

Perspective

What came to your mind when you read the title of this post? Was your initial reaction positive or negative? Usually, when I say I’m overwhelmed, I’ve reached the point of waking up in the middle of the night, wondering how I’ll ever get everything done.

A quick check of Merriam-Webster online yields results that support the negative connotations of the verb:

1: to upset, overthrow

2a: to cover over completely: submerge b: to overcome by superior force or numbers c: to overpower in thought or feeling

However,  inspired by our pastor’s sermon series on Ephesians, I began pondering a more positive take on the word. In Ephesians 1:3-14, the Apostle Paul gushes over God’s blessings in Christ:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

I’ve read that passage many times, but the idea of Paul gushing over God’s goodness was new to me. Yet that’s precisely what he’s doing! I imagine him exalting God, nearly breathless, as he recounts all our blessings in Jesus. Our pastor encouraged us to do likewise and allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by God’s goodness toward us.

The Holiday Hustle

As the holiday season ramps up, so does my sense of overwhelmedness. When I contemplate adding cherished holiday traditions to my already bulging to-do list, restless nights are sure to follow. But each year, the message from Ephesians and our pastor’s frequent invitation to embrace and embody our identity in Christ have encouraged me to approach the season differently. Rather than letting my to-do list have the final say, I pray I’ll be overwhelmed instead by all the blessings that are ours because God chose to send us the best gift ever – His only begotten Son.

A Positive Practice

Several days after I originally wrote this article, my 90-year-old father had a stroke. I’d been preparing to do battle with my usual holiday stresses when a barrage of new responsibilities hit. In those early days of trying to ensure I procured the proper care for Dad and managing day-to-day logistics once he returned home, I was tempted to ignore the holidays altogether. Over and over again, I thought, “I feel so overwhelmed.” And each time I did, the words I’d written came back to me, and I reminded myself of all the blessings that are mine in Christ.

After several weeks of this practice, the sequence became instinctive. I would sense the stress starting to build, sometimes multiple times a day. “How will I ever handle this?” ran through my mind, quickly followed by, “I feel so overwhelmed!” The once-negative word triggered the new, positive response, shifting my focus to the realities greater than my circumstances, realities that are valid year-round and forever: I have all I’ll ever need in Christ, plus the promise He’ll never leave or forsake me:

He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” (Hebrews 13:5, Amplified)

An Invitation

Will you join me? Pick one or more of Paul’s affirmations to meditate on the next time you feel weighed down by cares or responsibilities: In Christ, we are blessed, chosen, blameless, adopted into God’s family, redeemed, forgiven, sealed with the Holy Spirit, destined to receive the inheritance held secure for us in heaven. Just reading this makes my heart sing!

Take another look at the last definition above, “to overpower in thought or feeling.” When the truth of Who God is and all He’s done for us in Christ overpowers our worries, fears, and anxieties, it is a most blessed conquest indeed.

Dear Lord, as we shift our gaze from the immediate to the eternal, I pray our thoughts and feelings will be overwhelmed in the most positive way by Your amazing grace and all You’ve blessed us with in Christ, to the praise of Your glory.

Thanks, Mom! – Encore

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

Her children rise up and call her blessed.
Proverbs 31:28a

My dear little mom was born on November 24, 1931. Every few years, the anniversary of her birth falls on Thanksgiving. I think it’s so appropriate when it does since Mom’s life blessed me and many others. I originally wrote “Thanks, Mom!” for her birthday in 2018. I reprised it in 2022 and am considering rerunning it as a tribute to her every year. Mom was just that special.

Thus, in grateful appreciation to God for the gift of a godly mother and in recognition of what would have been her 93rd birthday today, I’ve added another of “Mom’s mottos,” “think positive,” and offer this otherwise lightly edited version of the initial post.

Mom’s Mottos

Following are some nuggets of wisdom Mom shared with me throughout my life. I referred to them as “Mom’s mottos” in her eulogy. They’ve become ingrained in my psyche, and I’ve passed them on to my daughters and am now sharing them with my grandchildren.

People will let you down, but God never will. Mom and I endured numerous trials together in the 62 years between my birth and her passing. Lies, disappointments, job loss, broken relationships, health crises, and deaths. Through it all, Mom taught me to depend on the One who says He’ll never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6), faithfully keeps His promises (Hebrews 10:23), and speaks only truth (Hebrews 6:18). We will have troubles in this world, but Jesus has overcome the world. We can find peace in Him. (John 16:33)

When faced with a list of tasks, do whatever’s bothering you the most first and get it behind you. When I felt overwhelmed, which was more often than I like to admit, Mom encouraged me with this time-tested advice one of her grade-school teachers bestowed upon her. Though it may not have been inspired by Scripture originally, there’s undoubtedly a Biblical tie-in. Usually, when my to-do list becomes overloaded, it’s filled with chores associated with temporal concerns. Cooking, cleaning, weeding, mulching, paying bills, and the like are necessary. But Jesus makes it clear we’re to seek eternal things first, trusting Him to provide all we need (Matthew 6:25-33) and spending time at His feet to learn of Him (Luke 10:38-42).

We can’t change anyone else, much as we’d like to sometimes. We can only give an account of ourselves. My reply when Mom would tell me this? “You’re right. I have a hard enough time keeping myself in line!” Once again, there’s Biblical truth in Mom’s statement. As part of His magnificent Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned against judging others, especially since we have sin to deal with in our own lives (Matthew 7:1-5). Praise God for giving us His Spirit, which is at work in us to bring about the transformation we’re incapable of accomplishing on our own (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Furthermore, we’re called to pray for others because only He can soften hardened hearts (Ezekiel 36:25-27).

We can’t give up. We’ve got to hold on to our faith and keep going. Throughout her life, Mom faced challenges that may have led some to quit or become bitter. In the last decade of her life alone, she:

  • shattered the bones in her right shoulder, an injury that required surgery to install a plate and multiple screws, and left her with a limited range of motion in that arm.
  • suffered a heart attack that led to the discovery of three severely blocked arteries, requiring emergency open-heart surgery.
  •  fractured a vertebra in her back and had a procedure known as kyphoplasty to repair it.

Mom endured daily pain due to the ravages of arthritis that led to enlarged joints in her fingers and a bone-on-bone right knee due to cartilage deterioration. Yet she rarely mentioned her constant aches. Instead, she clung to God’s mercies, which are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-24), and encouraged those in her inner circle to do the same. Not surprisingly, her life verse was Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It appears on her grave marker.

There’s an end to everything and everybody sometime sooner or later. Mom usually used this phrase when a situation called for consolation, such as when a cherished object wore out, broke, or was lost. But her most poignant use of the saying came several days after she broke her hip. She recited it to me during one of her lucid moments, followed by, “I guess this is the end of me.” As much as it hurt to hear her acknowledge what was becoming increasingly likely, I could comfort her with the assurance of complete healing that awaited. As we live under the curse where death and brokenness are certainties, we have the promise of Christ’s return when all will be made new, and death will be no more (Revelation 21:1-4).

There’s nothing so bad it couldn’t be worse. Similar to the motto above, Mom used this one to offer comfort. It also reminds me to be thankful even in trying circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). For believers, even death isn’t the worst possible scenario. Instead, it ushers us into the presence of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).

Think positive! In some ways, Mom and Dad were a classic case of opposites attracting. Dad was more solemn and tended to focus on potential negatives in a given situation. Being a blend of the two, there were times when I, too, would see a half-empty glass. When Dad or I started imagining a worst-case scenario, Mom cheerfully yet firmly encouraged us to “think positive!”  Trusting God and knowing He works all things together for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28) allowed Mom to maintain a positive attitude through even daunting circumstances. I imagine her greeting Dad when he entered Glory last year with a joyful, “See, John, I told you to ‘think positive.’ It’s all ok!”

That’s a Gulf song. This statement isn’t advice, but I include it because it alludes to my heritage of faith. Mom grew up in the tiny town of Gulf, NC, where she attended a small Presbyterian church established in the 1800s. When the strains of a familiar hymn from her childhood would begin to play at our current church, Mom’s face would brighten, and one of us would usually lean toward the other and whisper, “That’s a Gulf song.” On a recent Sunday morning, I whispered the same to my granddaughter Lyla, explaining the connection after the service. I don’t know how many generations my heritage of faith encompasses, but I know there are at least two behind me and two in front. I pray that the legacy of faith will be passed continually from generation to generation until Christ returns (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

Mom’s Enduring Love

Oh, how I miss Mom! Though petite, she had a big, beautiful smile and an even bigger heart. She was my main cheerleader and most dependable defender. We all need someone who’s unconditionally, unreservedly in our corner. I’m so thankful Mom was in mine. She was my rock because she consistently pointed me to the Rock and reminded me that His everlasting arms are securely holding all who belong to Him in an eternal embrace (Deuteronomy 33:26-27a). And since Mom’s love was grounded in God’s great love, it will be with me until we meet again.

Dear LORD, thank You for the priceless blessing of a godly mother and the assurance that I will see her again! Please help me to recount Your goodness and faithfulness to coming generations as she did.

True Colors

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

So we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4:16

Leafy Lesson

Granddaughter Lyla and I were out for a walk one recent sunny afternoon. I commented on the beautiful trees, resplendent in their fall colors. Lyla replied, “Grammie, did you know the fall colors are the true colors of the leaves?” You would think I would have remembered that factoid from my horticultural studies, but I didn’t.

Intrigued, I later spent some time googling the subject. As with most fascinating tidbits of information my bright, inquisitive grandchildren share with me, Lyla’s comment was correct:

“During the warmer growing seasons, leaves produce chlorophyll to help plants create energy from light. The green pigment becomes dominant and masks the other pigments . . . trees prepare for winter and the next growing season by blocking off flow to and from a leaf’s stem. This process stops green chlorophyll from being replenished and causes the leaf’s green color to fade. The fading green allows a leaf’s true colors to emerge, producing the dazzling array of orange, yellow, red, and purple pigments we refer to as fall foliage.”[1]

Wasting Away or Renewed?

This idea resonated with me. As someone who has traversed over six decades of life, I’ve watched my outer self change significantly over the years. But last week, I celebrated my 50th spiritual birthday.

Thinking back to the day I was baptized and made a public profession of faith on that November afternoon long ago,  I realize I’ve changed as much on the inside as I have on the outside. Maybe even more so. Because God has faithfully kept His promise to transform me more and more into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

First, He replaced my heart of stone with a heart of flesh that could respond in faith and gratitude to my heavenly Father(Ezekiel 36:26). Then, He applied the balm of forgiveness and restoration and provided His word as a sure guide for life as a pilgrim in this world.

I cringe to think of what my insides looked like before He began the process. Even my best intentions and kindest deeds were like filthy rags apart from Him (Isaiah 64:6).

I’ve passed through fiery trials and experienced moments of great joy in the past 50 years. The Lord ordained all those experiences to aid in the necessary transformation, and He’s never left me to walk alone.

Radiant

Have you ever noticed that even after the leaves have changed colors, they’re pretty but not truly radiant unless the sun is shining on them? Oh, but when the sun is out, the leaves are so vibrant the trees look like they’re ablaze. On days like that, I repeatedly exclaim, sometimes to myself and sometimes out loud, “The trees are so beautiful! Thank You, Lord!”

Likewise, our beauty is more radiant when we walk in the Light of the One who called us out of darkness (1 Peter 2:9). As we behold the glory of the Lord and the beauty of the Gospel, we are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18), making it possible to be lights in this world shining before others for the Lord’s glory (Matthew 5:14-16). How amazing!

Hanging On

While their deciduous relatives are busy putting on a colorful fall display, some oak trees hold onto their old, brown leaves all winter. It takes the new leaves’ emergence the following year to finally nudge them off, life replacing death. And so it will be with me. No matter how brightly my true colors shine in this life, vestiges of the old, sinful me will remain until I’m called Home.

Yet, even now, God considers me His child, though my full potential and future glory haven’t been revealed. And so it is with all of His children. We rest in the assurance that when Jesus appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2).

Creased and Crinkled

There are mornings when I look in the mirror and wonder if the wrinkle gremlin visited overnight and created a few more folds on my face. Days when I look at photos of myself and realize my eyes have almost disappeared into the creases surrounding them when I smile. It can be disheartening at times.

And then I remember that charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised (Proverbs 31:30), that the Lord does not see as man sees, but looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7b), that we’re to cultivate the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight (1 Peter 3:3-4).

My heart overflows with gratitude. I marvel at the fact God chose me before the foundation of the world to be His child (Ephesians 1:4), called me to Himself 50 years ago, and has given me ample reasons and opportunities to testify to His faithfulness in my life.

I look forward to the day when the transformation is complete. Until then, I pray He will help the true Christ-like colors He’s painted inside me to grow increasingly radiant, even as my outer self is wasting away.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
my soul shall exult in my God
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10

[1] Cool autumn weather reveals nature’s true hues, noaa.gov, October 1, 2014.

A Reassured Heart

/ Patsy Kuipers / 5 Comments

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:27

Sometimes, I need to preach truth to myself. This is one of those times. I don’t know about you, but despite my best efforts not to get mired down in the election bruhaha, a sense of dread has seeped into my psyche as the day draws near. From political texts blowing up my phone to interminable campaign commercials zipping by as I fast-forward past them and even comic strips, I can’t escape the ever-present signs that the event is barreling down on us.

Thus, multiple times a day, I reground myself with what I know to be true. I thought I would use today’s post to share some passages and promises that help me maintain the proper perspective in case some of you might also benefit from the reminders.

God is Sovereign. Nothing will thwart His plans.

The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all (Psalm 103:19).

Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases (Psalm 115:3).

Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps (Psalm 135:6).

The Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand”. . . For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back (Isaiah 14:24, 27)?

He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing (Isaiah 40:22-23, NIV).

We’re not alone in times of distress.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 28:38-39).

We know the end of the story.

Both sides would have us believe that if the nominees from the other party win, the world as we know it will come to an end. One day, the world as we know it will end, but what a glorious day that will be!

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)

Until then, we can live with the assurance that King Jesus is seated on the throne at His Father’s right hand (Luke 22:69-70). Seated, not pacing about or wringing His hands, or wondering what tomorrow will bring because God has ordained the end from the beginning and is ruling over every detail to accomplish His purposes until that end, just as He always has (Isaiah 46:9-10).

Therefore, let us fix our hearts and our hope on His unchanging character (Hebrews 13:8), His trustworthy promises (2 Corinthians 1:20), and His steadfast love (Psalm 103:8), not on earthly rulers or kingdoms.

Epilog

As I’ve been working on this piece, I realized that some of you who’ll read it aren’t facing an election or being bombarded by the messaging that goes along with it. But I’m guessing there may be something else that’s causing a sense of disquietude in your soul. The good news is that everything I’ve written can be applied to all sorts of worry-producing circumstances, so may we say with the psalmist, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” (Psalm 42:11)