Assurance

Walking

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
1 Corinthians 10:12

Pay Attention!

Over the past couple of years, several of my friends at church have fallen, with injuries ranging from minor embarrassment to broken bones. During a recent conversation with one of those friends, whose injuries were more serious, she said, “Several years ago, I realized driving was a full-time job. Now I know walking is too.”

I can relate! As I’m writing, I’m thinking about several memorable tumbles, each the result of tripping over something in my path because I was looking elsewhere.

As we age, we need to pay closer attention to what we’re doing, even when it’s something we’ve done for decades.

Watch Out!

The same is true of our spiritual walk. No matter how long we’ve walked with the Lord, we must stay on our guard. We have an enemy who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Remaining vigilant against his enticing schemes is a full-time job (1 Peter 5:8). Satan is not only stealthy but also the father of lies (John 8:44) who masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). He can make the most treacherous path seem pleasant, diverting our attention from obstacles that will surely trip us up if we are distracted by his tempting offers.

Help!

Ever since I reached Medicare age, my pre-appointment check-ins for doctor visits ask whether I’ve fallen in the past year, whether I’m afraid of falling, and to please ask for help when I arrive if I need it. Here again, I see a spiritual parallel. When we recognize areas of weakness and temptation in our lives, it’s important to confide in a few close friends who will pray for us and keep us accountable.

It’s even more important to turn to God for the wisdom and strength He promises. Following his warning to be careful not to fall into self-righteousness, the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Get Up Slowly

Hitting the ground is always a shock. My instinct is to get up as quickly as possible, hoping no one sees me on the ground. Since my last significant stumble, when I got up so quickly I nearly passed out, I’ve read that you should stay down for at least a few seconds to let your body re-equilibrate.

My desire to move on quickly after succumbing to temptation is similar, hoping no one will notice. But I must acknowledge my sin to myself, to God, and, as appropriate, to others. When I confess my sins, God faithfully forgives me and sets me back on the path of righteousness (1 John 1:9). Hearing my story of restoration may help someone else regain their footing in the Lord, just as the recent conversation with my friend reminded me that driving and walking require my full attention.

Dear Lord, Scripture tells us to walk worthy of our calling in Christ (Ephesians 4:1), something impossible in our own strength. Thank You for the power of Your Spirit at work within us, enabling us to stay on the good path that pleases You, and for brothers and sisters in Christ who come alongside us when our steps begin to falter.

Finding Meaning in Suffering

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (Emphasis mine)

Comforting Others

These verses are among my favorite passages in all of Scripture. They contain God’s promise to comfort me and remind me to share that comfort with others, thereby giving meaning to my suffering. 

It will soon be 30 years since I sat in an adult Sunday school class and listened as a friend requested prayer for her sister who had lost her husband suddenly to a heart attack. I was truly sorry for her family’s loss and prayed for them in the days that followed. A month later, my sympathy turned to empathy when I lost my 39-year-old husband, also to a heart attack. I no longer had to imagine what it must be like; I knew firsthand what it feels like to receive shocking news and to wander through your days, numb, with a part of yourself missing.

Ray died at work on a Saturday evening, so the pastors of our church shared the news with the congregation the following morning. I called my manager and my elementary-aged daughter’s teacher. Soon, my house overflowed with people from church, work, and school, some bringing food, all wanting to offer hugs and sincere sympathy.

Though I appreciated every visitor, two came that day who understood our pain better than most: one of my daughter’s best friends and her mother. They had lost their young dad and husband to brain cancer the year before.

My dear friend Sharon Betters, who lost her 16-year-old son in a car accident, says that our losses become our credentials, providing credibility as we point others to the God of all comfort who has comforted us. In the years since Ray’s sudden death, I’ve had the opportunity to come alongside other widows as one who understands, as one who can assure them that God keeps His promises. Promises to never leave or forsake us, to be a protector of widows and their fatherless children.

Sharing in Christ’s Suffering

Elisabeth Elliot’s definition of suffering – having what you don’t want or wanting what you don’t have[1] – reminds us that there are plenty of opportunities to suffer. 

Too often, I think of Christ’s suffering in terms of the events that happened after he was arrested – being betrayed, falsely accused, mocked, beaten, and crucified – yet His suffering actually began when He left His Father’s side, took on flesh, and dwelt among us in our broken, sin-scarred world.

Thus, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews assures us that we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin and encourages us to draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:15-16).

Continuing in his letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul writes, “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too,” which brings us back to the assurance that God doesn’t reserve His comfort for times of direst need. He is the God of all comfort, a loving Father who invites us to bring our hurts to Him, even those we consider too small to bother Him with.

Depending on God

After assuring his readers of God’s abundant comfort, Paul goes on to describe an arduous experience he had in Asia: “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9).

Bible teacher Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth[2] often says, “Anything that makes me need God is a blessing,” echoing the sentiment found in Paul’s statement.

When things are going well, it’s so easy to think, “I’ve got it all under control,” but no matter how smooth or trying our circumstances are, God is the One in control. Sometimes He needs to remind us not to be self-confident and self-reliant, but Christ-confident and God-reliant.

I’ve admitted many times that if there had been a sign-up sheet with the heading, “Get to Know God Better by Losing Your Husband,” I wouldn’t have put my name on it. But God did. Because He did, I’ve learned to depend on Him in ways I never would have if Ray had been with me. Finding Him to be absolutely, unreservedly faithful has strengthened and solidified my testimony. I can say with the hymn writer:

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er . . . I’m so glad I learned to trust Him, Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend; And I know that He is with me, will be with me to the end.[3]

Dear Father, I will not seek trouble or intentionally cause myself pain; however, when trials come, I’m so thankful to know they pass through Your loving hand first. I trust You to use them to accomplish Your purposes for Your glory, enabling me to comfort others, share in Christ’s sufferings, and depend on You, the One who has the power to conquer death and every other lesser problem.

[1] Elisabeth Elliot, Suffering Is Never for Nothing (B&H Publishing Group, 2019), 9.

[2] Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth is the founder and lead Bible teacher for Revive Our Hearts, a ministry dedicated to calling women to freedom, fullness, and fruitfulness in Christ.

[3] From “’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus,” public domain.

My Daddy Can!

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?”
Jeremiah 32:27

Confident Granddaughter

Several years ago, I was spending the day with my grandchildren when one of their toys broke. As 2-year-old Emma watched my futile attempts to fix it, she proclaimed, “My daddy can fix it!”

“I’m sure Daddy can fix it. He’s a good fixer,” I concurred.

“My daddy!” she replied adamantly. Yes, Emma was, and still is, confidently possessive of her people and their abilities.

A recent Bible study lesson reminded me of this conversation and the importance of being equally confident in the abilities of our heavenly Father.

The Story

The fifth chapter of the book of 2 Kings recounts the story of Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Syria. Although Naaman was a mighty man of valor, he had a troublesome skin disease.

God providentially placed a little Israelite girl in Naaman’s household. She had been carried off to Syria in a raid and was serving Naaman’s wife. Aware of Naaman’s predicament, she told her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:3)

Naaman made the proper arrangements to travel to Samaria, laden with gifts and a letter of introduction and supplication from his king to the king of Israel, who thought the whole scenario reeked of intrigue. He tore his clothes upon reading the letter, declaring, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy?”

Elisha, the prophet the little girl had referred to, heard about the misunderstanding and told the king to send Naaman to him. However, instead of greeting him personally, Elisha sent word directing Naaman to wash in the Jordan seven times, thus insulting him. Naaman’s servants prevailed upon him to follow Elisha’s instructions. He was healed and returned to Elisha, proclaiming, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel.”

I hope you’ll take the time to read the full account (2 Kings 5:1-27). There is much to glean from this short story, but I want to focus on the little girl’s faith in contrast to the attitudes of the king of Israel and Naaman.

Child-like Faith

We know very little about the servant girl, but from what we are told, we can draw some conclusions. Someone, possibly her parents or grandparents, had taught her about the God of Israel before she was separated from her people. Perhaps her family was one that had faithfully passed down the mighty deeds of the Lord who rescued His people from Egypt (Psalm 78). Regardless, she remembered and had confidence that His prophet could heal Naaman.

It is also interesting to me that she didn’t hesitate to share this information. Despite being taken captive, it appears she didn’t bear a grudge against those who took her but instead sought their welfare. Her willingness to share underscores her confidence in Elisha’s abilities, since there likely would have been serious consequences for her if Naaman had made the gift-laden trip and no cure had been forthcoming.

Faithless King

Contrast the little girl’s confidence with the response of the king of Israel, who should have been the nation’s spiritual leader, depending on God for guidance. He tore his robes and lamented the arrival of the foreign contingent, thinking they were out to trick him instead of inquiring of the Lord, which he could have done through Elisha, the same prophet the servant girl referred Naaman to.

Sadly, by this time in Israel’s history, the kings had long since strayed into idol worship, disobeying God’s commands, discarding His word, and leading His people astray.

Prideful Commander

Elisha’s dismissive behavior – not greeting Naaman personally, but sending directions by a messenger – offended the mighty warrior.  Still, Elisha knew there was no room for pride if Naaman was to receive physical and, more importantly, spiritual healing.

Children come humbly, aware of their great needs, while adults often must overcome their self-confidence, self-reliance, and pride. Even Naaman’s comment about Syria’s rivers reflects a prideful attitude (2 Kings 5:12), whereas you can imagine a child eagerly following Elisha’s instructions, happy that the cure was so simple and accessible.

Fortunately for Naaman, his servants convinced him to do as Elisha directed. He was healed, just as the little girl knew he would be, and he returned to Elisha, humbled and grateful, ready to make a profession of faith in the one true God (2 Kings 5:15).

Spiritual Amnesia

Pride isn’t the only thing that hinders our faith walk and delays our approach to God’s throne of grace. Like the Israelites who experienced God’s deliverance and witnessed His mighty miracles in the wilderness, yet still doubted His ability and willingness to fulfill His promises to them, I sometimes “forget” all He’s done for me and my family. When a foreign contingent of challenging, unexpected circumstances appears on my doorstep, my first inclination is to wring my hands and wonder what I’m going to do instead of confidently asserting, as Emma did, “My Daddy can fix it!”

Fortunately, the spiritual amnesia is usually short-lived, as I intentionally remind myself of God’s past faithfulness and His promise to never forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6). When exceptionally trying events assail me, I’m thankful for faithful friends who, like the little girl and Naaman’s servants, point me to the truth and encourage me to follow God’s instructions – ask, seek, knock (Matthew 7:7). I am a beloved daughter of the King. My Daddy can provide, protect, and guide through the darkest valley or on the sunniest mountaintop.

Heavenly Father, please help us to have the faith of a child, the unwavering confidence to know that nothing is impossible for You! Thank You that You never lose sight of us, and Your ears are ever attentive to our cries (Psalm 34:15).

Encouragement for Weary Souls, Encore

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

Dear Readers,

I originally wrote this post to encourage friends who were navigating serious health issues with loved ones. Their journeys reminded me of the challenging paths I walked with Mom and Dad in the final months of their lives. Yet the memories were also laced with Scripture passages that sustained me during those trying times.

Now, over a year later, several friends have lost those loved ones, others are still caring for theirs, and some have received news that has placed them on the path of prayerful watching, waiting, and wondering more recently. Thus, I decided it was time to share these powerful promises from God’s word again, promises that I not only clung to as I walked Mom and Dad Home, but also return to when other difficult situations arise.

I expect some, maybe many, of you are on an arduous journey of your own. It is my prayer that one or more of these passages will offer the hope you need in the days ahead. 

New Mercies

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.
Lamentations 3:21-23

I was often mentally, physically, and emotionally spent by the time nightfall arrived each day, but every morning I would imagine the Lord had refilled my bucket overnight, so it was overflowing with His mercies for that day. 

Eyes Fixed

For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you (2 Chronicles 20:12b).

There were so many decisions I needed to make regarding Mom and Dad’s care, some of them downright gut-wrenching. I thought of the decisions being the great horde coming against me, and I prayed Jehoshaphat’s prayer – Lord, I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are fixed on You – repeatedly, sometimes multiple times a day, seeking wisdom from the Lord.

Light and Momentary

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

When we’re in the midst of trying circumstances, the affliction doesn’t feel light or momentary, but for those who love the Lord, we know He’s working all things together for our good and is fitting us for our heavenly Home (Romans 8:28-30).

Weary

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).

Sometimes the journey feels so long. You don’t know if you can keep going, at least not in the right spirit, without becoming frustrated or resentful. I asked people to pray that I wouldn’t grow weary in doing good, so I could honor my parents and God, who entrusted their care to me. I longed to reap the harvest of helping them finish their earthly lives with dignity.

Gentle Savior

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).

We are blessed to have a gentle Savior who understands our frailties and offers rest for our souls. He has promised never to leave or forsake us (Matthew 28:20b).

Comfort Others

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

As citizens of Heaven sojourning in a world marred by sin, there will be instances when we or our loved ones don’t get the diagnosis or outcome we hope for. At such times, we can rest in the assurance that Jesus is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). He comforts us so that we may comfort others and point them to the hope we’ve found in His steadfast love and faithfulness.

Ultimate 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 21:1-6a).

Whenever I read this passage, I want to shout, “Hallelujah! I can’t wait!” No more tears or death or mourning or crying or pain – that’s what God’s beloved children have to look forward to because He will indeed make all things new!

It has been five years since the Lord called Mom Home and almost three since Dad joined her. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss them, but I wouldn’t wish them back from Paradise. Instead, I look forward to spending eternity with them in the presence of Jesus. Until then, I will cling to God’s promises and strive to keep my eyes fixed on Him. I pray you will do the same. May you find great hope in these and other passages.

Rejoice!

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.
Matthew 28:6

Happy Easter, dear readers! Easter is my favorite day of the year. Joy fills my heart as I wake up thinking, “He is Risen!” I pray that you, too, are filled with joy knowing Jesus is alive and seated at God’s right hand, interceding for us (Romans 8:34).

The beauty of springtime adds to my delight as all creation reawakens and joins the chorus of praise to our Creator. Bright green leaves, colorful flowers, baby birds – signs of new life that remind us of our new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Thus, I will let Scripture and a few photos do most of the talking in this post, a tribute to our Risen Savior. (Please note: the added emphasis in the passages is mine.)

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words (Luke 24:1-8 ESV).

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words (1Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV).

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” (Revelation 21:1-5 ESV).

God promised to send a Savior (Genesis 3:15) and He did (John 3:16).

Jesus promised to return and take us to be with Him (John 14:3). He will.

Because God always keeps His promises. Therein lies our hope. Let us remember His words and encourage one another with them.

The End?

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When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
 “O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”
1 Corinthians 15:54-55

Others’ End

I usually enjoy seeing my Facebook memories. They remind me of happy times with family and friends and help me keep track of when various plants bloom from year to year. But sometimes the memories are painful. Such was the case recently when a post from January 2021 appeared. In it, I informed friends and family of Mom’s leg pain and asked those reading the post to please pray for wisdom regarding a proper diagnosis and treatment.

What I didn’t know then but am woefully aware of now is that three short months later, Mom would no longer be with us. She endured far greater suffering in those final months, especially in her last days after she broke her hip.

With each passing year, I know how life ends for more and more close friends and relatives.

I recently came across a list of folks to pray for that I wrote more than a year ago. While some on the list have recovered and are doing well, four are now with the Lord, fully healed like Mom, but oh how we miss them.  

February 6th would have been my husband Ray’s 68th birthday. But a few weeks after his 39th birthday, he went to work on a beautiful spring day, suffered a fatal heart attack, and never came home.

Life after the Fall is fragile indeed.

My End

I don’t know what my end-of-life story will look like, but I know my end will come, too, unless Jesus returns first. Since losing Mom and Dad, I’ve been more aware of my own mortality and of being the senior generation in my family.

Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I try to deny death. Yet having a front-row seat to my parents’ final months makes denial impossible. They were both capable, independent, hardworking people well into their 80s. Nevertheless, the ravages of age finally caught up with them, as they will with me unless I’m taken quickly, as Ray was.

Not the End!

During Ray’s funeral, one of the pastors declared, “For believers, death is not the end, beloved. It is a most glorious beginning!”

Over the years, that statement has become a touchstone for me. Losing a loved one still hurts because death separates us. We long for one more conversation, one more Starbucks date, one more stroll around the neighborhood, recognizing that those one-mores aren’t possible.

Yet we grieve with hope, knowing the separation is only temporary. Our loved ones are safely Home. Their end here was only the beginning of life in eternity. They will not return to us, but one day we will join them and the great throng around the throne, praising the Lamb forever and ever.

Blessed Assurances

Each day, I pray for those who are grieving recent losses, often adding, “All of us are missing someone, Lord. Please be with us, too.”

The raw pain of loss gradually recedes, replaced by a deep soul-sigh of longing that endures until it’s our turn to go Home. In my experience, we never stop missing our loved ones. So I’ll conclude this post with some of my favorite Scripture passages, those I turn to when I need to be reminded that death is not the end but a most glorious beginning for those who love the Lord. I pray they will comfort your heart, too.

In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also (John 14:2-3).

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Emphasis mine.)

I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:50-57).

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[a] 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.” (Revelation 21:1-5)

Plans and Purposes

/ Patsy Kuipers / 2 Comments

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

This time 15 years ago, I was finishing up my last full day of work. The next day, my 30-year career at a large corporation would come to an end, not by choice, but by decree. My job no longer existed. But God had a plan. He always does.

The Backstory

All careers have ups and downs, good bosses and not-so-good ones. During the last year of my career, I was the only person reporting to a newly minted manager, one who systematically dismantled my position.

I was angry and resentful, wondering if I should retire or stay. Did God want me to humble myself and grow from the challenging circumstances, or was He preparing me to leave? I asked several close friends to join me in praying for His guidance.

As my annual performance review approached, I told my family I expected to be let go or put on probation. Thus, I wasn’t surprised when my boss and her manager joined me in a windowless conference room and announced, “I know you’re expecting your annual review, but you won’t be having it because your job has been eliminated.”

My first thought, “This is real!” was immediately followed by “Thank You, Lord, for giving me a black-and-white answer.”

It was a classic departure scenario. I handed in my computer, badge, and credit card and left without saying goodbye to anyone. I exited into the gray January afternoon, numb and unemployed. But the next day I awoke to sunshine streaming through my window. I later echoed that optimism in a Facebook post: “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!”

Regardless of my supervisor’s motives, it became increasingly evident that what she may have meant for evil, or self-preservation at my expense, God meant for so much good.

Horticulture Diploma

In the months leading up to my dismissal, I spent a lunch hour reviewing the requirements for the horticulture program at our local technical college. My passion for plants grew over the years as I cared for the garden my husband left as part of his legacy, when he passed away at the too-young age of 39. As I scrolled through the course catalog, I kept thinking, “Oooh, I want to take that class! And that one! And this one!” As lunchtime drew to a close, I wrote “My dream: Environmental Horticulture Diploma” on a sticky note and stuck it in the back of my planner.

Two days after my career ended, I began the process to enroll in the horticulture program at our local technical college. The following year, I realized my dream, having devoured the course material like someone savoring an exceptional meal.

Grammie Days

My grandson Joshua was born six months after I lost my job. He was my study buddy from his earliest days, as I pointed out plants while we strolled the neighborhood, and he is as passionate about plants as I am. Sisters Lyla and Emma, now lovely and lively 6th and 4th-graders, joined the family in 2 ½-year intervals.

Photos and Facebook memories attest to the blessing and privilege of being a consistent part of my grandchildren’s lives from the time they were born. We coined the term “Grammie Days” for my weekly routine of spending Mondays and Wednesdays with them. Those days laid the foundation for lasting relationships.

Even though Grammie Days aren’t as frequent during the school year, we enjoy the times we have together, be it at church on Sunday mornings, over a meal, or during drivetime conversations while shuttling from one activity to another.  

Available to Help

My parents lived long, productive lives. Healthy and independent into their late 80s, they eventually reached the point where they needed assistance. Sometimes when I accompanied Mom to an appointment, she would tell the doctor, “Patsy is the mother now. She takes care of me.”

Dad had a stroke six months after Mom died. I helped him move into an assisted living facility and oversaw his care and finances.

It broke my heart to watch Mom and Dad’s decline, but when our roles shifted, it was a privilege to come alongside the ones who had cared so well for me.

God’s Good Plans

Left to my devices, my career would have ended years later with a retirement celebration attended by family, friends, and longtime colleagues and customers. But God had other, better plans (Proverbs 19:21). Furthermore, the events of the past 15 years are a testament to His ability to bring beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3). Earning a horticulture diploma, establishing close relationships with my grandchildren, helping Mom and Dad end well –  these are over-and-above blessings (Ephesians 3:20) that wouldn’t have been possible had I kept working, priceless gifts that more than outweigh the abrupt end to my career.

Lord, thank You that Your good plans prevail (Proverbs 16:9). Please help me to trust You with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding, knowing that You will make my paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Christmas Tears

/ Patsy Kuipers / 2 Comments

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 21:4

Significant Losses

For most of my life, the happy anticipation of my birthday and Christmas filled the month of December. Even though I was born a few days before Christmas, Mom always made sure my special day didn’t get lost amidst the other holiday festivities. I was blessed to have her with me for 62 birthdays. She went Home in the spring of my 63rd year. By the time December rolled around, my 90-year-old father had a live-in caregiver to assist him after the stroke he suffered a few months after Mom passed.

If I could have, I would have fast-forwarded to January. Mom and I had so many treasured traditions, I didn’t feel like celebrating without her. Still, I went through the motions for my family’s sake. By the time my second Christmas without Mom rolled around, Dad was in an assisted living facility, and by the third, he’d joined Mom in the presence of Jesus.

I wondered if the December joys I experienced for so many years would ever return. Finally, last year I felt the stirrings of old, familiar anticipation, and this year I fully embraced the joys of the season.

Sometime Every Christmas, I cry.[1]

Nonetheless, my post-Christmas melancholy is almost as customary as the happy anticipation that precedes the holiday, so I shouldn’t have been surprised when it arrived the day after Christmas. Not only were the gifts given and family gatherings completed, but also the Facebook memories of Christmases past greased the rails of the downward emotional slope.

As I gazed through tear-filled eyes at photos of family feasts and gift exchanges when Mom and Dad were still with us, I remembered a comment one of my friends made several years ago. Even as we mourn the empty seats at our table, longing to be with our departed loved ones, Scripture assures us that there’s an empty seat waiting for us at the heavenly banquet (Revelation 19:6-9).

A Breath Away[2]

A character on a show I was watching recently died. As he neared the end of his life, the rapt look on his face, accompanied by a statement describing a vision of deceased loved ones, reminded me of a similar experience I had with Mom a few days before her passing. I stood by her bed, trying to calm her constant fidgeting, when she became quiet. A look of wonder stole over her face. She stared past me, smiled as if gazing around a room full of loved ones, long gone, and whispered, “Is that Ray? There you all are! It’s been a long time. Do you remember me?” The moment passed quickly, but it left an impression I’ll never forget.

Likewise, there was the conversation I had with Dad’s hospice nurse as we waited together in the wee hours of the morning for the undertaker to come.

“Did your dad tell you he’s been seeing your mom?”

“No, he didn’t, but it doesn’t surprise me. I told him she’d be waiting for him.”

Christmas Hope

I know, like me, many of you are missing loved ones this Christmas season, some of you much more recently bereaved than I am. But because of the Baby in the manger, whose birth we just celebrated, we can rest assured that our believing loved ones are safe at Home and there’s a place waiting for us (John 14:2-3).

We will join them one day because that Baby was the Word made flesh. He dwelt among us for a while, full of grace and truth (John 1:14), yet despised and rejected by men. Sinless, He was crushed for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:3, 5) so that we can be robed in His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21), made perfect, fit to dwell with our high and holy God, who is also our Heavenly Father. He loved us so much that He sent His only Son to save us (John 3:16).

That good news isn’t just for December! The Christmas message infuses every day with joy and hope.

So take heart, dear ones. The separation is only temporary. Each passing day brings us closer to our real Home, where we will join those who have gone before us, rejoicing in the presence of our gracious and merciful King.

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)

[1] Inspired by lyrics from “Sometime Every Christmas,” by Michael W. Smith.

[2] Inspired by lyrics from “To Where You Are,” by Josh Groban.

Romans 8:28

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.
Romans 8:28 (Amplified)

Hello, friends!

I’m immersed in preparing items for our church’s Operation Christmas Child[1] event tomorrow evening. We’re hoping to pack 300 shoeboxes, so it takes a team effort to get ready for our packing party!

Since I don’t have time to write a lengthier post this afternoon, I thought I would share John Piper’s quote about Romans 8:28, one of my favorite passages of Scripture, instead:

“When it comes to the architecture of future grace and the buildings we call the promises of God, Romans 8:28 shares the tribute of being one of the two or three greatest. This structure is staggering in its size. The infinitely wise, infinitely powerful God pledges that in this building, future grace will make everything beneficial to his people!  Not just nice things, but horrible things too – like tribulation and distress and peril and famine and sword (Romans 8:35-37) . . .   If you live inside this massive promise, your life is more solid and stable than Mount Everest. Nothing can blow you over when you are inside the walls of Romans 8:28 . . . Once you walk through the door of love into the massive, unshakable structure of Romans 8:28, everything changes.  There come into your life stability and depth and freedom.  You simply can’t be blown over anymore.  The confidence that a sovereign God governs for your good all the pain and all the pleasure that you will ever experience is an incomparable refuge and security and hope and power in your life.  When God’s people really live by the future grace of Romans 8:28 – from measles to the mortuary – they are the freest and strongest and most generous people in the world.”[2]

“From measles to the mortuary,” our heavenly Father is sovereign over every detail of our lives. I pray that assurance will comfort and encourage you today, dear readers, whatever your circumstances.

[1] Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse. You can find out more at samaritanspurse.org

[2] John Piper, “Future Grace,” (Colorado Springs, Multnomah Books, 2012), pp. 118-119.

Finding Hope in My Garden

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

Often, when I’m working in my garden, a spiritual tie-in will occur to me. Such was the case last week.

The perennials are winding down for this year, looking rather bedraggled after enduring weeks of hot, dry weather. Soon, many of them will drop their leaves or die back completely to the ground. I’ll help others by removing this year’s growth so they can rest over the winter. But even as the plants are completing another cycle of flourishing, they’re preparing for the next.

Seeds

Seed heads have formed on numerous plants, including ornamental grasses, butterfly weed, coneflowers, and black-eyed Susans. Some of the seeds will land in a favorable place, germinate, and produce new plants, while others provide food for hungry birds. Still others can be shared with fellow gardeners.  

As I survey the variety of seeds adorning the plants, harvest some to share and leave the rest to reproduce or feed the birds, I’m reminded of God’s promise after the flood, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22)

I’m also challenged. How am I sharing the bounty of spiritual blessings and wisdom God has imparted to me? Am I planting seeds that will bear spiritual fruit even after I’m gone? Am I sharing bits of Biblical wisdom to nourish fellow believers?

Buds

And then there are buds that have already formed on spring-blooming plants, the promise of future flowers when the conditions are right. The buds remind me that we’ve been sealed with the Holy Spirit, the guarantee of our inheritance in Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14). Just as the buds are waiting to blossom, we too are awaiting our glorification, knowing that when Jesus appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2).

Bulbs

Bulbs are mysterious. It takes faith to believe the homely yet intriguing packages will one day produce something beautiful. Inspecting the daffodil bulbs I purchased a few days ago, I was reminded of the assurance that one day, most likely after a period of resting in the ground unless Jesus returns first (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), my perishable body will be raised to glory, imperishable:

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
1 Corinthians 15:51-55

Hope in Him!

In a few months, springtime will return to the little plot of ground God has entrusted to me, exuberantly pointing us toward Jesus’ return when all things will be made new and all of creation will praise Him. Until then, I will make note of the evidence of things to come, resting in the assurance that God will fulfill all His promises.

Dear Lord, thank You that Your invisible attributes, namely, Your eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made (Romans 1:20).