Berry Blessed

Today is the 82nd birthday of a guy I’ve known for a large part of my life. Duke, as he is known by his family and friends, is my father-in-law. Many would say that Duke is a unique character, and with good reason. You might see him in the small Fayette County village, where he was born and raised, working in his vegetable garden where his specialties are beets, potatoes and corn or he could be found sitting on his front porch snoring with a gun magazine or a book (he’s an avid reader of a variety of subjects) in hand. Often though, he can be seen taking walks – a walking stick in his hand, a gun on his hip, a newspaper-wrapped bottle of drinking water, a package of chewing tobacco in his shirt pocket, and a metal bucket attached to a strap over his shoulder during berry season. Come rain or shine or snow, each Sunday morning Duke can be seen in his dress clothes making the short walk (which he had done for many years with his beloved Margaret) to and from the little white United Methodist Church where he worships.

It might be surprising for some to learn how much Duke and I have in common. We both enjoy stomping about in the woods and fields. We both like walking and exploring in the mountains, canning vegetables from the garden, and picking wild raspberries and blackberries. We grew up with decades between us, but both spent our childhoods berry picking. It was an activity passed on to me by my dad “Turtle.” In my youth, we picked for hours at a time during berry season, sometimes gathering berries by the gallons. Dad’s health has declined in recent years, so he no longer ventures out for berry picking. I’m thankful though that the love for berry picking was passed on to me and my husband Scott, then to our 2 sons, and now even on to our young granddaughters.

Last week, Scott and I had set a little time aside and made plans with Duke to drive to the mountains for some berry picking. Just before the time arrived to leave, Scott, whose job involves being on call, was needed to go back out to work. It’s nothing new for us, just a part of life for those in the telecommunications field. Not wanting to miss another day of gathering berries needed for making homemade jam, I decided that I would still go, even if alone. After making a quick call to Duke, I had a berry picking partner, so off we went to the mountains! Over the years, I’m sure we’ve picked berries together dozens of times. And here we were still at it, an 82 year old with his not-so-young-anymore daughter-in-law. Hours later, we emerged from the weeds and the jagger bushes with several buckets full of plump, juicy, shiny, sweet blackberries!

Our family is blessed, “berry blessed,” that today we’ll gather for Bud’s pizza and wings to celebrate another birthday together with the man all of his grandchildren call “Pap Duke.” When I open our jars of blackberry jam in the months ahead, it will be a reminder of these hot summer days spent together wiping the sweat from our brows and tramping down the weeds while filling our blackberry buckets. It will be another reminder of the blessings and the beauty of God’s marvelous creation and of His goodness to us.

HOPE NUGGET: Because he has his heart set on me,I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows my name. When he calls out to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor. I will satisfy him with a long life and show him my salvation. [Psalm 91: 14-16]

Shine, Church, Shine!

A week ago today, the governor of Ohio announced that all K-12 schools would be closed for 3 weeks. The announcement came the day after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak to be a pandemic. Even though we’d been hearing news reports about the virus for a few months, those 2 reports got my attention in a way that others hadn’t. Ohio is a neighboring state which had just 5 coronavirus cases at that time, and the announcement brought the concerns much closer to home. By the next morning, we learned that schools in our area of southwestern Pennsylvania were considering a 2-day closure. That same afternoon, the governor of PA declared that all schools in the state were required to close. Each day since the closure of schools, coronavirus diagnoses and deaths in the U.S. have increased and the situation has become more alarming.

Today is my fourth day off work from my job at a school in a local youth shelter. I spent all morning and part of the afternoon shopping for the items on a grocery list for my parents who are in their upper 70s and who are following social distancing recommendations. Toilet paper, Lysol disinfectant spray and Lysol wipes were included on the list. 5 hours, 15 stores and 30 miles later, I delivered their groceries. It wasn’t until the 11th store I visited that I found toilet tissue. Up until then, not one of the 10 stores I had been in had a single package of toilet tissue. In store number 11, I found a shelf with a small number of individual rolls of toilet tissue with a limit of one roll per customer. As for the Lysol items, there were none to be found.

I began thinking about those folks in our community who might not have had 5 hours to spend going from store to store or who might not have a reliable vehicle or gas money or who might have difficulty getting in and out of the vehicle 15 times in search of a package of toilet tissue. If really needed, I could have spent more time or driven farther, but what about others? Could they? Could my neighbor?

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Don’t those words from Romans 13 apply to this situation? Aren’t we to be thinking of our neighbors when we choose to fill up our grocery carts and vehicles with package after package of toilet tissue or carton after carton of eggs? Shouldn’t it occur to us that others may need those supplies for their homes as well? Could my hoarding make life more difficult or inconvenient for another person who might be elderly or ill or without the means that I have to search for them?

Interestingly, crises like the one we’re facing now seem to bring out either the best or the worst of humanity. For those who claim Christ, we should expect to see the best. We would expect to see sacrificing, giving, kindness, compassion, empathy and service towards our fellow man. Christians should have no part in greed, selfishness, arrogance, and self-centeredness. Simply stated, we are to love our neighbor as ourself (the second greatest commandment, according to Jesus).

Fortunately, there has been a lot of good being done. In our community, churches have voluntarily cancelled worship services in order to help curtail the further spread of the virus. Some churches have been preparing and donating free meals to those in need. Others are offering virtual Sunday messages being given by their pastors which could in turn be shared on social media to potentially many more people than would normally be in their Sunday services. Two friends of mine are doing virtual Ladies Bible studies which I’ve joined and am looking forward to attending. A high school friend who is a church worship leader will be taking the time to regularly share a devotion, prayer, and a youtube link to a favorite praise song. The adult Sunday School teacher from my church will be continuing our Sunday School class by video so that we can still have class “together.” What a blessing and what excellent and creative ways God is giving His people to continue as the Church!

Many Christians, including me, will not be worshiping in our church buildings for the time being. I’ve heard it said several times over the past few days: Don’t go to church. Be The Church. This is our time to shine, Church. Let’s do it.

HOPE NUGGET: The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light [Romans 13:12].

As White as Snow

Growing up in Pennsylvania meant being able to count on having several snowstorms during the winter months. My childhood included sled riding, snowball fights, snowmen, snow angels, snow forts, snowmobiles and a favorite of most kids – snow days home from school! As I’ve gotten older, some of the reasons why I enjoy snowstorms have changed. I don’t spend as much time outside in winter as I used to and appreciate more now the beauty of snow from within the house next to the crackling fireplace with a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

This winter though has been disappointing for any of us who look forward to the snow and who enjoy it for whatever the reason may be. After months of anticipating some “real snow” in southwestern Pennsylvania and not just another dusting like the ones we’ve been having, we finally received a more significant snowfall this past week. The ground was covered with over 4 inches and snow clung to the drooping tree branches. Such a beautiful sight!

Our home is located in the Laurel Highlands, a region that lies in the western foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. Just about a 20 minute drive from our house is a scenic mountainous area where we enjoy spending time. After the snowfall last week, my husband and I drove up there over the weekend to do a little hiking in the woods. By then the heavier snowfall had ended and had turned to gentle flurries which were barely visible. As we walked along the snow-covered trails, completely surrounded by trees which just the week before were brown and bare (as would be expected in February), the beauty and tranquility of the place was breathtaking.

**Pennsylvania’s beautiful Laurel Highlands**

It is while out in nature that I most often marvel at God’s creation. How could I possibly be in a setting like that and not be reminded of the marvelous works of His hands? One of the most meaningful verses in all of scripture for me is found in Isaiah 1:18. It says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Here we were in this beautiful place, which had turned from brown to white since our last visit the week before. While there, the image of my scarlet sins becoming white as snow, coupled with the tranquility of this small piece of heaven on earth, brought an incredible sense of peace.

The God of the universe – reaching out to sinners such as me, such as you, inviting us to “come” and “to reason together” is way more breathtaking than any mountain setting, way more breathtaking than the most wonderful blessing in this world. I am washed white. God does not see scarlet nor does He see crimson when He looks at me. He sees white – my sins are white, as white as snow, as white as wool. I am forgiven. Perhaps when God sees me, a child of The King, one who is washed in the precious blood of His Son, Christ Jesus – perhaps He is affected like I am when I visit that special mountain site which He created. Perhaps it takes His breath away to see me washed clean and white as snow.

HOPE NUGGET: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [1 John 1:9]

A Fresh Start With A New Heart

I remember that day vividly, nearly two and a half years ago. That morning, while getting ready for work, my sister-in-law Amy called to say that it looked like today would be the day. A day that our family had been anticipating for months. Her 18 year old son, our nephew Matthew, would undergo lengthy heart transplant surgery at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. There was no way of knowing for sure if the surgery would actually take place that day, or if so at what time. Being that the hospital was only about an hour drive away, I got ready and left for work.

On the day of Matthew’s birth, we had gathered at a local hospital, excited about meeting the newest addition to our family. There was no reason to think that there would be any problems; we fully expected a healthy baby to be delivered. Within a short while after birth, we were told that Matthew was having trouble breathing and that a heart problem was detected. It would be necessary to transfer him to Children’s of Pittsburgh where determinations could be made of his condition and where he would receive more specialized care.

**Matthew at 1 month old with cousins Nick & Simon**
**(Matthew usually has a much more pleasant personality than shown in this picture!)**

The devastating news came soon: Matthew had been born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The left side of his heart was underdeveloped. The diagnosis came with 3 options for my husband’s brother and his wife. 1 – they could choose to not intervene at all which would mean Matthew would not survive. 2 – they could choose to do a heart transplant. 3 – they could choose to have Matthew undergo a series of surgical procedures over several years which would allow his life to be extended, hopefully at least into his teens. The third option was recommended by doctors and chosen by Matthew’s parents.

There we were, 18 years later. Matthew certainly had his share of struggles by then, but had a happy and fulfilling life. Even though his heart was filled with love and joy, it had become too weak to support and sustain his life. There would not be much more time ahead for him without a heart transplant. While at work later that day, I got the word that Matthew was being prepped for surgery. The day we had hoped and prayed for was finally here. Matthew’s hospital room slowly filled with a few friends and close family. There was joking, nervous laughter, some hidden tears (both of joy and concern), prayers, hugs and see-you-after-the-surgery goodbyes. Matthew waved as he was wheeled down the hallway and the rest of us headed to the waiting room where we’d be together until late in the evening. Hours later and much to everyone’s relief, the phone call to Matthew’s parents came informing them that the surgery was a success. The new heart was beating strongly inside Matthew’s chest.

**Matthew with one of his biggest supporters – his brother Andrew (ages 10 & 5)**

Ezekiel was a prophet to the Jewish people for at least twenty-two years and lived among the Jewish exiles in Babylon. A large portion of Ezekiel’s message to the Jews communicated judgment due to their continued rebellion against God [Ezekiel 1-32]. Despite their disobedience to Him, God offered them a wonderful gift with a message of hope through Ezekiel: “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” [Ezekiel 36:26]. God’s desire was to restore Israel physically and spiritually. Physical restoration would occur with Israel returning to its own land as a nation. Spiritual restoration would occur through His Spirit as God transformed them and empowered them to do His will. He gave them a fresh start with a new heart.

Matthew was given a fresh start. God answered our prayers by means of a generous heart donor and a talented and dedicated medical team who provided him with physical restoration. Without the transplant, Matthew could very well not be with us today. A new heart was required to sustain his life. You and I may never be in need of a heart transplant, but the Bible makes it clear that we are all, even more importantly, in need of spiritual restoration. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God [Romans 3:23]. Like the rebellious Jews who received God’s message through Ezekiel and like the people of Judah in Jeremiah’s time who didn’t incline their ears to hear from God, our hearts are evil and stubborn and disobedient [Jeremiah 7:24]. Walking in our own counsel is not the remedy; only God can give a fresh start with a new heart. The requirement is to turn to Christ, to put our Hope and Trust in Him. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).

**Matthew: post-surgery…this young man has an amazingly positive attitude and outlook on life!!**
**Who’s Da Bearded one?!?!**

HOPE NUGGET: 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].

Flashlight Tag

A favorite activity of our 2 and 4 year old granddaughters on “sweepover” nights is playing “Flashlight Tag” with Pappy & Grammy. The popular children’s game of Hide-and-Seek can be traced back to second century Greece. It’s a game that most anyone reading this probably played as a child. The game resurfaced in our household when grandchildren came along, with Uncle Nick being “It” and little Junie hiding in the same spot every time under the covers in the bed of “The Toy Story room.” She would run back through the hallway giggling and diving under the covers of that bed, convinced that she was fooling Uncle Nick and that he would not be able to find her this time!

Our game of Hide-and-Seek evolved into a game which we now call Flashlight Tag. This game has become a routine for us played on sleepover nights after the sun goes down and before bedtime stories. The past 2 weeks of Christmas vacation included countless rounds of Flashlight Tag. The team of Hiders uses their flashlights to find a good hiding spot and after shouts of “Ready, Set, Here We Come!” the team of Seekers uses their flashlights to locate the Hiders. Flashlight Tag with 2 and 4 year olds is highly entertaining …. flashlights left on while in their hiding spots, laughter coming from the places of hiding, hiding over and over in the same locations, and shouts of surprise when a hider is found!

On Sunday morning, our last day of Christmas vacation together before their drive to the airport, we did something different together by holding “House Church” at Pappy and Grammy’s. We read the Bible story of Jonah and sang songs and talked about how Jonah ran from God. Like 2-year old Ellie playing Flashlight Tag and thinking that she could leave the flashlight turned on while under the cover and not be found, Jonah mistakenly thought that he would not be visible to God if he went in a direction opposite of Ninevah, the place where God had commanded him to go. Jonah thought that he could run from God. He thought that by boarding the ship sailing for Tarshish that he could avoid obeying God’s voice. He ran, but he could not hide. The cover of the ship did not keep God from finding Jonah’s hiding spot. [Jonah 1]

***Our House Church lesson…paintings by Junie and Ellie***

Our 4 year old granddaughter has improved her skills in Flashlight Tag. She stays quiet when hiding, she doesn’t leave on her flashlight, and she now tries to find unique and different hiding locations. She understands that even when putting a lot of effort into hiding that sooner or later she will be found. Do you wonder why Jonah had the idea that he could avoid God’s plan for him to speak to the people of Ninevah? How could he have not realized that no matter how far he traveled that he wouldn’t escape God’s presence? Why did it take something as drastic as being in the belly of a great fish for three days for Jonah to submit to the will of God? Will God need to get your attention or my attention by appointing a great fish to swallow us?

HOPE NUGGET: “I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.” [Jonah 2:2]

A Cautionary Tale

Have you ever been told to “trust your heart” or to “follow your heart” when making a decision? It’s a pretty commonly given piece of advice, from both Christians and non-Christians. Most of us have more than likely followed that advice at one time or another. Sometimes when doing so, it went well and things worked out for us. At other times, the outcome was disastrous. The advice was well-intended and meant to help, not to harm. The problem though is that according to God’s word, we know that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

Would it be wise to follow the advice of something known to be deceitful and sick? It would mean following something that lies to us, that misleads us. You see, God knows the hearts of man better than we even know them for ourselves. He understands what motivates us and what drives us. He knows that apart from His guidance, there will be failure in our decision-making. That is why He gives us warnings to not rely on our hearts to guide us and that is why He cautions us to seek Him in all things. Unless and until your heart is aligned with God’s, it cannot be trusted to guide your decisions.

What to do? Make sure that your heart is right with God, that it is tuned in to the heart of God, that it aligns with the principles laid out in scripture. Make sure that you seek God with all of your heart when making plans, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” [Jeremiah 29:11-13]…..and…..”Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23)

HOPE NUGGET: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. [Proverbs 3:5-6]

Make me a servant

“Make me a servant, humble and meek, Lord, let me lift up those who are weak, And may the prayer of my heart always be: Make me a servant today.” The lyrics to this 80s gospel song by Kelly Willard is a wonderful prayer for the start of the new year, and for the start of each and every day. In my early days after becoming a Christian, it seemed like we often sang this chorus. It had a big impact on me. Though the words are simple, I knew that they had deep and important meaning to my newfound faith. I knew that choosing to follow Christ would mean a complete and necessary change of lifestyle for me. I knew that making the commitment to serve Christ would mean sacrifice. It would mean a sacrifice of time, talents and treasures.

But finding ways to serve didn’t feel like a sacrifice. It felt right and good. The hours that I had been devoting to myself and to the ones close to me would need to be shared with others, sometimes for others who I barely knew or didn’t know at all. The gratitude and enthusiasm I had for being accepted as a child of God into God’s Kingdom spurred me on with a strong desire to serve. I remember not yet having a solid grasp of the Bible’s teachings, but I did have an interest and willingness to learn. Because of that, one of the natural places for me to begin to serve was in children’s ministry. I had young children of my own, and through teaching them and the other children of the church, I learned more of the Bible stories that are taught to kids. It was a time of growth and service.

Since then, I’ve continued to have the desire to serve. There’s definitely satisfaction in doing so, along with rewards for all involved. I came to realize that my interactions with others and my acts of service made as much or more of a difference to others as the words I spoke. In recent years as the leader of a young adults ministry, weekly meetings were held and Bible lessons were taught, but if my words to the young adults hadn’t been combined with the outreaches and activities that we were involved in, and in serving one another in various ways, the ministry would have been much less effective. I’m still working on perfecting an attitude of servanthood, both in word and in deed. Having a servant’s heart means having a meek and humble attitude, as the song declares. Servanthood isn’t a chore. It isn’t to be avoided. Instead of asking ourselves, “Why should I have to do ‘this or that,’”we should be offering our services for the benefit of others. Servanthood might mean investing some “sweat equity” into a task (credit for this term goes to my friend Sharon who shared it with me recently).

True leadership requires servanthood. The greatest leader and servant of all time is Jesus Christ “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2: 6-7). Christ is the ultimate example of servanthood and He is the standard after which we should model ourselves. It isn’t always easy; it can be exhausting. But ohhhh…..serving others is extremely rewarding and is the essence of Christianity and Christian ministry. Dear God, make ME a servant. So, Christian friends, let’s humble ourselves, roll up our sleeves, and serve God and others.

HOPE NUGGET: For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

Throw Your Cares Upon God!

While many tonight are marking the end of the year and celebrating the start of a new year surrounded by friends (or strangers) in an atmosphere of noisemakers and fireworks and loud music, I’m comfortably relaxing at home in my recliner. The calm and quiet of this evening has provided me with the opportunity to reflect on the past year. It’s been a good year. A blessed year. In countless ways. That doesn’t mean though that the year wasn’t without its problems. It had its share of troubles. For me and for you.

Today, on the final day of the year, not all is well and not all is perfect. Some of you are carrying great burdens. Some of you are facing major trials. Some of you are not in a celebratory mood. Your burdens are weighing you down. Though my burdens and concerns may not be as great as some of you, I too carry them into the new year…. The concern of a beloved family member in his illness… Disappointment… Important decisions to be made… Heartache for a close friend and her family… An unspoken situation which is affecting dear friends… Sadness… Anxiety… Weariness… Stress… A host of trials facing family and friends….

Though the year included grief, illness, sadness, and even though some of these troubles are left unresolved, my Hope is in The One who is able to carry my burdens. As a follower of Christ, I can trust the promises given by God to the people of God. If you’re a follower, you can trust those promises of help too. If you’re not a follower, if you haven’t repented of sin and turned to Him as your Savior, I urge you to do it now. Don’t enter another year, don’t go into 2020 without having made the choice to follow Christ. Choosing to follow Him doesn’t mean escaping all trials, but it does mean having the burden of sin removed and it does mean having access to the multitude of promises of God found throughout the Bible.

May 2020 be a year filled with the Love, Forgiveness, Peace, and Hope of Christ for you and yours.

HOPE NUGGET (1 Peter 5:7):
We are told to cast our anxieties (or cares) upon the Lord which literally means that we throw them upon Him. He is able to carry the burden for us AND He cares THAT MUCH for us!

God, What do You want me to do?

God, what is it that you want me to do? I asked that question nearly 2 years ago and referred to it as “the most important question of 2018.” I was seeking God’s direction in my life for what He wanted me to do and for how He wanted me to devote my time in ministry and in the work of the church. I had been leading a weekly Young Adults ministry which I truly enjoyed with young adults who I love. After putting thought, prayer and counsel into the decision, the Young Adults ministry came to an end and I became involved in a ministry which was in need of volunteers. This new ministry was not one that I felt particularly called to, but I chose to make the change because of the need for leaders. God has certainly brought about plenty of blessings as a result.

Now with 2020 just around the corner, the most important question to be asked hasn’t changed. It’s still: “God, what do You want me to do?” We’ll all have decisions to make and important questions to ask of ourselves. What is it that God is leading me to do? Will I sincerely seek Him in prayer, asking for His guidance and direction? How will my decisions impact others? Will I seek advice and counsel from the godly? Will I get my advice from those who will be honest with me or only from those who tell me what I want to hear? If I only follow advice given by those who tend to tell me what I want to hear, I can be assured of having limited growth and will likely not be stretched or challenged to improve.

As our sons were growing up (and as proud parents who dearly love them and think highly of them), we encouraged and affirmed and supported them in their pursuits and interests and talents. We also though realized the importance of being direct and honest with them about their shortcomings. Sometimes it caused hurt feelings, sometimes it wasn’t very well received, but we knew that truly loving our sons meant that unpleasant discussions were sometimes necessary. It was up to us as loving parents to give honest advice and counsel to the best of our ability without just making it easy on ourselves by telling them what we knew they wanted to hear. It’s funny now that as our sons are in their 30s, they sometimes advise me. Yes, I respect, appreciate and give consideration to their advice and counsel. Every now and then, I’ll hear one of them say, “Moooommmm…” I’m definitely aware that I fall short of knowing everything, and that from time to time I need to rely on a little nudge from others to be redirected. It’s a great blessing to have wise and godly friends and family. It has been to my benefit when I’ve been willing to “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you [I] may gain wisdom in the future” (Proverbs 19:20).

In just a few days, 2020 will be here. A new year. A time when many of us look at making changes and improvements. If we’re wise, we’ll seek God for direction and we’ll accept guidance from an abundance of counselors (Proverbs 11:14). What changes do we need to make? What can we do to improve? How can we be more of a blessing to others? Are we to do what’s easy? Are we to do what’s safe? Are we to do what’s most pleasurable? Sometimes, perhaps. But above all, we are to do what He leads us to do. Sometimes for the sake of filling a need. Sometimes for the sake of others. Sometimes setting aside our own yearnings or desires. Sometimes following a path that isn’t laid out beautifully and sometimes following one that is a bit rough and not completely clear. God, what is it that You want us to do? For those of us who love God and who are called according to His purpose, may all things work together for GOOD in 2020 and beyond. (Romans 8:28)

HOPE NUGGET: Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. [Proverbs 4:13]

Beautiful Feet

The term “beauty” usually brings to mind that which has an aesthetic quality or is pleasing to look at. “Beauty,” as defined by Webster’s College Dictionary is the quality of a person or a thing that gives pleasure to the senses. Upon researching the Internet for articles on beauty, there was an abundance of information on beauty and how to attain beauty. The majority of this information had to do with the outward beauty that has been defined. Beauty though, involves much more than outward appearance alone. Beauty can be found in the depths and the innermost being of a person.

Our society is inundated with information and images that force the idea that beauty relates solely to the external and physical qualities of a person. My research on the Internet is a perfect example of this. After searching through dozens of websites concerning beauty, it was difficult to find any that had to do with beauty other than from the standpoint of physical beauty. At vogue.com, you’ll find “everything you need to know about the latest beauty trends and styles.” Walgreens.com provides the ability to shop for beauty products and supplies, stating that you can “make the season bright” for someone by purchasing “makeup, fragrance and more.” Articles like these are typical of what is available while searching for “beauty” on the Internet.

While difficult to find alternative sources to the usual viewpoint on beauty, there were a few that did offer a different definition to the meaning of the word. The book entitled Beauty by the Book written by Nancy Stafford points out that real beauty has more to do with who we are. Ms. Stafford writes that “Inner beauty – knowing who we really are – is the message closest to my heart because it’s been a lifelong search and a long, hard journey to reach the point where I really believe and feel that I am worth something, that I have value, that I am beautiful.” If a person feels that they have value, it is likely that they may recognize beauty as being much more of an inward quality than an outward quality.

The Bible also speaks on the subject of beauty. There are references made to physical beauty, however in the verses of Romans 10:15 and Isaiah 52:7, it is clear that beauty is seen as actively serving. It might sound strange, but the Bible also has some important things to say about our feet. In a search, I found 100 Bible verses having to do with feet. The verse in Romans was written by Paul, an apostle of Christ and was referencing a statement by Isaiah, an Old Testament prophet. The verse in Isaiah says: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!'” This is the ultimate example of beauty: having “beautiful feet” by sharing the good news of God’s love with others.

Our family is acquainted with several missionary families who I would put into the category of being beautiful people. They may not appear to be beautiful by the standards of the world, but are beautiful to those who have benefited by their sacrifice and commitment to serving. A couple with their three teenage sons who live in Bolivia and work teaching English and sharing God’s love with the people there are beautiful people. A young adult couple with four children living in Papua New Guinea for the purpose of sharing the Gospel of Jesus and working side by side with the PNG natives are beautiful people.

Many celebrities who are deemed as “the most beautiful people” are not necessarily those who would fit into the previous category, yet they are elevated and held to a high status simply due to popularity and good looks. I believe that it is more important to have beautiful feet than a beautiful face. If we would learn to be more concerned with “serving” and less concerned with “self,” the obsession with beauty that we witness daily would surely diminish. Society would have us believe that we must measure up to those images that we see on television or in magazines. Ms. Stafford says “This I know: Real beauty isn’t what we see in magazines or on movie screens, and it doesn’t depend on the opinions of others or the changing tastes of culture. True beauty is seeing ourselves as God sees us, reflected in the mirror of His Word.” If we depend on the opinions of others to determine whether or not we are beautiful, we are assured of being disappointed sooner or later. Our looks will change; we will grow older, maybe fatter, maybe grayer, or maybe balder. Those characteristics should not be the measures used to determine real beauty.

The constant bombardment of images from television, books, magazines, billboards and the Internet has helped to keep the concern for beauty always before us, and a constant reminder of the expectation to look beautiful. It is difficult to escape its influence and to somehow not be affected by the pressure to improve. The way that beauty is viewed is different for each person. Some tend to focus more on those outward features, while others are able to look beyond and see the value of character and actions as contributing to the loveliness of an individual.

The church I attend, Grace Fellowship, holds a weekly prayer meeting. Once a month, rather than gathering for our meeting within the church walls, we take our prayer meeting to the streets of our small community. Sometimes our group of pray-ers stays together and sometimes we divide into smaller groups. We spend the hour walking the streets, stopping to pray for the occupants at each home. Sometimes during those walks, we have the opportunity to talk with the folks who are outside. Sometimes they ask us what we’re doing so we let them know that we’re praying for them. By doing so, we are sharing the love of Christ and perhaps opening the door for the Gospel message to be shared.

**Beautiful feet on Brown Street in Everson PA**

My experiences in life, such as my interactions with missionary friends and prayer times with my church family, have influenced the way I see beauty. I am more inclined to see beauty in those who sacrifice by giving of themselves than I am in those who are photographed and paraded before us because of their appearance. I have been privileged in knowing a number of people who I would say have beauty emanating from their lives. These are people who give of their time, talents, and treasures and live every day making sacrifices for the betterment of others. They are those who pray, serve, and share the Gospel of Christ. They are those who have “beautiful feet.”

HOPE NUGGET: Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. [Proverbs 31:30]