ONE

- dannalundstrom 1 Comment

For life travelers longing for an analgesic to satiate the ache that feels as if it were born and branded into every beating heart, we search and scurry for a cure as if that longing is something to be erased and replaced with happiness when all along it is an immutable hunger for Home.
Friend, I know it is tempting to numb. The food, the television, the drink, the romance novel, the internet, the busy schedule, they all eventually fail us. There is not one possession or person under the sun that will complete us.

John Calvin said the human heart is a factory of idols. I will add to his observation that mine is no exception. Idols are the thieves of my soul, robbing me of peace and joy. They are dressed up impostures that pursue me, promising pleasure but ultimately never delivering the pacification they purport. They have an inferior half-life that leaves all partakers thirsty and longing for more.

I was sitting on my counselor’s couch Tuesday and as I was talking to her, staring out her big window in the sky, my words were interrupted. As it sometimes happens a memo from semmingly no where comes as if it is being spoken in my head. That day the message was, when you are only concerned with One none of the other stuff matters.

Too often that one I am concerned about is me instead of Jesus. When my eyes, ears, and mind are fixed on Him, I do not need to numb. I do not need to find satisfaction in secular things. But surrounded by my desirous heart for God is a deceptive flesh for gratification; and this is why I need Jesus every moment of every day.

Jesus secures me when I am splintered. He welcomes me when I am weak. He “feeds” me when I am famished. He lifts me when I am low; and Jesus desires me when I am disappointing.
If you have received the gift of God’s only son, you can replace every me in the sentences above with your name. Isn’t that a breath of fresh air! If you have not received His gift, right now is always the right time to make the right decision.

You are loved, friend!

Temporarily Stalled Stories

- dannalundstrom

Seemingly open doors that fold on seasons of prayer are difficult. Sometimes it feels like we are marching to the beat of a stagnant song forever in waiting.

I am so grateful to be at a place in my life where I can confidently rejoice in the folding of opportunities because I know that each canceled plan is leading me closer to the perfect time and place engraved in the palm of my Savior’s hand.

What are you waiting for today, friend? Pauses hold great purpose in The Painter’s picture.

Futility and faith do not dance in The Teacher’s plan. 

Hold on to the hope that you are being honed for a time that is perfect and predestined by a Soverign God who wants your temporarily stalled story to be used for His glory.

In Rememberance We Find Rest

- dannalundstrom

img_06891.pngJesus’ last three words before giving up His Spirit on the cross were, it is finished.  As believers, those are three of the most significant words that are so easy to forget. I often find myself losing sight of that truth, and I end up in a position of Jesus plus me or Jesus plus something else equals fulfillment.  My failure to remember that Jesus completed everything for me on the cross only leads me down a path of trying harder, idolatry, guilt, self-condemnation and ultimately shame and exhaustion.

It can be hard to believe and thus accept that it is just that easy; someone who owes me nothing died to make me right before God and to provided eternal life.   It feels much more natural to want to work off my debt.

There is something oddly comforting about pulling the products my sins, (guilt, shame, self-condemnation, self-pity), back down off the cross and wearing them like a warm, comforting coat on a blustery day. 

Continuing to feel guilty, shamed or condemned is an illusive form of self-righteousness.  Ouch!  It suggests Jesus isn’t enough and I need to help Him secure my salvation.

Isaiah 30:15 says in repentance and rest is my salvation.  That is good news for you and me.  When I go to The Father in repentance, I must not only repent for what I did but also what I failed to believe that led me astray.  Like the prodigal father, Jesus is always scanning the horizon to run to us with open arms and a forgiving heart.

It is finished, friends! 

I pray you remember to live from that, and when you forget like I sometimes do, turn back to your Father and rest in His grace!

Finding Feet to Wash

- dannalundstrom

We recently studied the Gospel of John in my New Testament class.  A particular point really stuck with me from that lesson. In John 13, Jesus washes His disciples feet. Our teacher reminded us Jesus came with a towel, not a sword.  He came to save, not judge.

So often I start my day armed with my sword and prone to judge rather than seeking to “save.”  If I am being honest, defending myself or my people is my natural response, but it is more about gratifying my flesh than glorifying my Father.  I long to do the latter.

I have to ask daily, Father, help me lay down my sword and pick up my towel so I may scan my surroundings for “feet to wash” instead of feuds to win. 

Today, I am praying for you, too.  Where do you need to lay down your sword and pick up a towel?  A towel, although seemingly much inferior to a sword, accomplishes so much more.  You are loved!

The Battle of Hope

- dannalundstrom

I have been struggling with the battle found in the word hope.  Hope is a beautiful and bright assurance that allows us to persevere through even our darkest realities and scenarios because we know the best is yet to come. However, while we wait, the burden of seeing the actualization of our dreams and desires can leave us battered, and sometimes beaten up.  The first position of hope is of things to be realized once we are Home and have entered eternal life. The second is the concern we carry that the things we long for may not be complete in this fleeting life.   In my reading this morning, Romans 8:24-25 ministered to me to patiently persist as I have been arduously enduring through this fight of faith with a matter near and dear to my heart. ~For in this hope we were saved.  Now hope that is seen is not hope.   For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.  What are you desperately hoping will be achieved; a cure, a child to come home, a reconciled relationship, a successful pregnancy, financial stability, a life partner, victory over addiction, fill in your blank.  Fight to keep holding on with free hands and a faithful heart that is courageous enough to say, Even If, (Daniel 3:18), not here Lord, when I see your face.  Thy will be done.  Amen.

Lavishly Loved

- dannalundstrom

Thursday night my daughter, Macey sent me a text long after I had gone to bed She was burning the midnight oil, bogged down in studies.  I silence my phone at night so it was atypical that I heard the soft vibration of that text, but I definitely think providential.  She said, “please pray for me.” Then she referenced a presentation she had to give today that would be strictly graded.  No swaying, rocking, umm, likes, pauses were allowed or they would result in point deductions.

The first thought that came to my mind was, what awful pressure to be perfect, and how miserable that sounds.  Then a thought delicately but definitively rang through my head that was this, “my acceptance comes with no qualifications.  Mistakes are not only allowed, they are expected.”  I had a huge sigh of relief and gratitude filled my heart there in the darkness as I was praising Jesus that He has no grading pen.

 He makes no deductions.  His love is not about performance or perfection; but a desirous heart that longs to please Him despite our “mess ups.”  Today, I pray that you join me in living lavishly loved because in Him, we are!

Show Them Jesus

- dannalundstrom

bdabfd017d2f8a8ef9afe1cf73331e5bThe news is full of so much junk! I am determined to share light when I can because there are a lot of good people in this world.

Today wasn’t my best day.  After a series of events, I drove into the Summit parking lot and pulled into a parking stall only to hit and side swipe a beautiful Land Rover right next to me.  I have a newer car- so what.  It is a car; an earthly thing, not an eternal treasure.  I was an emotional mess, however, as I sat and waited for the owner of the other car to return.  She finally came and hopped in her car ready to drive away as I was tearfully knocking on her window.

 I was met with mercy!  I was met with kindness, a smile, a hug and I was met with a person manifesting the character of Jesus.  The relief I felt when I was excused from the guilt and shame of my offense was the essence of freedom.  

We have all been released should we chose to be.  We have all been acquitted if we only accept it.  

It is only when we feel the weight of our offense that the ransom is so sweet!  

Not knowing you will be received with love, not knowing you will be forgiven is a substantial weight to sustain as I did for a short time today.  Don’t live with that burden for a life time.  Let yourselves be freed, friends.

Lastly, it is where our treasures lie that determine our reactions when they are compromised.  I am thankful that today I stared into eyes that are not set on the things of this world!  

Be Jesus to someone today and tomorrow should it come. It is so much more about our walk than our talk!
Matthew 5:7 ~“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

People Builders, Not Breakers

- dannalundstrom

Yesterday was the first time Carter had snow skied post TBI. It has been almost three years. He was a little unsettled at the start of the day, and told me several times he didn’t want to do a black run. I agreed, and told him I would make sure the instructor understood that. We got both kids set with their lesson and left them to get caught up. Around mid day, I spotted Carter and an instructor on a moderately, hard blue run. We stopped and talked and his very kind instructor invited who invited us to ski with them. The man was so good with Carter; encouraging, patient, kind, reassuring, but most of all affirming him for what he did well and making no big deal of the little struggles that would arise. Trevor and I got to talk to the instructor briefly during lunch and we were not sure how, but it was as if he had read the book of Carter. He knew his history, his strengths and weaknesses. After lunch we left them to work until the end of the day. When we picked him up at 2:45 he was beaming. “Mom, I did a black!” What a change from the morning. Later at dinner, my sister in-law told me what really happened yesterday morning and it brought tears to my eyes. Carter’s initial instructor moved him out of the teen group to an adult group because the teen group would mostly be doing black runs. Once he got to the top with the adult group, my SIL said he froze. Complete fear struck him and he would not move. Then, somehow he lost a ski and could not get it back on. The instructor asked my SIL, what is wrong with him, and she said, well you do know he has had a traumatic brain injury. He said, “no!” Why wasn’t I told that? The initial teacher was told but she didn’t pass the information on to him. So the instructor called in the man who ended up teaching Carter. He is a certified adaptive skiing trainer. More than all his qualifications, though, he made Carter believe in himself, feel comfortable, capable and at total ease. He brought him from the point of stuck in a state of fear to skiing a black run in just a matter of a few hours. My point in telling you all this is that our words, actions and how we treat people ascends all barriers, blocks and struggles. We have the ability to help people stay stuck or soar. It does not matter what the struggle is, the right teacher, coach, friend or caring person has the ability to change the landscape of a person’s day, even their life. I pray I remember to use my words of encouragement, affirmation, belief and comfort to always build people up because there are too many that have been broken down. This mama’s heart went to bed a little teary last night, but definitely with a smile.❤

The Best Is Yet To Come

- dannalundstrom

Last week I had the great honor to speak at my grandmother’s funeral service. I wanted to share a short piece of that with you. As I was preparing yesterday, God led me to 2 Corinthians 5:1-5. After reading that verse I felt prompted to read the message version. This is a portion from my message today. I hope you find encouragement here.

2 Corinthians 5:5-1: The message version says~ For we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.

Family, friends, I know some of your tents are worn and weary. Life has been hard, but if you are a follower of Christ, we have this great hope that is not an earthly aspiration born of this world but an eternal assurance brokered by The Savior of the world.

Be encouraged today that the best is yet to come. Because of this great inheritance we have been given, we can leave here today knowing that we are not saying goodbye, but see you soon in paradise.

Whatever you are facing tonight friend, God is in the midst. He is going before you and working in ways you cannot begin to imagine. You never walk dirt roads alone. Ask Him, seek Him and find Him. He is waiting to give you rest. You are loved.

The Emphasis is Not I, But I Am

- dannalundstrom

When I am in a state of spiritual amnesia, which can happen all too quickly, I can get myself wound up over making pending decisions or managing looming outcomes. God has impressed upon me lately to take notes on myself; notes about how I talk to myself and about myself. What is my “self-talk?” Journaling my thoughts and talk has been a VERY helpful thing to do for a vast variety of reasons. Themes emerge that bear paying attention. One line I catch myself saying is some variation of, “What am I going to do; or, I just do not know what to do?” The first red flag in these functionally atheistic statements is the emphasis of I. I am just not that powerful, and that is easy to forget. Making decisions can be hard, especially when they are quilted closely to the treasures of our hearts. I often have to remember that I am not in this alone. I have a Savior who is sovereign and does not get it wrong–EVER. In the midst of our hard predicaments, however, this chart below is the perfect depiction of how to go about making spiritual sound decisions. I know many of you are facing difficult choices in your life. If you aren’t now, you will be soon. I pray you find this helpful, friend! This is the day The Lord has made, and you are loved this day, and all days.