by Donya Dunlap | Jun 14, 2016 | Random, The Spiritual Life
Handwritten letters are a special thing. In this age of instant communication, they hold even greater significance. As a writer, I always feel that I communicate best with pen and paper, but for the Apostle Paul, letters were the only way to communicate. A truth I am extremely grateful for. If he had Skyped the churches he ministered to or FaceTimed his friends, we wouldn’t have access to his spiritual inspiration today.
Paul’s letters to his young prodigy Timothy are especially tender and heartfelt. We can and do benefit from extracting the doctrine contained in the letters and applying it to our lives. This is not wrong. However, I feel we do the text and ourselves a disservice by not enjoying the missives as they were intended to be read—in respect to the one older, wiser man sharing his heart with one he thought of as a son.
Paul’s Pep Talk
The opening sections of the letter are especially poignant. Paul speaks of remembering Timothy’s tears, possibly at their last parting, and of longing to see Timothy again. After the opening greeting, Paul gets to the purpose of his letter, to encourage Timothy to continue to work out his purpose despite his fear. (11 Timothy 1:6-7)
You can understand Timothy’s concern. Paul is in jail because of his faith. Other Christians around him are being actively persecuted, and not just criticized on Facebook! They were imprisoned, beaten, dragged before crowds to be killed by wild beasts. It was not a pleasant time to be a preacher of the Gospel. Still, Paul encourages Timothy to be committed to his calling.
- 1:8 Share in the suffering for the Gospel; Rely on the power of God
- 1:13 Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching
- 1:14 Guard the good thing entrusted to you
- 2:1 Be strong in the grace of Christ Jesus
- 2:22 Flee from youthful passions; Pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace
- 2:23 Reject foolish disputes
- 2:24 Be gentle to everyone
And the list goes on.
Paul wrote from personal experience and God-given wisdom.
Paul knew how easy it would be for Timothy to give in to his fear so he wrote to help his friend fight through it. He knew Timothy would be tempted to choose the easier road of friendship and busy-ness so Paul addressed these temptations and reminded Timothy of the Gospel’s importance. Timothy’s high calling did not guarantee his success. He needed a friend to help him on his journey. The same goes for you and me.
In my ebook, The Wonder Women’s Manifesto, I talk about four typical manifestations of fear and the number one tool God has shown me for fighting it. In Forgetting the Fairy Tale, I talk about struggles women face as they search for their true love. Just as Paul wrote to Timothy in the hopes of encouraging him in his faith, so I write hoping to encourage and inspire others to develop a deep relationship with Jesus and fulfill His plan for their lives. I don’t mean to equate my writing with Scripture, but I do believe God has given me the task of using my words for His glory. I also believe God has given certain words to certain people to share with those in their own circles of influence, regardless of whether or not they ever write a book or blog post.
The power of pen and paper.
I believe in the power of a handwritten page. I believe Paul’s words inspired Timothy to continue in his faith, regardless of how feeble it felt at the time. I also believe that each of us have that same power within us. You might not be a writer, but you can send a thank you note to your parents, letting them know how much they mean to you. You can write a word of encouragement to the person in your church who is having a difficult time. You can even join the “more love letters” movement and write a love note to a perfect stranger. You never know how God might use your written words to impact another person.
You can be an inspiration.
I encourage you to dig out some stationery or steal some of your kids’ notebook paper, grab a pen or a crayon, and get your thoughts on paper. Do you find someone’s faithfulness inspiring? Tell them! Do you have a favorite childhood memory with your mom? Share it with her. Has your child been struggling with obedience? Tell them how special you think they are and see if your words don’t make a difference. The cannon of Scripture is closed, but inspiration is not dead. The Holy Spirit still inspires and motivates God’s children to write truth and encourage the body of Christ. Ask Him for direction and let Him guide your words.
by Donya Dunlap | Jun 9, 2016 | The Spiritual Life
Last Wednesday I passed a church sign that read, “Selah: Pause and Reflect.” I’ve been meditating on those four simple words ever since. Selah is a word found 74 time in Scripture—71 times in the Psalms and 3 times in Habakkuk chapter 3. Biblical scholars agree that it is a musical term, the majority believe it means to pause, rest, or silence as in a musical interlude (BlueLetterBible.com).
If you have read The Wonder Woman’s Manifesto, you know that the concept of Sabbath is something that God has been kneading into my heart for some time now. I immediately connected Selah to Sabbath—a time to pause and reflect on God and life, a time to renew and be refreshed.
God places great value on Selah.
We as busy, modern, overachievers bristle against the idea of pausing. Our calendars are filled to overflowing, and our churches are not exempt. Between Sunday and midweek services, visitation, youth events, mission trips, service projects, summer camps, and small group sessions, we barely have time to breathe. I say this not from a heart of judgment, but from sincere introspection as I am quite content to be juggling a half-dozen things at once myself.
Since moving back to Michigan, life has changed dramatically for me. I no longer rush from job to rehearsal to church to Infusion to homework to…you get the picture. I have entered a season of pause, an interlude. Oddly, instead of enjoying a slower pace, I often find myself struggling with my identity.
Who Am I?
Am I a writer? A housekeeper? A daughter? Can I put “daughter” on a bank account application? What do people think of me? Does it matter what they think? Does anything I do matter at all?
I understand now why losing a job or going into retirement can be difficult for people. It seems that we believe what we do is the equivalent of who we are. If we keep a clean house, have well behaved children, hold a respectable position at work, and have a growing number of attendees at our services then we are good mothers, parents, providers, and pastors. This is a lie.
What has God told me to be?
I wonder if all the rushing about is meant to silence these questions of our hearts? We wonder if we are making a difference and if God is pleased with our efforts. We try so hard to fulfill this image in our minds of who we are supposed to be and never pause to reflect on what God has told us to be.
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
Creation gives us the example of God resting on the seventh day, the Ten Commandments instruct us to do the same, and Jesus, the One who had every right to rush about looking important, made it a priority to pull away from the crowds to rest and seek God’s face alone. The things we do for God are important, but enjoying God’s presence is more so.
What are my actions communicating?
If I had moved home to care for my father and continued a frenzied pace of activity, ignoring him and avoiding time with him, what would my actions be communicating? Without saying a word, I would be telling him that he wasn’t important, valued, respected, or loved as he ought to be. When we rush about doing for God instead of spending time being with Him, we communicate the very same things.
It is vital for the Christian to incorporate Selah into his or her life. Rest. Reflect. Trust that God means these times of interlude to propel you into more meaningful service. Your identity is not in your actions, but in your association. You are first and foremost a child of God. Rest in the riches of His love for you. Revel in the status He gives to you. Trust that He will help you fulfill His plan for your life in His timing. Selah: pause and reflect.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. How has rest and reflection made a difference in your life? Do you find it difficult to create breathing room in the calendar? How can you take steps to add time for God into your day?
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by Donya Dunlap | Jun 7, 2016 | The Spiritual Life
I used to call my mom almost every day. Not out of obligation, but because I truly enjoyed her. We would chat about the weather, what book she was reading, what project I was working on, and any other randomness that came to mind. I loved hearing her voice. I always knew that I might live alone, but no matter what happened, good or bad, she would be there to laugh or cry with me even though we were often nearly 700 miles apart.
This weekend I drove to North Carolina to help my sister with my niece’s graduation party. I so badly wanted to call my mom and tell her all about it. She would have laughed at the frosting fiasco. (Corn flour does not make a good substitute for powdered sugar in case you were wondering.) She would have been so pleased to know the scrapbook paper she gave to Brooke before she passed away was used for the decorations. After the party she would have played cards with my sister and I, joining us in eating too many leftover cupcakes and laughing until we couldn’t breathe.
Absent in body but not in spirit
During the party, I walked around the room snapping pictures of everything, my eyes welling with tears thinking about the gaping hole Mom left in our lives when she went to heaven. Late that night, my sister reminded me that Mom was there with us in spirit and in love. She was a part of the paper banners and the photo display. Her Bible was a focal point with Brooke’s favorite verse highlighted in yellow from a time when it spoke to Mom during her personal devotions. Mom was all around us even though we couldn’t feel her presence.
This has given me yet another new perspective on Hebrews 13:5. I’ve written on the passage before, but this weekend I noticed the correlation between my Mom’s passing and Jesus’ ascension. Even though Jesus no longer walks this earth, He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He is with us in the sunset and the rainbow, the opening flowers of spring and His written Word. His Holy Spirit hears our prayers, comforting us in our sorrow and giving us strength to face another day.
Lonely, but never alone
Someday I will see Jesus face to face. I will hug his neck and breathe in His scent just as I used to do every time I saw my Mom and exactly as I will again in heaven when I see her there. That will be a wonderfully joyful moment that I know I cannot fully understand while in this mortal condition. But today, I can rest in Jesus’ promise that He is with me. I can’t see Him, but He will never forsake me. At the moment of my salvation, I became His child. His DNA is part of my make up. His blood covered my sins and opened a channel of communication making it possible for Him to share in my joys and sympathize with my frustrations.
Brooke’s favorite verse is Zephaniah 3:17:
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.
This is the God we serve. A mighty God who is with us always. He saves us in our deepest need and rejoices with us at the top of His lungs. He is our security. He is our Savior. He is our companion in life, death, resurrection, and graduation parties. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to learn that He and my Mom watched the whole event together, recounting all of Brooke’s special milestones and talking about her future.
There have been many moments in the last weeks when I have felt lonely and wished I could talk to my mom. I have questions to ask and situations I would like her perspective on. I imagine she would answer as she often did, “Just pray about it. God will show you what to do.” She hasn’t been wrong yet with that advice.
I might feel lonely, but I am never alone. In fact, if I listen closely…I can hear Him singing.
by Donya Dunlap | Jun 3, 2016 | Book Reviews, The Spiritual Life
When I read the prologue to Bittersweet by Shauna Niequiest, I expected the following pages to unfold like many other Christian books I’ve read; Scripture verses sprinkled through the author’s tale of a difficult time in life during which she was able to cling to hope and somehow survive. What actually followed was nothing like I imagined.
The pages of Bittersweet are filled with snapshots—descriptions of Shauna’s life in moments of time. They are neither overly religious or lacking in faith. They are honest retellings of dinner parties, arguments, vacations, miscarriages, and family gatherings. Shauna speaks of hard times following personal loss and failure, moving houses, moving friends, changes in ministry, and rough spots in her marriage. But she also recalls breathtaking moments of laughter with those she loves, mouthwatering meals with descriptions that will inspire you to makeover your refrigerator every time, and sailing under a canopy of stars.
At first I didn’t understand why my friend sent the book to me after the loss of my mother. There were no tips on how to survive a new life after death, or steps to outline dealing with waves of emotion that crash on your soul at inopportune times. But somewhere around the middle, I discovered the treasure that this book is.
Shauna gifts to her readers a fresh perspective. She models a less-than-perfect child of God catching life preservers God throws out at key points in the storm and clinging to them for survival. These sparks of love, good food, community, and forgiveness add sweetness to the daily that drags us down. She reminds the reader that both bitter and sweet are necessary ingredients to create a life that is rich, full of multifaceted flavor and grace.
Read it with a box of Kleenex.
Have you read Bittersweet? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Happy reading!
by Donya Dunlap | May 31, 2016 | Modern Day Slavery, The Spiritual Life, Write Hard Things
Over the last several days we have all reflected on Memorial Day, a day set aside to reflect on the great sacrifices that have been made in the name of freedom. Memorial Day was originally established to honor the 750,000 lives lost during the tragic years of the Civil War, more than all the other conflicts in the United States’ history combined.
Between the years of 1861-1865, approximately three-quarters of a million American fathers, sons, and brothers lost their lives at the hands of their fellow countrymen. A united nation we were not. These families were decimated for differences of opinion, a desire to rule over others, the love of money, and the belief that some men are created in God’s image and others are not.
History is repeating itself.
Sadly, these beliefs are still prevalent today. Republicans fight against Democrats, Muslims against Christians, Straights against the LGTBQ community. Everywhere you look there are women denigrating men and men devaluing women, purchasers choosing economy over the lives of slaves who are making the products, and people crying out for the legalization of sex work without consideration of the overwhelming majority who are forced or coerced into the “work” without their consent.
All of this infighting is not just about differences of opinion, but an overwhelming foundational attitude that people who are different from me are wrong, possibly less than human, and definitely undeserving of God’s grace. A few are so bold and drama hungry to actually say it—the rest too polite. The blog posts, sermons, and social media debates may not directly include the words “you are not worthy of the gospel,” but the message comes across loud and clear. The 50 States of America are experiencing a second civil war, and tragically, Christians are often at the front lines.
Truth goes marching on.
I believe in right and wrong. I believe God’s Word is our ultimate authority in determining truth and that we as Christians must live according to the Scriptures. However, holding fast to biblical truth does not give us the right to treat other human beings as less than what they are—cherished image bearers of God, carriers of the life-giving breath of God, and people for whom Jesus died.
A call to Christ-honoring civility.
Yelling at someone never causes them to seek Jesus. Arguing over political points of view does not unite us as Americans. All of this bickering is little more than self-promotion, elevating ourselves to the position of judge and jury, making ourselves like God. We are all on very dangerous and unhallowed ground. God is the Righteous Judge of all nations and He makes His position very clear in Psalm 82:2-4:
How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Provide justice for the needy and the fatherless; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue the poor and needy; save them from the power of the wicked. (HCSB)
Instead of focusing on equality, tolerance, acceptance, and individual rights, why don’t we do what the Scripture says? Imagine with me people on both sides of the gun issue working to provide a loving atmosphere, food, and protection for the inner city children of America. How would that impact gun violence, gang affiliation, and the need all children have for love and a full tummy?
What if bloggers quit writing open letters to this person and against that celebrity and instead used their voices to promote beauty and love for the hurting and oppressed? Might that put a dent in suicide rates, cause church goers to be more understanding, and help the unsaved see themselves as the cherished ones God sees them as?
Righteous anger has its place.
Justice does as well. But this epidemic of “I’m better than you” has got to stop! The “it has to be said” attitude needs to give way to forgiveness and mercy. It doesn’t have to be said. Your opinion is only that—it isn’t gospel. God is judge. We are but unprofitable servants.
I am pleading for a cease fire from caustic words and hateful glances. Let us give thanks for the freedoms we all hold dear and endeavor to use our freedom to serve others. Let us put down our arguments and write someone a note telling them how loved they are by God. Let us honor the fallen, both of the distant and recent history, by choosing to live peaceably with all men. Paul called for the same in Romans 12:6-21. Showing respect to someone who opposes you is not to forsake your convictions, but to trust that God can work through love as He has promised to.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35 ESV
