My thoughts (Brent Walsh):

Jan leaned forward over the steering wheel just a bit more, peering through the rain drops on the windshield. The steady rhythm of the windshield wipers worked together with the orange construction barrels on her left to hypnotize her and make her sleepy. The only thing keeping her alert was the annoying light on the dash that demanded she was running on her last drop of gasoline. She would have pulled off for gas at the last exit, but construction had the exit ramp closed. That was twelve miles ago, and she didn’t know how long it would be before another opportunity would come her way on this lonely Georgia highway. Jan squinted at the bright lights the oncoming car shined in her eyes and breathed out a silent prayer.

Eleven hours earlier Jan had kissed her husband John goodbye in Miami and loaded their three children in the car. She and the kids were heading to Tennessee to stay with her sister and to wait for John to finish up some work and then meet up with them there a week later. They would then travel together as a family back to the familiar Midwest. Money was tight for them in the late seventies, but Illinois held new promise. They just had to get there!

“Mommy, I gotta go potty,” came the sleepy voice of Jan’s oldest daughter from the back seat.

“I’m hungry,” complained her youngest. The clock on the dash declared it was nearly two o’clock in the morning, and the chances of finding an open gas station at this hour were slim to none. The headlights of the aging Chevy finally spilled out over a sign that promised the next exit was only a mile away. When the car came to a stop at the end of the ramp, however, Jan’s hopes were dashed. The one lonely gas station at that exit was dark, and there was no guarantee that any more opportunities would present themselves anytime soon!

“There’s nothing open here, sweetie” Jan explained apologetically to her squirming daughter.

“But I can’t hold it,” the child whined.

Jan turned the car into the gas station, ready to find a creative way to help her daughter relieve herself in privacy. To her surprise, however, she saw a woman standing behind the counter inside the station. Holding her daughter’s hand, she stood at the glass door and knocked. The woman looked up from a stack of paperwork and smiled, inviting them to come in. While her daughter used the restroom, Jan made small talk with the owner of the gas station.

“I’m surprised you’re still open,” Jan said.

“I was supposed to lock up around midnight,” the woman explained, “but I’ve been so worried about my son that I just can’t sleep. He’s gotten into a bit of trouble and I’m just beside myself! I thought I’d catch up on some paperwork while I’ve got a few hours of quiet.”

The conversation continued as Jan found some graham crackers and milk for her children and brought them up to the counter. She promised to pray for the woman’s son as she pulled enough money from her wallet to cover the cost of the snacks and to fill the tank of the car.

“Please,” the woman said, “save your money.”

“But no, I’ve got enough to get…” Jan started to object, but the woman looked intently at her and held up a dismissive hand.

“You keep your money,” she insisted. “You’ll need it to get where you’re going.” Feeling a bit unnerved, but grateful for the woman’s generosity, Jan got her name and address and told herself that she would send the woman a thank-you note when she got to Tennessee.

A short time later Jan became so sleepy that she had to pull over at a rest area and sleep until morning. Waking with a crick in her neck, she got back onto the highway and pushed on toward her sister’s house. When she was still several hours away, she found that she needed to stop again for gas. To her astonishment, the remainder of the money she had in her purse was just enough to cover this last tank of gas. She realized then that if the woman at the gas station in Georgia had allowed her to pay for the gas and snacks the night before, she wouldn’t have made it to her sister’s house!

With much appreciation, Jan carefully penned a note to the woman explaining that her generosity had been critical in her ability to safely arrive in Tennessee with her children. With a special prayer of thanks, Jan copied the name and address the woman had written on a note card and dropped the letter in the mail.

About a week later, Jan stood in her sister’s kitchen confused at what she saw in front of her. The letter she had written to the woman in Georgia had come back to her with a red stamp across it that said, “No one by this name at this address.” She checked the note card again and found that the address in the woman’s handwriting matched the address on the letter perfectly. Then Jan remembered the intensity in the woman’s eyes as she told her that she would indeed need to save her money for her next tank of gas. It was as if she knew what was to come.

When my mother tells me this story, she does not insist that the woman at the gas station was an angel in disguise. Surely there are any number of scenarios that might have caused that letter to come back undelivered. She leaves it up to me to decide what I believe.

She only tells me to remember this true story whenever I find myself doubting God’s interest in my daily life. Maybe you have a story like this one where someone you did not know helped you, protected you, encouraged you, or sheltered you. You can interpret it any way you like, but I hope that the stranger’s kindness will be an example of how important you are to God.

Thought for the day: Am I open to seeing God at work in my life? Am I taking the opportunities I’m given to be an “angel” to others?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

We’re pleased to announce that our very first book of devotionals — entitled Quench! refreshing devotionals by gay, trans, and affirming Christians — is now available! It’s 100 meditations from the very best of Be Still and Know. More info at the new Found Pearl Press website; also available from Amazon.com.

My thoughts (David Squire):

Today’s scripture is one of my favorites because it’s just saturated with grace. Peter had shown incredible disloyalty. He was disgusted with himself. He realized he had blown it and had no future with this new movement, and had gone back to his old life — what else could he do? “I go fishing.” It’s one of the saddest statements in all of scripture.

And then Jesus sought him out. Can you imagine what must have been going through Peter’s mind? To see the resurrected Christ must have emphasized to him just how much he’d thrown away. Surely Jesus wouldn’t want him back! (If something like this had gone down in a modern church, there would be official inquiries and “accountability panels” and a suspension of ministry until Peter could prove he was sufficiently rehabilitated — but that’s another meditation for another day.)

After a brief, touching conversation, Jesus simply says to Peter, “Follow Me.”

Wow.

This is good for me to keep in mind at this time of year, when I’m making plans for change and improvements. I know in the past I’ve refrained from making spiritual resolutions, for fear I’d fail. There was a nagging sense of dread in the back of my mind, that if I failed in my spiritual commitment God would be angry. So instead of starting a new quiet time endeavor, or a following through with a plan to donate a regular amount to church, it’s better to just not take that chance, right?

Jesus’ dealing with Peter shows me how wrong I was.

I wouldn’t recommend a cavalier attitude toward our spiritual goals. Make every effort to follow through. But if we don’t succeed as we had hoped, we don’t have to torture ourselves with guilt. Jesus makes it clear that each day is another opportunity to “Follow Me.”

Thought for the day: Dare to be bold with your spiritual resolutions. Give it your best effort. But if you fail, know that you’ll always be given the chance to try again.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

We’re pleased to announce that our very first book of devotionals — entitled Quench! refreshing devotionals by gay, trans, and affirming Christians — is now available! It’s 100 meditations from the very best of Be Still and Know. More info at the new Found Pearl Press website; also available from Amazon.com.

“This is ridiculous!” I said, throwing the checkbook onto the kitchen table with a thud. And for good measure, I threw the pen down after it. My checking account balance was in the negative again! Where was I going to get the money for my car payment? And how was I going to pay the electric bill? And what would I live on for another week while I waited for my next paycheck? My credit cards were maxed out, and now I felt forced to get another payday loan, just so I would have money to live on for another week!

How did this keep happening to me? I made good money, lived in a decent neighborhood, drove a reliable car, and wore a smile to church every Sunday. My friends and I would go out to eat every week at our favorite restaurant and talk about life, love, and the pursuit of the perfect vacation spot. Little did they know, I was going home every night wondering if the electricity would still be on when I walked through the door. And knowing what I know now, I’m sure some of them were in the same financial bind I was in!

At the time, I thought that if I could just make a little more money in my paycheck every week, or have better medical insurance with lower deductibles, or not have to pay so much in taxes — or any number of other excuses — I could actually WIN in my financial battles. I kept blaming everything else for my money troubles instead of trying to figure out how I could change things from the inside.

Have you ever watched someone who was trying to walk their dog, but the dog was pulling them along so hard by the leash that they had a hard time keeping up? This was happening with me. If my finances were put into a cartoon strip, you would see me flying along behind my checkbook as it took off down the street, throwing checks in every direction. My lack of money was dictating every move I made. I was barely treading water, and I was starting to lose hope that it would ever get any better.

Then something happened that changed everything. I was tired of being beaten up by overdraft fees, creditors, and the cash-advance shark pit. I decided it was time to be the boss and stand up for myself. So I looked for someone who could teach me how to do that. I signed up for Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University and started learning how to manage my money.

In a matter of months I had all my bills caught up and $1000 in my newly-established bank account! How did this happen? Did I get a raise? Did I win the lottery? Did Dave move into my house and manage my checkbook for me? None of those things. I changed my behavior. Getting out of debt is hard work, but I now have a sense of purpose with my money, and I feel like I can dream again!

As the New Year approaches, resolutions will be made and broken. People will say they want to lose weight, get out of debt, improve their relationships, develop closer bonds with their children, go back to school, and a million other lofty aspirations. But the important thing to remember is that resolutions are just words and pipe dreams until you change your behavior.

This class was the right next step for me. What concrete step can you take to make a change in your behavior to make your dreams and resolutions come true?

Thought for the day: This year, resolve to do more than just make New Year’s resolutions. Resolve to change your behavior!

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

We’re pleased to announce that our very first book of devotionals — entitled Quench! refreshing devotionals by gay, trans, and affirming Christians — is now available! It’s 100 meditations from the very best of Be Still and Know. More info at the new Found Pearl Press website; also available from Amazon.com.

My thoughts (Cheryl Stonestreet):

I make New Year’s resolutions, but I don’t pay much attention to them. What I do take seriously are my yearly goals.

I’ve made it a habit for some years now, to sit down and write out the goals I have for an upcoming year. I try, with the knowledge I have at the time, to plot out a strategy and a time line to make them happen. Often, I am successful. In 2008 I had a goal of reading at least 12 books for that year. I figured one book a month was doable. It was a fun goal to meet.

Sometimes, I don’t quite reach my goal but I still get interesting results. In 2009, my goal was to get paid for my writing. I never did get a check, but I took an informative class on how to market myself as a writer. I went to two writers’ workshops where I found a mentor and gained new knowledge on how to expand my craft into an area where I am likely to get paid. And in my quest, a journalist from a regional magazine interviewed me! I was not expecting that!

We don’t know what is to come in the days ahead, so one goal I always keep is to stay close to God. I do that by attending worship services, keeping in contact with my spiritual friends, prayer and meditation, and by writing for Be Still and Know. (In which I thank you, the reader, for this opportunity. In researching and thinking about scripture passages and topics, I get immense reward.) As I endeavor to stay close to God, I am calibrated back to what is truly important in this life, why I am here, and what work I am to do for God.

For 2010, one of my goals is to use my writing in a way that is helpful for my community, learn more, and finally get that check. And maybe, in 2010, I’ll be able to drop that last stubborn 20 pounds, too. It’s a goal.

Thought for the day: Are my resolutions goals or merely wishes? Do I have a plan to help them happen?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

We’re pleased to announce that our very first book of devotionals — entitled Quench! refreshing devotionals by gay, trans, and affirming Christians — is now available! It’s 100 meditations from the very best of Be Still and Know. More info at the new Found Pearl Press website; also available from Amazon.com.

My thoughts (Carla Peck):

One of my favorite Christmas greetings this year was a note from a dear friend announcing the birth of Aleta’s calf at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida! The lovely video clip below of mother and calf together on the day of birth has been an amazing illustration to me of God’s beauty in this world, in spite of the dropping temperatures and lack of sunshine here in Indiana.

Dolphins can swim right away, but their steering ability needs some work. Their dorsal fin, which provides stability in the water, is floppy when a baby is born and straightens in a few hours. Aleta expertly guided the baby around the lagoon. Periodically the baby even appears to surf on Aleta’s chest. Out in the Gulf, a pod of wild dolphins swam in the vicinity for quite some time after the baby’s birth.

Sometimes we may feel like a calf whose steering ability needs some work. Take a moment and imagine yourself in the lagoon, the sun shining above, God guiding you through the lagoon and adoring you like the mother of a newborn, with angels hovering above considering only your well-being. Today’s poetic psalm reminds us that God created each of us in love, fearfully and wonderfully made.

When Jesus was born, that gave the whole world reason to celebrate and worship. When you were born, it gave God a reason to celebrate. As we evaluate our successes and failures over the past year and prepare for the fresh start of a new year, perhaps it will help us to remember that the single most important thing is that we are all children of God, that God created our inmost being, and the unconditional love that God has for each child.

How would our perception of the world and ourselves change if each day during the new year we thought of ourselves and others as being fearfully and wonderfully made by God?

Thought for the day: God, my heart is filled with worship and adoration to you for the gift of salvation that you gave to me through the birth of Jesus Christ. In the coming new year, help me focus on you. Amen.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

We’re pleased to announce that our very first book of devotionals — entitled Quench! refreshing devotionals by gay, trans, and affirming Christians — is now available! It’s 100 meditations from the very best of Be Still and Know. More info at the new Found Pearl Press website; also available from Amazon.com.

My thoughts (Melody Merida):

Oh, the glory of a new love! Have you felt that ecstasy? The inability to focus on anything but thoughts of the object of your affection, thinking of the future the two of you are going to have, wondering what names you’ll choose for your children; and all of this after the second date! Most of us have experience such intense feelings of what seems like love. January and February seem to be the height of blooming relationships as we seek to fulfill our resolutions to find love this year.

But fast forward a year or two, maybe even just six months. Do things look different now? Are you now starting to notice the annoying habits? Oh, if he chews his nails one more time I can’t be responsible for my actions! Would it kill her to wash a dish or two?! Ah, yes, now those rose colored glasses have come off and we are starting to see what we ignored during the phase of romantic love. Sound familiar?

Well, some of us began our relationship with Jesus in similar ways. I will use myself as an example. When I first “met” Jesus I fell head over heels! There was nothing I wouldn’t do to make Christ happy. I threw myself into Bible study and devoted myself to quality time with Jesus. I attended church what felt like 48 times a week and I talked about the Christ with everyone I knew. It was awesome!

But fast forward a year or two, maybe even just six months. I was tired of going to church so much so I started going only occasionally when I didn’t have anything better to do. I didn’t understand everything I read in the Bible so I quit reading it. Those two things lead to guilt so I didn’t want to talk to Jesus because I didn’t want to face the guilt. I didn’t share Christ with anyone because I was afraid they would ask me about my own relationship. No more rose colored glasses; this was going to be hard work to maintain a relationship with Christ. Sound familiar?

This New Year, may we all commit to renewing our vows as disciples of Jesus Christ. Use the fresh start that January offers to reestablish connection. Take a new look and discard all the rules we maybe thought existed, but don’t. Allow yourself to get back into that “honeymoon” phase with Jesus where we sought to know everything about our Messiah because of our overwhelming love. Make the glory of your love for God new again!

Thought for the day: Renew my relationship with you this new year, God. Amen.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.