Smiles, Hugs and Prayers: Faith in the Courtroom

This post is second of a three-part miniseries based on my jury duty experience.
See part one here
and part three here. 

As you may know, I spent the last two weeks doing jury duty. It was an amazing learning experience for quite a few reasons.
Yesterday I wrote about the lessons from getting an in-depth look at our justice system. Not surprisingly, God took this opportunity to teach me a few other lessons, too.

The day I found out I was a juror--and what the case was about--I was honestly kind of scared. "Why me? Why did I get chosen? I don't think I can do this!" I discovered, of course, that I could. My husband had some encouragement for me, and so did my mom, when I called to tell her that I was on the jury (although without any other details at that point).

Obviously, my mom said, I was chosen for a reason. God had a purpose for me to be on that jury. There had been 71 potential jurors at the start. 30 were randomly chosen by taking names out of a jar. Then 14 were picked from those 30. Just before we started deliberation, two alternates were dismissed. I ended up on that jury of twelve people.

I was definitely there for a reason. I just didn't know exactly what the reason was. I still don't know for sure. But I started praying right away, "Lord, let me show someone your love through this experience."

One of the defendant's daughters was there with him, to testify and to support her father. Her name is Maria.

I thought, I can at the very least try to bring a little happiness into this woman's life, considering how incredibly difficult her life has been for the last three years. So every now and then, from the juror's box, I'd catch her eye and give her a smile, and she always smiled back. Not a huge gesture, I know, but I wanted to do something.

Yesterday, after everything was over and I was headed out of the courthouse and home, I ran into Maria just outside the courthouse. She threw her arms around me and kept repeating "Thank you, thank you." She said that when she saw me the first day of the trial she liked me right away. (She happens to have a sister just about my age.) I told her that I'd been praying through the whole trial, and that I knew it had turned out the way it had because God had wanted it to turn out that way. She said she and her family had been praying as well, and I said that I would continue to keep her and her family in my prayers. "God bless you," she said, hugging me again, both of us teary.

I don't know what will become of Maria, her father, and their family. I don't know if anything will come of our brief conversation. I do know that it wasn't coincidence that she happened to be outside the door I always left through. I know that it wasn't coincidence that I ended up on this jury. I also know that that one conversation made the whole two weeks' trial (pun intended) absolutely worth it. If sharing the love of Jesus with that one woman, through smiles, hugs, and prayers, was the reason God had me on that jury, then it was worth every minute.

I got to shake her father's hand, not fifteen minutes after the verdict was read and he put his head down on the desk and burst into tears, then looked up at the jury with a red, tear-streaked face that expressed joy and relief that no language barrier can confuse, and told us "thank you."

I'll probably never see Igor Kozlov again, but being a jury for his trial has changed my life. I can't judge anyone one way or another based on their nationality, their appearance, their job, the language they speak. Only God can judge a person because only he sees the hearts of humans. But what I can do is love everyone with the love of Christ, no matter who they are.

A few hours before I was chosen for this jury, I wrote this post. Little did I know how prophetic my own words would be! God doesn't ask us to travel far away to share his love. In this case, all I did was walk across the street and into a courtroom, and I was privileged to share the love of Jesus with people I never would have met otherwise.

Keep your eyes open today. You'll definitely cross paths with someone who needs a little Christ-love in their lives. Maybe all you can give them is a smile, but maybe that's all it will take to make a difference in their life.



(Just in case you were wondering, sympathy wasn't an aspect of my decision-making regarding this trial. I avoided looking at Kozlov as much as I could during the trial. We looked at the straight facts, and there weren't enough solid facts to convict him. But I will say, I'm glad that we made the decision we did. This man is still going to have a tough life, and I'm happy that we made a decision that will make his life a little less hard than it could have been.)


Linking today with Upward Not Inward/Exceptionalistic/The Fontenot Four, Deep Roots at Home, Raising Homemakers, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

a witness, right where I am.

On Sunday we heard two missionaries speak--a young couple who graduated from the same college my husband and I attend.  They're leaving soon to spend two years in China, but they were talking about how the main mission field for any person is their own home--their neighborhood--their town.

Each of us has been called to live our faith--to be a witness for Christ-- right where we are, no matter where that is.

I've heard this before, of course, but I've been thinking more about it today.  In my semi-isolated life--mostly surrounded by fellow Christians- how do I live this out?

I simply live as a Christian. The Holy Spirit lives in me, so he is working in my life and in the lives of those I see every day, even if I'm not specifically "preaching." I am called to live a life obedient to Christ--a life that reflects the love that he has for me.

How does this play out practically in my life? Well, because the Holy Spirit lives in my heart, I have the ability--by his grace--to exhibit the "fruits of the Spirit" in my life: love. joy. peace. patience. kindness. goodness. faithfulness. gentleness. self-control.

In producing these fruits, I live my faith, I witness Christ in my life. Those qualities are only produced by a person transformed by the love and grace of Christ--a person whose faith rests in Christ alone. Without Christ, any good thing I would do would be worthless. Because I am his child, I am a tool in his hands to bless the lives of those around me.

I can encourage others. I can contribute joy to their lives. I can be kind and patient to the person who frustrates or annoys me. I can use my time well, exhibiting self-control in my actions. I can cultivate a gentle, quiet, peaceful spirit...

all thanks to the Holy Spirit's power in my life.


How do you live your faith, right where you are?

Why I'm Voting for Romney/Ryan (and why I'm not)

My husband and I just finished watching the vice-presidential political debate.  We watched the presidential one a couple weeks ago.  Watching these debates, and all the other political discussion and ads on TV lately, has reminded me of something: I am NOT voting for either candidate because I agree with them on everything.  Neither of the candidates has a plan with which I completely agree.

That's not a bad thing.  It's also to be expected.  As my dad says, "You're not voting for a person so much as you are for a platform."  The Republican party is one I can stand with on MOST things.  And I feel that after four years of disappointment in what President Obama has done, it's time for the other party to have a go, again, at running the country.

Paul Ryan proved why I like his platform in the debate this evening.  The moderator asked the VP candidates, "You are both Catholic--something that hasn't happened in a presidential race in a long time.  Based on your religion, what are your opinions on abortion?"

The Catholic church's stance on abortion is that it is wrong (because they believe that life begins at conception), with, as Ryan said, the exceptions of rape, incest, and threat to the mother's life.  That is also the stance of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and although I don't agree with it entirely, I can accept it.  Ryan pointed this out, and stated firmly once again his belief that life begins at conception.  He did not back down on this at all.

When posed with the same question, Biden also noted the Catholic church's stance, but that he believed every woman should have the opportunity to choose whether or not she wants to have an abortion.  It's not the government's right, he said, to deny women that opportunity--that right--to do what they want with their own bodies.

(Yes, I am paraphrasing what the men said.)

What I appreciated about Ryan was that he did not back down from saying that abortion is wrong, period.  He didn't contradict what his faith believes about the life of unborn children.  And he did say that yes, in a case of clear right and wrong, it IS the government's right to dictate what people can and can't do.  It's wrong to kill an adult person in cold blood except in cases of self-defense.  The government dictates that and has laws that uphold that.  Abortion should be no different.

So I am voting for Romney and Ryan because they uphold what I believe is right.  I think their plans regarding foreign policy, the war(s) on terrorism, nuclear weapons, and taxes in the US will do a lot of good and are the wisest decisions that the government can make right now.  I have confidence in their character, as much as I can considering they're politicians, and more importantly, I have confidence that God is in control, period, no matter who is in the White House.

That, finally, is what it all comes down to for me.  God is in charge.  Not the President of the United States, technically the most powerful person in the world.  Not the people of the United States who vote that President into office.  Not terrorists who murder those people of the United States.

God is in control.  I have full confidence in that.  No matter what happens politically, in relation to other countries, or to the economy, the fact that God's in charge will not ever change.  I know he will always take care of me.  I know that nothing that happens in the world can affect my eternal salvation.  And I know that God will always give me opportunities to stand up for my faith in him.

God himself does not need defending.  What we can do, and should do, as Christians is to speak up for what is right and denounce what is wrong.  We need to make clear what is of God and his Word and what is not.  That's what matters eternally--not the person who will be in the White House for the next four years.

Rely on God, my friends...not politicians.


P.S.  I'm glad to be writing again.  I've missed it, and I hope to write a little more often starting now.  Thanks to those of you who are still sticking with me!  You are a blessing.

The Privilege of Being His Witness

Joshua and I read in Matthew for our devotions this morning.  Part of the passage was the Great Commission in Matthew 28:

"Then Jesus came to [the disciples] and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"  

Matthew 28:18-20

The account of Jesus' ascension in Acts 1 adds some more insight:

"[Jesus] said to [the disciples]: 'It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.  But you will receive power then the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'" 

Acts 1:7-8

We are called to be Christ's witnesses, making disciples "of all nations."  For some Christians, that means going to faraway countries to preach the Gospel.  For others, that means witnessing for Jesus in our neighborhoods, workplaces and towns.  Jesus told the disciples they would be witnesses in Jerusalem--the city they were in at the time--and in Judea--the country where they were.

Being Christ's witnesses doesn't necessarily mean going to Africa or China or Russia to be a missionary.
It means sharing our faith in our daily lives, everywhere we go.

No believer has an excuse for NOT being a witness.

And no believer has to despair that they don't have the time, money or resources to become a missionary to a foreign country.

We are witnesses in the places and vocations in which God has placed us.

For me, that means I am a witness at home (yes, to my husband, even though he is a believer!), at school, at work, in my little town, and to my friends, acquaintances and others who read what I put on the internet every day.

(Have you ever thought of that?  Your Facebook posts, tweets, and blog posts are all part of your Christian witness!  How are you sharing the love of Christ through your online presence?)

These passages in Matthew and Acts are always a wake-up call for me.   It's a conviction: I need to be aware of how I'm witnessing Christ, and be intentional about it!  And it's also an encouragement: I have been given the incredible privilege of representing the God of the universe, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to every person I see each day.

How incredible is that?

My encouragement, to myself and to you, today is this:
Look for ways God has given you to witness him.
Be intentional at least once today about speaking the Gospel and the name of Jesus to someone you normally wouldn't.
Remember--God will give you the words to say, because His Holy Spirit is in your heart.


Linking up with these lovely ladies:
The Houtz House Party; New Life Steward; A Wise Woman Builds Her Home; Deep Roots at Home; Women Living Well

What it means to "live in the light"

When I started this blog, I wanted to come up with a title that would be timeless: something I wouldn't have to change, something that would always apply to me and my life and would cover everything I write about.

I mainly write about life, and I am a Christian, a believer in Jesus Christ.  Those two things shaped my blog title.

Matthew 5:14 and 16 says, "You are the light of the world...Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and praise your Father in heaven."  This is Jesus speaking to his followers, encouraging them to let their "light" shine.

Jesus also describes himself as a light.  In John 8:12, he says, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

At the beginning of his Gospel, John writes about Jesus, saying, "Through him (Jesus) all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."  (John 1:3-5)

This world is dark with sin.  Satan does his best to hide the light of Jesus: light that makes visible all the evil in the world, light that shines the way to Jesus, light that gives life.  When Jesus was born into this world, he brought light.  He brought life.  Through our baptisms, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to shine his light also, like candles in a dark room.  We don't produce that light, but just as the moon reflects the light of the sun, so we reflect the light of the Son, Jesus.

That's what this blog is about: my life, living in the light of Christ.  I want his light to show me the way to live, and I want to reflect his light to the world around me.

It's only the light of Jesus that gives life.

Where am I called to witness?

For our devotions last night and this morning, Hubby and I read from Acts 1 and 2.  Just before his ascension, Jesus told the disciples, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

To give myself some perspective, I did a little research.  The country of Israel is about 7,992 square miles.  The square mileage of Nebraska is 77,358 square miles.  In other words, you could fit about nine and a half Israels in Nebraska.
The farthest Paul went on his missionary journeys was from Jerusalem to Rome.  The distance from Jerusalem to Rome (in a straight line) is about 1500 miles.  The distance from San Francisco to Chicago is about 1800 miles.

I've always wanted to figure out these comparisons.  Turns out Paul didn't go very far, and the disciples did most of their work in their own (very small) country.  My husband noted this while we were reading: that we shouldn't feel like we have to travel thousands of miles to a distant country to tell people about Jesus.  If one gets the opportunity to do so, that's great!  (I have done that myself...perhaps sometime I'll write about my five months in Indonesia.)  There are millions of people around the world who haven't heard about Jesus.  It's an incredible thing when they get to hear the Gospel because someone made the effort to go tell them.

However, not all Christians are called to go to great lengths to witness about Jesus Christ.  We don't have to wait to go on a mission trip to start telling people about Jesus. Instead, we can be Christ's witnesses in our own homes, neighborhoods, and towns.  We can share the love of Jesus with friends and family and other guests in our homes.  We can live out our Christian faith as we run errands, serve and volunteer in our neighborhoods, and go about our daily work and business.

Sometimes I feel like because I'm rather secluded here at home I'm not able to do much in sharing my faith.  That's really not true!  We have friends over at least once a week, for a meal or just for a visit.  In those times I can love them like Jesus loves them, by serving them, being kind, and being encouraging.  I am a witness to the love and grace of Christ every day to my husband (and he's told me so!).  I can reflect the love of Christ in the way I act and speak when I'm out in public.  I don't have to go to a foreign country to do that.

Christ has called us to serve him wherever we are in our lives.  In every vocation, he gives us the opportunity to be his witnesses.  Whether that vocation is businessman, teacher, truck driver, factory worker, pastor, secretary, or mother and homemaker, we have countless opportunities to share the love of Jesus with whoever is around us and part of our lives.

Where am I called to witness?  Right where I am.