Ever had it when people look down on you? Or you know they talk about you? Or even defy you? You won’t hear it for yourself, but you can feel it. Situations, eye-contact, body-language; it says it all.

One lesson we can learn from the Bible, well actually more…

• Turn the other cheek – Matthew 5: 38,39 – ‘You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.’
• Turn around and walk away (move on) – Luke 9: 55, 56 – A Sanaritan village rejects the Savior – ‘But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.
• Be humble and lowly – Ephesians 4: 1-3 – Paul – ‘I, therefor, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.’

Jesus is our biggest example and as followers of Him, we can learn from that. When Jesus was in situations as described in the introduction, gave His ‘enemies’ one answer/reply. After that, He ‘shakes’ it off and moves on. For myself, this is something I could work on. I can keep mulling around about things for days, which is not healthy for a brain or your household around you. This ‘silent-war’ within ourselves about certain situations can eat us alive. But instead it can also make you stronger.

Jesus life on earth and His journey brought Him at the cross. All the situations He’s been put through as a sinless Man are mind-blowing. He knew what would be ahead; He mentally prepared for it. Not by arguing, not by mulling over. No, by giving in, being humble and turning the other cheek. Our life-journeys are full of sin, however, our life’s will also come to an end on earth some day… Are we preparing for that? Or are we arguing, mulling over?

Pray for strength, you’ll need your Father in heaven; Jesus did too. God will strengthen us through the Holy Spirit. His nearness will comfort and lighten our disappointments.

Remember the good situations, as we often forget those. There are so many good things happening around us! Not necessary seen or spoken of. God works in mysterious ways!

So: Shake it off and cheer up!!!

Steel, a very strong component. Depending on how hot it got compressed, it verifies it’s strength. It can be molded in different sizes and shapes. It may last longer due to it’s strength, though overtime it will start to rust… Holes could be patched up, but it will still remain a weak spot/link. It’s like that with our sins. We might confess them before God, and it will be forgiven through Jesus if you ask for forgiveness in His name. Though: it will remain a ‘weak spot’. Something to pay close attention to, something to keep working on.

When a rusting spot is not fixed or is being neglected; it will grow bigger and become a hole.  A hole that provides leaks. It could bring in more water or more sin, comparing it to the weak spot/link.

We constantly have to check our our soul for weak spots, or any signs of rust. We need Jesus… We need Him to help us ‘patch it up’. It’s not a one time event, where He will automatically come do it for you… No, you need to call unto your Savior in Heaven.

Is your heart made out of steel? Hard as anything? No way of getting into, tested by fire? Are we not all born with emotions? Or are we hiding them in a tight sealed box… that box, never exposed to severe circumstances? I think we all did/have in some sort of way. Then there are signs of ‘rust and weak spots’. They might be invisible by the eye, though a welding spot may have come loose, or a chain-link got weak by the power it’s bin enduring in a pull with a certain situation.

God with all His power, can have situations by man’s own free choice, have a strong structure of steel go into a miss-formed piece of junk. This is done through our sin, fueled by the devil. When whirlwind storms miss-form our sin-filled hearts, it needs a lot of new welds, new pieces of steel and most necessary; time… time in a sense of a healing process. You might say, why is God letting it all happen?! This earth is fallen, fallen because of sin; out of free-choice, a wrong decision. Isn’t that why things get out of hand all the time? Not thinking clear, self-focused, and forgetting Who’s in charge?

Our Creator, who made every single detail in our body, gave us free-choice. Will you pick the building (of your life) that never needs attention and slowly looses it’s strength through impacts of life? Or the building (of your life) that get’s the attention of a Person Who fills the cracks, unfolds the bends and keeps you standing strong? Are we as Christian’s strong? Our ‘earthly buildings’ (hearts) may not look the prettiest, but are being kept together by 4 necessary nails. Those that were pierced through Jesus Christ’s body… With His love in any storm or situation, can overcome! But only if you’ll let Him…

Or are we like this piece of steel, left in the woods, beaten by circumstance(s), unattended, forgotten… God does not forget one person, He’s looking for you! He knows us all, He knows you by name, He knows the number of hairs on your head, He knows our secrets, He knows our joy’s.

‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Psalm 27:1) 

A teeny, tiny seed. Planted in soil. It’s spring and many people have starter seeds in pot’s and flats throughout their houses. Especially in this pandemic situation. People realize they need ‘food’. Where it comes from; under a black surface of soil. But without that tiny seed, there is no plant. And without proper attention of water and fertilizer, it won’t grow or even produce and flower.

Just like that, tiny seeds are planted by God in many black hearts. Though are they growing, or neglecting nutrition? Is the soil to dry, to wet or to cold? (how a seed of faith can develop you can find in: Matthew 13: 3-9)

Jesus came down to earth to plant, He will come again to harvest… But when a farmer does a harvest, he waits for the perfect conditions and when the harvest is full-grown and ripe. Timing is crucial.

Working the ground, producing food is what God made us people do after the fall into sin. It’s a s simple as that: ‘Down to earth.’

We are like tree’s, grapevines or plants:

• a seed get’s sown in our hearts by God
• the seed sprout’s and takes roots
• the sprout comes out to the surface
• the tree or plant starts growing
• when full-grown it produces food. ‘food for life’
• others might see the tasty products and want a piece from it: they might eat or harvest seeds
• a new tree or plant is growing…

These signs are all around us, all year long… Nature shows the growth of faith and the results of it! I’ve tried to explain this process to our kids with a little drawing:

We are to be examples in Christ, so others may taste and join in growing a plenty full harvest! Yes, it is so ‘down to earth’! May we all grow our seeds towards the Light!

Today on Good Friday, we here in Ontario wake up to an outside world of snow. The purity of the small sparkles. That when packing them together stands firm and is strong.

When we remember our Savior who cleansed all sins and made them white as snow. With His sweat of blood he covered all of it. When a drop of blood falls into the snow, it stains the white into red. Now, by His suffering while in absolute no fault and in His own free will He turned our blood stained souls into a pure white garment. That is, when we believe.

While soldiers were casting lots on Jesus earthly garments, He prepared new ones for us… While He gave up His spirit He entered a place that we should be facing. He took it upon Him. He took our sins upon Him.

The words: ‘It is finished!’ Mean a lot to me, while it has a double meaning for being the last words of a dying Man, it also means, that the battle is over. The battle is over as in you’r not alone, I’m there for you. Don’t vend for yourselves any longer, I (Jesus) got you covered.

Today, as any other He calls us: saying; ‘It is finished!’ He’ll take whomever will leave their heavy burdens and worries into His hands. Because through His pierced hands, all things are possible.

As we almost all sit at home right now, spring thunderstorms role by. Lightning fills the sky. Above the clouds a large pink super-moon. The flashes, the glimpse; a reminder of Who’s in charge… When the thunder let’s itself hear and the earth shakes of the sounds. It reminds me; yes, God’s in charge.

‘The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; The lightnings lit up the world; The earth trembled and shook.’ (Psalm 77:18)

‘Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

‘For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.’ (Matthew 24:27)

When I was a child, I was afraid of the dark. But my mother thought me; Jesus is always with you, in the light and in the dark. And I believed that.

Jesus guides us through darkness. You’re never alone. But this Friday we remember: we remember that He over-won the darkness. He’d entered it for us. Alone.

In and through Him we may shine our lights in this dark, sinful world. Whether you’re alone in a house or as a family. – ‘For you were once darkness, but now you are light of the Lord. Walk as children of light.’ (Ephesians 5:8)

Jesus cried out on that ninth hour, with a loud voice: ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ – We all should know the answer… it was for us, us sinners. He entered darkness, the darkness where like 2 clouds meet: hot and cold – pure and sinful. Lightning strikes and God speaks to our hearts… Jesus endured and payed the price. Through Him God answers. Like He shakes up the earth with thunder, He shakes our hearts: a wake-up calling.

A favorite Bible verse of mine: ‘Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.’ (Isaiah 60:1)

May your Good Friday into Easter bring you much light to your hearts. May He take all your worries and fears. He took it upon Himself: on the cross.

Opa & Oma van der Weerd – Holland

Een terugkijk aan herinneringen door mijn kinderogen. Jony: Jo van Johanna. Het plattelands leven, van generatie tot generatie. Tussen de koeien en varkens ben ik groot geworden. Boerin zijn al van kleins af aan in mijn bloed. Ik heb oma zien koe-touwen vlechten aan een stoel in haar keuken. Oma had altijd wel wat in haar handen, was het een bezem, een hark of een schaal vol hapjes. En dan kwam oma weer aan fietsen, om te helpen melken. Nadat de fiets was weggezet, ging de rode zakdoek op.

Opa, ja, die kwam met de mercedes. En als hij zijn ronde varkens ging doen, kwam zijn oranje hoedje ‘beuker’ tevoorschijn. Jah, als kinderen zochten we hem op, wetend om de snoepjes in ze’n broekzak… ‘Aah-hahahahaaaaaaaa’ zei hij dan!

Even een paar jaar later: IJsselmuiden. Waar we konden zwemmen, bbq’s en veel, veel ijsjes… Met de vrijmarkt was de garage ingedeeld tot ‘restaurant’. Kom der maar bij: gezellig! En dan met nieuwjaars bijeenkomsten; opa’s klappers!! Jah, wij als kinderen druk met ons vuurwerk en daar was sneaky opa, met ze’n rotjes 🙂 Sinterklaas, niet te vergeten! De eerste 1.5 uur, (of zo leek het dan) een wilde van kinderen. Maar ook rustige visites, waar we dan met alle kinderen voor de scooby-doo zaten te kijken achter de keuken t.v.

Na onze overstap naar Canada, trouwde ik met Jan. En hoe speciaal: alle 8 opa’s en oma’s waren aanwezig… Nu bijna 11 jaar later en 4 prachtige kinderen rijker: het boeren-bloed blijft erin zitten! Maar het belangrijkste, het geloof en vertrouwen in God. Dat wat de Heer belooft van generatie op generatie. Het voorbeeld en respect van opa en oma in het geloof wordt enorm gewaardeerd. Zo mogen ook wij weer dat voorbeeld wezen.

For those who understand Dutch: A beautiful song for adults and children as well! Click on this link: Opwekking 42: k stel mijn vertrouwen

(I’ve tried to find a English version, however, I can’t seem to find one…)

Yes, I’m now also a home-school teacher now… As probably many of you are these days. So far, so good! Our second youngest daughter received 2 envelopes, each containing with homework for every week. This week we know what we’re learning. But oh, that second envelope! How badly she wants to open it and see what’s in it already…

Our lives are like opening envelopes. You wake up; your day unfolds as it goes. And the mailbox never seems to be empty, so with our daily lives. Unexpected things always come and go. The unexpected; is it something we fear for? Or try to get ready for? Or are we armored. We as Christians should be. Armored by the grace of God. We have His final envelope in hand, half opened: knowing of His saving glory, though not knowing fully what His beautiful destination looks like. When we arrive with this ‘envelope’ or better said: soul of ours; will it show Jesus saving bloodstains? Or is the paper pitch black…

He tells us; do not worry about tomorrow… Our minds are set to plan ahead, be prepared. In a way that’s good. Though with the right intentions and without worries.

The unknown: a treasure by itself. God knows the unknown; He’s the one sending/giving you that ‘envelope’ (soul). Do you open it up? Let Jesus cover it? Or do you leave it closed, and let it fade away?

May God in His glory give you His grace to open up your heart and soul.

Our daughter was singing this song multiple times today, it brought me much delight! To Him are the Highest praises, honor and glory!!!

We are a moment, You are forever
Lord of the ages, God before time
We are a vapor, You are eternal
Love everlasting, reigning on high

Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Highest praises, honor and glory
Be unto Your Name
Be unto Your Name

We are the broken, You are the Healer
Jesus Redeemer, mighty to save
You are the Love song we’ll sing forever
Bowing before You, blessing Your name

Written by Deshazo B Lynn / Sadler Gary Edward

When things get out of hand and out of control, chaos is the result. But empty streets and gathering places right now, are empty. Silent. Is this the silence ahead of a storm? Chaos right now is controlled, although that’s what it seems like. Inside our houses are still living souls.

And sure, control is a big word. But who holds the strings? And do we want to be controlled somewhat? Sure, our health is important; sure we all want to strive. Yes, we need a leader. But do we want to be traced down? What is happening with our freedom? Do we need to be silent and sit in a corner waiting? What does that create? Complete chaos in our hearts… 1 easy remedy: Trust in the Lord and be patient. It may feel like He’s silent, but He’ll jump in at a time we don’t expect. A couple of events in the Bible can teach us better days are coming.

Rahab, in Joshua chapter 2, being a Gentile-harlot, testifies God’s in charge. (verses 9-11) By her faith she was spared from the city’s destruction.

Joseph, in Genesis 41, after being sold by his own brothers to a foreign land; showing his faith and idea’s with the Pharaoh. Verse 39: ‘And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”

These 2 Bible texts show that faith, courage and trust in God have good things in storage. In every bad situation, God has a plan. You can hide and leave it up to the people in charge or you can show and speak up for your faith. It doesn’t guaranty a glorious outcome on earth, but it will be in Heaven.

Does this look/sound familiar? Luke 2: 1&3: ‘And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. So all went to be registered everyone to his own city.’ – In a way that’s what’s going on now… Who doesn’t have a GPS with him anymore?

Yes, Joseph and Mary obeyed and delivered our Deliverer into the world, but ones the king finds out, they hide. Today, that’s almost impossible. But my hiding place is in Jesus.

When you’re healthy you shouldn’t have to hide; not in a basement, not in a separate room, not in a distanced social conversation. Jesus visited the sick who were separated, so you’re not alone! He’s there and so are the doctors!! But when you’re healthy and using common sense, why are you a thread? ‘When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Mark 2:17) This passage has 2 meanings; the common sense of no need of a doctor when you’re not sick and the cryptic meaning of that: He came to save sinners to repentance.

This whole controlled chaos is the thread. But to whom? To ourselves? Aren’t we soaking up the media updates? What is that doing to our brains and souls? Now we’re sitting at home, fending for ourselves. Unanswered questions. We need leaders in this world, but there’s only 1 Who is the King of the world. And we tend to let that slip. Put your best foot forward and follow the narrow road, not the broad one like today…

‘Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.’ Matthew 7:13

In Luke 23: 13-25, the ruler, Pilate chooses Jesus to be released, because he did not find any fault in Him. 3 times he wants to let Him go free. But the people chose for a murderer man to be set free. Now this event had to take place, in God’s plan. Jesus blood on the cross will set us free. If we believe. The same people who yelled crucify Him, crucify Him, said to Pilate in Mathew 27: 25; ‘His blood be on us and on our children.’ – Sure thing, Jesus died for all, but only if you simply believe and follow His ways, He cleanses you from sin.

Are we today, standing in that crowd in front of Pilate? What would we say? Would we follow the rest or would we stand up for what we believe? We have a free choice. On who’s side are you on?

‘For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.’ Romans 8: 24,25