The Struggle is Real- Letting your Kids Struggle

 I normally do not feel led to write about parenting...

(Unless it's about how hard it is to raise a special needs child)

However, in reading in 2 Samuel, I noticed something new.

We all have tremendous respect for King David.

The youngest of many brothers... (1 Samuel 17:14)

He was probably bullied by them and was given the stinky task of caring for the sheep, alone...again, and again. (1 Samuel 17:15)

He did not complain...He found peace in the wilderness....there was no sibling rivalry. Just quiet. (Psalm 4:8)

He enjoyed stars at night, work during the day and the enjoyment of God in solitude. (Psalm 8:1-4)

The night watches must have deeply inspired him as he wrote so many Psalms and reflections on how amazing our Creator God is.

He writes about the LORD being our Shepherd. (Psalm 23)

He was an emotional man, but also a warrior. (Psalm 18, Psalm 144:1-2)

He wrestled the lion and the bear and probably other crazy predators that wanted to eat his sheep. (1 Sam 17:34-36)

He later kills Goliath. (1 Samuel 17) He was anointed King, but had to wait many years until Saul's kingdom ended. 

He runs from Saul and so on....

David is an amazing man.

Then enters Bathsheba and you know the story...

However, the prophet Nathan warns him that there would always be strife in his own home. (2 Sam 12:10)

The struggle is real.

Many times the hardest battles we face are in the home ...in the precious faces of our own kids.

Absalom hates Amnon. Amnon lusts after his half sister.

Amnon rapes Tamar (his half sister) Absalom can't wait to kill his brother Amnon. (2 Sam chapters 13-14)

Talk about dysfunction!

David (dad-David, warrior-David, King-David) does nothing. 

He mourns, but he never disciplines.

Absalom goes out of the scene for 3 years hiding away...

Absalom comes back and starts wooing the hearts of the people and tries to take the throne from King David.

Again, the struggle is real.

Of course we will never know what it is like to have a son try to take our crown, but we do know what it is like to be deeply disappointed in the conduct and choices of our children.

Yesterday as I was reading 2 Samuel, it dawned on me- Absalom had something David never did- privilege. Absalom never struggled and perhaps became spoiled and entitled. 

David struggled. Absalom did not.

David wrestled with God in prayer and spent time alone in the wilderness tending the sheep. In contrast Absalom, perhaps was a handsome, attractive, all American Division I athlete, perfect on his SAT score, private school attending "life has been good to me" son. 

(*OK I am exaggerating...but you get the idea.)

David struggled and turned to God. Absalom did not.

Remember when David was running from Saul? It was unfair. David did nothing wrong. In fact, David was one of Saul's best warriors. He conquered Goliath and defeated many enemies for Saul and the empire. 

Saul hated David and became jealous of him. However, as you read the Psalms, many times it will say in the heading "written by David when he was running from Saul" basically the sweetest prayers we read and love were written during David's darkest nights. 

He struggled. 

Absalom's biggest struggle was to eat his sandwich on wheat or white bread or whether to date the prom queen or homecoming queen. 

I started thinking about Absalom's childhood. 

He had everything. 

Having many privileges does not automatically make one a spoiled brat....but in Absalom's case, I believe he resented his dad-King David. 

Absalom's lack of discipline ultimately became his down fall. 

Absalom had it all (spoiled like Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka) but he was not the king. 
The drama with Amnon and Tamar gave him a "cause" or passion to go after....He started to hate his brother and wanted to kill him. Absalom also despised his dad for failing to discipline Amnon for the rape of Tamar. 

Dr. Charles Stanley writes: 

"The term resistance movement describes situations in which oppressed people rise against oppressors. Resistance fighters take the stance 'I'm not going to stand idly by and allow this evil to continue. I choose to resist the wrongs. Whether I live or die in resisting my oppressor, I will no longer live as I have been.

Resistance in prayer is the biblical approach to confronting and overcoming the devil"

We never once read that Absalom retreated to pray about his beef with his dad. He never prayed about what to do when Amnon raped Tamar. 

He did not turn to God for help. He instead, turned to anger and hatred. 

He used anger and hatred to give him a passion for life. 

His life of prestige finally had meaning (a sad twisted meaning) 

My prayer is that we would let our kids struggle a bit...

Yes we want to give our kids the very best, but in giving them everything they want, are we shielding them from the gift of endurance, the gift of learning a hard lesson through experience, the gift of depending on God in prayer NOT mom and dad to bail them out?

Just think about it...

Pray about it...

We must pray before we act and discipline our kids. There is a time for struggle and a time for grace. There is a time to be firm and a time to be lenient...

LORD please help us as parents trust in You and lean not on our own understanding. 

We learn so much from Absalom's failures. His heart turned evil, even though his earthly father was known as a man after God's own heart. Something went wrong. Did Absalom become super shielded and was he never taught how to struggle in prayer? Help us have a balance LORD as we raise these kids for You.

The Poop Ministry

Imagine.... you are sitting in church...

A very pleasant gentleman walks up to the podium.

You know....It's time for announcements.

"There are servants needed." He says with a smile. "Please kindly pray and review the list of needs and sign up!"

You see the lists on the screen.

"Audio Visual Ministry"

"Women's Ministry"

"Children's Ministry"

"Missions/Outreach Ministry"

"Ministry to Muslims"

and then finally.... 

"The Poop Ministry"

Now you might be thinking...What? 

I have read a lot of blogs. I have attended church all my life. I have heard of "The Poop Ministry"

Exactly.

I am not talking about septic tanks or doggy bags or even changing cute little infant diapers.

I am talking about caregiving. 

As a special needs mom, I have shed many many tears over poop, potty training, potty accidents and the challenges that come with a child who does not know how to "wipe."

It is hard. 

So so hard. 

I recall one time cleaning Isaac giving him a bath and weeping.

"Why God!? Why is this so hard? Why can't he go to the bathroom on his own? What are you teaching me? What do you want me to learn from this?"

Of course there are the easy answers- patience, compassion, self-less love. 

Those are things that people are supposed to say. 

If you do have a special needs child or the responsibility of caregiving or you are a nurse and you regularly need to "change" adult diapers....you may not say that.

Poop stinks- it's dirty- it's messy- it's unpleasant...but like the Nike slogan- "You just do it."

The reality is life is messy. 

Here on earth there is poop ministry and in one way or another we are all called to it. 

Now all of our individual challenges in life are not the same as changing adult diapers or helping Isaac when he has an accident.... but is there really anything that we can say no to when God asks us to serve others?

Serving others can be unpleasant, it can be foul, it can be stinky and it can be hard to handle... we can't do it in our own.

We need the Holy Spirit.

Jesus loves when we serve others. 

Remember when The LORD Jesus instructed Peter to "Feed my sheep." John 21:17

"Now that I your LORD and Teacher have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet" John 13:14

In fact God deliberately gave us all unique and individual talents and gifts for a reason...We are equipped to serve, but it will not always look pretty. (See Eph 2:10; 1 Corinthians 12)

God gives us His Holy Spirit to enable us to serve Him as He sees fit, not as we see fit. 

This gal I follow on Instagram @stopandconsider recently posted something that hit the nail on the head:

"...we can face whatever task at hand, however mundane and obscure it may be with joy. Joy in knowing we were predestined by the love of the Father, to be adopted through the sacrifice of the Son, and given new life through the power of the Holy Spirit"

...however mundane...

....however obscure...

even cleaning poop...

I don't mean to be gross and I pray you see beyond the literal issue of caregiving the potty needs of children with autism, adults with disabilities or even those who can't care for themselves ...

The point is we are not always called to do things that we like and some acts of service we may be uncomfortable with. 

We are called to love and serve nonetheless. 

May we truly realize that all tasks if done unto the LORD matter. (see Col. 3:23)

Washing dishes matters.

Making meals matters.

Serving someone who wronged you years ago...that matters.

Praying for your enemies matters.

Changing diapers matters.

Helping people with special needs matters.

Writing a thank you note to someone matters.

Not all ministry is flashy and not all ministry has a "name" in the bulletin at church but all things done in love will be rewarded no matter how unseen you may feel...El Roi sees and that matters most. 

Not that cute anymore...

Today is Jan 1, 2021. 

New Year's Day.

Most people make resolutions, sleep in, watch the Rose Parade or a Football game....

Many of use desire to read God's Word, maybe we open up a brand new One Year Bible reading plan and Read Genesis 1:1, Psalm 1 and Matt 1. 

Fresh year, fresh start and new beginnings....

For me, Jan 1 is always bitter sweet. I love the crisp morning air. I love thinking about all the good things God has in store for the New Year to come...

However, the "bitter" part of New Year's Day for me personally is that the following day (Jan. 2) is Isaac's birthday.

Isaac is a gift from the LORD. 

He has special needs-he has autism and he is unique, quirky, different, hard to raise, somewhat-verbal, and challenged in so many ways...

I ask God to remind me of that precious verse Jeremiah 29:11 that God's thoughts toward Isaac are good and not evil to give him a future and a hope. John 10:10 says God wants to give us an abundant life- a satisfying life- a life FULL of all the goodness of God. 

I am thankful to the LORD for entrusting me with the privilege and oh so crazy hard challenge of raising Isaac.

Every year when his birthday comes around I am reminded of his birth.

Born at 12:29am. He was born a little over the New Year's day mark. I thought it would be so cool to have a child born on Jan 1. He was born on his grandma Natalie's birthday- kinda cool- they share the date.

As he turned 1, then 2, he was so energetic, smiley, joy-filled and very very BOY through and through.

He would get in to everything. Climb up everything. He walked quickly...I believe he started walking around 10 months.

I was thrilled to have a boy. I have nieces and was so excited about celebrating "boy things." Trucks, cars, skateboarding, lizards bugs, etc. 

When he was 2 we noticed  he wasn't making eye contact and also did not answer to his name.

He wasn't talking.

Then at 3.5 they said "autism."

You know the story....

Now, TOMORROW he turns 13 and it's hard...

Autism parents are funny. We can be honest with each other and talk about the tough stuff, the ugly stuff, the things that are definitely not instagram worthy...things like special needs doctors, seizures, puberty, IEP meetings, mean people, food aversions, break throughs, potty training, social anxiety, sensory overloads and the every so common problem of "melt downs."

I was speaking with a fellow autism mom a couple of years ago and I shared my fears of Isaac transitioning into Junior High or Middle School. Now, because Isaac would be in a special day class, he would be in a special autism program however, kids are kids and I was so afraid of bullies. I was afraid of a lot of things....we talked and shared. 

When your child with autism is smaller/younger...they are cute and sweet and just "a little quirky" to the unknowing stranger whether adult or child. 

However my friend said something that both stunned me and stood with me...

She said "It's harder now because you know...they are just not that cute anymore."

Ugh.

That comment cut to my heart.

Junior high schoolers/tweens and teens are not that cute. 

These kids have acne, weird hair cuts, funny teeth, their voices changes (for boys) they act immature or try to act "cool" and act older even though they still want to play and act like well "kids."

For any kid developing into the tween and teen years- they really aren't cute any more. 

Of course I say this tongue in cheek because every mom thinks his/her child is the most beautiful child on earth. 

I do really think this! I stare at Olivia all the time and tell her how beautiful she is to which I get the teen "eye roll" from her as a response.

I stare at Isaac and tell him he is handsome and say "I love you. Remember 'Jesus loves me'" and he responds "So much"

To the world...the special needs tween or teen is not that cute....

I hear these words in my mind often...

If he touches someone or tries to give a fist bump or high five, a lot of people look at him strange like "why are you trying to interact with me?" In contrast, if someone tells him "Good morning!" and he does not respond you may get the "how rude" look....

Also, there are teen friends and teen kids you see out in the community...These kids look at Isaac and I can read it all over their face "What's wrong with him?" I almost wish they would just ask me rather than stare.

Some people are super sweet- former special education teachers- aides or just random people that have big hearts for special needs kids/adults...they try to engage Isaac and talk to him at his level. I do not mean in a condescending way...but just in a special, compassionate and kind way...

I hold my breathe. 

I pray often.

I am ready for the teen years.

Several dear fellow autism moms warned me - the teen years are awful.

You have puberty, body changes, mood changes, testosterone surge for boys, and all of the other things that come with "growing up."

Isaac has autism and I have accepted him as he is. Sometimes...I wish he would stay little. Yes he is delayed...but delayed and "not that cute" is just too much for a mom to handle. 

So here we go...Isaac turns 13 tomorrow!

We are ready for you teen years. 

We will continue to challenge you Isaac. 

We will continue to be mindful of your sensory overload tendencies, your OCD, your need for routine to reduce anxiety, your quirks, your likes and dislikes and also we will understand....you are changing. You are maturing. You are developing in your physical body and your palette for things may change too. 

We do not know what is going on inside of you...mostly because you can't tell us.

That is the hardest part.

I have gone into Olivia's room (she's almost 15 now) and she is crying....

Why are you crying? 

I don't know mom, I am just upset. Too much homework, and my friend and I got into an argument and I just want to be alone.

She might answer something like this, or not...but I think to myself "I get it. She is a teen girl. She is going through puberty and her emotions are everywhere"

But with Isaac...it's different. 

He cannot confess when something is wrong. We have to guess. 

This is where our faith comes in.

James 1:5 is a fabulous go to verse for me in raising Isaac. 

"If any of you lacks wisdom- ASK and I will give it to you"

God is not hiding. 

Isaac is not the world's only special needs child.

God is a perfect parent and He willingly offers His hand to me. 

God is Isaac's potter. 

God will direct us how to raise him and navigate the scary waters of him growing into being an autistic teen. (He is still a child of God first!)

And even if people say "he is not that cute anymore" Olivia and Chuck have this joke that her friends will think he is a good looking young man- They aren't wrong! 

What to Expect

Remember that very popular book “what to expect when you’re expecting” ? 

It had a photo of a woman wearing a 80s pilgrim style “mumu” on a rocking chair on the cover and she was very very pregnant.

As I spent the night at CHOC hospital in Orange County I saw a lot of babies being treated for various reasons...

It dawned on me NO ONE really knows what to expect after you have a child..

You may expect to have a girl, and SURPRISE it’s a boy.

You may expect to have a smooth uneventful labor and SURPRISE you are in labor for many hours and the child is rushed to the Neonatal intensive care unit.

Or like me, you may have expected to have a son follow in his dad’s footsteps and ride a skateboard.... 

SURPRISE- autism.

Fast forward to 2020- SURPRISE seizures, a cyst and outpatient brain surgery.

NEVER expected that. 

None of it.

Life’s a faith walk not a cake walk.

We are wise to NOT have expectations.

We can dream big and of course as human beings we can have desires in our hearts ...but we have to remember that God is the ultimate One that gives us our blessings. He gives us His portioned out strength to allow the trials and tests that will come to us too...

Think of Manoah.

Not Noah. 

Ma-noah.

He was Samson’s dad. 

He had dreams. He had visions. He had expectations. He knew that God had a special plan for Samson. But he never imagined there would be a woman named Delilah or a day when Samson would have his eyes gouged out and be tortured (blinded) or that Samson would ultimately die in the act of killing the enemy...

Think of Mary.

Mary might have imagined having three kids...Perhaps boys -carpenters like their father. 

Her and Joseph were young so they would wait a few years before having children. 

She would never be expecting to carry Jesus in her womb before the actual wedding night and her love was consummated with her husband.

Or Joseph (Old Testament)

His dad always told him he was special.

He certainly felt special a “love child” conceived out of a special bond his mom and dad shared.

He had dreams... 

Joseph had literal dreams...

He would dream and the dreams would happen!

But Joseph never expected the dreams would be the very thing that made his brothers hate and resent him...

Think of Paul. 

Paul had expectations. 

He was a miracle!

He was miraculously saved and changed from Saul to Paul.

Everybody would love and appreciate his teaching -he may have thought...

SURPRISE.

He was ridiculed put in jail beaten and endured innumerable hardships... 

The Jews didn’t like him and the Gentiles thought he was weird but he would not let go of the calling Jesus put on his heart. Even though at every turn Paul experienced hardships ... he never wavered....  he kept his laser focus on Jesus the One he saw on the Damascus Road... the One who told him he would suffer for the Name. 

I have a girlfriend who said she wanted nothing more than to have a bunch of kids right away... she married her high school sweetheart and later found out she couldn’t have children of her own.

I know a mother who raised two children in the ways of the Lord only to have one child go away wayward and be addicted to drugs... 

I know many special-needs parents that didn’t even know what Autism was or how to navigate raising a child with Autism... These families had many expectations tossed to the sea but yet they held on with both hands to their anchor -  Jesus...

I know another woman who waited and waited for the right man. God brought him into her life and after 18 months of marriage he tragically died in a car accident and on top of that -she’s pregnant and now a widow at the same time...

SURPRISE

All of these examples are not to cast blame on God or make him appear  cruel...

God is kind, merciful generous forgiving loving and He is never anxious and His compassions fail not...

All of this is to reflect and remind you and serve as a reminder to myself that -

- we can’t really expect anything in this life.

Life is precious and fragile. 

Motherhood is a gift. 

Marriage is a gift. 

Knowing Jesus is the greatest gift. 

But life is messy and living life for Jesus can be costly because we truly yield and surrender all of our dreams all of our desires all of our expectations to Him. We can say “I don’t know what tomorrow holds but I know WHO holds tomorrow”

We have to focus on the Who of life...

Life not about your comfort.

 Life is about worshiping God and yielding to God and surrendering to God and trusting God. 

When our human expectations are crushed we have hope because we know that God is up to something good. 

Romans 8:28 is not a cliché it is TRUTH. Just look at the baby in the manger as we prepare to celebrate Christmas and remember Mary had dreams too. She was a virgin she was precious and holy and living a life set apart for God... and people looked at her all of her life like she was unclean. Can you imagine? 

May we reflect on our dreams....and expectations.

May we look at our dreams as a rough draft. God has the final draft and the final say and it will be beautiful and it will be beyond anything we could’ve designed in our own mind... 

 

Knot In my hair

I don’t typically have knots in my hair...

One day I was meeting with a client  ...

I touched my hair and noticed something..

Is it a knot?

Is it a leaf?

It felt coarse and odd... so I tugged it away from the softer layers of my hair.

It wasn’t a knot at all... it was a chunk of hair; a big chunk.

I can honestly say it was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life.

You see earlier that day, Isaac pulled my hair. 

And pulled... 

and pulled... 

at 5’3 and 125 pounds this 12 year old is strong. 

He had a melt down in the car and was so upset he pulled my hair and would not let go... It hurt so bad I had a headache all day and almost cancelled my client meeting

“I am not feeling well”

She will understand...

However, I decided to go forward with the meeting.

I did not wish to share the hair pulling incident with anyone ...

Olivia was there and that was hard enough;

I was speaking with my client and casually touched my hair and then pulled out what I thought was a knot;

My client looked at me  and I said... 

it’s my hair... wow... Isaac pulled my hair today during a melt down and it literally came out from the root.

I wanted to cry...but held it in. 

We remember our Jesus had chunks of hair ripped from His beard and we all know it hurt.

These melt down incidents aren’t just physically painful.

They are emotionally, and mentally painful too  ...

I am Isaac’s mom.

Doesn’t He understand I am trying to help him?

If I say “no” or “wait” it is only for his good.  

How must our Abba feel?

We are often like autistic kids kicking, screaming, running away, using non verbal and verbal speech in protest against God’s “no” or wait.  

I am so thankful we cannot physically hurt Jesus- but we can emotionally- we can break His heart & grieve His Holy Spirit.

Why do you kick against the goads ? 

Jesus said to Saul.

(Acts 26:14)

Consider what Chuck Swindoll says about kicking against the goads: 

‘Apparently, "to kick against the goads" was a common expression found in both Greek and Latin literature—a rural image, which rose from the practice of farmers goading their oxen in the fields. Though unfamiliar to us, everyone in that day understood its meaning.

Goads were typically made from slender pieces of timber, blunt on one end and pointed on the other. Farmers used the pointed end to urge a stubborn ox into motion. Occasionally, the beast would kick at the goad. The more the ox kicked, the more likely the goad would stab into the flesh of its leg, causing greater pain.

Saul’s conversion could appear to us as having been a sudden encounter with Christ. 

But based on the Lord's expression regarding his kicking back, I believe He’d been working on him for years, prodding and goading him”

What is God using to get your attention?

God often uses my boy to draw me to Himself and keep me on my knees. 

Even now at this writing... he is in recovery from pediatric neuro-surgery to fenestrate the cyst on his brain.

Wow Lord!

Thank you for so lovingly and tenderly caring for us!

Forgive us for all the adult melt downs we have had kicking you, pulling your beard or immaturely saying to you “I’m not your friend!” like we were back in kindergarten.

YOU ARE MY FRIEND!

You see those hair pull moments, life tragedies, hospital waiting room seasons.. 

You see it all and you see us not as we are currently, but who you are shaping us to become!  May we be more like you!

And like Isaac’s cyst that was putting pressure on his brain, drain and remove ANYTHING that is blocking us from a deeper relationship with You!

Instead of kicking against the goads,  may we embrace your Shepherd’s staff... for You alone comfort us! 

Maximize Your Glory

 Maximize your glory

Remember when Mary got the news that she would give birth to the Messiah? 

She was scared no doubt but she said let it be to me as you have said. 

(Luke 1:38) 

The other day I was thinking about how I have shared openly about Isaac over the years. 

One day I was at the car wash and a woman approached me “is your name Laura?”

I didn’t recognize her and she said “I remember you spoke at a women’s event. you have a son with autism don’t you?”

I don’t know what’s gonna happen with the cyst but I know that my prayer and my desire is always that God would receive the maximum Glory. 

Isaac is special.

I would’ve never in a million years thought I’d be excited to see a neurosurgeon. 

Something was wrong with Isaac.

The seizure helped uncover it...

I always knew in my heart that God would receive all the glory from Isaac’s life.

On Nov 2, 2020 Isaac will have a non-invasive surgery on the cyst touching his brain.

Pediatric neuro-surgery.

Wow.

Will you join me in giving God the maximum glory through this?

While the world waits for election results on Nov 3, 2020, Chuck and I will be patiently waiting to see how Isaac recovers.

No matter the season, trial or circumstance let’s choose to give Jesus the maximum glory ! 

  

Champion

 On Oct 17, 2020 I watched a huge boxing upset. 

Teofimo Lopez Jr. beat Vasiliy Lomachenko to claim undisputed lightweight crown - he won 4 belts. 

“We did something nobody thought we could do,” said Teofimo Lopez Sr., father and manager. “We outboxed him. It was a matter of hitting and not getting hit. We just made the best boxer in the world look like nothing. He (Lomachenko) had 370 amateur fights and we beat him at his own game.” 

Teofimo Lopez Jr. is a champion. 

Teofimo Lopez Jr. (the boxer- less likely to win) did what his dad kept saying he would do- win against a well known amazing boxer named Lomachenko.

 

"I have to thank God. I had to dig deep," Lopez said. "I'm thankful, I'm grateful and each and every day I take that in. I walk by faith for a reason and it feels good."

Dear little Laura! 

You enjoy watch boxing!

Actually I do...

Well-Not usually. 

I’m not a big boxing fan but this fight caught my attention and Chuck and I watched it Saturday evening...

There are so many illustrations in scripture of boxing (1 Cor 9:26), war (Rev 12:7-11) and fighting the good fight (1 Tim 6:12). 

We all love the story of David versus Goliath. (1 Sam 17:1-51)

I think we have to be careful (real careful) to remember this isn’t some kids Bible story or a fairytale - it really happened!  A man named David really did kill a man named Goliath who was a big bully to all of the children of Israel. 

What struck me about the boxing match between Loma and Lopez wasn’t the fight itself ... what caught my attention was the end of the fight...The reaction of the father.

The father -  Teofimo Lopez Sr. pranced around the ring shouting “I TOLD YOU! I told you. I’ve been telling you! I told you!!!” 

The father was the promoter of the boxing son. The father was the promoter -the trainer -the manager - he was everything. 

“I told you!!” 

It hit me!

This is a pictiure of our heavenly Father. 

He is shouting to the world- “Look at my Son! Look at how awesome He is! Trust Me! He is a champion!”

Recall the disciples wanted to see what the Father was like. 

(John 14:9-11) Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves”

Look! Jesus is coming. We tell people and some believe while others think we are nuts.

The bottom line is that Jesus is truly the hero of our story. He is not weak and frail Jesus, or baby Jesus meek and mild like the paintings. No. Jesus is a fighter. He sweat drops of blood. He was whipped, humiliated, killed for you and me. 

He is the undefeated, undisputed champion of the world and Satan wants a re-match. Sorry. There are no “do-overs”  promoted by pay-per-view. It’s over. 

Jesus won the war. 

As the world seems to be unraveling with Covid19, civil unrest, wars/rumors of wars, gender confusion, child/slave/sex trafficking, abortion up to the date of live birth, we might think Satan is winning.

No!

I dare you to close your eyes and imagine the heavenly Father bursting with pride saying: 

 “I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU! This is my Son. Trust Him. He is the undefeated champion of death and shame and sin and the grave. 

He is the resurrection. 

Didn’t I tell you!? 

Didn’t I tell you!?

I told you He would be Immanuel-God with us. He would be Wonderful, He would be stricken and smitten and acquainted with grief! He would come from Nazareth, born in Bethlehem, killed like a common thief but later buried in a rich man’s tomb! I told you- He is the One- He would rise again and reign in Victory! Stop looking to a President to be your Champion. Stop looking to an entertainer or a spouse or a country or government or a pastor or religion or medicine or health or wealth... none of these killed death- only JESUS! He is the One! Trust my Son! He is the Warrior and Hero! He is The Champion of all Champions!” 

There is a song that I love called “Champion” 

by Dante Bowe (and Bethel Music) 

Part of the song says -

“You are my champion

Giants fall when you stand

Undefeated

Every battle -You’ve won

I am who You say I am

You crown me with confidence

I am seated, in the heavenly place

Undefeated, with the

One who has conquered it all

 

Now I can finally see it

You’re teaching me how to receive

So let all the striving cease

This is my victory

 

When I lift my voice and shout

Every wall comes crashing down

I have the authority

Jesus has given me

When I open up my mouth

Miracles start breaking out

I have the authority

Jesus has given me” 

What if we really lived as if we live on this side of victory?

I think so often our emotions the news and the troubles of this world cloud the view of our Champion.

We need new eyes to see.

We need new ears to hear.

We need tp remember who we are !

Sons and daughters of the Champion!