When my oldest child was just old enough to speak in short sentences, he came out one day with a phrase that still sticks with me these 30 some-odd years later. As we were driving home one rainy day he piped up from his car seat behind me with, “Wook Mommy! God’s tawking!” As I glanced back I could see him pointing up ahead. Following the direction of his fingers, my eyes lit upon a glorious shaft of sunlight streaming through the steel gray rain clouds. Immediately, I knew what he meant. In all his church nursery pictures light appeared to be streaming down on various Bible characters when God spoke to them: Paul, Noah, Jonah, among others. I was delighted that at 2 years old he already knew that God speaks to us. I was comforted that in his adult years he would know he has a Creator who loves and cares for him personally as an individual. Even now, years later, I cannot see rays of sunlight streaming through the clouds without being reminded that God is talking to someone. I sometimes even go so far as to pray for the one whom God is speaking to at that moment.

Ladies, God is talking to you today. Are you listening?

God is always talking. God doesn’t skip days or weeks or months or years and talk randomly to us. He doesn’t forget about us for months on end and then think, “Oh I wonder how ole Deb is doing?” He wants a relationship with us like we have with family or dear friends, a relationship where we chat every day. How often I’ve wondered if He felt hurt those mornings I jumped out of bed and hit the ground running without stopping to even say good morning to Him. Crystal Evans Hurst in the book Kingdom Woman, which she wrote with her dad, Tony Evans, reminds us to stretch our arms toward heaven each morning before we ever get out of bed to offer ourselves to our Lord and to ask Him to show us the most important thing He has for us that day. What if your sweet Jesus, the Lover of Your Soul, were the first person you spoke to each morning?

God speaks through His written word so that we always have a concrete reminder in black and white of His love, His promises, His ways, and His instructions for us. While prayer is important for us to speak to King Jesus, reading His Word is equally important because that is how we hear directly from Him.

God will speak truth directly to your situation. Just like those rays of light streaming down from the sky, there are days I’ve felt as if God’s face were beaming down on me as He spoke. How very many mornings have I gotten up to read His Word with something heavy on my heart. Often I was going to His Word out of routine or desperation, not for a holy purpose or because I loved Him so. But even those days when I was 2 weeks behind in my Bible reading schedule, a verse or passage I read would speak directly to my situation and I would realize God Himself had scheduled that Bible reading plan years ago; He had guided me to read that plan that year, and He even knew how behind I’d be when I needed those specific words.

God speaks through others. Another uncommon but divine occurence in my life is when a friend randomly shares a verse with me that meets my need. I know in those moments, whether it is by text, in a notecard, or face to face, that God Himself has given them that word of encouragement for me. (If you feel led to text me a verse, please do!)

Sometimes He speaks indirectly and pricks your spirit with the realization of the meaning. I remember the day my college age child was furious with me and shouting at me in our kitchen. In that moment I was trying to speak Biblical wisdom to a heart of rebellion, when said child shouted at me, “Don’t you think I know everything you believe about the Bible!” It was as if God had put the words in my child’s mouth. Immediately my heart calmed down, as God showed me that my kids really did know what I believed and by young adulthood it was time for me to keep my mouth shut and let God do the talking to them in their hearts. I have no doubt that in the middle of the night when I’m not even there, my voice echoes through their minds proclaiming The King’s will and ways.

Similarly, His word planted in the heart speaks for years to come. Those verses sung or memorized in the 3-year-old class are still floating around in us. And they are still bearing fruit. If it hasn’t already happened to you, at some point you’ll have a verse spring into your mind, word-for-word that you never even memorized. God dredges up old sermons, or songs or random verses from the past just when we need them to communicate truth and wisdom to us. I wonder if He puts His Creator finger in our brain and touches just the neuron to trigger just the words we need to be reminded of.

If God can speak through a donkey, he can also speak through secular friends and media. Sometimes I’ve even gotten wise advice through an ungodly source. Yep. I know some of you are thinking, “Well I just don’t believe God would work that way.” Well let me tell you, He does. Late one evening when I was a naive college student I wanted to go to the lake with a bunch of non-churched friends. I was heading toward the car to go when one of the guys said, “You can’t go.” I was like, “Why not?” and his response was, “I know you and your mom. I know what y’all are like. I know what we do at the lake. You can’t go.” And I didn’t go. Who knows what the Lord preserved me from getting involved in.

As the storm clouds roll through today, whether they are literal clouds or those storm clouds of trial, be reminded that your Heavenly Father is above the clouds shining down upon you, speaking words of wisdom, direction, comfort, and peace. Go to His Book. Listen for His words. Seek His heart. Jeremiah 29:12-14 reminds us

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.”

Choosing a lamb for Passover should have been a matter of the heart. True worshippers with a strong faith wouldn’t settle for less as they chose a lamb without spot or blemish. Their lamb, chosen to be slain, the blood a reminder how God saved them and brought them out of bondage. A reminder to the Israelites of their struggle against slavery and their deliverance out of Egypt. The Jews were to keep the passover as a perpetual feast.

And then came Jesus. The Lamb of God without spot or blemish. (I Peter 1:16) The one that God sent to ransom and redeem us from our bondage with His own precious blood. The Jews had to go and choose a lamb. Our Lamb, Jesus, came to seek us. (Luke 19:10). John saw him and proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” Jesus Christ became our Passover Lamb and was sacrificed. (I Cor. 5:7)

Let us be reminded of the high price that our precious Savior paid to rescue us from the slavery to sin. Let us rejoice and praise our Lamb! He is worthy!

Revelation 5 – Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. ² And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, ⁴ and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵ And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶ And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying,

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice,

¹³ And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, 

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

¹⁴ And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

“My stomach hurts.”

That was all he said as we exited our vehicle that Good Friday. I had just capitalized on the opportunity of a captive audience as we drove to a friend’s house. I had taken the opportunity of a captive (in a literal sense, they literally were captive in my van – not to be confused with intrigued and spellbound) audience to elaborate on the events of that First Good Friday. As the Martin 3 and I traversed the roads I spent the time telling them the timeline of Jesus’ last hours. I want them to grow up with an ever-present knowledge of how He loves them and what He was willing to do on their behalf.

As we meandered over the curvy roads I explained how He healed an ear, was dropped down a hole, stood next to a known murderer, who despite a warning Pilate had to free -beaten. I took an opportunity to remind them of the world history they’ve learned and the role of the Roman Empire. I reminded them of the Passover we had experienced the night before with some friends and the significance of the Pascal Lamb. I told them how He was beaten, and not only was He beaten, He was mocked and humiliated, hurt beyond anything we could imagine. How at the very moment He needed the Father, the Father wasn’t there.

I told them about the temple and the veil and how human hands couldn’t have torn it. I told them about words He spoke from the cross. I explained how crucifixion works and how Jesus died before there was an opportunity to receive the final blow leading to death. I told them this and reminded them over and over and over that the motivation for such a terrible thing was Love. A love like the world had never seen before. A love like no other. A love for each of them. A love so strong that Jesus took their place. He took my place. He took on the sin of the world.

As we reached our destination the heaviness was palpable in the car. The chatty Martin 3 were silent a moment. Maggie, who seems to understand best how much she needs the King, expressed her love for Him and was delighted to know what He said from the cross. Charlotte, my silent ponderer, just looked around, and I could almost see her thoughts of silent reflection. Shelton, only said the above statement.

“My stomach hurts.”

Those 3 words made me understand exactly what he was thinking. Shelton is much like his mama and when I am deeply troubled by something my stomach hurts. When I empathize with someone who is hurting, my stomach hurts. I reminded him that all is well, because despite the events I had just described. Jesus is alive and He loves us. He is close and we do not have to be afraid. And he came to take away all the hurts.

Then in the time it took to walk from a curb to the front door of a friend’s home his stomach no longer hurt.

A Good Friday indeed.

As you go about your day tomorrow, Good Friday, meditate upon the the stomach churning events of that Friday some 2,000+ years ago. Allow yourself to absorb the gravity of the sacrifice He made, so that Sunday you may rejoice in the victory of His resurrection.

As we in America file our taxes today, I’m reminded of a story in the bible of Jesus’ encounter with a tax collector.

It’s summed up in a cute little kids’ song that goes something like this

Zaccheus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he.
He climbed up in the sycamore tree for the savior he wanted to see.
And as the Savior passed that way He looked up in the tree,
And He said, “Zaccheus you come down.
For I’m going to your house today.”

How often have we felt like the wee little man – the unimportant, unwanted, or left out one? We may feel despised for the job we do, the past we have, or the choices we’ve made. We see ourselves as unacceptable in the society. We believe we’re judged by those eyes looking at us everywhere we go, even church sometimes.

If we take time to think about the words of the song or to read this story from scripture, the heart-touching part of this simple story shines through.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

Zaccheus’ innate curiosity led Him to encounter Jesus. You too have been given a personality with certain traits and God will use those to lead you to encounter Jesus.

Zaccheus’ height may have felt like a handicap at times, especially in a crowd like this where he wanted to see what was going on. Father God already had the tree growing there that Zaccheus needed – God had made a way for Zach to come to Jesus even with whatever perceived handicap or weakness he had. And God has already made a way for you as well.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

Ole Zach didn’t have to seek out Jesus, Jesus sought out Zach and ended up right at his tree. And what was Zach’s response? He was glad! He jumped down at once because he was ready to welcome Jesus. Are we glad when Jesus meets us? Do we see Jesus as a desired guest coming to our house or as a hard task-master critiquing our every failure?

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

Others talked. And they will. Others will talk about us when we begin hanging out with Jesus. “Doesn’t Jesus know who she used to be?”

But Zaccheus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Zaccheus’ heart was changed forever when he encountered Jesus. Though he had most likely been a greedy, money-focused person (and we know that because of the reputation and requirements for how tax collectors conducted their business during those times), Jesus changed him. Money was no longer his focus. Jesus Gave him a new heart, a heart of generosity and repentance.

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:1-10

Zaccheus experienced salvation that can come only through Jesus. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He sought out and saved ole Zach. And He is seeking you and your loved ones who do not know Him. He seeks to find us and rescue us and pull us out of our old life of walking in darkness to a new life walking in the light of His love.

“I am the Lord and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:5

I often tell my kids that walking with Jesus is a great adventure. It’s not an easy journey—in fact, Jesus himself guaranteed it would be difficult. Yet in the midst of the hard, God reframes your focus and He rewrites the script of your life. And if you pay attention and seek to walk in submission to God, you just might find yourself part of a beautiful story that ONLY GOD could write. The following story is one of those miraculous God stories—not miraculous in the staff-turning-into-a-snake or sick-person-made-well kinda way—but miraculous in the way God orchestrates our lives and brings His people together. It’s a story that can be explained one way — ONLY GOD.  

Before we begin our story, a little background: I am part of an international Bible study ministry. This ministry has local Bible studies in communities across the nation and around the world. The Lord birthed our local ladies Bible study seven years ago and we, through the prayer and support and equipping of our national leadership team, serve our community by discipling ladies, teens, and children through in-depth Bible study. Our local study has a five person servants team who helps lead and shepherd a larger leadership team. We all work as partners in the gospel to bring this Bible study ministry to our area. Though the week to week purpose of our study is to disciple our community through Bible study, the foundation of our ministry is prayer. And we have seen God do some miraculous things, but this year, we got to be a part of a story that spans continents and cultures—something bigger than our minds could ever conceive.

This ONLY GOD story starts in April 2018 with a ministry-wide leadership training meeting in Colorado Springs. At this training were men and women from all over the world. Our local leadership ministry team was at training and through a casual salad bar conversation (because, of course, God works at buffets), one of our team met the National Ministry Director of an East Asian country—a country where to be a dynamic follower of Christ can mean a death sentence. During their brief conversation, his heart was so overwhelmed with love for his people and their spiritual condition, he honestly and tearfully asked my friend, “Is anyone praying for us?” My friend came back to the table with tears streaming down her face and said, “We have to pray for him.” So we did. When we began our local Bible study in Fall of 2019, we adopted his country as our international prayer focus. We prayed for him and his people each week.

Flash forward to January 2019: As the teaching director for my class, I am required to go to a Teaching Director’s conference every few years to recharge and refocus, and 2019 just happened to be a conference year. Also attending this meeting are our international leadership—regional and national country directors from around the world. Since our encounter with our East Asian friend the year before, our team wanted to let him know we were praying for him. So as a leadership we were praying I would see our friend so I could give him an answer to the question he asked almost a year before, “Is anyone praying for me?”  I wanted to tell him wholeheartedly, “Yes! We are praying for you!”

All weekend I looked forward to our International Meetings. At these meetings we would break up into regions of the world and hear from brothers and sisters around the world about how God was moving in their country and how we could pray for them. When we got to the East Asia Pacific Regional Meeting, I was so excited that our friend was there! Not only was he there, but he seemed to be the spokesperson. Turns out he had been “promoted” to Regional Director of all East Asia-Pacific Countries. Only God.

After the meeting I noticed there were many people stopping to talk to him. I waited, determined to let our friend know what an impression he made, and that our study was praying for him. I finally got to speak with him, and nervously told him where I was from and relayed the whole story from our training time back in spring of 2018. He smiled and thanked me and said in his thick accent, “Al-ah-bah-ma? You’re from Al-ah-bah-ma? I will be there in two weeks.”

“You will!” I squeaked out excitedly. “What for?”

“My daughter is having (minor corrective) surgery at the children’s hospital in Birmingham. Is that far from your study?” he asked.

At this point, I think I might’ve screamed, “NO! It’s just 15 minutes south of our community. Could I contact you? Would you be able to come visit our class?” He gave me his card and I ran out and texted our team. My first words in the text were “ONLY GOD!”

It was then I realized, I hadn’t asked about his precious daughter having surgery or asked how we could pray for her. How could I be so inconsiderate? So I went back in the room, composed myself, and walked back up to our friend, who now had less of a crowd around him. I apologized for being so thoughtless and asked, “How can I be praying for you? How can I pray for your daughter?” Maybe because the crowd had dwindled, or maybe because of my fumbled apology, the door was opened to a deeper conversation that made him determine in his heart to visit our class. God even uses our mistakes for His good purposes. I’m so thankful He can use a mess like me. Only God.

Two weeks later, our friend was in Birmingham with his daughter. Her surgery went extremely well and our friends spent their recovery time with a lifelong ministry partner who lives in a small Alabama town. Our study was so excited about the possibility of our East Asian friend and his daughter visiting, but try as we might, logistics were not in our favor. The small town was about an hour and a half from our study and he wasn’t sure he could get transportation; his daughter’s follow up appointments were on the same days our study was to meet. So we prayed. Within a couple of days, his daughter’s follow up appointments were changed and his host “happened” to have a free day on our study day and was able to drive him there. Only God.

The big day arrived and our friend and his young daughter and his pastor/host friend came to visit. He was able to update our class on what the Lord is doing in his part of the world through the study of the Word. He talked about how his people do not have a good translation of the Bible in their heart language (the dialect they speak in their particular area of his country), which makes it so difficult for them to study the Bible. His eyes pooled with tears as he recounted his desire to see his people come to know the Word of God and the God of the Word.

Another thing our friend shared is how much he needed to be refreshed in the Word, how much our prayers meant to him, how much this invitation to visit our study overwhelmed his heart, how much he longed to see those who were going to the throne of God on his behalf. He cried tears of joy when he told us in his broken English that his heart was growing hard and he was growing weary in ministry, but seeing us and being with us and knowing we were praying for him was causing his heart to melt and be renewed.

But what he didn’t realize is that his presence was refreshing and renewing our study, giving us new passion and zeal to carry on with our ministry. Our leaders were growing weary in doing good and needed a reminder that God is at work in our community and around the world. He was spurring us on in obeying God’s call, just as we were spurring him on to walk in his calling. Only God.

As I said good-bye to our East Asian friend, who is now a dear brother in Christ, I stood in absolute amazement. From the Far East, to a salad bar in Colorado Springs, to an awkward invitation in Colorado Springs a year later, to a personal visit to our little suburban Alabama community, how God orchestrated every detail. I know the full purposes of this encounter and this visit have not been fully realized, but I do know our East Asian friend lit a Holy Spirit fire in our Bible study and in our leadership. To see the Lord do something only He can do. To pray specifically and watch Him do what seems impossible. To be a part of the work the Lord is doing in our community and around the world. To give our study a “world” vision. To help them see what a great gift we have in being able to read the Bible and study it for ourselves. ONLY GOD!

God sure does write the best stories! Do you have an ONLY GOD story? We’d love to hear it—leave your story in the comment section.