And it’s not to chocolate.

It’s to giving.

One of the most joy-producing things I do is give.

Of course, I enjoy giving to my children and grandchildren.  I have been trying to give more events and opportunities and fewer things.  I love thinking about each one and choosing what would be special to him or her.  Such fun!

I love giving to the work of God–to church and ministries that I participate in, believe in.  I feel privileged to participate with individuals who have surrendered their lives to serve God in missions—here or across the world.  It is especially delightful to be able to encourage those on a short-term outreach to help them be open to where God might lead them in the future.

I am passionate about a lot of compassion and justice issues across the globe.   Anything that seeks to make a difference for women and children oppressed around the world catches my attention.  I care about rescuing and restoring the defenseless, enslaved, abused.  I want to help those in poverty because of things and people beyond their control.  Of course, I can’t give to all, so I seek God for wisdom.  And I pass on the needs of many via Facebook and Twitter.

I also try to set aside money that I can use to meet needs of individuals as I become aware of them.  Sometimes I do this openly, but I especially like to do it secretly and imagine the person’s joy and gratitude at God’s kindness.

When we are through with some of our things, we gladly pass them on to others who might use them.

My husband appreciates my joyful generosity, but he works hard to make sure we stay solvent.  Sometimes he reminds me that we do not have unlimited funds and I need to be prudent.

Why do I tell you this?  Am I bragging?  I certainly hope not.  If my joy in giving will motivate someone else similarly, that would be wonderful.

I write it because I am realizing that, as much as I have given, I have probably never given till it hurt.  The biblical widow who gave all she had did just that.  She gave all she had, with no sense of where more—the next meal, clothing, maybe shelter—would come from.  That is radical giving, and I am nowhere near that level.

My long-time leader Bill Bright loved to say, “I never heard of anyone ending up in the poor house (shelter, on the street) because they gave too much.”

So what am I saying?  Should I give away everything?  I don’t believe God is saying that to me—at least not yet.  But it seems that the joy I receive in giving would be even greater if it cost me a little more.

I am asking God to make me a radical like Jesus.  In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said radical life choices should be true of me.   I should look less and less like the world and more and more like Him.  I think that calls for some changes.   So I am asking Him to speak to me, to show the way, to give me courage, to grow me into a true radical like Him.

What about you?  Are you a radical?  Is giving a good place to start?

c2012 Judy Douglass

On the first Monday of each month when my children were in high school, I wrote a letter to them describing a secret of success in life.  Recently I compiled a year’s worth of secrets into a small book.  

An absolute essential for success in life is the ability and willingness to control yourself. Without self-control, you will not be able to make the hard choices for a positive future. Paul encourages you to be self-controlled (I Thessalonians 5:6, 8). He tells both young and old to lead godly, self-controlled lives (Titus 2:5, 6, 12).

Three areas often need extra efforts at self-control:

1. Your mind.

What happens in your mind affects who you are and what you do. The Word says that you must control your mind and what you think (I Peter 1:13), renew your mind (Romans 12:2), and set it on things above (Colossians 3:2). As you control your mind, you will be in proper control of your life.

2. Your body.

What you eat, how you care for your body, and your view and use of sex—these all matter to God. Paul writes that you need to submit your body to God, giving it to Him for His guidance and care (Romans 12:1). In another place, Paul goes further and tells us to submit our bodies to God, and not to sin (Romans 6:1). He also reminds you that your body is a temple (a dwelling-place, a home) of God. He urges you to flee immorality and honor God with your body (Corinthians 6:18-20 and 9:27).

3. Money.

Since money is essential for life, the ability to use it well – with discipline – is also essential. The Bible tells you to give back to the Lord (Proverbs 3:9-10) and warns against loving money (I Timothy 6:10). Proverbs encourages you to be prudent (careful), to gather your money little by little and to use it wisely (Proverbs 13:11; 6:6-11; 8:18-21).

The wonderful thing is that God doesn’t expect you to control yourself in your own power; His Holy Spirit gives you the power (Galatians 5:23; II Timothy 1:7).

My prayer is that you will walk in the control of the Spirit.

How about you?  What area of self control is most challenging for you?

c2011 Judy Douglass

You can order Secrets of Success in the US from New Life Resources.  In Asia, you can order from CCC Mass Media.

I never played the game, but all three of my children did.  My husband and I both took a coaching class and were certified.  He went on and became a coach trainer and coached at State Cup level for our daughter.

I was over my head about the time they turned 9, but for three years I assisted and co-coached on three different teams.

I figured out I had a real advantage—I didn’t know much, so my coaching was really simple.  I was aided by my husband’s developing Simple Soccer System—he reduced all the complicated coaching into a series of three- or four-word instructions.

Such as:  Defense:  Slow, Split, Side     Offense: Keep, Advance, Center, Score   

Even I understood the basic tactics needed—and I could help these young kids get it too.

All my teams were pretty successful—winning more than they lost.  Amazing!

Jesus employed a similar approach in coaching us for living life.  Though there was great depth in all He taught, He kept it simple.  He gave us many succinct instructions:

Love God with all your being.

Love others as you love yourself

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Be holy as I am holy.

Give thanks in all things.

Don’t be afraid.  Trust me.

Don’t worry.  Trust me.

Be filled with the Spirit.

Simple?  Yes and no.   Impossible in our own power.  But Jesus can do it, and He is quite willing to live it out in and through us.

Simple.

How about you?  Which of these instructions from Jesus has not been so simple for you?

C2012 Judy Douglass

I’m just getting more and more radical.  I want to stir things up, start fires, cause change.

I loved reading Radical by David Platt, and even more loved hearing him speak this summer in Colorado.  Of course, it was hard to believe someone who looked like he was barely 20 could have such wisdom.

My friend Natasha Robinson and her friend Sophie were deeply affected by the same book.  They have issued a Radical challenge and have invited you and me to join in.  Sophie will be doing a monthly Radical Living blog, which I will be posting.

You can read Natsha’s post at her A Sista’s Journey blog—she gives all the details. So click on over and start some fires and cause some change.

Are you ready to be Radical?

Still green--after the freeze

One of my favorite things about Florida is that it is green year round.

Sure, sometimes things dry out a little during dry season (our delightful winters).  And the occasional January freeze, if it gets below 30 F and lasts several hours, can turn all those green St. Augustine lawns brown.

But it didn’t touch ours last week.  Around the neighborhood:  mostly brown.  Ours:   mostly green.

My hard-working husband loves working on our lawn–mowing, trimming, weeding, feeding.  We have a service to take care of the bugs and other Florida challenges.  We water the once a week we are allowed.  And people stop to ask how we always have such a beautiful lawn—so green!

A little food.  A little water.

Which brings me to the great Twitter post yesterday by my Dutch friend Wouter Van Der Toorn:  Some simple radical advice: When the grass starts looking greener somewhere else, start watering your own yard!

True for the yard.

And even more true for my spiritual life.

When I’m feeling a little dried out, or worn out. … When my friend’s life seems richer, fuller, more colorful….then perhaps I need to start tending to my own life.

A little food.  A little water….I imagine my spirit will green right up.

What about you?  Is your life green, or do you need a little food, a little water?

c2012 Judy Douglass

The Rumble Brothers and Maddy

It was a short visit—not even five days.

My sweet daughter and her delightful, rambunctious boys.  They have been called the Rumble Brothers.

Family time.  Backyard playground.  Old friends.

Lego Imagination Station at Downtown Disney.  Legos all over our family room.

Happy time at church, including cousin Maddy.

A very long and beautiful day at Sea World.  The best part?  As always, petting the sting rays.

A neighborhood walk before heading to the airport.

Each boy with his little backpack, their mom and I pulling the big bags.

I’m a little sad, but doing okay up to this point.

Then, at the security line, 4-year-old Aidan bursts into tears.  “I love you, Jeedoo.  I love you a lot.  I don’t want to leave you.”

Tears.  Good-bye.

Back home, I pour out my heart to Abba Daddy: “I miss them already.”

“I understand,” He replies gently. “I miss you whenever you are away.”

What about you?  When does God miss you?

c2011 Judy Douglass

I am reminded once again that living with children is a never-ending effort to help them learn how to treat other people:

“What do you say?” “Please.” “Thank you.”  “I’m sorry.”  “Let’s share.”

It doesn’t come naturally for people—we have to be taught.

Scripture is filled with instructions on how we are to relate to other people.  Romans 12 especially focuses on how we treat the “one anothers” in our lives.

Here are five key relationship encouragers:

1.  Love one another.

Romans 12:9,10a:  Love must be sincere…. Be devoted to one another in love.

Jesus told us we should love God and others.   Paul says our love must be sincere—genuine, without hypocrisy, the real thing.  Real love is unconditional:  You can’t earn it, you can’t lose it, you can’t stop it and you don’t have to return it.

Of course, when it’s real love, you want to receive it and return it.

2.    Prefer one another

Romans 12:10b,16:  Honor one another above yourselves…. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.

Not just “honor one another” but “above yourselves.”  How much we are willing to put the interests or recognition of others above our own speaks loudly about our pride or humility.  Do we care who gets the credit?  Is the most popular?  Are we happy when others do well?

3.    Serve one another

Romans 12:11-13:  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Jesus reminded us on the night before he died for us that He was our Lord and our Teacher, but also that He was a servant.   He reminded us that we should follow His example and serve others—and that we would be blessed if we do.

I am so grateful for—and a little envious of—those with serving gifts.  I am truly blessed by their service, but I wish it came so easily for me to serve.

My experience is that God will give us plenty of opportunities to practice and grow.

4.    Bless one another

Romans 12:14,15,17:  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

I used to think “blessing” was kind of old fashioned, for little old ladies.  Notwithstanding my age, I now think it is one of the most important things I do.  It’s great to “be a blessing to someone,” but even better to be intentional about blessing others.

The hardest and best is to bless your enemies—those who hate, or mistreat, or hurt or even just irritate you.  Bless them.

5.    Be at peace with one another

Romans 12:16,18:  Live in harmony with one another…. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Watching children helps us to see how easy it is to be at odds with someone else.   The slightest little thing leads to anger or tears.  Unfortunately, we are often not very different from children.

So many times I have said to my children—and to myself:  You can’t control what others do or say.  You can only control yourself.

And in that choice, we can make the difference between war and peace.

Jesus sums up how we should treat the “one anothers” in our lives two other ways:

     Treat others the way you want to be treated.

     Treat others the way I did—laying down my life for them.

I am so grateful He sent His Spirit to live in me and enable me to live in this challenging, selfless way with the people of my life.

Which of these “one another” instructions is the most challenging for you?

c2012 Judy Douglass

He speaks through people and circumstances and music, but most often through His Word.  My need for repetition means I often go back again and again to the same verses.  And every time, God seems to have a special word for me.

Here are a few (there are many more) of my oft-visited Words from God, in no particular order:

Isaiah 60:22: “I am the LORD; in its time I will do this swiftly.”

Isaiah 61:1-3:  The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD  for the display of his splendor.

2 Corinthians 12:9:  “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Ephesians 2:10:  For we are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Jeremiah 32:40-41:  “I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.  I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.”

Zephaniah 3:17:  The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

Philippians 1:6:  Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

James 1:5:  But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God,  who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Psalm 34:18:  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

I Thessalonians 5:18:  In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 2:9:  No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him

Ephesians 5:14: ‎”Wake up, O sleeper, Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

What about you?  What words does God keep speaking to you?

C2011 Judy Douglass

Sheli Massie, a new Redbud Writers Guild friend, is taking on radical.  All this month she will be posting on various ways to live radically.  I love that!  And I love that she invited me–and others–to write about living radically.

So I did–about radical hospitality.  Here’s the beginning, then click on over to Shelli’s blog, a little bit of me, to read the rest of it.

“Joey and Tabby need a place to live for a few days.  Could they stay here until they work something out?”

Our son, Josh,  and his wife were living with us for a few months.  They had met Joey and Tabby—not married, broke, homeless, probably using drugs—somewhere.  Her grandmother had kicked them out.  They wanted to help them.

We said yes, for a few days.

To continue reading, click here.

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