Lessons from Sea Turtles

My family and I got to spend all of July in an area of Texas along the Rio Grande Valley.  We served a mission church there and came back profoundly changed.  A month in a coastal town did wonders for my outlook on life, but not for the reasons you’d think.  It wasn’t lack of work.  My husband still preached every Sunday, led Bible study and prayer groups, elders and board meetings.  I still had laundry for five, a house to clean and three kids to keep one step ahead of.  To save money, we didn’t eat out until the family came to visit, so there were still dinners to make.  We still stuck to a reasonable, although not as strict, schedule.  So what was so different there?  How does the beach mindset translate to life in one of the biggest metropolitan in the country?  In the next few blog entries, I’ll be exploring the lessons we learned about work, family, nature and God. 

My first lesson came five days into the month:  setbacks do not mean you are not following God’s plan for your life. 

Although I grew up on the Gulf of Mexico, I never had the chance to watch newly hatched Ridley sea turtles crawl to the ocean.  One morning before dawn the entire family headed out to the beach to watch these two-inch creatures crawl to the vast ocean.  I was prepared to be in awe of God’s creation, but I thought it would be a simple, short event.  Let the creatures go.  Their instinct kicks in, they crawl to the ocean, and catch a wave into the rest of their lives.  Except that doesn’t nearly describe the battle these tiny creatures endure. 

Ridley sea turtles have to be released within hours of being hatched.  Since most hatches occur in the middle of the night, these tiny turtles must make their way to the sea around dawn, just as high tide is rolling in or just beginning to fade.  So the turtles crawl to sea, hit a wave, and get tossed right back to where they started, again and again. The process can take hours.  Eventually, they might actually make it out to sea, if they are not snatched up first by a natural predator.  Once in the sea, only a fraction of a percent will see adulthood.  Most will be eaten by sharks or fatally damaged by pollution. 

This truly surprised me.  Why is it so hard for them?  If God made sea turtles to hatch on land and make their way to sea to survive, why is the journey so difficult?  Even without human involvement, this is the classic uphill battle. 

Sound like modern life.  The more you try, the harder it gets.  Life is hard.  Marriage is hard.  Raising children who are anchored in Christ is hard.  No one doubts that.  But why does it get harder the more we try to follow God’s plan for our lives?  That’s a little more difficult. 

This is where the turtle cannot do something we as humans do.  The turtle cannot ask whether all these setbacks and obstacles mean God doesn’t want the turtle to crawl to the sea at all.  When it comes to the specific will of God, sometimes we misinterpret the setbacks and pitfalls for God’s warnings.  After all, if God truly wanted us to reach out to that family in need or start leading family devotions or spend some time helping others or lead a Bible study, wouldn’t He get rid of the roadblocks?  Stop the car from breaking down, make sure the money to do it is there, make a blank spot appear in our calendar?  Just part the obstacles like He did for Moses and the Red Sea?  Maybe this is God’s way of telling us we are going down the wrong path.

Yes, sometimes God immediately, decisively sweeps away every roadblock in the way so that we can fulfill His will.  Yet the Bible also gives us plenty of other stories where things get harder before they get better.  Think about all the years David spent running from Saul.  Samuel had clearly pronounced God’s will that David lead Israel as rightful king.  So why didn’t God make it easy for David to take the throne?  Why did he have to spend so many years running, and shed so much blood when a simple well-timed heart attack sent from God would have prevented so much destruction?  Or think about Gideon.  He finally finds the courage to follow God and strike down altars to idols and free his people from oppressive Midian bullies and what does he get for his efforts?  Criticism from just about everyone he knows. (Judges 7-9) For most of our Biblical heroes, the decision to obey God brought more hardship and setbacks than miraculously delivered moments. 

On the beach that morning I learned something.  God designed Ridley sea turtles to crawl to the ocean in their tiniest, most fragile state.  Yet He chooses not to make the journey easy for them, not to remove the fierce waves and predators all around.  Same for you and I.  God made us to do certain things to glorify Him.  The roadblocks and set backs are not signs that God wants us to stop what we’re doing.  Sometimes they are signs that we just need to swim harder and expect a few more waves. 

Bearing Burdens

Consuming or Creating?

For months I’ve been dreaming of a pearl necklace.  It appeared at my sons’ school auction, and I was completely smitten by its beauty.  Since the necklace was beyond my means, I gave up hope.  Then I had an idea.  Our insurance company gives cash awards for preventative health measures like regular exercise and recommended checkups.  If I fulfilled enough requirements, I could earn the money.  And since I wasn’t taking money out of our paycheck, I could feel good about earning my own jewelry.  But God’s been whispering to me lately, “don’t use this money to consume.  Use it to create.” 

I know what you are thinking.  This isn’t another post ranting about the evils of consumerism and materialism.  Instead, I’m talking about another way to grow closer to God that I often overlook.  God's very nature is as Creator.  The first three chapters of the Bible are all about God’s intensely creative nature.  You and I exist because of this nature.  We're talking about the same God who created the tiny bumblebee and the majestic whale, the endless sands of desert and the vast Amazon Rainforest.  And the best part is that He gave this creative nature to humanity. 

Think about it.  When’s the last time you’ve seen an animal sketch a painting just because the mood struck?  Or write a bedtime story for its young?  Only humans create anything for reasons beyond a physical need.  When we create, we are using a special gift God gives to us and us alone. 

When we create anything, whether it’s a photograph or a purse or gourmet dinner, we are creating an original, something the universe has never seen before.  Consuming is so boring by comparison.  When I go down to Target and buy a new bedspread, you can be sure hundreds, if not thousands of women have the same one I want sitting on their beds.  But when we create, we bring something into the world that it has never seen before. 

Of course, bringing to life a creation has its dangers.  Our creation can be mocked, ignored or destroyed.  In the blink of an eye, a box cutter can destroy a priceless Picasso.  Our most heartfelt creation can be misunderstood or dismissed by those whose opinions matter the most to us. But God took this risk to create us.  God has seen each of us mock, ignore and hurt one another, His masterpiece.  Still, when we conquer our fears and choose to use the creativity God gave us, we honor our Creator.  Even in this disappointment, we can turn to God knowing He's felt that sting before.

In today’s world, consuming and creating is not an either/or choice.  Some of my favorite things are reading a good book, taking a hot bath and eating fine chocolates.  But if that’s the only thing people remember about me at my funeral, I have failed my calling in life.  I was made to create something that reflects the awe and beauty of God.  For me, it’s a strong family, tasty, healthy meals and inspiring words.  For you it may be a lush garden, colorful needlework, new songs, or a lifelong love of reading through a book club.  

Whatever God has put on your heart to create, I can promise you that when you do, you will feel closer to God than you ever thought possible.  

~Denyse

NOTE:  I have felt God's calling to write more blogs that explore modern day faith in Jesus.  I have set a goal to attend a Christian writer's conference in 2014 with 50 devotions in hand.  Please pray for me.  I would also be blessed if you shared your honest feedback.  Thanks. 

Martha Got It Right

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”   ~ Luke 10:40 NIV


Maybe it’s because apparently we both like to cook, but secretly whenever I hear this passage I want to stick up for Martha.  I mean, that was a lot of people in their house.  They were bound to get hungry some time.  And buffets for fifty don’t set themselves, even when Jesus is around. 

But lately I’ve realized why I really admire Martha.  Even in her frustration, she got it right.  Did you notice what she did not do when she became disappointed with her sister?  She didn’t spend the rest of the day in a snit, forcing everyone around her to guess why she’s in such a bad mood.  She didn’t suffer through the day and then call and complain to another friend about how no one ever appreciates her.  She didn’t pull Mary aside and throw a temper tantrum.  Sad to say, I’ve done all of the above.

Instead, she does what every mature Christian woman should do.  She takes her frustration to Jesus.  Remember, she could have stifled her feelings with that old Jesus-must-have-better-things-to-do-than-listen-to-me-whine excuse.  How many times have I said to myself, “Look, believers all over the world are dying for the faith.  How can I really expect Jesus to care that I feel slighted because my family didn’t faun all over my dessert?”  Instead, Martha has enough confidence and faith in her Lord to interrupt the Bible study.  She trusts Jesus won’t dismiss or embarrass her.  Whatever insult she feels at the time, her faith is strong enough to humble herself to bring the hurt to Jesus.

And as always, Jesus does not disappoint.  He stops the entire meeting to say the very words that Martha needs to heal her heart.  He doesn’t shame her for interrupting or make her feel small because her problem isn’t as big as a dying child or a crippling, lifelong disease.  Instead, he agrees with her.  Yes, she is worried and distracted about many things.  But he reminds her only one thing is needed now.  Focus on what’s most important, and the other worries will fall into perspective.  Even her seemingly tiny problem is enough for Jesus to care about. 

While most pastors and Bible teachers use this passage to remind us to be more like Mary, Martha is still my hero.  I’ll never be a Mary; I’m not sure I was created to be.  My temperament is too rigid, too driven.  But I can be a Martha who knows when to put down the schedule and the to-do list and run to Jesus.  

~ Denyse Blasdel

Good Temptation

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability… 1 Corinthians 10:13

Temptation itself is not evil. If it were, even Jesus would have been stained by His experiences with temptation in the desert. He was not because temptation itself is not sin.  In fact, temptation can be revealing and helpful.

Temptation reveals, to one degree or another, our great desires. These desires at their core are often very good; they reveal much about the purposes and plans God has for us in this life. But through temptation we are offered a sinful shortcut to achieving our greatest desires. God created us to desire many good and noble things; our adversary, through temptation, seeks to corrupt our greatest good desires into our areas of greatest weakness.

Praise God that He does not leave us defenseless in temptation!  Just as Jesus Himself warded off temptation using God’s Word, so wise Christians also memorize applicable Bible verses to address areas where we are often tempted.

Temptation, because of the victory and forgiveness won for us by Christ, need not be a cause for intimidation and fear. In fact, temptation can reveal much about the good and holy purposes God still intends for you.

Faithful Father, hold my hand and keep me from falling when I am tempted today.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.  

Mortified!

I die every day! 1 Corinthians 15:31


In the movie The Matrix, the enigmatic Morpheus offers the hero Neo an unsettling choice. Was Neo willing to discover the truth about his existence? Doing so would mean intentionally dying to his comfortable shadow-life within the Matrix. But embracing his own “death” to unplug from a world of robotic make-believe was the only way for Neo to become truly alive, awake, and free. 

Long before The Matrix, St. Paul challenged God’s people to embrace this same basic spiritual truth: we must die to truly live. It’s true; slumbering in sinful habits and spiritual slavery can appear deceptively comfortable, even as the process drains us numbly of our very souls. But choosing such a false life assures we remain controlled and manipulated by our Enemy. 

Choosing death each day seems a terrifying choice, as we contemplate what the cross of Jesus truly means. But each day we wake, we trace the sign of the cross over our hearts, as we reaffirm our Baptism into Jesus. Our death is forever joined to His. His new life, by God’s grace, becomes our own. 

As a result, sin no longer has power over us. Those deceptive dreams have little appeal for us now, for we have embraced the death of Jesus and arisen, forever alive and awake, in Him. 

Jesus, Your death and life have set me truly free. In Your holy name I pray. Amen. 

When Hitting the “Unfriend” Button is You’re Most Sincere Act of Friendship

~written by Denyse Blasdel

My cursor hovers over the “yes” button.  Am I sure I want to unfriend this person?  No I don’t want to.  My friend is beautiful, kind, thoughtful, funny and smart.  Everything I’ve ever wanted to be.  On top of it all, she was so approachable.  No matter how shy or awkward I felt, she made me feel like I had something worthwhile to share.  

I can feel Satan staring at me with quiet disbelief.  “Seriously?  Are you going to play judge this time?  We both know what you’ve done.  All the pride.  The desperate grasping at attention.  The utter contempt for your blessings most people will never get?  Is this what you call friendship, abandoning her in her darkest hour?”  As usual, Satan’s half right.  My sins may be different, but not any better.  And she was there for me with words of encouragement when I had a preemie newborn and two other children to care for.  If the roles were reversed, she’d be by my side with her gentle nature, leading me out of the forest of destruction. 

But the Bible is very specific about this kind of sin.  As if God were saying to me, “Yes, I really meant that,” I Corinthians 5 pops up in my daily devotions.  I want to beg God, “Can’t we just ignore this, just this one time?  Don’t you know how much good she’s inspired me to do?  Can’t that outweigh this wrong?  Just this once?”  But of course it can’t.  

But the last part of I Corinthians 5:5 says, “so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.”  God is telling me I have to walk away from someone who won’t walk away from her sin not to punish or pretend I have a right to judge, but as the only hope we have to bring her back.  God knows everything, and He knows nothing else can possibly work.

In the end, my heartbroken spirit knows God is right and I hit the “unfriend” button.  Not out of anger or retribution or some sick sense of superiority.  Not even out of a sense of justice.  I press “unfriend” because I am painfully aware of what my sin has cost me, and I care about my friend enough to try to warn her away from the same burden.  So like the prodigal son’s father checking the horizon daily, I wait for an email or phone call that may never come.  And I pray for the wisdom to heal if it does.  And no matter what, I trust God when He says that leaving this space of friendship empty is the only way to be a light of help for her.