Come to the Mountain

May 22, 2015October 10, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / Leave a comment

The mountain-top experience…

For a few moments or days you’re transported above the everyday-ness of life to a place of worship, praise, and new perspective. Communion with God is over-the-top real and vibrant. You want to linger over His Word as His gentle whisper reaches to the corners of your heart. The weight of burdens and responsibilities ever-so-briefly fall away, giving freedom to lift tired hands in expressions of thanksgiving and praise. You have the longing to stay in these moments just a little bit longer…

This past week at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference was a glorious blur of like-hearted creative souls coming together to grow, learn, and share—with the ultimate purpose of fine-tuning our skills to glorify God through the written word. Friendships were formed and strengthened. Encouragement rained down from faculty, staff, and other attendees. To put it simply—it was fun.

Then came the time to say goodbye, with myriad promises to keep in touch and to hold each other accountable in the days ahead. We walked away from the mountain with fresh resolve—and perhaps, a bit of trepidation: Uh, Lord, I’m not sure about this…I felt so strong this week, but now I will be alone…

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A Prayer for a New Week

May 11, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / Leave a comment

Lord,
I want to walk with You.
Not just on Sundays,
Or special occasions,
Or when the sun is shining…
But every day, in every way.
And Father, I want to be real.
Not caught up in tradition
Or habit
Or appearances.
I want Your ways,
Your eyes,
Your heart.
And in those moments
When I have the privilege
Of touching another’s life,
My deepest desire
Is to leave behind
The fragrance of You.

The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it. (1 Thess. 5:24 NIV)

Take Up the Fight

May 4, 2015October 10, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / Leave a comment

Last week, in the violence that was Baltimore, a feisty, single mother-of-six caught the attention of the nation. Ignoring the risks of being out among the chaos, she recognized her only son involved in the rioting, and proceeded to chase him down and drag him home. It wasn’t neat, and it wasn’t pretty, but her actions grabbed at the heart of every mother watching it play out on television.

Why? Because in spite of the danger, in spite of what others would think, in spite of knowing her son wouldn’t like it…this mother fought for her child.

In an interview, she said, “Is he a perfect boy? No, he’s not, but he’s mine.”

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A Brand New Thing

April 27, 2015October 10, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / Leave a comment

I have a confession to make.

Sometimes I feel, well…old. Tired. Done.

It usually happens when I catch my reflection somewhere and think, Who in the world is that? Or maybe I glance at my hands on the car’s steering wheel and get confused. Surely the rest of me doesn’t look that old!

Rather strange, this aging thing. I mean, really. What’s with the spots on my arms and the droopy eyelid thingy? And let’s not even talk about the weird aches and pains…

Regrettably, sometimes the whole visual thing seeps into my mind and heart and I’m tempted to just quit. What’s the point of learning, growing, striving? Maybe it’s time to put my feet up and let the world rush on by—just flip on the TV and put my brain on autopilot.

I have another confession to make.

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The Best Gift EVER

April 20, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / Leave a comment

It had to be a humiliating experience.

Caught in the act of adultery. Grabbed by angry, self-righteous hands and cast into the midst of a shocked and angry crowd. Thrown before a little-known prophet. Bared body, soul and spirit, and certain of only one thing: imminent punishment.

Never mind that someone else is just as guilty, for she has not acted alone. The man has slipped away quietly, but she is here, in the dusty street, at the mercy of her accusers.

On the surface it seems to be a hopeless situation for there is nowhere to hide, no possible escape. But then the unforeseen happens. This man, this prophet looks deep into her eyes, into the long forgotten recesses of her heart and offers a gift.

The gift of a second chance.

There is no condemnation but there is accountability, and a choice. The simple but powerful words, “go and sin no more…” offer this broken woman a glorious hope. Scripture doesn’t tell us, but we wonder. What does she choose? Does she return to a world of darkness and shame or does she take that first trembling step of faith toward the light of Christ?

At the feet of Jesus we, like the adulteress, have a decision to make. We can continue in sin, succumbing to its decay and destruction.

Or we can reach for dusty sandals and nail-scarred hands.

Only by realizing there is no hope without Him can we confidently choose the life He offers. Saying “yes” to Jesus is a rebirth, and the beginning of a journey to inner beauty and holiness.

Oh Father, thank you for the gifts of grace and forgiveness. Help me to turn from the world and its ways and to reach for You. Let me shout with joy, I choose Jesus!

…and Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. John 8:11 KJV

Diet Dr. Pepper and The Holy Spirit

February 19, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 1 Comment

I don’t go very long without a diet soft drink in my hand. When I feel the need for something to drink, nothing gets in my way until my thirst is quenched (Yay, DDP!).

In the same way, sometimes my soul feels so dry, and I long to drink in the soothing, soul-quenching grace of the Holy Spirit. The need becomes so strong that I drop what I’m doing and slip away to a private place—the bedroom, the bathroom, or the back porch.

When I go to my Father, I am never disappointed. He reveals to me my innermost self. He shows me the burdens that I thought I had laid at His feet, but which I later took back upon myself. He reminds me of the needs of others, that perhaps I had promised to pray for, but didn’t.

He listens as I confess what He already knew.

He restores my soul.

One of my favorite verses is, For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose (Phil. 2:13). This scripture is full of such excitement and promise! When I have a longing to pray, it’s not because of anything I’ve done. . .but because my Creator is moving in me.

What an awesome thought! It never ceases to amaze me that God actually takes the time to notice insignificant me and to draw me closer to Him. What’s even more amazing is that in His eyes, I’m not insignificant at all. In fact, even when the whole world may be against me, my Lord thinks I’m pretty special.

Wow, what a Savior!

Father, thank you for the gift and the privilege of prayer. Thank you for placing within my heart a longing to know You. And thank you for satisfying the thirst of my soul.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. Romans 8:26

(Adapted from Time Out: A Quiet-time Devotional)

2 List-Making Habits Guaranteed to Shrink Your Soul

February 2, 2015February 2, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / Leave a comment

So and so didn’t speak to me at church yesterday…she didn’t even make eye contact!

I can’t believe she said that…my feelings were really hurt…

Well, back in 1992, he was a real pain to work with…

I remember how she lived back in high school…

Believe me, he can’t be trusted…

It’s real and it’s dangerous. That soul-shrinking habit of keeping track of the offenses of others, and in the process, hanging on to unforgiveness.

Oh, how we love to keep those lists! That good ‘ole running-tally of the mistakes and perceived slights of those around us. We know that God calls us to forgive, but what if the offender is never sorry for what they’ve done? Shouldn’t we make sure they know how offended we are? What if they don’t deserve forgiveness?

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. (Psalm 130:3-4 NIV)

When I read this verse, I feel so foolish hanging on to unforgiveness. Can you even imagine having to bear the weight of every sin we’ve ever committed?

Did Jesus die for everyone…except for that one person who drives us crazy?

Check out this next verse. I LOVE how it reads from The Message:

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. (Galatians 6:1,2)

Are we keeping a running-tally on anyone?

Has any bitterness taken root in our heart?

Don’t we want to be free of it, so we can lay claim to that abundant life we’re always hearing about?

Another equally dangerous list-making habit involves keeping track of our own offenses. You know, those dreaded regrets…I’ve done this, and I’ll always be defined by it. God could never use me because of my past…

So, what are we actually saying?

Lord, I really appreciate what you did on the cross and all, but it wasn’t quite enough to cover ____________ (you fill in the blank).

Satan loves to point fingers and to remind us of past mistakes. When he does, we need to remind him of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.

1 John 1:9 (ESV) reads, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we confess…He is faithful.

Once more—If we confess…He is faithful.

Getting back to Psalm 130, God wants to lift from our shoulders (and hearts), the weight of living with condemnation and regrets. But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

Freedom to serve the One who removes our chains—what a gift!

So the next time we feel offended, or we’re struggling under the weight of regret, let’s add a couple of names to a list that’s sure to shake the foundations of hell and cause our souls to soar:

A list of burdened hearts to take before the Throne of Grace.

How Do You Measure Up? Take the Quiz…

January 23, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / Leave a comment

As a teenager, I loved taking quizzes and working from a checklist. No, not the Math/English/Science variety. The good kind. You know, the ones designed to provide insight into your very soul.

Pouring over the latest teen magazines, I could feel my heart-rate increase as my friends and I would devour every page, knowing there would be at least one feature entitled, What Kind of Man Will You Marry? How Cool Will You Be in High School? Are You a Good Kisser? What is Your Body Type? What Type of Boyfriend is Best for You?

The kind that asked 10 simple questions, directed you to tally up your A’s, B’s, and C’s, then revealed—with incredible insight, I might add—everything a young seeking heart needed to know.

It was from this source of wisdom that I knew I would marry a dark-haired prince, have 6.7 children (whatever that means), and maintain a svelte size 6 for the duration of my life.

I did, indeed, marry a dark-haired prince. The others? Not so much.

As we grow older and wiser, and leave Teen Beat and Seventeen behind, it’s easy to continue having a checklist mentality. And if we’re talking about our schedules or a grocery list, then it’s all good. The problem comes when our quiz/checklist goes something like this:

I attend church at least three times a month…check
I had my devotional time this morning…check
I’ve memorized scripture this week…um, not quite
I gave an offering last Sunday…um, I will this week
I’ve cooked a meal for someone in need…groan…
I have prayed for the needs of others…yes!
I have visited someone in the nursing home or hospital…check
I have not gossiped this week…sigh.

SCORE:
8 Checks – Wow, I’m amazing…running on all cylinders and impressing God big-time. (Well, maybe next week…)
5-7 Checks – I’m getting there… No one’s perfect anyway (Said in a really whiny voice)
0-4 Checks – (This is my score again?!) God must be furious with me. I need to work harder to get back into His favor!

So, what’s the big deal? We’re busy caring for our families, working long hours, and staying active in church. And we’re placing as much energy as possible into pursuing that vague, elusive thing called happiness…because, well, that’s what we’re supposed to be about, right?

Sanctified, justified, gloriously happy Christians.

But sometimes, we cling to unhealthy habits at the expense of our inner spirit—that mysterious place that our Creator wants to nurture and grow in His likeness. Keeping a checklist for the purpose of pleasing God can be a suffocating habit. It’s also a huge soul-shrinker and can lead to lack of peace and frustration with what we’re told the Christ-like life should be.

When we live by a checklist (or by tallying a quiz), we reduce our lives to a works-based faith. We are trying to earn God’s pleasure…and it can be exhausting!

In the book, Restless, Jennie Allen writes, “Because of grace, we have nothing to prove.”

Oh, the truth of this!

In Ephesians 1:4-6 (The Message), we read, Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

We are bought with His blood on the cross. We belong to Him!

It’s all about that GRACE, ‘bout that Grace, no devil… (Sorry, that wasn’t original, saw it somewhere and it made me laugh)

GRACE–Undeserved, unmerited favor.

I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. Romans 8:39 (The Message)

When we grab hold of this—that nothing can separate us from the love of God—something amazing happens…

We experience a freedom like no other! We are then compelled to do some of the things on our lists because we love Him. Instead of serving to earn brownie points or to retain favor, we serve as an act of worship—to show our love and adoration to the One who made us. Service becomes relational—we’re on mission with God.

I want my children to call or visit me because they love me—not because they think I’m keeping a tally on them. And when they’re little, don’t we want those sweet chubby arms around us from the simple joy of baby-love, not from a sense of duty?

Would God want anything less?

So, let’s put the quizzes and checklists away (I’m pretty sure my dark-haired prince is from the Lord, anyway).

After all, it’s all about that GRACE. 🙂

I Resolve

January 3, 2015 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 1 Comment

Heart Undivided is kicking off the year (football on the brain) with a new look. I hope you like it! The first post of 2015 is a throw-back to life with little ones. Ah, the memories.

Future posts will focus on the top soul-shrinkers in our lives – how little habits can be stumbling blocks in our quest to experience the amazing abundant life that God desires for us. I look forward to exploring God’s Word together!

***********

It’s hard to believe, but we are standing on the threshold of a brand new year. Looking back, I can’t help but wonder, Where did last year go? With excitement and anticipation I draw a deep breath and boldly take a first step into the future. I don’t get very far, however, before I’m interrupted with that age-old, most irritating question:

So, what’s your New Year’s resolution?

Sigh.

Can’t I just be happy about a new year without having to resolve something? Okay, I’ll play along. I resolve. . .I resolve. . .I resolve to be more decisive. . .I guess. Well, I’ll try anyway. And I’ll clean out the refrigerator more often. Although personally, I think the moldy stuff in the back is very educational for the girls.

I’ll try to remember to open the damper before I build a fire. I promise never, ever again to accidentally wash my red sweatshirt along with everyone’s underwear. And I resolve most solemnly to never again use Roy’s pliers to nail something on the wall (unless I can’t find the hammer).

I’ll try not to use the ATM quite so often (unless I run out of checks). Oh, and I’ll do better about recording specific amounts in the check register. And I’ll definitely put a stop to my impulse buying—unless, of course it’s on sale, wherein I declare the previous resolution null and void.

Wow. That’s a lot of changes to make in one year. Maybe I should just concentrate on one or two. . .

Father,
I want to thank You for
the blessings of the past year.
You have been at work
in my life in countless ways.
I praise You for Your faithfulness
and especially for Your forgiveness.
As I begin a new year,
remind me to grow from
my mistakes and to give
every moment to You.

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. Isaiah 33:6

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night. Psalm 92:1-2

(From Time Out: A Quiet-time Devotional)

Remember the Child

December 2, 2014November 26, 2016 / Leigh Ann Thomas / 2 Comments

What is that sound?
Is it the sound of Christmas?

The ring of cash registers,
The grumbling of overworked, overtired parents.
Cries from children who can’t live without that certain toy…
What is that sound?
Shoppers scrambling for a shot at the best prices
At the best stores.
The seductive lure of advertisers
Blaring out from every radio and television.

The sights and sounds of Christmas…

If we look and listen a little more,
We can see cherub faces, pink from a recent scrubbing,
All lined up to represent characters in a story from long ago.
We can see a choir—rehearsed and dressed in matching apparel,
Singing about a child of lowly birth.
We see a room, alight with the glow of candles…
Inhale the scent of freshly baked goodies,
Delight in the laughter and love of family and friends.

But if our hunger for Christmas is real,
And our thirst for truth runs deep…
Perhaps we could look even closer,
And listen even harder…

Look beyond the gaudy neon signs and glaring lights.
Envision a night of exquisite beauty,
With the only source of light coming from a star-filled sky.
Listen…and hear the shallow breathing of shepherds and
The gentle bleating of sheep.
Feel the emotions of a new father and mother
As their eyes meet, and they silently rejoice in awe and wonder.
Behold the look of radiance on a virgin mother’s face
As she holds an infant soft in sleep.

Reach and touch newborn skin…
Feel the baby’s warm breath on your hand.
And as you touch,
Know that you are touching…
The Son of God.

Be careful…
Don’t lose the vision.
Open your heart and let this most holy of nights
Enter your soul and change you forever.
And when the world threatens to overwhelm you,
And you feel like you’re drowning in the season…

Remember the night…
Remember the sounds…
Remember the love…

Remember…the Child.

For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (HCSB)

For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (HCSB)

Have a wonderful Holy Season!

Joyfully,

Leigh Ann 🙂