Author: amy

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Laughing in the Rain

1 Peter 1:20–21 (ESV)—[Christ] was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

I can personally attest, Athenian sidewalks enjoy tripping tourists. Marble pedestrian concourses laugh as sandal-wearing tourists pitch forward. Tile sidewalks buckle for the thrill of watching visitors stub their toes. Even better, cobbled walkways dole out laughter:

The rain began while my husband and I left the jazz club to search for gelato. We stepped with care, reaching the slightest decline in elevation. My husband slipped, arms flailing, but stayed upright. I laughed, of course, and slowed my pace…only to lose my foothold and land on my butt.

Like the sidewalks of Athens, God’s path include trials that pitch us into harmful circumstances or cause us a world of pain. Peter’s message to “elect” followers of Jesus told much the same story, with an added bonus: faith has an inexplicable power to produce laughter in the rain.

Such a foothold of faith induces rejoicing that aids us in harmful circumstances. This allows God’s abundant peace and grace to flow through us, and through these he supports us.

Indeed, our faith in him allows us to stand even when we fall on our butts. In fact, when butts hit the ground, our response of laughing in the rain cements our faith and strengthens our hope in the living God.

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Aligning Our Expectations

In the foreground old wooden boat in on top a white-washed building. In the background, white-washed building stretching to the edge of a cliff, the town of Oia on the island of Santorini, Greece. 
Romans 8:18 (ESV)—For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

When telling family and friends of my trip to Greece, I heard widespread appeal for travel companions: “Can I be your assistant?” “Do you need a bodyguard?” and “Can I travel along in your carry on?”

These responses made me wonder, what draws people to this place? Is it the travel magazines showing white-washed buildings perched on cliffs or the travel films boasting of ancient ruins? Does the Mediterranean diet attract the droves of tourists?

I think, yes, these do play a role. Yet I also see their part in building expectations, enticing us with a taste of what’s possible . . . a possibility that may let us down (say, when we realize the metro doesn’t run super early in the morning and we need another mode of transportation to the airport).

However, not all expectations disappoint, according to the Apostle Paul. He preached to the Romans of the expectation of meeting Christ in his Kingdom one day. When he noted God’s promise to free creation from the bondage of sin as a reward for their faith, he encouraged expectations aligned with God’s plan.

As such, Paul’s message suggests expectations play a role in our life. Our earthly expectations pull us back from seeking God’s promises, whereas our heavenly expectations draw us closer to aligning our plan with God’s.

Though we may suffer today, the future holds hope, a hope that seeks God’s inheritance rather than despair, a hope that seeks God’s guidance rather than stagnation. With the knowledge of God’s promise of a future free of sin, we can align our expectations with his plan. Drawing on hope puts our hardships into the perspective of Apostle Paul’s: “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:19, ESV).

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Committing All to God

Roseate spoonbill flying above a marsh. The photo is blurry.
Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)—The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Standing on top of an observation deck overlooking the wetlands on Fort George Island, I spied a roseate spoonbill. My second sighting ever of this beautiful bird. Though my feathered friend sat far away, I lifted my camera, zoomed in, focused manually, and snapped away happily.

Then the spoonbill took flight.

In haste, I zipped the camera in its direction and snapped with haphazard grace, not changing a single setting to meet the demands of the photo. My hands snapped into motion before my mind did.

Later, while examining the photo, I zoomed in on the spoonbill. Nothing but a blur—distinctly a flying bird, but with a lack of detail that I could’ve captured if I’d slowed down and changed a few camera settings.

The same is true for the plans of man. We plan to our heart’s content and snap into action to satisfy our desires, and we later realize our settings were not set to God’s. The details are a blur that could’ve been avoided if we’d obeyed.

Fortunately, God cares about our heart’s desires. Proverbs 16:3 entreats us to commit all we do to the Lord. When we do this, we can trust our next steps will come into crisp, clear focus in God’s timing.

Truly, our plan begins with connecting our lens of faith to God’s camera body and continues with obeying. With God, our ideas take flight in every step from concept to final result.

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Learning From Rejections

One of the best rejections I’ve ever received is, “Your piece made it to the penultimate round. Unfortunately, we will not be publishing it.”

Sadly, not all rejections offer a touch of encouragement, but I believe we can learn from them anyway. For instance, rejections teach us the humility to lean into our critique groupers’ suggestions, rewriting a rejected piece provides a lesson in perseverance, and praying for our writing helps us to rely on God’s plan.

For each lesson learned, we can lean into God’s plan with an attitude that marks us as writers who follow God. Yes, when someone declines our precious words, we feel the sting. Nevertheless, every turned-down piece helps us to grow both as writers and as God’s people.

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Moving With God’s Tide

Acts 17:4 (ESV)—And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

I walked along the Amelia Island beach on a mission. Head down, I scanned the dense shell beds for the familiar glint of black. The tide rolled past my feet, shifting the shells like beads in a rain stick.

Nothing yet. I nudged a jumble of coquina with my toe, searching. Again, saltwater raked the shell bed. As the shells moved, a glisten caught my eye, shiny and black.

I stopped walking and bent down to examine the sharp point. I snatched it from the surf.

I’d found it: a shark’s tooth.

Like my mission, Paul’s required steadfast dedication (though his was definitely more important!). In Acts 17, he rolled with the tide of questions and disturbances, moving in and out of cities for his safety. All the while, he spread the gospel of salvation, with the mission to bring others to Christ. His persistent seeking of people to teach God’s message of salvation succeeded.

Like Paul’s, our persistence in moving with God’s tide allows for greater possibility of people finding Jesus. Through God’s guidance and protection, we can remain devoted to our mission for Christ. What’s more, we will see God’s work on earth succeed.

For certain, our commitment to revealing God’s Truth pays off: Lost souls come to know the gospel and accept Jesus as their Savior.

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Plunging Into Faith

A woman wearing goggles underwater with her cheeks puffed out
Mark 5:28 (ESV)—For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”

It defies all logic that I love snorkeling. (1) I’m more like a sinking ship than a playful seal when in the water, and (2) my mind thinks breathing underwater an impossible feat (and rightly so)…thus, I cannot breathe through the snorkel.

To conquer this plague of the snorkel, I first death-grip a boogie board to float on the water and then I breathe in, hold my breath, and plunge my face into the water. Over and over again. Much like the woman with twelve years’ bleeding, who breathed in and held her breath repeatedly, hoping for healing every time she visited a doctor, only to still struggle.

Her healing came when, with faith, she plunged into the crowd, despite her ceremonial uncleanness. Believing the reports of Jesus’ healing power, she touched Jesus’ cloak, and when Jesus asked “Who touched my garment?” she came forward, trembling, and told him the whole “unclean” truth.

Like this woman’s, our plunge of faith allows us to breathe through the Holy Spirit. Without him, we can only hold our breath and hope. With him, we’re free to swim underwater without fear of choking or worse.

Truly, submerging our life in faith saves us from drowning in the disappointment of over and over again.

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Choosing Faith Without Hesitating

Cats of different colors, eating food off concrete in an open outdoor space.
Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV)—Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

“Come; don’t be scared.” I spoke in a gentle tone to the black-and-white cat hunkered behind a car tire. “I just want to love on you.”

I held out my fingers for a sniff but received only a head tilt from the Puerto Rican feline. Next, I danced my fingers along the sidewalk. Its eyes followed and tail swished. Still, it remained partially hidden, unsure of the human.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been hesitant like this cat. In my prayer life, I’ve held back requests because mine seem to pale in comparison to others’ or seem to be too personal to share. I’ve even felt disinclined to pray for myself. I’ve been timid and reticent…yet curious like this cat. What would’ve happened if I shared my prayer requests instead of holding them inside, if I’d let faith lead instead of doubt? The answer: “far more…than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

Sadly, hesitation separates us from God. It says we’re unsure of him. The good news is, God doesn’t want to keep us at arm’s length. He desires to draw us near to him and to reveal his power: to heal the sick, to comfort prisoners, to bless the weary, to bring joy to the hurt.

To know God better, we can dig deeper into our curiosity and step toward him. We can pray, worship, study the Word, love each other, and confess our sins. Choosing faith without hesitating, we allow him to love on us sooner and we walk the path of delighting in his ways.

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Boasting in Weakness

A color drawing of a cross on green hills and a sky of golden yellow clouds. The text reads: I boast in my weakness because I believe God's grace is sufficient. 2 Cor. 12:9. #writingaffirmation amydagit.com
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)—But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Do you ever feel awkward sharing your writing with others? I sure do. Especially when I write devotionals and share intimate moments of my life, that is, those occasions when I display weakness.

After reading this verse, though, I feel better about sharing. When I write and share about my weaknesses, I am boasting in God’s power and the effect it’s had on my life. Moreover, through examples of my weaknesses, God can strengthen the faith of others and draw them nearer to him.

Think about his power the next time you’re biting your lip, wondering if you want to share a personal moment with an audience. Whose life might he change by drawing upon your weakness to perform his work? Indeed, by his grace, our weakness is powerful.

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Trusting in the Fabric of His Plan

Exodus 15:20 (ESV)—Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing.

Throughout San Juan, music flows through the doors of restaurants and bars. Music pours from speakers the residents carry.

At one point, while I sat with my husband at an outdoor tea and coffee kiosk, one customer’s speaker played soft guitar strains and Latin beats flowed from another’s. And after visiting for a few days, I realized that music blending together in the streets is part of the island’s fabric of the life.

In several parts of the Bible, dancing due to victories over enemies is part of the fabric of life. Take, for example, the prophet Miriam’s song and dance in Exodus 15:20: “Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing.”

However, as charming as this scene is, her dancing didn’t come immediately. First, she had to learn to trust God with her troubles. For instance, Miriam learned the hard way that God appointed his servant Moses. Her attempt at gaining more power ended in leprosy and seven days of banishment from the Israelite camp (Numbers 12).

Better the former than the latter, right? Well, we can’t have one without the other.

Our relationship with him involves both troubles in our lives and trust in his blend of music for our lives. His love for us comes in comfort and peace during trials. It comes in the form of encouragement from family and friends. For these situations, we can still worship by bowing down in humility to the One who has designed for us a plan.

Indeed, not every situation is going to make us want to dance. But some are, and for these, God deserves our raised hands, our songs of praise, our bodies swaying to the fabric of his plan.