Category: faith

HOPE… 40 Day Focus 2010 – Day 2

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Today a dear friend went home to be with our Lord. With amazing grace, Pat fought a lengthy battle against cancer and now stands in the presence of Jesus. He provided an example for us to follow in his strong faith and unfailing hope. And now he has finished the race and is experiencing the victory that we all hope to have one day.

When my friend lost her firefighter husband on 9/11, she received stacks of mail from NYC advising her on ways to cope. Ann searched the Scriptures to see what God said about coping, and she found nothing. What she did find was HOPE – the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time… Titus 1:2


We can have hope because God sent His Son to secure our eternity. He didn’t send a politician, a professor, or a preacher. He sent a baby, God incarnate. The angel declared, “I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.” Fully God and fully man, the real good news is that Jesus came not to live, but to die. His sacrifice is the reason for the hope within us.

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us.” Heb. 6:19

Would you pray for Pat’s wife and family and for our church family? I know that over during the holidays, it is especially difficult for those who have lost loved ones. May we keep our focus on the One who bore our griefs and our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4), the One who was born to die (Mk 10:45), the One who plans to give us hope and a future (Jer. 29:11).

 

It’s Out Of My Hands And Into Yours

Posted on by Susan Panzica
          11:00 pm-     A huge disappointment
          12:00 am-     “why? really, why?”
           1:06 am –     “It’s out of my hands and into Yours”

It’s out of my hands and into Yours
I’m beaten down and don’t feel secure
The heart of the matter is, it’s broken in two
But I know it’s not me that can make it brand new

Expectations shattered 
My mind is battered
The loss of something
The loss of someone
The loss that I am completely undone

I wanted something I couldn’t have
Then why did I want it, I wanted so bad
I am centered around me and not around You
I know this is wrong and it just won’t do
You’re in my life, all around, everywhere
But I just want to feel you right next to me and stay there

You’re all I need
You’re in between
You’re every good thing in my life
You’re love never fails
Even when others bail
You’re love it compels my life

Why do I want unnecessary things
And focus on the short-lived things?

You’re everlasting
All encompassing
And took on pain that I will never receive
You gave ME new life
And endured the strife
How ungrateful and selfish I have been

It’s out of my hands and into Yours
It’s out of my hands and into Yours

Who ever said Your will means pleasure?
I may have gotten hurt, but now I am stronger
If strength is Your will, then God I’m getting it
I’m letting it
I’m not regretting it

It’s out of my hands, God help me endure
It’s out of my hands and into Yours

          by Lauren Panzica
          Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 1:06am


When we hold tightly to our broken dreams, He can’t mend them. But when we release our disappointments to God, we give Him permission to work in our lives. 

The editor in me spotted two beautiful little typos in Lauren’s poem:
          “You’re love never fails…” 
          “You’re love it compels my life…”  
Technically, she meant to write “Your love…” but I also like it this way, telling God “You Are Love… You never fail… You compel my life.” 
When we fix our gaze on Him, we shift our focus in life from the temporal to the eternal.  It’s a choice, an action, to redirect our attentions and put things in proper perspective.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Cor. 4:18  

btw- the Greek word for poem “poema” is translated “masterpiece.” Bravo, Lauren!

.

A Storm In Little Valley

Posted on by Susan Panzica
My sweet friend, Lynn Mosher from Heading Home, wrote this beautiful post and has allowed me to share it with you. Enjoy!

Little Valley lived among the verdant hills that stood tall and proud. Each tree, each flower on the hills stretched out in service for its created purpose. A true testament to their Creator.


Although delicate wildflowers and sweet-smelling honeysuckle adorned Little Valley, the artistry of the hills intimidated her. She compared herself to the regal hills and thought poorly of herself, “What am I amongst these majestic hills of the Creator? Nothing but weeds and stones cover my terrain. I have no beauty with which to serve and magnify My Maker.”


One day, dark billowing clouds as black chariots of doom gathered across the sky. On the hills, the flowers closed their petals, the trees folded their leaves in terror. The sun disappeared, leaving no ray of its existence upon anything.


Little Valley shivered in the foreboding gloom and swirling winds, as the calamity wrapped itself around her shoulders as a sinister black cloak.


The hills trembled under the mighty power of the tempest as its violence ripped at its beauty. The proud hills crumbled under the oppressive weight.


The silence of the hills contrasted with Little Valley’s bemoaning of her situation. The storm struck at her heart, leaving a gaping hole in her landscape. The birds disappeared; their songs of praise gone with them. And all the other valley creatures departed for homes unknown. She cried great tears of grief for her loss.


In her mourning, she cried out to her Creator. “Save me, Master. I’ve been torn asunder. All is lost.”


Whispering back, He answered, “My sweet field of pleasure, My Little Valley, nothing strikes at your heart except it is sifted through My loving fingers. You do not see now but you will see later the beauty born of suffering. You will bring great glory to Me. Do not compare yourself with others. Trust in My Word. Trust in My promises.”

Little Valley sighed and rested in the knowledge that the Master Creator knew best.

Though they eventually ceased, the tears Little Valley shed filled the gaping hole and a beautiful pool of water emerged. The calm waters belied the rugged rocks lining its depths.

Water lilies began to appear on the pond’s surface. A profusion of multi-colored blossoms poked their heads up around the water’s edge. The grass grew the most beautiful shade of green and flourished everywhere. The birds returned to nest in newly formed trees.

Little Valley reveled in the results as she blossomed with new strength and beauty, born out of the suffering as the promise of the Lord. For the rest of her days, she knew she would serve her Master and bring glory to Him.

Though God has gifted you and set a purpose for your life, do you feel unworthy, untalented, or lacking in some area to serve Him because you compare yourself with others?


Just as the hills and valleys each have their own beauty and their own purpose, so does each child of God. Each of us serves to glorify the Lord in our own capacity, which is honoring to Him and beneficial to others. Whether you minister to large numbers or you minister to your next door neighbor, it is all serving the Lord. No one ministry is greater than another.

You are worthy to serve because Christ lives within you, so “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him,” (Col. 3:17 NIV) as “though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Col. 3:23 NLT)


I pray you know this…“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” (Zeph. 3:17 NLT)

Many thanks, Lynn, for illustrating so beautifully why God allows valley experiences in our lives. Though Psalm 23 is often read at funerals, the truth is that it is meant for the living. He walks with us through the valley, and not just through the “valley of the shadow of death,” but every valley, every day. Thank you Lord, that we never need to fear for You are with us (Ps. 23:4)

Storm Shelter

Posted on by Susan Panzica
As I sit and write, my sweet pup, Roxie, is sitting at my feet looking up every few minutes to reassure herself that I am, in fact, right where I was those few minutes ago. She has trailed me from room to room, observing my laundry skills, lunch-making prowess and cleanup expertise. Usually, she parks herself anywhere comfy, but today, she is hovering at my feet. If my fingers stop clicking on the keyboard, she looks at me as if to say “where are we going now?”

I was wondering about this intense devotion today when thunder boomed outside. Terrified, Roxie trembled. Aha! Her fear of the storm kept her close to her master.

You know what’s coming next, don’t you!


When confident in her own strength, she’ll rest in any old spot, but when the storm comes, she needs to be in the presence of her master, and so do I. Yes indeed. God uses the storms of life to draw us to Himself, our Master. When circumstances crowd in or fears rise up, we cry to the Lord in struggle. The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Ps. 9:9

And here’s a little secret. Truth be told, I kinda like having her so near and dependent upon me for her strength. I don’t want to sound like I enjoy my pup’s suffering. Not at all. But on most days, she’ll rarely sit still for long. She’ll snuggle for just a minute or two before she’s off again meandering from room to room, from inside to outside and back in again. Yet it’s in the storm that she recognizes her need and seeks solace in my presence, allowing me to comfort her. Too often, I am meandering as well, flitting from one task to another, consumed by my activity and, in my distraction, missing the presence of the Lord.


The Lord doesn’t enjoy our suffering any more than we do, but He does promise that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). And so perhaps He does enjoy having us so close despite our trembling, renewing our strength in His presence.


I read somewhere that nothing improves your prayer life better than big trouble. There is value in the storm. It builds our faith, and it develops perseverance, maturity and wisdom (James 1:1-5). I only wish I didn’t wait for that big trouble before crying out to the Lord. I wish I was more faithful in the daily little troubles that I tend to tackle in my own strength rather than His. I want to be like a synchronized swimmer, every move I make in perfect harmony with Him.


How about you? Do you allow the storms to build your faith? And what about the peaceful times? Are you able to seek Him in the uneventful moments? He’s waiting for you…

So Lord, where are we going now?

But here’s the good news…

Posted on by Susan Panzica
My dear friend, Diane, is going through multiple trials; more than one person ever needs to go through. Her mom, husband, brother and son all have relentless medical issues, and she is overcoming recent severe neck and shoulder pain.  

She might not think so, but even though clearly distressed, she is radiant. Yesterday, while sharing with me her current dilemma, she added, “But here’s the good news… I’m growing in faith, …”

Though going through unimaginable heartache, she was able to see the “good news.”  Then when writing this post, I came across these words of wisdom shared by another friend, Penny Musco –

  • The apostle Paul was someone who knew all about danger. He had several adventures, scrapes and near escapes – blindness, persecution, stoning, arrest and beatings, death threats, shipwreck — even a snake bite! Sometimes, though, I have a hard time with Paul’s conclusion in 2 Cor. 4:8-9: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…” But I have felt crushed, despairing, forsaken or destroyed, I argue. And that’s my problem in a nutshell: I may be afflicted, perplexed, persecuted and struck down, but my feelings aren’t in charge—God is. And if He says He won’t let things get to the point of no return, then I’ve got to trust Him to work it out. And that’s just what Paul concludes too: his sufferings were “in order that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God” (2 Cor. 1:9). So simple… yet so hard to do!



When we are in the crucible of pain, He is suffering, too. We know “He was a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” (Is 53:3). And we know that “He bore our sins” (1 Pet. 2:24). But so often we forget, at least I do, that He not only bore our sins, but He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows as well:

Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried…
Isaiah 53:4





To know that we are not alone in the struggle is good news indeed. Like Paul, I eagerly “want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection”. Yet, do I also want the “fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.”? (Phil 3:20)
To be honest, not so much. Yet, it’s two sides of the same coin, and there are hidden benefits to the suffering. Our faith grows strong in the rich soil moistened by our tears. Our countenance begins to reflect Him more as He inhabits us more. And therefore, we can conclude:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8:28, 37-39









Are you struggling today, my friend? Can I pray for you? Please leave your prayer request in the comments or email me.
And would you pray for another friend of mine, Pam, who is in now critical condition having contracted malaria while on a mission trip to Uganda? My daughter is scheduled to lead a youth mission trip to Uganda in July. Please pray for her and the other workers for Touch the World Uganda. Thank you.






A Rock With A View

Posted on by Susan Panzica
This week, my hubby and I went hiking with 2 dear friends at a fabulous place in the lower Catskill mountains, Mohonk Mountain House. It’s one of the places that you really have to see to believe, a pristine lake atop a mountain surrounded by hundreds of acres of hiking trails.

 this is the view we saw from SkyTop

Tony and Alan hiked the difficult path through the Labyrinth, Lemon Squeeze and the Crevice to reach Sky Top.

Dawn and I took a steep, but easier walking trail to the summit leaving us time to rest a bit along the cliff edge. Dawn was enthralled with the view, especially when she saw a hawk below her. “I’ve never seen a hawk from above before!”

Up on a pinnacle, we were given a tiny glimpse of what God sees all the time. From our normal vantage point, all we can see is the hawk’s underbelly. Our point of view is so limited, but God’s view from above is all-encompassing.

When we struggle to understand, it’s because we can only see what’s right around us. We are unable to see the bigger picture. When the ark finally rested on the mountains at Ararat, water still surrounded Noah and his loved ones. It was months before the water decreased and the mountaintops were visible, and weeks after that when Noah first sent out a raven, then a dove, to see if the water had receeded. Even after the dove returned with olive leaf proof, Noah waited. Even after he saw the dry surface of the ground with his own eyes, he waited. A month later, not just the surface, but the whole earth was dry, yet Noah waited. He waited to leave the ark until he heard from God.

When Tony & Alan scrambled through the crevice, they couldn’t see the summit. At times, they couldn’t see where to take the next step. But they had a trail map to guide them. When we are ark-bound, unable to see beyond our immediate circumstances, it may seem that there is no hope, no sure footing to stand on. But God’s promises are as sure a foundation as there is. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Ps. 18:2. 

Mohonk’s gift shop sells a book, “A Rock With A View.” Surely, our Lord Himself is a Rock with a view.

How is your view today, my friend? Are you limited in what you can see? Can you trust that He who keeps the planets in motion keeps you in the palm of His hand?
                                                                                                                    

Twitter Faith

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
Last year, I got to observe first hand birds building a nest. From building the nest, to nuturing the babes, to the miracle of flight, I witnessed it all, right through my window on the world – my front door.
This year, the birds have decided to set up camp someplace else. Not that I’ve seen them. Nope, haven’t seen a thing. Wouldn’t even know they’re around. Except for one thing. I hear them. The tweeting, the cooing, the fluttering. Only this time, it’s behind a wall inside a chimney.

How do I know what they’re doing if I can’t see them?

Based on prior experience, I know. I don’t need to see them to know what they’re doing this year because of my experience last year. I have faith that what I’m hearing is what I’ve seen before.


God defines faith as substance of things hoped for, things NOT seen. But faith is not blind. It’s based upon evidence.

  • We have previous, personal experiences where God revealed Himself to us. He gave us hope in dire times, peace in troublesome times, love in lonely times.

  • We have the eye witness testimony of our friends, loved ones, fellow believers who have encountered His presence, provision, protection. 

  • Even with no prior experience, we can have faith based on the accounts of the saints (Hebrews 11) and others, and Jesus Himself speaks to us, encouraging us to “Remember the words I spoke to you…” John 15:20

The word “remember” appears 233 times in the Bible. Even though there are things that God forgets (thankfully!), we are instructed to remember the times that He was faithful to us and base our faith on His faithfulness. Repeatedly, we’re told He will never leave us or forsake us.

When we can’t see through the fog, we can believe the road is still there.
When we can’t see past the stones bombarding us, we can rely on the One who is the solid Rock.
When we can’t see what the future holds, we can trust the One who holds the future.

I’m not the only one who has faith that the birds, though unseen, are there, building away. My dog can’t see the birds, but she sure can hear them. Between the cooing, the fluttering, the tweeting, and the barking, it is a veritable cacophony of sounds, an orchestra from God.

Faith is the bird that sings when the dawn is still dark.


Beloved, is it dark where you are today?
Can you trust that He will bring you the dawn?

In The Middle

Posted on by Susan Panzica
originally posted 4/11/2009

Today we are in the middle.

Yesterday was Good Friday –
the pain of suffering,
despair, heartache,
the event that left us full of tears
Tomorrow is Easter –
the joy of new life,
resurrection,
rising from the ashes of pain

Today we are just in the middle-
the preparing for tomorrow’s feast,
tomorrow’s worship,
tomorrow’s new garments

Do you ever feel – in the middle? Having experienced tragedy or loss, but still waiting for the future hope and peace that is promised? We must wait, but not as those with no hope. It was while Jesus was waiting that He set the captives free.


When I was in Israel, one of the most powerful moments for me was at the Garden Tomb. I entered the empty tomb, and after my eyes adjusted to the darkness saw the white garments folded on the stone bench. When I turned to exit the tomb and enter the light, there was a sign that read:

“He is not here;
He has risen,
just as He said.”
Matt. 28:6

Seeing those words in that place was a powerful reminder that He has risen – JUST AS HE SAID! What else did He say?

We have been healed:
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”-1 Peter 2:24


We have a future:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

So we must:
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” – Titus 1:2
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:2-3

Today, while still in the middle, this is my prayer for you:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13

May you have a most blessed Resurrection Day! May you rejoice with Him who rose from the dead to give you eternal life, who endured the darkness to bring us with Him into the light. And may you be preparing for the ultimate feast, worship and garments yet to come!!

Healing Faith

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Our adult Sunday School class has been studying the Book of Acts, a book I never tire of studying. It is an AMAZING book, rich with drama, history, action as well as theology, preaching and doctrine. Sometimes it’s hard to move along because there is so much to be gleaned. Today’s discussion got hooked on one short verse. 

In Acts 14:8-10, Luke shares the story of Paul’s entrance to Lystra:
In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

Our discussion centered on part of verse 9 – Paul looked at the lame man and “saw that he had faith to be healed.” What exactly does that mean? What kind of faith is the faith to be healed? Is it different from other faith? Was it Paul’s “spiritual eyes” that saw the man’s faith? Did the man himself know he had the faith? If he had faith, why wasn’t he healed already? Why are some of God’s faithful healed physically and some are not? 

What about our friends and loved ones? Some were healed, some were not. Some were sitting in our class. Some went home to the Lord years ago. Should we pray for healing? Should we pray for God’s will? Should we pray at all?

Interestingly, none of the study notes or commentaries addressed this particular part of the verse.  Our hour-long discussion is too much to be posted here, of course, but let me just say this: God is God. We are not. He is trustworthy, and we need to keep our eyes squarely on Him and view life – the good, the bad and the ugly – through His lens. We pray simply because He instructs us to do so. As a mom, I want my children to come to me with every concern, and how much more does our heavenly Father. Also, prayer is not about getting things or even getting answers. Prayer aligns our desires with His. As we pray and have two-way conversations with God, our spirit has fellowship with the Spirit, and we are changed by it.

Paul was used by God to bring about healing of this lame man. Yet Paul also asked the Lord three times for his own “thorn in the flesh” to be removed, and God’s answer was “My grace is sufficient for you.” The Susanpanzica translation: “Stop looking at your thorn and start looking at Me. I’m all you need.” See my post on that here.

After church, I came across this video in my inbox. It puts many of today’s questions in proper perspective.

My dad is battling stage 4 prostate cancer with a new chemo regimen started this week.
Kelly, a sweet friend of our family, will have surgery on Tuesday to remove a tumor on her pituitary invading her brain. She’s in 10th grade.
You all have a story to tell as well. Would you pray for these requests, and let me know your requests so that I can pray for you?
Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray.
Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.
Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 
Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
James 5:13-16

What do you ask God for?

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Last Sunday, on the radio as I was driving to church, I heard Pastor Rob Cruver encourage his congregation to pray – not for God’s power or for God to do something, but just to pray for His presence.



Those words changed me, changed my prayer perspective. I know that God says to ask, knock, and seek, but what is it that we are asking, knocking, and seeking for? If we ask and seek for His presence, all other matters will fall into proper perspective. We’ll have His peace, even if in a storm. We’ll have His wisdom, even if in a time of indecision. His presence will put to rest our questions, doubts, fears. It will dissipate our anger, resentment, frustration.

Before we make our confessions (looking at ourselves) or our supplications (requests for others or ourselves), let’s pursue His presence. Then our prayers will align with His will, and we’ll be asking, knocking, and seeking after what He desires for us.

Before we make our plans, let’s seek His presence that we will only do as He directs.

Before we set our feet to the floor in the  morning, may we breathe in His presence that we will walk in agreement with Him like synchronized swimmers. Like a dancer following His lead, every movement choreographed according to His design. May our voices speak in perfect harmony with His. May we not move if His Presence does not go with us:

The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. Ex. 33:14-15

Thank you Lord, for sharing Your presence with us. May we relish it afresh every day, every moment.  
Susan