Category: Laced With Grace

Memorial Day – A Day Of Remembrance. And Honor.

Posted on by Susan Panzica


Memorial Day isn’t about barbeques or three day weekends. It’s about remembering those who gave their lives in service to our country. It’s about sacrifice and honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.


As Christians, we can also remember those “who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.” Heb. 11:33-34

And, of course, the greatest sacrifice of all: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10

I’m so thankful for the soldiers who daily sacrifice their comfort and liberty so that we might live in ours, for those who face dangers so that we would be free from them, for those who lost their lives so that we might have ours.

And I live in praise of the One who gave Himself as a sacrifice, suffered death so that you and I might enter eternal life.   

And so we can do more than just remember the soldiers and the Savior.

We can honor those who sacrificed so we could live in freedom. We can:
  • Joining in suffering, like a good solider of Christ Jesus. 2 Tim. 2:3
  • Offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God –our true and proper worship. Rom. 12:1

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”John 3:16-17

What Is Faith?

Posted on by Susan Panzica


So often we are living in the aftermath of an event that left us full of tears. Now we’re in a dark time, experiencing the pain of suffering, despair, heartache.

Much like the disciples must have felt on the Saturday after the crucifixion.
They waited in their despondency, unaware of what was to happen the next morning; the joy of new life, resurrection, rising from the ashes of pain.
And that’s where faith grows.

In the dark, when we can’t see. The very definition of faith is “…the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Heb. 11:1



Faith isn’t wishful thinking, or hope without a solid foundation. It is comprised of two elements: truth and experience. And it must have both, or it isn’t true faith.
There are people who know  Scripture well, but have no experience or  relationship with its Author. Years ago, I worked with a brilliant guy, a certified Mensa genius. While he was in seminary, he memorized the entire Bible. Sadly, he also decided that he didn’t believe in God and so quit the seminary.
He had more knowledge of the truth than I ever hope to. Yet he had no experience or relationship with God, and so all his knowledge was in vain.
Then there are people who trust only in their experiences, but have no anchor of truth in the Word. Consequently they are tossed about with every wave of life. Their faith rests in their emotions and so they’re happy and trusting God when things are going well, but lose all hope when trouble strikes.
In the first episode of the TV series A.D., there is an excellent exchange between Mary, Jesus’ mother, and Mary Magdelene. After Mary tells Peter and the disciples, “Have you forgotten His prophecy? He promises to rise from death. Have you forgotten so quickly? CAN YOU NOT WAIT?,” she then left the room, and Mary Magdelene followed and asked her, “Are you sure He’s coming?”
“I know He is,” Mary replied.
“How can you be so sure?”
 “He raised others from death. This is what was prophesied, what He promised. Then why not Himself?”
Mary’s reply contains all the elements of faith:
Truth:  “what was prophesied, what He promised.”  
Experience: “He raised others from death.”
Faith: He’ll raise Himself.

Our faith grows and deepens in the dark when we stand on the truth of God’s Word lived out in our life experiences. 


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How Can I Know God’s Will?

Posted on by Susan Panzica


The question of the day – most every day – for those who desire to follow God. How can I know God’s will?  Choices are not always crystal clear no matter how strong our desire to follow God’s plan. The Apostle Paul provides a clue in two of the choices he made.  

In Acts 16, Paul planned to go east to Asia but sensed God saying not to. So he and his companions headed north, but that was a closed door too. Then that night, Paul had a vision of a man in Macedonia in Greece (due west), and concluded “that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.”
Making those choices eventually landed Paul and Silas in jail where they sang worship songs and prayed, survived an earthquake, led the jailer and his family to faith in Jesus, and founded the church at Philippi and others on their second missionary journey.  
Later, on his third journey, Paul planned to go to Rome. He was arrested and appeared before the Roman rulers and would have been set free except for his appeal to go to Rome. After several years, he finally set sail, still a prisoner in chains. A storm arose so fierce that the sailors were terrified, but Paul the prisoner reassured them, “But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. …For I believe God. It will be just as he said. ..”
On his second journey, Paul twice did an about-face changing the directions of his travels. But on his third journey, he was resolute to reach his destination of Rome despite storm, shipwreck, snakebite, and being a prisoner.
So here’s the question – how did he know? How did Paul know to give up his plans for Asia, yet never giving up on Rome despite serious setbacks?
What would I do?
Would I have been willing to quickly abandon my plans because a dream indicated to go another way or would I stubbornly set my jaw and press on against God’s will for what I think I want?
Would I be resolute to journey forth despite storm and hardship or would I give up under the strain thinking something so difficult couldn’t be of God?
Honestly, I can’t say. What I can conclude is this – I can’t rely just on circumstance or emotions.
When I first got involved in justice ministry, people flocked to me like the animals flocked to Noah – no knocking on doors or trying to persuade people to get on board. It seemed clear that God was orchestrating it all. But when people dropped out, I wondered if this was still God’s call for me. And He reminded me that Noah toiled for many years building the ark, and that’s part of His plan too.  
Paul didn’t make his decisions according to the emotions he felt on any given day.
He didn’t make a list of pros and cons reasoning out the best plan to follow.
He based his decisions on a lifelong sensitivity to God’s leading.
In prison, he worshipped and prayed. He didn’t decide to develop a prayer life when hardship hit. This godly behavior in tough times came from a life of prayer and worship in the ordinary times. <<click to tweet>>
Want to know God’s will in the difficult times? Get to know His will each day, whether there are big decisions to make or not. Spending time with Him in prayer and praise will increase sensitivity to the Spirit’s leading.  There’s simply no shortcut or substitute.


  Give thanks in all circumstances; 
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thess. 5:12
Do not conform to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is
His good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2

Hang In There!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Easter Sunday morning, there was still a little pile of snow tucked into the garden beside my driveway. The recent rain, wind and warmer weather washed away much of the snow; yet there still remained piles of graying white. For months they sat like giant beached whales. Mounds of snow, at the edges of fences, by the sides of highways, in corners of parking lots. For the entire winter, our lawns were cloaked in white.



Each of those snowflakes that fell en masse last January were so delicate, it’s amazing that they are still present in April. What can we learn from these fragile flakes that have such staying power?





1. They stick together.
Despite the fact that one person can make a difference – which I absolutely believe – it is also true that there is power in numbers.

We simply were not made to go it alone. God made us to be part of a body, His body. He made us for fellowship. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another. Heb 10:25 

God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness..” Gen 1:26 He is one God, but He is a plural God (like one family or one class or one snowstorm are singular, yet are plural.) He is in fellowship with Himself. We are made in His image, and therefore, we need to be in the fellowship of believers. We are made that way for a reason. We are stronger together than we are alone.

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Eccl. 4:12

2. They were pushed out of their comfort zone.
Oh, it’s so much easier to stay within our comfort zone, isn’t it? But those flakes that remained so comfortable out on the open lawn were the first ones to melt away. It was the plowed flakes, the ones that got pushed and shoved around that remained. If the snowflakes could speak, they would say that it sure didn’t feel good at the time. To the snowflake, the plow seemed brutal, a real bully. But it was precisely because it yielded to the plow that it survived.

When we don’t understand our circumstances or we have to change our status quo, we need to recognize that there is Someone greater than ourselves in control, Someone who has our best interests at heart.

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. Jer. 29:11

If you’ve been trying to go it alone or if you’ve been facing a difficult struggle, hang in there and be encouraged by remembering that frail snowflake that first arrived in January and is still hanging around in April.


Not So Great Expectations

Posted on by Susan Panzica
On Saturday, I heard barely a peep about the snow, just that 2-4 inches were expected. We got 12-14 inches.

But on Monday, the coming snow was all anyone could talk about on TV, radio, social media. Blizzard warnings and expectations of 18-24 inches, whirred people into a frenzy.

It turned out to be the storm that wasn’t. Oh we did get snow, about 8 inches in my area, but the storm stayed farther east than expected and hit areas farther north.

“Jan. 27, 2015 will go down in the annals of history as the day New Jersey came to a standstill for a blizzard in another state.” nj.com

Forecasters blamed it on “sinking air” and gushed apologies. “My deepest apologies to many key decision makers and so many members of the general public,” said Gary Szatkowski, meteorologist-in-charge … “You made a lot of tough decisions expecting us to get it right, and we didn’t. Once again, I’m sorry.”

From politicians to business owners to school superintendents to stay-at-home moms, we all made decisions based upon expectations: closing services and roads, early dismissals from schools and businesses, buying more groceries than we could consume in a month.

People complained when we were expecting snow.

Then they complained when we got less than expected.

What was it that fueled these complaints? Not the snow, but rather the expectations of it and their response to those expectations.

It’s not just about snowfalls. It’s about life.

Disappointment is a direct result of expectations that aren’t valid. <<Click to tweet>>



And when we place expectations on someone else’s performance, our disappointment stems from our error, not theirs. We expect those who serve in ministry to be perfect, yet they are as human as we are. We expect our loved ones to behave in the way that we want them to, sometimes even completely contrary to their nature. We want our husbands to purchase the perfect gift by reading our minds, supernaturally knowing our secret wish. Or perhaps we want him to say just the right thing, or pick up a dishtowel, or put the kids to bed. We want our children to never embarrass us by saying or doing the “wrong” thing. We want our relatives to gather together as warmly as an idyllic Hallmark Christmas special.

Through the marriage ministry at my church, learning what makes an expectation valid has changed my marriage, my relationships with others, my life. There are 4 criteria to make an expectation a valid one. Expectations must be:
  1. Conscious
  2. Realistic
  3. Spoken
  4. Agreed Upon
All these criteria are important. We need to be consciously aware that we have certain expectations. We need to speak and share them. They absolutely need to be realistic. And that  last one is key. I often think my expectations of others are realistic, but if the other person hasn’t agreed to it, it is not a valid expectation.

When I’m disappointed by myself or someone else, I either feel my blood start to boil with anger or I spiral downward into a depression. I’ve learned to stop and consider if my expectations were valid. Did they meet each of the criteria? Mostly, I evaluate: did the other person agree to what I expected of him/her?  Because if they didn’t, my expectation isn’t valid, and I’m the one who needs to change the situation.

Is there a disappointment with someone in your life today? Can you apply the criteria above to see if perhaps you are harboring an invalid expectation? And if so, allow God to release your disappointment and to restore your relationship. Share your expectation, and see if you can agree on a realistic solution. You’ll be glad you did!

As for the snow, well…. there’s isn’t much we can do about the weather.  And there are no agreements to be made. But we can choose our reaction, and enjoy it the best we can.

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Phil. 4:11-13

How Can This Be?

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Has a phone call or conversation ever delivered incomprehensible news and you wondered, “How can this be?” You’re not alone…




A devout priest, Zechariah was a descendent of Aaron. When his priestly division was on duty at the Temple in Jerusalem, he was chosen to enter the Holy Place. A religious man, schooled in the Scriptures, he was in a religious place where one would expect to encounter God.

Yet, when the angel appeared to him, standing beside the altar of incense, Zechariah startled, gripped in fear. Gabriel comforted Zechariah, telling him not to be afraid and providing the reason for his visit. He was delivering good news. Zechariah’s elderly wife, Elizabeth, would bear them a son. Not just any son, but a son to be named John, who would be filled with the Holy Spirit and would prepare the people for the Messiah who was also coming to the world.

When Zechariah heard Gabriel’s words, he questioned him. “How can this be?” as he and his wife were well along in years and therefore could not bear a child. Gabriel, discerning that Zechariah didn’t believe, condemned him to silence until the baby’s birth when Zechariah demonstrated obedience by naming him John.

Mary also had a visit from the angel Gabriel. She wasn’t near the temple, but in a lowly village in Galilee, called Nazareth. She wasn’t schooled in the Scriptures. She was a simple devout young woman engaged to be married.

Gabriel greeted her, stating that she was highly favored and the Lord was with her. Troubled at his words (but not at the sight of him), he told her not to be afraid of what would happen to her, that she would miraculously bear a child. Hearing his words, Mary asked, “How can this be?” as a virgin cannot bear a child. Gabriel, discerning that she didn’t understand, explained to her about the Holy Spirit coming upon her, affirming that “nothing is impossible with God.” Mary responded in faith, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”

Two appearances of the angel Gabriel
-One is the place of highest esteem, the Temple
-One in the lowest of villages (Can anything good come out of Nazareth? John 1:46)

Two expressing the same question, “How can this be?”
-One an unbelieving, though devout, old man
-One a believing, devout young woman

Two different responses by the angel to that same question
-One was rendered speechless for at least 9 months
-One was provided an answer to her question

So what can we glean from this?

Just because we are in a religious place doesn’t make us holy. You may have heard the saying, “Just because you are in McDonalds doesn’t make you a cheeseburger.” Despite Zechariah’s expectation of meeting with God in the Holy Place, he was shocked and terrified at seeing the angel. Mary, however, fully experienced the presence of God in the humblest of locations. Unlike real estate, when it comes to experiencing God, physical location seems to be of little consequence.

What is of great consequence is the state of our heart. We can live a life as “devout and blameless” as Zechariah and still miss God. While it is fitting to “study to show ourselves approved,” it can’t be just head-knowledge. The simple faith of a young virgin must inspire our desire to know Him, and to be willing to serve Him in whatever way He leads.

Fortunately, Zechariah’s song (Luke 1:67-79) makes it clear that he now possessed great understanding and belief in how his child would fulfill the Messianic prophesies. This encourages me to realize that even when I stumble, there always remains hope in the future to make it right.

In her song (Luke 1:46-55), Mary doesn’t appear to have the depth of comprehension that Zechariah had regarding the coming of the Messiah. What she does have is the simple understanding that she is blessed because He was “mindful of her, His servant.”

“Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” Luke 1:45

Do you believe that He will accomplish what He said? Then you are blessed!

Do you question God? That’s ok. Both Zechariah and Mary did.

When you ask the Lord “How can this be?.” do you struggle to ask with the heart of Mary, believing and trusting? Let’s talk about it.

Call It What It Is

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Last week, my family and I toured the High Line in NYC. It’s an old dilapidated elevated train that was to be torn down until a community group came to its rescue. It’s now an exquisite park with gorgeous foliage and sweeping views of New York City.


DSC05095
The most recently completed section, the north end, is starkly different from the rest of the park in that its restoration intentionally left what the park architects call a “self-seeded landscape.”
 weeds
When my husband saw the unkempt disarray, he joked, “That’s what we’ll call our backyard weeds now – our ‘self-seeded landscape.’”
But no matter what you call it, you can’t change the truth, and the raw truth here is that the “self-seeded landscape” is really just a mass of weeds.   

We tend to do that with our spiritual weeds too – our sins. It’s part of our culture:
  • Politicians don’t lie – they “mis-speak.”  
  • Pastors don’t commit adultery – they “display a lapse in judgment.”  
  • People don’t steal from the government – they “fudge” their taxes.  
  • Professionals don’t stab co-workers in the back – they utilize “career strategy” to get ahead.
People may claim they made a mistake, but a mistake and a sin aren’t the same thing. A mistake is accidental. Sin is intentional. To call sin a mistake is to minimize our responsibility.
As wives and moms, our tongues and our tempers may cause us to sin. Losing these may seem more like a mistake than an intentional transgression, but self-control is a fruit of the Spirit and when we lose it, we need to address what we’ve done for what it is and take appropriate action.
Jesus didn’t die for our mistakes. He died for our sins. <<click to tweet>> A huge price was paid, and we mustn’t ever minimize our sins. Instead, we’re called to acknowledge our behavior with biblical accuracy. Take personal responsibility, confess and repent, and when necessary seek forgiveness.
Of course, it’s best if we can avoid spiritual “weeds” in the first place. But if one of those “weeds” sprouts up, don’t admire it. It’s destructive and deadly.

Call sin what it is, and eradicate it!  





What if….

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Mark 10:21-22

“Follow Me.”

What if the rich young ruler made a different choice? What plans did Jesus have for him that he missed? 

Jesus offers us the same opportunity. 

To read more, join me over at Laced With Grace. 

Are You Waiting?

Posted on by Susan Panzica


“God’s Waiting Room.” I’ve heard the term, even said the term myself. It’s that period of time spent waiting for our life to begin anew. 
  • “When this happens, then I will…”
  • “When I get a job, get married, have a baby, then I will …”
  • “When the chemo is over, then I will…”
  • “When I discover my gifts, then I will…”
If you’re in that waiting room, join me over to Laced With Grace for a word of encouragement.

Holding Hands

Posted on by Susan Panzica
All day long, my husband the chiropractor, plays Simon Says with his patients. As they lie face down on the table, he’ll instruct them, “Put your left hand behind your lower back.” “Raise your right hand above your head.” And so on. Each of these tests indicates specific vertebrae in need of adjusting. 



When Jes was on the table, her little Eli sat nearby in his stroller. As she raised her hand above her head, Eli reached out to grab it. So precious!

And so telling of how we must respond when our Savior extends His hand to us.

To read how to walk hand in hand with God, click over to Laced With Grace. 

Can you feel the love? 

ps – as you read this, I’m in Italy with the family celebrating our kids’ college graduations. How fast the time goes! Would you keep us in prayer? And check my facebook page for pictures!!