Book Announcement

 

Announcing Pre-release Sales of My New Book
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Where Is Your Garden?

Recently my dad bought back a house he used to own. In fact he built the house back in the 1980s. He had sold the house in order to build a larger house and always regretted letting it go. So when the house came on the market again he grabbed it.

The house is unusual, to say the least, because it is built around an indoor garden. In the center of the garden stands a fountain recycling bubbling water, and all the rooms of the house open onto the garden. Above the garden imbedded in the ceiling sit eight skylights. Natural light pours in on the lush plants and greenery on sunny days, and they flourish as if they were growing outdoors.

My dad loves beautiful landscaping and especially fountains and waterfalls. As a result for many years he worked in the landscaping business. He always loves a swimming pool in his yard and has built more outdoor water features than I can name.

By watching him through the years I have contemplated mankind and his relationship to nature. I know several people, including my husband, who find God most available to them in nature. It seems that only when they escape the hustle and bustle of the city can they slow down long enough to totally rest in the presence of God. They see God’s handiwork in trees, streams, and wildlife. Gazing at the sky either night or day carries them to heights of contemplation they never otherwise reach.

I am not one of those people but I do understand what they mean when they talk about meeting God outdoors. In fact I believe that God meant for us to be outdoors. More specifically I believe God meant for us to live in a Garden. Genesis 2:8 says, “And the Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.” Therefore the Garden was man’s place. And God provided for him there. God says in verses 1:30-31, “I have given every green plant for food” and it was so. “And God saw all that He had made and behold, it was very good.” In the Garden man had everything he needed.

Sadly we know what happened. Man messed up and was ejected from the Garden. However, I believe man still has a seed of knowing in him that remembers where he belongs. Because he knows he belongs in the Garden, he continually longs for and looks for a way back to the Garden. Whether you search for and find the perfect backyard or you, like my dad, plant a garden inside your house, there is a deep-seated longing to make a bit of Garden in your life. Size doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to gardens. It could be an acre of land you have to mow with a tractor or it could be a window box planted with herbs hanging in your apartment kitchen. There is something about a garden that calls our names.

If you feel discontented. If you know there’s something missing. If you feel uneasy in your spirit, buy a piece of earth, no matter how large or how small and get your hands in it. Plant something beautiful. Water it with love. Anticipate new growth. Celebrate the harvest…the fruit of your labor. Find peace in knowing that you are on your way to where you belong…in the Garden where God first placed mankind. Then expect God to show up…walking in the garden in the cool of the day. (Gen 3:8)

Copyright 2012 Gloria Fisher.
All rights reserved.

Being Like Jesus

            Have you ever thought about being like Jesus? I have. When I think of it, two thoughts come to mind. One: what does it really mean to be like Jesus? Two: Do I really want to be like Him?

            I have asked myself: does being like Jesus mean that we should all teach, preach, and heal? Probably. But perhaps that is what He did and not who He was. Does it mean that we should love everyone, witness to sinners, or confront authorities in the church? Yes, all of that and more.

            But to me, being like Jesus has little to do with any of those things. To me it means being my authentic self and fulfilling my purpose and my destiny. In taking a closer look at Jesus in order to conform to His image, we see that He was a person who knew who He was. He wasn’t still questioning His thoughts and actions. His values, purpose, and destiny were already decided and set by the age of 30. Those questions had long been settled in His mind. He was who He was. He knew it. He accepted it.

            From the beginning of his ministry He knew what He was sent to do, and Who sent Him (John 6:38). He was so authentic in who He was He stood up in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth and announced it boldly (Luke 4:16). Did He care what people thought? I doubt it. He knew those people, and their reaction of rage was probably not a surprise to Him. (Luke 4:28).The gospel of John tells us who Jesus knew Himself to be. He said, “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35). He said, “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12) He said, “I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7)  And he said, “I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:10) He also knew His destiny which He told his closest friends (Luke 18:31-33). If we are to be like Jesus, we need to know who we are. And be confident enough to be our authentic selves and not worry what other people think. Something not easy to do.

            If we truly want to be like Jesus, we must know our values, our principles, our priorities. Those decisions should be made and settled once and for all. Continuing to question those decisions, fragments us in our minds and in our hearts. That fragmentation weakens us. Having firmly set these things within ourselves, gives us personal power and inner strength.

Deciding our purpose and our destiny may be a little more difficult. But it is possible. With prayer, with input from trusted friends who love us, and armed with self-knowledge, most of us can figure out what our purpose is. Keeping a journal will help us figure this out. Also having a spiritual director can help us discover the answers.

            Living the life God called us to live is part of being like Jesus. Once we set our face towards living our authentic life, we will begin to grow into being like Him—congruent, real, and complete. That kind of life is lived on a higher level than most other people who are daily questioning who they are and what they believe.

            Jesus rose early every morning to spend time with the Father. His priorities were in order. He had the right idea about keeping focused. Being authentic requires staying focused. There were people around Him who tried to get Him off track about who He was and when He was suppose to reveal Himself to others (John 2:4, John 7:2-6). Family and friends thought they knew better than He about his ministry. Yours will try to do the same to you.

            Being like Jesus is not an easy task. Like Him, we must organize our life with our purpose in mind which means setting priorities, rejecting toxic people, and applying tough love to family members who have their own agenda. We must talk to God and hear from Him to keep us from turning to the right or to the left. Staying on the straight road to our destiny takes vision and a lot of will power.

            However, Jesus is our role model for living a whole and congruent life. What does it mean to be like Jesus? It means living life with our purpose and our destiny in mind. It means having our eyes focused on Him. Do we really want to be like Jesus? Yes, I hope and pray that we do. Living a life as authentic as His would be a life worth living.

Copyright 2012 Gloria Fisher.
All rights reserved.

The Cry of the Seed

　
My friends, Jana and Mike, are great Christian people. At their church they serve on boards, teach Sunday School, and mentor young people. As you would expect they raised their children in the church. Like their parents from children’s choir to Young Singles throughout the years Jana and Mike’s kids were always involved. Then they graduated from high school and went off to college. At college it was easy to give up on church so they dropped out. To Jana and Mike’s amazement they seemed to have turned their backs on God, the church, and their parents’ religious influence.

But Jana and Mike, because they are faithful Christians, never stop praying for their children, hoping for years to see some sign that there is interest again in the traditions and teachings of their youth. Without pressuring them Jana and Mike ease into a conversation about whether they have any interest in finding a church where they live. Not wanting to turn their children off to God altogether, they gently invite them to their church when they come home for visits.

If you brought your children up in church, there have been seeds planted in them. Seeds that you may not even be aware of. There are seeds of the Word of God planted by Sunday School teachers, the pastor, and youth leaders. There are seeds of influence of older Christian friends who planted the love of Jesus and the love of fellow man in them. Seeds of love, kindness, consideration, respect, and gentleness were planted. Worship services planted seeds of love for God and Jesus. Ceremonies planted seeds of order and spiritual authority. Prayers said in church planted seeds of reverence and respect for leadership. I could go on and on. You can make your own list. But I believe that as you do you will be surprised at how many different kinds of seeds were planted. I want to remind you that those seeds are still there hidden deep inside. They have not gone away. How do I know?

I know because the Word of God says so. Scripture tells us that we have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding Word of God. It goes on to say that the Word of the Lord abides forever. (1 Peter 1:23) That it never dies. Therefore the seed of the gospel never dies. The Word of God that was planted in us like imperishable seed does not wither away. It lives forever.

So take heart, the seeds of the gospel that were planted in your children are still there. They are still alive. They may be dormant but sometimes you can still see evidence of life inside them. If you can talk to them about some special memory of church, you’ll see in their faces. They remember. If you can play them a special hymn or quote their favorite Bible verse, you’ll see that it will move them even now. That is clear evidence that the seeds can be stirred up in spite of their seeming disinterest.

Never give up on your children’s relationship with God. Never give up on the seed that is alive in them. Have faith that the seed which was planted in the good soil of your child’s spirit is crying out to be watered and nourished. That seed is hungry for new growth. Be alert. Listen to your grown children with your spiritual ears, and you will hear the cry of the seed. Stir up those seeds of God’s word so your children may remember the fellowship they once enjoyed in their relationship with God.

Jana and Mike’s children are not in church yet but they continue to pray and believe that it will happen. They continually listen to the cry of the seed and respond with loving care believing that the word will bring them back. They rest assured because the Word of God lives forever in their children.