The Wise Heart

"For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice." James 3:16

These are the words for the world. This is how it runs—on jealousy and selfish ambition. Then, I take a closer look at myself and see that, in all honesty, this is how I run. Furthermore, I see that wisdom is what counteracts the “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition” (v.14), and not just any wisdom, but wisdom from above. 

The wisdom from above is defined by its attributes. Pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And with peace, there is a harvest and bounty of righteousness which tells me that good things come from this kind of heart. The wise heart. My heart is foolish without the wisdom from God. His covering re-forms my lowness into fitting the form of His identity. His wisdom. His righteousness.

The Higher Gifts

I hadn't seen it before, so it begged for greater contemplation. I am the type that is a sucker for the details...I can get stuck on them and completely miss the big picture in the process. This morning, the passage was entitled "Spiritual Gifts," so I assumed that is what I would be reading about. But, in reality, this passage is strikingly not about finding the spiritual gift that matches your personality. It is about the SPIRIT that UNIFIES the people who have received the gifts from God.

"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills." 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

It gets better. The second half of chapter 11 (the previous chapter) is dealing with Paul's directives concerning the Lord's Supper for the Corinthian church. He could see they were missing the point and said in verse 17, " I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse." There were factions and disagreements among the people, and many were concerned more about the eating and drinking than honoring the memory of Christ. They lacked UNITY in their worship.

Back in Chapter 12, the theme of UNITY continues as Paul discusses ONE BODY with many members. "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-- and all were made to drink of one Spirit." (v. 13) And the last verse before Chapter 13 is 12:31 which states, "But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way." As you may already know, the more excellent way of 1 Corinthians 13 is LOVE. The higher gifts that we should earnestly desire? I believe they are UNITY and LOVE. Everything else we desire to do or to be as followers of Christ should fall under the headship of unity and love.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35

Contemplation on Graduation

If you haven't had the chance to know Mikayla Kuckel, it's probably my fault. I hold tight to my kids...I know my time with them is short, and I'm selfish. But, my first baby? My guinea pig? (as I so affectionately call her)...Yeah, I held tight. And I'm sorry if that meant you didn't get to know her better or at all because she is an absolute gem, a gift bestowed to me in my youth and immaturity, but one that has grown me and grown with me, loved me when I have not been lovely, and blessed me with her wisdom when I most needed it. I know I don't deserve her. She's my daughter, my friend, and my sister in Christ.

Mikayla was born in Michigan in May. I can remember taking her on long walks in the carriage-style stroller handed down from her grandmother. Even in those days, I confided in her my fears, thoughts and dreams. She brought peace to my days and always listened with happy eyes and a big smile. She could have ended up pretty spoiled--there were many people who loved and doted on her, especially me and daddy.

We began to notice how she closely observed others at play. She would eventually join in, but she was cautious and reserved with strangers. She could also be rather strong-willed when it came to being forced to do things she didn't want to do. Now, I see how the strength of her will and ability to assess any situation, when submitted to Christ, have proven to be mighty weapons in her life.

When she was two, I gave birth to twins. She adjusted well and rarely bucked against the system she now knew. That was a tough year, but without her easygoing spirit and ability to play alone it would have been so much harder. She has been an incredible example for her brothers, learning how to handle both of their unique personalities and relating to each in their own way. This continued with the addition of sister, then brother, brother, brother, sister and brother. She doesn't lose her cool when people are difficult, she can concentrate in chaos, she has set dreams aside for the sake of family, she challenges her "limitations," and she's quick to offer help when needed. As she was a quiet child, I never expected her to be the leader she would eventually become. She has surpassed my wildest dreams.

                            〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜

My Mikayla. Dear daughter, big sister, gifted writer, figure skater, babysitter, children's ministry leader, deli worker, chef, little genius, guinea pig, friend, world traveler, trail blazer, wise counselor, kitchen messer, missionary, self-starter, teacher, student, beautiful inside and out... My heart is truly glad to have been bound with yours in this life. I love you!

“Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Ephesians 6:14-17 NASB

Winning at Twinning

How can we not be amazed by life? It is an incredible gift bestowed by our Creator. In my younger years, I tolerated children. I believed life was precious and sacred, but I didn't much think I'd ever have children of my own. It's funny how God can change a heart.

I began this post while still pregnant, but now I have two newborns. Number 8 is Sophia Joy. She is breathtakingly beautiful. Her name references "wisdom" and "joy." Wisdom was the desire of King Solomon's heart, and he desired rightly. Wisdom does not come easily. It must be sought after, prayed for, and granted to us by our Heavenly Father. Joy is a gift. It floods the emptiness that despair leaves behind in its wake. I've watched precious heros miraculously choose joy over despair and known truly it was by God's grace alone. He is the great healer and lover of our souls. Many months of hormonal despair plagued my heart and mind, but I knew joy would come. It is promised to us who believe. 

Baby number 9 is Judah Fitzgerald. Judah means "praised" and his middle name, Fitzgerald, is a continuation of the middle name given to all Kuckel boys. A memorial to the namesake David Fitzgerald, a young man who served and died in Vietnam. He never had children of his own, but his name continues.

Judah is a happy and strong-willed boy. Over the last months, I've watched the smallest of all my babies be the earliest to achieve all his milestones. I was shocked to see such a small kid crawling with ease by 7-8 months! God is indeed worthy to be praised for the blessing of children and the beautiful gift of watching them grow.

Now, they have enjoyed 10 short months and have awed and amazed all in our household. It has taken me nearly a year to complete this blog post! But the bottom line is never assume that you can't change. Allow God to change your mind and heart with regard to feelings and truth. Be willing to let Him amaze you.

Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law
And keep it with all my heart. Psalm 119:34

 

Christmas

I already know that this year will afford me a spiritual renewal. I know it because my sinful heart has been at the root of all my struggles.

Thankful for the struggle because it reminds me there is much worth struggling for, I press on toward the prize. The prize is Jesus and His Rest. 

Before I can realize spiritual renewal I must recognize my grumbling--the trespass of my wicked heart. In its place goes repentance and reconciliation. 

New beginning. All is peace. No more struggle. 

God bless!

Letter to Elijah

Dear Elijah,

I labored for a little over an hour before you were born. That was on Wednesday, August 13, 2014. As thankful as I am for that amazing gift, I am even more thankful for the chance to witness God's mercy and grace through my entire pregnancy. 

Children are a blessing and an inheritance from the Lord as He has chosen to bless us through our posterity. God changes a life when He opens the womb. The miracle of life itself is difficult to contemplate, but even more so is the change that occurs in a parent's heart. 

You changed my heart while I awaited your arrival. I had spent much time feeling isolated and alone, but during those two days I waited on labor to progress, bonds were created, communication was facilitated, lives benefitted. And after you were here with us, we all rejoiced. 

Praise God for you, my little son. May you enjoy the treasures He has in store for you! His grace be with you--you are never alone. 

Love,

Mom

"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."  (James 1:17)

Come Clean

The fleshy baggage of our hearts will destroy us faster than anything else. What is it? How does it get there? In short, we're born with fat hearts, and only the Redeemer can perform the necessary surgery needed to make us clean and healthy.

A moment's reflection demands the realization that anything we accomplish on our own without complete surrender fattens our hearts the more. An absolute hands down "I give up" approach is all it takes to give the Master His carving tool. Consider the botch job we make of ourselves. At best, we barely survive the nasty infection which results from our work. The fat remains and grows. At worst, we die--completely caught up in our own abilities we are separated from the only One who saves lives. 

Meditate on the the Word of God. Jesus had to die. Our understanding that His blood was "completely necessary for me lest I die" is the only way He can accomplish His work in us. This is the message that must be shared with others! And understanding, of even greater necessity, that the resurrection is the finished work of Christ, allows us to embrace the life we're given when God circumcises our hearts. 

"...What does the Lord require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him...The Lord has set his heart in love on...you above all peoples...Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn." Deuteronomy 10:12-16

What Pleases God? (A case study)

1 Corinthians 10 recounts the mistakes that the Israelites made in the wilderness. This immense crowd makes a good case study in "Dumb Choices People Make." Verses 1-4 explain the background of our case study: 100% of the people were under the guidance and protection of the Lord. They followed God in the pillar of cloud and saw his mighty hand at the parting of the Red Sea. They were all given the same spiritual opportunities as the magnificence of Christ was with them.

When the results come in, our findings are inconsistent with what we would expect. Wouldn't those who were given such opportunity have amazing outcomes? But no, we instead read "Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased..."(v. 5) And they died there in the wilderness, never to partake of the promises to come. 

We must then consider the findings of this study and apply them to our hearts. "Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved."(v. 6) From the Israelites' mistakes we learn to avoid idolatry, immorality, testing the Lord, and grumbling. But Paul urges us not to be prideful in our avoidance of such for, like the Israelites, we are all subject to temptation. God is pleased when we trust Him and His ability to provide an escape for us from ensnaring evils.

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." 1 Corinthians 10:12

More Than a Treat

This will be the maybe the fifth October 31st over the last seven years in which we have formally celebrated that controversial treat day known as Halloween. For the years prior, I never quite had a peace about taking the kids out. There were some years we literally "hid out" in the back of the house and kept the front dark, hoping no one would stop by and ignoring those who did.

Every year that passed, I knew I was one year closer to having to face my fears of Halloween. The kids weren't planning on staying little forever, you know. Then, in 2007, my life was changed as I placed my complete trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. With trust comes commitment and obedience, and even though the fears still linger, there is a willingness to fight against them and win. This is especially true with the fear of sharing Christ, as I now know that He alone does the work in a man's heart.

That was the year I found the Gospel tract that I just loved. It is simple and to the point, yet honest and bold. Furthermore, it is directed to little Halloween celebraters. Awesome.

So this year we are armed and ready! 200 Pumpkinhead tracts and a humongous bag of Dum Dums. And when else in the year do hundreds of people in your community come to your front door asking for something wonderful to be devoured? "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink." John 6:55

"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more...I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it." 1 Corinthians 9: 19, 22-23

Tame that thing

"And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness."
 James 3:6

Have you stumbled yet today?  Maybe in choosing what to do with your time?  Or in your thoughts?  There are many ways to sin against the Lord, but as I understand it, James declares the man who controls his words to be "perfect."  Not that he is completely without sin, but that the control he has on his tongue prevents further sins.

Consider this:  to be angry is to speak and so act out of anger.  If the anger is held in and not acted upon, then it can be dealt with easily with the Lord. No further damage has been done.  Therefore, a person has controlled the whole body by way of his tongue.

Furthermore, those who are in authority must be careful because they speak with authority!  To teach others is a great responsibility as many will be directed by our words.  Teachers are judged with greater strictness (James 3:1), and rightfully so.

"And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness... and set on fire by hell (v. 6,7)."  And, "No human being can tame the tongue.  It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison (v. 8)."  There is good reason, then, to remain quiet.  Speak carefully when you have authority.  Likewise, write carefully as our hearts are vocalized in this way also.  By this, we are protected by God and bring Him glory by righteousness of speech.  He has made it available through our silence.  Memorize scripture and speak it instead.  It will not lead you astray, but will in fact bind your heart and mind to God and redirect your deceptive heart.

"Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;  when he closes his lips, he is considered prudent." 
Proverbs 17:28

Where would we be without babies...

a serious birthday boy

Killing Womanhood

Why did God create woman? It's not so hard to figure out really, if you go back to the Book. Does "helper" status make women less human or less worthy? I've not seen this to be true of subordinates in the workplace or military. I wanted to share this post (click here) to encourage the happy, and not so happy, homemaker.

Then the Lord  God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper  suitable for him." (Genesis 2:18 NASB)

John 6 Insights

The book of John chronicles well the miracles of Jesus. But John also takes his writing a step further and focuses in on the metaphors of Christ. As you read through John, you will notice terms like "born again" and "living water." In John 6 we will know Jesus as "the Bread of Life."

John 6 opens with the feeding of the five thousand. This miracle parallels the Old Testament when God provided manna for the Israelites in the desert. The masses of people loved Him as He fed them with all they desired--and with twelve baskets full of leftovers! They exclaimed, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!" (v. 14) God can and will provide food for hungry people, but even greater than that is the true food that feeds our souls for eternity.

The disciples alone witness Jesus walking on the water in the evening after the crowds were fed. But the multitudes were intrigued by the Lord and wanted to know how He got across the sea when He had taken no boat. Jesus soberly redirects the conversation in verses 26 and 27 when He says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life which the Son of Man will give to you..." The people ask Him how to do the works of God. Jesus says to "believe on the One who was sent"... The people ask for signs and works from Him so they can believe, mentioning the manna that their forefathers ate in the wilderness. Keep in mind they were just miraculously fed the day before from two fish and five loaves! I sometimes wonder if they were just hungry again and wanted Jesus to produce more bread.

The text that follows is powerful. Jesus Christ gives account of God the Father providing true bread from heaven that gives life to the world. The people ask for this bread, but they still are hard of heart. They cannot hear the message that Christ is revealing to them because they are focused on fleshly comforts. Jesus speaks to the heart. Verse 48-51, "I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die...And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." In verse 56, He expresses that those that eat and drink His body and blood abide in Him. Abiding means living as a part of something else. As the vine and branches abide in one another.

But remember what all this is about: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life."(v.63) As Jesus teaches His followers about the true food and true drink that His body and blood provides, He is foreshadowing His death on the cross, that the sins of those who believe would be forgiven, and they would receive eternal life. Furthermore, Jesus knew that some would not believe as He stressed, "...no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." Many disciples turned back at this point, a far cry from the response Jesus received at the beginning of the chapter when He met physical needs.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Matthew 5:6)

Thoughts

I shared my heart today with my girls, my eighth grade Sunday school girls, as I do every time I teach. It is hard to know how much they get from it. I know I teach way above their heads sometimes, but I am only there out of obedience to what the Lord would have me do. I am, in a sense, there as John the Baptist for them. To prepare the way for the Lord. And I deliver the Word to them, and sometimes we have some fun. But mostly, I am just nervously sweating and losing my place and finding my place(!) and sharing theology. Things like "justification" and "substitutionary atonement." Things I wish I'd learned in Sunday school. We have been working on memorizing John 1:1-18 for a year and a half! (I'm not sure they're doing their homework.) And we are going to try out a mother-daughter book study this fall. I feel blessed to be a part of all of it.

This morning, I shared briefly how the things that define me now are much different than the desires I had when I was young. I never thought of marriage or children as a very good plan for my future. I was selfish and simple. But God worked on me with a chisel. He blessed me with an amazing husband and four adorable children. And as He sanctified me, He also saved me and then blessed me some more. I consider David and John Armour to be an Ebenezer to me--marking the place in my life where I can look back and see how far He's brought me never to return. They came to me as a covenant, marking the transformation of my heart.

I didn't tell the girls all of this, but I did tell them that I would never have chosen to stand in front of them to teach. Never in a million years! Teach middle school girls? Ack! But I am facing my fears and loving the opportunity to serve my Savior in obedience to his great commission.

JA is 6 months!

And such a cutie, too.

What is clean?

Here is Environmental Working Group's shoppers' guide to pesticides in produce.

This list is certainly helpful to make good choices on a tight grocery budget, but I find of great comfort the first words that eating fruits and vegs far outweigh the risks of exposure to pesticides. With that in mind, don't eat in doubt, meaning God has given us wisdom to make the best choices for our children, but He has also made ALL things clean. Therefore we are not to live in fear, but to live victoriously as those set free from the yoke of slavery to sin! Sin still rules this world, and we are therefore still subject to its effects, but our hearts can be set free. Let this be a reminder, as it is to me, that the hearts of our children are of utmost importance. Directing them in the ways of God must rule over the health of their bodies, their education, their activities, etc. Be blessed by the Truth that sets us free from ourselves!

Romans 14:14
14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

Matthew 15:11
11 “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”

Mark 7:18,19b
Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him,
19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.)

1 Timothy 4:4
4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude;

Creation

Right Thinking = Right Living!

A. It all started with God, Gen 1:1
1. God created the world AND time.
2. He is eternal= having no beginning or end.
3. The Hebrew name of God here is Elohim= plural form of El, means "Strong One." (plural is significant of the triune God-Father, Son, Holy Spirit)

B. God spoke all things into being, Gen 1:2-3
1. "Ex Nihilo" is Latin meaning "from nothing" referring to HOW God created the world.
2. Consider the complexity of the world around us, and the universe...Now consider the incredible design of the human eye which has over 2 million working parts.
**All creation points to the sovereignty of God, meaning He is in control of EVERYTHING**

C. God created all things, Gen 1:4-25
1. There is order in His creation
->disorder and chaos are not of God; these things come out of a world corrupted by sin.
2. In six days He created everything, and He rested on the seventh day.

Day 1: Heavens and earth, darkness and light
-> notice there was first darkness, and then God made light (without the sun!)

Day 2: Heaven/sky

Day 3: Dry land, oceans, plants

Day 4: Sun, moon, stars

Day 5: Air and water animals

Day 6: Land animals and people
-> Consider when and how God created mankind...
-> We were created last, yet most important to the purpose of God's plan for creation, and ultimately salvation!
-> We are the only part of creation made in the image of God.
-> God gave Adam dominion over the earth.
-> All of God's creation was made to bring Him glory; therefore we were made to glorify God.

Life Through Forgiveness

Why is there death in the world?
Sin and death came because of Adam's rebellion against God.

Picture of two Adams: (1 Corin. 15:21,22) 1st Adam=disobedience brought death, 2nd Adam (Christ)=obedience brought life

A. Our rebellion leads to death (Romans 5:12-14)
-Death entered the world through sin. God killed the first animals to cover Adam's sin!
-Sin was not there in the beginning; the beginning was God's perfect creation.
->Adam experienced this and shared an amazing relationship with God.
-Adam disobeyed God, and through his rebellion sin entered the world.
-Death entered because of sin and by our sinful nature we are separated from God.
**we inherited the sinful nature of Adam**

(Timeline...)
PERFECT CREATION--> REBELLION/SIN (mans choice)--> DEATH-->
SEPARATION FROM GOD

B. Our rejection of God's grace leads to death (Romans 5:15-21)
-free gift= God's grace
-trespass= Adam's first sin; a purposeful action
-grace of God= unmerited/undeserved favor
-judgment= negative end result
-condemnation= found guilty
-justification= declared righteous or innocent

The Mosaic law was established to bring sin to light. Without the law, there was nothing by which to compare sin.

**The law has been fulfilled in Christ so that we no longer live by it, but live by Christ**

-->THE LAW

C. Our selfish desires lead to sin which leads to death (Jas 1:13-15)
-James was the brother of Jesus who later became His disciple.
-God does not tempt us to sin; temptation stems from our own selfish desires.
-As sin becomes a lifestyle choice and is unconfessed, the unrepentant person is separating themselves from God!

-->NEED FOR SIN COVERING

D. Our forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ leads to life everlasting!
THE GOOD NEWS
(Romans 5:21, Philippians 2:8) Christ humbled himself by being obedient to the point of death...
-Christ took on death without sinning!
-We can deal with all our sin by confessing (speaking it to God) and repenting (turning from it).

-->THE CROSS-->REPENTANCE--> FORGIVENESS-->LIFE

How To Miss a Childhood

Extremely convicting...How To Miss a Childhood

Welcome John Armour!

John Armour Fitzgerald Kuckel was born February 25, 2012. At birth, he was our biggest baby yet weighing 9 lbs, 13 oz and measuring 22 inches. I thank friends and family for prayers and support. Other than my water breaking at the dining room table, it was a relatively easy and uneventful delivery! He was born at 10:10 pm, an hour and a half after arriving at the birth center. God is good!

Here are some photos to enjoy.