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We are on #10 of my top 10 favorite travel destinations, originally published in my book, Unseen People. As you have read along the past few weeks, we have visited together the Grand Canyon, Arizona; Washington, D.C.; London, England; Rome, Italy; Banff, Alberta, Canada; South Africa; Bangladesh; New York City; and San Francisco. After reading today’s journey, finish with the Pro Tip to learn how to be a traveler with a mission in the section, A Final Good Word. (Note: I may have a bonus destination for you next week!)

Top Ten Favorite Travel Destination #10: Indonesia

What a diverse country and people. From the lush, thick jungles of Sumatra to the beaches of islands in Central Indonesia, this is a country of thousands of islands that has truly captured my heart—not because I love water but because God had allowed me to work with amazing people who cared deeply about precious women and girls in this country, women who lived lives of oppression or poverty, abuse or exploitation. The beauty of the country is tempered with the darkness of the shadows of evil and anger and sadness. The travel to get there is long. It is literally halfway around the world from my Oklahoma home. Travel in the country can be strenuous, but the rewards of seeing the smiles of children and the joy of women as they work together were truly priceless.

Sanders, DeAnna Lynn. Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations (p. 130, Kindle edition).

There are many quotes about all the endings we face in life. Like the old adage, “When God closes a door, He opens a window.” Or when Frodo Baggins says at the end of the movie, “I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things, Sam.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

The truth is, I didn’t know my last trip to Indonesia would be my last when I boarded the airplane in Houston that would take me to the other side of the world. But somewhere in the middle of the trip, I knew for sure. Health issues consistently robbed me of my joy of being there doing the good work I was blessed to do. I knew this chapter was coming to a close. I was unsure of what the future held, but I was grateful for the 14 trips I had made there with the international anti-trafficking nonprofit I had worked for.

God had other surprises for me in the years that followed that work, but for me to know those adventures meant moving on from one good work to another one, including writing Good Word. God has His way of getting our attention to end what we are familiar with so we can begin a new journey. Along the way, we learn lessons in what and who truly matters in life and to trust Him for the final outcomes.

What life journey did you begin that had an unexpected or surprise ending? What did you learn in the process?

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Wednesday in the Word

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:13

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

“I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.” Job 19:25

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: What ending changed your life? What ending brought you joy? Which ones were the most challenging?

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Good Words I Recommend

• A Good Song: The Goodness of God, Cece Winans

• Another Good Song: Good Plans, Red Rocks Worships

• Another Good Song: The Cross Has The Final Word, Cody Carnes

• A Good Book: Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers, Dane Ortlund

• A Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Lynn Sanders

A Final Good Word

In the Small Group class I teach on Sunday mornings at my church, we just began a study of 1 Samuel. It is described as a book of good beginnings but bad endings. What is more important in a life — a good beginning or a good ending? What kind of endings have you experienced in your life? Most of us find ourselves at graduations, retirement parties, and beside a grave sometime throughout the course of our lives. Ultimately, for those of us who know Jesus in this life, we know how our story ends. No, not the details of our final moments, but yes, that we walk from this life into heaven to be with Jesus forever without end. The best ending ever! Do you have that assurance of knowing how your life ends? If you don’t, here is one place to start that journey.

My desire is for all of us to have this new life and to share it with others. That’s my prayer for all of us this week. See you back here next Wednesday for a new Good Word.

Pro Tip: 10. Remember: If unseen people are not seen by followers of Jesus, who will see them as the treasures they truly are?

I would love to hear from you anytime. Reply to this post or message me: DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

Share A Good Word Wednesday

Gratefully yours,

DeAnna's Writing Website

DeAnna's Facebook Author Page

DeAnna's Twitter Page

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We are on #9 of my top 10 favorite travel destinations, originally published in my book, Unseen People. As you have read along the past few weeks, we have visited together the Grand Canyon, Arizona; Washington, D.C.; London, England; Rome, Italy; Banff, Alberta, Canada; South Africa; Bangladesh; and New York City. After reading today’s journey, finish with the Pro Tip to learn how to be a traveler with a mission in the section, A Final Good Word.

Top Ten Favorite Travel Destination #9: San Francisco, California

This was not a mission trip destination but the beginning of a She Is Safe trip to Indonesia. In just a few hours, before we had to go to the airport to meet our international flight, my She Is Safe co-worker, Katy, and her husband, Greg, drove me through the highlights of San Francisco. I loved eating pastries at their favorite city bakery, driving down the famous curvy Lombard Street, and, of course, savoring a priceless view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

DeAnna Lynn Sanders. Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with your Neighbors and the Nations (p. 127)

My work with She Is Safe was just beginning. We had finished our 2012 annual meeting held in Arizona that Spring. Following that, two weeks in Indonesia lay ahead. But tucked in between were a few fun hours in San Francisco. I had always wanted to see the famous sites, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the colorful houses (Painted Ladies) that I remembered from the opening scenes of the TV show Full House. And, of course, you can’t visit San Francisco and not see the street cars.

While I know the area today is ravaged with multiple inner-city problems, I will remember these few hours years ago as a memorable beginning to what was to become an unforgettable international trip. That trip to the other side of the world altered forever the way I saw the plight of abused women and girls and the horror of human trafficking. And before I would return home, my Daddy had a new beginning of his own in heaven. But more on that next week with a trip to my final favorite destination. Stay tuned.

What are your favorite tourist destinations? After experiencing them for yourself, did they live up to your expectations or were they disappointing?

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Wednesday in the Word

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” John 1:1-2

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?” Isaiah 40:21

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: What new beginnings changed your life? What new beginnings brought you joy? Which ones were the most challenging?

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Good Words I Recommend

A Good Song: Amazing Grace, CeCe Winans

Another Good Song: This Is Amazing Grace, Phil Wickham

Another Good Song: New Mercies, New Beginnings, The Praise Porch

A Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Lynn Sanders

Another Good Book: Survival Kit (Revised Edition): 5 Keys to Spiritual Growth, Ralph W. Neighbour Jr. and Bill Latham.

Another Good Book: New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional, David Tripp

A Final Good Word

What kind of new beginnings have you experienced in your life? Most of us find ourselves in new schools, in a new family, and in a new job throughout our lives. And God gives us the opportunity to have a new beginning every morning! A fresh new start comes with the fresh morning air. The very best new beginning is accepting Christ into your life. Has that happened for you? If it has, will you share your story with someone this week who needs a new beginning? That’s my prayer for all of us this week. See you back here next Wednesday for a new Good Word.

Pro Tip: 9. Remember that God sees everyone the same. He has just placed us in different locations and positions.

I would love to hear from you anytime. Reply to this post or message me: DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

Share A Good Word Wednesday

Gratefully yours,

DeAnna's Writing Website

DeAnna's Facebook Author Page

DeAnna's Twitter Page

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We are on #8 of my top 10 favorite travel destinations, originally published in my book, Unseen People. As you have read along the past few weeks, we have visited together the Grand Canyon, Arizona; Washington, D.C.; London, England; Rome, Italy; Banff, Alberta, Canada; South Africa; and Bangladesh. After reading today’s journey, finish with the Pro Tip to learn how to be a traveler with a mission in the section, A Final Good Word.

Top Ten Favorite Travel Destination #8: New York City, New York

I had visited New York City twice before when I was in college for a yearbook conference. My memories of NYC included what you would typically think of such as congested Manhattan streets with hordes of busy people crossing the avenues.

Like any good tourist, we visited Times Square, Central Park, and the Statue of Liberty. And in those years, I saw the entire city from the very top of the World Trade Towers. But when I returned almost 30 years later, this is what I remember most about that trip:

and this:

I saw the city of Lady Liberty, Times Square, and Central Park with about twenty teenagers. Thankfully, sightseeing in Manhattan only took one day of our week in New York. Most of the time was spent on subways underneath Queens and Brooklyn on our way to sites where we taught English as a Second Language to women from India and Bangladesh. We ate pizza at Mario’s and painted faces and made balloon animals for children in a Brooklyn city park. At Mario’s Pizzeria, near the location where we stayed, I remember Mario being fascinated that we were from Oklahoma. I am sure he imagined cowboys and Indians, saloons and gunfights on the street. He asked, “Do you ride your horses to work?” I smiled and thought, Well, maybe I would if I owned one. I imagined a horse tied up to a tree at the church building where I worked.

Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with your Neighbors and the Nations (pp. 126-127). DeAnna Lynn Sanders

We had traveled to The Big Apple to help missionary friends connect with families new to the United States from several South Asian countries. We made friends in the neighborhood where we stayed that week and in their parks, and stores and churches. All the while, showing the love of Jesus while learning to cross cultures as well as crossing city streets. So while visiting Broadway, Central Park and the site of the World Trade Center Memorial was definitely worth seeing, I will forever remember the smile of a young mom understanding new words in English for the first time. And I treasure remembering the faces of children with brightly painted cheeks and holding balloons twisted into dog shapes. I am hopeful that one day we will cross paths again, not on the graffiti-painted platform at a subway stop, but on the shiny, golden streets of heaven.

What barriers are standing in your way to share the love of Christ with someone? What do you need to cross over to get to what God has prepared for you?

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Wednesday in the Word

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.” – Isaiah 43:2

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.” Revelation 7:9

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: What is one action you can take to cross cultures and build a relationship with someone different from you?

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Good Words I Recommend

A Good Song: Wondrous Cross, Phil Wickham

Another Good Song: Hymn of Heaven, Phil Wickham

Another Good Song: These Days, Jeremy Camp

Another Good Song: Lift Up The World, Bethel Music

A Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Lynn Sanders

Another Good Book: Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility, Duane H Elmer

A Final Good Word

God led His chosen people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. But to do that, they had to cross the Red Sea. Can you imagine how scared they were? He did that to bring them freedom, but to also show all people who God truly is. So “that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” Joshua 4:24. He wants us all to know Him, know that He is all-powerful and that He loves us all. That’s my prayer for all of us this week.

Pro Tip: As you travel and meet people along the way, offer encouraging words to them. Unseen people are accustomed to being verbally degraded or ridiculed. Do not be the person who makes them feel that way.

I would love to hear from you anytime. Reply to this post or message me: DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

Share A Good Word Wednesday

Gratefully yours,

DeAnna's Writing Website

DeAnna's Facebook Author Page

DeAnna's Twitter Page

Subscribe now

We are on #7 of my top 10 favorite travel destinations originally published in my book, Unseen People. As you have read along the past few weeks, we have visited together the Grand Canyon, Arizona; Washington, D.C.; London, England; Rome, Italy; Banff, Alberta, Canada; and South Africa. After reading today’s journey, finish with the Pro Tip to learn how to be a traveler with a mission in the section, A Final Good Word.

Top Ten Favorite Travel Destination #7: Bangladesh

I first met Bangladeshi people on the streets of Birmingham, England. I had taken a church mission team there to help friends there connect with these South Asian people. That eventually led me to take two trips to Bangladesh to visit the home cities and villages of people I had met in Birmingham and East London.

When you think of travel destinations you most want to visit, this is a location that most likely doesn’t rise to the top. What do you know about Bangladesh? It connects with India on the eastern border. It is crowded, steamy hot, and I’ll say it again, crowded. In fact, there are 178 million Bangladeshi people, most of whom are Muslim. On the northern border, it still borders a section of India, but this is an area nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas. On my second trip there, as we drove up that treacherous, winding mountain road, I wondered what country I was really in. The green, hilly landscape outside my car window was not what I had imagined Bangladesh or India looked like. It was indeed a contrast to the city images I had seen.

It is a country of many contrasts. I expected the traffic, and congestion and the dense, heavy, humid air. When we flew into the Dhaka airport, I could sense the heaviness, from the moist air, but also from a place in need of the Light.

“One of the places that overwhelmed my senses in every way was Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was loud, hot, vibrant and colorful. There were people everywhere. It was pulsating with people.

Drive a few hours northeast to the district of Sylhet

and you find beautiful, lush tea gardens—steamy hot and a deep green garden of delight. Some of the most hospitable, beautiful people are in this country who enjoyed serving us their famous tea.”

Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders

Chapter 7: Learning from Unseen People in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, p. 108

It took me by surprise, this place of so many people, so many who knew nothing about the love of Jesus. And yet, so full of welcoming strangers who became friends who I met on a bus, or in their restaurants or homes. I found, once again, regardless of where you are in the world, you share much in common with the people around you — they need the basics of life to exist, and they need love from others and to know the love of God. Yes, there were many differences in the Bangladeshi culture from my familiar American communities, but there I found babies to hold, families that invited me into their homes, and churches with open doors.

Where have you been that took you by surprise because it was not what you expected?

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Wednesday in the Word

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5:14-16

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: Where are some of the most difficult places you’ve traveled to? How did it contrast with your home culture? What did you learn from that experience?

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Good Words I Recommend

• A Good Song: The Goodness of God, Jenn Johnson

• Another Good Song: Let There Be Light, Third Day, “Let there be light where there is darkness. Let there be hope where there is none.”

• A Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders

• Another Good Book: Crossing Cultures in Scripture: Biblical Principles for Mission Practice, Marvin J. Newell

A Final Good Word

One of the concepts I always shared with mission teams in advance of our trips was, “Be prepared, and then be flexible.” We took time to understand culture as much as possible, including food, religion, and language. But then, when we arrived in the location, we used our preparation to help us be flexible to open doors God had for us. We could immediately notice the contrast in our cultures, but often God wanted us to step over that line into the lives of people where they lived.

Pro Tip: As you travel and meet people along the way in restaurants, parks, and airports, engage in conversation as appropriate. Don’t do all the talking. As you get to know them, listen to find out about their families, work, etc.

I would love to hear from you anytime. Reply to this post or message me: DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

Share A Good Word Wednesday

Gratefully yours,

DeAnna's Writing Website

DeAnna's Facebook Author Page

DeAnna's Twitter Page

Subscribe now

We are on #6 of my top 10 favorite travel destinations originally published in my book, Unseen People. As you have read along the past few weeks, we have visited together the Grand Canyon, Arizona; Washington, D.C.; London, England; Rome, Italy; and Banff, Alberta, Canada. After reading today’s journey, finish with the Pro Tip to learn how to be a traveler with a mission in the section, A Final Good Word.

Top Ten Favorite Travel Destination #6: South Africa

From my childhood, I have heard the scriptures about going to the ends of the earth to share the Good News. When I traveled to South Africa with a group from my church years ago, I stood near the ocean at the Cape of Good Hope. It felt to me like I had indeed arrived at the end of the earth.

We enjoyed seeing and hearing the little penguins on the shore. They are only about two feet tall, but they are loud and sound like donkeys braying. Cute little things. We also enjoyed some time at a game reserve and saw many of the amazing animals you know of when you think of Africa.

But that is not what I remember the most. It was the beautiful people of the Northern Cape of South Africa that made the biggest impression on me. We had gone on this trip to help some missionary friends as they served the people group, the Northern Cape Coloured People.

They were a people of mixed races and, as a result, were ostracized from most people in that country. They were a people without a people. Truly, they were unseen people. But they are a people God sees and loves.

South Africa is a beautiful country of diverse landscape and people. And yes, it has a violent and questionable past and a current political situation that is complicated.

But it is the people that I remember most about this location. And I would go back in a heartbeat.

As you have traveled, who are some people that made a lasting impression on you?

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Wednesday in the Word

“He says: I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.'” Isaiah 49:6

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;” Revelation 7:9

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.” Titus 2:11

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: What is the most remote location you have visited? When you look at people, what do you notice first? Do you see things you have in common or things that are different?

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Good Words I Recommend

• A Good Song, Jesus People, Danny Gokey, “Jesus People All Around the World, Stand up.” Take a few minutes to listen to this one!

• Another Good Song, Crazy People, Casting Crowns. What a fun song!

• Another Good Song, People Like Us, Micah Tyler. “God loves people like you.”

• A Good Book: At Home in the World: Reflections on Belonging While Wandering the Globe, Tsh Oxenreider.

• Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders

A Final Good Word

A popular worship song from many years ago was, “People Need the Lord.” “At the end of broken dreams, He’s the open door… People need the Lord…. When will we realize that we must give our lives, for people need the Lord.” It’s not a song we sing anymore, but the truth is powerful and eternal. Who is a person you can share the love of Christ with this week? It’s my prayer for all of us that we will do that.

Pro Tip: Two simple words to learn in the language of the people you go to visit are “Thank You.” Combine those words with a genuine smile, and see how people respond.

I would love to hear from you anytime. Reply to this post or message me: DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

Share A Good Word Wednesday

Gratefully yours,

DeAnna's Writing Website

DeAnna's Facebook Author Page

DeAnna's Twitter Page

Subscribe now

We are on #5 of my top 10 favorite travel destinations originally published in my book, Unseen People. As you have read along the past few weeks, we have visited together the Grand Canyon, Arizona; Washington, D.C.; London, England; and Rome, Italy. After reading today’s journey, finish with the Pro Tip to learn how to be a traveler with a mission in the section, A Final Good Word.

Top Ten Favorite Travel Destination #5: Banff, Alberta, Canada

So far in this travel series, all the destinations involved a mission trip experience. Today, Banff is unique in that it is the only location in my list that was completely a vacation experience. Johnny and I selected Banff to go to on our 25th wedding anniversary. This week, we will celebrate our 43rd anniversary, so you can do the math. Our trip to Banff was a few minutes ago. But it is a place I would go back to in a heartbeat. What locations have you visited that made such an impression on you that you dream about going back?

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As is the case with most amazing destinations, photos just can’t do it justice. For example, how do you explain the experience of riding up a mountain in a gondola, and when you get to the top, this is your view:

Or, how do you explain that it is July 30th, and you are riding out on a glacier in an Ice Explorer vehicle and it is freezing? (In Oklahoma right now, we are experiencing a week of 100+ degree days. It’s hard to imagine being somewhere cold.)

That week, we experienced seeing all types of wildlife and waterfalls. We experienced incredible vistas at every turn.

You get the idea. You can’t totally understand it unless you have experienced these Canadian Rocky Mountains for yourself. It makes me think of my relationship with Jesus. I can tell you all about what it is like to walk with Him throughout life, but unless you experience it for yourself, that’s all it is to you — someone else’s vacation slideshow photos. How do you know that the Lord is good? You taste and see for yourself.

If you could only share one vacation experience with someone, what would it be? If you could share with someone only one experience you’ve had in your life with Christ, what would it be?

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Wednesday in the Word

“Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34:8

“And those who know Your name [who have experienced Your precious mercy] will put their confident trust in You, For You, O Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You. You lead me in the path of life; I experience absolute joy in your presence; you always give me sheer delight.” Psalm 9:10-11.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” – Isaiah 43:2

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: What is one travel experience you will never forget? How do you describe experiences to help people feel like they are there with you?

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Good Words I Recommend

• A Good Song: Goodness of God, CeCe Winans

• Another Good Song: I Believe (The Creed), MountainTop Worship

• Another Good Song: Everyday Hallelujah, Phil Wickham

• A Good Book: Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby

• Another Good Book: Experience Jesus. Really: Finding Refuge, Strength, and Wonder through Everyday Encounters with God, John Eldredge

• Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders

A Final Good Word

One of the best ways to share The Good News is to simply share your personal experience. Share your own story. My life before Jesus was ______. This is how I realized I needed Him in my life: _______. And now, the biggest change in me is: ________. Would you like to know how you can know Jesus too?

Pro Tip: As you travel and meet people along the way, ask people their name. And then remember to pray for them by name.

That’s my prayer for all of us.

I would love to hear from you anytime. Reply to this post or message me: DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

Share A Good Word Wednesday

Gratefully yours,

DeAnna's Writing Website

DeAnna's Facebook Author Page

DeAnna's Twitter Page

Subscribe now

We are on #4 of my top 10 favorite travel destinations originally published in my book, Unseen People. As you have read along the past few weeks, we have visited together the Grand Canyon, Washington, D.C., and London, England. After reading today’s journey, finish with the Pro Tip to learn how to be a traveler with a mission in the section, A Final Good Word.

Top Ten Favorite Travel Destination #4: Rome, Italy

I’ve lost count of how many teams I have led on mission trips around the world. But Rome had to be one of my favorite places to take a team. The group was composed of nine adults, including Johnny and me. Our purposes for the trip were to help local churches that were ministering to refugees and also to help missionaries in a variety of activities, including a Vacation Bible School. As always, we went as prepared as we could be and then tried to be flexible to open doors God had for us that week. One of the highlights was worshipping at Rome Baptist Church on Sunday morning with people from all over the world.

Our hotel was in the center of the city, which meant we were close to the Metro station that delivered us to our ministry sites. And we walked. A lot. During the time no ministry events were scheduled, we walked, and we wandered around the streets of Rome. And yes, we did all the touristy things — The Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, the Vatican, and the Forum. There was history literally around every corner just waiting to be discovered. The streets were narrow and crowded with tourists all wandering in and out of the shops, or trying to select another restaurant with delicious Italian food, including their amazing pizza, or to stand in line to purchase another yummy gelato.

There were many churches and cathedrals to wander into. One of my favorites was St. Giovanni’s Basilica. The walls were lined with sculptures of the disciples. The faces were captivating. No, we don’t know what the disciples looked like, but if we did, this was how I would imagine them.

Rome is one place we would like to go back to and schedule nothing but time to wander the ancient streets. Sometimes, wandering is good for the soul when you have opportunity to see beyond the famous sites and find a corner, sit and sip an espresso and watch the world go by. Time to see treasures you’ve never discovered before. Time to wander and see people you’ve never seen before. And yes, sometimes wandering is not good when your journey leads you far away from your purpose, or from people who need you, or far from God who loves you.

Where have you wandered to that turned into a grand surprise? When has wandering in your life been running away from what God wants you to do?

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There are accounts in scripture that show us what wandering can do. The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years. During that time, they wandered far from God and what His plans were for them. And remember the wanderings of the Old Testament prophet Jonah? In the New Testament, we read the story of the prodigal son who wandered far away from home until he came to his senses and came back to his family. In the Gospels, we see Jesus wandering through the countryside, visiting villages, seeing unseen people, healing the outcasts, and fulfilling the purpose God had for Him.

Wednesday in the Word

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Isaiah 30:21

“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart.” Deuteronomy 8:2

“With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.” Psalm 119:10

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: When can wandering be a good thing? When is wandering harmful? What have you learned during times you have wandered away?

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Good Words I Recommend

• A Good Song: Come Thou Fount, Celtic Worship. “Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.”

• Another Good Song: I Wonder As I Wander. This is a beautiful, haunting, classic song, sometimes heard during Christmas time.

• Another Good Song: Good, Matthew West

• Another Good Song: Meet Me in the Valley, Tasha Layton

• Another Good Song: Give Me Your Eyes, Brandon Heath

• A Good Book: For All Who Wander: Why Knowing God Is Better than Knowing It All, Robin Dance

• Another Good Book: Wonderlust: A Spiritual Travelogue for the Adventurous Soul, Vicki Kuyper

• Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders

A Final Good Word

For me, daydreaming is how I wander the most. Through my imagination, I go and do things I would never be brave enough to do in real life. Also, people- watching in busy airports or shopping centers is a way to wander for me as I imagine who the people are and why they are in such a hurry. Perhaps your recent summer travels have given you the opportunity to wander to discover new places and people you’ve never seen before. I encourage you this week to take time to wander with your mind or with your feet and see others through God’s eyes.

Pro Tip: As you wander nearby or faraway, look to see people that are normally unseen. And when you do, offer a smile. Sometimes that’s all a person needs is to see a kind face. Be the person who builds a bridge to others with a welcoming smile.

That’s my prayer for all of us.

I would love to hear from you anytime. Reply to this post or message me: DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

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Gratefully yours,

DeAnna's Writing Website

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We are on #3 of my top 10 favorite travel destinations originally published in my book, Unseen People. As you have read along the past few weeks, we have visited together the Grand Canyon and Washington, D.C. After today’s journey, learn how to be a traveler with a mission in the last section, A Final Good Word.

Top Ten Favorite Travel Destination #3: London, England

This location wins as the place where I have taken the most mission teams. Seven times I have taken groups to see Big Ben, the Tower of London, and Buckingham Palace. My favorite touristy spot of all time is Westminster Abbey. I love standing near it and looking up at the amazing architecture and listening to the hum of the big red buses going by. I love the mix of languages of the people—both Brits and all the of the tourists from so many nations mixed together. Inside, I love the stroll through history planted within the walls and floors of the Abbey. One time in one of the chapels, I happened upon a boys’ choir singing the “Hallelujah” chorus. I will never forget how their beautiful, pure voices blended together, reaching to the rafters to raise praise.

As much as I loved cruising down the Thames and soaking in the sights, that part of our journey was limited to only one day. Most of our time those weeks were spent in the eastern part of that historic city among South Asian people who had made this damp, foggy city their home.

I enjoyed visiting them in their homes, meeting them on the streets, and listening to their stories of pain and hope. I couldn’t speak their heart language except for a few basic greetings. They enjoyed practicing their English skills with their new American friends. Somehow, the language of smiles, love and the presence of the Holy Spirit built a bond of friendship.

I’ve never been very good at learning languages. Somehow, through all my years of school, I avoided the language courses, mainly because my family moved so often and each school had different curriculum requirements. But through the years, I’ve attempted to learn new languages, including Spanish, Sylheti (Bangladesh), and Bahasa Indonesia. I never succeeded at any of them. But I did learn that appreciating their language and enjoying their food are first steps in crossing cultures.

What languages do you know? How have you used your knowledge of other cultures to forge friendships?

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We can see in scripture the power of language. In Genesis 11, at the tower of Babel, God confused how people communicated and gave them many different languages. And in Acts 2, during Pentecost, God gave the apostles the ability to understand diverse languages so that everyone there could understand the Good News.

Wednesday in the Word

“Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.” Genesis 11:9

“And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” Acts 2:8-11

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: How do you share the Good News when you don’t know the language? How have you used your knowledge of other cultures to forge friendships?

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Good Words I Recommend

• A Good Song: - I Speak Jesus

• Another Good Song: “Every Nation (Every Soul)” — Lindy Cofer & Circuit Riders

• Another Good Song: “Follow You Anywhere” — Passion feat. Kristian Stanfill

• A Good Book: Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility, Duane H Elmer

• Another Good Book: Cross-Cultural Connections: Stepping Out and Fitting In Around the World by Duane H Elmer

• Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders

A Final Good Word

Some of my favorite memories from traveling around the world are joining other believers as we gather for worship. I love singing a song we all know, like Amazing Grace, in our own languages, and offering the praise of our many combined hearts to our one Savior. When we all get to heaven, we will all understand our languages because of our common King. What a day that will be!

Pro Tip: As you travel and observe people around you, whether in your own town or in another country, humbly ask yourself: How can I help them feel seen, valuable, and needed? How can I treat them the way I would want to be treated if I were them? How do they deserve to be treated? “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them” (Luke 6:31).

That’s my prayer for all of us.

I would love to hear from you anytime. Reply to this post or message me: DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

Share A Good Word Wednesday

Gratefully yours,

DeAnna's Writing Website

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Ahhh…. summertime. Time to be lazy, sit by the pool, or sway in your hammock… read a novel… or do absolutely nothing. Social media is full right now of your friend’s vacation photos. Where all have they been? Which place do you want to go?

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Top Ten List #2

Last week here in Good Word, I began sharing with you my top 10 favorite travel destinations originally published in my book, Unseen People. We started with the Grand Canyon. Today, top travel destination #2 — Washington, D.C.

As I mentioned last week, the list I am sharing with you was originally not tourist destinations for me, but mission trip locations (except for one). However, a few of them could be considered both. Here in the last section, A Final Good Word, I will offer a pro tip about how to be a traveler with a mission.

ALSO, we are celebrating the second birthday of Unseen People. It was launched out into the world on August 6, 2024. As a thank you for your support these past few years, I have a special giveaway. Keep reading. Instructions are included below.

Top Ten Favorite Travel Destination #2:

Washington D.C.

Just a few days ago, we celebrated our nation’s 250th birthday. It was quite the party, wasn’t it?! How did you honor our country on her special day?

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For me, Washington, D.C. holds a special place in my heart not just because it is where our government is located and where there are amazing artifacts and displays in so many museums. (My personal favorites are the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum.) D.C. was both a mission trip destination and a family vacation location—twice. I spent twelve weeks in the Maryland/D.C. area when I was a college student. There is something majestic about standing in the middle of the National Mall and seeing the Capitol, the Smithsonian museums, the Washington Monument, and Lincoln Memorial—all in one 360-degree turn. It is also fascinating, as you look at our American shrines, to hear the collective music of languages of people from all over the world, all here viewing the same monuments.

It reminds me that we don’t always have to go far away to other countries to see and befriend people from all over the world. The world has come here to the United States, whether for sports events, or to study in one of our many universities, or perhaps they have come to escape persecution and secure their freedom. Do you know people from other cultures who have come here to your community? Where are they from? What are some ways you can make them feel welcome here? If you’ve traveled abroad, how have the people you’ve met made you feel welcome?

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Even here in our cities and towns, people from other places in the world can call your location home now, but will also continue to hang on tightly to their original culture. We can perceive that as a barrier or see it as an opportunity to get to know others despite the differences. How do you think Jesus would want us to treat someone different than ourselves?

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Wednesday in the Word

“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31

“Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 12:1-2

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34

“Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.” Isaiah 1:17

“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;
I was found by those who did not seek me.
To a nation that did not call on my name,
I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’” Isaiah 65:1

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: How has someone made you feel welcome to a new location? How have you welcomed others here? How do you think Jesus would want us to treat someone different than ourselves?

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Good Words I Recommend

• A Good Song: Give Me Your Eyes, Brandon Heath

• Another Good Song: Just for fun! Neil Diamond - America

• A Good Playlist: Unseen People — 33 songs to encourage you to see the unseen as you go into all the world.

• A Good Book: Across the Street and Around the World: Following Jesus to the Nations in Your Neighborhood…and Beyond, Jeannie Marie

• Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders

A Final Good Word

Jesus tells us to go into all the world and make disciples. (See Acts 1:8 above.) But where did He tell His disciples to start? Right where they were, in Jerusalem. So for you, start here, right where you are, and be His witness. Share His light and life with Your neighbors and the nations. That’s my prayer for all of us.

Pro Tip: As you take time to see people normally overlooked, including servers, cashiers, maintenance workers, taxi drivers, or cleaning crews, realize that they are not there just to serve and make us comfortable, but they are real people with real needs.

As promised, here are the instructions for the giveaway. For the first ten people to either reply to this post or to send me an email to my address below, one of your names will be randomly selected, and I will send you a signed copy of Unseen People. Please include your name, a USA mailing address, and your email address. If you want the book personalized, please print your name or the name of the person who will receive the book. That’s it! Thank you! I look forward to hearing from you.

DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

Share A Good Word Wednesday

Gratefully yours,

DeAnna's Writing Website

DeAnna's Facebook Author Page

DeAnna's Twitter Page

Subscribe now

We have been taking a few weeks in Good Word to highlight vacation destinations. So far, we have journeyed to the mountains, oceans, and cities.

In my book, Unseen People, I share my top ten list of my favorite travel destinations. For the next 10 weeks, I will highlight one of those for you each week as we journey through our summer together. I will add one more to that list at the end of the top ten. When those posts are completed, we will find ourselves into the second week of September, already past Labor Day and only a couple of weeks until the beginning of Fall. That’s hard to imagine right now when everywhere is hot. Sizzling hot. But it’s July now. It’s supposed to be hot.

The list I will share with you is mostly not tourist destinations, but mission trip locations. However, a few of them could be considered both. Some of them are road trips and some require 20+ hours on an airplane to reach. So, buckle up, here we go. Keep reading for a tip in A Final Good Word about how to be a traveler with a mission.

Top Ten Favorite Travel Destination #1:

Grand Canyon, Arizona

This was the destination before a week spent in Phoenix with a Spring break mission team.

I have to say, it was one of the easiest trips ever as far as actual work goes. However, at the beginning of the trip, I literally thought I was going to die due to a snowstorm that hit at the end of a very, very long drive in a crowded church van. After slipping and sliding for hours on an icy interstate, we did not die, by God’s grace, and lived later on to pass out flyers, prayer walk, and assist in a new church start in Phoenix. As a gift from God, at the beginning of the week, we were allowed to stand at the edge of the Grand Canyon for about an hour. It was big, spectacular, and overwhelming. When we were all back safely in the van, we were thankful for seeing one of the wonders of the world that God had made and shared with us.*

Just this week, I’ve seen friends post photos from that very site standing on the rim of the Canyon. I had once heard it described as just one big hole in the ground. Indeed it is that. But so much more. As you stand there in the wind and look down deep to the Colorado River, and then outward to the magnificent jagged mountain formations, a sense of awe and wonder sweeps through you. It is only one of the many creations God gave us to get a glimpse into His majesty.

Have you been to the Grand Canyon? How did it make you feel?

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Wednesday in the Word

"Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder." Isaiah 29:4

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” Psalm 8:3-4

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalm 19:1

“Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” Exodus 15:11

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: What event, place or person has made you stand in awe at the wonder of God?

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Good Words I Recommend

• A Good Song: Wonder, Hillsong

• Another Good Song: Creator, Phil Wickham

• A Good Book: Wonderstruck: Awaken to the Nearness of God, Margaret Feinberg

• *Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders (p. 126). Ambassador International. Kindle Edition

A Final Good Word

As we travel, whether to experience an amazing wonder of the world, like the Grand Canyon, or enjoy seeing the animals at the zoo in a nearby city, remember to look beyond yourself and see unseen people all around you.

Try this: Take time to see people normally overlooked, including servers, cashiers, maintenance workers, taxi drivers, or cleaning crews. Pause and thank God for them and pray for them to know Him — the greatest Wonder of them all.

DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

Share A Good Word Wednesday

Gratefully yours,

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Has your summertime included any traveling yet? Where have you been? We are taking a few weeks in Good Word to highlight vacation destinations. So far, we have journeyed to the mountains and oceans. But some of you enjoy visiting cities.

I have always been more of a small-town girl. A few of the communities I’ve lived in during my childhood included Lawson, Arkansas; Crump, Tennessee; and Reid, Alabama. I’m sure most of you have never heard of any of those. It wasn’t until I was a freshman in college that I ventured from the piney woods of south Arkansas to the bustling city of Washington, D.C. , and the surrounding cities in Maryland.

Since then, I’ve visited major cities like New York City, Atlanta, Houston, and Chicago, to name a few. Internationally, I’ve traveled to many cities including London, Rome, Dhaka, and Toronto. And while I’m glad I went and experienced the hustle and bustle of it all, I am always glad to be back home in my cozy little town. What cities have you lived in? What cities do you enjoy visiting? Why do you like them?

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What cities are mentioned in the scripture? I immediately think of Nineveh in the Old Testament and Jerusalem and Rome in the New Testament. Nineveh was a massive city with massive sin that God called Jonah to go to and preach a message of repentance and forgiveness. You remember how that turned out for him. And, of course Jerusalem is the holy city where the temple was built and where Jesus was crucified. And Rome was the center of the empire in New Testament days and where Paul was on a mission to visit. Interestingly, Bethlehem was called the City of David, but it was really a small, insignificant village at the time of the birth of Jesus. Only about 600 people lived in this little agricultural town when Immanuel came.

God has a heart for all people, including each of the over eight million people in places like New York City. I remember that first encounter I had with seeing so many people in one place. It was in Gaithersburg, Maryland, the summer after my freshman year of college, where I served as a Home Mission Board volunteer student missionary. The first few days we were there, the pastor my co-worker and I served with part of that summer drove us through the cities near Washington, D.C. Pastor Hector pointed to the row after row of apartments and houses and simply said, “So many people.” It hit me in that moment why I was there. God loved all those people, and so should I. He knew them all by name. I knew I should love them enough to tell them about Jesus, the only Truth that really matters. (See the excerpt below from Unseen People.)

I encountered this same feeling again recently in Toronto.

This is truly an international city with people pouring in from all over the world. These types of gateway cities give followers of Jesus a prime opportunity to share His love with people, including university students, from other cultures and geographic locations. It is likely that many of them will go back to their home countries and share with their families what they have experienced about Jesus. How are you sharing the Good News with city dwellers? We can do much through praying for them, giving of our resources to send workers into the jungles of the cities, and we can go ourselves.

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Wednesday in the Word

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14

“Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them.” Jonah 3:5

“Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols.” Acts 17:16

“Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom.” Genesis 13:12

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” Matthew 23:37

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: What do you love about cities? What is challenging about sharing the Good News in cities?

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Good Words I Recommend

• Praise in the City, Urban Gospel 2025.

• God Of This City, Chris Tomlin.

• City of God, Leeland.

• City on Our Knees, TobyMac.

• A Good Book: 99 Astonishing Cities and Civilizations Found in the Bible

• Another Good Book: Loving the City: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City (Center Church), Timothy Keller

• Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations. “I will never forget the row after row after row of apartments and houses that all looked the same. When that twelve-week experience was over, I felt like Group (Jennifer) and I knocked on all those doors and did backyard Bible clubs with all those children. But God began to do something in my heart. This was personal. My job was to share that personal love with people to whom God led me. It was a lifelong, life-changing task that was indeed bigger than me.”

  (p. 105). Kindle Edition, Chapter 6: Seeing the Underserved in a Nation of Plenty.

A Final Good Word

Ultimately, for those of us who know Christ, we will live together in a new city. “The Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” Revelation 21:2.

And although I’m not a city girl, heaven is one city I can’t wait to live in! Hope to see you there.

DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

Share A Good Word Wednesday

Gratefully yours,

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As summer travel is now in full motion, we are taking a few weeks to highlight vacation destinations. Last week on Good Word, we visited the mountains, my personal favorite. But I know that many of you prefer the sand and the sea. You would rather spend your time near anything with a beach.

I’ve never been much of a water girl. But I remember when I was in high school, the first time I saw a gigantic body of water. It was Lake Erie and it was so big you could see the curvature of the earth. Amazing for a girl who grew up in land-locked Arkansas. It wasn’t until I was in college that I took a summer trip to the East Coast and stood on the shores of Ocean City, Maryland. The smell of the sea salt, the sound of the waves lapping up on the banks, the feel of the breeze off the water, it all made me feel small as I wondered at this miracle of creation.

Since those first encounters with the water, I’ve traveled numerous times around the world flying over oceans and sometimes experiencing it up close and personal in a boat. Not my favorite.

It’s not just the beauty of the water that draws us near; it’s the power of it. If you’ve ever stood near Niagara Falls, you know what I mean. And sometimes, what we need is the peacefulness and simplicity of camping by a lake with a fire, some fish and fresh air.

I understand why so many of the vacation photos I see have water in the background. What is your favorite body of water to visit?

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If you look in scripture, you see so many references to the sea. From the third day of creation to the stories happening in or around the Sea of Galilee to the Jordan River in the days of Jesus’ time on earth, water played a significant role. The picture of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist in the water of the Jordan reminds us all of the cleansing symbolism of our own baptism.

How many bodies of water in the Bible can you recall?

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In addition to the two mentioned above, there is also the Red Sea and the Mediterranean that are often mentioned.

So while I would rather spend time in the mountains than in the water, I still am amazed at God’s creation as I stand on the shore. I stand fully aware that the Creator of these waters controls this majestic universe. It makes me feel small and yet seen, at the same time. The sea has a way of calling you back.

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Wednesday in the Word

“God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:10.

“He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” Matthew 8:26

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.” Isaiah 43:2

“Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.” Matthew 14:25

“For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the Lord Almighty is his name.” Isaiah 51:15

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: What do you love about being near the water? How does it remind you of the majesty of God?

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Good Words I Recommend

• A Good Song: WASHED | ELEVATION RHYTHM

• Another Good Song: Left It In The River, Jamie MacDonald

• A Good Book: Devotions from the Lake: Finding God’s Presence in Nature’s Beauty (A 100-Day Devotional), Thomas Nelson

• Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders. Was this really happening? I was facing a surreal, suspenseful sensory overload. I sat in the front of the motorboat, speeding across the ocean in the waters surrounding Sumatra, the sea-salted wind streaming through my hair. Was it real? Was I half a world away in a small boat with eight other people headed for the shores of the big Indonesian island? The tropical beauty was too much to absorb—small green islands topped with palm trees dotted the seascape, and puffy white clouds and a setting orange sun painted the western sky behind us. I stated the obvious to Katy, my fellow teammate seated beside me, “I’m on a boat . . . in Indonesia.”

  (p. 146). Kindle Edition.

A Final Good Word

Just in the last few days, I’ve seen photos from friends on social media from a Mediterranean cruise ship; from the shores of the Bahamas; from the lakes and rivers of Scotland. So many photos of experiences made to remember for a lifetime. Tis the season to enjoy all of that. And as you go, take intentional moments throughout your travels to remember the Maker of it all and worship Him. That’s my challenge for all of us during these summer days.

DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

Share A Good Word Wednesday

Gratefully yours,

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If you had to choose where to spend your summer vacation, would you choose the beach or the mountains? Why? (As you are reading this, you may have just returned from a vacation to the mountains. I’d love to see your favorite photo from that adventure!)

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For me, the answer every time is the mountains. That’s partly because I prefer cooler environments over hot ones. And well, the beach means water, and if you know me very well, that is hardly ever where you will find me. (More on that next Wednesday.)

I’ve experienced the mountains in the Great Smokies and the Rockies (American and Canadian). I grew up in Arkansas and took frequent visits to the Ozark Mountains. I’ve stood at the foothills of the Himalayas, flown over the Andes and spent weeks in the mountains of northern Sumatra, Indonesia.

There is something majestic about mountains. It’s not just the natural beauty, the trees and wildlife; it’s how they bring me to worship the Creator.

How many mountaintop experiences in scripture can you recall?

There was Mt. Ararat where Noah’s ark safely landed. Mt. Sinai, where Moses received the 10 Commandments from God. Mt. Zion, where David built the temple. And Mt. Tabor was the site of the transfiguration of Jesus. It wasn’t an accident that these major biblical events occurred on a mountain. In scripture, mountains represented places where God and man met. Mountains stand tall as a reminder that God wants to have personal encounters with us.

You’ve heard of spiritual mountaintop experiences. Students in churches across America are packing their bags and preparing to go to church camps and on mission trips all over the world. They will come back telling of their times of growing closer to God. In Oklahoma, our students go to Falls Creek camp in the nearby Arbuckle Mountains. And although mountaintop experiences can’t forever be maintained when they return home, it does stand as a significant life event that reminds them of a time growing deeper with God.

That’s what God wants — to meet with us; be with us; draw closer to Him. That is incredible when you stop and think that the God of this magnificent universe wants to spend time alone with you. What do you do to keep your relationship with God fresh, vibrant and growing? Where do you meet with Him?

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Wednesday in the Word

• “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.” Isaiah 2:2

• ‘How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:7

• “I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?

  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2

• ‘After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.” Matthew 12:23

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: What mountains do you enjoy visiting? What spiritual mountaintop experience is most meaningful to you?

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Good Words I Recommend

• A Good Song: Ancient of Days, Father of Grace

• Another Good Song: “I Lift My Eyes to the Hills,” Lauren Daigle

• Another Good Song: Mountain Lyric Video - Hillsong UNITED

• A Good Book: Devotions From The Earth - Mountains: Inspired by Nature’s Beauty, Linda Carter

• Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders. “My mission team had just made a harrowing drive from northeast Bangladesh up into India. I had no idea that the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains touched northern India. It was at that point in my life that I understood the disorientation and dizziness of motion sickness. I needed to stop soon and walk around a bit. This looked nothing like the India I had seen in photos.”

  (p. 154).

A Final Good Word

Sometimes I wonder and think and pray and try to discern what my Good Word will be each Wednesday. This time, it was obvious. On Sunday morning, during small group time, we had just discussed Micah 4 including verse 1: “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it.” During the worship service that immediately followed, our pastor discussed Moses receiving the 10 commandments on Mt. Sinai. Through the repeated reference to mountains, I decided God was trying to get my attention about how much He wants to spend time with me deepening our relationship in solitude as well as with His people. My prayer for all of us this week is that we will spend intentional time with Him listening to Him, loving Him and serving Him. I pray for you to have a mountaintop experience with Him wherever you are this week.

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Ahhhh…. summertime. The kids are playing in the backyard with their toys in the sandpile. Life is good. Enjoy another sip of ice cold lemonade. And then you hear it… it erupts from what were sweet little children only a few minutes ago. You hear one of the blessed children scream, “Mine!” Another one yells back, “No. It’s MINE! The first one throws some sand and threatens even louder, “Give it to me now or…” “Mom! Mikie stole my truck. It’s MINE!!”

But before you get too upset with the kids and assign everyone a “time out”, think for a minute. Where did the kids learn the behavior of tightly holding on to their treasured possessions? They may have heard you say, “It’s my money and I will spend it how I want.” It’s my house… my car… my children.”

Mine. Of course, God gives us what we need. He places in our possession to handle with care and use wisely what He has given us. Yet, sometimes we forget that everything ultimately belongs to Him. Everything.

Some of the best advice I’ve heard about how to view possessions came from a missionary. When asked how she handled having to move often and decide what to pack and what to leave out, she said, “Hold your treasures lightly in your hands.” I heard her saying, “It’s just stuff. Remember what is really important and hold on to that.”

Wednesday in the Word

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24

“Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine.” Exodus 19:5

“For every animal of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. Psalm 50:10

“My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.” Song of Solomon 2:16 (Good words from Solomon’s Song to remember during June — the month of weddings!)

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: What is your favorite treasured possession? What helps you remember that everything belongs to God?

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Good Words I Recommend

• A Good Song — Jesus, Forever Mine – Natalie Grace

• Another Good Song — Blessed Assurance | Live | Elevation Worship

• A Good Book — Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely, Lysa TerKeurst

• Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders.

  “Our name sets us apart. When someone says our name out loud, we feel seen. And we are reminded that God saw us first. “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine’” (Isa. 43:1). Of course, God values our entire being, not just our names. Sadly, many people do not know that they are priceless. We are all seen, treasured, and loved. That is who we are. You could even use those three words as your identifying descriptors.” (p. 17). Kindle Edition.

A Final Word

Remember this week who you belong to — “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” – 1 John 3:1. That means, when God looks at you, He says, “Mine!”

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Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

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Who did you spend the most time remembering on Memorial Day a few days ago? Whose gravesites did you visit and decorate? Whose stories from days gone by did you retell to someone else?

I know this holiday was about reflecting on the lives of men and women who gave their all to ensure our freedom through military service. I’m truly grateful for their ultimate sacrifice and for their families who were left to mourn their loss. I remember visiting Arlington Cemetery several times and looking out at the hundreds of rows of white tombstones. Each one represents a life given for their country. I will never completely understand their great sacrifice, but I’m so very grateful.

This year, I have enjoyed the special treat of spending Memorial Day with my sister, Debbie. She journeyed from her home in Arkansas to share time with me and my Oklahoma family for a few days.

We spent much time over the last several days reminiscing about childhood memories. Sometimes we laughed out loud and sometimes we wiped a few tears. We spent time reflecting on family members who are now in heaven, especially our parents, grandparents and most recently, Debbie’s husband, Gerald. And sometimes, it makes me ready to be where they are — enjoying heaven with Jesus. Can you imagine? (I know, this would be a great place to insert the sweet song “I Can Only Imagine.”)

But really. Think about it. With all the craziness and messiness that our world has become, wouldn’t it be lovely to be at peace and removed from this nonsense? When I read the headlines and engage in conversations related to our current clueless society, I just pray, “Lord, come quickly.” And then I think about all the people who don’t know Jesus and would be left forever in darkness, I pray, “Lord, come quickly, but first let me make sure my loved ones are safe. First, send more servants into the world and rescue those in danger.”

I don’t know when the end will come for me. For my loved ones. For this world. But it’s something to spend some time reflecting on. And it’s coming. Ready or not.

Sorry to be so morbid. But reflecting on those who have gone before tends to bring about these thoughts. I can’t imagine going through life without the light of Christ. The best thing about living in this day is knowing that I worship the Maker of the universe. He knows the end of the story. And that’s all that matters. It’s my job, day after day, to reflect His light. It’s your job too. How are you doing that today?

Wednesday in the Word

 ^“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,  because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” Philippians 1:3-5

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.” Philippians 3:12-15

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:16

The Hall of Faith — Hebrews 11. Read the whole chapter, reflect and remember these heroes of the faith.

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Question(s) of the Week: Who has been your role model in your walk with Christ? Who did you think about the most on Memorial Day? How do you most want to be remembered? What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?

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Unseen People book

Good Words I Recommend

A Good Song: Homesick for Heaven, Phil Wickham

Another Good Song: I will remember you, Amy Grant

A Good Blog: Have you reflected on the decisions you’ve made in your life? Questions at the Crossroads

Another Good Blog: Going Places with my Daddy

A Good Book: That They May Be Saved: A 90 Day Scripture-Based Prayer Guide and Devotional to Help You Pray for Your Unsaved Loved Ones, Stephanie Shott

A Good Book: 50 People Every Christian Should Know

Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders.

A Final Word

Of course, the ultimate sacrifice a person gave was Jesus giving his life on the cross. For all of us — for “good” people and those who are evil. For our family and for families on the other side of the world. For those we see and those we don’t.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Let me hear from you this week. What’s on your mind? What are you reflecting on today? How can we reflect the light of Christ in a dark world?

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DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read these good words. If you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

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DeAnna's Writing Website

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If you’ve watched any television court dramas or actually been a witness in a trial, you are familiar with this ritual:

Court Scene— Bailiff (to the witness): “Please raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”

Witness: “I do. (So help me God.)

OR, perhaps you’ve played the following game — two truths and a lie.

Which one of these statements is not true about me? 1. I was born in Alabama. 2. I have lived in Oklahoma for 39 years. 3. I love coconut shrimp.

(Which one is a lie? If you know me, you know I was born in Arkansas, not Alabama.)

OR, perhaps you are familiar with the phrase that has wormed its way into our language in recent years: “This is MY truth. What’s YOUR truth?” (As if truth changes based on who you are.)

OR, even more current, what is an AI (Artificial Intelligence) generated image or story, and what was actually created by a real life photographer or writer?

• The truth is, we live in a crazy world where the truth can seem fuzzy. The media calls it fake news. How do you know what is real?

• The truth is, everyone is searching for what is true. How do you know what to base your life on? What is true north?

  

• The truth is, we can know the Truth. He is a Person. Not an ever-moving target. Jesus isn’t trying to hide behind a thick veil. The truth is, He wants to show you the truth through His Word, His people, and His creation.

AI is infuriating to a writer because most of us want our real words to matter in someone’s real life… not words we can copy and paste from an inhuman computer-generated source. The funny thing is, when I began research for this Good Word, this is what I found first: “Truth is conformity to reality or fact, meaning it aligns with how things actually are. It is often considered a property of statements or beliefs that accurately describe the world.” Yes, that is an accurate definition brought to you by a computer-generated search assistant. Also, yes, it can be helpful. But how do we know where truth is real and not produced by a robot?

I don’t know all the answers to the craziness of AI. But the truth I do know is Jesus is real and He’s changed my life. Jesus is real and I have a personal, daily relationship with Him.

How do you explain to someone what is truth in your life? How do you decide what is true and what is false?

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Wednesday in the Word

“Sanctify them in the truth. Your Word is Truth.” John 17:17

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18

“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” Proverbs 30:5

NOTE: There are SO many scriptures about truth. A search tells me there are 274! Search for yourself. What is your favorite?

Good Question(s) of the Week: On a daily basis, how do you separate truth from untruth? If truth isn’t an absolute that never changes, and isn’t the same for everyone, is it still truth?

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GOOD WORDS I RECOMMEND

A Good Song: Firm Foundation Cody Carnes. “Christ is my firm foundation. The Rock on which I stand.”

Another Good Song: The Truth, Megan Woods. What a powerful song! “The truth is I’m my Father’s child….”

Another Good Song: Truth I’m Standing On — Leanna Crawford

Another Good Song: The Way, the Truth, the Life — Lauren Daigle

A Good Book: Your Bible, of course!

Another Good Book: Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis

Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders. “Journey to Freedom,” p. 91-93. “It seems to me that people who name the name of Christ should be the first ones to speak up for freedom for all people—regardless of skin color, regardless of location—because we know the truth. “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jon 8:32). So today, choose to see people from all backgrounds. Celebrate freedom. Share the truth. Demonstrate love.

Good, Free Resources — on my website. Help yourself! You’re welcome!

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A FINAL GOOD WORD

A witness in court is called on to tell the truth. They can do that as an eye witness. They testify to something they have personally experienced. The same is true about telling our salvation story to others. It is our truth. And the good news is, it’s His Truth too. And that’s the best news ever. My challenge to all of us this week is to share THE truth with someone who is searching for it. See you back here next Wednesday with another Good Word. Have a good week!

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What kind of Mother’s Day gifts did you receive or give last Sunday? I was gifted with beautiful flowers planted on my deck from my husband; tickets to an Oklahoma Sooner softball game from my son; and a lunch date scheduled with my daughter next week. And sweet homemade cards from my grandchildren. All of that made me feel like the best mom ever. And isn’t that what all of us want—to be a perfect person? What would it feel like to be a perfect mom?

I had an amazing mom who would have won the most hospitable mom ever, if there ever was such an award. She was kind, giving, loving and gentle. But perfect? If she were still with us today, she would reply in her sweet, southern Arkansas voice that she was not. And then she would offer you the best homemade chocolate chip cookie.

Fast forward 53 years, and I was holding Rachel’s daughter, my first grandchild, Leah. What a marvelous day. I wanted to be the perfect grandmother, or Bebe, as Leah named me a few years later. But, a perfect mother and grandmother I am not.

And yet, Jesus tells us in the book of Matthew: “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” What in the world is that about? Am I supposed to be perfect like God? I can’t even go through a whole day without messing up — saying unkind words, or forgetting to do something I said I would do, or thinking bad things about someone. How in the world can I be perfect and yet sin repeatedly in one day? And if you want to see proof of my less-than-perfect life, just drop by anytime and see my less-than-spotless house. I can’t keep up so most of the time I don’t try very hard.

What do you think Jesus is telling us here? How can we be perfect?

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We want to have a perfect family — to have children who excel in sports and academics. We want to look perfect and say the right words at the right time. We want to be the best mom ever and raise perfect children who will one day rise up and call us blessed. And yet, it is just too high of a standard. Actually, it’s unrealistic and impossible.

So… how do we strive to be like a perfect Jesus in a messy world? The goal is to strive to be like Him. To keep trying to show the fruit of the Spirit (see below) to a world that desperately needs to see Jesus. Will we ever be perfect in this life? Nope. But we continue to try. And fail. And try again. We are only made right by accepting the forgiveness and grace of God. It’s nothing we can do to be made right. It’s all because of Him. He loves us as we are and gives us His Holy Spirit to live in us and help us to grow to be more like Him.

Wednesday in the Word

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.” 1 John 4:18

“As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.” Psalm 18:30

“Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’” Matthew 19:21

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.” James 1:17

^“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.” Philippians 3:12-15

Good Question(s) of the Week: How do you strive to be perfect in an imperfect world?

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GOOD WORDS I RECOMMEND

A Good Song: Perfectly, Micah Tyler, “I give you failures and You give me grace… I don’t know how You do it but You do it perfectly…”

Another Good Song: Perfect Peace

A Good Book: A Perfect Mess: Why You Don’t Have to Worry About Being Good Enough for God, Lisa Harper.

Another Good Book: Breaking Up with Perfect: Kiss Perfection Good-Bye and Embrace the Joy God Has in Store for You, Amy Carroll.

Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders. Read a story about my mom on page 33, The Best Sugar Stop of All.

Good, Free Resources — on my website. Help yourself! You’re welcome!

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A FINAL GOOD WORD

I didn’t have perfect parents, and neither did you. I certainly am not a perfect mom or grandmother. But the goal every day is to strive to be more like Jesus and we can only do that because He is righteous. What are some ways this week you can be more like Him?

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My prayer for all of us is to keep reaching toward the goal to be more like our perfect Savior every day. Have a good Wednesday. See you back here next week.

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Signs everywhere demand that we notice them — Stop; Wrong Way; Construction ahead, etc. Sometimes I wish people had signs too that would make me notice them, such as: Listen to me; I need your help; I’m having a hard day; I’m hungry; I need a friend. Then it would be much easier to stop, notice them, and know what they need from me.

Instead, I hurry on my way. I get back to checking off items on my To Do list (see last week’s post), and concentrate on what I need. Sometimes I am just the opposite of what I suggest we be in my book Unseen People (see below). I even wrote a list about how to notice people. And yet, I fail so often. Especially with those who are closest to me. When I worked for She Is Safe in Indonesia, it was much easier to notice a person like this:

We get our example from Jesus about how to see people. Think about the many, many times He stopped and noticed the people around Him. He met them at the point of their need:

• The bleeding woman in the crowd.

• Zacchaeus up in the tree.

• The woman at the well.

And He also noticed those closest to Him and provided for their needs:

• Matthew, who needed a new job and purpose.

• Thomas, who needed to feel the wounds of Jesus’ crucified body.

• Peter, who needed to be reminded of who he was after he had failed, and failed and failed some more.

• Mary. who needed a family after Jesus died.

When I was in college, in my first journalism class, my professor stressed the importance of getting all the facts about a situation before writing the story. To do that, you had to pay attention when asking questions during an interview. In creative writing classes, we were instructed on including strong words that help people engage their senses as they read. To do that, the writer has to notice how specific smells, textures, and tastes affect a person — like the scent of an early springtime rain; the softness of a well-loved blanket; the first warm bite of your Mom’s chocolate pie fresh out of the oven.

Are you a person who notices others and their needs easily? I think for some people it is just a natural part of their personalities. For people like me, I have to discipline my mind to be quiet — to stop reliving the pains from the past or trying to plan future events. That’s the first step for me, to be in the moment, to stop and listen to those around me.

What do you do to notice the needs of people around you?

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Wednesday in the Word

“Her mother-in-law noticed how much Ruth had gleaned and had brought back from what was left over from her lunch. So her mother-in-law quizzed her, “Where did you glean today? Where, precisely, did you work? May the one who took notice of you be blessed.” So Ruth told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked. She said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” Ruth 2:19

“What is man that you take notice of him, or the son of man that you pay attention to him?” Psalm 8:4

“I waited expectantly for the LORD, and he took notice of me and heard my cry”. Psalm 40:1

“When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed.” Luke 8:47

Good Question(s) of the Week: How do you quiet the noise in your mind and notice the people around you? How do you let others know that you need to be noticed?

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GOOD WORDS I RECOMMEND

A Good Song: Give me your eyes, Brandon Heath.

Another Good Song: The Hem of His Garment, Upper Room.

A Good Book: Holy Noticing: The Bible, Your Brain, and the Mindful Space Between Moments by Charles Stone.

Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders. On page 109, I offer a list of 10 ways to take time to see the people all around you.

Good, Free Resources — on my website. Help yourself! You’re welcome!

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A FINAL GOOD WORD

What is one thing you can do this week to be more aware of the needs of those closest to you? What can you do to help meet needs of those far away? I pray this week that all of us will notice people and help them realize they are seen by you and by God and that they are dearly and deeply loved. See you back here next Wednesday for another good word. Have a good day!

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I have a rule of life that I don’t make any important decisions without having at least one cup of coffee. Two is better. Then on to more important things. I like to make written lists, or type them on my Notes app on my phone. I make lists for groceries, packing for trips, Christmas and birthday gifts, birds I’ve seen, recipes, sports schedules, passwords, Bible study notes, upcoming Good Word ideas, etc. What is on your To Do list every day?

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What is it about us that likes to check things off our list and move on to the next thing and then the next and on and on? I know that I like to feel as if I’ve accomplished something and that my time has been productive. The check marks prove that. Right?

All of that is true, except that, in reality, I want to just remain here:

This is part of my deck where I could literally spend hours. It’s my outdoor sanctuary. I can remain here for a very long time reading, praying, listening to the birds sing, and just being still. No checklist. No hurry. But maybe another cup of coffee.

And really, where else is a better place to be than being with Him? I want to silence the world around me and remain alone with Him. In one conversation, Jesus asked his disciples, “Do you want to leave me too? And Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:65-69)

Wednesday in the Word

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing…If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:5, 7

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:7-10

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

Good Question(s) of the Week: Where do you like to go and linger with the Lord? If you could remain in one place for a long time, where would it be?

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GOOD WORDS I RECOMMEND

A Good Song: You Remain (feat. Chandler Moore) | Todd Galberth

Another Good Song: Christy Nockels - Waiting Here For You (Live)

Another Good Song: Leanna Crawford - Still Waters (Psalm 23)

Another Good Song: Passion, Kristian Stanfill - Just That Good. What a fun song of praise!

A Good Book: I Hear His Whisper

Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Sanders. On page 49, I share the story, “Did You Hear That?” I answer that with these words, “Then, on an ordinary morning a few days ago, sitting in my comfy chair reading, drinking coffee, and contemplating life, I heard something. It was a whisper, but I heard it… “It’s okay to spend some time with Me. It’s okay to be still.” Then it was quiet.

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A FINAL GOOD WORD

Summer will be here very soon. As you prepare your vacation schedule, I challenge you to put at the top of your To Do list: Be still. Be quiet. Worship. Enjoy Him. That’s my prayer for all of us. See you back here next Wednesday. Have a good week.

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But first, the reason why I selected this word this week is because of pain I’ve experienced over the last four weeks. Sciatica. For those of you who have lived with this particular pain, I hear you groaning right now. I’ve had it before, but thankfully, it resolved itself within a few days. Not so lucky with this bout. And while my pain in my back that radiates down my leg is not debilitating, it is annoying and limits my mobility somewhat. And yet, I know that my painful experience doesn’t compare to what many of you are facing right now. You are battling cancer or heart disease. Or maybe your pain has to do with a heartbreak involving a family member or friend. Maybe you are wrestling with depression or a deep, dark grief.

We all experience pain of some type. Often, we deal with different types of pain all at the same time. It may seem relentless and more than you can bear. What do you do in those dark nights of the soul that seem unending?

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What examples from scripture come to mind? It started in the beginning with a disobedient Adam and Eve. Their removal from the Garden brought layers upon layers of pain. Of course, there is the life of Job. His pain was compounded by the advice of unhelpful friends. Paul experienced pain in so many ways - shipwrecked, imprisoned, beaten, just to name a few.

And then there was Jesus. A man of joy and of sorrows. Our collective pain pales in comparison to His agony on the cross. All of that pain He bore for us so that we can have life everlasting. Even in the midst of our pain of all types, we can rejoice in knowing that He is there for us. When all the medicine and surgeries don’t help, He is with us. When our children wander away from Him and us, He is still with us. When the sadness we carry is so heavy we can’t get out of bed, He is there with us. Loving us. Caring for us. Being with us through the pain.

So, when is pain good? When it drives us to Him in prayer. When we cry out to Him and release control of our pain and lay it in His hands. When we can sympathize with others and help them carry their pain.

How has your pain been a good thing in your life?

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Wednesday in the Word

“The night racks my bones, and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest.” Job 30:17

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

“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.” Romans 8:28

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

“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. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Good Question(s) of the Week: How do you deal everyday with the pain you carry?

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GOOD WORDS I RECOMMEND

• A Good Song — “Even If”, Mercy Me

• Another Good Song — “Worn”, Tenth Avenue North

• Another Good Song — “Lord, I’m Not Okay,” Chris Tomlin

• A Good Book — The Hem of His Garment, Dr. Michelle Bengtson

• Another Good Book — Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, Timothy Keller

• Another Good Book: Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations, DeAnna Lynn Sanders. My book is full of stories of how God worked in amazing ways to show Himself to unseen people.

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A FINAL GOOD WORD

What do you want when you are in the midst of pain? You don’t want to feel alone. If that’s you, reach out to someone and share your need right now. If you’ve been through pain, reach out to someone you can help. Sometimes just being there is enough. Let someone know you see them and that you care. And pray for them. That’s my prayer for all of us this week. See you back here next Wednesday.

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Gratefully yours,

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