Author Archives: Shereen Lashua

Thankful For Help On The Hike

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I went on a beautiful, quiet, out-of-the-way hike yesterday. While enjoying the quiet, I began reminiscing about past hikes. I thought about a challenging hike. Many years ago, I was with a group, and we did a backpacking trip into the Havasupai Falls.
The particular hike that was on my mind was the hike out of Havasupai. After enjoying a few days on a backpacking trip in a magical setting, we were hiking out. The trip was so slow. We were a large group with many children. It was 8 miles out, and we got a late start. The group was tired after three days of playing and camping. And it was a scorching day. Everyone was very thirsty and drinking a lot.
At the base of the switchbacks, the last stretch of the hike, we ran out of water. Nobody in the group had any water left. The switchbacks were in full sun. We were thirsty and had nothing to quench that thirst. The group’s men decided to head up without us. The women and children stayed behind in a somewhat shady spot.
It took them a while. When they came back, they brought water! That is what everyone wanted. But they also came with more than enough flavored liquids, snacks, and a mule.
Our most critical need was quenching our thirst. The men didn’t just provide for our dehydration. They blessed us abundantly with the added supplies. They brought water, which satisfied our thirst. The juice and Powerade were not necessary, but they gave us enjoyment. They brought snacks to provide nourishment. The mule carried an injured woman and a small child to the top. Then, the men took as many packs as they could lug up the hill for everyone else. Most of us hiked up with no backpack or a much lighter load.
It was one of those moments in my life that I will never forget. We were in desperate need, and those who loved us not only provided what was essential but abundantly blessed us.
As I contemplated this further, I realized that that is precisely what Jesus did for us. He not only provided for our spiritual thirst, but he also provided us with blessings beyond measure. Jesus gave us flavor, strength, and comfort. He carries our load so that the struggles of life can be less weighty as we allow him to take them. We still must get up the hill. We may have to hike the switchbacks, but it is easier when we are nourished, hydrated, and carrying a light load. This Thanksgiving, I am thankful to God that I don’t have to get out of the canyons of life or hike the switchbacks alone.

“I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.” Psalm 145:1-3

Starving for Righteousness

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“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matt 5:6)

I have been less than satisfied with what the world presents as the news. I get very agitated by social media. I feel like I am constantly seeking and scavenging for morsels of truth in the desert land of lies. None of it is fulfilling or wholesome.

I desire for my soul to be fed, and instead, I feel like the world feeds me junk food that provides no nutrition. When I use social media, I want to hear from my friends. But social media is so inundated with ads and suggestions that I must sort through the inedible to nibble at what I truly desire. I want something good, healthy, authentic, and suitable, but finding it among the junk is too much work.

A bigger problem is that the world presents lies. The ads exaggerate the truth to make a play for my money. The presentations of the world show only one side of a story to promote their agenda. Much of what I see revolves around selfishness, lust, and pride.

John was right when he said, “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world (1 John 2:16).” Today as I read through the Sermon on the Mount, it struck me that I have been starving for righteousness. I have been seeking good, healthy, and righteous material, but I am never satisfied or fulfilled because I am foraging for it in the world.

I will only be satisfied with my longing for goodness and righteousness in Jesus. I must seek him to quench my thirst as I long to know what is virtuous and honest. As I trust him, he will provide a feast of healthy refreshments that nourish my soul. In him, I will be blessed and satisfied.

Lord, help me to remember this message. Help me to turn off social media. Let me trust you with the future and fill myself with the truth in you instead of the news. Allow my mind to heal as I find healthy nourishment in your righteousness and goodness, through the reading of your Word. Let me seek you and enjoy the satisfaction and the filling of my soul that only you provide.

Thanksgiving Proclamation

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I had a great time with my family on Thanksgiving. We ate and played for two days. The festivities were fun, and I enjoyed my holiday. But I was reminded that Thanksgiving is a time to thank God for all His blessings. I know this and believe this, but sometimes during the chaotic celebration, I forget to do the most important thing. In this case, be thankful.

I taught a lesson on being thankful just the week before. I still needed to work on doing it over the holiday. Maybe I struggled because it wasn’t a good lesson, so it wasn’t easy to apply. It was too broad and covered too many aspects of a thankful attitude. When I got home from Bible study, I kept thinking about it and meditating on it. The Lord helped me to narrow my focus. Now, almost a week after Thanksgiving, I have my lesson, for this year, on giving thanks.

George Washington made a thanksgiving proclamation designating a national day of thanksgiving. It was to be a day to pray and ask God for continued blessing. A theme throughout his declaration was peace and unity. Abraham Lincoln, in 1864, declared a day of thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November. The reason was to pray and ask God for “the inestimable blessings of peace, union, and harmony throughout the land. It seemed that peace and unity were also a theme of his thanksgiving proclamation.

I thought about the Bible verses that discussed thanksgiving. Philippians 4 starts with two women in the church who aren’t getting along. Paul asks them to agree (find unity and peace). Then he gives directions for finding peace. Philippians 4:6 says we should not be anxious but pray and ask God for what we need. But he adds that we should pray “with thanksgiving.” And the next verse says that we will have God’s peace that surpasses understanding. There seems to be a connection between being thankful and being at peace and in unity with others.

My Thanksgiving day was full of fun and went very well. But not everything was peaceful, and there wasn’t perfect unity. A big part of that is I tend to be an anxious person. My mind goes to problems, and the negativity can overwhelm me. I wonder if I had spent more time in “prayer and supplication, giving thanks,” if the “peace of God” would have “guarded my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.” What if my insecurities and fears could have been conquered and overcome by my own Thanksgiving day proclamation? That is what I need! I need an everyday thanksgiving day proclamation.

I proclaim on this day that every morning, I will celebrate Thanksgiving. I will “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” And I will let my “reasonableness be known to everyone” (might be hard). “The Lord is at hand.” I will “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let my requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus”. Phil 4:4-7

Why Do The Wicked Prosper? Devotional based on Psalm 37

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In the past few days, I have been discouraged. I have been struggling with a common but difficult question. It is one that we all deal with many times in our life. The question? “Why do the wicked prosper?” Job asked this question more than 4000 years ago. Jeremiah asked a similar question 2600 years ago. “Yet, I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the treacherous live at ease?” Jeremiah 12:1 (HCSB).

I think that another question is implied. Why am I not prospering like them? It is difficult to understand. We are taught from an early age that we can make our own awesome future with grit and determination. Unfortunately, doing the right thing and working hard doesn’t always bring a great future. The world drills into our heads that if you work hard, great things will follow. But we all know that often it isn’t the way things turns out.

Why do we also dream of the best and often end up with the worst? Why does it seem so offensive and upsetting when the wicked prosper and we can’t. I have learned a few things in recent days as I reflected on these things. I am sure this will bother me again someday and I will learn some more lessons, but for today these are my takeaways.

First, I prosper more than I deserve. Many who do evil prosper more. Those who cheat and steal will move ahead quickly because they are cutting the line. It seems that they are prospering while we get pushed further behind. That is frustrating, but in reality getting pushed back two or three spaces in line isn’t that much. I’m still in line and moving ahead. I have a wonderful life and God has been with me in all things. That truly is prospering.

I’m also more convinced than ever that there is a God! If there was no Higher Power and the material world is all that exists, I wouldn’t be irritated by the inequity. There is some moral and ethical rule out there that insists that good should prevail. There are rules of fairness and rightness in each person’s heart. We don’t always play by these rules, and we also push people back in the line. But it doesn’t mean there aren’t rules, and that people are supposed to play by them. I only get upset because the laws of God, that have been ingrained in my soul, are being broken.

Finally, the conflict frustrates me and I am going to be upset by it for my whole life. All people will not bend their will to God’s rule. Even those that agree that you should obey God’s law, like me, will continue to disobey at times. But I am called to action by these things that cause upset and frustration. When I see the wicked prospering, I should remember that my responsibility is to “seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness” and let him deal with the rest. I need to remember that God is in charge and He set the rules. He promises to deal with evil and reward good. I need to trust that in His time He will deal with the inequities that are upsetting me. He rewarded Job and punished those that Jeremiah complained about. He is faithful to His Word.

Psalm 37:7–11 (ESV): Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.

Hiking With God

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There is a lot of alone time when you are hiking. Even if I am with someone else, there is usually limited interaction, because I am exerting myself and I have no breath for talking. Also, I often hike narrow, steep paths that don’t allow me and a companion to travel side by side. So much of my hiking, whether with a friend or alone, is in silence. This silence has made hiking a time to contemplate spiritual matters and to connect with God.

The alternative to spending this time with God is to spend time alone with my thoughts. I have found that this is never the best idea. Without a focus on God and truth, my mind goes to ridiculous places. I often ruminate on the past and get myself irritated. My other pattern is to try to solve issues in the present while arguing and fighting with people that aren’t there, that don’t care and are unaware that I have an issue with them. As you can imagine, it is a much nicer hike if I make God my traveling companion.

So, I have made it a habit to start my hikes with prayer. The prayers flow easily because God has created so many beautiful things. The praise flows as I enjoy the splendor of my surroundings. It is good to meditate on God’s creativity and great power. It is a catalyst to praise and an exercise in humility. During my hiking prayers, I always find myself in awe that a God who is so big and so mighty cares about me.

As I hike, I happen upon great vistas with amazing views. Sometimes I can see for many miles, and not see one other person anywhere. In those times, I feel so small but so important. The Great Creator that made all that I see is there alone with me. How blessed am I? At that moment, it seems like I am the only person in the world, and it is just God and me making lovely memories.

As I head back to civilization and get on the freeway, I remember that there are over 7.5 billion people in the world. It is hard to fathom that God loves me so much that he would spend quiet time with me on the mountain. I am one individual among so many, and yet the Creator of the Universe meets with me. We enjoy a special and unique relationship. He values me so much that he listens to me as I talk to him. He answers my prayers. He saved me from my sin. He wants me to be in heaven with Him. He enjoys time with me.

I can’t wait to hike again.

“You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.” (Psalm 65:5–8, NIV)

A Difficult Hike

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I started hiking with a goal. I wanted to hike Rim to Rim at the Grand Canyon. On one of my training hikes, I climbed Piestewa Peak in Phoenix. I went with a group of people that were also training for the Grand Canyon. We hiked in and connected to the circumference route. We hiked around, up to the peak and back out and around the other side. From our starting point, we hiked 9 miles, including the hike in, the circumference and the peak itself.

I have to admit that I was nervous about the hike before we started. I wasn’t sure if I was up to it. I was also nervous about hiking to the top because it seemed dangerous. I was nervous coming down because I knew it was still about 3 miles out and it was getting hot. I was just scared most of the hike. I didn’t want to let anyone down or by a burden to others. I had to conquer my fear to accomplish this goal.

One phrase I mulled over on the way up the peak, was, “Do not be afraid.” I was nervous. It was a tough climb in spots. A person could easily fall and get hurt. It isn’t uncommon for our local news to share reports about rescues on Piestewa Peak. There was a well-publicized rescue this month. So I was concerned and a little afraid of becoming an injured person that required rescue.

I was also afraid because the path is narrow in spots, but there are quite a few hikers on the trail. In tight places, you may have to move to the edges where there are cacti and scrub brush growing on steep precipices. Getting poked or scraped by the vegetation is another risk.
People can be a problem. Not everyone hiking follows hiking etiquette. Everyone does not behave, adding to the danger. And my lack of knowledge, pushing my limits, and my human frailty can easily cause an issue.

Although it was difficult and I dangerous I am glad I went on this hike. I can’t describe the thrill and sense of accomplishment that I experienced when I finished. I was filled with so much joy and wonder when I got to the top. I was overwhelmed with a conquering spirit when I finished. Although I was exhausted, I also felt like I could conquer the world. I had made it to the top and back!

I thought a lot about this hike and how it compares to my journey with Jesus. I realized that in my Christian walk, I don’t push my limits much. I am kind of a couch potato Christian. The dangers, real and perceived, often keep me from going with Jesus on the adventure.

The times that I have ventured out of my comfort zone and tried something new with the Lord, I have been rewarded. I experience the heights. I see life from a new perspective. I am invigorated and excited to walk with Jesus some more. It is healthy for me to take risks.

I do not want to be a couch potato Christian. I want to hike to the top with Jesus. It may be risky. There are no guarantees that I will be safe. I could get hurt, and I may even require rescue, but the thrill of reaching the top with Jesus by my side will be worth it.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18, ESV)

Hiking and My Journey with Jesus

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This past year I have been hiking as a form of retreat and exercise. It has been good for my body and soul. I have learned some valuable lessons about my walk with the Lord while on these literal walks. Every walk has been an opportunity for the Lord to share some insight into my spiritual journey.

The hikes started small, and I learned small, simple lessons. In time, the hikes grew in length. My insights mirrored the hikes. I’m learning little things on small hikes, bigger things on long hikes. I have begun learning some lessons that I am still working on, and I can’t see the end of the trail. It will take determination, strength, and training to get to the end. It takes perseverance to continue and to finish the journey well.

My first hike wasn’t just short; it was relatively flat compared to later hikes. In preparation for a big adventure, I had to hike steeper peaks. This increase in intensity taught me different lessons than I had learned from long hikes. They also taught me different lessons about my relationship with God. Through discipline and the power of the Holy Spirit, I gained knowledge about some issues that have caused intense emotion and introspection, pushing me to new heights in my walk with the Lord.

My hiking adventure began with my first hike that was 2 miles long. I was so proud of myself when I completed that hike. Two miles sounded like a long walk for me at the beginning. The last hike I did was 24 miles. I hiked Rim to Rim at the Grand Canyon. It took time and effort to go from a two-mile hiker to a 24-mile, cross the Grand Canyon, super excited hiker. It was not easy, but it was worth it.

I realize that in many areas of my spiritual life, I have no discipline. I walk 2 miles with Jesus, and I’m proud of myself. Two miles may seem far because I haven’t disciplined myself and trained. I haven’t gone to the steep and difficult places very often. I have little strength. I do not know what I am capable of doing or where I am capable of going with the Lord because I haven’t tried.

I had to do some training to conquer the Grand Canyon. You may not believe it, but I only trained for six months. It only took six months, and I was ready and able to enjoy a remarkable adventure. Conquering the Canyon has encouraged me to discipline myself to learn the lessons that God is teaching me as we hike together through the mountains and valleys of life.

I do not know where this trail leads. But I know there is an adventure in traveling it, and I know I will be super excited when I reach the end. “Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth” (Psalm 86:11, ESV)

I have some lessons to share so there will be more hiking blogs coming shortly.

The Tale of Two Men

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I met a man many years ago. I will call him Joe (not his real name). Joe was interesting and fun. He loved his family and friends. He went to church regularly, and he did good and kind things for others. Joe wanted to build his business and become financially secure. He attained his goal and became rather wealthy. As the years went by, Joe enjoyed his life, his family and all the toys and wealth he had accumulated. From this side of eternity, we would say that Joe was very successful.

I am sure you assumed that this Joe has died since I am speaking of him in the past tense. You are correct. He did pass away, grieving his family, friends, and community. His loss was a blow to many people. Joe’s passing saddened me. I grieved for his family and hurt for them for days after I heard about his unexpected death. The whole situation was very sad.

I called this story the tale of two men because another man I knew passed away the day after my first acquaintance. I will call him Ed (not his real name). Two men that I had met many years ago (about 35 years ago) both went into eternity very near the same time.

I met Ed many years ago. Ed was interesting and fun. He loved his family and friends. He went to church regularly, and Ed did good and kind things for others. Ed wanted to build his business and become financially secure. He attained his goal and became rather wealthy. As the years went by, Ed enjoyed his life, his family and all the toys and wealth he had accumulated. We would say that Ed too was very successful.

Ed passed away, grieving his family, friends, and community. His loss was a blow to many people. Ed’s passing saddened me. I grieved for his family and hurt for them for days after I heard about his death. But I also rejoiced. I knew he would be missed. Initially, I was sad, but there was also joy and rejoicing because I knew that Ed was in heaven with Jesus.

I knew because of Ed’s life and statement of faith that he was now safe and secure with Jesus, enjoying eternal life. Although I know it will be difficult for those close to him to live day to day in this life without him, I know they find comfort in the fact that he is safe in Jesus. He put his trust in the power of God to save him. Ed left a legacy of faithful service to the Lord.

Joe did not. He did not look for truth and base his faith on reality. But, he chose his religion and his faith based on what would give him financial peace and power in this life. His true religion and faith was in himself and in his work. From all the evidence, it does not seem that Joe had accepted God’s gift of salvation. Rather, from what I know, he rejected the truth of God for a lie. Upon Joe’s death, I do not believe he was welcomed into the presence of the Father by King Jesus. His rejection of the true and living God is tragic, and I still grieve.

As I have reflected on this tale of two men it has solidified my resolve to live for Jesus. In many ways, Joe and Ed lived similar lives. My life is similar to many other women my age. Much of my story is not unique. But if the real dichotomy, separation or contrast is faith in Jesus, no similarity matters. What makes me and my life unique and special is that I enjoy a personal relationship with the God of the Universe. I will leave this life and spend eternity with God.

So, I want to live in such a way that when I die, my family and friends’ grief is momentary, but the rejoicing goes on forever. I want them to be confident in my eternal state. I do not want them to worry that I chose to face judgment unprepared. I want them to be confident that I was welcomed into the presence of God as a child of the King.

“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:27–28, NIV)

You Will Have Trouble and It May Be Plumbing

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This weekend I decided to stay home and do some projects around the house. After working hard for a few hours, I went into the bathroom and realized that my shower had not drained again! There was still a small amount of standing water in it. I was in the middle of too many other things and was frustrated that I now had one more thing to deal with in the middle of a busy Saturday.

I went to the cleaning cupboard to grab the drain cleaner, and I couldn’t find it. After looking around in a few other places, I came to the upsetting conclusion that I was out of drain cleaner. The situation was growing more frustrating. I knew that it would take a lot of time out of my day to stop everything else, get ready, run to the store, and finally use the drain cleaner to solve this problem.

I decided to search the web for homemade drain solutions. The one that seemed easiest and the most simple was to use a coat hanger. I took a wire coat hanger, bent a little hook in it, and shoved it down the drain. I got the clog to loosen, and the standing water started to drain slowly.

I pulled the hanger out, and nothing was on the hook, no clump of hair or gunk. I thought that was weird if it isn’t draining, something is blocking it. I decided to fish around some more and see if I could pull out the clog. The next time I pulled the hanger out and a clump of old plumbers putty came out with it. The drain completely cleared. In fact, since I have owned this home, this drain has never worked this well.

I started rejoicing! I was excited that a long time problem was cleared up. I also rejoiced because the Lord used this to speak to me about life’s circumstances and inconveniences. It became a teachable moment.

The slow drain problem that I had lived with for a long time was finally solved, and I was happy. But just a few minutes before I was very unhappy and frustrated although the circumstances were already in play for my problem to be solved. I needed a slow drain, I needed to be out of drain cleaner, and I needed to try something new, the coat hanger, for my problem to finally be solved.

Most of the time, I get unhappy and frustrated when difficulties arise in my life. If I had known that this drain was going to be completely fixed, I would not have been unhappy to work on it. I am short sighted and do not see beyond the moment to the good outcome. Also, it was much easier than I imagined it was going to be. As I pondered these things, the Lord reminded me of some of His promises and truths.

First, “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, NIV) I am guaranteed to have trouble, so I shouldn’t be surprised. I should actually have peace because I know God.

Next, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, ESV). Does this mean that my drains will always work? No, it means that God is working His purposes in my life and will bring me to a good place with Him. I shouldn’t get frustrated with difficulties because God’s purposes will be accomplished. But, I need to remember that sometimes it is inconvenient or difficult to reach a good outcome.

Finally, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29–30, ESV) Too often I look at the problems and forget that I am plowing (or doing plumbing) alongside Jesus. I see the work ahead, and I am overwhelmed. But, He tells me that to work with Him is easy and light. I need to remember that truth. It is always easier to live life the Jesus way.

I Have My Beliefs and I Consider the Facts: I’m Pro-Life

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“Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.” (Psalm 127:3, NIV)

I had three blogs started, but sadly they have disappeared from my computer. I liked them too. I am not sure if I will rewrite them all or not. They all stemmed from my grief over pro-choice arguments that I have heard this past couple of weeks. The tensions have been obvious on social media. We have also seen the stark contrast in ideologies in the mainstream media and their coverage of the recent marches in Washington D.C.

I am sure that it will not come as any surprise to those that know me that I am pro-life. I believe that God is the creator and that he creates each person in his image. All life is intrinsically valuable and should be respected. Human life is different because we have been set apart to live in the likeness of the Holy God of the Universe, to glorify and enjoy him forever.

Space and my limited knowledge prohibit me from giving an exhaustive explanation of this subject. From what I do know and understand from Scripture, I value all human life even that of the unborn. I have also looked at the facts about abortion and have determined that it is unhealthy for a society to condone the mass murder of any segment of the population. I understand that people disagree, but I thought that most had their beliefs and then looked at the facts.

It seems to me that many have not considered the facts. One woman on Facebook argued that maybe we should focus on gun control. Her reason was that it is “100 times easier to get a gun, which by the way kill a lot more people than abortions”.

The facts hadn’t played a part in her decision making. She hadn’t even learned the facts. According to bradycampaign.org, 93 people die every day from gun violence in the United States. That is no small problem, and we should be addressing any and all violence in our society. But, according to the World Health Organization, 3000 unborn babies die from abortions every day in the United States. Worldwide there are 125,000 abortions per day. The facts are that abortions kill far more people than gun violence.

I shared this information with someone the other night. When I spoke of the marches and my frustration with the huge number of abortions that are committed each day, a friend said, “You don’t want most of those babies born anyway. Their lives will suck. Most aren’t wanted. They’ll live in poverty, and they’ll end up on welfare and in jail.” I cried. Again the facts do not line up with this line of thinking. But my thoughts on this so-called statement of fact would require a lengthy dissertation, and I do not have space in this blog.

Next blog, I will share some of my thoughts on that view, though.