Always. Never. Be.

November 30, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT

Here in the U.S. November reminds us to be thankful. You may think I chose the verse above due to the Thanksgiving holiday. You are partially right but not completely. I have had a weekly reminder of this verse popping up on my phone since January of this year.

My word for the year has been Joy. In January I chose some verses to support that theme and help me meditate on the meaning of Joy in my life so that I can apply it. I am still trying to distill the lessons that meditation has taught me. Do you mind if I process with you?

This verse helps me know a few things about Joy.

Joy is a choice. I can always choose to be joyful. 2024 America is a feelings-based culture. Advertising is designed to appeal to our feelings. People often disregard logic and make decisions based on feelings. Their logic boils down to the conclusion that feelings affirm what is true. But feelings aren’t always a good indicator of truth. That’s what makes the Word of God so important. Like a compass in the hands of a ship’s navigator, we need something to keep us headed in the right direction when we can’t see. A compass always points north. Always.

You and I can choose joy because God never changes. I can choose joy because I know what is true. He is. He was. He ever shall be. And I get to walk through it all with the One who never changes regardless of my feelings. I can choose joy. And so can you.

Joy results when I bring my concerns to God in prayer. I can choose to never stop praying.

Why Does Healing Take Time?

July 20, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT

What is God doing? I am still not sure. I am a healthy person, but in the last three months, I have found myself with doctors multiple times. If you are a regular reader, then you know about the fall in May that broke both my wrists and led to surgery on the right wrist. A miraculous, immediate healing would have been nice, but I knew it would take time to recover. My orthopedist says we are almost “out of the weeds”. Praise God! Recovery has taken more effort and patience than I imagined, but it wasn’t unexpected.

Most recently I ended up in the doctor’s office for something that seems small and unnecessary. If you know me as well as my husband does, you know that even deciding to see the doctor is a big deal. My practice with most anything is to try to figure it out myself first or wait to see if it resolves. I don’t ask for help until I am absolutely certain that I need it. That has not served me well when it comes to medical issues. I confess I sometimes wait too long before heading to the doctor’s office or emergency room.

I was experiencing ear pain and then couldn’t hear out of my left ear. After a few days of trying to resolve the issue, I determined the problem was earwax that wasn’t responding to home treatment. Earwax! Come on! Do I really need a doctor for that? I called and was surprised to get an appointment the same day. I thought I would go in, get it taken care of, and go home healed. Not so!

My diagnosis was correct, but my expectation was not. The PA could not flush out the wax with the normal tools. It was too hard! She told me to continue drops at home to soften it and come back in a few days so they could flush it out.

Tom told me the doctor I was to see on my return visit “doesn’t mess around.” I didn’t look forward to the process but was confident I would go home hearing. But no! After some uncomfortable efforts he told me what he had already done would normally have removed it. The largest clump was still too hard. He sent me home to continue drops for another five days and then come back… again! The next day my ear began to open, and I could hear...most of the time. Finally, I went back to the doctor and left with success. But still questions.

Why does God sometimes require us to participate in the healing process rather than give us a quick resolution? I’ve got a few thoughts about that. I hope they encourage you.

Patience requires trust. If you and I are honest, we want a quick healing so we can just go on with life as it was.

Pain is a Gift: Lessons From the Hospital

April 6, 2024 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT

In the dark of early morning Tom stood at the bedroom door clutching his side and said, “Cathleen, we need to go to the hospital.” I scurried to throw on the clothes I had set out the night before in anticipation of this possibility. And so, this journey began. It’s been a week!

It all started with pain. Intense, breath-robbing pain. Pain led to the flurry of hurry-up-and-wait in the Emergency Department and the discovery process of blood work and scans that led to one diagnosis, a prescription and release. But there was still pain.

Pain led us back to the ED for more hurry-up-and-wait, more blood work and scans and an additional diagnosis that led to in-patient treatment. That is where we are a week later. Perhaps by the time you read this, he will be home. Thank you for your prayers!

But that isn’t why I write now. I invite you to consider with me the gift of pain. It is human to avoid pain. We often try to ignore or minimize pain in any form. It would be crazy to seek out pain. There is a good chance you are experiencing some kind of pain at this moment. What would it look like to accept that pain as a gift?

I don’t know what kind of pain you are facing. But, if you can receive it as a gift, I know that it will lead to healing, because when we let it, pain leads us to God, the healer of body, mind and spirit.

What’s Your Response? Grumbling or Gratitude?

November 25, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert and focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving.” Colossians 4:2 AMP

Are you getting weary of all the gratitude talk this week? Well, don’t check out on me yet! Do you catch yourself grumbling instead? There are certainly many reasons why being grateful is important. I’ll bet you think you’ve heard them all. But I don’t know if you’ve considered this one. As I have been mulling over the idea of gratitude, I found a connection I hadn’t considered before. I am hoping that you get something out of this, too. Stick with me!

Here’s the idea: Giving thanks in every situation gives glory to God. Have you ever thought about that? If you want your life to bring glory to God, then you can start by being thankful. And — oh, by the way — being thankful is a choice, not a feeling. You can do it regardless of how you feel. Just saying.

So, here’s some motivation for giving thanks even when things are tough.

Gratefulness is what gives us the power to persevere when things are not going well. Gratefulness helps us see God when He is hard to find. Gratefulness helps us go to God when we need answers and help. Gratefulness reminds me that God is good and trustworthy. Why would I go to a God I don’t trust? Thank You, Lord, for ALWAYS being faithful!

One Thing Yoda Taught Luke: Be Present in the Process

October 14, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” Psalms 105:4 NIV

Are you a Star Wars fan? No? Well, let me intrigue you and you might become one.

There’s a scene in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Yep! I am a Star Wars fan!) where Yoda, the Jedi Master, is deciding whether or not to train Luke Skywalker and chides him for a mindset that will prevent him from becoming the Jedi knight that he wants to be.

Yoda says, “A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away...to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing.” (“8 Creat Life Teachings from Yoda” StaWars.com accessed 10/12/23) Because Luke was always looking ahead, Yoda knew he would not be present in the process. Unless Luke committed to be present in the process, his progress would be limited. Did you catch that? Luke’s tendency to be far ahead in his mind, imagining what he wanted to be doing and where he wanted to be, would keep him from being fully present in the very thing that would get him there, his training. As his training begins, Yoda’s concerns prove to be correct.

What about you? Are you fully present right here and right now? Your dreams of where you want to be are important. They can motivate you. They can inspire you. But they can also distract you. If you are always in the future in your brain, but not present in the present you will miss the presents that are waiting for you here and now.