https://www.facebook.com/watch/?

v=694323368003963

What Not to Do in a Crisis

Don’t Drift
When we are caught in a crisis, we typically react in three ways. Because the sailors
couldn’t head into the wind, “we gave way to it and were driven along” (Acts 27:15).

The first thing that storms tend to do is to cause us to drift. We let go of our goals. We
forget where we are headed. We forget our values and start drifting.
Because they were not equipped with compasses and the stars were completely
obscured by the storm, the sailors were in total darkness. When you are in a dark
situation, you drift. The waves beat you back and forth, and you are led wherever they
take you. Your problems batter you back and forth.
Don’t Discard
Things didn’t get any better on the apostle Paul’s voyage to Rome.
We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw
the cargo overboard. — Acts 27:18

When a crisis emerges for us, first we start drifting, then we start discarding things from
our lives.
With the sailors it was first the cargo, then the ship’s tackle, eventually their food (Acts
27:38), and finally themselves (Acts 27:43-44)! They all jumped overboard and started
swimming to shore.

Often, when we find ourselves in a crisis of life, we are tempted to throw out the very
things that are important to us because we are under pressure and want to get rid of it
all. We become impulsive. We give up on our dreams. We run out on relationships. We
throw away values that we learned as children.
Don’t Despair
“When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging,
we finally gave up all hope of being saved.” — Acts 27:20
In an extreme crisis we eventually get to the point of despair and the last thing we
throw out is hope. Perhaps you feel like that right now.
Have you been going through a problem that has been batting you back and forth? Have
you come to the point where you have thrown things out, and come to the point of
despair? Remember the sailors: they gave up hope because they had forgotten that God
is in control. They forgot that God had a plan. They forgot that God can inject hope into
an absolutely hopeless situation.
The amazing part of this story is Paul’s reaction.

Paul was calm and confident. He had courage in the crisis. Absolutely nothing fazed him.
The sailors’ reactions were the natural responses that we tend to have in a crisis, but
they do not have to be our reactions. One test of our Christianity is how we handle a
crisis. It is easier to live like a Christian when things are going great, when all our
prayers are being answered, when we are in good health, when our income is rising.
Character is revealed in a crisis, not made in a crisis. [tweet this]
What should we do when things look as if they are falling apart and we are battered by
big problems?
Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the
stern and prayed for daylight. — Acts 27:29

The safest thing to do when we get in a storm is to drop our anchors. Just stand still.
Situations change, and the sands of time shift. But the Bible says that those who put
their trust in God are immovable like Mount Zion (Psalm 125:1).
Often when people encounter a major problem, they want to change everything else in
their lives at the same time, because the situation feels overwhelming and they can’t
stand still. A person will lose his or her spouse by death or divorce, and the typical
reaction is, “I’m going to quit my job. I’m going to sell everything and move to a whole
new location and start over.” But that is exactly what they do not need — more
change. What they need to do is put down some anchors and get some stability.

Why was Paul so confident? Because he was encouraged by three anchors of the soul.
These three truths can anchor you on the rock of stability, so that when the winds of
crisis blow you back and forth, you will have confidence. These will stabilize you in the
storm.
The first anchor in a crisis is the presence of God.
Storms can never hide us from God. We may not see Him, but He sees us. We may
think God is a million miles away, but He is with us and is watching us.
Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. — Hebrews 13:5
God is right there with us. We never go through anything by ourselves. No matter what
situation you are going through right now, God is with you. He is the anchor that you
can fully trust.
In Acts 27:24, Paul quotes God’s angel (who visited him in the night):
Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given
you the lives of all who sail with you.
God told Paul, “I have a plan for your life.” The second anchor in a crisis is God’s
purpose.
Every Christian ought to have a sense of destiny. You are not here on earth just to take
up space; God has a specific purpose and plan for your life. Storms are simply
temporary setbacks toward fulfilling that purpose.
Absolutely nothing can change God’s ultimate purpose for your life unless you choose to
disobey Him. [tweet this]
If you choose to reject His plan, He will allow you to do that, but the Scriptures teach
that no outside person can change God’s plan for your life. God leaves that up to you.
No matter what happens on the outside, external forces cannot alter God’s purpose for
your life as long as you say, “God, I want to do your will.”
God’s purpose is greater than any situation you will ever experience. God has a plan
beyond the problems you are facing right now.

The point is this: It is dangerous to focus on your problems more than on your purpose
for living.
Once you lose your goal, you will lose sight of the very meaning for which you exist, and
you will become purposeless.
In Acts 27:25, Paul says,
Keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told
me.
The third anchor is God’s promise. God keeps His promises without fail. Storms
cannot hide our faces from God, because God is always with us. Storms cannot change
the purpose of God, because it is ultimate. Storms cannot destroy the child of God,
because God’s promise is sure.
Some of us are going through devastating crises right now. Our problems are
overwhelming, and we think we are going under for the last time.
God says this to you: You may lose the cargo; you may lose the tackle of the ship;
you may lose the ship; you may even get wet — but you are going to make it because of
the promise of God. 
What should we do while we are waiting for the crisis to end? The same thing the sailors
did:
Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the
stern and prayed for daylight. — Acts 27:29

Anchor yourself on the truths of God and pray.

Morning came! The sailors didn’t recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a
sandy beach where they decided to run the ship aground. All 276 people jumped
overboard and got safely to land (Acts 27:39-44).

God says, “I am with you.”

Let His truth stabilize your life and give you the confidence you need in every crisis you
face. Storms cannot hide God from you or you from God. God has a purpose for your
life. There is a reason for it all, and you are going to make it safely to land!

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Paul's Shipwreck at Malta:
Acts 27:1-43
"The ship struck a reef and ran aground. As it was repeatedly smashed by the force of
the storm's waves, the ship began to break apart." Acts 27:41  
WHAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO MAKE POOR CHOICES
THAT LEAD TO SETBACKS & STORMS?

 WHEN WE LISTEN TO UNGODLY ADVICE

"Much time had been lost, and day of Fasting has passed so by now it had become
dangerous to sail because of the fall weather. So, Paul warned the sailors with this
advice "Men, I have perceived that our voyage is going to be disastrous. If we sail
now, we'll lose the cargo, and the ship, and likely our own lives too."  Acts 27:9-10

"But the Roman officer in charge of the prisoners didn't listen to Paul. Instead
he followed the advice of the pilot and owner of the ship." Acts 27:11

  WHEN WE COPY THE CROWD

"Then the crew decided that they should go ahead and sail up the coast of Crete
because the majority wanted to spend the winter in Phoenix and it had a nice
harbor." Acts 27:12  
     

 WHEN WE COUNT ON CIRCUMSTANCES

"When a gentle wind began to blow from the south, the crew thought they had
obtained what they wanted and their plan would work. So they pulled up the anchor
and sailed as close as possible to the shoreline of Crete." Acts 27:13
                 
"But shortly afterward, the weather changed suddenly and a wind of hurricane force
came out of the Northeast and blew the ship out to sea." Acts 27:14

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STORMS?

1.  STORMS CAN CAUSE ME TO DRIFT FROM MY GOAL

"The ship was caught in the storm and the wind was so strong that they could not sail
against it. They lost all control so they stopped trying. They gave up and let the wind
drive them, drifting in every direction." Acts 27:15

"Then the crew tied ropes around the ship to try to hold it together." Acts 27:17

Action Plan: Put three columns on a sheet of paper.  In the first column list your life
goals.  In the second column put down where you currently are with each of the goals. 
In the third column, write down if you have reached that goal, are on target to reaching
that goal, or if you have drifted from that goal…why you have drifted.

2.  Storms can CAUSE ME TO DISCARD WHAT I USED TO VALUE

     
"The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began
throwing all the cargo overboard. The following day they even threw out all the ship's
equipment and anything else they could lay their hands on!" Acts 27:18-19

3.  Storms can CAUSE ME TO DESPAIR

"The terrible storm raged unabated for many days, blotting out both the sun and the
stars, until in the dark, we finally gave up all hope of being saved." Acts 27:20

WHAT SHOULD I REMEMBER WHEN IT FEELS HOPELESS?

How Can I Anchor My Life in a Storm?

1st Anchor: THE PRESENCE OF GOD

     
REMEMBER GOD IS WITH ME HE HASN'T LEFT ME

"Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, 'Men, if you had listened to me. . . you
would have avoided all this injury and loss. But take courage! None of you will lose your
lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God I serve and
belong to, stood bY me.'"  Acts 27:21-23

Action Plan: Make a hope kit for yourself of reminders that God is with you. (ex. Make
a playlist of worship songs that speak most to you. Write special verses on slips of paper
and keep them in an accessible place.)

2nd Anchor: THE PURPOSE OF GOD

REMEMBER GOD'S PURPOSE IS GREATER THAN MY SETBACK OR STORM

(Paul) "God's angel said to me 'Don't be afraid, Paul, for you will certainlystand trial
before Caesar! What's more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone else
sailing with you!'" Acts 27:24

3rd Anchor: THE PROMISE OF GOD

 REMEMBER GOD'S PROMISES CAN BE TRUSTED

"So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will all turn out just as
God has promised. Nevertheless, we are all going to first be shipwrecked on some
island!" Acts 27:25-26

"At one point, the sailors tried to abandon the ship, thinking their lifeboat would save
them. But Paul said, 'You'll all die unless you stay with the ship! So the soldiers cut the
ropes and let go of their lifeboat."  Acts 27:30-32

"Then Paul said 'Please eat something for your own good. For not a hair of your heads
will perish.' Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and ate
it. Then everyone was encouraged." Acts 27:34-36
"When daylight came. . . the officer ordered those who could swim to jump overboard
and swim to the island. The rest grabbed pieces of wood from the broken ship to float
on. But everyone made it safely to shore!" Acts 27:45-46

Action Plan: Learn more about God by watching the Foundations

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In Difficult Times, What Happens in You is Most Important
BY RICK WARREN — SEPTEMBER 22, 2017

“Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, ‘Unless these men stay with the ship, you
cannot be saved’” (Acts 27:31 NIV).

Life is not fair. You will have problems, difficulties, and hurts that will make you better
or bitter. You will either grow up or give up. Either you’ll become who God wants you to
be or your heart will become hard. You have to decide how you are going to respond to
the tough times in your life. How will you handle it?

When you go through those difficult times, what happens to you is not nearly as
important as what happens in you. That’s what you take into eternity — not the
circumstances but your character.

In Acts 27, we learn three ways you shouldn’t respond in trials:

1. Don’t drift. “The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so
we gave way to it and were driven along” (Acts 27:15 NIV). The ship carrying Paul and
other prisoners to Rome was in the middle of the Mediterranean and hadn’t seen the sun
for 14 days, so they couldn’t get any bearings, and they started to drift.

When they face difficulty, some people start drifting through life. They have no goal,
purpose, ambition, or dream for their life. Today, we call this “coasting.” The problem
with coasting is that you’re headed downhill. Life is not a coast. Life’s tough. Don’t lose
your ambition or your dream just because life gets hard.

2. Don’t discard. “We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day
they began to throw the cargo overboard” (Acts 27:18 NIV). The men in charge needed
to lighten the ship, so they threw the cargo overboard, then the tackle and the food.
They were discarding things they needed because the storm was so tough.
When you get in a storm and the stress gets unbearable, you tend to start abandoning
values and relationships you would not let go of in better times. You say, “I’m giving up
on my marriage. I’m giving up on my dream to go to college.”

God says, “Stay with the ship!” For example, have you done that in your marriage? Have
you said, “Divorce is not an option for us; we’re going to make it work”? If you haven’t,
you’ll always be tempted to walk out. If you don’t throw away the key, you’ll never
develop the character God wants you to have. God can change situations and
personalities. He can change you. I’ve learned from personal experience that it is never
God’s will to run from a difficult situation. God wants you to learn, grow, and develop,
and he is there with you all the time.

3. Don’t despair. “We finally gave up all hope of being saved” (Acts 27:20b NIV). After
14 days in total darkness and after giving up their cargo, tackle, and food, the
passengers finally give up hope. But they’d forgotten one thing: Even in a storm, God is
in control. He hasn’t left you. You may not feel him, but if you feel far from God, guess
who moved?
God is with you in the storm, and he’ll help you through it. He is testing you to see if
you’ll trust him.

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Why You Need Others in Tough Times

“Because you are praying for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ is helping me, I
know this trouble will bring my freedom”  (Philippians 1:19 NCV).
When we experience setbacks, our most common response is our worst response: We
want to withdraw, to build a wall around ourselves, to push people away.
But that’s the last thing we should do.

When setbacks leave your faith weak, you need other people to trust God for you. You
need a church family to help support you.

When Job lost his family, finances, and health, it was a devastating setback—just as it
would have been for anyone.

But here’s what one of Job’s friends told him: “Don’t let your anger and the pain you
endured make you sneer at God . . . Others have praised God for what he has done, so
join with them” (Job 36:18, 24 CEV).
That’s great advice. When you’re in the midst of troubles, don’t get bitter. Join with
others who can pray with you, worship with you, and support you.

Where do you find that kind of support?

First, join with others for worship at a local church. Worshiping with other people will
give you a new perspective on your setbacks.

Second, get involved in some kind of small group Bible study. Most churches are too big
to build relationships just through attending worship services. You need a group of 10 to
12 people where you can not only study the Bible, but you can also share your pain and
pray with others.

You won’t find a comeback on your own. You need God’s people to build you up and help
you focus on God.

It’s a huge step toward your comeback. Just ask Paul. He wrote this about the support
of other Christians as he sat in a Roman prison: “Because you are praying for me and
the Spirit of Jesus Christ is helping me, I know this trouble will bring my
freedom” (Philippians 1:19 NCV).
With the support and prayers of God’s people, your setback is only temporary. Your best
days are ahead.

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Don’t Give Up When Times Get Tough

By Rick Warren

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being
renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long.
Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we
don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot
be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will
last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT).

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do we have to suffer? Why is life so
difficult sometimes?

As difficult as it is to understand, God can use your pain for his purpose. Don’t be
surprised if he is using tough times in your life to test your faithfulness.

Faithful people keep on keeping on when other people choose to give up. Faithful people
are diligent and determined. They are persistent. They change their perspective and
focus on God’s promises in his Word.

In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul says you need to get the right perspective when you’re going
through a problem. If you want to persist, don’t look at the temporary problem. Look at
the long-term reward. Don’t look at the temporary pain; look at the long-term gain.
Don’t look at it with the short-term view, “What’s happening to me right now?” Instead,
look at the character that you are building because you haven’t given up. You’re hanging
in there.

God is more interested in what you are becoming than what you accomplish.

If you are facing difficult times right now, I challenge you to write this verse on a 3x5
card and memorize it: “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time
we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9 NLT).

I pray it will encourage you to keep going. God is working in you and for you, at just the
right time and in just the right ways. You will be rewarded for your faithfulness!

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https://davidjeremiah.blog/4-ways-to-meet-god-in-hard-times/
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https://davidjeremiah.blog/5-psalms-for-hope-in-hard-times/
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4 Promises from God for Hard Times

If we could map our routes through life, most of us would opt for a smooth ribbon of
freeway, with no bumps, construction zones, or detours. But life has a way of taking
unexpected turns—forcing us to take alternate routes, some that aren’t even on the
map.

Gordon McDonald, author of The Life God Blesses, calls these bends in the road life’s
“disruptive moments.” Disruptive moments confront us with life’s harshest realities.
They often force us to move in directions we never wanted to go and probably would
have gone to great lengths to avoid because they are characterized by pain and
suffering. They confront us in the form of death, divorce, illness, disease, accidents, and
more, and most of the time they change our lives irrevocably.

M. Scott Peck introduced his best-selling book The Road Less Traveled with three
indisputable words: “Life is difficult.” I know that somewhere along the way you’ve
probably found that life is sometimes difficult. If you haven’t yet faced a bend in the
road, one is probably coming, because most of us are confronted at some point with
circumstances we never expected and never wanted to encounter.

And, as we face our disruptive moment, reeling with fear and uncertainty, questions
emerge from the shadows to claw at us: Why did this happen? How will I go on? And,
often most frightening of all, What’s next?

While the answers to these questions may never materialize, as one who has confronted
a bend in the road, I’ve learned instead to focus on the declarations that God makes
about life’s unexpected turns.

Promise #1: We’re Not Alone

During our darkest moments, God is there. When we are at our lowest point, a place
where even those closest to us cannot walk with us, it is God who walks at our side.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You
are with me,” declares Psalm 23:4.

No one faces a bend in the road alone. If we knew God before the bend, He’ll be beside
us as we take our first faltering steps to traverse it.

Before He ascended back to the Father, Jesus told His disciples, “I am with you always,
even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). That was not an empty promise. Jesus
knew that His disciples would face trials and hardships, so His final words addressed that
coming reality with a promise to walk through each trial.

Suffering was no stranger to King David. The Book of Psalms records his many
anguishes as well as his praises to the One who always stood beside him. David clung to
the assurance of God’s presence. During his cave experiences, an intimate relationship
with God developed.

In the depths of discouragement, when we’re so depressed we’re ready to flee all human
companionship, God is the only One who will not let us go. “Where can I go from your
Spirit?” David ponders in Psalm 139:7-10. “Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I
ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I
take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there
Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.”

Promise #2: God’s Word Will Comfort Us

So how do we feel the presence of God when we so desperately need it—when we feel
devastated and deserted? The psalmist tells us that in our very lowest moments, God’s
Word has the power to refresh us. “My soul clings to the dust,” he says. “Revive me
according to Your Word” (Psalm 119:25).

When we read the Bible through the lens of pain, we see God’s handwriting with fresh,
poignant meaning. His words can breathe hope back into our damaged lives.

Promise #3: God Cares That We Suffer

Most people naturally turn to God when trouble hits, but some are tempted to withdraw
from everyone, including God. In our pain, confusion, and fear about where the next
blow might come from, we are tempted to question whether God cares.

As we’re confronted by horrible circumstances, we have to wonder why God seemingly

turned a blind eye when they were taking shape. Didn’t He care that the course of our
lives was about to be changed forever—for the worse? After all, a sovereign God could
have prevented these heartaches.

Very simply put, our sufferings do matter to God. We are exceedingly precious in His
sight. In Zechariah 2:8, the prophet tells us that “he who touches you touches the apple
of His eye.”
Many of the sufferings that come our way are not from the hands of God; they only
pass through His hands. And in that passing, God takes full measure of them. He takes
careful note of any pain being inflicted on the apple of His eye.

Promise #4: God Will Give Us Grace

As God permits pain in the lives of His children, He also bestows upon them equal
measures of grace never experienced outside of suffering.

The apostle Paul experienced what I would characterize as several disruptive moments
in his life. He identifies one such moment in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Paul points to a
thorn in his flesh causing him pain. He never reveals the exact nature of this problem,
but the intensity of his prayers concerning it lets us know that it was extremely
bothersome.

As Paul came to terms with the realization that God did not intend to relieve his thorn in
the flesh, he also heard God telling him, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians
12:8). In his pain, Paul needed God’s strength and comfort. He would never have known
the magnificence and magnitude of God’s grace without that thorn.

Suffering can result in an intimacy with God that makes any problem bearable. In trials
and tragedies, we enter into a fellowship with Christ’s sufferings.

You can’t always prepare for life’s disruptive moments nor can you always avoid them.
You may never even discover the answers to all the questions they raise. But this you
can know: God is with you. He wants to wrap you in His presence where you can feel His
love. And, as you take an unexpected detour, no matter how deserted you may feel,
you’ll discover grace you never knew before. That grace will make the journey bearable.

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During our Hardest Times, God Is Faithful:
Dr. David Jeremiah & Tracy Layman

Our guests today have experienced first hand the faithfulness of God–even in

difficult times–pastor and author Dr. David Jeremiah  and cancer

survivor Tracy Layman. Dr. David Jeremiah is the pastor of Shadow Mountain

Church and the founder of the popular radio ministry  Turning Point . Dr.

Jeremiah speaks to us about God’s faithfulness—-even through the difficult

seasons of our lives. Tracy Layman is a wife, mother and cancer overcomer
who volunteers with Compassion That Compels , an organization dedicated to

bringing hope and comfort to women who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Tracy Layman shares how she faced the grim news from her doctors about her

cancer and how God was faithful to bring people into her life to support her

and how she also felt inspired to encourage and support others facing similar

battles.

During our Hardest Times, God Is Faithful: Dr. David Jeremiah & Tracy
Layman – Jesus Calling Episode #104

Dr. Jeremiah: The faithfulness of God endures forever. That’s what the

Scripture says. And it also says “it’s new every morning. Great Is Your
faithfulness, as it’s new every morning.”

Narrator: Welcome to the  Jesus Calling Podcast . Our guests today have

experienced first hand the faithfulness of God–even in difficult times–pastor

and author Dr. David Jeremiah and cancer survivor Tracy Layman. Dr. David

Jeremiah is the pastor of Shadow Mountain Church and the founder of the

popular radio ministry Turning Point. Dr. Jeremiah speaks to us about God’s

faithfulness—-even through the difficult seasons of our lives.

Challenges Bring a New Opportunity for Faith

Dr. Jeremiah: There’s a wonderful way in the scripture where the faithfulness

of God is connected with our desire for faith. Our faith isn’t in our own faith.

It’s in the faithfulness of God. And so every day every time we have an

opportunity. Every time we have a challenge, we get a new opportunity to

experience God’s faithfulness.

 “Every time we have a challenge, we get a new opportunity to experience

God’s faithfulness.” Dr. David Jeremiah

Sometimes we forget that in the Bible God is called a “Father.” I know a lot of

people who have a hard time believing in the faithfulness of God because they

didn’t have a faithful father, and that takes a little more grace and a whole lot

more of the Holy Spirit in your life when that happens. But you know, if you

ever experience God’s faithfulness one time, you’ll never forget it. And you can

build on it. The Bible says we actually go from “faith to faith.” That means we

grow our faith–we increase in our faith–as we experience God’s blessing in our

life. Faith is something that grows on you because you exercise it. For

instance, you may just believe God to get you through a day, and then you

find out He’s not only good enough to do that,  he can get you through a week.

He can get you through a lot of difficulty if you just trust Him.

Drawing Strength from God During Crisis

I grew up in a home where we studied the Bible. We memorized the Scripture–

and who knows– sometimes when you’re in a crisis, the Holy Spirit reaches

down into your heart and brings back to your mind a truth that you had

forgotten that you ever learned.

The long history of what I’ve experienced from God would take more than

several interviews like this, but I suppose the major one in my life is the

faithfulness of God during two bouts with lymphoma cancer. I was diagnosed

with stage 4 lymphoma cancer and the prognosis, from what I understand now,

wasn’t all that great, but God sustained me and took me through it. Finally

through a stem cell transplant, I was cured of the disease.

I’ve always heard people talk about how when you go through something, you

feel the presence of God. After that experience, I really knew how faithful He

was. There was never a day–even though I would get very discouraged and

sometimes frightened–that I didn’t know God was there  and if I would just

stop for a moment, and reflect upon it and read His word, His strength came

through to me.
A Standard of Faithfulness

When we are faithful to God, we are saying thank you to Him more than any

other way we could for His faithfulness to us. The faithfulness of God is our

standard for faithfulness to Him and to others. And so when when God shows

His faithfulness to us, it should motivate us to want to be faithful to Him. And I

know that’s been true in my life; that I want to honor Him with my life and

with whatever gifts He’s given me. And part of the reason for that is He’s been

so good to me and to my family.

I’ve been through a lot of different stages of ministry since I have been doing

what I do. I think maybe there was a stage which was a declaration stage, or

just declare the word and teach the word. And that’s been important. But I feel

like right now I’m in a place where I look out at what’s happening in the world

today, and I’m more in an encouragement stage. I want to be a blessing and

encouragement to people and help them face the challenges that they have

each day; to  lift up their spirits. Help them to find out how they can get

involved with the Lord in a more meaningful way so that they can they can be

more effective in their lives and in their ministry. think that’s probably where

I’m at where I am right now. 

Most of us–our intake of Biblical information isn’t in huge chunks. It’s in

smaller bites–snack size in some respect. People are busy. When we started

putting these devotionals together, we did it primarily for people who were

running around trying to catch up with everything in life and they would grab a

minute here, or sometimes in the morning, sometimes in their transit to work,

and they would read something. We tried to make these devotionals in this

book just enough to get you going for one day. Sometimes I think they’re more

of a primer than they are anything else. They get you thinking about
something, and in this book Ever Faithfu l , obviously get you thinking about

how faithful the God is that you serve.  

Lifting Others Up Through Our Walk with God & His Word

Narrator:  Dr. Jeremiah goes on to talk about how Jesus Calling has been a

source of encouragement for many and how its writer—Sarah Young—

demonstrates to others God’s faithfulness in her own life. He also goes on to

talk about how important it is to teach children about God’s faithfulness and

God’s Word. He has developed a version of the Bible for kids called   The Airship

Genesis Bible   that he hopes will foster an early love for the Bible with kids of

all ages.

Dr. Jeremiah: Sarah Young is a–she’s a phenomenal person who’s had an

incredible impact on people all over the world. I never seen anything quite like

her writing. I oftentimes look at the best-seller list and she’s on there two or

three times. Some of us are very blessed if we get on there once–she’s on

there every month.

God has taken her writings everywhere and people, I think, resonate with the

with the gut level honesty that comes from her words, and her genuineness in

expressing her walk with the Lord, and how God has worked in her life. She

encourages people because she says “if He’s done that in my life, He can do it

in your life.” And people grab hold of that. That is like a lifesaver in the midst

of a storm to know; here’s somebody I can look to because God has helped

her, and she’s wanting me to know  that  God.

I just love the opportunity to get with people to lift their spirits from the

principles of the Word of God.

Carrying Out the Legacy of God’s Faithfulness

Every day every child has challenges. I don’t care if they come from the most

affluent family or they come from a family with almost nothing–children hit
bumps. And we’re there as parents to help them negotiate those bumps and

remind them that they have a God in heaven who loves them and will help

them. We teach them early on to depend on God. I had a mom and dad who

did that. They would always remind me that God was there. And even though I

wasn’t sure what that all meant at the time, it was a seed that was planted in

my heart that grew and flourished in my life. So when you have a mom and

dad who love the Lord and trust the Lord–both by your expressions and by

your example–you pass that on to your children so that they see that to be

true.

“When you have a mom and dad who love the Lord and trust the Lord–both by

your expressions and by your example–you pass that on to your children so

that they see that to be true.” – Dr. David Jeremiah

What we have done with the Airship Genesis Bible is we’ve taken the

unchanging, authoritative Word of God and introduced it to kids through a very

exciting means that they’re already acquainted with. When you want to

communicate something you have to start with what you want to say, and then

you have to find out where the people are to whom you are going to say it.

Where kids are today; they’re into animation. They’re into characters–that’s

their life.

I walk through malls and I see little kids who are hardly big enough to hold a

little phone and they’re in there doing all of the little stuff with the phone.

They’re so into this–whether it’s good bad or indifferent–it’s true. What we

have done is tried to speak into their life by bringing the Word of God from

over here, which is really the solid teaching the Word of God. The Airship

Genesis Bible is the Bible. I mean, it’s not not changed, but we’ve use this

vehicle of where they are in their life to marry these two things and get them

excited. It’s really been fun for me to be a part of this. I’m involved in the

little thing we do on the radio each month. And I just recently was given a
picture of a bunch of kids in Africa who were given the airship Genesis Bibles

and they were opening it, and they were studying it. Just the look on their face

was all you needed–you could tell they were engaged.

Statistics tell us that what we remember about the Bible as we get older–

much of it was put into our lives when we were younger. I was asked the other

day at church if I remembered being in the Bible memory association and I do

remember that. I remember the little books and memorizing them and some of

the rewards that you would get if you could finish this particular section of

verses. Strange but true, those are most of the verses I know by heart that

come back to my mind.

”Statistics tell us that what we remember about the Bible as we get older–

much of it was put into our lives when we were younger.” Dr. David Jeremiah

Some of them are hard verses, but I would just think about that and remember

I learned those verses when I was this high. What we can do to bring the truth

of God into the hearts of children, when their lives haven’t yet been so

contaminated with what goes on in our world; those will be the lasting truths

that guide those children through life. It’s kind of like the North Star for them.

They may get off the track, but they will never forget.

Narrator: To find out more about Dr. Jeremiah’s devotional,   Ever Faithful, or

the children’s bible  Airship Genesis, please visit  DavidJeremiah.org .

Narrator:  We’ll be right back with our next guest after this brief message

about a free offer from Jesus Calling.

July Family Prayer Calendar

Download this FREE Jesus Calling Daily Prayer Calendar which works with your

Jesus Calling devotional. Each day begins with a guided reflection followed by

space for prayers of thanksgiving and special requests.

Tracy Layman & Compassion That Compels

Narrator:  Our next guest is a wife, mother and cancer overcomer who

volunteers with  Compassion That Compels , an organization dedicated to

bringing hope and comfort to women who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Tracy Layman shares how she faced the grim news from her doctors about her

cancer and how God was faithful to bring people into her life to support her

and how she also felt inspired to encourage and support others facing similar

battles.

Tracy Layman:  My name is Tracy Layman. I’m a wife, a  mother and an

overcomer. I call myself an overcomer because I’ve survived cancer. I was

born and raised in Surrey County, Tennessee. It’s a beautiful area to live. It’s

probably best known as Dolly Parton’s hometown. It’s a tourist destination with

the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as our backyard. It’s an absolutely

beautiful place to live and raise a family.

I’m married to a wonderful man. His name is Steve and we’ve been married for

27 years. He’s my rock, my best friend; he’s an amazing human being. We

have one son. His name is Reese and he’s the light of our lives and he’s a
junior in college.

I found the Lord very early in my life. I may have been five or six, but I

remember my brother and I were outside playing, and my dad and mom were

outside working in the yard and there were some people from Shady Grove

Baptist Church, which was just a small community church. They were in our

neighborhood inviting people to come to church. So my mother decided that

Sunday that we were going to go. From that day forward, we never missed a

church service. Sunday night, Sunday morning, Wednesday night– we were

always there.
The Words No One Expects To Hear: “You Have Cancer”

In 2015, our son had just graduated high school. And he was heading to

college in the fall. So my husband were entering a new season our lives where

we were about to become empty nesters. One morning I was getting ready for

work, and I went to the bathroom and there was blood. I was obviously

alarmed, but I dismissed it as hemorrhoids, bought some over-the-counter

medication, and went on with my day.

As the weeks went on my symptoms didn’t improve. They got much, much

worse–so bad that I really was very uncomfortable sitting. I would have to sit

on one hip. So, I remember I called my doctor and told her that I had the

worst case of hemorrhoids in the history of the world and that I needed to see

her.

So I went in and saw her, and she said “yes, you do have hemorrhoids, but

you’re close to 50.” I was forty-seven at the time. She said “you need to go

ahead and have a colonoscopy.” I remember calling my husband complaining

about the fact that I was going to have to have a colonoscopy to have my

hemorrhoids fixed.

So on September 28, 2015 I had a colonoscopy and the doctor walked in and

closed the door and told me that he had found a tumor. And I remember

looking at him and asking him if he thought it was cancer. And he said yes.

I held it together until he left the room, and then I looked at Steve and I said

“well, that wasn’t the news I was expecting to hear.” And honestly we drove

home in complete silence. The only words really that were uttered were “I

can’t believe this is happening,” and “this is unreal.” And honestly what I’ve

found is people that are diagnosed with cancer, nobody ever expects it’s going

to happen to them. I mean, we all know someone who’s been diagnosed or is

battling, but nobody ever expects to hear those words.

“We all know someone who’s been diagnosed or is battling [cancer], but

nobody ever expects to hear those words.” – Tracy Layman

So the first person that I knew I had to tell was our son Reese. He was five

weeks into his freshman year in college. So we drove up to East Tennessee

State University the next day and sat him down. Told him that I had cancer,

took him to dinner, and took him back to his dorm and left. Honestly, that was

the absolute hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life.

My husband was a rock. He went into crisis mode. He is by nature–he’s a fixer

and he wanted to just make sure everything was fixed. So he immediately

went into the research, and making sure that I had the best doctors, and

making sure that I was taken care of, and made sure that I had everything I

needed.

After I was diagnosed, I had to have a CT scan and that CT scan showed that I

had a couple of spots on my liver. And then I had to have a PET scan which is

a little more advanced scan that will lead to cancer and that scan showed that

the two spots on my liver were actually cancer. So I remember my phone rang

from UTI hospital and I got the news that there were a couple of places on my

liver. And I remember looking at my husband and I said “let’s go to the

bookstore because I want to get a devotional book.” And I went to Books-A-

Million and grabbed a Jesus Calling   devotional  and went home and opened up

that devotional. And for me, from that moment on that’s how I started my day.

I had been missing out on that morning time with God– that prayer time with

God. And that’s what brought me the most comfort.

Jesus Calling  has gotten me through some of the hardest days of my life.

When I’ve been worried, the fear, and when I’ve had doubt and honestly days

when I just felt sorry for myself. I could open this book and God would speak

to me through those pages.

“Jesus Calling  has gotten me through some of the hardest days of my life.”

Tracy Layman

A Grim Diagnosis

I met with my oncologist to go over and discuss my treatment plan, and he

informed me that my cancer was stage 4; that it had spread to my liver, and

also had a lymph node involved. He explained my treatment plan–which was

two different kinds of chemo–and I was going to have 33 radiation treatments.

He asked me, “Do you have any questions?” And I looked at him and I said

“well, I have the question I think everyone in my position has. Am I going to

die?” And he looked at me, and he looked at my husband, and he looked back

at me, and he said “your cancer’s metastasized. It’s spread to your liver.

You’ve got a 15 percent chance to live three to five years.”

“You’ve got a 15 percent chance to live three to five years.” – Tracy Layman

quoting her physician

I remember when my oncologist told me that I had a 15 percent chance to live

three to five years, I remember holding it together until I got out to the car,

and I lost it at that point. And I just thought:  I’m not going to get to grow old

with the man that I love. I’m not going to get to see my son graduate college.

I’m not going to get to watch my son and get married. I’m never going to get

to hold my grandchildren.

It was a tough, tough time.

Divine Visitors During a Time of Need

So, on October the 19th I started chemo and radiation and you know, it was

tough. You know, everybody knows the side effects of chemo the nausea and

of course, with radiation, I had pelvic floor radiation and that’s a brutal
treatment. Radiation lasted six weeks, and I had chemo every three weeks and

I had a total of six chemo treatments.

I was at the Cancer Institute, and it was my second chemo treatment, and my

chemo treatments lasted six hours. And I’m sitting in my chair and in walks

this angel who goes by the earthly name  Kristianna Stewart with Compassion

That Compels . And she had some executives from  Altar’d States  with her. They

were there delivering Compassion bags and Altar’d State had sponsored my

bag. She walked up to me and my husband and she said “we’d like to know if

you would like to receive a bag, “and of course I said yes.

So they handed me the bag, and the bag is so well done. It had a blanket, soft

mints, tea, a mug, two journals, a pen, a Chick-fil-a card, and a Jesus Calling

devotional. So, they presented my bag and she prayed with me and my

husband. It was just absolutely beautiful. It was the most beautiful prayer I’ve

ever heard in my life. And honestly, I just felt the Holy Spirit came down and

wrap His arms around me.

From that experience all the way home my husband and I just kept talking

about it all the way home. But it was God’s love in action and compassion from

complete strangers. So I told my husband, I said, “I need to reach out to her

again and and thank her again for this beautiful gift.” And so he looked her up

on Facebook and Compassion That Compels   comes up on Facebook. And from

that, our conversation started and we became friends.

I had several other friends that had been diagnosed with cancer. And I wanted

to send them a bag because I wanted them to experience what I experienced.

So I sent several of my friends a bag and from there when they received their

bags they also wanted to get involved with the ministry because it’s such a

beautiful ministry. We actually now have a Compassion community here in our

area, and we deliver bags to other overcomers–women battling cancer as well.

I’ll never forget. We delivered a bag to a lady who had been diagnosed with

melanoma. She said “girls, I am so thankful for you guys,” she said. “I need

you girls. I need to talk to somebody who’s going through what I’m going

through.” And so, you know, it’s so much more than a bag. You know, it’s hope

and emotional support.

The Power of Sisterhood and Community

I had the wonderful opportunity to go back to the Cancer Institute in 2006. I

had just finished my treatment and I got to go back with  Compassion That

Compels and Altr’d States and deliver bags. And it was such an amazing

experience to get to be on the other side of the bag, you know.  We delivered

40 bags that day. I’ve also delivered five or six bags here in my own

community. I’ve also sponsored bags to other women battling cancers in other

states. So that’s been a wonderful experience. I also sponsored a bag for a

lady in Louisiana and she and I once again connected through social media and

became friends.It’s absolutely sisterhood.  It’s a community. It’s a woman just

like you. That’s battled cancer. It’s a community of prayer warriors. I’ve made

friends for life there otherwise I would have never known.

I would encourage anyone to go to their website to check

out CompassionThatCompel.org . And if God lays it on your heart, donate to

this wonderful ministry because it’s changing lives. I could have had chemo

any day of the week, but God had me sitting in that chair that day. He was at

work, and He had a plan, and my life’s forever been changed.

“[God] was at work, and He had a plan, and my life’s forever been changed.” –

Tracy Layman

Treatment, Prayer and Healing

After 33 radiation treatments and four of six chemo treatments, I had a scan

to see if the if the chemo was working and the cancer was gone. The report
said “no evidence of disease. Complete response.” And that is music to the

ears of a cancer patient. My husband asked my oncologist if he was expecting

that outcome and he said, “No. Only 5 percent of people with her advanced

stage cancer ever see remission. So no, this is not the norm.” I remember

looking at him and saying “you have no idea how many people have been

praying for me.”

I’ll never forget when I was having radiation, and you have it five days a week,

so you get to know your radiation therapist really well. And one of my

radiation therapists was walking me back that day to have my treatment and

he looked over at me and he said “you know, you’re on our prayer list at

church.” I said “Really?” And he said “yes.” And I said “well, I have people

praying for me all over the world.”

I’m a walking miracle and I feel like God and prayer saved my life.  And I still

have scans every three months to make sure my cancer hasn’t returned. So

you might say this is where my fear and faith collide. And I’ll tell you, I’m a lot

closer to God then I was 2 1/2 years ago. I don’t know how anybody goes

through a life-threatening illness without God.

My advice to everybody is listen to your body. If something seems off, go to

the doctor, don’t ignore symptoms. Have a colonoscopy at 50 or sooner if

you’re experiencing problems. Early detection is the key to survival. And if the

cancer is caught early, your chances of survival are great. There are so many

advances with treatment now. Don’t be afraid. And even if you’re like me and

your cancer isn’t caught early, and the odds aren’t in your favor, there are still

good outcomes. There’s no place like hope. Hope and a positive attitude are

key. There’s no place like hope, and with hope and God, the odds don’t matter.

“There’s no place like hope, and with hope and God, the odds don’t matter.” –

Tracy Layman
Narrator: To find out more about how you can sponsor a Compassion That

Compels bag for a cancer overcomer, please visit  CompassionThatCompels.org .

Narrator: Next time on the Jesus Calling podcast,  we speak with noted

psychologist and speaker Dr. Henry Cloud–co-author of the New York Times

bestseller “Boundaries” which was recently released in a new expanded edition .

 Dr. Henry Cloud: The Bible is the one that was saying all along what all the

codependent literature and addiction literature was saying.  But Christians, the

only side of the Bible they heard was the love side. You’ve got to be loving,

forgiving, patient and all this kind stuff. But the having boundaries in your love

was not really being communicated. So we just went to the scriptures.

Our featured passage from today comes from the February 5th entry of the

Jesus Calling audiobook:

 Audiobook: Seek My Face, and you will find not only My Presence but also My

Peace. To receive My Peace, you must change your grasping, controlling stance

to one of openness and trust. The only thing you can grasp without damaging

your soul is My hand. Ask My Spirit within you to order your day and control

your thoughts, for the mind controlled by the Spirit is Life and Peace.  

 You can have as much of Me and My Peace as you want, through thousands of

correct choices each day. The most persistent choice you face is whether to

trust Me or to worry. You will never run out of things to worry about, but you

can choose to trust Me no matter what. I am an ever-present help in trouble.

Trust Me, though the earth give way and the mountains fall in the heart of the

sea.

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