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Have you ever purchased a loaf of bread that didn’t stay fresh for more than a day or two? If so, there’s a good chance it’s because it didn’t have any preservatives in it. It occurs to me that sometimes our faith can be like that too. Our enthusiasm may get a little stale. We may walk for years with strong unwavering faith, then suddenly something happens that causes us to fall into a puddle of doubts or even worse, we just feel dry.

I don’t know about you, but in my walk of faith, I’ve found that doubts can either become a yeast of puffed up vanity, or drive us to God. But through His word, our wandering (and wondering) minds can be cleansed and our faith preserved. Dr. Hugh Ross, once said: “Doubt asks the questions & unbelief won’t hear the answers.” His ministry, Reasons to Believe, is all about answering questions from doubting minds. But doubt isn’t necessarily a bad thing. No, it can be good. Admit it first, then let it drive you to Him for the answers. Clarifying exactly what your question or doubt is, can also be helpful. It might help to write your question down. Just saying we doubt something without being specific is a lazy and dangerous approach to finding the truth. After all, if you can’t articulate your question, then how will you know if you’ve found the answer?  

We all struggle with the deceitful malady of doubts, lies and vanity and our culture continually encourages it. We “eat up” the lies that our world feeds us through social media, movies, television; even friends. We tend to let those voices tell us what is important or true. Using a character in her novel, “the Scarlet Thread,” Francine Rivers states: “people hear what they want to hear.” So true isn’t it? We’ve probably all done that many times over and didn’t even realize it. Recognizing that our culture’s “soul food” is an illegitimate and temporary filling is a good start though. It can’t last because it doesn’t contain the eternal preservative of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible refers to Jesus in many symbolic ways and one that comes to mind in this regard, is that He is our “manna (or bread) from heaven.” While our world bombards us with all kinds of ways to satisfy our hunger, Jesus says: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matt. 5:6).

Another wise approach to our inquiring minds is to pray about our doubts. Don’t think you can hide your doubts from God. You’re just fooling yourself. He already knows. The key to asking Him, in an honoring way, is to come with an open heart, truly listen, and then obey.

Remember, if Jesus really is within you, He is the only preservative who can give you eternal life. Jesus also said: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever,” (John 6:51)

Was God’s creation of the universe a stagnant unchanging event? I think not. Evidence clearly points to an ever-changing creation of all things. Scientists marvel at the ongoing changes and evolutions of creation and the universe as they observe and examine it. Yet even their own theories and statements of “fact” are a voluminously changing field of speculations and findings. The more they discover, the more it changes, and many times their new discoveries actually line-up with what believers have said all along. It may be a new archaeological find or the Big Bang theory or some other new “exciting” find. Yet they seem to mostly stay on a course of agnosticism or atheism. One of the most brilliant scientists of all time—Einstein, however, stood out as unusual in that he often spoke from a position of faith in a creator. Today’s science continues to verify many of his famous theories as truth.

No, creation is not a stagnant singular event that only happened millions of years ago, anymore than our evolving culture and knowledge is. But let me be clear regarding evolution. I do not adhere to the full explanation of the evolutionary theory held by most scientists. I don’t believe that humans evolved from apes and that all life started as amoebas. I do believe there has been some evolution within species over time not giant jumps between them. In fact, what I’m talking about is that God’s creation itself begets creation. In other words, every life form that He created can also create in some way. Scientists know that the stars are born and die in the universe. And while we may not consider it a creating process when speaking about nature changing in form, haven’t we all spent at least a few minutes observing the movement and changes of the clouds in the sky? And, while all animals, insects and fishes etc. can reproduce, only humans can use their intellect to intentionally create something else besides other humans. For me as an artist, seeing a painting in progress is much like watching the clouds in the sky change and morph into a masterpiece.

One of my favorite things to paint, happens to be clouds. I find that as I start the process of painting clouds, it quickly becomes obvious that they will change over and over until they look and feel the way I want them to. Their shapes and colors will change and the sky colors around them will also change considerably as the painting progresses. Then as I work further on the rest of the painting and its subjects, the sky and clouds may change some more. That is because everything in the painting needs to work together in a cohesive way to compliment one another and form a good outcome or impressive impact on the viewer. If the completed painting fails to pull together all of its elements, it may not present the message the artist desires to bring. Therefore, the artist needs to continue to make changes and adjustments along the way in order to create the effect he or she is trying to accomplish.

In much the same way that an artist works a painting by changing it as needed, our great creator works his creation to its best fulfillment. Psalm 8:3 says “When I consider Your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained, What is man that you are mindful of him, And the son of man that you visit him? For you have made him a little lower than the angels, and you have crowned him with glory and honor.”

To even consider all the major and minor creations and recreations of the plants, animals, and the cosmos, is to find His creative hand still at work. Consider, for instance, the crumbling of great mountains and the deepness of canyons or craters. These monumental creations continue to display God’s ever-changing earth. We may not have the longevity to observe their progress, but anyone who has children and have watched them grow, mature and change can easily testify to the ongoing nature of creation. And in much the same way that we have the honor of creating other human beings and seeing them grow, we also have the capacity to create things. We can create art or inventions, or new songs or new ways to do things. We can create beautiful things or we can make ugly dark things. We have the ability and the choice to do either. Oh, what a privilege we have. We have the innate, created ability to create as no other creature can. We are God’s most prized and beloved creation and as we continue to create, we can honor Him and assist Him in bringing forth the ultimate fulfillment or purpose of His initial creation.

When we create beauty through art, music or any other medium, we get to use our hands, hearts, souls and spirits to honor the great creator who placed that particle of DNA within us. Likewise, when we destroy beautiful creations of art, literature, or music, we are also vandalizing evidence of God’s creative hand in us. Even more heinous though, is the act of destroying one of God’s children. When we destroy another human being by intentionally killing them, whether they are children, adults or unborn babies, we are committing the most serious of crimes against our creator. We are then stopping a beautiful creation of God from continuing in creation themselves. We are preventing them from carrying out their purposes and gifts in His plan. And by our actions, we not only show our hate or disrespect towards another human being, we demonstrate hate towards our creator.

The joy I receive most every time I create something with my hands is an amazing gift that I cherish. Even greater, the day of birth for each of my children was the most miraculous fulfillment of creation I have experienced and nothing compares to that moment of realization.

The Joy of Creation, by Iris Carignan 2/3/2019

When God created the heavens and earth,
What joy the Father must have had
with this birth.

How awesome and amazing,
This miracle that came to be.
Each particle spoken,
Creation out of nothing,
The universe to see.

Along the way,
He stopped to say,
He saw that it was good,

But when man,
And woman came
On Heaven’s throne He stood
And it was then
That He proclaimed
It was very, very good.

Made in His image.

We get to create too,
We get to see beauty
in what we do.
We get to use hand
And in small ways
continue His plan.

Oh what a privilege
Oh what a joy,
To know of this gift
To partake,
and employ,

The power of creation
He placed inside of us.
Creation to creation,
Continues,

For it must!

Recently my husband and I went to my 50^th high school class reunion. Although I graduated from a California school, the reunion was held in Las Vegas Nevada. At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to go. I hadn’t kept up with any of my classmates except for Margaret, who wasn’t able to attend. The only reunions I’d attended over the years were my 10^th and 20^th. It seemed that with both of those the only things anyone wanted to know about were things about profession, success and family size. Not that I had any objections to those things, but I wondered how much any of them truly mattered in God’s grand scheme. However, as I considered this big one, it seemed prudent that I attend. After all, it was likely there wouldn’t be another reunion after this. Surely it would be good to see if the professing Christians at the last reunion were still walking in faith and I wondered if any others had also come to salvation.  And, Okay I’ll confess there was one more reason I decided to go.

Admittedly, my own vanity raised its ugly head, as I considered this event. I felt a lot better about myself and my appearance, than I did in high school. Back then I was a very skinny freckle-faced kid with hard to manage natural curly hair. Teens can be cruel at times and some deep pain still lingered from those days. Now years later, my figure had filled-out fairly well, and my hair was a pretty blond coifed style. Plus, people say I look younger than most our age. I was curious to see if anyone would realize how much of an improvement there was since those gangly, awkward and difficult teenage years. Would my improved look make a difference? “Vanity of vanities…all is vanity” says the good “preacher” Solomon. But, maybe some of the hurts and wounds inflicted back then, could find restoration and reconciliation now. Besides, I reasoned, I’d found just the right dress – not too dressy, comfortable, and very cute.

The evening of the big event came. We entered the banquet hall and I scanned the room to see if anyone I remembered was there. Who are all those old people? I nearly blurted out loud.

It quickly became clear that it wasn’t going to be easy to recognize old acquaintances either. After wandering around the room trying to spot familiar faces to sit with, we gave up our futile efforts and simply chose a table that had spaces left. A few minutes after sitting, the gentleman to my right asked who I was. When I told him my name, a light of recognition struck his face; he stuck out his hand in greeting and with a big smile said his name – David. Suddenly, something in his bright eyes and sparkling expression broke through with great familiarity and recognition. It wasn’t long before we also discovered that both he and his wife were strong believers. Ironically, the other couple sitting at our table seemed familiar too, but it wasn’t until we started talking, and personalities came out, that we both recognized each other. Happily I learned they were also believers. He had come into faith several years after graduation.

Throughout the evening, it seemed that recognition mostly happened through expressions, personalities, and character. By the end of the event, I was able to connect with several friends and familiar classmates. Joyce, was a gal who had been in several of my art classes and she too had become a believer. She lived in a nearby town and we talked about getting together after the reunion. Another gal had struck me as familiar, but after introductions neither of us could remember knowing each other in school. It wasn’t until after the event that it we realized we had an even greater connection than school – the connection of Christ. Her name was Susie and she had since become a believer several years after graduation as well. No wonder her face shined with a certain joyous glow.

One week after my reunion, I received an email from Susie. She had noticed on the directory that I lived in her area and something I’d said made her wonder if we shared a common faith. We were able to get together for lunch a couple of weeks after the event. It was great to have this new Christian connection and share in spiritual matters of significance. As we sat having lunch, Susie shared that she had recently experienced an interesting church service. The pastor had asked the congregation to text him questions they had about heaven and eternal life. One of the questions regarded whether or not we would recognize friends and family when we get “up there.” I asked what he said and it was very much in line with what I believed according to scripture. Because we’ll have new bodies- “glorified bodies, ”when we get to heaven, I believe that it might take some time before we recognize each other when we. It would be somewhat similar to how it was after Jesus was resurrected from the grave and had his new body. People didn’t recognize him at first.

That was when it hit me “It will be a lot like that when we get to heaven,” I surmised. “Only we will hopefully all have younger, more beautiful bodies and faces.”

Ephesians 5:27 says: the church will be presented to Christ at His second coming “without spot or wrinkle.” And, much like our experience at the school reunion, it will take a while before we recognize each other in heaven. At the reunion, most of the time, the spark of recognition came as the individual’s personality and character showed through their eyes and expressions. That will also likely be the key to identification,—not our appearance.

Days after the reunion, I reflected further on what I’d observed. This time many were now interested in the things of the Lord instead of the things of this world. Of course there were exceptions, but at this reunion, thankfully, many had come to the realization that there was something and someone much more important in life than career, success and even family. And, in case you want to know, my own vain reasons for attending melted away too.

God’s word makes it very clear that we won’t bring any of those kinds of accomplishment with us into eternity. We won’t need to worry about impressing others in heaven with our clothes or figures. Nothing of material success, accomplishments, or even number of kids and grandkids will matter in eternity. The only things we’ll bring with us into heaven will be the attributes that God’s Holy Spirit have placed in our souls. And the only treasures we can attain there will be the spiritual treasures that we’ve built into eternity.

Not long after this event, my husband and I attended a 50^th anniversary for Joni and Friends to honor our friend Joni Eareckson Tada. In many ways this was like a reunion for her as she reconnected with old friends and supporters. At the event I picked up one of her books, that I hadn’t yet read. It was Joni’s first book, “Joni, an Unforgettable Story”, and in it she talks about the kinds of things we’ll bring with us to heaven. “The only thing we can take with us to heaven,” she says, “is our character. Our character is all we have to determine what kind of a being we will be for all eternity. It’s what we are that will be tested by fire. Only the qualities of Christ in our character will remain.” (Chapter 15, page 174).

It also says in II Corinthians 4: 16 -18 (NIV), “Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day… So we fix our eyes not on what is seen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” II Corinthians 5 goes on to say that in heaven we will “be clothed with our heavenly dwelling. His Spirit was given to us as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come.” (NIV)

Wow! What a grand and hopeful word He has given us regarding our aging bodies. One day, we will have perfect, “heavenly clothes” to wear for eternity. Talk about the perfect dress!

Out of our large class of over 900, sadly about 143 were already deceased. Around 250 attended that night. I’m pretty sure that many of those who had passed away, never received the promised seal of salvation and a guarantee of a new and glorious body for all eternity. And so, much like my 50th, many of them won’t be attending that reunion either. I pray that many will be there and we can reconnect then. And, as Joni said, it will be the qualities and spirit of Christ in us that will shine through. It will be the good qualities of our personalities that were perfected by the Holy Spirit that will spark recognition when we get to that great eternal reunion. So, it may take awhile before we recognize each other in that great and classiest reunion of all, but we’ll have all of eternity to figure it out. And what a celebration that will be.

My husband and I at another kind of reunion—the 50th anniversary of Joni and Friends

A Blessing Indeed

It is good to celebrate together

         with friends and is a blessing indeed.

But even greater still to lift one another

         with helps and good deeds.

And when undergirded with prayer,

         ‘tis a chord of strength,

reaching from here to there.

Iris Carignan, 2015 

As someone who has always loved music and occasionally belts out a ballad or two, the idea of singing praises to God for eternity hits a good note with me. Recently a discussion came about at a Bible study I attend. We were talking about worship and praise and someone commented that she thought only singing was true worship. Now, truly we know that music and singing is a predominant way of worshiping our Lord. But, I protested, I believe there are also other ways we can worship Him. One way is through our service, another is in our prayers and sometimes it’s just by being quiet and still, listening to His quiet voice. Besides, I said, there are lots of folks who can’t carry a tune and their singing would be more of a loud clanging to the ears of the Lord, not to mention a little distracting to others. No! My friend protested. Singing is the only true way to worship. Not wanting to be argumentative I conceded that I sometimes sing in the wrong key and my own husband occaionally hits an incorrect note or two while singing praises, yet, I’m sure it blesses the Lord that he sings from his heart.

Later that day, I remembered something from an experience several years earlier. My family and I were in Israel on a tour with our pastor and 48 others. At some point during our site-seeing we all gathered inside a simple little chapel named “St. Anne’s.” Other travelers entered and sat alongside bringing the number to about 90 or so. Our guide, Gila, a very knowledgeable and gifted Jewish woman, joined us inside as well.

We all began to sing simple praise songs to the Lord and in that moment it seemed a miracle happened. The sound of our praise rose up to the ceiling and beyond the walls of the chapel. Our voices seemed to be transformed into an angelic concert to the Lord. Now, I’m quite sure that there were at least a handful of people in that chapel who weren’t “gifted” in the area of singing, yet this was the most beautiful singing I’d ever heard. And I’ve heard lots of beautiful music in my life and participated in several excellent choirs. Then, I glanced over at our guide Gila. Tears were glistening in her eyes. She too, was clearly touched and perhaps like the rest of us sensed that we had experienced a glimpse of what heaven was like.

So, as I pondered that experience, it occurred to me that perhaps our heavenly experience will be a lot like that time at St Anne’s chapel. When we enter that heavenly cathedral, the miraculous acoustics will carry our worshipful songs throughout God’s vast and glorious throne room. In that moment we will all have angelic voices that beautifully praise and worship the Lord for all eternity- whether or not we have musical talent here on earth. So therefore, it’s probably a good idea to at least start practicing down here till that day comes, no matter how “off” we may sound sometimes.

Stained glass window in the Rijksmuesum in Amsterdam

photographed by Iris Carignan 2016

They call states like Montana and Wyoming God’s country and fittingly so. After spending two weeks in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, my husband and I were awe-struck with the beauty God displays there. His creation wraps itself around every road’s bend, spills down every waterfall into rivers and lakes below. The rivers rush onward aiming to quench its demanding and lush thirst to full satisfaction. This carpet of green is laid snug and held firmly with boulders and spiky pines that seem to nail it down purposefully.

The big sky above calls down to earth below with soft whispers of wind and clouded blues, cooling shadows and sunlit joy. As an ark for the wildlife, it encompasses every want and need they have. The google-eyed tourists trespass and disturb with frequent interference in this kind of Shang-re-la or land of Eden.

The mountains are God’s most awesome and majestic diamonds on display. With every bend of the winding road ascending up these gargantuan creations, the mountains shine a new facet of God’s amazing creative powers that are impossible to ignore. Romans 1:20 says it well: “For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts…”

Stopping alongside the high road to see a grand view that seems to stretch on forever with amazing heights and depths, my breath is caught short. Gazing out to the expansive vistas, my heart cries out to Him with words that fall far short in astonishment. No stupefaction. He echoes back with His word: “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:17, NIV).

His love truly is immeasurable and His creation illustrates it with such splendor.

Iris Carignan, July 2016

Recently I was praying about my busy schedule and I asked God to help me sort it all out. It was all good stuff… things that honored Him. Most everything on my schedule involved Godly activities for His glory. One particular responsibility was our small group Bible study. My husband and I host and lead a study for about 16 people. We take turns doing the teaching and it was my turn to teach that particular week. I could feel the tension building in my back muscles as I contemplated how I would find time to do it. I went to prayer and asked God to help me know what to drop or help me have more energy to do them all. This tired old body of mine ain’t what it used to be. Then I asked a very bold and crazy thing- I actually asked Him to give me more time to do them. It just sorta slipped out in the same breath.

A short while later I began preparing the lesson needed for our home Bible study. After what seemed like a few hours of prep, I glanced at the clock thinking it was probably getting late and I’d need to get to bed soon. To my amazement only 30-40 minutes had passed and I still had plenty of time left before the clock struck midnight and I turned into a pumpkin. I continued on with the study prep and finished in record time.

It’s hard to describe just how much it felt like time actually slowed down for me that night, without sounding like an idiot. But it sure seemed like it. Then, just because He is that kind of father, He gave me some more miraculous moments the next day. He woke this “night owl” up sharply at 6 am the following morning. Not only did I wake earlier than usual, I felt completely rested and ready to go. The study went well and the rest of my week continued to feel relaxed. Praise God for His mercies and peace.

Philippians 4: 6&7 says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

As we enter into the holiday season, no doubt many of us will be feeling stress over added duties. I pray that we will all remember to give them over to the Lord with thanksgiving our hearts.