Campuses are becoming altars for the hungry and desperate people of this generation. Prayer meetings have caught the attention of our news reporters. There is no doubt the hunger for revival is spreading around the globe. And it has caught the attention of high school students, college campuses, younger churches, and established congregations worldwide. 

Researching revival has been my heart for as long as I can remember. Just recently, I ran across this definition that woke something in my spirit. It began to ignite a new fire that I haven’t experienced before. It is something new! This revival was defined as a “positive disruption awakening the soul.” It means to interrupt causing a disturbance! Being caught up in revival fire will look different, feel different, and be experienced differently than what we may expect or assume it to look like. There is no way in our human endeavors, we could have articulated or explained God’s spirit moving in our world like He is doing because He is doing something new that is positively disrupting people’s hearts. Our hearts must be open.

We may have assumed it would look like another Pentecost or Azusa, another Asbury or possibly explained as the Third Awakening. However, this revival may be defined as something that is truly amazingly new. It is being breathed into a young generation starving for something fresh and vibrant. This revival, like all revivals, was ignited at an altar of pure, naïve hunger that wanted nothing more than God’s Spirit doing the impossible, and it is happening and having a positive impact on thousands around the world.

Anxious to be a part of this newfound disruption, we ventured to a small college campus experiencing an outpouring of God’s Spirit. What we witnessed was beautiful. Pure. Eye opening. It shattered every expectation my small mind thought it might look like. It was humble. It was tattooed, it was grungy, it was young people in total surrender, stepping over chairs to pray for a stranger, some crumbled on the floor, but more importantly a move of the Spirit that was igniting a fire that invited the whole world to be a part. It captivated my heart and set a fire burning.

My prayer is that the Spirit will positively disrupt everything that may be stubborn, bitter, calloused, cold, lukewarm, stale, judgmental, fake and carnal and turn hearts toward Him in total surrender, reaching a world hungry and desperate for Jesus. What will ignite this passion to change starving hearts and desperate hearts. Prayer! Prayer will erase doubts and fears and give us the oil to light our lamp so that the Spirit can ignite our hearts for a positive disruption that will transform our world.

This week we invited the family over for a last minute game night. Game nights and family are a ritual in the Hudson home. This particular night I had envisioned a fun night with the family; laughter, winning, and dessert, little did I know the chaos that was about to unfold. Soon our home was filled with family and chaos. Some were eating dinner, our new born grandson Carter was waking from a nap and a tad fussy, and my husband decided to leave with my father-in-law to pick up our car that had been repaired. Others would arrive late, filling the room with the details of how their day had unfolded. This was nothing like the evening I pictured in my mind, but somehow it was all okay, there was beauty in this chaos and I couldn’t have been happier.

Sometimes it’s okay to throw out our expectations and take in everything that is happening around us. I watched as each one settled in and game night finally started. Soon the competitive juices were flowing and each team was anticipating the big win and playing like their lives depended on it. The chaos never ended. We added lava cake dessert and pass the baby around to the mix, while still trying to have multiple conversations and remembering who’s turn it was. Chaos was now the atmosphere of the night.

I didn’t realize it in the moment, but as I reflected on the evening I realized we can actually gain a lot of wisdom while watching and listening when chaos becomes the norm. I learned that my daughter had a beautiful way of taking care of our grand baby, her patience and love was admirable. I observed that our son was really being used at his job to be effective in his department. As I passed out the lava cake I could sense that Jon, my husband, had reached his capacity with all the commotion that was going on. Though my father-in-law was smiling, I think he was likely in the same boat. But at the end of the evening I think all would agree that the night was fun and that we were all happy that we had chose to get together and enjoy the chaos!!

I believe Jesus lived in chaos. Who would suggest that as He is feeding the five thousand that the moment was a peaceful dinner with no noise, attitudes or crazy chaos? I think not! Or how about when he walked dusty roads healing the sick and crippled, that these moments were void of challenging chaos? What about when the lame man was being let down through the roof of a home because the house was filled to capacity? A calm moment, anything but. It was mayhem, total chaos with all kinds of opinions and attitudes. How about when Jesus went to the cross? The weeping, lashing out of soldiers, crown of thorns, screams from both those for and against Jesus. Throw in some thunder and lightening and an earthquake as He takes His last breath and what do you have? The perfect recipe for chaos. But may I suggest that somehow there was beauty in every chaotic moment.

We tend to avoid chaos. We say that there is beauty in the quiet sounds of nature or the quiet atmosphere of an empty room. Yes, these times are needed and we should take time for them, but don’t discount the miraculous of the mayhem. The next time you are feeling overwhelmed by all the noise and craziness surrounding you, start taking in the miraculous moment that you may mislabel. The freshness of a new borns cry and needing his mother to comfort him, the realization that the chaotic conversation may feed your soul if you truly listen. In the end, and in the midst of it all, know that dessert will be served, the chaos will end, that you will have a memory that will fill your heart, and that there is a beautiful feeling of contentment even in chaos.

There is so much beauty in the chaos, never discount it’s worth!

D.L. Moody quoted, “So, if we only lead one soul to Christ, we may set a stream in motion that will flow on when we are dead and gone.”

Our purpose on earth is to love people to Jesus. One of my greatest pet-peeves is to see Christians fighting and not getting along. I know our only hope for everyone to genuinely get a long is heaven. But let’s dive into the thought of what a peacemaker is. I believe that peacemakers are a little bit of heaven on earth.

In studying the beatitudes, in almost all cases, we can relate them to something in the Old Testament but in the sermon on the mount Jesus elevates them to new levels and teachings, Together, the Beatitudes present a new set of ideals that focus on love and humility rather than force and exaction. They echo the highest ideals of Jesus’ teachings on spirituality and compassion.

When Jesus quoted “blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God”, He was saying that when you pursue peace in your life and want that for others, you are called his children. We become part of the family of God. A peacemaker is beautiful. They can be bring calm to any situation or storm. A peacemaker has been traditionally interpreted to mean not only those who live in peace with others but also those who do their best to promote friendship among mankind and between God and man. Gregory of Nyssa interpreted it as “Godly work” which was an imitation of God’s love of man. John Wesley said, “the peacemakers endeavor to calm the stormy spirits of men, to quiet their turbulent passions, to soften the minds of the contending parties, and if possible reconcile them to each other. They use all innocent arts, and employ all their strength, all the talents which God has given, as well to preserve peace where it is and to restore it where it is not.”

In studying peacemakers, and the thought that peacemakers are the children of God, we should allow our differences to draw people to us, so that we can have healthy conversations about why our distinctions shape and make us the people we are. In the family of God, discussions about our differences should be welcomed. We should allow discussions from other people of faith, keeping in mind that our measuring stick is always the word of God and time spent in His presence.

In having difficult conversations I read this advice recently that will bring about peace conflict:

Dignity: I will treat you with dignity and respect

Humility: I can learn from you because my perspective and understanding are limited

Listening: I will listen with an open mind and do my best to suspend judgement.

Curiosity: I will be curious and ask you to tell me more so I can understand your perspective

Common ground: I will look for common ground as I get to know you

Creating peace in our relationships is very attainable. When we keep an open heart, centered on pleasing God above anything else in our life, we will attract peaceful relationships and open conversations. Pursue God with your whole heart and watch the world you live in change for the better and become a little heaven here on earth.

Sitting at my desk watching nature through our window…a Hawk chasing a squirrel trying to escape for dear life. A yellow finch knocking continually, without abandonment, on our window (this has been happening for days). Watching a red bird feed her babies in a pine close by…only to find out those sweet birds either flew away or were miraculously raptured. A chipmunk nibbling nervously on something he found to eat and enjoy. And the sounds. Leaves whispering their own sound as the breeze reaches their branch, birds humming a beautiful song, squirrels making sounds I’ve never heard before because I took time to listen. Our orange hammock hanging on a tree nearby blowing in the wind, a place to enjoy a good book and nap. I love this more than ever, a new incredible lease on life, seeing the beauty all around me. I was in a very dark place two years ago, and this kind of of beauty couldn’t be captured if I tried. I was paralyzed with fear and anxiety, trying desperately to pray through it and survive it. And now, here I am two years later, the miraculous hand of God again working in mysterious ways in my life. I’m forever grateful, there are no words to explain it. We serve an incredible God.

I mean it, I truly mean it when I say that I understand devastating anxiety that paralyzes your soul. It is real. I was there and know what it feels like to think as if this will never end, I was stuck in a deep dark pit. I felt like I was in Hell. I know this is something we don’t like to talk about, something we want to sweep under the rug and never bring up but we can’t do that if we want to survive. God sees where you are at even when you can’t feel him. If you are going through this type of feeling, please realize that you will survive it. Never ever give up, keep getting back up. Your break through is coming!

I came out strong. I wrote a book during this survival season, I’ve spoken to crowds, led bible studies stronger and better, I help lead Life Connections church and am breathing fresh air again. I work a stable and fun job and love life again. However, I don’t expect you to understand this next statement. There are times you can pray your heart out and not feel God in the moment, at all. I was there in a dark, scary place and someone even had the gull to ask, “where is your faith now?” they had no clue what this pit felt like. Don’t question people who are in this place, it only hurts the situation and digs the devastation further into their soul. BUT!! You will come out and LIVE again in beauty and wonder and you will thank God for the pit you were in. Remember Joseph was thrown into the pit and came out stronger and better, leading a Nation and forgiving his brothers. You too will come out and live to the fullest again.

So I sit here today looking out my window with a whole new lease and perspective on life. The same scenery that couldn’t break the darkness for me, is now shining and breathing new light into my soul. I’m living. Way beyond what I thought possible. It is beautiful. It is refreshing. It is the life God had for me all along. You will survive this and live again…but better and more beautiful. Believe for it!!

I am smitten. This little guy showed up in our world May 15th at 11:00 pm weighing 9 pounds 11 ounces. He’s as cute as a button plus more. There is nothing like this feeling. It is hard to describe. My first grand baby. Pure Joy, overload on the heart, and just so peaceful! Our hearts are so grateful he’s healthy, eating well and taking on his own personality already. The plans God has for him are already written, plans to prosper him and bring him hope and a great future. A new beginning with no flaws, priceless.

When looking at our lives, living in a broken world where sin and darkness could literally choke the life out of us, I’m so grateful God gives us these moments of complete pureness; a time to catch our breath and live in the moment of newness and wonder. A newborn baby represents a new start. A complete individual with their own personality and style. No one will be just like them. They are unique. One of a kind. Fresh. New. And nothing in all the world can stop them from being someone different. Set aside. An individual who will grow and become like no other in the world. God designs us perfectly like that. Made in His image, if we allow Him, we are shaped and molded to be individuals who are destined to do great things with our lives.

Because Jesus went to a cross and died for our sins, God gives each of us this fresh new start every time we ask for forgiveness. Does it give us permission to keep sinning? Absolutely not. For once you have experienced true forgiveness and you are given a fresh new start, you will want to protect yourself from sin. What is even more awesome, is that God gives each of us the opportunity to be filled with His Spirit and it is the Spirit that protects our soul and gives us the chance to start fresh and new. Do you want a fresh start? A new beginning? A new slate that is completely white and pure? God wants to give us this fresh start. Just like a newborn baby has the chance to live in the beauty of pureness and newness, we have that same chance every time we come before him and ask for his forgiveness. This is a daily routine for me and when I’m done asking for forgiveness there is nothing like that warm inspiration from the Spirit cleansing and making me whole again.

Just like my grandson Carter Jacob living out his first few weeks of life, fresh and new, God wants the same for you. He loves fresh new beginnings because it is then that our hearts our open and He can transplant us to new places of growth and maturity, giving us the chance to start fresh and new and do something great with our lives.. He wants that for you and it is the most refreshing fulfilling experience you can have. Filled fresh with His spirit, forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness. Let God do that for you and watch as His perfect plan explodes in your life, giving you a fresh new start!

Sitting down for dinner as a family is one of my life favorite things to do. Especially when we start on a topic of discussion we are all participating in even if I may be the target. That’s how we grow and learn more about ourself. It happened one night. It was one of those wonderful moments when all five us were present. We were enjoying light joyful conversation when suddenly the atmosphere began to change and a bit of tension starting beaming through our time together. Voices started raising a little. We were disagreeing about how I was spending time at the gym. My husband was adding his two cents about how he felt I should be using a particular machine, feeling it would help me lose more weight. It’s a given, you never bring up this topic, especially in mixed company…but he did. Everyone starting chiming in except for my son-in-law who has wisdom beyond his years. Finally, I spoke up and said to the silent, more non-confrontational one in the group, who when he speaks, we all listen. I looked at him and said, “I think the Elephant is in the Room”, we chuckled and then he said, “I think the Elephant is on the Table.” It was. We all laughed and I knew my next book title was born.

In scripture we all love to read about the Fruit of the Spirit. It gives us that warm fuzzy feeling that if we would all embrace them, our lives would be lived peaceful and beautiful. After all, love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness and goodness are all areas every Christian should be striving for, to live this way. But when we look at them through the lens of Christ, it may be how we all desire to live but what do they really look like? It certainly is absent of selfish motives and desires that the flesh would like to say is the way. Loving these attributes should be the desire of all of us if we want to live effective lives, touching souls for eternity, and living above and beyond what our flesh could ever do.

I’ll never forget the first time I felt true love. You see, loving the Jesus way can look like enduring a lot of hurtful emotions and pain. I remember so vividly my dad sitting on the side of the bed, explaining to me why I was getting ready to be whipped and he said the words, “I don’t want to do this, it hurts me worse than it will hurt you, but my reason is to show you that when you don’t respect your mother, brother’s or sisters, there will be a punishment for it.” I eventually learned the lesson, that discipline will come until I got it right. That’s true love. Being willing to have the hard conversations and then being able to endure the proper discipline is essential if we are going to grow into the developed Christ like Christians God desires for us to be. Our walk will not be free from trouble but will be filled with it until we eventually get it right. We all know that is a lifelong process but we do grow and eventually become the vessels God is using time and time again to lead others closer to the heart of God.

The Elephant on the Table, when embraced through the lens of the fruit of the Spirit, will find us producing fruit and leading many to Christ. Let’s embrace those moments of hard conversation and disciplines we receive from God to enhance our lives, so that we can be the effective Christians we should all be wanting to be. Have those hard conversations. Keep your heart open, put aside defensiveness and come to the realization we will never grow until the Elephant on the table is dealt with through the eyes of Christ.

Spring amazes me with its stunning spender of yellow, pink, purple and white colors. It’s the moment God brightens the earth with yet another masterpiece of His glorious beauty. Spring air, accompanied by rain, produces bright green hues everywhere which provides the perfect backdrop for His kaleidoscope of color. With sunlight making its way through the cloud covering, I stand in awe of the miraculous creation of color God makes for us. He thinks out every process of this majestic canvas and He does this simply for us to enjoy. Winter can be cold and barren, bitter and stagnant. And then, Spring, with its glorious colors, reminds us of His desire to make things new and fresh. Often Spring is a time when God starts something fresh and new in us. It’s a time of new beginnings. As you venture through this Spring, allow God to form something miraculous in your life. Take the time to take in the beauty around you. Let Spring remind us that we too are a canvas of God, and we have the potential to produce beauty and growth. Growth that can change the world for someone else needing hope. Before you know it, these incredible colors will be gone. The blooms will blow away and new growth will turn to leaves. So, enjoy Spring, the time for growth and new beginnings, and ask God to begin something new and beautiful in you!

In Matthew 5:7 it is quoted, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.” It is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. Mercy. We’ve all needed it. I remember as a young girl I was about to be disciplined by my father for acting out. Just as the discipline was coming down in the form of a belt, my brother stepped in and took the discipline for me. I’ll never forget the act of mercy Paul showed me that day and the relief of escaping the dreaded belt. Mercy isn’t always easy to come by, but we have been taught through the word of God that if we show mercy, we will obtain mercy. How many of you have escaped punishment for your wrong because someone was gracious enough to extend mercy to you?

To be truly merciful we must first see the misery through the eyes of Jesus Christ. We must see the drunk or the mental abuser from the lens of a past filled with hurt that may have provoked this lifestyle. Without this view of mercy of HIs mercy towards us, how can we extend mercy to others? Without first seeing the misery of someone and having compassion for them we cannot be the hands and feet of Jesus. We must be willing to look at others from God’s perspective. God provided the ultimate amount of mercy on the cross being sacrificed for the sins of the world. When we look through the lens of God’s loving compassion, we can see the hurting who need mercy in a whole different light.

There is a saying that says something like this, “never judge a person’s actions, or mood, we have no idea what they may be going through in their own life.” So many difficulties can be made more bearable when we don’t take offense to actions that are hurtful towards. Mercy offers forgiveness; it offers forgiveness by replacing hurt and resentment with compassion.

In dealing with the elephant in the room mercy will go a long way. So many are afraid to confront huge issues because of pride and how they may respond or what the response will be. Let mercy pour our of your heart and see the miraculous things that will happen because of it.

A lack of mercy and forgiveness keeps you from living out God’s divine and perfect plan for your life. Live in moments of extreme joy and peace when you learn to release bitterness, pride and anger. You can exchange it for a life of receiving and giving mercy.

Food is my weakness. I love just about anything, but I especially love anything baked. Whether it’s fresh snickerdoodle cookies straight out of the oven, a hot cherry pie topped with vanilla ice-cream, or a fresh baked chocolate cake loaded with from scratch, chocolate frosting. I crave the best. My mother created everything from scratch out of necessity. She raised 11 children and it was cheaper to bake or cook from scratch rather than buying store bought entrees or desserts. We did not complain, she simply knew how to bake and made the best of everything. One Thanksgiving she decided she was going to bake all of eleven of us our own favorite pie from scratch. So, the baking began. She made cherry pies, pumpkin pies and my personal favorite, pecan pie. My mouth waters just thinking about it. What a great memory she created for all of us that year. It’s something I’ll pass down to my kids, grandchildren and their children, a love for baking from scratch and making simply the best.

But there is something far greater than good baked food that I want to pass down. Something that I hope everyone who is reading this will crave and hunger for. As good as homemade food is, it leaves you hungering for something more later, a quick fix that leaves you craving later again. It never completely satisfies you. But God’s word promises that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. Pursuing a hunger for God and His righteousness is the greatest thing we an ever do. A genuine thirst for the things that please the Lord will lead you to a life of joy and completeness. You’ll never search again for anything else because a pursuit for Him will satisfy your soul. Far too many people spend their life aimlessly searching for something else to fulfill the “God-shaped void” in their lives. All of us are hungry, all of us thirst; the problem is that we aimlessly try to fulfill that emptiness, that hunger, with things other than the righteousness of God.

In Mathew, it says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” John Calvin said it well when he said, “We should never be clothed with the righteousness of Christ except we first know assuredly that we have no righteousness of our own.

Nothing in all the world satisfies the soul like Jesus. Pursing a life pleasing to him, being kind, loving, joyful, thankful and filled with long-suffering and gentleness guarantees a life that will please God. Pursue His righteousness and He will fill you. Thank you Mom for making those Thanksgiving pies and creating memories to last forever and thank you Lord for giving us all a desire for those things, that will please you, for it will carry us into eternity.

We were in the second grade and it just happened naturally, I’m not sure when we “first” met, but it was an innocent kindred friendship that just formed naturally and it has lasted for over 45 years now. Michelle always had my back. I remember in High School she warned me about a guy that wouldn’t be good for me, she warned me to stay clear from him. He had wrong intentions and I knew he wasn’t a good guy but sometimes your just vulnerable and she was looking out for me like any good friend would. We spent time in each others homes and it was in Michelle’s home that her mom introduced me to my first try at Kibosa and sauerkraut and it was awesome. I remember when Michelle’s home had a house fire, and they lost most of their belongings and how sad that was, but she was happy that the figurines she collected at the time made it through the fire and one was an elephant that I had purchased for her. In the fifth grade we built a gingerbread house together in our classroom and it turned out amazing! We got in a disagreement one day on the playground and I thought it may be the end of our friendship but it wasn’t. Years later, after I moved away to Indiana, her family traveled to see me after I had breast cancer and we both still talk about that trip and the profound effect it had on us. For my 50th birthday my family flew me out to see her for a few days, and she made those days the most special time of our friendship! It meant the world to me! When my mom passed, she was there at her funeral, forging another reason why this friendship is so dear to my heart.

So it seems like forever ago now that we first met and the years have proven that true friendships last, and they have a profound effect on our lives. We don’t talk much at all, maybe just a handful of times during our friendship, but we know that at any moment, if a crisis comes up, we would be there for each other.

But there is a forever friendship that I want to talk about that changed my life forever. I was walking out of a prayer meeting, early on a foggy California morning, grieving still the passing of my dad at such a young age and it was like an audible voice spoke to me, I heard the whisper of God’s voice as he gently took me by the hand (in my mind) and said, “I’ve got this, for the rest of your life we are going to do life together.” He has been a father to me, a good, good father and my best friend.

He was there when I walked down the isle on my wedding day and his anointing filled our ceremony. He was there when both of my kids were born filling our room with joy and blessings I’ll forever be grateful. He was there when we purchased our first home, started a church, and through every high and low there has ever been. He’s been there.

He was the father and friend I needed when I got my cancer diagnosis, the peace I felt throughout the whole trial was amazing and then the miraculous phone call came and I heard the doctor’s astounded voice say, “You have no cancer, you won’t need chemo or radiation, you won’t need to take medicine, you have no cancer.” He was so faithful to give me the gift of a better life.

He walked with me through the entire time my mom was passing away, he pushed away anxiety when it was tempting to take over my mind. His peace filled the room many times as my mom and I would enjoy an afternoon or morning together. He was there as we shared a favorite book, a cup of coffee, and talked about life and scripture. When others may not of understood what I was going through at this time, He did. And that’s all that mattered.

When I walked through a severe depression and a midnight I wasn’t sure I’d make it through, He was there promising me I would. When my mind was choking from anxiety and fear, and not knowing what tomorrow held, he was there.

He’s not only my friend but one that will be there forever and throughout eternity. He’s my forever friend and he wants to be yours too, He’s got you, holding your hand and saying, “we’ve got this” and trust me…he does forever!

Real, I’ve always been drawn to it. Homemade pie made from scratch with “real” ingredients, or a genuine authentic heart that flows with pure beauty and honesty, I love it. There is, however, a risk in being transparent. Sometimes it can taste different and sometimes authenticity hurts and crushes us; at other times, it leaves us moments of pure beauty and awe. Nothing can be compared to real, it’s refreshing and most of the time, we welcome it, if we have an open heart. Whether it hurts us or whether it refreshes us, being genuine is always good. “Real” always comes with a risk worth taking but you end up with something of great worth.

The first time I really enjoyed avocado toast, I couldn’t believe the amazing flavor and the instant gratification it gave me. I do enjoy avocado but it’s not necessarily on my top ten list of favorite foods. When I chose “avocado toast” off the menu and decided to give it a try, it was truly amazing. It was refreshing, tasty and most of all, it felt healthy. My taste buds were completely satisfied, so the smile I had covering my face, depicted all the above. I dealt with the doubt that I had that it could even be slightly enjoyable, but I was willing to try it. It went beyond my expectations and more. The flavor melted in my mouth and before I knew it, I had wiped out the entire entree. I can easily talk about my experience because I gave it a chance and loved it.

For a lot of us, like trying avocado toast, “the elephant” in the room isn’t easy to talk about but it’s in choosing to talk about it, that the real comes out, clearing our perspective on someone else’s viewpoint. And it’s invigorating. What can add flavor is when tension about the elephant starts rising. Our face may turn all shades of red, but we can get through the conversation, with a right attitude and spirit if we take the risk of being honest. Unfortunately, I’ve seen both sides throughout my life. By both sides I mean a battle always has two sides. The winning side and the losing side. You may forfeit friendships and relationships over being real, but you win by realizing that a particular relationship wasn’t meant for you. Not because who we lose is a bad person but because they be hindering you from becoming who you are meant to be.

To read more on this article, you can read it in my newly released book “The Elephant Has left the Room”. It can be purchased here on my blog or on Amazon.