Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

When I was a young girl, I thought the fragrance of ‘Evening in Paris‘ was absolutely lovely! Several years ago, I ordered the cobalt-blue bottle of this cologne from ebay just to remember the scent and enjoy the nostalgia. (However, it didn’t smell as good as I thought it did as a kid.) The sense of smell is a powerful instrument for bringing us pleasure or annoyance. I love the fragrance of an iris, but the scent of a skunk is a whole nother ballgame. I’ve been told by friends that my home has its own fragrance. I wasn’t aware of it because I’m used to it. But I know what they’re talking about, as I recall my piano teacher’s living room had the same certain smell every week.

Whether we realize it or not, Christ followers give off a pleasing or offensive scent everywhere we go. Like Pepe’ Le Pew, the “odor-able” French striped skunk, we may not realize we’re giving off a putrid odor that annoys people or causes them to run away from us. Pepe’ was used to his odor, and I think it’s possible that some believers can be so used to their harsh and overly-opinionated personality that they aren’t aware that they’re annoying and their persona stinks to high heaven. Apostle Paul admonishes us to, “Guard your speech. Forsake obscenities and worthless insults; these are nonsensical words that bring disgrace and are unnecessary” (Ephesians 5:4 TPT).

What’s your favorite fragrance? You can’t buy the following perfumes anywhere, but you can possess them in your heart and lavish them on people everyday: Compassion, Love, Hope, Encouragement, Kindness, Gentleness, Understanding, Patience, Goodness, and Empathy. These priceless fragrances display the character of Jesus Christ.

“Thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads in triumph [as a trophy of Christ’s victory] and through me spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere” (2 Corinthians 2:14 AMP). Through the yielded lives of believers, we are to spread the fragrance of God wherever we go. We should live every day as fragrant love spreaders. (There’s more than enough manure spreaders out there.) Just a few positive words of encouragement spoken over a discouraged individual can change his/her outlook and give hope.

“But this beautiful treasure is contained in us — cracked pots made of earth and clay — so that the transcendent character of this power will be clearly seen as coming from God and not us” (2 Corinthians 4:7 VOICE).  Believers must realize that anything good we do only comes from God’s power living in us. We owe it all to Jesus for making it possible to wear the fine fragrances of a renewed life in Him. Although we’re common/imperfect clay jars (created from dust/clay) we possess the fragrance of God in our heart. His sweet fragrance in us will naturally spill out on others as we practice loving on them.

Christ followers need to be aware of how we smell to others. What one person thinks smells good, another can think it stinks. I once worked with a very nice woman, but her cologne fragrance was horridly unpleasant to my nose. Obviously, she thought it was wonderful or she wouldn’t have chosen to wear it. But, to me, it smelled like toilet-bowl cleaner. We need to seriously reevaluate our spiritual fragrance choices to ensure that we’re a sweet and welcoming fragrance to others.

The Key: Don’t be like Pepe’ Le Pew and turn people off because you stink.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.  1 Peter 4:10

Last week, I shared that I drove five hours to Iowa to sell my books at three different Christian bookstores over three days.  Although I hoped to sell several, that did not happen, but God arranged for me to meet some extraordinary people who taught me much about serving and compassion.

I wrote about how on the first day, Francine, an employee, and I bonded.  She, a tough, determined woman in her 70’s, demonstrated a work ethic I admired.  You needed a box moved?  She jumped in to help.  Books located for a potential customer, phoning in a request?  Francine scoured the store until she found the needed item.  Crates loaded and taken to another store?  In she came with her dolly. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do.

I asked Francine questions about her life.  Tough.  Growing up in poverty, she now works jobs for the three bookstores and as a security guard at night.  She had to leave work early that day, she said, because she was making dinner for her church’s youth group that met once a week.  “Would you like to speak to them?” she asked.

When I arrived at her small, country church at 6:30 that evening, I followed the noise into a cellar-type basement where six high schoolers were sitting around a table, laughing and visiting.  Gee, I thought, no cell phones.  I was thrilled by what I was witnessing.  There was Francine, dishing out the stew she had prepared and directing her teens to the homemade cookies resting on the side counter.

Melissa, a teen, volunteered to pray, and a young man, sitting with his back to me, removed his hat.  (I am old enough to be impressed.)  The prayer was sweet and sincere.

We were directed upstairs to the sanctuary area.  It was an old, yet proud, room with hardwood floors, plaster walls, an ancient piano, and this sign on the side wall.  Attendance the previous Sunday: 10.  Money collected: $101.00.  Think about that.  Some pastor, every week, prepares a sermon for 10 people.  One of those 10 probably leads worship.  But they continue, week after week, to do God’s work. Wow!

Francine was a huge part of this church’s survival.  As it turned out, she also, for 27 years, had made cookies for the Blood Bank, and this, my final day “selling” my books in their third store, also was the beneficiary of her benevolence.  She was the one who served cider and her cookies to patrons…the same patrons who avoided me at all costs.  Still, she did her best.  “I want you to meet our visiting author who has come all the way from Kansas,” she said, proudly. “I’ve bought five of her books, four as presents.  I’m on Chapter five of her book, and it’s great.”  I later told her that I needed to hire her as my agent.

We need more Christians like Francine, people who are willing to do whatever it takes to help others succeed.  It wasn’t about numbers.  Every single person she met deserved to be valued.  I left Iowa, not with many book sales, but with clear understanding why I had gone there: to know that God wants my faith to grow.  As usual, He worked in ways I never expected.

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

It’s only natural that everyone has favorites. My favorite dog breeds have a smashed nose and short hair; favorite candy is milk chocolate; favorite season is summer, etc. My favorite grade-school teacher was Mrs. Zula Oldham because she was Dad’s first cousin, so that made her special to me. I can’t say I was her favorite student because she was too wise for that; she treated everyone in her classroom the same. When I was a kid I watched The Smothers Brothers show (1967-69) and I still remember how Tommy would tell Dickey, “Mom always liked you best.“ A mother should never have a favorite child but, for this comedy act, Mrs. Smothers did and it made America laugh out loud.

I’ve had some very important teachers in my life. My parents were wise and loving teachers and now that they’re gone, I continue to live by their example. Mrs. Murray was an exceptional piano teacher and I’m still playing and using the knowledge that she taught me. My high school Driver’s Ed teacher was a very brave man and I still utilize the safety precautions that he taught.

We never outgrow our need for a teacher. No matter how old we are, we simply don’t know everything there is to know. Life is full of daily situations where we have to make a decision, so we need help in making the right choice. The last thing we want to do is choose poorly and suffer the consequences. Jesus knew all about this serious dilemma and took care of it before He returned to Heaven.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will be your teacher in all things and will put you in mind of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26 BBE). I appreciate knowing that I have a “Teacher Spirit” inside me 24-7. It’s like having my own built-in teacher/counselor/helper that’s 100% accurate, dependable, and based on God’s Word. It’s comforting to know that the Holy Spirit is available and on standby for every believer. We should never underestimate or take for granted the wisdom, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit in our life.

I like to study scripture verses from different translations and let the truth sink in deeply. The Passion Translation for John 14:26 reads: “But when the Father sends the Spirit of Holiness, the One like Me who sets you free, He will teach you all things in My name. And He will inspire you to remember every word that I’ve told you.” God has given His Spirit to help us in our faith walk, and to give us wisdom and understanding as we endeavor to live in His will. The Helper (Holy Spirit) wants us to have insight into the big decisions in our life as well as the small. A spirit of peace will be the green light concerning the right choice. Allow peace to rule as the umpire in our decisions.

With so many countless paths to follow, we need to rely on God’s Word and the Holy Spirit to keep walking in the right direction of God’s will. Christ followers need to fine tune our hearts to hear the gentle Holy Spirit’s voice over all the others. There’s no limitations — the “Teacher Spirit” will teach us everything, whether big or small.

The Key: I’m still listening and learning, and my favorite Teacher is the Holy Spirit.

I should not be surprised by how God redirects my life by taking the focus off of me and putting it on Him.  You would think I would have figured it out by now.  Thick-head, I guess.  Last week was a perfect example of how this plays out in my life.

As I wrote a few weeks ago, I spent a few days in Lexington, Kentucky, passing out 75 free books to Christian bookstore owners.  It was an expensive weekend.  From it, one store owner contacted me and asked if I would come to her three stores in Iowa to do book-signings.  Maybe I can sell a hundred or so books which will help make up for the financial loss of Kentucky, I told myself.

I booked three nights in a motel and drove to Iowa, excited to tell buyers about A Little Faith Lift.  On Wednesday, the first day, I sat at my table for seven hours and sold six books, three to Francine, an employee in the store. As it turned out, I was positioned near the children’s section, so I purchased $85 worth of Christmas presents for my grandkids.  More than I made.  This was not working out as a sound investment opportunity.

The second day, after eight hours, I had sold three books (two more to Francine who worked at that store on Thursdays), and the third day, two books.  And yes, Francine worked there that last day and told everyone who entered the store how great my book was.  They did everything but run through the glass shelves lining the middle of the store when she pointed me out to them.  I might as well have had a plaque hanging around my neck.  “I have Covid.”

Imagine!  Rejected in a Christian bookstore.  Perhaps fodder for a second book?

At any rate, what I witnessed in those three stores blessed me beyond measure.  Each had special needs’ patrons who hung out during the day, receiving love and kindness and one-on-one attention.  I was told ahead of time what to expect, but I had no idea these employees would show the kind of compassion and respect they did.

Melissa was blind, autistic, socially inappropriate and suffered with turrets. She pulled up a chair and sat beside me, and we “visited.”  She, as it turned out, was an expert on dates, especially the day she became a Christian… “July 7, 1995. That’s the day when I asked forgiveness for my sins and knew that Jesus had died on the cross for me. The best day of my life.”

Austin was an “employee” who worked two hours each morning, logging data into his computer with the aid of a personal helper.  John visited the third store two-to-three times a day, each time finding something (usually under $2.00) he wanted to purchase and asking the clerk to “put it on his tab.”  Which she did.

When a young, college student approached the counter, Windy, the owner, spent over 30 minutes with him, encouraging him and praying with him.  Of all the people I met, however, Francine was my favorite.  She was a gap-filler.  Whatever needed to be done, she volunteered.  My first day, she told me about the youth group she would sponsor that night.  “Wanna speak to them tonight,” she asked.  I said that I would love to.  It was a blessing I did not deserve.

Next week, I will share my experience with those teens and that church.

Keys to the Kingdom by Carolyn Tucker

Have you ever said something during a conversation and the individual gawked at you like you were a nut hanging from a tree? No matter where we grew up, we all use colloquialisms;  and those of us in the same region understand each other perfectly! For example, someone could say:  “He‘s got a heart the size of a washtub; he’d give you the shirt off his back. But, bless his heart, he’s a brick shy of a full load.“ Or, “Give her an inch and she’ll take a mile.”

I’ve been blessed with family and friends that don’t fit into the “give an inch and take a mile” category. The God-kind of love doesn’t function like that; real love looks for ways to give, not take. But I am very aware of any enemy that’s completely hateful, selfish, and destructive, and that’s the devil. If you give Satan an inch, he’ll snatch it and turn it into a nightmare trip. That’s why the Bible tells us, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you” (James 4:7,8 NLT). Don’t forget the first and last portions of this scripture, as they are important keys to resisting the enemy who hates you as much as God loves you.

Don’t be asleep at the wheel! “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith” (1 Peter 5:8,9 NLT). There’s no such thing as a joy ride with the  devil. Don’t even give him a ride around the block!

A good song can inspire me as much as a good sermon. There’s a story song about the devil being a hitchhiker. Some of the lyrics are: “Don’t let the devil ride. If you let him ride, he’ll want to drive. Don’t, please don’t, let him drive your car. If you let him drive your car, he’ll surely go too far. Don’t let him drive! Don‘t do it, don‘t do it, don‘t do it.”

Sin always takes you farther than you want to go, keeps you longer than you want to stay, and costs you more than you can possibly pay. In the Garden of Eden, Eve didn’t see any harm in having a friendly conversation with the worst enemy in the world. We all know that particular interaction went south in a flash.

Believers are to, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11 NKJV). How often do we put on your clothes? That’s how often we’re to put on the armor of God. The devil is capable of luring unsuspecting Christians into sin. Following Christ requires godly decisions, purposeful effort, and proper use of the equipment God has provided for you. “Wiles” can be defined as clever schemes used by Satan to trap you through temptation, threat, intimidation, and deception through trickery. But you are not powerless, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him [Jesus Christ] who loved us“ (Romans 8:37 NKJV).

The Key: Don’t let the devil ride in your car — just put the pedal to the metal.

Award-winning author/historian/speaker Dr. Rebecca Price Janney was contacted by a Moms for Liberty local representative to speak to a group of children about the U.S. Constitution. The venue would be a local public library. Dr. Janney, dressed as Martha Washington, would present her original rendition of the Constitution to a group of elementary students at the public library to promote a positive platform for children to learn about American history.  How fun, and how exciting for those little ones, right?

Apparently not.  Protestors, finding this teaching inappropriate because Moms for Liberty backed it, planned to block her performance. (MfL promotes parental authority and opposes public schools having pornography in their libraries and teaching sexuality to young children, especially apart from parental consent.) Prayers encouraged this brave woman to continue to do what she knew was God’s work.  The last email we received from Dr. Janney addressed her experience:

“I had been informed a few days ahead of the library event that there would be four police forces on hand, including undercover law enforcement. The protestors, led by one very vocal local woman, sort of our version of the 1960s Madeline Murray O’Hair, promised there would be between 75-100 of them. The police designated a place where they could stand, and I was so relieved when they said none of them, or the media, would be allowed inside for my presentation. One of my biggest concerns was being shouted down, having the kids be scared, and having the event turn ugly. Moms for Liberty requested that there not be a counter-protest, but some private citizens turned up to support us, without signs, just their presence.”

Dr. Janney shared that her husband Scott and a friend, Jen, to avoid the protestors, arrived at the library early.  God was at work.  The weather, cold and rainy, kept many of them away.  Most of the library staff were cordial.  Three local police officers stood near the presentation room, so Dr. Janney struck up a conversation with them, thanking them for being there.  They responded that it was an honor to protect her and the children.  The story continues:                “Scott positioned himself just outside the entrance and, dressed in a colonial outfit, played colonial tunes on his fiddle. When the protestors arrived with their hate-filled signs and their banners, all 20 of them, and they started chanting as people brought their children into the library, Scott would play ‘Yankee Doodle’ loudly, and the children’s attention was on him, not these protestors, many of whom appeared quite bizarre.”

After recruiting children to dress in colonial outfits and help with readings about the Constitution, Dr. Janney felt encircled by prayer and good will. The event had reached the library’s capacity of 30 people, and everything went better than planned.  The kids were energized by what they had learned.

When the event was over, Dr. Janney, her husband and her friend were escorted out a back door so they did not have to face the protestors.  We on the prayer chain celebrated that Dr. Janney had persevered and not caved to those who disagreed with her.  Her prayers before that day touched many of us as we saw her great love for those protesting: “I do pray they will have eyes to see and ears to hear how much God, who made them in His image, loves and affirms them as His created ones… But it is also a huge privilege to stand for truth, and I pray I’ll be everything He desires me to be in this, to the praise of His glory!”

Amen and amen. May we all be as convicted and loving when God moves in our hearts.

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

My Dad was a horseman and he taught my daughter and I to ride and love horses. I always rode my Missouri Foxtrotter at one of two gaits; either a foxtrot or running walk. I don’t recall ever coaxing my horse into running so I could experience the powerful speed of the animal. I’ve watched a lot of Western films where the bank robbers ride out of town at breakneck speed and soon a posse leaves close behind them. No man ever headed out of town on foot when he was in a hurry — he always rode a horse.

God’s prophet Elijah had just called out all the false prophets of Baal. Everyone watching found out that Baal was not the great god his followers thought he was. Elijah made certain the people understood that Jehovah God, and not Baal, was sending the rain to end the three-year drought. The showdown at Mount Carmel was like a called-out gunfight in the street of Dodge City — and God had Elijah‘s back.

After Elijah’s prayer, God answered by fire, which proved He was (and still is) Almighty God. Then the false prophets of Baal were led down to the Kishon Brook and Elijah killed all 450 of them. “Then Elijah said to King Ahab, ’Now, go and eat. I hear the roar of rain approaching.’ While Ahab went to eat, Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, where he bowed down to the ground, with his servant, ‘Go and look toward the sea.’ The servant went and returned saying, ’I didn’t see a thing.’ Seven times in all Elijah told him to go and look. The seventh time he returned and said, ’I saw a little cloud no bigger than a man’s hand, coming up from the sea.’ Elijah ordered his servant, ’Go to King Ahab and tell him to get in his chariot and go back home before the rain stops him.’ In a little while the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind began to blow, and a heavy rain began to fall. Ahab got in his chariot and started back to Jezreel. The power of the Lord came on Elijah; he fastened his clothes tight around his waist and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel [about 25 miles]” (1 Kings 18:41-46 TEV).

Only once in the Bible do we find a man outrunning a horse. Elijah was given added strength by the Lord to outrun a chariot. I’m impressed. Do we really pause to think about what these scriptures mean? It takes a lot of energy to kill 450 men by yourself. It takes a lot of faith to pray seven times about the same thing until the expected results happen. It takes a lot of energy to outrun a king’s horse for 25 miles. Either we believe our God is big enough to give us what we need, or we do not.

Tough experiences in a believer’s life are comparable to a showdown between the devil and Jesus. Isaiah 43:2-5 states “when” you go through deep waters, rivers of difficulty, and fire of oppression, not “if.” It’s during these tough times that God will give strength and grace for the task — if you ask. I have buried my parents, my husband, and my brother, and I look back on those experiences and ponder, “How did I do that and not crack into a million pieces?” The answer is GOD. He promises to give what you need when you need it. If Elijah could outrun a chariot, we, too, can outrun a broken heart or any other problem in life. God’s Word tells us that what starts as mourning can end in joy (Jeremiah 31:13). If we will continually look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, we will find increased strength and grace to face everything that comes our way.

The Key: The prayer of faith provides grace and strength to outrun a horse (problem).

When I visited Israel a few years ago, I learned much about its preparation for an attack.  Every house and apartment had a safe room with a steel door about four inches thick where families would go, should there be a missile headed in their direction.  When we were there, we were removed from a tourist bus because the sirens warned that the missiles had been launched.  Scary stuff.

Fortunately, Israel’s Iron Dome (missile interceptors) shot them out of the sky before they landed.  I learned that these interceptors are fired only if an incoming rocket poses a threat to a populated area. If not a threat, then the incoming rocket will land in an unpopulated area.

Recently, Israel’s enemy Hamas has purposed to bring horrific evil to God’s chosen people.  “Time Magazine” reported the assault: “A world in which you see an entire tribe of people as lesser—as roaches, as vermin—this is how you justify gunning down hundreds of unarmed teenagers at a concert, how you rationalize men going house to house and murdering parents at point blank range in front of their children, how you legitimize intentionally setting houses on fire with infirm, elderly people trapped inside, unable to escape; how you explain kidnapping toddlers still not old enough to speak and mocking them in front of the camera; how you excuse desecrating corpses, stepping on their faces while grinning for the camera.”

As shocking as all of that is, what is almost as incredulous is how some students at Howard University are blaming Israel for the massacre of its own citizens. No matter how much one hates another group, albeit based on religion, politics, gender, ethnicity, etc., the brutality of this attack cannot be legitimized.

So, what are we to do?  Dr. David Jeremiah, one of my favorite Biblical scholars, has asked that we pray this prayer for Israel:

“Heavenly Father, the psalmist tells us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”  So I pray for peace for Your chosen people, Israel, and their beloved city today.

“You have planned for Israel, provided for Israel, and protected Israel for thousands of years.  But as in days of old, there are those today who seek to harm, even destroy, Your people. So I ask you to keep Israel in Your loving care.  Put a spiritual hedge of protection around Your people and their land.  Watch over this nation as a Good Shepherd watches over his flock, and may Your chosen people find their ultimate safety and security in You.

“While You watch over Your people, may Your Spirit awaken in them a hunger to embrace their Messiah—the One who died for them—until they see Him face to face.”

I might add to that prayer that if any of us harbors hate towards anyone (including the college defenders of Palestine), may we ask for forgiveness and see them as God does—children who need a Redeemer…no different than any of us.

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

While in Sunday school class back in the 1980s, I heard a definition of “joy” that I’d never heard before and have never forgotten. Joy was explained as simply “Jesus” “Others” and “You.” At the beginning of 2023, I chose joy as my word for the year.  My maternal grandfather, Lawrence, was affectionately referred to as “Lawrency.” Although he died before I was born, I’ve heard many stories regarding the funny things he said and his comical outlook on life. My Grandpa and Grandma Jennings had 13 children, so I’m sure their sense of humor and ability to laugh helped them raise that passel of youngins.

Since I come from a laughing family, I’m naturally drawn toward those who love to laugh. I actually look for excuses to laugh at myself. While shopping, I spotted a piece of metal décor that was fashioned into the word “LAUGH.”  I studied it for a few seconds and quickly decided that it belonged in my home. It’s the first thing you see when you walk into my kitchen. The Bible states, “A merry heart does good like medicine” (Proverbs 17:22 NKJV). I had a severe allergic reaction once to a certain antibiotic, but I’ve never had a negative reaction to laughter. I always feel fantastic when get tickled and  belly laughs erupt while tears of hilarity run down my face. Laughing is truly a blessing from God. Mom always said, “You might as well laugh as cry.”

I’ll be the first to admit that life’s not always a bowl of cherries. But even when it’s a bowl of gravel, I don’t want to be a sad sack. I don’t want to be a partly-cloudy person; I choose to be a partly-sunny person. I expect the joy of the Lord to show up in my life every day because He loves and cares for me and I love Him. As a kid, I remember singing this song in church: “If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it. If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.”

Scripture reveals the truth about where a believer’s joy comes from. “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NLT). God enables us, through the Holy Spirit, to have hope, joy, and peace when life’s circumstances are heavy.

Without Jesus in their hearts, people don’t even have the proper tools to love God, others, and themselves. Life without Jesus means we’re just selfish to the core. Selfishness will ruin every relationship you ever try to develop. However, anyone can choose Jesus as Savior and then be filled with His love and joy. “He [Jesus] will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of His birth” (Luke 1:14 NIV).

Loving others by serving them, being good to them, and including them brings joy to both individuals. Enjoying life is a choice and attitude of the heart. Experiencing joy is a privilege and blessing from God that lifts us above life’s challenging turn of events. When believers are a blessing to others, it will ricochet back to us in astonishing ways. Simply do what God leads you to do and watch Him work joy into your life. When we surrender every part of our being as an offering to love God and others, it’s certain to bring us joy.

The Key: The joy of the Lord often erupts in laughter, so grab your belly and go for it!

Air bags hurt.  A lot.  Trust me, I know.

Last week, I totaled an Excursion with six of my relatives in the vehicle.  I missed a turn after entering a cloud of gravel and dirt on a country road near my son’s ranch and ended up in a deep ditch.

We left the Red Bull practice event at Adam’s ranch around 8:30 P.M. Dave’s family had flown in from Las Vegas to watch the festivities, all of them serious dirt-bike racers.  To be able to watch the professionals perform their stunts was a dream-come-true for them.  We loaded up in the car, everyone seat-belted in, with my step-daughter, her husband, their daughter and her husband, and their two children (a one-year-old and three-year-old) buckled in and sharing their thrills from the evening.

Because of a drought in our area, the roads were dry and dusty.  Nothing I haven’t seen before.  The details aren’t important, except that when we jerked to a halt, On-Star was activated and asked if it needed to call 9-1-1.  “Yes” was said in unison.  (We later found out that OnStar notified the emergency room that the hysterical cries of the babies was all the answer it needed.)

Cars coming up behind us immediately came to our aid, helping excavate those who had difficulty exiting the vehicle, tending to those who were bleeding or burned by the air bags, offering any help needed.  The emergency vehicles were close behind, all providing necessary aid and transportation to the hospital.

Clearly, God had protected us from a much worse fate.  Within twenty feet of where we landed was a telephone pole.  Had we hit that, or had I jerked the Excursion to make the 90-degree turn, the outcome could have been much more deadly.

When we viewed the vehicle the day after the wreck, Dave, my son-in-law, noticed several triggered safety precautions.  The brake lights were still on (serving as a warning to drivers behind us that we wrecked, and the brakes were locked (to keep us from continuing forward, should we be on a cliff.) Seat belts were extended, preventing anyone from buying the vehicle in this unsafe condition.

Sometimes, pain teaches the strongest lesson.  When we loaded into the car, Tyler, the passenger in the rear seat, tried to lock down the headrest in front of him but couldn’t. That ended up being a projectile that hit the one-year-old above the eye and left a V-shaped hole in Tyler’s forehead that necessitated eight stitches.  It seemed like such a little thing at the time.  Another “little thing” I ignored was that a friend at the Red Bull site set a pin on my phone to navigate my way out of Missouri.  When my son-in-law said that he knew the way, I never pushed the “pin” button.  Had I done so, this accident would not have happened.

In the Bible, Solomon warned of the “little foxes” that spoil the vines, things we dismiss that lead to grave consequences.  Drops of water are very small, yet how often they become a raging torrent. The termite is a small insect, but it can destroy a three-story house if ignored. Starting with one cigarette can make you feel cool until you end up with lung cancer.  Sneak peeks at pornography are the leading cause of men and women entering sex-trafficking.

Louis of Granada, a Dominican priest of the 16th century, in The Sinner’s Guide advises us to resist small sins “for there is no enemy too weak to harm us if we make no resistance.” A careless sin life we label as small can morph into a lifestyle devoid of God.

Dear readers, it’s never worth the risk.

Keys to the Kingdom

I love and treasure my childhood memories. Part of my growing-up years consist of not being big enough to do everything I wanted. I couldn’t ride a bicycle until I mastered the tricycle. I had to wait until I was big enough to wear makeup, ride a horse, drive a car, etc. I have happy memories of being little and carefree. But at some point, I became big enough to worry; and that is not a milestone to celebrate. For many years now, I’ve done my best to believe God is who He says He is. And I can testify that He is exactly who He says He is. God’s Word backs Him up to not be a liar and I choose to agree with Him.   

“God says, ‘Be silent and listen to Me…Let us come together to decide who is right’” (Isaiah 41:1 TEV). I’ve gotten big enough to shush my blabbing and be quiet so I can hear  God’s gentle voice. “The Lord is the everlasting God; He created all the world. He never grows tired or weary. No one understands His thoughts. He strengthens those who are weak and tired“ (Isaiah 40:28-29 TEV). I may not perfectly understand what God has up His sleeve, but those are fabulous opportunities to live out my absolute trust in Him.

“I, the Lord, was there at the beginning, and I, the Lord, will be there at the end” (Isaiah 41:4 TEV). I was not born alone, I do not live alone, and I will not die alone. My beginning, middle, and ending all include being snuggled in my Father’s strong arms.

“I will make rivers flow among barren hills and springs of water run in the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water…I will make cedars grow in the desert…People will see this and know that I, the Lord, have done it“ (Isaiah 41:18-20 TEV).  The children of God are walking billboards for the Kingdom of God. And the people of the world will see good things and miracles in your life and will ultimately understand that God has made it happen. He’s big enough to take a nobody and make him/her a somebody in Christ.

“To whom can the holy God be compared? Is there anyone else like Him? Look up at the sky! Who created the stars you see? …He knows how many there are and calls each one by name!” (Isaiah 40:25-26 TEV). Our Tucker Family Band performs an Elvis cover entitled, “Somebody Bigger than You and I”, written by Hy Heath, Sonny Burke, and Johnny Lange. The contemplative lyrics and beautiful chord structure make this one of our favorite gospel renditions: “Who made the flowers to bloom in the spring? Who made the song for the robin to sing? And who hung the moon in the starry sky? Somebody bigger than you and I. He lights the way when the road is long; He keeps you company. And with His love to guide you, He walks beside you just like He walks with me…. When I am weary, filled with despair, who gives me courage to go on from there? And who gives me faith that will never die? Somebody bigger than you and I.“

God is big enough to perfectly handle all of life’s issues for the believer. Since He created and knows all the stars and calls each one by name, we can rest in His tender care because He knows our frame and name too. Why, oh why, can’t we really get a hold of this vital  truth and learn to trust Him with all our being? God simply does not know how to fail.

The Key: Somebody bigger than you and I knows your name and will take good care of you because He‘s big enough.