UNSHAKEABLE HOPE By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” - Psalms ‭139:23  ‬NIV As the times we are in are heating up, our eyes search for HOPE and comfort.  We look longingly over our shoulder at the “Good Old Days”—simpler times, old relationships and habits—people and things that, in the past, brought momentary relief.  But, more often than not, we find that the fleeting well of comfort found there has since dried up. ‬ We have not been abandoned to fend for ourselves, however. God, Himself, will be our refuge!‬ When everything else is shaking, we have been given a glorious hope.  God is immovable, and when we put our trust in Him, so are we!  ‬ “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore.” – Psalm 125:1-2 NIV Beloved, let’s not until the worl...

  CONTAGIOUS JOY By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” — Hebrews 10:35-36 Have you ever been in a season of prolonged testing, and gotten to the point that it all feels like too much and you give up?  Have you ever allowed pressure and exhaustion to lead you to an emotional explosion —an indulgent bad attitude of anger or self pity?  I have. In retrospect, it is always frustrating to see how short the time is from the moment I give up or explode, and the moment the test comes to an end.  And when it finally does come to an end, the exuberant joy I had been praying for is replaced by regret that either I didn’t finish, or my reward was diminished by a bad attitude.   I am not talking about salvation.  Salvation isn’t something to earn, but rather, it is a gift that comes by way of the cross.  ...

  KISSING BOO-BOOS By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly Oh, the miracle of a kiss on a boo-boo!  I remember being little and getting a cut on my finger.  I’d raise that chubby finger and go running to my mom.  She always knew what to do.  She would gently clean it, put on a bandaid and give it a kiss.  We weren’t done until my hurt had been kissed.  There was magic in that application of compassion and love.  It made the pain go away. We have all seen that toddler with a boo-boo.  They run to their mom or dad to clean it, put on a bandaid and give it a kiss.  If the wound isn’t treated, the tiny nick can continue to hurt and bleed. Each time it is touched or bumped they are reminded of the pain.  And an untreated wound can become infected and grow. There are people all around us with unkissed boo-boos today.  They are hurt, afraid or sad.  They go through life fearful of being hurt again, and looking for someone they can t...

  ENDURING THE PERMISSIVE WILL OF GOD By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” – Matthew‬ ‭10:22‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Nothing going on on this planet escapes God’s awareness.  Many of us have read what is prophesied about the end times, so we should not be taken by surprise.  If you haven’t read it, I recommend you do.  These things that are happening around us— the chaotic, hateful, deceptive and raging insanities of hell are obviously not God’s “perfect” will, but they are within His “permissive” will, meaning He is allowing it.   We could say, “How could a loving God allow these things to happen?”  But the question reveals our shortsightedness. God works these things together for ultimate good.   His plan is as it has been since Adam and Eve fell in the Garden.  God SO loved the world that, in His compassion, He sacrificed the life of His own Son, that “none should pe...

 THE SECRET OF THE BIRDS By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Praise the Lord from the earth, Sea monsters and all deep sea creatures; Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and winged birds.” - Psalm 148:7, 10.   Morning has broken and the choir of birds outside my window is singing their hearts out.  Birds may not be considered to be intelligent, yet their response to God in hardship could teach us a few things.  We humans grumble to God about so much, but the birds praise their creator in severe heat and bitter cold.  They may have nests and the shade of trees, but they don’t have the many comforts we enjoy, yet they praise Him.  They know a secret:  God is enthroned upon our praises.  When our hearts are full of worship, He takes His rightful place and brings with Him joy and peace. Let’s take a lesson from the birds.  Their trust in their maker to provide for their needs, even in the face of harsh seasons, calls out to our faith.  It ...

WHEN SILENCE IS GOLDEN By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.” – Matthew‬ ‭27:13-14‬ ‭NIV Have you every wondered why Jesus was silent when He went before Pilate and the charges were read against Him?‬‬ For the longest time it perplexed me why the sinless Son of God wouldn’t stand up for Himself, call down His angels and put these puny humans in their places.  But He didn’t.   The silence of Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” – Isaiah‬ ‭53:7‬ ‭NIV It wasn’t weakness that kept Jesus silent.  On the contrary, His silence displayed meekness —a powerful display of controlled strength.  We make a great mistake to confuse...

SEEDS OF PROMISE By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “See how farmers wait for their precious crops to grow. They wait patiently for fall and spring rains. You, too, must be patient. Don’t give up hope.” – James‬ ‭5:7-8‬ ‭GW‬‬ Have you ever been to Butchart Gardens in British Columbia?  They are the most spectacular gardens I have ever seen.  After one visit, I excitedly brought home several packets of flower seeds.  I pictured our yard bursting with the same colorful blooms that were pictured on the seed packets. Years went by, but not a single flower ever bloomed.  You might think I had purchased bad seeds, or that the seeds were incompatible with our climate.  But the truth is the seeds never made it into the ground. They remained full of promise, but I hadn’t done the work of planting and tending to them. God makes promises, too.  His seeds of promise are pregnant with life and beauty.  We may receive them with joy, but sometimes our preoccupation with l...

THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly Have you every been surprised by a attack that came out of nowhere?  This happened to me recently.  It is several days later and I am still rubbing my wounds. When attacked, it’s natural to want to defend ourselves.  And if our hearts are unguarded, we may also be tempted to seek revenge.  The enemy offered to me that temptation, but hallelujah, I did not take the bait.  The Lord, in His mercy, quickened my heart with His Word: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” – Ephesians 6:12 NIV “...out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” – Matthew 12:34 RSV "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.” – Romans 12:19 NIV It has already been such a difficult season, that when we add being unjustly attacked, we need Spirit of God rise...

SHINE LIKE THE STARS By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” - Isaiah 60:1 (ESV) One of my favorite things to do every year at Christmastime is to hop in the car and drive through neighborhoods and enjoy the beautiful Christmas lights.  Like moths to a flame, we are all drawn toward the light, whether it is a brilliant sunset, or a blanket of stars on a chilly, winter night.   God created us to be drawn to light and not the darkness, because God is light.  We are drawn to these lesser lights, because they are a subtle hint and reflection of the breathtaking wonder of one day seeing God face to face.    If we are drawn to little Christmas lights, no wonder the hearts of thousands gathered to be near Jesus and learn from Him. The light of His love and wisdom shone brighter than a thousand suns, and attracted people from far and wide.   They were changed by merely being in His p...

 A HEART LIKE MARY’S By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! ...For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.” – Luke‬ ‭1:46-49‬ ‭NLT‬‬ At this time of year we look at Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus, and reflect on the gift that was given to the world. I have always marveled at the honor given to Mary to be the mother of the Savior of the world. But it wasn’t until this morning that it dawned on me how Mary must have felt to have received God’s invitation.   I never considered what was being asked of her.  God promised a miracle, but with it came misunderstanding, embarrassment and risk.  No doubt there were those in Mary’s town who looked down upon her for being an unwed mother with a ridiculous excuse for her condition.   We never learned how Mary’s parents reacted to the news of her pregnancy, other than to read that she went away to her cousin, Elizabeth’...

  A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHRISTMAS By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.” –  Psalm 34:3 KJV Christmas feels different this year, and I am missing a sense of normalcy, togetherness and celebration. The holidays are a time of magnification —whether it be in the decoration of our homes or in stress, indulgence, or sense of obligation.  For some joy is magnified — for others a gnawing sense of loneliness. There was loneliness that first Christmas, too.  Consider the shepherds.  While mother’s were singing their children to sleep in town, the shepherds rested beneath a blanket of stars, with just the soft bleats of sheep as their lullaby.  Suddenly, the stillness was broken, when the angel of the Lord appeared announcing the Good News.  The heavens burst open with the voices of angels praising and giving glory to God.  The shepherds were not expecting such a holy visitation.  They were t...

  A WAY IN A MANGER “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”” – Luke‬ ‭2:8-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬ I love this time of year.  It starts with the beautiful season of giving thanks, crisp night air and the crunch of brilliant leaves under foot.  That gives way to the twinkling of lights, fragrant boughs, beautifully wrapped packages and mugs of hot cocoa on frosty, winter mornings. If we were not careful, it would be easy to shift the birth of the Savior to second position in this season.  With the noise, hustle and hurry of th...

LOVE YOUR SEAM RIPPER By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” - Isaiah‬ ‭53:4-5‬  Lord, of late I find myself struggling with receiving what I have not earned.  With some recent medical tests, the costs are mounting and I feel uneasy, even guilty, that our hard-earned money is being spent solely on me.  There is no way, with the current busyness of my life, for me to take on a job to offset the costs.  Even if I had the time, I don’t have the wherewithal to do so.  I find myself wanting to pay for it all out of a bank account set up before we were married.  All of our finances are commingled now, so it is silly, but somehow it feels less selfish to pay for it all from an account that represented ...

  THE CHRISTMAS STAR By: Julie Souza Bradley “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” – Luke 2:11-14 NIV More than two thousand years ago, there was a declaration of God’s love and faithfulness that hung in the starry night sky.  It was a proclamation of the good news that God had not forgotten mankind, but rather, He had been patiently waiting to present them with hope and the ultimate gift — a Savior to rescue them from sin and death — the singular sacrifice that would tear the veil, reconciling man with God. The angels told of the magnificent gift to shepherds that night, and indeed, when they approached the manger, they found the promised gift wrap...

  A FAMILY RESEMBLANCE By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” - Ephesians 5:1-2.  We have all seen people that look like their dogs, and older couples that have spent so many years together, that they take on the same mannerisms, can finish one another’s sentences and look more like twins than husband and wife.   I don’t know about you, but I want that oneness with God. I want to be changed to think like He thinks, love like He loves and respond to the insults of this world with the same exuberant forgiveness.   Recent tensions have exposed a short fuse I had hoped was in my past.  It grieves me, because this vestige of decaying flesh smells more of Hell than of Heaven.  They say we become like those with whom we spend the most time.  So sadly, this revelation bears witness that...

Merry Christmas!

  WORSHIP THROUGH WEAKNESS By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly I was struggling and praying while on the treadmill this morning.  For eighteen months I have been hoarse from medication that I take for asthma.  As a worship leader, it grieved me that the gift that had brought me such joy, had been taken away.  I missed worshipping Him.  So, I cried out to the Lord, asking Him to return my voice. His response was swift, “Until now you have worshipped me from your strength. Now I want you to worship me from your weakness.” Just then I was finishing a hard workout when it dawned on me, that as I struggled with my weakness on the treadmill, doing something I disliked, He received the denial of my flesh as worship, because I had done it to honor Him in my body.  And earlier, when I had encountered someone difficult, He had received my held tongue and kind response as worship, too.  In our strength, the glory we offer is constrained by our ability.  But in ou...

THE MYTH OF THE “PERFECT MOTHER” By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly Ask any mother of small children and she will tell you of days when she missed a meal, walked around with smeared peanut butter on her shirt or didn’t get a chance to even brush her hair.  We consider it nurturing to little Johnny’s social development for him to have 27 play dates in a month, but for us to take a 45 minute nap, or spend 5 minutes alone in the bathroom to brush the Cheetos out of our hair is somehow selfish.  Why is that?  I’ll tell you why.  We have bought in to a lie.  The image of the perfect mother is a myth. The enemy has dressed this lie in such noble clothing.  He has convinced us that the “Perfect Mother” should look like a Stepford Wife, bake like Betty Crocker, care for needs like Mother Theresa and solve the world’s problems—all while wearing our Wonder Woman cape.  No one can do it all. I am here to lift the weight of guilt off of your shoulders, Beloved. ...

WINGS AS EAGLES By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” ‭‭– Isaiah‬ ‭40:31‬ ‭KJV‬‬ My favorite spot to vacation is Alaska.  And one of my favorite activities while there is to use my binoculars to scan the nearby trees for bald eagle.  Their bodies blend in with the trees, but their heads are clearly visible.  They look like so many ping pong balls dotting the trees.  They are such majestic and graceful animals, with powerful wings that lift them to soar among the clouds. I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t born with wings.  So, it has always perplexed me how a terrestrial creation, as myself, could possibly fly without them. The Lord led me to my concordance.  I found that the word, “WAIT,” does not mean to simply bide our time.  Wait means to “gather, bind together, expect, ...

  SWEET WORDS By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – 1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬ My eyes opened this morning with a tinge of dread at what the day might hold. It has been a challenging few months, and I had started to feel like nothing would ever change.  I finished praying and picked up my phone, and there I found a single sentence that changed everything.  The message was from someone I didn’t even know, but their encouraging words put hope back in my heart. Words can be so powerful.  We may not be able to hold them in our hands, but they are tools of creation nonetheless.  In the beginning God spoke everything into being with mere words.  And made in His image, we have been given a similar power to create with our words, as well.   Scripture cautions us, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s ...