by MeredithNMills | Aug 1, 2017 | abiding in Christ, grace, Uncategorized, Victorious Living, Walking by Faith
by Meredith Mills
@DazzledByTheSon
Don’t you love a good treasure hunt?
My tween daughter wanted a detective party for her birthday last year, so my husband planned the treasure hunt to end all birthday party treasure hunts. It was incredible.
The clues were crazy hard, but the girls embraced the challenge and finally deciphered them all by working together.
One final clue led to the birthday cake, which Hubby also made. (If I’d been in charge of the cake, we’d have picked one up from Costco.) The treasure, a bag of chocolate coins, was hidden inside the cake. (He’d baked a hollow spot into the cake and hidden the coins inside before frosting it.)
The girls had a blast searching for hidden treasure.
I’ve been on my own treasure hunt for the last few years.
During a particularly dark season of life (Confessions of a Good Girl), I realized many of my beliefs about God were flawed. Though I loved Him deeply, my life was driven by duty and ruled by fear. I desperately needed the rest to which Jesus invites us (Matthew 11:28-30).
Using a journal and my Bible (ok, actually I use my Bible app), I began recording everything God reveals about Himself in the passages I read during my daily Bible time. I’ve been doing this for about three years now, making notes about His actions and reactions, His promises and the names by which He describes Himself.
What I’ve learned has thrilled my soul and deepened my love for Him. Jesus is unlike any treasure earth can offer.
Here’s a verse I read recently:
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10).
A person’s names reveal various attributes of that person.
For example, when I say that my name is Meredith, you learn very little about me. But if I tell you that I’m also called Wife and Mom, Daughter and Sister, writer, reader, singer and traveler, coffee-drinker and chocolate-lover…you know a bit more about me.
So it is with our God.
Many people call their objects of worship god. What sets our God apart? His names help us answer that question.
He is the Most High, the Creator, the Lover of our soul, the Good Shepherd, the Father of the fatherless and Husband to the widow…
His various names minister to us in different ways as we walk through life. By faith, we can cling to God’s specific names and find security.
This looks different from one day to the next and from one season to another. Here are some examples of what it looks like in my life:
- My husband is self-employed. Traditionally, summer is the slowest time of the year for us. One summer, work was scarce and money was tight. But bills were still due, so I ran to our Provider with a very specific request. The next day, He came through, miraculously meeting our needs.
- Several years ago, I experienced a miscarriage. As I walked through that painful time, I relied on God to be my Healer. He brought both physical and emotional restoration.
- Today, as I write, I’m asking my all-wise Creator for wisdom and creativity.
- In a few days, we’ll begin another year of homeschooling. I’ll seek the Teacher to instruct me on how best to teach my kids.
Whatever you’re facing today, whatever you’ll face tomorrow and next year, God’s name is a strong tower, a hiding place of refuge and protection from the storms that assail. 
Which name of God is your strong tower today? Please comment below – I’d love to hear! Let’s get to know Him better together!
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When I Forget…God is Faithful
When Life Blindsides You
by MeredithNMills | Jul 25, 2017 | Family, knowing God, serving, Uncategorized, Victorious Living, Walking by Faith
Maaaaaaaama! Can you help me? 
Can you fix this?
Find that?
Look at this?
Open that?
Change this?
Mama, I need you!
If you’re a parent, you get it. You know what it’s like to repeatedly change your agenda because someone needs you. You know the reality of days spent helping.
It’s what we parents do. Because we love, we serve.
Sometimes, though, I feel a little sorry for myself. I look at my insurmountable To-Do List and think, I can’t get any of MY work done! I imagine more glamorous, exciting ways to spend my time.
Some days I just want to be served, instead of serving.
(Side note, my sweet hubby and kids do serve me and love on me – all the time, in fact. I just forget to notice when I’m focused on myself.)
I guess it’s human nature to think of serving as a lesser job. To be the helper is less desirable, less prestigious. Important people have servants. Less important ones are the servants.
But I think we’ve got it backwards, because the Bible often calls God our Helper and portrays Jesus as our Servant.
- “You have been the Helper of the orphan” (Psalm 10:14).
- “God is my Helper; The Lord is the Sustainer of my soul” (Psalm 54:4).
- Jesus “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).
- “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My [Jesus’] name, He will teach you all things and will bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26).
- “We confidently say, ‘The Lord is my Helper, I will not be afraid…’” (Hebrews 13:6).
No one is higher than God Himself, yet during His last moments on earth, Jesus dressed Himself as a servant and washed His followers’ feet. The dirty, dusty feet of every single one of them. Even Judas, whom Jesus knew would betray Him with a traitor’s kiss later that night. Even Peter, who would deny even knowing the Master for whom he swore he’d die.
Jesus did that night what only servants would do.
He spent His whole life doing what servants do. He taught for days on end. He healed the sick. He touched the untouchables. He raised the dead and forgave the penitent. He poured out His life helping those around Him, not because He was inferior, but because they needed Him.
It’s what God has done since the inception of humanity.
God our Servant. Kinda changes things, doesn’t it? Because God is our Helper:
- We fill a sacred role when we serve those He’s put in our lives.
- We have an ever-present Helper with whom we can face the dailyness of life, as well as the trials that come our way.
How about you? What difference does it make to know that God is your Helper? In what ways do you need His help today? Please comment below – I’d love to hear! Let’s get to know Him better together!
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by MeredithNMills | Jul 18, 2017 | grace, Hope in the Midst of Heartache, knowing God, Uncategorized, Walking by Faith
by Meredith Mills
@DazzledByTheSon
Last week, my hubby was out of town for a business convention, which left me home alone with the kids. We had a good time together, trying to stay busy and not miss Daddy too much (hard to do!) Two days in a row, we drove out of town to meet friends at the zoo. 
That was exhausting, but super fun.
One night, while the kids were tucked safely in their beds, a car drove by our house and cast creepy shadows on my bedroom window. In my mind, I knew the shadows were caused by the tree outside. But fear began to invade my heart. “What if’s” flooded my mind as this mama bear thought through how I’d defend my babies in case of danger.
It’s crazy how that happens. There was a logical explanation. Nothing really to be afraid of. But sometimes our emotions are stronger than our minds.
Thankfully, however, the Holy Spirit is stronger than both.
As I lay there in the dark, I prayed that God would shield and protect us. I envisioned a large superhero shield covering our home and angels standing around our property.
Then I went to sleep. We all awoke the next morning, safe and sound.
Psalm 28:7 says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I will praise Him.”
I love this description of God. He doesn’t just give us a shield. He is our Shield.
He stands between His child and the onslaught of the enemy. He absorbs and extinguishes the fiery dart blows.
This, however, leads to an obvious question. Does this mean bad things should never happen to His children?
We need only look around to see this isn’t the case. Christians suffer like the rest of the world. Probably even more, if you ask imprisoned believers and those tortured for their faith.
Is there a contradiction between faith and “real life”? Is God really our Shield when awful things happen?
Since God doesn’t change (James 1:17), we can trust that He never stops being our Shield, though His protection may look different at various times.
- Sometimes He shields us from physical harm
Like those times when I’ve narrowly avoided a wreck.
Or when we’ve prayed for healing and He grants our request.
Or that time when I was a young adult living at home and my family happened upon a crime scene. Somehow our car ended up inside the police blockade, a would-be burglar laying shot on the ground a few feet away. That frustrating delay twenty minutes earlier may have kept our family out of the line of fire.
- Always He shields us from the enemy’s fury
Satan hates Jesus. He also hates those who follow Him. Quite honestly, we’re no match for the devil. Yet the devil is no match for our God.
God stands between us and the enemy’s wrath, never abandoning us to fend for ourselves. Never leaving the devil to do anything he wants with us. (See Job 1-2, 42 for the interaction between God, Satan and a man named Job.)
- Always He shields us from God’s righteous indignation
Our God is pure. He hates and punishes sin. But Jesus, the Sinless One, stands between His children and God’s anger. On the cross, He bore every ounce of the judgment we’d incurred through our sin. Through faith in Christ, “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
In every circumstance, God is our Shield – protecting us from things seen and unseen. Sometimes He prevents tragedy. Sometimes He walks though it with us.
What do you think? How do you reconcile the apparent contradiction between God as our Shield and the trials that we face? How have you seen God act as your Shield? Please comment below. Let’s get to know Him better together!
Related Posts:
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by MeredithNMills | Jul 11, 2017 | abiding in Christ, Family, grace, Identity in Christ, knowing God, Uncategorized, Victorious Living, Walking by Faith
by Meredith Mills
@DazzledByTheSon
Oh, the adventures we’ve had!
Of all the activities we do as a family, reading together is one of my favorite. We’ve sailed to faraway lands, met giants and even escaped from a cyclops. We’ve been imprisoned with missionaries, dined with royalty and ridden a flying horse. Oh, the adventures we’ve had!
The best books, my favorite books, are those which sprinkle life lessons and spiritual truths throughout the stories. We’re currently reading one such book – The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis.
I love the chapter we read today, where the Pevensie children and their beaver friends discuss an upcoming meeting with Aslan, the Lion King of the magical land of Narnia. The children have never met Aslan, so the Beavers are preparing them for their introduction. Here’s how the conversation goes:
“Is he a man?” asked Lucy.
“Aslan a man?” said Mr. Beaver sternly. “Certainly not…Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great Lion.”
“Ooh!” said Susan…“Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”…
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver… “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.”
I want to cheer when I read those words. In Aslan lies a breathtaking picture of the Lion of Judah, our King Jesus.
He is not safe, as some count safety. He takes sin seriously – Scripture records the devastating effects of His anger toward those who persist in evil. He is not to be approached without reverence. Even demons tremble before Him and will one day bow in forced surrender.
But, oh, how good He is.
Over and over, Scripture tells of His anger restrained by His compassion, even stating that mercy triumphs over judgment. This mercy led Him to the cross, where justice was satisfied through the death of the Innocent One in place of the guilty.
He is not safe, but He is good.
Yet this comforting truth leaves me with the following question, one I’ve honestly been pondering for the past several years:
Where does the “fear of God” fit into the life of a believer?
On the one hand, we are told that “as we live in God, our love grows more perfect…Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love” (I John 4:17-18 NLT).
On the other hand, we are urged to, “cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1 ESV).
So are Christians to live in fear of an unsafe God?
Should His goodness lead us to carefree living?
The most poignant illustration I’ve heard on this subject was shared by our pastor in church recently. He told of a young boy taunted by his friends when he refused to join in their naughty behavior. Finally, an older boy said, “You’re just afraid that your dad will hurt you if you do it.”
His reply ought to echo in each of our hearts. “No, I’m not afraid he will hurt me. I’m afraid of hurting him.”
Love. Fear of grieving His heart. Jealousy over our relationship with Him. Such devotion should be the current that directs a life of faith.
What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on how believers ought to fear God this side of Calvary. Please comment below – let’s get to know Him better together!
Related Posts:
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Today’s post is based on the following Scripture verses: Psalm 78, James 2:19, Philippians 2:10, Psalm 30:5, Psalm 78:38, Psalm 103:8-13, James 2:13, 1 Peter 3:18.
by MeredithNMills | Jun 19, 2017 | abiding in Christ, Family, Uncategorized, Walking by Faith
Things are changing around here.
It’s a highlight of every year for me, the writing conference I attended a few weeks ago. I love the drive into the Blue Ridge Mountains. I love the conference center’s picturesque setting. I love connecting with old friends and making new ones. I love learning tools of the trade that help me grow as a writer. Most of all, I love retreating from the noise of daily life and tuning my heart to the still, small voice of God.
This year was particularly good.
After three years of blogging here and a few years contributing to various ministries around the web (Just18Summers, ChristianDevotions, BrokenButPriceless), I’ve decided to write a book. I met with several industry professionals at the conference and pitched my idea. Two agents and a publishing house invited me to send them more information, something they called a proposal.
That sounded like no big deal. Something I could put together in a few days and send off within the week. (Yes, all my seasoned writer friends – I have much to learn!)
Then I looked at a sample proposal from one of those agents.
Turns out, it’s a pretty big deal.
Like 20+ pages talking about the book yet in progress, with lots of research needed ahead of time. I was a bit overwhelmed, but got right to work.
One of the main areas I needed to research was my target audience – those for whom I am writing. As my book is a devotional for mothers, the main readers are moms of babies to preteens, as well as others who spend significant time with kids in that age range – specifically teachers and grandparents.
I posted a survey to Facebook, with 20 getting-to-know-you questions. (If you missed it, you can still take the survey here.) I was thrilled to receive a large response, giving tremendous insight into the hearts and lives of over 80 moms, teachers and grandparents.
Guess what I learned?
We who love little ones have a whole lot in common.
While many described themselves as happy, they also said they’re overwhelmed, anxious, discouraged and exhausted. I totally get that. Nearly every word chosen to “describe your emotions within the last six months” could be used of me, too.
For many of us, though, our weariness goes beyond the physical.
Sometimes I feel my soul is tired.
Maybe it’s our busy schedule. Maybe it’s our constant connectedness on social media. Maybe it’s a lack of true rest during “down time.” Whatever the cause, whatever the life season, it seems we all experience it.
As I’ve pondered this common problem, Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30 once again stand out. “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Can I be honest here? I used to doubt Jesus’ words in that passage. They seemed almost to mock me. My Christian life was anything but restful. And Jesus’ burden light? That wasn’t my experience.
Ironically, when I hit a proverbial wall and my good girl life crumbled, that’s when I found rest. (For the full story, check out Confessions of a Good Girl.) In my broken, burned-out state Jesus pulled me close and showed me His dazzlingly beautiful, gentle and humble heart.
I found rest in the nearness of God. In better understanding His heart of grace. In seeing myself through His eyes and finding acceptance through Christ.
Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me
He taught me that all of life is to be lived from that place of soul rest.
Like two oxen sharing the same yoke, Christianity’s essence is connectedness to Christ. We are participators, but the good works are His. He initiates what He wants done. He empowers us to do it. He produces His fruit in and through us.
What a relief to find it’s not up to me!
Yes, life is exhausting. There are people to serve, families to love, schedules to keep. Our hearts get battered and bruised and sometimes we feel like giving up. Cultivating endurance is no easy task.
But in all our toil, God offers us rest through ever-deepening closeness with Him.
This has become a new theme in my life.
The look here at Dazzled By The Son now spotlights that life change. I’m also going to try a new format for my regular blog posts. Since Jesus is the Source of rest, let’s get to know Him better – together. Let’s take single attributes of God, mull them over, ask questions and share thoughts gleaned from our own study of His Word.
Will you join me?
Comment below if there’s a particular quality of God you’d like to discuss, or if you want to explore how God’s character affects a specific problem or situation. I can’t wait to go deeper with Him – and you!
Related Posts:
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On Rest and Quiet Time
What I Learned from the Kid Who Fell Out of the Car
