Keep it Simple

A have a dear friend who recently met with me to talk about some business ventures I am embarking on.  She was so kind to share how she got started in her business and the philosophy she has followed through the years.   Rhonda shared, “Doing what you love doesn’t have to be complicated.  Just keep it simple.”  I am forever thankful for her advice.  I have taken her advice in starting my new business.  But more than that, I have taken her great advice when I think about doing what I really, really love…sharing the love of Jesus.   

There have been so many opportunities to share about Jesus that I have let slide by because I tried to make it complicated.  I thought I needed to have all of the scriptures memorized in case I would get asked a hard question.  I thought I needed a background in theology or biblical training in order to be able to answer the great mysteries of the bible.   I thought I needed all of these things.  But the reality was I didn’t need a bible college degree.  I just needed to take my friend’s advice.  I just needed to keep it simple.  Today I realized,  I am just a simple woman who is completely loved by an incredible God.   

So this week, I just kept it simple.   

I cared for a woman at the hospital who had such a beautiful name.  I had never heard of it before.  As I got her comfortable in bed, I asked what her name meant.  She answered, “It means LONELY.”  I said, “Awww, you don’t have to be lonely, Jesus loves you!”  She smiled from ear to ear and so did her family.  In fact, her health has declined so much recently, I’m sure she hasn’t smiled for weeks.  By just keeping it simple, I was able to share two very important biblical truths with her.  Deuteronomy 31:6  He will never leave you nor forsake you.  AND  Ephesians 2:4 But God who is rich in mercy, because of his great love, with which He loved us,   Simply put, she doesn’t need to be lonely because God loves her! 

The very next room I went to was a gentleman who just found out he had two cancerous masses in his brain.  As I gave him his medications, the man’s wife shared about his condition.  She said, “He has been the picture of health all of these years and now we are waiting to see what the next step is.”  As I handed him his pills, I said, “You are going on a journey, but you aren’t alone.  God is with you.”  I saw the hope rise up in their hearts as I expressed to them in a simple way that they would not have to go on this journey alone because God is faithful and He would not leave them.    Psalm 23:4  Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, For you are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.   

Right after this, a hospice representative came in and wanted to introduce herself and give us some literature about her company.  Boldness rose up in me and I said, “I don’t know if this is a conflict of interest or not, but I wanted to let you know, I am starting a private duty nursing business here in Tucson.”  Her eyes got huge and she asked if I would be willing to go to lunch with her.  She was a regional representative for Tucson and she had 250 contacts of people who she could connect me with.  We are meeting for lunch tomorrow to talk about her company and see if we could partner together.  I was thrilled because I had been asking the Lord just one simple thing, “Just open doors for me, Lord.”  So I felt compelled to tell her.  She smiled and said, “Maybe he is opening doors with me.”  It was just a simple comment, but for a moment, this woman shared in my faith.  The faith that says God opens my doors and closes them and He is in complete control of my life.  Revelation 3:7  What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.   

Some days my heart breaks for those I care for.  Some days I keep it so simple I don’t even use words.  I have no words to comfort  those who are hurting and sick.  I just simply ask God to show Himself through me.  When I go in to the patient’s room, all I have is a smile and it’s contagious!  Even the worst crabby,  angry, or depressed person can’t resist the joy of the Lord.   Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life; in your presence is the fullness of joy; at your right hand or pleasures forevermore.  This biblical truth was expressed so simply I didn’t even use words.   

So today I celebrate in my simplicity and I encourage you to take my friend’s great advice.  Keep it simple.  It takes all the pressure off knowing we don’t need to know all of the answers to the great mysteries of the bible.  We don’t need to know all of the scriptures.  We just need to keep it simple.  It’s just that simple!  Psalm 119:130  The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. 

But God...

When the storms of life come crashing in on me, it's easy to be plagued with fear and doubt. More times than I'd like to admit, I serve myself up a large portion of fear and doubt when I am facing a trial in my life...and then I serve it to myself for dessert! It's the natural man's response to fear when we are faced with the unknown in a difficult situation. But God... I am here to tell you, we have a God who has overcome the world. We do not have to be satisfied with the "fast food" of fear and doubt when we have the "gourmet" meal of the Word of God. It never changes. It never spoils. And according to the book of Jeremiah, the Word can be eaten and it's mighty tasty! Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.

But God...

Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart fail; [But] God [is] the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

But God...

Psalm 49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah

But God...

Genesis 48:21 Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.

But God...  I really love this statement. The statement "But God" appears 613 times in scripture. I just recently taught a women's bible study and they talked about "But God" and how He is the finishing touch to a fearful thought or doubt. Jesus is our answer. We don't have to be satisfied with the "fast food" of fear and doubt when the "gourmet" meal of the Word of God and His rich promises last forever. Don't be satisfied with anything less!

I recently went back to work as a Registered Nurse. Five years ago, I decided to quit my job as a nurse to stay home and raise family for a few years. Many people told me it was professional suicide. I'd lose my nursing skills and nobody would hire me. But I knew a little secret..."But God" opens my doors and closes them and I am not subject to the world." It was my "But God" moment.

God indeed opened doors for me at the hospital I used to work at. I was hired almost immediately and I started working. I got a PRN position and could pick any hours I wanted to work and I could work 8 hour shifts or 12 hour shifts. It absolutely was perfect. Several weeks into my new dream job, the hospital started cancelling all of my shifts because of low census. My plans to work hours this summer to be able to renew my license was coming crashing down.

Immediately fear and doubt was presented to me on a hot steamy platter like a rich meal at a fancy restaurant. I started to worry. I started to doubt that God had gotten me the job in the first place. I started trying to figure it out on my own. I started thinking what other jobs I could apply for. But then it came to me...   "But God..."

I sat on my swing on my back patio and I called out to the Lord. I told Him I wasn't going to do anything on my own but I was going to wait on Him. I knew He would watch over me and I didn't need to worry about it. In fact, I told the Lord, "I refuse to worry about this. There is no need. I trust You." In my heart I had a peace that cannot be explained. One simple two word statement settled it, "But God..."   As I sat there, I asked the Lord to touch my heart in a special way and I knew He would answer me.

One of my favorite past times is going to Good Will and finding treasures. Sometimes they are old vintage items that are neat or just neat things I find for my own house. That day, I went to Goodwill. I asked the Lord two things. I asked that I would find a "treasure" at Goodwill and also that He would speak to my heart in a special way.

I had no idea how God would touch my heart. As I looked through the bins at Goodwill, I reached in to one of them and pulled out a tiny bible. When I opened it up, it was a bible from December 25, 1943 and in the back of the bible it had a handwritten journal of one soldier's battles in World War II. What a treasure I thought. As I held this little bible up, I realized it was alomost two generations old. And then, like a flood, the Lord spoke to my heart through the Book of Psalms. Psalm 12:7 You shall keep them, O LORD, You shall preserve them from this generation forever.  God has preserved His Word from generation to generation. I had nothing to fear. I had God's Word. I can't tell you how deep and how wide God's love was for me at that moment.


I am glad I chose God's "gourmet" meal of rich promises. Within 72 hours, the Lord had completely turned things around for me in a mighty way. A made a call to the woman who hired me (a sister in the Lord).  She then made some calls for me to other departments in the hospital. I was referred to one of our sister hospitals who is critically low in nurses and they are paying 1.8 times my salary! Not only do I have more hours to work than I could possibly work, they are paying me almost double time to do them! The Lord has opened more doors for me than I could have ever imagined. It was all Him and all glory goes to Him.

God has given us His Word and His promises are good...from generation to generation. "But God..."  has become my new defense when fear and doubt come. I speak to the mountains in my life with "But God..." knowing that He has everything in His hands.  God will always take care of us. God will never fail us. We have His Word and it's "gourmet." So don't settle for the "fast food" of fear and doubt!