Repent and you shall be saved. Ever wonder what this means? Perhaps you feel confident that you do. If you're like me you've heard many a statement, sermon, lecture and perhaps even instruction on how to repent to God. But after 34 years in the Church, finally hearing the truth in a sermon on Easter weekend and then researching the true meaning to back up what I heard, has me more in love with Jesus Christ than ever before. For years the 'terms' (if you will) of salvation seemed somehow to contradict in my mind.

1. Believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior
2. Repent

I always knew and was rather passionate about salvation being an easily attainable, free, no strings attached gift. That it was harder to be lost than to be saved. And that salvation was available to every human that has ever and will ever live. Believing in Jesus was a heart movement. It was easy. Once you get to know and experience who Jesus is it would be difficult to deny the hearts yearning for Christ. But then the command to repent.

For years I heard, was told, and read that repenting was a confession of sins. It was an act of asking God for forgiveness. It was an action. And with all this, it had to be a 'works' driven activity. It was not faith based. I even read that we were to not only confess the sins we had committed and were aware of but we were also to ask forgiveness for the sins we had no idea we had committed and the ones we almost committed, not yet committed and the ones we had not stopped others from committing. And we did this not because God didn't know our sins, but that He wanted to make sure we were aware of them. And with this long list, suddenly salvation didn't seem so easily attainable. It was like most everything else in society, a 'too good to be true' promise with many strings attached. The fine print was much more complex than simply believing and being saved.

This is where it always stuck in the back of my head as seeming somehow like a shoe that was beautiful and almost perfectly comfortable. Something just seemed slightly off. But I never mentioned it or even fully pursued what seemed off about this perception because of my passion, faith and belief. Until one sentence in a sermon on Easter weekend.

"Repentance is the act of putting your foot on a new path and heading into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ"

What!!!!!! Is this true??? Is this what the root of the word really means? Even the common dictionary tells you 'repentance' means the act of sincere regret or remorse.

In scripture we read that the Lord washes our sins clean. He casts them into the depths of the sea. He clothes us in His righteousness. He holds us blameless. He stands in our place. He tells us that He remembers our sins no more. He finds us without blemish, like a perfect lamb. He looks upon us as though... we were Him... and He is us. So how could this same God want us to feel regret and remorse in order to accept our free gift of salvation. Why would He want us to feel worthless and to remember all of our pain and hurt when He doesn't remember our transgressions? It just doesn't add up. It doesn't make any sense and it kills the concept and truth of a loving God. Because it creates a God who is two faced.

When I stopped to research the Greek word for repent in the New Testament it is “metanoeo” which means “to change one’s mind”. It is literally meant as "to step your foot onto a new path". 2 Corinthians 7:10-11“For Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this Godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves.”


Salvation is the believing in Jesus Christ and changing your heart. Building a relationship with Jesus. Accepting His new life into yours. It is all love and nothing but love!! God does not want us to come to him in sorrow but in rejoicing. He is the way, the truth and the light!! It should be an act filled with joy and freedom! Like the morning of a wedding of two people in love, not a court case with an impending death sentence on the line.
"Remember your transgressions no more" said Jesus, "for neither do I"

If this does not make your heart sing and leap for joy I don't know what will. If a burden is not lifted with this news, the question must be asked- what is holding your heart back?

The Lord does not wish to make you feel regret, remorse or u worthy, no, that is what the devil wants you to feel and believe about yourself. The Lord does not wish to hear your every wrong repeated to Him to make sure your heart is really sorry for what it has done, no, He was there, and His heart broke with yours in ever moment of every sin and consequence. For it is He who carries the sin we commit, not you and I. He died on the cross so that we could have the freedom to skip the second death. Not the mortal death we are all too familiar with but the forever death and separation between God and ourselves that is eternal and irreversible. He took this death to rescue us. God is only asking for you to take upon yourself a faith and yearning to follow Him. He only wants you to want Him. It is easy. It is EASY!

When we force the idea that God wants us to feel guilt and remorse in order for Him to accept us, we are transferring our own sinful, worldly, earthly view of how we want to be treated when someone does us wrong! And that is the difference between God's love and our own. The Lord wants us to believe that He is enough. That His love is strong enough to break the bondage of sin in our lives. Through Him we can turn away and walk in a new path, live a new life, through His grace. By His love (and only His love) we are changed. For it is not of our own works that we are saved, lest any man should boast, but by God's grace, and God's grace alone. Amen.


Naomi Striemer
​

*Published in Signs of The Times magazine January 2017*

When we built our dream home in the country we imagined days filled with peace, tranquility and nothing but the sound of birds floating above us. When we moved in we quickly realized we had under estimated the neighbors son, directly across the street from us, who his mother referred to as a 'budding mechanic', and his power to make senseless noise as he revved one engine after another, to what seemed like the engines limit. Surely loud enough to send any deer, rabbit or chipmunk running in the opposite direction as fast as they could escape. Luckily we had the sixth sense, when designing our home, to move the master bedroom to the far and opposite side of the house where no immediate neighbors lived, and then we sound proofed like wild Canadians preparing for a mid January day. What we had not foreseen was that in doing so, our other 2 bedrooms took residence on that 'unpleasant' side of the house, including our newborn sons room. Mothers around the world will agree, the last thing u want outside of your sleeping baby's room is a loud, disruptive, sometimes manic neighbor! But that's exactly what we have. In the past year we have learned to live with the noise through cringes and eye rolls. Thankfully it doesn't seem as frequent as it once did. Yet still when it gets bad I find myself praying that this young twenty something year old will meet a nice young women and move away.  

 It's easy on quiet days when the birds are singing and we hear cows mooing to imagine offering my life to save this young man (if it ever came down to it) like Jesus says. After all we, as Christians, must be willing to do just that "lay down your life". But when the engines roar and my baby is trying to sleep, if faced with that decision I would like to think I would still offer my life, but I'm sure it would be with a certain reluctance. And folks, herein lies the problem. 

 In this world we live in today, we as Christians are not actively living with love as strong as some are choosing to actively live out their hate. Is it easier to hate something or someone with all that you are than it is to love someone with all that you are? Someone you actually don't like? Someone you don't agree with? Is it easier to offer your life as a sacrifice in order to do harm and perhaps even kill someone you hate than it is to sacrifice yourself, your comforts, your pride, your life even to save someone? 

What we see happening in this world is an epidemic of evil possessed haters who put their hate above their own well being and their own life. It's terrifying to know someone is going to do evil and they don't care if they die in the process, that might actually be their end goal! These people are living more dedicated to hate than we are living dedicated to love. Are we too comfortable? Do we enjoy our lives too much? Are we complacent with our God that He can do the dirty work while we sit back and complain and pray for mindless things like "Dear Lord, please let this neighbor find a reason to move away so that I don't have to be bothered with his noise". 

I'm not making a statement that we need to actively look for real life situations that we might physically offer our lives to save another. But I am saying that we, as Christians, need to be finding ways on a daily basis to lose our life in a way that we are no longer thinking of ourselves. Our wants, desires, comforts and needs and that our sole purpose is to be spreading our love. The love that God gave to us when we didn't deserve it. Spreading His love to the ones we least want to give it too. Pushing ourselves to go into the places we don't want to go emotionally and mentally. Because if we don't, if we, as the body of Christ on earth, do not do this. Than hate is producing better disciples than love. And I believe God has called us to be more. 

“Can you imagine hate, so strong, it is willing to die in order to kill it's enemy? Jesus told us to love, so strong, that we are willing to die, to save our enemy. What a contrast!” #prayforpeace 


Sincerely,

Naomi Striemer
Best Selling Author, Speaker, Singer and Music Ministry Consultant. 
www.naomistriemermusic.com

I live in the country near a beautiful, historic, Southern town (voted the #1 town in the South, or so I’ve been told) just outside of Nashville, TN. It is every bit as sweet and charming as it comes across. People here, love living here. Many were born and raised and the culture and heritage runs deep. Some could say it's an 'old money' town with established mega estates situated on hundreds of rolling hills of acreage. Post and rail fences line the roads with horses and cows taking in the warm southern breeze, in their beautifully mowed grazing fields. Grand white plantation houses sit far back between magnolia trees. Porch swings and sweet tea are what evenings are made of and country and Christian singing stars are often spotted at the local gas and grocery stores.

  It's easy to take a place for granted, especially when you live there. Which is why I'm often reminded of how truly special it is, each and every time I travel away for work. Why every time I step off the plane on my return trip, I think to myself, yes, this place is different. It is special. 
What do I mean by 'special?'. Well just two weeks ago I was being shuttled from my car to the airport when the driver mentioned he was interviewing for a high school soccer coach position later that day. I asked if he would like us to pray for him, right then and there, he said that he would. So before unloading our luggage at curbside we stopped and said a prayer together in the shuttle van. 

 It is common to start conversations that end with 'God bless you' around here. On my way home at 2am my Mom (who now travels with me to watch my baby while I lead Church services and give concerts) and I began talking about a man we met on the plane who represented (in law) the filmmaker of the Christian movie 'God's Not Dead'. Yet another shuttle driver began to share his favorite Christian movie 'Facing the Giants' and we had a beautiful conversation, before he gifted me with 3 days of free airport parking for my next trip!

In contrast, I was in a city where I used to live, a city of 'glitz' and 'glamour', just days before. Every time I go it feels the Holy Spirit has withdrawn just a tiny bit more. Although I still have beautiful friends who live in L.A. I can almost feel the sin and crime in certain areas. My eyes only saw two types of people around me. Those that were barely struggling to survive, crippled and deformed by drugs and alcohol, and those that were filled with arrogance and self love to the point they could not stop for 1 moment to notice the one needing a helping hand, unless a camera was rolling and they could get recognition for their incredible kindness - they simply couldn't be bothered. 

I had brief conversations with several affluent people and realized, in shame and regret, that I hesitated to say 'God bless you' as we parted in fear of sparking a debate. I half way got it out to 1 women who was walking away and thought 'what is wrong with me!!'. 

As we made our way to leave we were back on a shuttle to the airport, this one very crowded. My knees faced a well dressed, mid 20's man who was very adamant with the driver that she not miss his gate to be dropped off. As he opened and began to intensely read the Koran, it was apparent that those sitting next to him became terrified. This young man fit the profile. He had entered the bus carrying nothing more than a backpack. He nervously texted, while shielding the screen from any nosey on-lookers, his eyes darted and fixated on law enforcement vehicles. My Mom began to hum a favorite hymn.  Every person nearly ran off the bus at their gate stop. We were second to last with only ourselves and this gentleman left. It was a strange juxtaposition of wanting to alert someone while feeling guilty for profiling and stereotyping. All we could do was pray that he was an innocent, non-violent man. 

After a long flight home, filled with exhaustion. We waited at baggage claim. Still feeling somewhat gritty from our escapades in the city of lost Angels. I overheard a young man behind me. He was describing his new book to someone. "It's intended to help young men in the Church find their purpose to serve" and in that moment I knew I was back home. Back in a place where Jesus was familiar, where faith was real, where Christianity was assumed and prayer was visible.  Of course, this place is not perfect and bad things still happen. But it's one of the best places I have felt on this earth. 

I can't wait to go home. I can't wait to be amongst fellow believers. I can't wait to feel the presence of the Lord. I can't wait... for Heaven.

To be in a place where everyone around me is filled with joy, love and peace. A place where only good things happen. A place of safety, freedom, healing and beauty. A place where Jesus, my Lord and Savior, lives.  

This long race we face is one that we must endure. We must continue pressing forward. For in the end the prize awaits. Heaven is our home. This is just a temporary stop on our journey to Eternity. Don't let the things of this world bring you down. For if we keep our eyes focused on the One who calls us out. This world will surely grow dim. I can't wait to go home, can you? 


Naomi Striemer
Best Selling Author,  Speaker,  Singer and Radio Host. 
www.naomistriemermusic.com

Someone asked me recently if my life had drastically changed. They were referring to my entering motherhood. The pre-baby life versus the baby-life. I looked at them and replied "not at all!". As the months have gone by I've  gone back to that question. You see, my response was truthful. Everything is the same. But at the same time, it's entirely different and yes, a lot has changed. I've realized that it's the little things that have changed. Take my travel schedule for instance. Yes, I still travel for work but now I have more luggage and a little one with me (and my Mom or husband!). I no longer fall asleep as the plane takes off or wake upon it’s landing. Sleep. As most parents will tell you, is a luxury we look forward to, one day, hopefully in the future. I still go to bed and wake up at the same times but I no longer get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. It's not so bad (most nights). And somehow I manage to do just fine as a human being navigating the daily (which is ironic because pre-baby Naomi couldn't function on anything less then exactly 8 hours of sleep). The change that most surprises me is the one that involves breakfast. Yes, I still get to eat breakfast, but not like I use to. 

In many ways my pre-baby days were determined by how the first hour of my day went. I'm a morning person and breakfast is what I do. When I opened my eyes, breakfast was the first thing I wanted. I would gleefully bound to the kitchen to delight my palate and fuel my day. On the weekend I would create elaborate morning meals that often included pancakes, waffles, fruit, hash browns a form of a scramble and sometimes fresh squeezed juice. Yes, some could say I woke up for breakfast. But not anymore. Don't get me wrong. On the weekend I still do my best to go all out. But sometimes I'm happy to just toast a waffle. My typical morning now involves getting up, changing baby, creating lunch for my husband, preparing breakfast for my little one, feeding him and then when that is finished I remember that somewhere in my stomach I'm feeling a hunger pang. I will grab whatever is easiest and often mid meal I realize it's baby's nap time as he rubs his eyes and I go to put him down. When I return I usually look at my half eaten bowl of muesli or 3 day old pancakes and decide if I want to press on or move on. Not to mention the poor family dog who has been trying to get my attention the whole time to say "don't forget about me" which I'm ashamed to say, I sometimes do! But I wouldn't trade it for the world! When I say I'd choose this over my old routine any day, I'm being sincere. 

 Does this sound familiar? Before my my child was born, let's face it, I was a bit selfish. Not because I wanted to be selfish but because I could be. Perhaps selfish being too strong a word. I was able to fulfill my wants and wishes without thinking twice. Yes, everything in my life that matters is exactly the same. But the little things, the things that don't determine my self worth, don't determine the big picture, have changed. 

 What drives this change? If you said 'love' you are absolutely correct. A love for someone other than myself. Before the birth of my son I loved my husband, I loved my parents and so on. But this love is different. If I don't put aside my own desires, my baby's basic needs will be neglected. 

  Jesus tells us to "love your neighbor as you love yourself" but if we follow Jesus, He loved us MORE than He loved Himself. If He had loved us equal to himself perhaps the cross would have been a "I'll die for you, if you die for me" type of situation. His love said "I'll die for you, I'll give you salvation as a free gift, you just have to accept it". That's a love we have a difficult time understanding. Someone once said to me "it can't be that simple." But it is. 

Look around the civilized countries. The more privileges we (as a group of people)  have, the worse our attitudes become. The more freedom we have the more selfish and self absorbed we are. Inundated with ‘my wants’, ‘my wishes’, ‘my plans’, ‘my way’. Obsessed with social media culture, which should be re-titled from 'social' to 'self-centered'. Living in a world where two parents would leave their toddler, alone for hours at their house to go play an online interactive game to catch fake creatures, responding with "whatever" when police called with their boy who had been found locked outside their home, crying hysterically in his diaper in over 100 degree heat (yes, it happened). 

  I feel that Jesus knew it would be simply asking too much of us to say "love each other more than you love yourselves" But His actions say that's how He loves us. 

  Before the ancient flood the anti-deluvians were given everything. They lived in a world with perfect environmental conditions, they lived long and healthy lives and in the end they turned those blessings, that freedom, into such evil the Lord could no longer allow it to continue. They thought evil continually. And I believe the root of it, was the same root that began to poison Heaven. Selfishness. The same root that poisons you and I today.  

  What would happen if spouses said I care more for you than I care for myself. Parents said "I put your needs above my own". Co-workers shared "I want to make sure your project gets the green light." 

Ask yourself how you would respond, react, behave and live. If everyone around you cared more for you, your well being, your success, your comfort and your needs, than they cared about themselves? How would that transform your reality? How would that change your heart? 

If I simply obey the command to love equal to how I would like to be loved, treated, cared for, spoken too and looked upon. Sure, I will see change. 
But maybe one day, through God's faith in me, I can go beyond and love with agape. What transformation might be seen in the world around us, if that were the case?

My prayer today is that through our love for others we can draw all men to Christ, through our faith in Jesus, living in us. May you, and may I, be the light of this world that scripture talks about. 


Naomi Striemer
Best Selling Author, Speaker, Singer, Radio Host and Music Ministry Consultant. 
www.naomistriemermusic.com

Look for this blog in the January '17 issue of Signs of The Times magazine! Due to the exciting publication news of this blog we have removed it from the website until the magazine has been released. Thank you for visiting. Please stick around and check out other blog entries and website.  

I had the privilege of going to Africa a few years ago with ADRA Canada. A small crew of 3 of us went to film documentary footage and a music video for a song I had composed for ADRA, across Kenya, Tanzania and Sudan. The travel plans leading up to the trip went smoothly except for our Visa’s to enter the tumultuous Sudan. Even upon leaving for Africa our Visa’s had not yet been approved for Sudan. The day of our flights to Sudan came and went as we did work at an orphanage in Tanzania. Placing it in God’s hands I said a silent prayer “If it is thy will Lord, we will go, but if it is too dangerous, have the Visa’s denied”. And with that, the answer came… our Visa’s had been approved by the head of government who signed every single passenger traveling in and out of the country. 

I was told that video and photography were strictly prohibited and illegal in the country, and one could be arrested and tried as a spy if caught doing either, yet here we were flying in with suitcases of both professional video and photography camera’s. 

After an intense two hour wait at the airport immigration we were miraculously approved entry, camera gear and all. I grabbed my long scarf and placed it over my head for the duration of our our week long stay. We traveled deep into the Sahara dessert, took a boat ride on the river Nile, and shared many nerve racking situations as we saw and filmed, inspiring and other tragically heartbreaking scenes.

When it was time to leave each of us had a different departing schedule. The director was leaving first, I second with the camera man third. The flights departed at 3am out of the Capital Khartoum. Once again your Visa had to be signed so that you could leave the country. It was 11pm and my Visa was still unsigned. by 12:30 we received word that it had just been signed and I could make my way to the airport. A local, Muslim staff member, who spoke broken english, drove me to the airport, unloaded my luggage on the curb and pointed ‘that way’ for me to enter the small airport. I was surprised at the large crowd of people waiting outside of the airport at 1am. I made my way through the crowd feeling the uncomfortableness of many piercing eyes. You see, in my American way of thinking I was going to the airport and therefore no longer needed my head scarf to cover me. There I was, the only female uncovered wearing slacks and a blouse with my blonde long hair blowing in the breeze. When I got to the doors they were blocked by security guards. I showed my ticket print out but was denied access. Not being able to speak the language I tried again only to be motioned at once again that I was not getting in. Confused and beginning to panic I realized I had no phone, no number, no address of the home I had come from or my crew. I held a list of instructions of what to do once I entered the airport, but none on how to get in! The longer I stood in plain site on the curbside with the throng of people the more eyes began to turn toward me. As my heart began to pump out of my chest a hand grabbed my luggage handle and said “Come on, follow me”. I didn’t know who this man was, but he spoke english! So I was surely going to follow him and my luggage which was quickly disappearing amongst the crowd of people. He walked me back to the two security guards and exchanged a few sentences as he pointed back and forth at me and the gate inside. He told me to ‘wait’ with him and said “we will be first in line. they wait until 2am to open the doors”. Sure enough at 2am the doors opened and he took me straight to the check in counter, I was first in line. But I knew I had to go pay a fee before I could have the next stamp on my Visa. He said “You go. I will wait here with your luggage”. If I had been anywhere else I would have politely declined the offer to leave my luggage but in this situation I went in blind faith, trusting this man to be good and true. My instinct and prayers were answered when I returned and there he was. I handed my printed boarding pass to the attendant only to be told “Not ticket. Need ticket” I handed it again and she repeated her words. My panic began to silently rise up my throat as my heart pounded in my chest. “Need Ticket” she said “This IS my ticket!” I firmly said back as though she could not see it. As we exchanged our frustration my suitcase was being lifted onto the conveyer belt. And then it hit me! I had been given a receipt in Nairobi, Kenya from the Director when the ticket had been purchased. It was in my bag of receipts in my suitcases that was quickly moving away. I motioned frantically to ‘Stop that suitcase!!’. I flipped it open and rummaged through the receipt bag. Sure enough, there was the receipt for the flight! I handed it to the agent as she smiled and said “Ah, Ticket!”. 

  The man had stood by me this entire time. He lead me to the security line and said “I can go with you no further but you should be on your way now.” I read through my final instructions with him to get through security and immigration and he said “yes, I believe you have everything you need”. And with that he walked away. 

In life I believe we encounter many angels in plain clothes. God’s messengers to keep us safe in times of trouble and tribulation. I do not know, and I may never know until Heaven, whether that man was an angel or just a gentleman sent to me in my time of need. But he saved me that night. 

Cast your cares upon Jesus, because he is always with you. Always there to give us the support we need, right when we need it.

Sincerely, 

Naomi Striemer
​www.naomistriemermusic.com

One element of my job as a Music Minister is a lot of travel. Near and far I take trips for multiple lengths of time. Most always on planes. At this point, after hundreds of flights, I know my favorite airports, airlines and restaurants where I can eat at each stop and transfer. I can predict when a flight is going to be delayed and how much time I need to move from gate to gate to catch my connection. In my mind, I’m a seasoned traveler. 

This summer, for multiple reasons, TSA (Transportation Safety Administration) or ‘security’ as we call it, has seen a lot of problems. It continues to appear on CNN articles that the lines to go through security are unbelievably long, longer than they ever have been before. Travelers are being advised to arrive 3 hours before domestic flights to simply give them enough time to get to their gate. Now, with these lines there are 3 categories. ‘General’  ‘Priority’ and ‘Pre Checked’. With ‘Priority’ it means you have some kind of status with your airline. This will get you in a shorter line up to the security guard checking I.D, then you get put back with the general population to go through scanning. ‘Pre Check’ is the super special line. The line where people have paid a fee, provided a background check and taken the time to go to their local police station to give finger prints. This special ‘elite’ crowd get to sail through security without having to remove shoes, lap tops or jackets! Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Well, in times like this at the airport, with extreme chaos and over population, many ‘Priority’ and even ‘General’ passengers are being bumped into the ‘Pre Check’ lane simply to balance things out. As you can imagine this has caused some ill will from he passengers who have gone through all of the steps to be there and paid the fee. How dare their line be lengthened by unworthy, undeserving civilians?? It simply isn’t fair! After all, isn’t that the whole reason they’ve gone through the process to begin with? To avoid over crowding, delays and having to be stuck with the riff raff and even the ghastly un-seasoned traveller? 

I couldn’t help but see a distinct similarity between this situation and the Kingdom of God. For many of us life-long Christians, who have either been born into the faith, or found it at an early age. We feel as though we are in the ‘Pre Check’ lane. After all, haven’t we worked harder and longer at being a good and faithful, deserving Christian? The only problem is, God does not have a ‘Pre Check’ lane. His salvation has no categories or boundaries. He simply cannot love us anymore than He already does, not matter how hard we try, how hard we worship, how close to the principles we live. It’s hard for some to swallow that God loves the person who has served Him faithfully just as much as He loves the person who has cursed and denied Him for years.  In the end there will be many who appear in Heaven who, in our minds, couldn’t possibly deserve to be there. But truthfully, the ones who posses that mind frame are the ones that won’t deserve to be in Heaven. 

As you go about your day, I hope you will feel the love that God has for you. A love you could never earn, no matter how hard you try. But a simple willingness to love God and others in that very same way that God loves you and I. Because when it comes to lines, I hope the one to Heaven is longer than any line we have ever seen before.

Sincerely,
​
Naomi Striemer
​www.naomistriemermusic.com 

It's been almost 38 weeks! 38 weeks of anticipation, excitement, fear, preparation, learning and now waiting.... lots of waiting. When will he arrive? Are we prepared? Can we do this? I want to meet him! I hope it's today! 

I've been blessed. Out of the dozens (if not hundreds) of stories I've heard first hand or read through print my pregnancy has been a breeze. No major symptoms, no health scares, no mood swings, no cravings. It's been a smooth and steady progression. I'm even sleeping at night (which I hear is a rarity at this point!). Some people have said I look more 6 months pregnant than 9, but boy, do I feel 9 months pregnant! More mentally at this point than anything else. The baby showers are complete, the nursery is finished, the diapers and wipes are in position, the car seat is firmly secured, the hospital bag has been in the car since last week when my OBGYNO said I could deliver that night or in 3 weeks, because our little man was in position and everything was progressing as it should. 

The irony, is how much I"m anticipating labor and delivery. I mean, what kind of craziness is that? Obviously I'm not anticipating the pain, or the laboring, but the outcome. I realize how traumatic and life changing an event of birth is to every women who has ever experienced it because I've watched and listened to women, friends, relatives and complete strangers share with me, at a drop of a hat, their birthing stories. Usually in great, intense, detail, like it were yesterday.  And I would think it was yesterday, if it weren't for one lovely lady concluding "My baby is 34 this year. Hard to believe how time flies!". And it hits me. This is a monumental life moment. Greater than any other before or after it. For it far exceeds graduation, your wedding, landing a dream job,  taking a world trip or literally anything else that can happen to a person in life. Those things, no matter how great, will not make a women packing your groceries and checking you out (who you've never met before) burst into spontaneous story telling and intimate details of her birth story. From how many cm she was dilated when she arrived at the hospital to the very conversations she had with hospital staff and beyond. This is a moment engraved, forever, upon the heart and mind of every mother. And I'm about to enter the club. 

I couldn't help but see the striking similarity between these moments to the moments God must cherish every time a person surrenders and gives their life to him, accepting salvation. I imagine each of our salvation stories are etched on God's heart and mind in such vivid color He could, and will (one day when we get to Heaven) recite each one, as though it were happening in that very moment, regardless of the time lapsed. I realized that Just like Jesus we mothers, nearing that day, anticipate it with great joy and excitement...knowing it will be painful, exhausting, long and the most difficult thing we've ever done. But we can't wait! Because of the outcome and the final result of our pain and laboring. I imagine that is how God feels for every heart and for every lost soul. Knowing the hurt it will cause Him, the pain we have all cost Him, but he progresses with great hope and anticipation. Because the joy exceeds any pain, loss or suffering He will go through with each of us. Those things fade in comparison to the elation of one lost soul accepting Jesus. One lost sheep finding The Shepherd. And suddenly the pain is worth every moment of the final victory.  Jesus knew this at the very first bite of the forbidden fruit. The pregnancy of this world had begun, and would continue for a very long time, but the outcome was secure. The decision was made to continue with the pregnancy and not abort it. Because no matter how high the cost, how great the pain, how hard the struggle, how close the call,  Jesus, the Son of God, knew the outcome would be worth every single moment. The commitment to see it through was made. How loving a God do we have? Who would suffer for us as a human race, watching us tear apart His reputation, destroy His judgments, turn against Him, deny Him and wreak havoc upon His creation. But still He waits, anticipating, with great joy, for every single individual, for that moment of one heart accepting Him as the Savior of the world. 

God is good. God is love. And I'm so thankful He labored for me (and you) so that we could be sure of our salvation and eternity with Him. Because to Him,  you and I are worth it. 

So when the twinkling lights turn on, the baked treats and goodies make their way to the trays and Christmas carols meet you on every corner. I hope this Christmas season you are filled with joy unimaginable.  Because we celebrate the Baby that changed the world. The baby that was born to die, so that you and I could live. 

Sincerely,

Naomi Striemer
www.naomistriemermusic.com 

The beauty of living is that we never know what each day will bring. Whether it be good, bad, exciting or sad, we make our plans, but we never truly know how those plans, and our life, will unfold. 

Such was the case on Friday, Nov 13th 2015.

Yes, it was 'Friday the 13th, which has a bad reputation to begin with, but no one was expecting the horror that would unfold on the streets of our beloved Paris, the city of lights and love.  Quickly the internet swarmed with a buzzy catch phrase and hashtag #PrayforParis which Christians, non-Christian and Atheists alike were posting at rapid speed. I couldn't help but think if people were stopping, for even a moment, to actually pray for Paris. Many people posting the hashtag would claim to not even believe in God if asked moments before the news broke. But I couldn't help but consider that in times of crisis, it was our very own psyche that draws us to the knowledge, understanding and belief that a Mighty God truly DOES exist. And perhaps it is just when folks are comfortable in their lives that they are allowed to consider the 'greatness' of mankind, the ever changing 'truth' of Science (don't get me wrong, I love many elements of Science) and the strength of their own ability that they can boldly proclaim "There is no God". But when brought between life and death... God is the one thing everyone clings to and prayer is the first thing on everyone's lips. 

It was a quick and rapid descension from peace and love talk to fear and terror whispers in the following days. Until the Politicians in a claw fight for Media attention began to make bold statements and declarations about refugees, borders and protecting 'our people' that opened up what we were all thinking. 

To be completely honest, I was a person who quickly stated 'It's a Trojan Horse!' when the refugees began pouring into Europe seeking asylum months ago. It just seemed like such an obvious ploy for the terrorists to find their way in, like seeping water through a crack in a dam. Yes, it was a terrible situation but it just seemed like such an obvious mistake these countries were making allowing hundreds of thousands of strangers into their land and into their homes. And then, like the telling of a perfect adventure storybook, everyone's fear was confirmed when one of the terrorists in Paris was confirmed to have traveled into Europe, on a boat, with the refugees.  It was truth many people couldn't stomach, our worst fears confirmed. 

Many conversations followed, Biblical examples from the Old Testament on treatment of 'non-believers', and fear talk continued to grow as the debate raged on in Washington on what exactly could and should be done about letting the Syrian refugees into our great land - The United States of America. The truth is everyone was, and is, fearful of another 'Paris' happening down the street or worse, on your street! Everyone just wants to protect their family and loved ones above all else. 

It was easy to have these conversations, it's easy to allow fear to control the mind, to think of the 'worst case scenario' when our natural instinct is to 'protect and defend' that which we love. Honestly, it's the 'norm'. But.... as a Christian. What does God teach us, what is His advice? What does the Bible - our guidebook for life - say about this situation? 

I began digging through the obvious stories in the Old Testament where God called upon His people to destroy the non-believers, man, women, child. And it would be easy to say 'SEE!!' but I knew that contradicted what God taught in the New Testament, and if there's one thing a Bible student knows, it's that the Bible NEVER contradicts itself. It simply means the reader is not digging deep enough to get the whole truth. It was at this same time that I was studying the story, and the history, of Israel during the prophet Jeremiah. Somehow as I read of the pending doom that was to fall upon God's chosen people and how during this time, knowing they were marching toward captivity and ruin, the true Christians in the situation, the ones who still believed and honored God, had to make a choice to continue to love, obey and honor God even though this punishment was inevitable. I thought "How difficult, how impossible, would it be to know what was about to happen, and STILL choose to love God. This would take extreme humility of heart and obedience to God's will above our own". The truth is God protects, guides and directs us, but when we make poor choices, even after repentance, God does not remove the consequences of our actions. We have to live with our consequences, and God lives through it WITH us. I continued to have certain verses spotlight into my mind such as Matthew 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." and Matthew 5:44 "Love your enemies and bless those that curse you." Romans 12:19 "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." and of course Matthew 25:35 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in..."  I began to see clearly, once again, that we human beings, God's people, God's creation, God's sons and daughters, His representatives are put on this earth for ONE SINGLE SOLITARY DUTY and that duty.... is to love. Unconditionally, without holding back, without deciding who, how and when. We don't get to choose, we don't get to decide. Our only purpose is to love! And if that love brings us into danger we are to have faith and trust in God, for He is our protector, He is our commander. 

If the Lord saw a group of terrorists walking by our home, the home of God's child, it would be our duty to go and offer them food, water and shelter. It would be God who would protect us. Because without our love, we make no difference in this world. Without God's love within us we change nothing and no one. Our light does not shine. 

God says in Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways." and He is right! Nothing He commands is what our instinct or this world around us tells us we should think or act. The Lord says 'Do the opposite of what is expected, allow me to work Miracles so that my Name is glorified". And fear has no part to play.

When I think of the Old Testament I think ahead to the end, to the time of Judgement. There is only one who is called to Judge and He is God the Father. Yes, a time will come when all will be judged on this earth and it will be too late to repent. But in judgement the hearts that have not repented would never have repented, even if given a thousand chances (which the Lord gave throughout their lifetime). Jesus has made a way, dying for ALL that ALL might be saved and the way is easy. 

When I concluded reading the history of the prophet Jeremiah, the end of his story was like a fresh dew falling upon my heart. The words of the head commander of the rebel army taking away the people into captivity read (and I paraphrase) "Your God is punishing these people for disobeying Him. But you Jeremiah, you were faithful. And because of your faithfulness... you can choose to stay in your land if you want. I won't take you as a captive to Babylon. You are free." I realized that God made a way for his faithful servant. Many were left behind and not taken captive and I believe those left were the true believers who continued to love God even though they were facing imminent doom. They were the ones who said "against every bone in my body that wants to turn against You Lord for what is about to happen to me... I won't, I cannot, stop loving you God" and the Lord delivered them. And He will do the same for you and I. 

A great relief fell upon me, any tension of fear of the unknown in what mistakes or errors might occur in Foreign Affairs vanished. I was free and at peace once again. Because no matter what happens, no matter how good or bad things get, I only have one job, one duty, one calling in this life... and that is to love. To love the ones I don't understand, to love the ones that want to hurt me, to love the ones who go against everything I believe and to love those I so badly want to hate. Because in doing so, I am allowing God to work miracles, to work change and convert the hearts of those I don't understand through His love in me. Because if we, as the body of Christ, united around the world and chose to love in this way, we would be a force stronger than any army the Nations could offer. We would be impenetrable. We would be the Israel God had hoped for. The one that stood strong, protected and blessed above all others, with no earthly King but God Himself ruling. For He is the King that rules our hearts. He is the King that protects us, He is the God who allows us each breathe that we breath. So against all odds, I choose love. Because I know I have a great God who will always defend, protect and be with me. No matter what. 

Sincerely

Naomi Striemer
www.naomistriemermusic.com