2 Corinthians 10:12-16
We’re not, understand, putting ourselves in a league with those who boast that they’re our superiors. We wouldn’t dare do that. But in all this comparing and grading and competing, they quite miss the point.
We aren’t making outrageous claims here. We’re sticking to the limits of what God has set for us. But there can be no question that those limits reach to and include you. We’re not moving into someone else’s “territory.” We were already there with you, weren’t we? We were the first ones to get there with the Message of Christ, right? So how can there be any question of overstepping our bounds by writing or visiting you?
We’re not barging in on the rightful work of others, interfering with their ministries, demanding a place in the sun with them. What we’re hoping for is that as your lives grow in faith, you’ll play a part within our expanding work. And we’ll all still be within the limits God sets as we proclaim the Message in countries beyond Corinth. But we have no intention of moving in on what others have done and taking credit for it.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I recently read a truly poignant essay that someone posted on Facebook about a woman who stood in the checkout line behind another woman who had five children with her. Two were blond like the “mother” figure and dressed rather nicely. Their appearance was neat and clean. The other three appeared to be of mixed race, and they were disheveled, dirty and unruly. The “mother” was struggling to put her purchases on the conveyor belt… juggle a handful of forms… and figure out how to use an EBT (food stamp) card – all while trying to corral five small children.
People behind the author of this essay began to mumble loudly. “Bet she doesn’t even know who the baby daddy is for those kids… whaddya wanna bet she pays with food stamps…there goes our taxpayer dollars – we’re the ones who are really paying for all of this!” The essayist seethed for a few minutes, and then she stepped forward and offered to help the “mother”, asking, “Yours or fosters?” The “mother” replied… “Both… these three were just dropped off with me… with only the clothes on their backs.” She handed them each a coat as the clerk rang up the price. The essayist offered that she was a foster mother herself… and she extended her help with sorting the food items according to WIC regulations… and showed the “mother” how to use her EBT card, which had come with the three foster children. When she had finished and the family was leaving, the essayist turned to the critics behind her… and she let them have it! She closed her story by noting that after her rant was over, the folks standing behind her moved to another checkout line.
If you go back and read the verses leading up to this passage from 2 Corinthians 10, you see that people were accusing the Apostle Paul of superiority… of talking rather strongly to them in his letters about how they should be conducting themselves. Word had apparently gotten back to Paul that some of the Corinthians wondered if he “walked the walk” as much as he “talked the talk”! And don’t you know people like that? Don’t you know people who are quick to criticize someone else for the very things they are doing themselves… or to make unfair comparisons or assumptions… and to act disrespectfully as a result?
There are so many examples of this that I could cite, but I bet you can think of plenty on your own. The point is that we often want to throw credit – and blame – around where it doesn’t belong… and in doing so, we are disrespectful toward others. Our criticism and lack of regard for other people often seems to know no bounds! Ninety-nine percent of the time, we do not have all of the facts. That person who appears to have it all together and be incredibly successful and fortunate may be going through all sorts of heartbreaking things in private. The disheveled man or woman in the checkout line may be in a hurry to get home to a house filled with children who were up all night… and wondering what he/she will feed them for dinner and how they will stretch the paycheck for another week or more. Your cranky, difficult grandfather or grandmother may be secretly worried sick that he/she is going to end up in a nursing home and left to die alone.
Worse yet, we judge others’ level of faith. We conclude that this one or that one “is not a believer” or “doesn’t feel the Holy Spirit”. Most certainly they are not as faith-filled as we are… and if they don’t jump on our bandwagon, we all know where they are headed! If they really loved Jesus, they would be at church every Sunday. If they really had a relationship with the Holy Spirit, they would treat us… and others… more kindly. If God was top priority in their lives, they would have their act together! Admit it… you’ve uttered more than a couple of these – or something very close!
The time has come for us to all start respecting each other… to stop assuming that we know what the other person is thinking, feeling, or experiencing… and to work on refining our relationship with God. Only then will we be able to do His work… and to meet others right where they are. Only when our actions match our talk can we relate to one another on a level playing field.
If we are humble and sincere in your daily living, others will notice. If we stop judging others without all of the facts and making assumptions… if we live in a way that honors our Christian discipleship and the sacrifices of Jesus on our behalf, we can be confident that our actions are not misinterpreted or overstated. When others recognize us as respectful, honest, humble and sincere, they will not mistake our witness and ministry for grandstanding and superiority.
We must remember to always give credit where credit is due… to recognize God as our Supreme Source – for everything – and we must duly note that He is the only one worthy to judge any of us. When we operate in this truth, we are no longer even capable of judging or disrespecting others. It simply isn’t on our radar! And we are free to do the work of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ… of ministering to others and reaching them as equals. This is my fervent goal as a Disciple of Christ… is it yours?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label being authentic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label being authentic. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for March 21, 2013
Proverbs 11:3
The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Believe it or not, there is an organization called the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention. According to information found at www.shoplifters.org, approximately 1 in 11 persons in our country today is a shoplifter. The reasons for shoplifting are varied, but many do not need the items and/or can afford to purchase them outright. These people get a “lift” from getting “something for nothing.” This “high” is more important to the shoplifter than the merchandise being stolen. Others steal to make up for a “loss” in their life…illness, job loss, the death of someone significant in their lives, a relationship breakup or dissolution, and more. Shoplifting may often make the person feel temporarily more in control.
Still others shoplift to relieve tension, anxiety, sadness or boredom, while others consider shoplifting a justifiable compensation for something lacking in their lives… payback for all they have given to others, how they feel they have been mistreated, or a specific experience. While many shoplifters fully expect to get caught at some point, they are often appalled to be placed in jail with “hardened criminals” for such a “petty crime.”
I used shoplifting as an example of dishonesty, but there are parallels for many areas of our life. You may be patting yourself on the back and saying, “Thank goodness this isn’t me!” But I ask you to take a good hard look at yourself. Are there other areas where you “shoplift?” Do you engage in other dishonest or deceptive behaviors in order to temporarily give yourself a “lift” or to compensate for some wrong you feel has been done against you? Do you embellish the truth to make yourself look better to others? Do you brag about how fast you drove to XYZ and didn’t get caught? Do you participate in illegal activities like underage drinking… or drug abuse? Do you cheat on your taxes… or even take extra condiments from the fast-food place “because they are ‘free’?”
Do you put on a good front in public to make everyone think that your life is hunky-dory, then conduct yourself in a totally different manner at home in front of your family and close friends? Do you pretty well thumb your nose at the world because some things have happened in your life and you feel entitled to do so? Are you one of those people who fumbles in his/her pocket for money when it comes time to pay the bill - then lets someone else pay… or “borrows” from others and never gives the items back…or pretends to be busy and lets someone else do all the work – then shares in the credit? Have you become comfortable with gossip, “white lies” and other “harmless petty crimes?"
There are countless ways in which we are all capable of dishonesty, if we are not careful and on constant guard. The adage that you can “give him enough rope and he’ll hang himself” often applies and our sins are discovered… and we have to “come clean” – at least temporarily. But it really shouldn’t matter whether we are ever caught in a lie or not. GOD knows! He sees how incorrigible we often are, and this breaks His heart. There really is no excuse… not the circumstances of our life, our childhood or upbringing, or our “innocence.” We all must strive to operate with more integrity if we want to be like Jesus.
Stop what you are doing today and talk to God. Tell Him that you know there may be areas of your life where even YOU are not aware that you are dishonest or lack integrity. Ask God to shine a bright light on your heart and reveal the places where you need to improve. Don’t risk even the slightest opportunity for ruin. Humbly call upon God to help you with this… and make every effort to stay on track and operate with honesty and integrity - in all things… and at all times.
©2013 Debbie Robus
The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Believe it or not, there is an organization called the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention. According to information found at www.shoplifters.org, approximately 1 in 11 persons in our country today is a shoplifter. The reasons for shoplifting are varied, but many do not need the items and/or can afford to purchase them outright. These people get a “lift” from getting “something for nothing.” This “high” is more important to the shoplifter than the merchandise being stolen. Others steal to make up for a “loss” in their life…illness, job loss, the death of someone significant in their lives, a relationship breakup or dissolution, and more. Shoplifting may often make the person feel temporarily more in control.
Still others shoplift to relieve tension, anxiety, sadness or boredom, while others consider shoplifting a justifiable compensation for something lacking in their lives… payback for all they have given to others, how they feel they have been mistreated, or a specific experience. While many shoplifters fully expect to get caught at some point, they are often appalled to be placed in jail with “hardened criminals” for such a “petty crime.”
I used shoplifting as an example of dishonesty, but there are parallels for many areas of our life. You may be patting yourself on the back and saying, “Thank goodness this isn’t me!” But I ask you to take a good hard look at yourself. Are there other areas where you “shoplift?” Do you engage in other dishonest or deceptive behaviors in order to temporarily give yourself a “lift” or to compensate for some wrong you feel has been done against you? Do you embellish the truth to make yourself look better to others? Do you brag about how fast you drove to XYZ and didn’t get caught? Do you participate in illegal activities like underage drinking… or drug abuse? Do you cheat on your taxes… or even take extra condiments from the fast-food place “because they are ‘free’?”
Do you put on a good front in public to make everyone think that your life is hunky-dory, then conduct yourself in a totally different manner at home in front of your family and close friends? Do you pretty well thumb your nose at the world because some things have happened in your life and you feel entitled to do so? Are you one of those people who fumbles in his/her pocket for money when it comes time to pay the bill - then lets someone else pay… or “borrows” from others and never gives the items back…or pretends to be busy and lets someone else do all the work – then shares in the credit? Have you become comfortable with gossip, “white lies” and other “harmless petty crimes?"
There are countless ways in which we are all capable of dishonesty, if we are not careful and on constant guard. The adage that you can “give him enough rope and he’ll hang himself” often applies and our sins are discovered… and we have to “come clean” – at least temporarily. But it really shouldn’t matter whether we are ever caught in a lie or not. GOD knows! He sees how incorrigible we often are, and this breaks His heart. There really is no excuse… not the circumstances of our life, our childhood or upbringing, or our “innocence.” We all must strive to operate with more integrity if we want to be like Jesus.
Stop what you are doing today and talk to God. Tell Him that you know there may be areas of your life where even YOU are not aware that you are dishonest or lack integrity. Ask God to shine a bright light on your heart and reveal the places where you need to improve. Don’t risk even the slightest opportunity for ruin. Humbly call upon God to help you with this… and make every effort to stay on track and operate with honesty and integrity - in all things… and at all times.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 14, 2013
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Unless you’ve been in a coma, you know that today is Valentine’s Day… a day when we are supposed to shower others with love in the form of cards than range from “mushy and gooey” to downright silly, flowers, balloons, candy – especially chocolate – and other gifts. More than $4 billion will be spent on jewelry alone, according to an article at www.forbes.com. Overall, this will be an $18.6 billion dollar event! People will propose marriage – and others will actually tie the knot.
Tomorrow, baskets and bins in retail outlets throughout the world will be filled with discounted leftovers. The price of fresh roses and other flowers will go down - and let’s be honest…people will not be as tender and loving toward one another. It’s as if this one day of the year wields some sort of magical power over most of us. If someone purchases one of these items today to share with a loved one, is the love any less genuine? Can your February 14th gestures of love convey how you feel about others for the rest of the year?
I do not mean to belittle Valentine’s Day. I love sending Valentines to my little nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. I enjoy making heart-shaped treats for them and imagining their little faces when they get a surprise in the mail or on their doorstep. Although we long ago agreed to stop exchanging gifts and cards, it gives me great joy to leave love notes for my husband, or to make him a special holiday breakfast… or to share a celebratory lunch or dinner. But sending gifts and cards is relatively easy. In The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren reminds us that …”If you only serve when it’s convenient, you’re not a real servant.” It would follow that if you only love on Valentine’s Day, you very well may be only pretending to love others.
The challenge for all of us is to look around and figure out who – and how – we can love 365 days a year. Where can we show others the love of Jesus with genuine words and acts of affection and honor? How can we step out of our comfort zone in order to be obedient disciples of Christ? Is the love of Jesus Christ (and grace, mercy and forgiveness that His love encompasses) so profound in our own lives that we are ready and willing to drop everything to share it with someone else? What is so important in our own lives that we don’t have time to love another in the name of Jesus… and why do we think this requires gifts, cards, candy, or jewelry?
Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to think about love. This is a great time to examine our hearts and find any corners where our expressions of love might be less than authentic. Ask God to show you where you love others conveniently or give lip service instead of genuine care and concern. Let Him show you how to love others every day of the year… to extend to them the grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion that Jesus showers us with continually. Be a real servant and a true disciple. Make every day Valentine’s Day in Jesus’ name. Allow Jesus to use you for His glory… and get ready to be loved like mad in the bargain!
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 22, 2012
Luke 6:26-30
"There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests—look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.
"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
The glass-topped coffee table on our back porch holds a potted begonia, some wrought-iron candleholders, and a decorative bird house. This house is presently the home of a rather ugly-looking, spotted Great Plains Toad, who I have named Frodo. Most of the day, Frodo sits in the birdhouse, draping his head out of the hole. At night, he often attaches himself to one of our windows and feasts on bugs drawn to the lamplight there.
I’ve kinda grown attached to Frodo. He’s cute, in an ugly sort of way. But I did my homework… he is also poisonous! Behind his eyes are glands that secrete a protective (to him) milky solution that could be toxic to dogs or cats who might find him fun to pursue. This substance can even cause some serious harm to a human, if one were to handle the frog and not wash your hands thoroughly afterward. My research indicates that Frodo may have come to this abode because his regular haunt – warm, damp ground in which to burrow – is not available right now. Ditto for his traditional fare of grubs, which he digs from the moist earth! So I will be kind to Frodo and allow him to stay in the birdhouse. I will “live generously” where he is concerned. But I will also see him for the potential scoundrel that he is… I’m aware of his truth!
There is a lesson here for all of us in our daily living. There are “scoundrels” among us… people who are a bit of a chameleon at best… changing with the wind or whatever best suits their desires at the moment. And while I don’t like to think I have any actual “enemies,” I know that there are people who only want what they feel I can give them… those who are nice enough to me when necessary but don’t actually give a hoot about my feelings or wellbeing. I recognize these people (most of the time)… and I hope I treat them generously in spite of their behavior - because God calls me to do so. I urge you to do the same.
I also ask that we would never be the scoundrel… that we would not treat others in a dishonest or disrespectful way or use them to get ahead or for our own benefit. I pray that we would operate in honesty and truth… love and genuine big-heartedness. God is calling us to be the real deal… to be sincere and authentic with others… but also to be charitable – even when we are being treated anything but kindly. It’s a tall order… but as we have discussed many times, we Christians were never promised “easy!”
I’m going to continue to allow Frodo to inhabit our birdhouse… but I won’t be doing anything to antagonize him! As for the “scoundrels” I encounter in life, I pray that I will have the wisdom to recognize them, the strength and courage to handle whatever they deliver, and the ability to treat them generously. In doing this, I hope that God will allow my best to shine through for Him. What about you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
"There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests—look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.
"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
The glass-topped coffee table on our back porch holds a potted begonia, some wrought-iron candleholders, and a decorative bird house. This house is presently the home of a rather ugly-looking, spotted Great Plains Toad, who I have named Frodo. Most of the day, Frodo sits in the birdhouse, draping his head out of the hole. At night, he often attaches himself to one of our windows and feasts on bugs drawn to the lamplight there.
I’ve kinda grown attached to Frodo. He’s cute, in an ugly sort of way. But I did my homework… he is also poisonous! Behind his eyes are glands that secrete a protective (to him) milky solution that could be toxic to dogs or cats who might find him fun to pursue. This substance can even cause some serious harm to a human, if one were to handle the frog and not wash your hands thoroughly afterward. My research indicates that Frodo may have come to this abode because his regular haunt – warm, damp ground in which to burrow – is not available right now. Ditto for his traditional fare of grubs, which he digs from the moist earth! So I will be kind to Frodo and allow him to stay in the birdhouse. I will “live generously” where he is concerned. But I will also see him for the potential scoundrel that he is… I’m aware of his truth!
There is a lesson here for all of us in our daily living. There are “scoundrels” among us… people who are a bit of a chameleon at best… changing with the wind or whatever best suits their desires at the moment. And while I don’t like to think I have any actual “enemies,” I know that there are people who only want what they feel I can give them… those who are nice enough to me when necessary but don’t actually give a hoot about my feelings or wellbeing. I recognize these people (most of the time)… and I hope I treat them generously in spite of their behavior - because God calls me to do so. I urge you to do the same.
I also ask that we would never be the scoundrel… that we would not treat others in a dishonest or disrespectful way or use them to get ahead or for our own benefit. I pray that we would operate in honesty and truth… love and genuine big-heartedness. God is calling us to be the real deal… to be sincere and authentic with others… but also to be charitable – even when we are being treated anything but kindly. It’s a tall order… but as we have discussed many times, we Christians were never promised “easy!”
I’m going to continue to allow Frodo to inhabit our birdhouse… but I won’t be doing anything to antagonize him! As for the “scoundrels” I encounter in life, I pray that I will have the wisdom to recognize them, the strength and courage to handle whatever they deliver, and the ability to treat them generously. In doing this, I hope that God will allow my best to shine through for Him. What about you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 22, 2012
2 Corinthians 4:1-4
Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we're not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don't maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don't twist God's Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.
If our Message is obscure to anyone, it's not because we're holding back in any way. No, it's because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won't have to bother believing a Truth they can't see. They're stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we'll ever get.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
My mom tells a story about playing baseball with neighbor kids when she was growing up, and one kid would always have an excuse handy when he got up to bat. If he swung and missed, he would start saying repeatedly, “I didn’t break my wrist!” – meaning he didn’t swing through, so the attempt didn’t count in his estimation! He thought he could have another turn, as long as the swing had not counted. In other words, he didn’t bother believing the truth and chose to think what he wanted.
I’m not sure how well this worked for the boy, but I know it doesn’t work with God. We can’t make up our own rules or twist the truth to fit our own advantage and expect God to merely go along with us.
Let’s face it… things are not always going to go our way. And honestly, God has made no secret of this to Christians. There are clear indications throughout the Bible that the life of Christ’s disciples will be peppered with obstacles and challenges. Sadly, more than few Christians decide to deal with this by 1) throwing up their hands at the first sign of trouble, and 2) masking their faith and trying to manipulate God, so that they can be one person in His presence and another in the company of those who might choose to judge or ridicule them for their faith. Like the kid on the ball team who had a ready excuse for a missed swing, we are “all in” when we connect with the ball, but ready to turn tail and run when anything goes awry.
We can’t have it both ways… and we shouldn’t need or want to do this. God has done so much for us. He will never give us more than we can handle. So why would we fear the challenges and road bumps for even a minute? Every time I have faced a “hard time,” God has strengthened my faith. Every time I have fallen down, He has lifted me.
I have yet to encounter anything God could not handle on my behalf. And yes, there have been times when I’ve put on a mask and played games… and tried to manipulate God into seeing things my way. But more and more, I have learned that my ideas are never as wise as God’s. My attempts to fix things almost never work out – and certainly never in situations where I should have listened to God in the first place.
We need to be “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” Christians… the kind who trust God for everything and deal with whatever challenges come our way. The life of a Christian is not easy, nor perfect in the way we would anticipate. God is not punishing us by allowing tests and struggles to come our way… but He is teaching us how to trust Him for the outcomes. Every swing “at bat” is not going to result in a home run. We are probably going to “miss the ball” and “strike out” a good deal of the time. How we react will say a lot about our faith… and whose truth we really believe – God’s, or our own. And this will be our message – to ourselves and to others. What is your message today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we're not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don't maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don't twist God's Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.
If our Message is obscure to anyone, it's not because we're holding back in any way. No, it's because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won't have to bother believing a Truth they can't see. They're stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we'll ever get.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
My mom tells a story about playing baseball with neighbor kids when she was growing up, and one kid would always have an excuse handy when he got up to bat. If he swung and missed, he would start saying repeatedly, “I didn’t break my wrist!” – meaning he didn’t swing through, so the attempt didn’t count in his estimation! He thought he could have another turn, as long as the swing had not counted. In other words, he didn’t bother believing the truth and chose to think what he wanted.
I’m not sure how well this worked for the boy, but I know it doesn’t work with God. We can’t make up our own rules or twist the truth to fit our own advantage and expect God to merely go along with us.
Let’s face it… things are not always going to go our way. And honestly, God has made no secret of this to Christians. There are clear indications throughout the Bible that the life of Christ’s disciples will be peppered with obstacles and challenges. Sadly, more than few Christians decide to deal with this by 1) throwing up their hands at the first sign of trouble, and 2) masking their faith and trying to manipulate God, so that they can be one person in His presence and another in the company of those who might choose to judge or ridicule them for their faith. Like the kid on the ball team who had a ready excuse for a missed swing, we are “all in” when we connect with the ball, but ready to turn tail and run when anything goes awry.
We can’t have it both ways… and we shouldn’t need or want to do this. God has done so much for us. He will never give us more than we can handle. So why would we fear the challenges and road bumps for even a minute? Every time I have faced a “hard time,” God has strengthened my faith. Every time I have fallen down, He has lifted me.
I have yet to encounter anything God could not handle on my behalf. And yes, there have been times when I’ve put on a mask and played games… and tried to manipulate God into seeing things my way. But more and more, I have learned that my ideas are never as wise as God’s. My attempts to fix things almost never work out – and certainly never in situations where I should have listened to God in the first place.
We need to be “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” Christians… the kind who trust God for everything and deal with whatever challenges come our way. The life of a Christian is not easy, nor perfect in the way we would anticipate. God is not punishing us by allowing tests and struggles to come our way… but He is teaching us how to trust Him for the outcomes. Every swing “at bat” is not going to result in a home run. We are probably going to “miss the ball” and “strike out” a good deal of the time. How we react will say a lot about our faith… and whose truth we really believe – God’s, or our own. And this will be our message – to ourselves and to others. What is your message today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 15, 2011
Luke 16:10-15
Jesus went on to make these comments:
If you're honest in small things, you'll be honest in big things;
If you're a crook in small things, you'll be a crook in big things.
If you're not honest in small jobs, who will put you in charge of the store?
No worker can serve two bosses: He'll either hate the first and love the second or adore the first and despise the second. You can't serve both God and the Bank.
When the Pharisees, a money-obsessed bunch, heard him say these things, they rolled their eyes, dismissing him as hopelessly out of touch. So Jesus spoke to them: "You are masters at making yourselves look good in front of others, but God knows what's behind the appearance.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Selling online is fun… but it can be challenging, too. Once in awhile, you will get a customer who cannot be satisfied. Even though you try to make your photos and written description as clear and inclusive as possible, there will be that person who says, “This is not what I ordered,” or “You didn’t tell me such-and-such.” Whether they are correct is pretty irrelevant. I’ve learned that the smartest thing to do is say, “Send it back,” eat any shipping expense, and move forward.
In online selling, reputation is everything. You are known by how promptly and carefully you ship… whether products are as you described… and how fair your charges are. So when a repeat customer recently paid nearly $2 more for shipping than it actually cost, I immediately issued a refund. I could have kept that overage… it would have covered my PayPal fees. And the customer had known the shipping cost when she purchased. In my defense, I had to estimate shipping cost based on a more distant destination. Since the customer lived in a nearby state, shipping costs were not as high as estimated. So I issued the refund.
In the long run, being fair and honest will get me more customers and repeat business – and this customer has left wonderful feedback for other potential buyers to read. Two dollars is not a big amount, but as this passage illustrates, small things lead to bigger things. And conversely, small gestures… like issuing this refund… will lead to bigger things, such as more sales down the road.
You may know someone of whom it is said, “If his/her lips are moving, he/she is lying.” Sadly, we probably all know someone we wouldn’t trust past the front door. But for every person who is this dishonest or untrustworthy, there are many others who walk among us who are more subtle and deceptive. I hope you are not one of these people. I hope you don’t operate in the “Who will know?” realm of sweeping little things under the rug, “putting lipstick on the pig” and making yourself look like someone you are not… basically being a phony. You may fool the people around you – at least for awhile – but God will never be fooled!
Ask yourself where and when you may have temptations to color the truth in your favor – even a little. Examine every area of your life to see if there are any corners where you are less than honest with others – and yourself! Ask God to help you be the real deal… the person He created you to be… and to focus on being genuine and serving Him well. Just like my positive feedback online, doing the right thing will bring you exponential blessings that you can’t even imagine. God knows your heart… and He will honor your best efforts. Is this what you are giving Him?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Jesus went on to make these comments:
If you're honest in small things, you'll be honest in big things;
If you're a crook in small things, you'll be a crook in big things.
If you're not honest in small jobs, who will put you in charge of the store?
No worker can serve two bosses: He'll either hate the first and love the second or adore the first and despise the second. You can't serve both God and the Bank.
When the Pharisees, a money-obsessed bunch, heard him say these things, they rolled their eyes, dismissing him as hopelessly out of touch. So Jesus spoke to them: "You are masters at making yourselves look good in front of others, but God knows what's behind the appearance.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Selling online is fun… but it can be challenging, too. Once in awhile, you will get a customer who cannot be satisfied. Even though you try to make your photos and written description as clear and inclusive as possible, there will be that person who says, “This is not what I ordered,” or “You didn’t tell me such-and-such.” Whether they are correct is pretty irrelevant. I’ve learned that the smartest thing to do is say, “Send it back,” eat any shipping expense, and move forward.
In online selling, reputation is everything. You are known by how promptly and carefully you ship… whether products are as you described… and how fair your charges are. So when a repeat customer recently paid nearly $2 more for shipping than it actually cost, I immediately issued a refund. I could have kept that overage… it would have covered my PayPal fees. And the customer had known the shipping cost when she purchased. In my defense, I had to estimate shipping cost based on a more distant destination. Since the customer lived in a nearby state, shipping costs were not as high as estimated. So I issued the refund.
In the long run, being fair and honest will get me more customers and repeat business – and this customer has left wonderful feedback for other potential buyers to read. Two dollars is not a big amount, but as this passage illustrates, small things lead to bigger things. And conversely, small gestures… like issuing this refund… will lead to bigger things, such as more sales down the road.
You may know someone of whom it is said, “If his/her lips are moving, he/she is lying.” Sadly, we probably all know someone we wouldn’t trust past the front door. But for every person who is this dishonest or untrustworthy, there are many others who walk among us who are more subtle and deceptive. I hope you are not one of these people. I hope you don’t operate in the “Who will know?” realm of sweeping little things under the rug, “putting lipstick on the pig” and making yourself look like someone you are not… basically being a phony. You may fool the people around you – at least for awhile – but God will never be fooled!
Ask yourself where and when you may have temptations to color the truth in your favor – even a little. Examine every area of your life to see if there are any corners where you are less than honest with others – and yourself! Ask God to help you be the real deal… the person He created you to be… and to focus on being genuine and serving Him well. Just like my positive feedback online, doing the right thing will bring you exponential blessings that you can’t even imagine. God knows your heart… and He will honor your best efforts. Is this what you are giving Him?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 15, 2011
Luke 18:9-14
Jesus told a story to some people who thought they were better than others and who looked down on everyone else: Two men went into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood over by himself and prayed, "God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like that tax collector over there. I go without eating for two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn."
The tax collector stood off at a distance and did not think he was good enough even to look up toward heaven. He was so sorry for what he had done that he pounded his chest and prayed, "God, have pity on me! I am such a sinner."
Then Jesus said, "When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
You may have heard the recent news report about a woman who injects her 8-year-old daughter with Botox, because – in her words… “a lot of the moms were giving their kids Botox… and I’m not the only one doing it. I think a lot of the kids making the lines on the face a big deal made her want to do it more.” The San Francisco mother contends that she is doing this to keep up with the “beauty-take-all world” of the pageant circuit.
Sadly, this little girl will apparently not get a chance to genuinely be herself. And I have to wonder if this incessant concern over physical appearance (I mean… c’mon… wrinkles on an 8-year-old’s face?!) won’t spill over into arrogance as this little girl grows into a young woman. “Normal” people will never be in her league… and those with physical deformities and more will most certainly be viewed as less than acceptable. At least the potential is there for some pretty scary attitudes and behaviors.
I am so done with phony people, aren’t you?! I’m worn out with people who say one thing to your face and act another way when you aren’t looking. I’m tired of the people who view those with poor hygiene and shabby clothing – or the “wrong” color or lifestyle choice – as beneath them. Give me good ole humble Christians who are striving to live in God’s will and focus on serving Him rather than serving themselves! Sometimes, I think God is thinking the same thing. Don’t you figure He gets tired of all of the grandstanding and arrogance… particularly when it comes from people who profess to be His Disciples?
Let’s look at what we are doing… in every aspect of our lives. Where are we setting ourselves – or those around us – up for the potential to operate in arrogance and piety? Where are we behaving as if we are better than others… or trying to be something – or someone – we are not? Do you see how this grieves God? Isn’t it time we became humble, genuine servants who say, “Here I am LORD… warts and all. If You can use me in some manner, I’m ready and willing to serve. Just point me in the right direction.”?
God may not ask you to take a “tax collector” (or a homeless person or someone whose beliefs don’t match your own) home with you for a meal. But whatever He asks of us, we must be ready – and willing – to do. If you were one of the people in Jesus’ story, who would you most resemble today?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Jesus told a story to some people who thought they were better than others and who looked down on everyone else: Two men went into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood over by himself and prayed, "God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like that tax collector over there. I go without eating for two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn."
The tax collector stood off at a distance and did not think he was good enough even to look up toward heaven. He was so sorry for what he had done that he pounded his chest and prayed, "God, have pity on me! I am such a sinner."
Then Jesus said, "When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
You may have heard the recent news report about a woman who injects her 8-year-old daughter with Botox, because – in her words… “a lot of the moms were giving their kids Botox… and I’m not the only one doing it. I think a lot of the kids making the lines on the face a big deal made her want to do it more.” The San Francisco mother contends that she is doing this to keep up with the “beauty-take-all world” of the pageant circuit.
Sadly, this little girl will apparently not get a chance to genuinely be herself. And I have to wonder if this incessant concern over physical appearance (I mean… c’mon… wrinkles on an 8-year-old’s face?!) won’t spill over into arrogance as this little girl grows into a young woman. “Normal” people will never be in her league… and those with physical deformities and more will most certainly be viewed as less than acceptable. At least the potential is there for some pretty scary attitudes and behaviors.
I am so done with phony people, aren’t you?! I’m worn out with people who say one thing to your face and act another way when you aren’t looking. I’m tired of the people who view those with poor hygiene and shabby clothing – or the “wrong” color or lifestyle choice – as beneath them. Give me good ole humble Christians who are striving to live in God’s will and focus on serving Him rather than serving themselves! Sometimes, I think God is thinking the same thing. Don’t you figure He gets tired of all of the grandstanding and arrogance… particularly when it comes from people who profess to be His Disciples?
Let’s look at what we are doing… in every aspect of our lives. Where are we setting ourselves – or those around us – up for the potential to operate in arrogance and piety? Where are we behaving as if we are better than others… or trying to be something – or someone – we are not? Do you see how this grieves God? Isn’t it time we became humble, genuine servants who say, “Here I am LORD… warts and all. If You can use me in some manner, I’m ready and willing to serve. Just point me in the right direction.”?
God may not ask you to take a “tax collector” (or a homeless person or someone whose beliefs don’t match your own) home with you for a meal. But whatever He asks of us, we must be ready – and willing – to do. If you were one of the people in Jesus’ story, who would you most resemble today?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 18, 2011
Hosea 6:6
I'm after love that lasts, not more religion. I want you to know God, not go to more prayer meetings.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My brother Tim worked at our local hospital as an orderly when he was in high school. Because the hospital staff was small in number and close knit, my brother was taken under the wing of several nurses (and a couple of doctors), and he was a quick study. One day when Tim was 15 or 16, he heard a woman screaming on the courthouse square as he drove up Main Street. The woman was standing alongside her husband… and he was having a heart attack. Tim stopped and resuscitated this man by administering CPR… and he literally saved this man’s life.
My brother learned a lot about medicine as a high school orderly – and then he became a heart monitor technician - which led to his lifelong interest in cardiac medicine. By the time Tim went to nursing school, he already had a lot of firsthand experience. He still had to do the “book learning” – and there was a lot to learn – but like many good nurses before him who never even went to nursing school, Tim learned much “on the job.”
Our pastor recently said, “Being in church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than being in the hen house makes you a chicken!” God wants us to learn “on the job” by spending time with Him… learning from Him, communicating with Him, studying His word… and “practicing” our faith. Prayer meetings, Bible studies, worship services and fellowship with other Christians all have their place. But being able to quote scripture or warming a pew for a meeting/service/class doesn’t necessarily mean you have a love for God that lasts… or a deep, abiding relationship with Him. When it comes to our Christian faith, relationships trump “book learning” every time.
God wants us to worship Him and fortify our relationship by putting our faith into action. He wants us to communicate… but He also wants us to be busy DOING His work on this earth. I have a poor memory for scripture. I can quote or paraphrase favorite Bible verses… but to sit and tell you, “Hosea 6:6 says ‘I’m after love that lasts; not more religion…’ is probably not going to happen. However, in my own defense, I try to spend a lot of time communicating with God about how and where He wants me to serve… what I can do to honor Him and operate in His will.
You can spout scripture to others until you are blue in the face. But unless you can live out the meaning and intention of that scripture each day… unless you can be the hands and feet of Jesus for real in the everyday world… you are merely spouting scripture. You can go to church every Sunday and take on countless jobs in your church, but if you do not have a heart for loving others with the love of Christ and meeting them where they are each and every day, you’re probably wasting a lot of time.
You can work to garner new members for your church/Sunday-school class/small group/choir and more, but if you are not modeling Christian behavior – from the heart – every day, you are just warming seats with bodies. We need to get real about what God wants from us. He wants a relationship that is interactive and mutually genuine. He wants us to love Him above all else… and to desire to worship Him and serve His purposes more than anything else! Any less is simply not acceptable.
When we think about our relationship with God in these terms, it seems daunting… like a huge responsibility… and it is! But God will never give us more than we can handle. He will never ask more of us than He equips us to accomplish. We have nothing to fear. All we have to do is step up and get to know him.
Study and “book learning” have their place. And I’m glad my brother went to school and got his nursing degree. But that was not what made him a good nurse, any more than organized meetings and services make us faithful Christians. How badly do you want this? How serious are you about your relationship with God? It’s time we asked ourselves the tough questions… and seriously considered our answers. How well do you really know God these days? What are you willing to do to get to know Him better?
©2011 Debbie Robus
I'm after love that lasts, not more religion. I want you to know God, not go to more prayer meetings.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My brother Tim worked at our local hospital as an orderly when he was in high school. Because the hospital staff was small in number and close knit, my brother was taken under the wing of several nurses (and a couple of doctors), and he was a quick study. One day when Tim was 15 or 16, he heard a woman screaming on the courthouse square as he drove up Main Street. The woman was standing alongside her husband… and he was having a heart attack. Tim stopped and resuscitated this man by administering CPR… and he literally saved this man’s life.
My brother learned a lot about medicine as a high school orderly – and then he became a heart monitor technician - which led to his lifelong interest in cardiac medicine. By the time Tim went to nursing school, he already had a lot of firsthand experience. He still had to do the “book learning” – and there was a lot to learn – but like many good nurses before him who never even went to nursing school, Tim learned much “on the job.”
Our pastor recently said, “Being in church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than being in the hen house makes you a chicken!” God wants us to learn “on the job” by spending time with Him… learning from Him, communicating with Him, studying His word… and “practicing” our faith. Prayer meetings, Bible studies, worship services and fellowship with other Christians all have their place. But being able to quote scripture or warming a pew for a meeting/service/class doesn’t necessarily mean you have a love for God that lasts… or a deep, abiding relationship with Him. When it comes to our Christian faith, relationships trump “book learning” every time.
God wants us to worship Him and fortify our relationship by putting our faith into action. He wants us to communicate… but He also wants us to be busy DOING His work on this earth. I have a poor memory for scripture. I can quote or paraphrase favorite Bible verses… but to sit and tell you, “Hosea 6:6 says ‘I’m after love that lasts; not more religion…’ is probably not going to happen. However, in my own defense, I try to spend a lot of time communicating with God about how and where He wants me to serve… what I can do to honor Him and operate in His will.
You can spout scripture to others until you are blue in the face. But unless you can live out the meaning and intention of that scripture each day… unless you can be the hands and feet of Jesus for real in the everyday world… you are merely spouting scripture. You can go to church every Sunday and take on countless jobs in your church, but if you do not have a heart for loving others with the love of Christ and meeting them where they are each and every day, you’re probably wasting a lot of time.
You can work to garner new members for your church/Sunday-school class/small group/choir and more, but if you are not modeling Christian behavior – from the heart – every day, you are just warming seats with bodies. We need to get real about what God wants from us. He wants a relationship that is interactive and mutually genuine. He wants us to love Him above all else… and to desire to worship Him and serve His purposes more than anything else! Any less is simply not acceptable.
When we think about our relationship with God in these terms, it seems daunting… like a huge responsibility… and it is! But God will never give us more than we can handle. He will never ask more of us than He equips us to accomplish. We have nothing to fear. All we have to do is step up and get to know him.
Study and “book learning” have their place. And I’m glad my brother went to school and got his nursing degree. But that was not what made him a good nurse, any more than organized meetings and services make us faithful Christians. How badly do you want this? How serious are you about your relationship with God? It’s time we asked ourselves the tough questions… and seriously considered our answers. How well do you really know God these days? What are you willing to do to get to know Him better?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 18, 2011
1 Corinthians 7:20
So don't try to change what you were when God chose you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When we got our first kitten, she was extremely wild. A friend “caught” her as she and her litter mates followed their mother across busy Highway 7 just north of Arkansas Tech. Tigger was clearly the runt of the litter, and she was just slow enough for our friend to rescue. The others made it safely across the road and into thick brush. For weeks after Tigger came to our home, she would hide under the couch, scared to death of her enormous owners. This tiny kitten fit in the palm of our hand. I would reach under the couch and drag her out… then wrap her in a dish towel to protect myself from her tiny, razor-sharp claws… and I would hold her tightly to my chest and talk soothingly to her.
I don’t remember exactly how long it took, but eventually, Tigger was no longer afraid of us or our little mobile home. She snuggled with us voluntarily, played and romped through the place, and generally became “Queen of the Castle.” When we would drive home to visit our family on weekends, she road on the dashboard of our car… perfectly content to doze there – even oblivious to the motion of the windshield wipers when it rained.
Then Tigger had kittens… and she changed again. She was still loving and fearless, but her contentment in the car was gone forever. All it took was one long, miserable ride home with her babies in a basket… crying, sick, and unhappy… and she had forever had enough of the car. From that point forward, there was no changing her. She was totally disgusted with the car and would let us know it! We might have succeeded in changing her from a terrified kitten on the side of the road into a loving, nurturing house cat… but we would never get her to ride on our dashboard again!
I will tell you right now… people will try to change you all of your life. Friends will want you to like what they like… to enjoy their same tastes in everything from fashion to sports to video games and music. Love interests may try to get you to become more like them. They may tell others, “He would be perfect if I could just get him to like musicals…” or “She is great except for being so disorganized… if I can just change that, we’ll get along fine.” Still others may say, “You need to come to this Bible study we are having – if you were serious about your walk with God, you would come to more things like this.”
Go back and read the verses leading up to 1 Corinthians 7:20. Clearly, God has a plan for our lives, and while some changes are positive – and there is nothing wrong with a Bible study, becoming more organizing, or deciding you like musicals – we can’t become someone else. We are who God made us to be… and trying to change to suit anyone except Him is just plain wrong. It will only lead to misery and possible disaster. We are not feral kittens who can be “tamed” over time… and this is not God’s design for us!
Search your heart… and spend time every day talking to God. Ask Him in all circumstances… “Is this what You want me to do? Is this who You have called me to be?” Trust His answers. If you sense that God is telling you the changes you are about to make are not of His doing, stop immediately and move in another direction.
The devil will delight in using others to try to sway your opinions… and he’s really clever at making a convincing argument. Our job as Christians is to stay awake and alert – and in constant communication with our Heavenly Father, who chose us just as we were and doesn’t want anyone else. Be authentic… be who God chose…only change if HE says so!
©2011 Debbie Robus
So don't try to change what you were when God chose you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When we got our first kitten, she was extremely wild. A friend “caught” her as she and her litter mates followed their mother across busy Highway 7 just north of Arkansas Tech. Tigger was clearly the runt of the litter, and she was just slow enough for our friend to rescue. The others made it safely across the road and into thick brush. For weeks after Tigger came to our home, she would hide under the couch, scared to death of her enormous owners. This tiny kitten fit in the palm of our hand. I would reach under the couch and drag her out… then wrap her in a dish towel to protect myself from her tiny, razor-sharp claws… and I would hold her tightly to my chest and talk soothingly to her.
I don’t remember exactly how long it took, but eventually, Tigger was no longer afraid of us or our little mobile home. She snuggled with us voluntarily, played and romped through the place, and generally became “Queen of the Castle.” When we would drive home to visit our family on weekends, she road on the dashboard of our car… perfectly content to doze there – even oblivious to the motion of the windshield wipers when it rained.
Then Tigger had kittens… and she changed again. She was still loving and fearless, but her contentment in the car was gone forever. All it took was one long, miserable ride home with her babies in a basket… crying, sick, and unhappy… and she had forever had enough of the car. From that point forward, there was no changing her. She was totally disgusted with the car and would let us know it! We might have succeeded in changing her from a terrified kitten on the side of the road into a loving, nurturing house cat… but we would never get her to ride on our dashboard again!
I will tell you right now… people will try to change you all of your life. Friends will want you to like what they like… to enjoy their same tastes in everything from fashion to sports to video games and music. Love interests may try to get you to become more like them. They may tell others, “He would be perfect if I could just get him to like musicals…” or “She is great except for being so disorganized… if I can just change that, we’ll get along fine.” Still others may say, “You need to come to this Bible study we are having – if you were serious about your walk with God, you would come to more things like this.”
Go back and read the verses leading up to 1 Corinthians 7:20. Clearly, God has a plan for our lives, and while some changes are positive – and there is nothing wrong with a Bible study, becoming more organizing, or deciding you like musicals – we can’t become someone else. We are who God made us to be… and trying to change to suit anyone except Him is just plain wrong. It will only lead to misery and possible disaster. We are not feral kittens who can be “tamed” over time… and this is not God’s design for us!
Search your heart… and spend time every day talking to God. Ask Him in all circumstances… “Is this what You want me to do? Is this who You have called me to be?” Trust His answers. If you sense that God is telling you the changes you are about to make are not of His doing, stop immediately and move in another direction.
The devil will delight in using others to try to sway your opinions… and he’s really clever at making a convincing argument. Our job as Christians is to stay awake and alert – and in constant communication with our Heavenly Father, who chose us just as we were and doesn’t want anyone else. Be authentic… be who God chose…only change if HE says so!
©2011 Debbie Robus
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