Light Archives - Kristin Saatzer

Out-n-In

January 6, 2016 By Kristin Saatzer 10 Comments

My oldest child arrived nine days late. Labor lasted over twenty-four hours until my doctor performed an emergency Caesarean, transporting my baby boy from my womb into my arms.

A comfortable, familiar home was this dark womb; leaving was not what baby Sammy wanted. Yet, leaving was best. My baby had to come out of the darkness. The light waiting for him was bright but wonderful to behold. God meant for Sammy to enter this light, to live in it and thrive because of it.

Remaining in places of comfortable familiarity is not always best for us. Like the womb, these can be spaces of darkness. Oftentimes, we find it easier (or safer), to stay hidden in the dark.

As we begin this shiny New Year, you may feel regret as you reflect on the year we just said good-bye to. Was it less than shiny? Do you need a bright start?

As you read these words, I challenge you to stop and pray. Are there places of darkness in your innermost parts? Places desperately needing God’s Light to penetrate?

In God’s word, Peter tells us:

^“BUT you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

1 Peter 2:9 (New International Version)

Out of Darkness

Let’s focus in on the last two points of this verse: God has called us out of darkness, and into His wonderful light.

God called us out. The darkness is not our home, even though it may feel cozy and familiar. In today’s context, I am referring to those of us who claim Jesus as Savior, yet still live in or with shadowed, covered spaces. This can include shame, addictions, depression and many others. Personal, private darkness.

From the outside looking in, others may view us as “having it all together”. We may be leaders in our church and communities. We may have beautiful homes, cute outfits and darling children. However, pain and shadow reside in our souls.

Is the Lord speaking to you today? Maybe victory seems impossible or scary?

Where to begin? Continue Reading

But My Light Has No Shine

October 7, 2015 By Kristin Saatzer 2 Comments

Not all of us can do great things.

But we can do small things with great love. ~Mother Teresa

During a trying time around nine years ago, my light lost its shine. I was in the abyss of homeschooling three wild boys and trying to keep one indescribable toddler alive (no joke). The world has yet to see another child like him.

Anyway! I knew my light was sorta shining in my home and that it would prayerfully pay dividends in the lives of my sons someday (particularly the one who would be alive to tell). Yet, I became compelled to shine that light to the “outside” world in some small way. With limited time and energy, my first priority was the fam. But in reflecting on my circumstances, I realized I had let the shine go out of my light because of self-imposed limitations and the oh so familiar companion named Discouragement.

So, what did I do with this compulsion? Did I start a street ministry feeding fifty homeless people a day? No. Did I sign a recording contract and tour the land singing for the masses? No. Did I pray that God would lead me and show me how to get my shine on? Yes.

And He did.

The Lord opened my eyes to neighbors needing a touch of encouragement via prayers, words or notes. There were families on my boys’ teams needing a listening ear. I met strangers needing a meal or a momentary friend. Such small, simple acts, laced with intentionality.

Guess what? The shine in my light returned.

It began with a prayer. It began with the baby step of sharing my heart with God; He gave me eyes to see and ears to hear. God gave me the heart to see needs in the world beyond my home and the wild ones living in it.Continue Reading

This Little Light of Mine

October 1, 2015 By Kristin Saatzer 4 Comments

“A single candle can both defy and define the darkness.”

Ann Frank

Imagine throngs of people standing in an eerily moonless night, surrounded by every form of Evil. The sound of striking matches quickens as the smell of sulphur wafts through the air.

One by one, candles flicker as the light grows brighter and brighter. Together, the candles resemble an exquisite flame: expansive and powerful.

And Evil flees in fear.

God has much to say in His Word about His children and Light. Here is a sampling:

~Believers are Sons and Daughters of Light:

“While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he went away and hid himself from them. ~John 12:36 NET Bible

~For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! ~Ephesians 5:8 New Living Translation

~You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. ~ 1 Thes. 5:5 New International Version

~Disciples are Light Bearers:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. ~Math. 5:16 New International Version

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. ~Proverbs 4:18 ~King James Bible

~The Church is a Collective Light:

~14“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ~Math. 5:14, 15 New American Standard Bible

so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world. ~Phil. 2;15 Holman Christian Standard Bible

How amazing that we, His church, are Children of the Light? We are His Light Bearers and City on a Hill. Individually and collectively as we shine for Him, Evil flees.

So shine for Him precious Light Bearer. AND may we shine together as one mighty flame on a moonless night and rejoice as Evil flees.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

~Edmund Burke

Who does He Think He is?

September 23, 2015 By Kristin Saatzer 2 Comments

Picture the hostile faces of the Pharisees, their blood boiling as Jesus spoke about Himself:

12Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 13So the Pharisees said to Him,

“You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.” John 8

The Pharisee’s were influential religious leaders in the time of Christ; Zealots. They saw Christ’s miracles first hand and heard His words yet hated Him to the point of having Him killed.

I imagine them angrily asking one another, “who does He think He is?!” They really had no clue.

But we do. We know that He was the very image of God, coming in human form to save the world:

1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. 3Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.5God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. Genesis 1:1-5

“Your sun will set no more,
Neither will your moon wane;
For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light,
And the days of your mourning will be finished. Is. 60:20

And beyond this miraculous truth is more wonderfulness: He is the light now in this much-darkened world- daily hope, help and strength. No matter what we are facing. No matter what Fox News or CNN tells us. No matter what.