Author: mrgblog

Posted on

To what are you tethered?

I was standing by the river this morning w 2 of my grandkids at a social distance skipping rocks and watching them wade into the water. We even caught a frog! It was peaceful and while the sun was shining, the shade and the water off the water made it so pleasant. I wished we had a couple blow up rafts so the kids could enjoy floating just off the rocky beach where I could make sure nothing went wrong. What I forgot was as still as the river was, there was still a current that without something to anchor them, the kids would have nonchalantly drifted down the river to a place I would not have been able to see them anymore.

I was thankful for this moment after a couple of weeks of finding it hard to find anything for which to be thankful. This thought reminded me of Romans 12:2 in the Bible that says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” My friend, Steve Fitzhugh, modernized this verse when talking to young people about peer pressure saying, “even a dead fish can swim down stream.” I am grateful that the Covid19 shelter in place has given me extra time to think about what I feel about watching a black man killed by those who are sworn to protect. The first thing I felt called to do was reach out and say I am sorry to friends whom I knew were in pain. That I was broken hearted that George Floyd’s death once again showed that there is still an ugly and hateful current that continues to move in our society. I then focused on what was I to do about it and found a devotional by Chip Ingram that even though it wasn’t about this hateful act, it gave me a roadmap for my journey forward from here. I interpreted what he shared in this way.

“This is a journey which we are all on and one we need to do together. As Chip Ingram shared, like a real trip, we need a SUV ? We first need to Study so that we can learn and gain knowledge. We then need to seek to Understand by listening to those who have experienced more and know more than we do. We then need to make ourselves Vulnerable so that as Paul in Philippians 2 teaches, “we will not just look to our own interests but as importantly, the interest of others”

If we can all somehow do this, tethered together in unity, we can become agents of change. We can’t allow our complacency to let the currents of the world continue to take us down stream to places where we never intended to go. As Pastor TD Jakes shared recently in a sermon, “It is time to not Make America Great Again. It is time to make America Love Again. It is time to make America Kind Again.” The song says, “They will know we are Christians by our love”and that “it only takes a spark to get it going” Rosa Parks was arrested on December 1, 1955 after she refused to give up her seat on a crowded bus to a white passenger. This action of Parks, and a united African-American community made the boycott a success. They remained united and less than a year later the Supreme Court in November of 1956, ruled that segregation on buses operating within Alabama’s boundaries was illegal, because it deprived people of equal protection under the 14th Amendment. Maybe our individual actions to help make things right can make a difference after all. That would be a reason for which to be thankful.

Visit my health challenge story at www.caringbridge.org/visit/michael Guthrie Subscribe to my blog at www.thankfulinallthings.com contact me at [email protected]

Posted on

For what are you longing?

In a world where we rarely agree any more one thing is for sure. We all long for this time of sheltering in place and social distancing to be over. Living our lives via Virtual zoom, FaceTime, youtube, etc. is wearing on us all. How that happens and when is a different question but it is impacting every one of us. Some feel strongly we need to stay the course and not have folks venturing out to fast. Others have lost their patience and are saying enough is enough. Like the newscaster in the movie, Network, they are acting upon their feelings “I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it any more.” They are going to take their chances with the hope I won’t come down with Covid19 or give it to someone else. They are willing to risk “the long term consequence for the short term opportunity of being with friends again”.

My hope is we won’t be too quick to judge others. That we will extend grace to one another understanding we are all dealing with something that is new. When faced with adversity, we all are not going to react in the same manner. It is no surprise that one recent study shows, 30% of us show symptoms of clinical depression. It begs the question, for what are we longing as we wait? If we can get our arms around that question, I think it can help us persevere through and relate better with those around us. It certainly did for me as I battled back from Guillain Barre Syndrome during the spring months of 2019. Little did Dottie and I know we would once again battle through another type of adversity during those same months in 2020. Hopefully what we have learned will in some way help you during this challenging and stressful time. Which brings me back to the importance of longing for something.

When things were at their worse, we chose to focus on staying in the present with our motivation being what’s next? What can we do next? Longing for an unknown future did us no good. All we could control was what we did in each moment that would hopefully make me better the next day trusting in verses like Psalm 46:1,2 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way  and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” As an example, I went into the hospital on March 1, 2019 and we honestly never asked when the experts thought I would be able to go home. We sensed longing for something given our uncertain situation would just lead us into discouragement. We chose to stay focused on OK this is where we are right now, What can I do next to get me a little bit better tomorrow.
I believe there is a parallel between this thought process for my GBS recovery and how we all should be dealing with this season of Coronavirus. Taking it moment by moment, day by day helped keep us from spiraling down into discouragement. Interestingly enough, the last two weeks in rehab were the worst. Why? Because once they told me I would go home on 4/25, I lost my in the moment thinking. All I could think of was going home. My rehab room felt like a prison. Sound familiar? Most of us have handled this stay at home order well but we now can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It is causing all of us to lose the discipline of staying in the moment. We are losing our patience because we desire and want something we can’t control which creates angst & frustration.

Staying in the moment is essential when we face a challenge but thinking of and serving others can also help you through this difficult time. When we start succumbing to the desire for a “pity party” try getting outside yourself by doing something for someone else. My good friend Bill Clark shared in a recent blog post that understanding we are all in this together is critical. “Romans 12 “the body” United upward, inward, outward. indispensable every part matters. Each of us matter. Interdependent and connected as there are no such things as an isolated walk w Christ. Most of the Yous in the Bible are You all. Therefore resentment and bitterness is like a cancer. We are the body to shine the light of Christ. We are to follow Him so he can lead us outward to serve and care for one another so the world can see what God is like. Others are to encounter God through us.

I long for the world to be a better place than it was before Covid19. A world where we learned a slower pace is good for our health. A world where we see we are all in this together with a keener awareness of those in need. A world where we believe and stand together knowing each one of us is precious in God’s sight. A world where we don’t think as much about our rights but instead, as we venture back out, we think about how our actions are impacting those around us. It won’t be easy but if we try it moment by moment “What can I do next to serve someone” mentality we will have done our part in making our community a better place.

If you haven’t already, please subscribe to www.thankfulinallthings.com Please also forward to others who you think might be encouraged reading this blog. I can be reached at [email protected]

Posted on

For Better or For Worse?

I love the show Family Feud. Steve Harvey makes me laugh. What do you think about when you see this question? On the Feud, there is no doubt the #1 answer would be marriage. These days however, the question challenges me in my relationship with Dottie but also, will I be a better or worse person when my life after Covid19 begins. Dallas Willard writes in his book Life without Lack, “It is not pretense we need, it is understanding.  A life without lack his faith in God and in God‘s full capacity and willingness to meet all of our needs and more.” The three words “willingness to meet” jumped out at me. Do you want your relationship with God, your spouse, significant other, friend, co-worker, etc.,to get better? If so, there has to be a willingness to meet. A decision to stop walking your own way and turn toward the other. These are trying times. There is such a temptation to crawl up into a ball saying, “let me know when this is all over” versus having an attitude of “what can I do today to make myself better”along with the relationships I mentioned earlier. Thankfully, God already knows how we would feel while being sheltered in place with the uncertainty of the Coronavirus. Could it be that is why He had Paul write those letters from prison? How bout the words He gives us in James 1:2-5.

Do you want your life and the way you relate to others to be better or worse? Then follow advice of James. Look for the joy in your life even when you face whatever trials that come your way. Lean into knowing God promises that this season of adversity will produce perseverance. Look back and recognize how you have persevered already in these last couple months. Allow it to encourage you onward. James says, “perseverance will make you more mature and complete, lacking nothing” My take on this statement is I will be stronger in the Lord because I chose to turn toward Him in this time of trouble and found that He provided all the peace and freedom from fear I needed. Finally, we all lack wisdom and are asking, is there anyone we can we trust to give us the right answers in this incredible season of uncertainty? The answer is found in what James wrote and also in Proverbs 3:4,5.

Let’s all commit to being better not worse. Ask God into the dark and self-centered places in your heart. James promises “God will give generously to all without finding fault,.” When you receive this generosity, turn your caring heart toward each other asking how can I serve? Wonderful things will happen when we have a willingness to meet. You will become better and so will those around you.

Know that I am grateful for all of you. I look forward to hearing from you. Please subscribe to www.thankfulinallthings.com and comment there or email me at [email protected]

Posted on

Mother’s Day. How does it answer the question, “What does it mean to leave a legacy?”

What is a legacy? A great question on this Mother’s Day. 

We had our virtual lunch with some friends yesterday on our deck. So weird how we sat at opposite ends of the table with them bringing their own food, drink, and utensils. Yet, it was good for my soul after almost 9 weeks of self-isolation. The sweet catch up conversation took us to the question of what does leaving a legacy for others really look like? Can one actually leave a legacy? In a couple/three generations, will anyone remember anything about us? It makes you understand why some contribute financially or with their time so that their name goes up on a plaque or on a building. This thought process could lead to discouragement wondering does my life really matter?

I choose to see it differently and hope what I write here will help you do the same. My hope is my legacy will continue beyond those who actually knew me via the result of the ripple effect of how I served and made a positive impact on others. I think of the book, “The 5 people I meet in heaven” by Mitch Albom, where when Eddie dies he encounters five people who had a significant impact upon him or who he influenced while he was alive. The point being our actions (positive or negative) can have a lasting and hopefully eternal impact on those around us.  Psalms 145:4 – “One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts._ Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” Both taken a bit out of context but help make the point 🙂

My Mom, as well as my Dad, left their wonderful legacy not only with their 6 children but 9 grandchildren. Unfortunately, the now 8 great grand children and future generations will not have the joy of knowing their good and their bad; their strengths and their weaknesses.  Those who knew them felt the joy of being loved and instructed by them. The Guthrie 6 and our spouses as parents or as aunts and uncles will continue to teach the lessons that Papa and The Bup taught us. It is a responsibility we take seriously and that brings us pleasure. That is what legacy looks like to me and for that I feel blessed and find myself thankful on this Mother’s Day. 

www.caringbridge.org/visit/michaelguthrie [email protected]

Posted on

We are no doubt in a crisis, how are you responding

Thanks to my son, I heard a great sermon by Carl Lentz-https://youtu.be/cx9bT9LGwZA He shared about three friends who were held up at gun point. He used what happened to share this Palm Sunday pressure message. “When faced w a crisis one can do 4 things. 1) Freak out, 2) Freeze up, 3)Flee…or 4) Face it head on with the faith God has given us to trust Him with the outcome.”  My question today is “How are you dealing with the challenges of Covid-19?”

As you know, I have written about choices in other entries here and that we all need to take our own responsibility for what our attitude looks like. Each of us has the opportunity to be a true champion. Doing what it takes to be one, no matter whether it is home, at work, or striving to make a difference in our every day world. It takes us having a PRIDE in how we live our lives no matter what obstacles we face. I think of pride as being Personally Responsible for our Individual Daily Effort. It is a matter of chose. It is always a matter of chose. ThankS to many of you for being real life examples of choosing hope vs despair, trust vs fear, gratitude vs wantedness. You are figuring out the How because you know Who provides the strength to see the  Joy through the sorrow As Psalm 30:5 says,”Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.“

Our identity has been shaken because of Covid-19. We are asking, “do I really trust God with the outcome? Will me and my family get through this OK? Why am I feeling anxiety? We need to look back to look forward. The Bible uses the word remember 130 times in the Old Testament and more than 30 times in the New. So, remind yourself from where does help come. Psalm 121:1 “ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord,the Maker of heaven and earth..” Be encouraged that He wants to clothe us with a new identity. One that restores to us the abundant life he has always wanted for us. As we face whatever crisis you face due to COVID-19, may we look for a fresh revelation of his love for us. Allow it to guide you into greater depths of faith. Remembering out of adversity comes strength and that what you once thought was weakness God will use for good.

I read a devotional Randy Wolfe wrote where he shares this story. “An old Indian chief told his son that there are two wolves that live within us. One is full of fear and doubt that wants to destroy and kill. The other is filled with confidence, faith, and assurance. “Which wolf wins?” asked the young son. His dad said, “The one you feed the most.” Carl Lentz says we have a choice when faced with a crisis. The Indian chief is making the same point to his son. “No matter what our tough times look like from one year to the next, we have a decision to make. Interesting that the only exhortation the bible uses more than remember is “Do not Fear.” So today, remember, feed your faith not your fear“


To learn more about the Guillain Barre journey, visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/MichaelGuthrie [email protected]

Posted on

What will you choose?

One of the first days I was in the hospital unable to move due to Guillain Barre Syndrome, a friend asked me, “Do you ever ask Why me? I cannot tell you why but I was in a weird way comforted and encouraged that the question had never entered my mind. Instead, I made the choice to have a mindset of “what do I and the people caring for me need to do for me to get better?”

This blog post came into focus from three very different places this week. First, a good friend talked about “why is it always about what I need, I deserve, I earned and entitled to instead of about what God has done in my life? The second was a brief devotional by John and Stasi Eldredge on “guarding your heart so you prevent negative thoughts from growing in this time of social distancing. Here is the link. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=214262996537588&external_log_id=d77d5d6df9a10b37ff6523ec739b195a&q=stasi%20eldredge Finally, while walking this morning I listened to a sermon, where the pastor challenged those listening, “how has Covid-19 shown you that your identity and security have been in the wrong places?” All three thoughts though different brought to mind the fact we all can choose how we will respond when faced with challenges.

Hasn’t it been a long week? Just a week ago, we celebrated Easter. We sang Hallelujah, He is Risen and found ourselves uplifted knowing we have Hope because God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. A week later, are you still living in Hope or have you gone back into a state of anxiety and discouragement? A week before Easter over 2000 years ago, everyone was shouting “Hosanna in the Highest”. A week later they were screaming “Crucify Him’. In one short week they went from praising Jesus and what He has done to wanting Him dead.

The point is how we choose to live and behave is our chose. Here are some examples of who how we can choose to live our life. Loving vs Hateful, Fearful vs Courageous, Greedy vs Generous, Anxious vs Peaceful, Selfish vs Servant-hearted, Helpful vs disagreeable, resentful vs grateful, bitter vs kindhearted.( *see verses below) Stasi Eldredge shared in the video seeds get planted in our hearts and unless we nourish them positively we can find ourselves succumbing to the attitude “it is all about me”, III, vs desiring to offer hope and light to others.

A year ago, I was in a Rehab Center excited that I had been given the green light to go home. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be there without being able to have visitors. Am I happy that I have been in self-isolation for more than 6 weeks now because of a compromised immune system? No. but I choose to be grateful that this irritation pales in comparison to what others and their loved ones are going through right now. You see, We all have a chose to live our lives out in certain ways. No one can force us to be one way or another. Revelation 3:20 reinforces that very thing. He knocks but it is up to us to answer and open the door. The answer will determine whether you will experience true peace knowing you are living the life God intended for you. One that as Galatians 5:22,23 says produces, ” the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Let’s all go out and encourage others to choose these.

*additional scripture verses. 1 John 4:19 “one who say I love God,” but hates his brother is a liar” “Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give!” – Proverbs 21:26.

Michael [email protected] www.thankfulinallthings.com

Posted on

What does it mean to Wait?

I write this on The Saturday after The Friday and before The Sunday. The day in the middle after Christ died and before He left the tomb empty and appeared to the two men on the road to Emmaus and then to the disciples who should have known better than to fear. A little over a year ago I waited in a hospital bed for my body to respond to the plasmapherisis treatment that would hopefully allow my body to start functioning again. As I have written in a previous blog, I can’t explain why but I did not ask “Why me?” Once I knew I would not be put on a ventilator (little did I know what that would mean a year later) I never was afraid because I had been told by those I trusted that I would get better; That my paralyzed body would once again function properly. I also never doubted God was with me even though it took longer for the treatment to work and in the darkest of nights when I couldn’t sleep. Psalm 91;5 “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day” I chose instead to focus on Isaiah 40;31 “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.“

Just as we are doing now, the disciples waited. John 20: 19 “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.”As we wait on this Saturday for Sunday, the difference now vs then, is we know how it ends. As we wait for this Covid-19 to lessen its grip, don’t wait in fear like the disciples did locked up in that room. Had they listened, the you would remember that Jesus told them what was going to happen. Mark 10: 33.34  “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” Once they saw that He had conquered death, they went out proclaiming the Good News that he is not dead at all. Are we waiting in fear because of Covid-19? Or will we too go out bringing Hope and Light into our part of the world trusting knowing Sunday is coming and when it does we will celebrate that He has Risen. Hallelujah. 

Posted on

In adversity, Can we Count it all blessing….

Today is Palm Sunday. Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus rode into town hearing the crowds shouting “Hosanna; blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord” (Mark 11.9). Mistakenly, They were celebrating that he was “the Messiah coming to renew the kingdom of our father David!” (Mark 11:10). They had no idea what was to come just a week later. As I thought about this fact this morning, I couldn’t help but think of how a month ago none of us could have imagined we would be sheltered at home because of Covid-19. Each of us has been thrown into uncertainty because our before Coronavirus lives have been turned upside down. The same question needs to be asked, just as back then. Where does my trust lie? Who can I believe to tell me the truth of what is happening and how long will it last? We have been thrown into uncertainty as our lives as we know them have been turned upside down. I am grateful that I count it all blessing because I trust the One who said this to those that were looking for someone to trust. “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27. I, we, certainly need to be concerned but we need not fear. Why?

…because our trust is found in the Lord. This is Holy week where we prepare for what God did for all of us. He sent His Son to live amongst us so that He could be sacrificed to fulfill the prophecy of the Old testament. Zechariah 9:9-10 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a colt the foal of an ass.” Yes, then beaten, hung on a cross, and died so that our relationship with God could be restored. Psalm 22, “”They have pierced my hands and my feet.” and in the chapters of Isaiah 52 and 53 where what happens is written in specific detail. I count it all blessing because God knew what was going to happen to His son and was with him throughout the pain and anguish even into death. This gives me renewed confidence and hope that God knew that Covid-19 was going to happen and will be with me and you as well. I use the word renewed because I saw this and continue to see this play out in my Guillain Barre Syndrome recovery. I have written about it on this blog in the past. God made His presence known time and time again in my darkest hours of GBS so I, and I promise you, can count on Him doing it again now. So…..

Count your blessings always being humble and give thanks for everything in life. Be thankful that God through Jesus Christ is with you and promises to walk you through this storm. Be thankful for food, friends, family, but most of all God’s Love. Appreciate everything you have and remember there are people who are in a way harder situation than you. Use this special Holy Week to reach out to those who are alone or are in need. Ask God to show you how He wants you to make a difference in your world. Who knows, maybe you are the one who God uses to show someone He is with them during their darkest hour,

Matthew 25:40- “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” And in doing so, maybe others will count it a blessing for what you did for them.

Posted on

How can we not fear?

As I thought about what I would write this week, I received this CaringBridge post from a good friend whose wife is in the same rehab facility while recovering from Guillain Barre at this time last year. His perspective is right on and reminded me of an earlier post where I wrote about how close I felt to God when things were the darkest. People would ask me, “are you not afraid”? My answer, honestly and I don’t know why, was no because God is with me and He promises to be with me not matter what.” Fast forward a year and we are all facing the fear of coronavirus together. Here is what my friend wrote about it.

“I don’t know about you but these virus precautions are getting to me. Our lives have been turned upside down.No dinning out. No church. No school. No NCAA basketball. No Masters! No easter services. Is this surreal or what? The final epitaph for COVID-19 has not been written yet but somewhere in there will be the damage from fear.

This is a good time to test your personal fear barometer. Do you let events unsettle you? Fear overwhelm you? To a degree, most of us probably do. For me, during the COVID-19 crisis I have tried to gauge my trust in God. Is it enough? If not, why not? My fear of losing my wife has made me face these questions. 

God shouts to us in our pain and suffering. Are we listening? I don’t want to miss anything when He has something to say to me. I am listening closely these past few months.

We have told you about how she on occasions can’t see or hear well, so she mistakes us for someone else. She sees things that aren’t there which confuses her and those talking to her. These are normal results from brain trauma but no one prepared us for how this manifests itself. My fear of the unknown strikes at me as I struggle to deal with my response to her.

So, as we live through COVID-19 and her recovery let’s face our fears with Him. Let’s give them to God. He is our great healer. He cares for us. We can rest in Him. He is our rock. He does not change. He is our refuge and strength. He is always near. As I tell my sweet bride, there is power in the name of Jesus. If you need help, call out his name. He is mighty to save!

Thank you for your persistent prayers and support. We are encouraged by each one of you. We will pray for your courage as you face COVID-19 and life.

Yes. It does take courage to face your fear but I can tell you from 1st hand experience, that is much easier to face them when you look back on adversity and remember that God was there and got you through it just like the psalmist promises in Psalm 23. I posted this the other day on my Facebook page. It came from me thinking about what I wanted to share with those who follow this blog.

Where is God wanting to take us? What does He want to teach us?
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4
Greg Laurie-“Yet the Lord is saying, “You see that mountaintop in the distance? The way to that mountaintop is through this valley. You come with Me now through the valley.”
We all go through those valleys in life, those hard times. Whatever valley it is, remember this: You are not alone. That is God’s great promise to those who believe.”

In closing, I want to repeat something my friend wrote above with the hope that you will try and apply it to your life these days. ” God shouts to us in our pain and suffering. Are we listening? I don’t want to miss anything when He has something to say to me. I am listening closely these past few months. ” Many distractions have been removed from our lives. Sports, concerts, movie theaters, and restaurants to name a few. Why don’t we take this time of isolation from the distractions of the world and have a personal revival where we focus on what should have been our 1st priority all along. God. Psalm 22 shows God knew that His Son would be crucified. We can count on the fact He knows what we are going through now. You can call out to Him trusting He hears your voice. Move toward Him to hear His. Fear not and Trust in Him for all things.