When you do Wrong … Jesus Rescues

by:  Leah Dummel

Luke 23:42-43

John 16:33 Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

This month at VBS we taught our children that in all circumstances, Jesus rescues. When they worry, when they’re lonely, when they feel powerless, and when they struggle. I was able to have a lot of good conversation, especially with our oldest son, around these topics. However, the one that really got him talking and me thinking was “when you do wrong…Jesus rescues." 

Now, if you know our oldest son Declan, you know he is an all-around pretty good kid! But he was able to be very vulnerable with me and share how sometimes he struggles to not make bad behavior choices when playing with other kids and how he told a lie because he thought his parents might be upset with his choice (couldn’t get him to confess the lie, but baby steps).  He also explained that sometimes when his little brother is acting out or throwing a tantrum he feels “mean feelings” towards him. I was able to talk him through all these scenarios and help him name those mean feelings and illustrate how Jesus is there to rescue him when he does those wrong things. 

I was feeling pretty good as a mom if I am completely honest. But THEN … he asked the loaded questions. “Mommy, what are things Jesus has to rescue you from that you do wrong?” I froze. Devin and I both believe in being honest and authentic with our kids. We want, as they grow up, for them to see us and feel we are approachable, relatable and safe. And we believe that one way of creating that culture is being honest with them and not having many secrets with our own mistakes. Otherwise, we risk them putting us on a pedestal and being unable to talk and share their struggles with us. 

But when you make this choice to be so vulnerable you also have to use discretion and boundaries. For instance, it would have been wildly inappropriate for me to say, “Well, I need Jesus to rescue me when I do wrong when I am knee deep in toys, laundry, and diapers and there’s yogurt in my hair and you haven’t stopped asking me all the questions and your brother hasn’t’ spoken a non-hateful non-tantrum word and your dad is frustrated because he can’t get a word in because of all the chaos and I can’t concentrate and I’m 40lbs overweight and the dog needs to be fed and I feel like I have lost who I really am and I think to myself WHY DID WE EVER HAVE CHILDREN?!” 

I mean, am I right though? Parents raise your hand if you have ever said those words or something similar in your head during those heated and stressful moments of parenthood…you can’t see but I am raising both my hands right now. And yes, maybe when he’s 31 and in the thick of parenting himself, I will share my need for a rescuer in those moments, but sitting at the table with him here at age 6, I will not. 

But I can tell you what I did do. I very delicately told him that mommy needs Jesus to rescue her all the time. Declan is a smart kid, he’s a feeler, he’s an empath, he’s an old soul, and he just GETS it. So I shared with him in a very age-appropriate way about this new found anxiety I have developed since becoming a mother of 2. I told him every day I pray for Jesus to rescue me from it because when I let it control me, I make bad choices. I yell at my kids, I say harsh words, I withdraw from my husband, and I withhold love from my family. 

We talked about all those things, and he was brave enough to tell me that he is old enough to recognize when my anxiety takes over and those ugly things come spilling out. He even sweetly offered to warn me when he sees me getting worked up and feeling “scared” so he can help me…which is not his burden to bear but his heart is SO good. It wasn’t a long conversation and I didn’t use the exact words with him that I used in this blog. But what I did try to emphasize was that at every age and every season in life, our need for a Savior, MY need for a Savior, is so great.

It made me remember the story from Luke 23 about the criminal that hung on the cross next to Jesus, who asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His Kingdom. The criminal recognized his need for a Savior and asked to be rescued. He said a strong YES. He always does. He always will. 

As parents, one of our duties and greatest responsibilities is to model Christ’s love to our children. And guess what, we aren’t going to be perfect at it. We will fail. But I am learning that when our babies see us acknowledge our need for Jesus’s great rescue, they are WAY more open to the idea that one day they will also need to ask to be rescued. So if you struggle with anxiety like me, or are a distracted parent, or whatever you are struggling with in this parenting journey, remember what we are teaching our children…that When we Do Wrong, Jesus Rescues.

When We Struggle Jesus Rescues

by Devin Dummel

When I was younger, I moved to a new town and started a new job.  I was really excited about working in a new place and meeting new people.  But one thing I was a little nervous about was making new friends.

I was lucky because early on I met someone that I thought I would be great friends with; so I did what you do with new friends and we hung out a lot.   We did things that he liked to do, and we did things I liked to do.  I thought we were becoming great friends, but later I found out that he didn’t feel the same way.

He said some things that hurt my feelings and when I asked him about it, I will never forget what he said: “Why don’t you quit trying so hard. I already have 3 friends I don't need any more".

I can’t tell you how much that hurt me.  It was a real struggle to figure out how to act around this person after that.  It felt like I was constantly walking on eggshells, trying not to say or do the wrong thing to upset him.

Have you ever had a moment like that?  Where no matter what you did – things just seemed hard and difficult, everything was a struggle.

I think we all know what it’s like to struggle from time to time.  When we struggle it’s like we are being tied up in emotional knots.  The struggles we go through make life extra hard!

Things like balancing responsibilities, trying to pay the bills, making time for yourself and being a good parent. All of these things can be difficult and when we struggle with them or with other things we can feel like one giant knot.  Sometimes when we struggle we don’t know where to turn.

Jesus knew what it was like to struggle even though he was God's son.  Check this out.  In the Bible, we are told that Jesus struggled in every way that we do.  The only difference is that he never sinned.

So that means that Jesus felt everything we feel.  He dealt with the same pressures we deal with and He has walked in our shoes.  He knows exactly what it’s like to try to navigate the daily struggles that we have.

There was even this one time where one of Jesus' closest friends betrayed him.  Have you ever felt like a friend let you down?  Well, Jesus knows exactly what that feels like.  His friend’s name was Judas, and when Jesus needed him most, he turned his back on him and actually lied about Jesus getting him arrested in front of the rest of his friends.

One thing that I think is so interesting is what happened as Judas was betraying Jesus; the rest of his friends the disciples wanted to put up a fight.  Peter even cut another dude’s ear off.  Things got out of hand pretty fast.  But at that moment Jesus didn’t let the struggle tie him up in knots.  Instead, Jesus calmed his friends and the authorities.  He brought comfort, guidance, and peace to a very difficult situation.


There are all kinds of situations in life that can be difficult.  We all struggle in one way or another, but the amazing thing is with Jesus we don’t have to feel like we are always tied up in knots. 

You can remember that Jesus knows exactly what you're going through and He is always willing to help you find comfort, guidance, and peace.

Today, we should remember we don’t have to get caught up and tied up in the struggles we face.  Because Jesus knows exactly what we are going through and we can trust that He will always come to our rescue!

When We Worry Jesus Rescues

by Devin Dummel

I remember it like it was yesterday.  I was at the mall with my family.  My dad was at work so it was just my mom and my brothers.  We had been shopping on the second floor of sears or JC Penny.  It was time to head back to the car so my mother took my younger brother’s hand and got on the escalator and proceeded to the exit.  I was supposed to follow.

But in that moment something happened and I froze.  I had been on escalators hundreds of times.  But for whatever reason, it felt like it was the first time I would have to do it by myself.  I was afraid I was going to get sucked up and trapped in the stairs.  In my panic, I froze; and as the seconds ticked by my family got further and further away.  But I stayed planted at the top of the escalator, on solid ground, trapped in my fear, anxiety, and worry. 

Looking back on it now I realize that I had nothing to be scared of but not all fears are rooted in reality.   There are so many things that we can be afraid of.  Some fears are healthy, but some are unfounded and unhealthy.

I don’t know how you handle fear, but I typically keep it to myself and I get really anxious and worked up – and I will start to worry.

Do you know what worry is?  It’s kind of an odd feeling to explain.  Here’s the best way I can explain it:

Worry is negative thoughts or emotions that we have trouble controlling about a potential problem.

You know what’s really strange about us humans – we have phobias for everything you could ever dream of.  

•    There are phobias about spiders

•    Phobias about clowns

•    Phobias about water

•    And yes even phobias about beards …

That seems so ridiculous – I thought everyone loved beards.

The truth is we are pretty good at getting worked up and worried about a lot of things – too many things really.  And many times the things we are anxious about or worry about don’t ever happen – so really we worry over nothing.

This month we are talking about how Jesus recuses.  He rescues us from all kinds of problems and issues, but something I am so thankful for is that Jesus can rescue us from our anxiety, worry, and fear.

We see a great example of this with Jesus and his friends in Luke chapter 10. 

To give you a little background:  Jesus was going on a trip to visit his friends.  These friends of his were sisters, and their names were Mary and Martha.

Martha was one of those list type people.  You know the ones who are always working and always achieving, they are always trying to do more and more and more.  But her sister Mary was much different, she was pretty laid back.  She was more the “go with the flow” kind of person.  It’s not that she didn’t like getting things done; she was just ok to take her time getting things accomplished.

Now, the thing you need to understand was that when Jesus traveled – lots of people traveled with him – His friend the disciples – as well as other people from the surrounding area who wanted to hear him teach.  

So when he went to Mary and Martha’s house there were lots of things to do – lots of tasks and chores – things to get ready so that everyone could enjoy their time with Jesus.

After Jesus arrived he started to teach, and Mary stopped what she was doing and sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to everything he had to say.

But when her sister, Martha saw this she was frustrated because she was busy worrying about doing all the things that needed to be done to make their day a success.  She got so frustrated at one point she pulled Jesus aside and said, “Jesus, don’t you ever care that my sister lets me do all the work by myself – won’t you tell her to help me?”

Jesus heard her and then responded by saying, “Martha – I hear your frustration, but you are getting worked up way too much and worrying over nothing.  These preparations don’t matter – really the only thing that matters is being here with me – and that’s what Mary has chosen.”

Jesus wanted Martha to see that too often we get worked up and worry about things that don’t really matter. 

Jesus wanted his friends to know and you to know that you don't have to worry because He's got everything under control.  He knows it's not easy … he knows that it's a natural thing to try to worry – but even though it's natural … it's not necessary.

It’s not something you have to do.

The truth is Jesus may not take away the things that make us worry, but he promises to help us carry the load.

We should always remember that we do not have to be afraid.  We don’t have to be anxious or get worked up.  We don’t have anything to worry about – because we have an amazing God and he promises that  Jesus will always come to our rescue!

When you are Lonely…Jesus Rescues!

by Whitney Jones

We have all felt lonely at some point in our lives. We have all felt like the only person dealing with a certain trial. We have all felt like we need to be saved from a certain circumstance. And we all need Jesus each and every day to rescue us!

One area where I feel lonely in my life is parenting a teenager. I have a 14-year-old and some days, I just don’t know which direction to take. If any of you have teenagers you know how sensitive and emotional they can be. Oh, and did I mention lazy!? As a parent of a teenager, I want so badly to protect my teen from this broken world yet let her live and learn so she can function and find success in this world. It is a hard balance for me at times.  How do I meet the emotional needs of my teenager and prepare her for hard things in the future?

When I start to feel lonely, in any area of my life, but especially parenting a teenager, I turn to Jesus and God’s word rather than finding the answers from worldly things.
One story in the Bible that stands out to me when I feel lost and lonely, is the parable of the lost sheep.

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he finds it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” Luke 15:3-7

It may seem foolish for the shepherd to leave 99 sheep to go search for just one. But the shepherd knew that 99 would be safe, whereas the lost sheep was in danger. Because each sheep was of high value, the shepherd knew that it was worthwhile to search diligently for the lost one.

God’s love for just one individual is so great that he seeks out each one and rejoices when that one person is found. It might not be easy to understand a God who would forgive sinners who come to him for mercy. But a God who tenderly searches for sinners and joyfully forgives them must possess an extraordinary love! This is the kind of love that prompted Jesus to come to earth to search for lost people and save them. This is the kind of extraordinary love that God has for you. A love that would save you through any of life’s toughest circumstances!