In each step of this journey, as I confirm again and again that my resignation will stand. That I will walk this road.
He meets me in the most suprising of places.
I received an email and a letter, both from separate sources, both with options...possible chances for investment... possible opportunities to serve, to give, to be a part of a big picture.
They arrived within minutes of returning from the staff meeting where my resignation became public knowledge to the leading staff members of this place.
Be still He says. Wait He says. Trust He says.
And even though much is still unanswered.
The pieces, are weaving together.
And while I am too afraid to count on anything other than Him just now.
I think that's right where I should be.
Waiting. Testing.
Open.
Praise Him.
Showing posts with label A Jesus Moment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A Jesus Moment. Show all posts
Thursday, April 12
weaving it together
In the short minutes after I called my boss (yes, I called him, he wasn't in the office and I had already talked to the in-office Admin team), literally, within 2 minutes, an email came across which confirmed that the story was really beginning.
I received an email from a pregnancy crisis center in a nearby town.
A center I had emailed after a quick search for crisis centers in Georgia.
An email I sent on Saturday morning, before anyone other than Michael knew what I was thinking.
And in the moments after hanging up with my boss, making my resignation official.
I received it.
A confirmation email that they are accepting volunteers and will be sending me information on their clinic.
Something that is exciting and somewhat terrifying.
Because I'm still not sure of much of the path.
Or what the end picture looks like.
But I know that the weaving, it is God and He is moving.
Meeting my meagar,small faith steps in big ways.
Praise Him.
I received an email from a pregnancy crisis center in a nearby town.
A center I had emailed after a quick search for crisis centers in Georgia.
An email I sent on Saturday morning, before anyone other than Michael knew what I was thinking.
And in the moments after hanging up with my boss, making my resignation official.
I received it.
A confirmation email that they are accepting volunteers and will be sending me information on their clinic.
Something that is exciting and somewhat terrifying.
Because I'm still not sure of much of the path.
Or what the end picture looks like.
But I know that the weaving, it is God and He is moving.
Meeting my meagar,small faith steps in big ways.
Praise Him.
Wednesday, April 11
the rest of the story... at least the beginning
So as I've hinted at... its been a big week around these parts.
And since so much of it stems from what I've learned and seen in the blogging community, its time to share it with y'all too.
On Monday, I resigned from my job.
My perfectly safe. Perfectly paying-the-bills. Monday through Friday, 8 - 5 job.
Resigned.
And that's where the rest of the story really is... when I posted this I was also dealing with an internal battle that I've been fighting for months now.
This perfectly good, perfectly normal job I have.... it doesn't make me feel important. Which isn't the point at all. But what I do, while important to our business function, is not important to my FAITH function. Its not essential for the Kingdom. Its not a valuable use of my time for God.
And I'm not jumping into the extreme "you have to be radical to be a good believer" camp here. That's not where I'm coming from.
But I wanted to be able to look my girls in the face one day, when they are old enough to understand, and tell them that Mama does what she does because it matters. Because it affects things for the better. Because its being faithful to her convictions.
That job security. Safety. The way everyone else does life... is not the only way.
And so I went to see October Baby.
And while I'd seen the previews and pre-screened some of the Every Life is Beautiful cameos.
It rocked my world.
To think about all those babies that are affected by abortion. Babies like mine who never even had a shot at changing the world, taken from it before they ever entered it.
To think about all those women, who made that choice, in that moment. And the lives that they lead past it, which are never fully separate from the decisions they've made.
To think of the parents, who walk the road of adoption, who carry the weight of their life stories (sometime hidden, sometime openly) with the children they call their own.
I thought about grace. Redemption. Truth.
The need and ache of a society who needs those things. Truth. Redemption. Grace. Options.
And while I am certainly not equipped to fight this battle.
My heart is invested in it.
I left the theatre in body-wretching, shaking, red face, full-out ugly cry.
And God whispered to me.
This matters.
This. Matters.
And I came home and drafted a resignation letter.
And on Monday turned to the co-workers who have become my work family.
And whispered that I was walking away.
To what... I wasn't sure. And I'm still not.
But I KNOW that if God intends to use me, I must be ready and willing to take the first faith step.
And that is what I am doing.
I covet your prayers.
And since so much of it stems from what I've learned and seen in the blogging community, its time to share it with y'all too.
On Monday, I resigned from my job.
My perfectly safe. Perfectly paying-the-bills. Monday through Friday, 8 - 5 job.
Resigned.
And that's where the rest of the story really is... when I posted this I was also dealing with an internal battle that I've been fighting for months now.
This perfectly good, perfectly normal job I have.... it doesn't make me feel important. Which isn't the point at all. But what I do, while important to our business function, is not important to my FAITH function. Its not essential for the Kingdom. Its not a valuable use of my time for God.
And I'm not jumping into the extreme "you have to be radical to be a good believer" camp here. That's not where I'm coming from.
But I wanted to be able to look my girls in the face one day, when they are old enough to understand, and tell them that Mama does what she does because it matters. Because it affects things for the better. Because its being faithful to her convictions.
That job security. Safety. The way everyone else does life... is not the only way.
And so I went to see October Baby.
And while I'd seen the previews and pre-screened some of the Every Life is Beautiful cameos.
It rocked my world.
To think about all those babies that are affected by abortion. Babies like mine who never even had a shot at changing the world, taken from it before they ever entered it.
To think about all those women, who made that choice, in that moment. And the lives that they lead past it, which are never fully separate from the decisions they've made.
To think of the parents, who walk the road of adoption, who carry the weight of their life stories (sometime hidden, sometime openly) with the children they call their own.
I thought about grace. Redemption. Truth.
The need and ache of a society who needs those things. Truth. Redemption. Grace. Options.
And while I am certainly not equipped to fight this battle.
My heart is invested in it.
I left the theatre in body-wretching, shaking, red face, full-out ugly cry.
And God whispered to me.
This matters.
This. Matters.
And I came home and drafted a resignation letter.
And on Monday turned to the co-workers who have become my work family.
And whispered that I was walking away.
To what... I wasn't sure. And I'm still not.
But I KNOW that if God intends to use me, I must be ready and willing to take the first faith step.
And that is what I am doing.
I covet your prayers.
Friday, April 6
praise be
Today should warrant a gorgeous post.
One full of imagery, thankfulness, awe.
Filled with carefully crafted and doted upon words.
Today is "Good"
But there is nothing "Good" about the first Friday.
A day filled with mocking, scorn, pain and anguish.
A day when God stepped away from His son who was filled with so much un-holiness.
My unholiness.
Yours too. And generations that haven't even come to be.
Their unholiness.
The ugly broken sinful selfish often on repeat full-out no other way to look at it brokenness.
No humility in our brokenness. Just evil. Corruption. Greed. Natural Self.
So much to bear for one man.
Not too much to bear for One God.
Stretched out in the most painful of position.
In a place of no respect. No honor. Only grief.
The place of the skull.
The resting place of theives. Villians. Evil Ones.
The place of death of a Savior.
A merciful God.
A place of redemption.
Forgiveness.
Pain washed by blood.
Forgivenness bought with a price.
His life. His blood. His world.
For ours.
For mine.
Broken. Bleeding. Bruised.
Mocked. Acused.
There was nothing "good" about the first Friday.
But it was the first of the last.
The beginning of the end.
The initial continum on which God's kingdom would stand.
Sacrifice given. Wholeness received.
Praise be to the Father, who loved me over His Son.
Praise be to the Son, who loved me over His own life.
Praise. Be.
One full of imagery, thankfulness, awe.
Filled with carefully crafted and doted upon words.
Today is "Good"
But there is nothing "Good" about the first Friday.
A day filled with mocking, scorn, pain and anguish.
A day when God stepped away from His son who was filled with so much un-holiness.
My unholiness.
Yours too. And generations that haven't even come to be.
Their unholiness.
The ugly broken sinful selfish often on repeat full-out no other way to look at it brokenness.
No humility in our brokenness. Just evil. Corruption. Greed. Natural Self.
So much to bear for one man.
Not too much to bear for One God.
Stretched out in the most painful of position.
In a place of no respect. No honor. Only grief.
The place of the skull.
The resting place of theives. Villians. Evil Ones.
The place of death of a Savior.
A merciful God.
A place of redemption.
Forgiveness.
Pain washed by blood.
Forgivenness bought with a price.
His life. His blood. His world.
For ours.
For mine.
Broken. Bleeding. Bruised.
Mocked. Acused.
There was nothing "good" about the first Friday.
But it was the first of the last.
The beginning of the end.
The initial continum on which God's kingdom would stand.
Sacrifice given. Wholeness received.
Praise be to the Father, who loved me over His Son.
Praise be to the Son, who loved me over His own life.
Praise. Be.
Wednesday, January 11
Thursday, November 10
quote it
“Grace is not about giving people what we want them to want.”
Read Full Story Here
love. that. line.
It is not our role to choose what we give and when we give and what the outcome is... it is our role to give to those who are needing...even if we don't agree with what they need for.
Read Full Story Here
love. that. line.
It is not our role to choose what we give and when we give and what the outcome is... it is our role to give to those who are needing...even if we don't agree with what they need for.
Sunday, November 6
There are no outcasts, there are no orphans of God...
I read this article...which presented to me, for the first tim, a change in paradim when thinking of orphan care....what if, instead of focusing care solely on providing for those who have been orphaned...we focused on preventing the reoccurence of orphaning...what if, we focus on the support systems needed to keep families from deciding to release their children to orphanages???
Y'all...that is some deep, serious stuff right there.
And its not to discredit any means by which we minister to the orphan...or in what setting we do so...
But, what if, the answer isn't as simply as more orphanages? What if the answer is substainable change in the cultures and families which reduce dependencies on outside aid through programs that also prevent orphan-ing?
Projects Like These:
In Haiti
In Mozambique
In Kenya
and I'm sure many, many more!!
The Bible is clear in stating that there will always be poor and needy. The Bible is clear in stating that it is through our actions that we demonstrate our love for Christ and His love for even the least of these. There is no quick fix to orphans. There is no one solution fits all. There is no way to prevent the natural or man-made disasters that leave children parentless.
But the call to think outside of the box...to prevent the cycle of creating more orphans while caring for those who have already been orphaned....that, is something to think about.
Today is Orphan Sunday... where do you fall in what you can do for orphans? Prayer, donations, international involvement...whatever it is.... do it.
Y'all...that is some deep, serious stuff right there.
And its not to discredit any means by which we minister to the orphan...or in what setting we do so...
But, what if, the answer isn't as simply as more orphanages? What if the answer is substainable change in the cultures and families which reduce dependencies on outside aid through programs that also prevent orphan-ing?
Projects Like These:
In Haiti
In Mozambique
In Kenya
and I'm sure many, many more!!
The Bible is clear in stating that there will always be poor and needy. The Bible is clear in stating that it is through our actions that we demonstrate our love for Christ and His love for even the least of these. There is no quick fix to orphans. There is no one solution fits all. There is no way to prevent the natural or man-made disasters that leave children parentless.
But the call to think outside of the box...to prevent the cycle of creating more orphans while caring for those who have already been orphaned....that, is something to think about.
Today is Orphan Sunday... where do you fall in what you can do for orphans? Prayer, donations, international involvement...whatever it is.... do it.
Thursday, August 4
What Then?
Prayer in itself is an act of faith. For many of us, the offering of the prayer is grounded in faith that God will not only hear us, but supply us with an answer that satisfies our souls. But, what if faithfulness isn’t defined by offering up words of prayer… what if faithfulness is defined by what we do with the answers we are given from God to our prayers.
If you pray and pray and pray, and nothing happens… what then?
If you pray and pray and pray, and the answer is no…. What then?
If you pray and pray and pray, and the answer is yes when you want it to be no...what then?
The true test of our faithfulness in prayer is found in the “what then’s?” What do you do when God’s answer isn’t your answer? Or when you don’t see God’s answer? Or you don’t understand it? Or you just plain don’t like it? Or it isn’t on your time frame? Or it is something radical? What if the answer is not now? What if the answer is never? What if the answer isn’t fair, popular or expected? What then?
If you still choose to believe that God is great, almighty, all-knowing and in total control and that every action, reaction, circumstance, trial, temptation, conviction and pulling is for His glory, then you have faith. If you get to a “what then” and you are disgusted with God’s answer then an examination of your own heart is in order. Faithfulness doesn’t come in offering up the prayer… faithfulness comes in embracing the answer given to us from prayer.
Do you believe when things aren’t easy? When death or sickness comes unexpectedly? When rain is scattered? When people reject God? When you are called to love or serve in an area or to a person or people that make you uncomfortable? What then?
It is as much a challenge for myself as it is for all of us believers. We must choose to glorify God through our
actions and reactions to His answers to our prayers. We must choose Him always. We must trust Him always. We must glorify Him always. We must learn to grow in the “what then’s” so that we are truly rooted in our prayers… not that they are a means to an end that we can control, but that we are fully available to an Almighty God in whatever way He chooses to lead. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
If you pray and pray and pray, and nothing happens… what then?
If you pray and pray and pray, and the answer is no…. What then?
If you pray and pray and pray, and the answer is yes when you want it to be no...what then?
The true test of our faithfulness in prayer is found in the “what then’s?” What do you do when God’s answer isn’t your answer? Or when you don’t see God’s answer? Or you don’t understand it? Or you just plain don’t like it? Or it isn’t on your time frame? Or it is something radical? What if the answer is not now? What if the answer is never? What if the answer isn’t fair, popular or expected? What then?
If you still choose to believe that God is great, almighty, all-knowing and in total control and that every action, reaction, circumstance, trial, temptation, conviction and pulling is for His glory, then you have faith. If you get to a “what then” and you are disgusted with God’s answer then an examination of your own heart is in order. Faithfulness doesn’t come in offering up the prayer… faithfulness comes in embracing the answer given to us from prayer.
Do you believe when things aren’t easy? When death or sickness comes unexpectedly? When rain is scattered? When people reject God? When you are called to love or serve in an area or to a person or people that make you uncomfortable? What then?
It is as much a challenge for myself as it is for all of us believers. We must choose to glorify God through our
actions and reactions to His answers to our prayers. We must choose Him always. We must trust Him always. We must glorify Him always. We must learn to grow in the “what then’s” so that we are truly rooted in our prayers… not that they are a means to an end that we can control, but that we are fully available to an Almighty God in whatever way He chooses to lead. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
Saturday, June 4
Imperfection
There is a place deep within all of us, if we really speak honestly, that lives in anguish against ourselves. It’s place we perceive of imperfection and where we harness and store the reinforcements and scars of our hearts.
The Bible teaches us that no one is perfect outside of Christ Jesus. And while that is certainly the case, it is not that level of imperfection of which I reference here. I am talking about perceived imperfection...the comparing, contrasting, weighing and watching of ourselves versus others.
We are imperfect if we aren’t as crafty as her. We are untalented if we can’t do this as good as him. We aren’t this, can’t do that, don’t do it this way and this makes us imperfect. And what we weigh in as imperfection, is actually insecurity.
There is no place where we are all created with equal talents, convictions, abilities and gifts. We are all independently created in God’s image. A perfect image of oneness, whether we realize it or not.
A friend shared this quote with me this week, and it spoke directly to my heart:
One reason we struggle with insecurity: we’re comparing our behind the scenes to everyone else’s highlight reel.—Steven Furtick
How often do we find ourselves doing this? More often than we probably realize at first, because insecurity is a silent attacker. It speaks deeply and pointedly at the heart before it ever manifests itself externally. Insecurity disguises itself as fixable imperfection… I am worthy if I can this, I am as good as them because I also do this, if I can craft it, bake it, make it, lead it, then I am as good, as worthy, as special.
Friends, step back from this lie. We are not fixable imperfections. We are fearless creations of an Almighty God. Our gifts are our own. Our weakness are created so that in them our God can be made great. We can call insecurity, imperfection, we can allow it to keep us struggling in the darkness. Or we can call it what it is, step up to line and knock it out of the field.
I am not less because I am not you. You are not more because you are you. We are all beautiful, talented, perfectly unique individuals made by a God who intends to fully use whatever we are willing to give him, even if it doesn’t involve straight lines, a clean house, or perfectly baked pound cakes.
The Bible teaches us that no one is perfect outside of Christ Jesus. And while that is certainly the case, it is not that level of imperfection of which I reference here. I am talking about perceived imperfection...the comparing, contrasting, weighing and watching of ourselves versus others.
We are imperfect if we aren’t as crafty as her. We are untalented if we can’t do this as good as him. We aren’t this, can’t do that, don’t do it this way and this makes us imperfect. And what we weigh in as imperfection, is actually insecurity.
There is no place where we are all created with equal talents, convictions, abilities and gifts. We are all independently created in God’s image. A perfect image of oneness, whether we realize it or not.
A friend shared this quote with me this week, and it spoke directly to my heart:
One reason we struggle with insecurity: we’re comparing our behind the scenes to everyone else’s highlight reel.—Steven Furtick
How often do we find ourselves doing this? More often than we probably realize at first, because insecurity is a silent attacker. It speaks deeply and pointedly at the heart before it ever manifests itself externally. Insecurity disguises itself as fixable imperfection… I am worthy if I can this, I am as good as them because I also do this, if I can craft it, bake it, make it, lead it, then I am as good, as worthy, as special.
Friends, step back from this lie. We are not fixable imperfections. We are fearless creations of an Almighty God. Our gifts are our own. Our weakness are created so that in them our God can be made great. We can call insecurity, imperfection, we can allow it to keep us struggling in the darkness. Or we can call it what it is, step up to line and knock it out of the field.
I am not less because I am not you. You are not more because you are you. We are all beautiful, talented, perfectly unique individuals made by a God who intends to fully use whatever we are willing to give him, even if it doesn’t involve straight lines, a clean house, or perfectly baked pound cakes.
Wednesday, May 4
Divine Appointments
Michael and I spent a week of this month in Jaco, Costa Rica serving and being ministered to by the Radical Life Ministry team and church family. It was a memorable week that words nor pictures fully captivate and communicate. It was a week of divine appointments.
Often in the lives of Christians, a “mission trip” serves as an instigator to our faith. It pushes us out of our comfort zones, it gives us purpose and a time frame for completion, it unites our hearts and actions with a team of like-minded believers serving others. There is even a time following a mission trip which has been called a “faith high” where all the good feelings and experiences from a mission trip carry over into the lives of those who went for the weeks after they return.
It is no doubt that mission trips give believers a more unique and disciplined time to serve God fully without also having to do basic daily duties, like work a full-time job, buy groceries or clean house. While those tasks may also be completed in some fashion on a mission trip, its just a whole different ballgame. Why is that? I believe it is because the heart and the mind of the traveler is more focused on what they are doing and its eternal validations. Most of the things that are done on mission trips are things that can be done in the life of the traveler at home or in their home area, or in other mission areas. The difference however lies in the state of the heart, mind and attitude of the person who is engaged in the trip.
When we were in Costa Rica we saw God make mighty connections in perfect timing on a daily basis. We never had a plan before breakfast, but our days did not waste away. We knew little of the language, but we loved fully and communicated well enough. We never met the people, but we left as friends of years in the making.
I have no doubt that God works the same divine appointments into our everyday lives wherever we call home… just like we all have different places we would consider to “missionary.” The difference in our ability to recognize and engage in those appointments is more on our instability as faith-driven actors. God is as fully present here as He is in Costa Rica. He still directs our paths. He still has a purpose and a plan and a future for all of us. He carefully weaves our days and years together. He gives us people to love and minister to. He gives us opportunities to learn and grow and serve. The difference is that our heads and hearts are often distracted at home. Oh, how I pray that we can come to daily battle distractions and seek Him in our appointments.
Often in the lives of Christians, a “mission trip” serves as an instigator to our faith. It pushes us out of our comfort zones, it gives us purpose and a time frame for completion, it unites our hearts and actions with a team of like-minded believers serving others. There is even a time following a mission trip which has been called a “faith high” where all the good feelings and experiences from a mission trip carry over into the lives of those who went for the weeks after they return.
It is no doubt that mission trips give believers a more unique and disciplined time to serve God fully without also having to do basic daily duties, like work a full-time job, buy groceries or clean house. While those tasks may also be completed in some fashion on a mission trip, its just a whole different ballgame. Why is that? I believe it is because the heart and the mind of the traveler is more focused on what they are doing and its eternal validations. Most of the things that are done on mission trips are things that can be done in the life of the traveler at home or in their home area, or in other mission areas. The difference however lies in the state of the heart, mind and attitude of the person who is engaged in the trip.
When we were in Costa Rica we saw God make mighty connections in perfect timing on a daily basis. We never had a plan before breakfast, but our days did not waste away. We knew little of the language, but we loved fully and communicated well enough. We never met the people, but we left as friends of years in the making.
I have no doubt that God works the same divine appointments into our everyday lives wherever we call home… just like we all have different places we would consider to “missionary.” The difference in our ability to recognize and engage in those appointments is more on our instability as faith-driven actors. God is as fully present here as He is in Costa Rica. He still directs our paths. He still has a purpose and a plan and a future for all of us. He carefully weaves our days and years together. He gives us people to love and minister to. He gives us opportunities to learn and grow and serve. The difference is that our heads and hearts are often distracted at home. Oh, how I pray that we can come to daily battle distractions and seek Him in our appointments.
Wednesday, April 6
This Just In
via text message
Thank you for praying for David Knapp. He got $200K for the land plus at LEAST that much more for the building, etc. plus $1000 per month for operating expenses!!!
Y'ALL!
GOD IS GOOD! ALL THE TIME!
This donation meets the immediate needs of the Radical Life Ministries and the Knapp family. It isn't 5 million dollars, but it is ABUNDANTLY GOD'S PROVISION!
Thank you for praying for David Knapp. He got $200K for the land plus at LEAST that much more for the building, etc. plus $1000 per month for operating expenses!!!
Y'ALL!
GOD IS GOOD! ALL THE TIME!
This donation meets the immediate needs of the Radical Life Ministries and the Knapp family. It isn't 5 million dollars, but it is ABUNDANTLY GOD'S PROVISION!
Monday, April 4
Conviction & Provision
There are many times in our lives that we await on the Lord’s provision for us. Sometimes that provision may come in the form of money, or security, of family or babies, of healing or of freedom. The way we approach provision greatly reflects on our full surrender to Christ and to the will of God in our lives. We can not await
provision without the faith that God will provide. Likewise, we can not ask for provision without the faith that God will hear.
However, provision is not a bestowment from heaven which requires a simple request. Provision requires
conviction, release and pursuit.
We must be convicted of the areas in our lives to which we cling to our own controls, our own wills and our strengths. We must be willing to let God be completely in control to find ourselves in the midst of His provision. Conviction will reveal the places in our hearts and souls that are tainted or withheld from Christ. This may be convictions about the music and television that we expose ourselves or our families to. It may be convictions about material objects, money, fame or personal power. It may be convictions about unhealthy thought processes or relationships. It is allowing God to point out our weaknesses and instead of trying to hide them, to oust them into the spotlight. Conviction is perhaps the largest hurdle to true faithfulness. We must be willing to be convicted and then act upon our convictions (and in our healing and growth) in order to live in God’s will.
Once convicted, we must release our hold and our grasp and our insistence on understanding the immediate and extended forecast for our lives. We must let go of any means of trying to control or manipulate God, or control or manipulate the situations we find ourselves in. We must completely remove our minds and live from the inmost dwellings of our hearts. We must let God lead, even we can not see where we are going… or even when we can see where we are going and aren’t sure that’s where we want to be. Release is the second stumbling block to the fullness of God’s provision.
Finally, to find ourselves in the midst of provision, we must be in pursuit of a Holy and Almighty God. We must surround ourselves in His words and in prayer and dialogue with Him daily. We must pursue Him through prayer and worship. We must fight ourselves to be secondary and our God to be primary. We can not simply ask and then wait, without action on our part. God so wishes to bless and lead our lives and to give us power in our faith. He has more than enough to provide for you… will you give Him pursuit?
provision without the faith that God will provide. Likewise, we can not ask for provision without the faith that God will hear.
However, provision is not a bestowment from heaven which requires a simple request. Provision requires
conviction, release and pursuit.
We must be convicted of the areas in our lives to which we cling to our own controls, our own wills and our strengths. We must be willing to let God be completely in control to find ourselves in the midst of His provision. Conviction will reveal the places in our hearts and souls that are tainted or withheld from Christ. This may be convictions about the music and television that we expose ourselves or our families to. It may be convictions about material objects, money, fame or personal power. It may be convictions about unhealthy thought processes or relationships. It is allowing God to point out our weaknesses and instead of trying to hide them, to oust them into the spotlight. Conviction is perhaps the largest hurdle to true faithfulness. We must be willing to be convicted and then act upon our convictions (and in our healing and growth) in order to live in God’s will.
Once convicted, we must release our hold and our grasp and our insistence on understanding the immediate and extended forecast for our lives. We must let go of any means of trying to control or manipulate God, or control or manipulate the situations we find ourselves in. We must completely remove our minds and live from the inmost dwellings of our hearts. We must let God lead, even we can not see where we are going… or even when we can see where we are going and aren’t sure that’s where we want to be. Release is the second stumbling block to the fullness of God’s provision.
Finally, to find ourselves in the midst of provision, we must be in pursuit of a Holy and Almighty God. We must surround ourselves in His words and in prayer and dialogue with Him daily. We must pursue Him through prayer and worship. We must fight ourselves to be secondary and our God to be primary. We can not simply ask and then wait, without action on our part. God so wishes to bless and lead our lives and to give us power in our faith. He has more than enough to provide for you… will you give Him pursuit?
Wednesday, March 30
$5 Million Dollar God
Ok, I read this great article on John Acuff's Stuff Christians Like blog... and I don't have the patience to look up the link right this second, so bear with me until I do... Basically, the article talks about the limitations we put on God.. .like, oh, God you can furnish $100 but you aren't a $1 Million dollar God... which, for the record, that previous sentence doesn't even do.. ok, scratch that, I'm going link hunting.........
ummm... urg... this is taking longer than expected...
Anyway, until I get that all linked up... let's get to the point...
HA! Found it! Read John's article HERE... thank you Goodsearch!
I need you to pray that God is a $5 million God. Specifically, that He is a $5 million God on Tuesday, April 5th.
Michael and I are going to Costa Rica in May... we are partnering with John Riley and the Knapps at Radical Life Ministries.... and David, Radical Life missionary, will be coming to Atlanta to speak to a group of men about a large sum donation for their work in Costa Rica on Tuesday, April 5th. The Ministry is specifically looking for $300,000 for the purchase of a land lot to expand and improve their work outside of Jaco, Costa Rica... however, this group of 5 men have the ability to give $5 million. $5 million is enough for land and construction costs, salary expenses for missionaries and their families, plus extra funding to substain the Radical Life work in Costa Rica for more than 5 years.
Will you join me in praying that this week, God is a 5 MILLION DOLLAR God?
HA! Found it! Read John's article HERE... thank you Goodsearch!
I need you to pray that God is a $5 million God. Specifically, that He is a $5 million God on Tuesday, April 5th.
Michael and I are going to Costa Rica in May... we are partnering with John Riley and the Knapps at Radical Life Ministries.... and David, Radical Life missionary, will be coming to Atlanta to speak to a group of men about a large sum donation for their work in Costa Rica on Tuesday, April 5th. The Ministry is specifically looking for $300,000 for the purchase of a land lot to expand and improve their work outside of Jaco, Costa Rica... however, this group of 5 men have the ability to give $5 million. $5 million is enough for land and construction costs, salary expenses for missionaries and their families, plus extra funding to substain the Radical Life work in Costa Rica for more than 5 years.
Will you join me in praying that this week, God is a 5 MILLION DOLLAR God?
Friday, March 18
Today
Today I wear my necklace.
But today, I wear it differently before.
Today, I wear it as a reminder that God is faithful.
Today, I wear it to remind me that God's will is perfect.
Today, I wear it to remind myself that He is taking my ashes and turning them into beauty.
When I reach for my necklace today, it is more than a symbol of the fact that my body has carried two children.
Today, it is about redemption.
It is a reminder that I am carried by God.
That He wears us around His heart in the same way we wear our necklaces.
Reminders. Beloved. Prided.
A testament to faithfulness.
My prayer is that is that every day.
But today, I wear it differently before.
Today, I wear it as a reminder that God is faithful.
Today, I wear it to remind me that God's will is perfect.
Today, I wear it to remind myself that He is taking my ashes and turning them into beauty.
When I reach for my necklace today, it is more than a symbol of the fact that my body has carried two children.
Today, it is about redemption.
It is a reminder that I am carried by God.
That He wears us around His heart in the same way we wear our necklaces.
Reminders. Beloved. Prided.
A testament to faithfulness.
My prayer is that is that every day.
Thursday, March 17
Provision
This afternoon the girls were kidnapped by their Aunt Mischa and Big Dave for some quality time.
I was late getting home and decided to vacuum and do some light cleaning while the girls were out...since they both hate the vacuum cleaning, I mean, have melt-downs about it.
Anyway, I got to Bowen's room to pick up and move things on the floor...I reached down to pick up what I thought was a string...
It was my necklace.
The one I just wrote about.
That's been missing 9 days.
Don't think, for one second, that I don't firmly believe that this is God's provision in working in my heart.
And don't think my breath didn't catch in my throat knowing that my blog post was less than 3 hours old when I found it.
Wow.
How He Loves Us.
I was late getting home and decided to vacuum and do some light cleaning while the girls were out...since they both hate the vacuum cleaning, I mean, have melt-downs about it.
Anyway, I got to Bowen's room to pick up and move things on the floor...I reached down to pick up what I thought was a string...
It was my necklace.
The one I just wrote about.
That's been missing 9 days.
Don't think, for one second, that I don't firmly believe that this is God's provision in working in my heart.
And don't think my breath didn't catch in my throat knowing that my blog post was less than 3 hours old when I found it.
Wow.
How He Loves Us.
money matters... materialism
So I've read Radical by David Platt... and I highly suggest it...
I've also read the following blogs (like this one and this one and another one that I can't remember where I read it but will keep looking and hopefully bring the link back) here recently that also touch on thoughts of spirituality, materialism, and things along those lines... and then I had an two experiences this week which also brought the topic to my mind.
So in the interest of returning to posting, here we go....
I've never really thought of myself as materialistic. I wear very little jewelry, I only shop for myself when I am literally out of things that fit and are still in condition to be worn in public..(I can think of one impulse buy dress in the last 3 years and I wear it way more than enough to justify it).. I've always driven used cars, especially since I'm not the best at keeping things clean so a new car would be a guilt-ridden panic-striken state of nervousness for me... While we'd love to build a house, we are totally ok with it being a someday or a maybe or a possibly not ever thing.... I replace shoes instead of stock-piling them.
However, I am part hoarder. I tend not to get rid of things that others could actually use and benefit from, just because I think we might use them some day... or they may fit again someday... or the girls will use them 5 years from now... and in my head the conversation usually sounds like this.. "Well, we've had this fine china set since 2006 and it still has all the stickers from the store on it, but we should keep it in case we want to have a fancy dinner or host Hayley's prom dinner or some other event 25 years down the road." Or, "well, we don't really need this third collander, but it was given to us and thus free and if we get rid of it now and then we need it then we'll have to spend money to buy one, whereas if we keep this and store it until its maybe possibly used one day then we won't be spending money on it when we once had it." (Trust me, everyone is glad that the durations of these conversations continue only in my head, I've subjected Michael to some and he looks dazed and confused and is usually shaking his head within minutes of my first few sentences)
I have gotten better at giving away and purging in the past few years. God has really been breaking my heart to give the things that I don't need (i.e. the jeans that haven't fit since college) to people who really do need them right now. this very minute. And I like being able to give good things that deserve to be used and enjoyed and be a blessing to others than being a storehouse of all things random and free and handed down.
But that is just one aspect of the materialism realism I've come to face in the past few weeks.
Last Tuesday I lost my necklace. Not a necklace. MY necklace. I wear it 24/7 excluding time in the shower... it has the birthstones of my girls on it. Michael gave it to me just days before Hayley was born in 2008 with a peridot pendant for her birthmonth and I received a pearl pendant for Bowen before she was born. I lost it on a trip to Dothan. I don't know at what point in the day I lost it. But the next morning I realized it was gone. And two days later, I was still worried and slightly depressed and actually in tears over it being gone. Not my girls being gone, a necklace with their birth stones being gone. A necklace. I don't know what the monetary worth of it is and it doesn't matter... but after I had my mini-meltdown about it being gone... I thought to myself... really? You cry over a lost necklace to which you attached sentimental value, but you do not give wholly and fully to the needs around you? You think you aren't materialistic but a lost necklace affects you for more than a week after its disappearance? Don't you just love how God comes down and gets to business with you sometimes. And I realized that I had wrapped all my emotions for my children in that necklace.... I had placed it as a vital part of my life... a chain with two pendants. I have food, money, a home, children, a family, security, a job... and I'm breaking down over a necklace. And if I'm honest, I still get a little misty-eyed as I type this.
Instance number three came this past Tuesday when I took 2 of the young girls from our church out to dinner (which translates as Dairy Queen, their choice so I oblige!) and a trip to Dollar General to get some supplies for our Sunday School room. And I'm trying to figure out how to explain this without getting ahead of myself too much... So we went to Dollar General first, I wanted us to get some more markers/colored pencils/crayons and supplies for our room since most of the supplies in there were old and not working well. My shopping philosphy when related to church stuff is you get what you need to get and you don't worry about the expense. God gave his Son, so you should give also your best to His service. On the supply aisle I was oohing and aahing over the new Crayola products... I think it really tickled the girls to see a supposedly "grown up" being excited about coloring, but I love me some Crayola. So I told the girls to pick out a set of markers, crayons, etc. and I picked up the Crayola markers and one of them said "Oh, but these are cheaper." To which I replied, "Maybe so, but I like the Crayola better, so we'll get those." and then we looked at something else and they said again "These are the cheapest..." and I replied "its ok, I prefer these (sharpies I think). At this point, I'm not really registering their concerns about the money being spent, which you can probably already pick up on in type. So we walk on and on and continue browsing.. the girls are not initiating purchases but I am asking them for their opinion about things and we are just generally entertaining ourselves. We went on to the book aisle and got new Bible coloring books to use in the Sunday School rooms and I picked up 4 of one book for everyone to have their own (this books were $1)... One of the girls says, "This sure is a lot of stuff..." and I say "Don't worry about it" and we continue on to spot something that would work for an Easter craft/gift for the church members (these girls do this often with their Grandmother and enjoy that kind of thing) so we picked up the supplies to do 12 gifts for the families in the church. And then we were done and headed to the register... as we are walking up I hear one whisper to the other "This looks like its going to be a lot of money..." Ding Ding Ding! Bell finally sounds in my head. These girls are not from families with dual incomes like Michael and I. They probably don't ever go into a store with a list of "wants" and come out with a full basket, but instead shop for needs... they have been taught to shop by price instead of quality/brand loyalty. As I'm realizing this the cashier starts ringing stuff up, we have 2 baskets full of $1 and $2 items... the total comes to $70. I don't really flinch... I don't usually throw out $70 at Dollar General but we got stuff that we needed and knew we were going to use and it was for the church so in my head it was money well spent. However, when the cashier says $70, one of the girls says "oh my gosh. that's a lot of money." and the other one says "are you going to be in trouble for spending that much money?" to which I reply, "No, its really not a big deal, these are things that we needed and we will use... not just things to get for the purpose of getting and wanting and we got it for cheaper than we would have elsewhere so its fine." and then I made them promise not to tell their Grandmother how much I spent, because I know their Grandmother would have a hissy fit if she thought that they helped me spend that money... even though it was money I was already prepared to spend. But in my head, $70 was not a huge ordeal... which got me thinking about the different forms of materialism and the different reference points for what is or isn't a lot of money.
I'm not a materialist in possessions... but I'm a materialist in spending. I spend what I spend on supplies, groceries, necessities related to personal preference, brand loyalty, and comfort. I don't watch every dime of every price in the store, I get what we need or plan to get and I pay for it and I go home without much thought. I don't think we are necessarily a wasteful family... I use coupons and discount codes, I watch for sales and low prices, and I shop accordingly. We don't stockpile just for the sake of having full cabinets or a refrigerator, we buy what we are going to eat and then we eat it and then we buy some more.
But that's the difference. In my head, this is how it works...but the reality is, that being comfortable that whatever we earn is going to cover whatever we spend is a whole different realm of materialism outside of possessions alone. I am spoiled in that. And I'm just now realizing it. Not that Michael doesn't tell me "Ok, we need to be careful with spending this month or the next two weeks or whatever the time frame" and we live within our earnings putting into savings a least once a month.
But I don't really budget. I don't really watch the nickels and dimes. THAT IS MY MATERIALISM.
Please don't read this post as we have tons of money and plenty of opportunities to do whatever we want with it. Because that isn't true. Please don't read this as I have a grudge one way or the other. These are simply the revelations that God has been showing me.
Anyone want to buy a 12 place setting of Lenox fine china?
I've also read the following blogs (like this one and this one and another one that I can't remember where I read it but will keep looking and hopefully bring the link back) here recently that also touch on thoughts of spirituality, materialism, and things along those lines... and then I had an two experiences this week which also brought the topic to my mind.
So in the interest of returning to posting, here we go....
I've never really thought of myself as materialistic. I wear very little jewelry, I only shop for myself when I am literally out of things that fit and are still in condition to be worn in public..(I can think of one impulse buy dress in the last 3 years and I wear it way more than enough to justify it).. I've always driven used cars, especially since I'm not the best at keeping things clean so a new car would be a guilt-ridden panic-striken state of nervousness for me... While we'd love to build a house, we are totally ok with it being a someday or a maybe or a possibly not ever thing.... I replace shoes instead of stock-piling them.
However, I am part hoarder. I tend not to get rid of things that others could actually use and benefit from, just because I think we might use them some day... or they may fit again someday... or the girls will use them 5 years from now... and in my head the conversation usually sounds like this.. "Well, we've had this fine china set since 2006 and it still has all the stickers from the store on it, but we should keep it in case we want to have a fancy dinner or host Hayley's prom dinner or some other event 25 years down the road." Or, "well, we don't really need this third collander, but it was given to us and thus free and if we get rid of it now and then we need it then we'll have to spend money to buy one, whereas if we keep this and store it until its maybe possibly used one day then we won't be spending money on it when we once had it." (Trust me, everyone is glad that the durations of these conversations continue only in my head, I've subjected Michael to some and he looks dazed and confused and is usually shaking his head within minutes of my first few sentences)
I have gotten better at giving away and purging in the past few years. God has really been breaking my heart to give the things that I don't need (i.e. the jeans that haven't fit since college) to people who really do need them right now. this very minute. And I like being able to give good things that deserve to be used and enjoyed and be a blessing to others than being a storehouse of all things random and free and handed down.
But that is just one aspect of the materialism realism I've come to face in the past few weeks.
Last Tuesday I lost my necklace. Not a necklace. MY necklace. I wear it 24/7 excluding time in the shower... it has the birthstones of my girls on it. Michael gave it to me just days before Hayley was born in 2008 with a peridot pendant for her birthmonth and I received a pearl pendant for Bowen before she was born. I lost it on a trip to Dothan. I don't know at what point in the day I lost it. But the next morning I realized it was gone. And two days later, I was still worried and slightly depressed and actually in tears over it being gone. Not my girls being gone, a necklace with their birth stones being gone. A necklace. I don't know what the monetary worth of it is and it doesn't matter... but after I had my mini-meltdown about it being gone... I thought to myself... really? You cry over a lost necklace to which you attached sentimental value, but you do not give wholly and fully to the needs around you? You think you aren't materialistic but a lost necklace affects you for more than a week after its disappearance? Don't you just love how God comes down and gets to business with you sometimes. And I realized that I had wrapped all my emotions for my children in that necklace.... I had placed it as a vital part of my life... a chain with two pendants. I have food, money, a home, children, a family, security, a job... and I'm breaking down over a necklace. And if I'm honest, I still get a little misty-eyed as I type this.
Instance number three came this past Tuesday when I took 2 of the young girls from our church out to dinner (which translates as Dairy Queen, their choice so I oblige!) and a trip to Dollar General to get some supplies for our Sunday School room. And I'm trying to figure out how to explain this without getting ahead of myself too much... So we went to Dollar General first, I wanted us to get some more markers/colored pencils/crayons and supplies for our room since most of the supplies in there were old and not working well. My shopping philosphy when related to church stuff is you get what you need to get and you don't worry about the expense. God gave his Son, so you should give also your best to His service. On the supply aisle I was oohing and aahing over the new Crayola products... I think it really tickled the girls to see a supposedly "grown up" being excited about coloring, but I love me some Crayola. So I told the girls to pick out a set of markers, crayons, etc. and I picked up the Crayola markers and one of them said "Oh, but these are cheaper." To which I replied, "Maybe so, but I like the Crayola better, so we'll get those." and then we looked at something else and they said again "These are the cheapest..." and I replied "its ok, I prefer these (sharpies I think). At this point, I'm not really registering their concerns about the money being spent, which you can probably already pick up on in type. So we walk on and on and continue browsing.. the girls are not initiating purchases but I am asking them for their opinion about things and we are just generally entertaining ourselves. We went on to the book aisle and got new Bible coloring books to use in the Sunday School rooms and I picked up 4 of one book for everyone to have their own (this books were $1)... One of the girls says, "This sure is a lot of stuff..." and I say "Don't worry about it" and we continue on to spot something that would work for an Easter craft/gift for the church members (these girls do this often with their Grandmother and enjoy that kind of thing) so we picked up the supplies to do 12 gifts for the families in the church. And then we were done and headed to the register... as we are walking up I hear one whisper to the other "This looks like its going to be a lot of money..." Ding Ding Ding! Bell finally sounds in my head. These girls are not from families with dual incomes like Michael and I. They probably don't ever go into a store with a list of "wants" and come out with a full basket, but instead shop for needs... they have been taught to shop by price instead of quality/brand loyalty. As I'm realizing this the cashier starts ringing stuff up, we have 2 baskets full of $1 and $2 items... the total comes to $70. I don't really flinch... I don't usually throw out $70 at Dollar General but we got stuff that we needed and knew we were going to use and it was for the church so in my head it was money well spent. However, when the cashier says $70, one of the girls says "oh my gosh. that's a lot of money." and the other one says "are you going to be in trouble for spending that much money?" to which I reply, "No, its really not a big deal, these are things that we needed and we will use... not just things to get for the purpose of getting and wanting and we got it for cheaper than we would have elsewhere so its fine." and then I made them promise not to tell their Grandmother how much I spent, because I know their Grandmother would have a hissy fit if she thought that they helped me spend that money... even though it was money I was already prepared to spend. But in my head, $70 was not a huge ordeal... which got me thinking about the different forms of materialism and the different reference points for what is or isn't a lot of money.
I'm not a materialist in possessions... but I'm a materialist in spending. I spend what I spend on supplies, groceries, necessities related to personal preference, brand loyalty, and comfort. I don't watch every dime of every price in the store, I get what we need or plan to get and I pay for it and I go home without much thought. I don't think we are necessarily a wasteful family... I use coupons and discount codes, I watch for sales and low prices, and I shop accordingly. We don't stockpile just for the sake of having full cabinets or a refrigerator, we buy what we are going to eat and then we eat it and then we buy some more.
But that's the difference. In my head, this is how it works...but the reality is, that being comfortable that whatever we earn is going to cover whatever we spend is a whole different realm of materialism outside of possessions alone. I am spoiled in that. And I'm just now realizing it. Not that Michael doesn't tell me "Ok, we need to be careful with spending this month or the next two weeks or whatever the time frame" and we live within our earnings putting into savings a least once a month.
But I don't really budget. I don't really watch the nickels and dimes. THAT IS MY MATERIALISM.
Please don't read this post as we have tons of money and plenty of opportunities to do whatever we want with it. Because that isn't true. Please don't read this as I have a grudge one way or the other. These are simply the revelations that God has been showing me.
Anyone want to buy a 12 place setting of Lenox fine china?
Friday, March 4
A Pep For Our Step
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-8
The divine providence of God is that faithfulness creates more… more faith, more wisdom, more
understanding and more like-mindedness with Christ. It brings out the fruits of faithfulness...holiness,
righteousness, goodness, mercy, grace, self-control, perseverance. We are not created complete in our knowledge and understanding of God and Christ upon our salvation...it is instead, that our salvation brings us into God's divine promises and provisions. It is then up to our diligence to further ourselves into a more complete knowledge and understanding of Christ through daily diligence in belief.
The more we read His word, the more it is ingrained in our hearts and minds. The more we embrace and remember His promises. The more we are reconciled with the type of people and the traits of believers that God wishes to grow into fruition in all believers. If we are ushers of Truth, then Truth overtakes our lives. If we put our Bibles down, if we don't join in the fellowship of other believers, if we aren't praying,
worshiping, seeking...then it is not God who has fallen short on His promises of divinity in our lives...it is us who has dropped the ball, spiritually speaking. If we are not doing all we can to further our knowledge,
understanding and time spent in the presence of God, then we are also not getting the fullness of his blessings and the fullness of that which He wishes to grant us... traits that make our lives fuller and better.
For every effort you pour into knowing your Savior, the further He will take you in your development... If you are faithful, you will find more goodness... with goodness follows knowledge, with knowledge we gain self-control, which will grant us perseverance... from perseverance, godliness and from godliness to love. The ultimate of gifts is that of love.. love is not granted in step one of our spiritual journey, although it is no doubt present there. But to see everything to its utmost we must be willing to put the work into developing lasting habits of each of these traits. Godliness comes from perseverance because it is in times when we must wait, trust, persevere that we seek after God the most. We gain self-control from a knowledge of the provisions of
discipleship that are outlined in the Bible. We must walk daily in order to find ourselves in the fullness of Christ eternally.
The divine providence of God is that faithfulness creates more… more faith, more wisdom, more
understanding and more like-mindedness with Christ. It brings out the fruits of faithfulness...holiness,
righteousness, goodness, mercy, grace, self-control, perseverance. We are not created complete in our knowledge and understanding of God and Christ upon our salvation...it is instead, that our salvation brings us into God's divine promises and provisions. It is then up to our diligence to further ourselves into a more complete knowledge and understanding of Christ through daily diligence in belief.
The more we read His word, the more it is ingrained in our hearts and minds. The more we embrace and remember His promises. The more we are reconciled with the type of people and the traits of believers that God wishes to grow into fruition in all believers. If we are ushers of Truth, then Truth overtakes our lives. If we put our Bibles down, if we don't join in the fellowship of other believers, if we aren't praying,
worshiping, seeking...then it is not God who has fallen short on His promises of divinity in our lives...it is us who has dropped the ball, spiritually speaking. If we are not doing all we can to further our knowledge,
understanding and time spent in the presence of God, then we are also not getting the fullness of his blessings and the fullness of that which He wishes to grant us... traits that make our lives fuller and better.
For every effort you pour into knowing your Savior, the further He will take you in your development... If you are faithful, you will find more goodness... with goodness follows knowledge, with knowledge we gain self-control, which will grant us perseverance... from perseverance, godliness and from godliness to love. The ultimate of gifts is that of love.. love is not granted in step one of our spiritual journey, although it is no doubt present there. But to see everything to its utmost we must be willing to put the work into developing lasting habits of each of these traits. Godliness comes from perseverance because it is in times when we must wait, trust, persevere that we seek after God the most. We gain self-control from a knowledge of the provisions of
discipleship that are outlined in the Bible. We must walk daily in order to find ourselves in the fullness of Christ eternally.
Friday, February 18
Air Quotes...
I've debated most of the day, and part of last night, about where to post this next train of thought... I'm going to launch into it here, in my personal space of blogland... and see how things go.
I got into an interesting conversation with a co-worker yesterday that spanned a wide-variety of topics within the "America is going to hell in a hand-basket" religious observations. And excuse me Mama for using hell, twice.
Anyhow, as we were talking I was struck by just how despairing the identity of believers in the US is. It was by this simple observation... as we were talking, I noticed that my co-worker kept putting "air quotes" around words like "christian" or "church" or "leader" ...
How broken is the witness of believers when we use " " to surround words, to give them that "supposed to be" or "claims to be" quality.
You know what I'm talking about.. the people who say they are "Christians" (all quotes intended) but live their lives apart from God's word, His teaching, His church... they thrive in sin and worldliness.
Michael and I have been reading two books... Radical by David Platt and Ablaze with His Glory (whose author escapes me right this minutes)... both books are centered on two basic principles.
1. America is in a place so removed from God that it needs to be recentered and revived into holy living.
2. American Christians/Churches are not so much of active disciples of Christ than participants in a good-looking good-feeling program.
The basic precept is this... Jesus spoke to thousands and thousands, and thousands beleived. However, only few were called disciples, separated from those who claimed Jesus but did not spend their life in pursuit of Him. Americans desire easy Christianity... name is on the roll, got baptized now I can live how I want, good programs that separate families and allow for drop-off children while adults do their own thing away from the church.
In other words, we wouldn't cut it if Jesus were here. We are, as a nation, a "Christian" with all the supposed to be, should be, pretends to be, claims to be...but still does its own thing...kind of nation.
How bad is it, when we as believers can't use the term assigned to other believers without denoting truth in their discipleship, or buy-in to the saved-from-hell (make that three times Mom) but-doing-it-my-way mentality.
Oh, how we must break the heart of God.
I got into an interesting conversation with a co-worker yesterday that spanned a wide-variety of topics within the "America is going to hell in a hand-basket" religious observations. And excuse me Mama for using hell, twice.
Anyhow, as we were talking I was struck by just how despairing the identity of believers in the US is. It was by this simple observation... as we were talking, I noticed that my co-worker kept putting "air quotes" around words like "christian" or "church" or "leader" ...
How broken is the witness of believers when we use " " to surround words, to give them that "supposed to be" or "claims to be" quality.
You know what I'm talking about.. the people who say they are "Christians" (all quotes intended) but live their lives apart from God's word, His teaching, His church... they thrive in sin and worldliness.
Michael and I have been reading two books... Radical by David Platt and Ablaze with His Glory (whose author escapes me right this minutes)... both books are centered on two basic principles.
1. America is in a place so removed from God that it needs to be recentered and revived into holy living.
2. American Christians/Churches are not so much of active disciples of Christ than participants in a good-looking good-feeling program.
The basic precept is this... Jesus spoke to thousands and thousands, and thousands beleived. However, only few were called disciples, separated from those who claimed Jesus but did not spend their life in pursuit of Him. Americans desire easy Christianity... name is on the roll, got baptized now I can live how I want, good programs that separate families and allow for drop-off children while adults do their own thing away from the church.
In other words, we wouldn't cut it if Jesus were here. We are, as a nation, a "Christian" with all the supposed to be, should be, pretends to be, claims to be...but still does its own thing...kind of nation.
How bad is it, when we as believers can't use the term assigned to other believers without denoting truth in their discipleship, or buy-in to the saved-from-hell (make that three times Mom) but-doing-it-my-way mentality.
Oh, how we must break the heart of God.
Friday, February 4
Divenly Orchestrated
One of the most divine aspects of God’s provision in our lives is that He holds the bigger picture. Always. He is omnipresent and omnipotent. Always with us and always in full knowledge.
Yet, we, as humans who are in what we perceive to be control of many aspects of our lives, like to think that we know what is best for us, and how to get there from here.
Oh, how God must laugh at our plans! How he must delight in just how we underestimate ourselves and Him… yes, I said delight. I think it brings God joy to show us just how great He is, how much better His plan is, and just how many ways He provides our every need and so much more.
I have often heard, don’t pray for just anything, you just might get it! At the heart of that lightly-toned quote is a certain truth… just because we want a certain end result, doesn’t mean we’ll necessarily like what it takes to get there. In God’s world, the means of getting there is just as important, if not more so in most cases, than the end result. Because at the end of it, we’re still all, whether we like to admit it or not, works in process.
That being said, I asked for patience while praying. I got a 2-year-old that has reached the whiney, emotional meltdown phase. You want patience? You have to practice it, choose it and embody it.
I studied Isaiah 42 with my women’s group… I focused on the phrase “Bring Forth.” I found myself in the midst of what I’ve named the Flu Crisis of 2011 for 7 days. Nothing, and I mean, nothing, will bring a faith that is discouraged back in humility to the feet of God like sick children, whose return to health is out of their parent’s control.
Yet through the means, that may be less desirable for us than we plan for, the fine-tuning of our souls and ourselves through that process is where we find the tangible work of God in our lives.
Do not pray for it unless you are ready to practice it. Do not lightly embrace a promise of God unless you are ready to see it through its completeness. Do not forget that the journey is long, the road narrow, and the God Almighty. You will not understand it all. You won’t like it all. The road may veer right when you were thinking left. But through it all, God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called to His purpose. Be sure to be one of those. Romans 8:28
Yet, we, as humans who are in what we perceive to be control of many aspects of our lives, like to think that we know what is best for us, and how to get there from here.
Oh, how God must laugh at our plans! How he must delight in just how we underestimate ourselves and Him… yes, I said delight. I think it brings God joy to show us just how great He is, how much better His plan is, and just how many ways He provides our every need and so much more.
I have often heard, don’t pray for just anything, you just might get it! At the heart of that lightly-toned quote is a certain truth… just because we want a certain end result, doesn’t mean we’ll necessarily like what it takes to get there. In God’s world, the means of getting there is just as important, if not more so in most cases, than the end result. Because at the end of it, we’re still all, whether we like to admit it or not, works in process.
That being said, I asked for patience while praying. I got a 2-year-old that has reached the whiney, emotional meltdown phase. You want patience? You have to practice it, choose it and embody it.
I studied Isaiah 42 with my women’s group… I focused on the phrase “Bring Forth.” I found myself in the midst of what I’ve named the Flu Crisis of 2011 for 7 days. Nothing, and I mean, nothing, will bring a faith that is discouraged back in humility to the feet of God like sick children, whose return to health is out of their parent’s control.
Yet through the means, that may be less desirable for us than we plan for, the fine-tuning of our souls and ourselves through that process is where we find the tangible work of God in our lives.
Do not pray for it unless you are ready to practice it. Do not lightly embrace a promise of God unless you are ready to see it through its completeness. Do not forget that the journey is long, the road narrow, and the God Almighty. You will not understand it all. You won’t like it all. The road may veer right when you were thinking left. But through it all, God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called to His purpose. Be sure to be one of those. Romans 8:28
Tuesday, February 1
bring forth
Backtracking....
Last Monday was our monthly HOPE circle meeting....its a gathering of women for Bible study, prayer, and of course, food!! Our "assignment" during the meeting was to read through a section of scripture taken from Isaiah 42 and choose the word or phrase that stood out to us. Then take that phrase and see how it manifests throughout your week. I chose "Bring Forth" because of the image it creates in my head of God's perfect timing. The way the doors of a church open for a bride on their wedding day. God's timing can't be forth, when He moves, it just happens. We can't force it, it is divinely appointed. Its not forced, its not controlled by us and its not reliant on us. It just IS. It just HAPPENS. Bring Forth.
Last week, we had the girls dedication service at church. We never dedicated Hayley as an infant because there was so much turmoil at our church at the time. Then once we found out we were expecting Bowen, we just decided to postpone until we were settled into a church and dedicate both girls together. I wanted Lane to come and sing as part of our dedication service 1. because she's awesome 2. because she's my best friend 3. because she's awesome 4. because we share the same view on the importance of music in worship 5 because I wanted her to.
Anywho....
During the week leading up to the dedication service Lane and I were emailing back and forth about what she should sing... I had a song in my head that I'd heard at a service over a year ago but I couldn't remember the words or the title or really anything about it so I was online daily trying to find anything that resembled that song or another fitting song for a child dedication service. I even went as far as emailing 7 different people who were at that dedication service and no one, including one of the people who sang it, could remember anything about it!! I searched around and found a song that was ok, but really wasn't everything I was looking for. Then Lane sent me an email about how she thought we should choose a song that was more of a prophesy over the girls life, not a parent to child song (like all the ones I'd been looking at)... she gave me 3 that came to her mind and I picked one for her to sing. It was BEAUTIFUL and PERFECT when we heard it for the first time Sunday morning just 30 minutes before church started.
The lyrics are simply this:
Last Monday was our monthly HOPE circle meeting....its a gathering of women for Bible study, prayer, and of course, food!! Our "assignment" during the meeting was to read through a section of scripture taken from Isaiah 42 and choose the word or phrase that stood out to us. Then take that phrase and see how it manifests throughout your week. I chose "Bring Forth" because of the image it creates in my head of God's perfect timing. The way the doors of a church open for a bride on their wedding day. God's timing can't be forth, when He moves, it just happens. We can't force it, it is divinely appointed. Its not forced, its not controlled by us and its not reliant on us. It just IS. It just HAPPENS. Bring Forth.
Last week, we had the girls dedication service at church. We never dedicated Hayley as an infant because there was so much turmoil at our church at the time. Then once we found out we were expecting Bowen, we just decided to postpone until we were settled into a church and dedicate both girls together. I wanted Lane to come and sing as part of our dedication service 1. because she's awesome 2. because she's my best friend 3. because she's awesome 4. because we share the same view on the importance of music in worship 5 because I wanted her to.
Anywho....
During the week leading up to the dedication service Lane and I were emailing back and forth about what she should sing... I had a song in my head that I'd heard at a service over a year ago but I couldn't remember the words or the title or really anything about it so I was online daily trying to find anything that resembled that song or another fitting song for a child dedication service. I even went as far as emailing 7 different people who were at that dedication service and no one, including one of the people who sang it, could remember anything about it!! I searched around and found a song that was ok, but really wasn't everything I was looking for. Then Lane sent me an email about how she thought we should choose a song that was more of a prophesy over the girls life, not a parent to child song (like all the ones I'd been looking at)... she gave me 3 that came to her mind and I picked one for her to sing. It was BEAUTIFUL and PERFECT when we heard it for the first time Sunday morning just 30 minutes before church started.
The lyrics are simply this:
you hold my every moment
you calm my raging seas
you walk with me through fire
you heal all my disease
i trust in you, i trust in you
i believe that you're my healer
i believe that you are all i need
i believe that you're my portion
i believe you're more than enough for me
jesus you're all i need
nothing is impossible for you
nothing is impossible for you
nothing is impossible for you
you hold my world in your hands
I give you all that backtrack to get you to this point... God walked with me in tangible way through our visit to the pediatrician on Friday through our discharge on Sunday and in the days since we've been home.
When I called work just moments after the doc told us we were being transported by ambulance to the hospital for admission, I got the ringback of my boss
"And the voice of truth, tells me a different story, the voice of truth, says do not be afraid!"
As I laid praying over Hayley in the hospital bed, I could only remember the words of the song that Lane had just sung over my girls and what that meant for their lives.
Healer. More than Enough.
Then I reflected back to Monday's study... bring forth....
I have no doubt that God was using this time of ultimate fear and lack of control to "bring forth" the faith that allows for radical release and total reliance on a Holy God. Do I think God made Hayley sick to get my life back on track? No, not at all. But I do think that God used her sickness for a purpose. Bringing Forth my broken faith.
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