I love the fall. The air cools as the sun sets sooner allowing longer evenings and later mornings. Pumpkins line storefronts and porches as trees announce in brown, red, and gold "Fall has come! Make way for winter!" Today, I spent the afternoon helping a friend rake her yard in the wonderfully crisp fall air, that still felt warm somehow...seeing the beauty of The Creator in all that the late afternoon light touches. The changing of leaf colors, the smell of dry dust, leaves, and grass as the year comes to an end...all of this points to the Glory and power of God...more than that, it all points to the sovereignty and planning of our great orchestrator. In Sunday School this morning we talked about the plan of God...Romans 12:2 describes God's plan as the one that is good, pleasing and perfect...and as we see the seasons change, God allows us a window into His greater plan. Everything that matters has a beginning a middle and an end...Spring begins new life which flourishes into Summer. As Fall dawns, vibrant life begins to fade and rest. Winter throws a blanket of finality as life seems to stand still...and stop. All this, to set the stage for Spring to burst forth with glorious and triumphant fanfare!
The best part about all of this is that none of it surprises God. He has made it all and made it all good, with purpose. This is how He has made your situation...your season of life. whatever you're going through, no matter how big or small, good or bad...no matter how in control you feel...or not...God is in it, God is on it, and God is walking you through it!...Allow Him to work it!
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Through the Looking Glass
Do you ever find, in your conversations with God, that you sometimes get stuck in the same theme for a while? All your questions and wonderings, all your thoughts and prayers are linked together with the same underlying "problem"? I've been stuck for some time in the same circle, it wasn't until recently (within the past few days) that God revealed what was at the center. You see, I have a crush on this guy...never mind the details, that's not the point...and it has come to my attention that a friend has a crush on the same guy. Now focus, here's the point: I find that I am comparing myself to her. In my mind I have listed all the things that are better about her and all the things that are better about myself...not even knowing if the guy has a care for either one of us! Does this honor God? Does my comparison and evaluation of this sister in Christ honor the Father?
We do this often, don't we? Compare ourselves to others. It's a natural and common problem to have. Consider 1 Corinthians:
We do this often, don't we? Compare ourselves to others. It's a natural and common problem to have. Consider 1 Corinthians:
"For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. So the body is not one part but many. If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed each one of the parts in one body just as He wanted. And if they were all the same part, where would the body be?" 1Corinthians12:19
There is always someone who has or is the very thing we wish we could have or be...We often have the feeling that something is missing or lacking in some way. Thinking "If I could only be like..." "If I only had..." "If I could just get..." Going back to the notion that we can put God's puzzle together ourselves...without His model to follow.
God's word says that the whole body can not be an eye...we as Christians are one body. Created in the image of the most high sovereign God as individuals and as one body! By the very nature of God's creativity we can not be the same...if we were all the same we would all serve the same purpose and some things just would not get done. Comparing myself to a sister (or brother) in Christ is like the ear comparing itself to the eye. We are both created in the image of God and both given a specific purpose within the body and therefore it is necessary that we are different! Specifically created each for our purpose. Likewise, being created in the Image of God we are to reflect only one thing. GOD! God created man in His image, Christ came to earth as a man, the very church is a picture of the BODY of Christ! When we look into the mirror, our ONLY standard of comparison should be Christ!
When Christ is our only standard, it becomes much easier to work as a unified body to accomplish the purposes of God's kingdom. The body needs each unique member to function the way it was meant to. And, sometimes, in our uniqueness is where we find our intimacy with God! I'll be honest, this is not easy. It's a constant battle to keep taking our thoughts captive to Christ...lifting up each and every concern that plagues our consciousness with open hands to surrender them to God. If we are not careful, we can form our identity in trying to be something different that what we are. Let's not get carried away with "what ifs." Find your identity in Christ! Embrace who He has created you to be! When you look through the looking glass into who you are, find yourself uniquely fitted into Christ's body, in a place only YOU can fill, and carry out your work as for the Lord using only Christ as your point of reference!
Sunday, June 9, 2013
The Best of What's Around
When we begin on a journey with God, it's exciting and freeing and promising. There is so much to look forward to and nothing to fear because God is with us. Then, the journey takes a turn we had not figured into the plan.
Five years ago, I was thrilled to be graduating college and moving into the next phase of my life. I had a plan...ideas...a picture of what I deemed right and worthy for my life. Once I had that set, I told God I was ready to put Him at the wheel and follow him where He would lead. I was ready to follow. I was ready to welcome HIS plan. What I was not prepared for was that His plan was not the same as my plan.
My current prayer pattern often includes "God, this is not what I had in mind..." I had such a different picture for this moment in time. A plan I thought was iron clad. A plan that was mine...not God's. It's not as easy to just "let go and let God" as it seems it should be. Human nature recoils at the very thought of giving up the power to something unseen - uncontrollable... Graciously, God has a way of making our feeble attempts at greatness pale in comparison to His sovereign will.
In church today, LT said something that really stuck. It's been rattling around in my mind all afternoon...He said "God is at work, He is never tardy, and it will be the best in the end." The thought that none of MY best laid plans are best is more than comforting. It's freeing! Freeing to know that putting it all together is not on my shoulders...it's on His! What peace this provides!
I realize that this is roughly a carbon copy of my last post...but it's a lesson that God is continuing to teach me because I need continuous reminders. As I continue to allow God to put the puzzle together (despite my attempts at taking over) I find my prayer pattern has changed to "God, make my mind like yours. Make my will match yours. Show me how to execute your plan to your glory." I know that God has my life and purpose already written. I know it's up to me to make the right choices to follow that purpose. And, God knows that I'm going to try to take over again. I am going to try to insert MY desires into HIS plan. I am going to attempt to use my own power because that is what humans do. But, God decides the end and in the end is when all things are at their best.
I still struggle moment by moment to reconcile my ideals to His will. There are many things I think I am missing out on. Many I have shared, and some I have kept between me and God. And sometimes it's super hard to move on past those desires as I see the people around me thriving in pieces of a life I would have planed for myself...however, when the dark sadness of doubt and fear snakes its way into my thoughts, God is always there to remind me of the truth. He is with me. He is at work. He is never tardy. He will give the best in the end! And the darkness fades and I am left with bright hopeful joy! I am not missing out...I am holding out. Waiting in Christ for the best of what's around!
Five years ago, I was thrilled to be graduating college and moving into the next phase of my life. I had a plan...ideas...a picture of what I deemed right and worthy for my life. Once I had that set, I told God I was ready to put Him at the wheel and follow him where He would lead. I was ready to follow. I was ready to welcome HIS plan. What I was not prepared for was that His plan was not the same as my plan.
My current prayer pattern often includes "God, this is not what I had in mind..." I had such a different picture for this moment in time. A plan I thought was iron clad. A plan that was mine...not God's. It's not as easy to just "let go and let God" as it seems it should be. Human nature recoils at the very thought of giving up the power to something unseen - uncontrollable... Graciously, God has a way of making our feeble attempts at greatness pale in comparison to His sovereign will.
In church today, LT said something that really stuck. It's been rattling around in my mind all afternoon...He said "God is at work, He is never tardy, and it will be the best in the end." The thought that none of MY best laid plans are best is more than comforting. It's freeing! Freeing to know that putting it all together is not on my shoulders...it's on His! What peace this provides!
I realize that this is roughly a carbon copy of my last post...but it's a lesson that God is continuing to teach me because I need continuous reminders. As I continue to allow God to put the puzzle together (despite my attempts at taking over) I find my prayer pattern has changed to "God, make my mind like yours. Make my will match yours. Show me how to execute your plan to your glory." I know that God has my life and purpose already written. I know it's up to me to make the right choices to follow that purpose. And, God knows that I'm going to try to take over again. I am going to try to insert MY desires into HIS plan. I am going to attempt to use my own power because that is what humans do. But, God decides the end and in the end is when all things are at their best.
I still struggle moment by moment to reconcile my ideals to His will. There are many things I think I am missing out on. Many I have shared, and some I have kept between me and God. And sometimes it's super hard to move on past those desires as I see the people around me thriving in pieces of a life I would have planed for myself...however, when the dark sadness of doubt and fear snakes its way into my thoughts, God is always there to remind me of the truth. He is with me. He is at work. He is never tardy. He will give the best in the end! And the darkness fades and I am left with bright hopeful joy! I am not missing out...I am holding out. Waiting in Christ for the best of what's around!
Monday, June 3, 2013
The Face of England
On Christ the solid rock I stand!
With my feet on the cobbled streets of England, I began a journey I couldn't have anticipated. I knew, of course, that embarking on my first mission trip, leaping out of my comfort zone, opening my heart and spirit to anything the Lord may have planned would have some lasting effect...though I'm not sure what I thought would happen. Something groundbreaking and life altering I suppose. The surprising this is that I got exactly what I thought I would, only it grew in a different way. God blessed me with new friends, new family, and newfound joy!
One of my closest friends asked me what my biggest disappointment was...I had never thought about that...and of course after the fleeting regret that I didn't come home with some wonderful British love story I began to consider her question and was a bit surprised at my answer. At first, nothing. The beauty of the place, the warmth and openness of the people we met, the color of the ocean...all of it had me swooning! As I continued to relive the experience, with my friend waiting for my response, I saw them. I saw the faces od England. Sad, dark, sorrowful faces...not a smile on anyone I passed on the streets...this is my greatest disappointment, and the reason (or at least partially) that God pulled a group of Americans together to storm the castle and share not the gospel in word but the gospel in joy. In the simplicity of a smile. And in that short bit of revelation God pieced together His lesson for me.
No matter where I go, no matter how far away or different or scary something might be, He is with me and so I carry with me joy and peace because Christ IS joy and peace. More than that, I know that as long as I am doing God's will, I will be happy. I will be satisfied. I will be fulfilled! And nothing can take that away!
I spend so much time trying to piece together God's plan. I try to take the bits He's given me and arrange them into what I think makes the prettiest picture...what I think that outcome should look like...much like taking a 5000 piece puzzle and putting it together without ever seeing the picture on the box...there's just no way to do it. ONLY God knows what His picture for your life looks like. There is NO WAY to put it together yourself...but there's the beauty of it. He KNOWS! God has your life and mine already written in the heavens! For as long as we try to follow His path, as long as we take the next step as He gives it to us, it's done. And it's perfect! No worry. No fret. No stress. Just Christ and a lifetime of joy.
So, there it is, loves. My take away is: I got my joy back! The only thing left to do is SHARE it! To SHINE the light God has strengthened into the lives of those around me...and pray every moment that I do well in His eyes. Thank you to all of you who prayed for me and supported me and the team and the trip. Please continue to pray for the people of Penzance and the wonderful family I have in the Light and Life church there. They have such a beautiful thing started! Pray for revival and renewed JOY! Cheers :)
No matter where I go, no matter how far away or different or scary something might be, He is with me and so I carry with me joy and peace because Christ IS joy and peace. More than that, I know that as long as I am doing God's will, I will be happy. I will be satisfied. I will be fulfilled! And nothing can take that away!
I spend so much time trying to piece together God's plan. I try to take the bits He's given me and arrange them into what I think makes the prettiest picture...what I think that outcome should look like...much like taking a 5000 piece puzzle and putting it together without ever seeing the picture on the box...there's just no way to do it. ONLY God knows what His picture for your life looks like. There is NO WAY to put it together yourself...but there's the beauty of it. He KNOWS! God has your life and mine already written in the heavens! For as long as we try to follow His path, as long as we take the next step as He gives it to us, it's done. And it's perfect! No worry. No fret. No stress. Just Christ and a lifetime of joy.
So, there it is, loves. My take away is: I got my joy back! The only thing left to do is SHARE it! To SHINE the light God has strengthened into the lives of those around me...and pray every moment that I do well in His eyes. Thank you to all of you who prayed for me and supported me and the team and the trip. Please continue to pray for the people of Penzance and the wonderful family I have in the Light and Life church there. They have such a beautiful thing started! Pray for revival and renewed JOY! Cheers :)
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Easier Said Than Done...
Sometimes, God's purposes are made immediately clear. Sometimes we practice waiting and growing until His plan is revealed. Many times, we wait long enough that purpose either pops up unexpectedly or not at all causing the wait to be that much harder. I have experienced all of these in varying degrees, and I'd have to say the first scenario is my favorite. However long God has for us to wait, the part He hopes we will focus on is the journey, the process in the waiting. It is extremely easy, however, to become indifferent, complacent, and lukewarm when the waiting is long.
Revelation 3:14-22
"Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea:
“The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation says: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne. Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Spent the day with a great friend today. During breakfast, we looked at this passage together. We talked about the choice to answer Jesus' call and open the door to Him...and, if we choose NOT to respond to HIM we are in fact responding to Satan. Satan will fill any bit of our heart that is left open...Choosing anything other than Christ to fill our hearts, is choosing Satan. We must, therefore, choose to look at ALL things through the lens of the Holy Spirit and listen for Jesus' knock on the door of our hearts because our actions, deeds, works, whatever, are NOT going to get us anywhere but tired. Jesus will not rest until we respond and when we respond, we are able to rest! It's when we are able to rest in Him that our works and deeds become a blessing rather than a trial. God provided the opportunity after breakfast to join another friend and volunteer our time and talent to put into practice His call to show Jesus to others...a task we are all called to as soon as we say "yes" to Jesus' knocking and welcome Him into our hearts. Throughout the day, I've reflected on the thoughts of the morning and God has granted me sight into His purpose for this day; to show me, I believe, that today is the day that matters! Yesterday is dead and gone. Tomorrow has worries of its own. Today is the day the Lord has made, His mercies are new every morning!!!
Not that this is a new thing...Popular culture tells us to live for today, for tomorrow we die...the point is, what will you DO with today? Will you use this day, this hour, this moment, to reach others for Christ?
Jesus calls us to boldly approach the throne of grace (Heb 4:16) so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time. God fills us so that we may then boldly share His truth with others. As I come closer to my first overseas mission trip I am comforted and strengthened by this truth! I know that I can confidently and boldly approach the throne of grace so that I may be filled with grace to boldly share Christ with the people of Penzance, England! I see each day how God is preparing my heart for this trip. Not all is it is easy. There is some refining - a bit of fire to walk through along the way - which is never easy or fun. God's molding of my character has become a new joy every evening...just to look back on the day and choose to find the good that god has uncovered in my heart!
We are all a work in progress, and sometimes the waiting is long, but God is faithful to complete the work He started in each of us and calls us only to be faithful to follow His lead. We don't go blindly...He's with us always, even to the end of the age.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Have you seen the new...?!
Well, it has been a long time, friends! December seems so long ago. God has done so much, yet it seems there has been so little to share...Sometimes floating through a quiet season waiting for an answer to prayer is indeed an answer to prayer. Much has been on my mind, and there have been several times I have sat down and opened this page and began to write...then something always stops me. This blog has been an outlet in so many ways over the past two years (my first post was Easter Sunday two years ago!) yet I somehow lost sight of the true goal and purpose to WHY I write...To share the joy and peace and wonder of Christ with anyone willing to read along with me. Today, God has burst through my personal wall with a small gleam of purpose. Over the bast several months I have allowed the enemy to infiltrate my resolve and fill my heart with the blackest lies, fear, worry and doubt...the TRUTH is, I have overcome! John 16:32-33 tells us that we may have peace. Even though we will have suffering, we are told to be courageous, for Jesus has conquered the world! The very power of Jesus name is enough to cast out every unwanted darkness and flood the mind, body, and spirit with healing light IF we allow it to come in!
I was watching Enchanted today...the princess movie where the heroine is tricked and falls into modern day New York and makes her dresses out of the curtains and a rug...Patrick Dempsey is there...anyway, it made me think about all the times I get excited to tell everyone I know about the new product I just discovered or the sale or deal I found. And we all do this, right? We gush over the new recipe we found or the new shop that just opened. We share "deals" websites and how to get bulk items delivered to your door and the latest technological device and by the way, where did you get those shoes!?! It's wonderful to be able to share new information with our friends and family, information that has in some way bettered our lives; we love to share it because we think we will have helped them and made their lives better in some way. This sharing comes so naturally to so many of us...why do you think that is? What information could be SO important that we are "pre-programmed" to share it!?! You guessed it! Jesus! The One who died for us all to save our souls and cover our sins so that we might have relationship with the Father!
...p.s. I just did this with my Mom and told her about the wonderful new Greek yogurt with chocolate, it's Chobani and it's fantastic!...and now, I've shared with you!
If it's this easy to share about yogurt, or any other product, why does it seem so difficult to share about Jesus-the ONE who has TRULY transformed our lives?
I'm not saying it's wrong in any way to share the wonderful discoveries that have changed our lives. It's NORMAL to share what we love! The POINT is, do we think Jesus is one of those wonderful discoveries, and WILL we share Him?
So, with the goal in mind...to SHARE Christ, I wish to share with you a new season God has brought me to. I am headed on my first overseas mission trip in ONE MONTH from today! I am going with a small group from my church to Penzance, England to share the gospel and help a growing church! I am so excited for God to rip me out of my comfortable complacency and stretch me and grow me closer to Him and closer to His likeness. There is still much to be done before the trip, still support to be raised, still meetings to have, still a passport to receive, and many other bits, but I leave all of this in God's hands because He is sovereign and He will take care of every detail to meet HIS expectations. I look forward to allowing God to speak through me as I diligently seek to fill my heart with Him until He overflows into EVERY moment, relationship, and conversation in my life! There's a challenge in there for me as well as for you! Will WE diligently work to make Jesus the topic of conversation as we share the wonders that have changed the way we live our lives...HAS Jesus CHANGED the way you live your life the way your iPhone has? Think about it.
Happy to be back friends. God is SO faithful to bring us through hard times and into His time. Have a great week.
I was watching Enchanted today...the princess movie where the heroine is tricked and falls into modern day New York and makes her dresses out of the curtains and a rug...Patrick Dempsey is there...anyway, it made me think about all the times I get excited to tell everyone I know about the new product I just discovered or the sale or deal I found. And we all do this, right? We gush over the new recipe we found or the new shop that just opened. We share "deals" websites and how to get bulk items delivered to your door and the latest technological device and by the way, where did you get those shoes!?! It's wonderful to be able to share new information with our friends and family, information that has in some way bettered our lives; we love to share it because we think we will have helped them and made their lives better in some way. This sharing comes so naturally to so many of us...why do you think that is? What information could be SO important that we are "pre-programmed" to share it!?! You guessed it! Jesus! The One who died for us all to save our souls and cover our sins so that we might have relationship with the Father!
...p.s. I just did this with my Mom and told her about the wonderful new Greek yogurt with chocolate, it's Chobani and it's fantastic!...and now, I've shared with you!
If it's this easy to share about yogurt, or any other product, why does it seem so difficult to share about Jesus-the ONE who has TRULY transformed our lives?
I'm not saying it's wrong in any way to share the wonderful discoveries that have changed our lives. It's NORMAL to share what we love! The POINT is, do we think Jesus is one of those wonderful discoveries, and WILL we share Him?
So, with the goal in mind...to SHARE Christ, I wish to share with you a new season God has brought me to. I am headed on my first overseas mission trip in ONE MONTH from today! I am going with a small group from my church to Penzance, England to share the gospel and help a growing church! I am so excited for God to rip me out of my comfortable complacency and stretch me and grow me closer to Him and closer to His likeness. There is still much to be done before the trip, still support to be raised, still meetings to have, still a passport to receive, and many other bits, but I leave all of this in God's hands because He is sovereign and He will take care of every detail to meet HIS expectations. I look forward to allowing God to speak through me as I diligently seek to fill my heart with Him until He overflows into EVERY moment, relationship, and conversation in my life! There's a challenge in there for me as well as for you! Will WE diligently work to make Jesus the topic of conversation as we share the wonders that have changed the way we live our lives...HAS Jesus CHANGED the way you live your life the way your iPhone has? Think about it.
Happy to be back friends. God is SO faithful to bring us through hard times and into His time. Have a great week.
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