A-Way With Words

God is good and His timing and plan are perfect! This week's SWS was going to be about something completely different than what is on my heart right now, so, we'll put that off until next time (if the Lord wills)! God spoke to me at the beach today and I feel I should share my conviction and challenge with you (mostly because I feel this is God's plan for out time this week, but I also know that you struggle with this the same as I do the same as every person I know).

While lying on the beach today with a salty sea breeze, the sound of crashing waves, and sandy toes I overheard a conversation a few towels down from our spot...what I heard filled my heart part with sadness and part with a mirror image of myself. I can't remember the conversation or the words used, but what I DO remember is that there were two topics...the group was either talking about/making fun of someone on the beach, or they were talking about nothing just to hear their own voices and curse every other word. Then, they stopped talking to drink. That was their whole "fellowship" at the beach. No substance. No encouragement. Not even the slightest "Hey, how was your week?" Nothing of value.

I have a little card hanging in my room that says "Please, Lord, fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff, and nudge me when I've said enough!" How different the world would be if we all lived by this little phrase... So, you see where my sadness came from. But, the worst part is, I find myself in the same mindset sometimes-talking just to hear myself talk or judging the people around me. Then, God reminded me of this passage:

"Now when we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we also guide the whole animal. And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how large a forest a small fire ignites. And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell. Every sea creature, reptile, bird, or animal is tamed and has been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. We praise our Lord and Father with it, and we curse men who are made in God’s likeness with it. Praising and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers, these things should not be this way. Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water."

-James 3:3-12

Let us focus on building others up with our conversation and building the kingdom of God with words of affirmation and encouragement! This is not an easy task! Thank God for the Holy Spirit to help us!!! And let this become our prayer as we allow the potter to reshape us: "Please, Lord, fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff, and nudge me when I've said enough!"

Wash, Rinse, Repeat

Summer is off to a bang and God has been at work!

My week was pretty usual...work, home, bible study (which I look forward to all week), more work, lazy Saturday...etc. Just your typical hum-drum week...or so it would seem. More than any other lesson this week (and God's been working a few), I've been reminded of God's unending unconditional unmatched love for me. No matter how my day is going, no matter what I've done in the past year...week...day...hour...minute, no matter how many times He's had to teach me the same lesson in the past 20 seconds, He loves me the same yesterday, today, and forever! Just like shampoo, He is willing to wash me in His cleansing waters, lather me with His love, rinse away all the mess, and repeat! What an incredible God!

I found myself this week revisiting some of the same struggles I've encountered over and over again all my life...thinking all these were behind me...and I am SO thankful that God chooses to speak to us in this way! Do you ever notice repeating themes in your life? Maybe the same songs always pop up in your heart, or perhaps there is that one sin you just can't seem to stay away from, a habit you can't break, or a routine you never miss, a bible verse that seems to encompass the entirety of your walk with God...I believe God created us this way. He patterned our lives in such a way so that when He speaks to us, it's special just for us... No two people are created the same and I believe that causes a more intimate relationship with God, because no two relationships are the same... Making sense? For example: I struggle with the unfulfilled desire to be married, cared for by a husband, loved by a man...so, God reveals Himself to me as my Husband, lover, provider, protector. I struggle with body image...so God shows me the beauty of His creation until I can no longer deny my beauty as one created in His image. I struggle with self control...so God has protected me from myself. I struggle with pride...so God humbles me.

Do you see? This is one idea I really struggle to put into words...as I read over what I've written, it makes little sense...BUT, I am trusting God to help you understand. :)

God created us personally so we would live life personally so He could love us personally! We (Christians) are the body of Christ so we reflect Christ and every attribute of His character. Christ is to magnificent for just one mirror, so we each exhibit different (and some the same) attributes of His Character. This way, we can reflect the attributes of Christ to each other. I LOVE how different we people are and yet how compatible we can be! Do you repeat the same struggles in your life? How does God reveal Himself to you in a personal and specific way?

Oh Lord, continue to reveal yourself to me in ways specific to my heart and help me to see clearly your plan for my life! Lord, continually free me from the bondage I create in my mind. Grant me freedom in the blood of Christ to live a life that is pleasing to you as I embrace the person you created me to be. Thank you for being my protector, my lover, my provider, my father, my brother, my husband, my joy, my smile my love and everything else that I am! Help me, Lord, to be satisfied in you and you alone. Help me to leave my agenda and my selfishness behind me as I give my life over to your will and your timing. Your plan is perfect, God! I thank you for who you are and who I am in you!

Child-Like Faith

So.  I was at the pool today, enjoying the glory of God through sun and rest...A girl came with her dad and a friend.  While playing, one girl asked the other, "Are you a Christian?"  She asked a few times, perhaps the girl being asked was unsure of the answer...but, I couldn't help but smile and I was struck by her outward confidence and show of love for her friend in asking (even if, at age 6 or 7, she had no idea this was what she was showing)...and I can only wonder what the follow up question or statement would have been if the friend had said "no"...or even "yes"...

How often do we wear our faith on our sleeve like this small girl?  How often do we care enough for our friends to inquire about their salvation?  God pointed at me...  How often do I?  When, if ever, have I?  We, as Christians are called to GO into ALL the world and MAKE disciples.  Whether we GO to another country, or go to the poor, or go to church...there is ALWAYS a call to share the greatest love we've ever known!  So, why don't we?  We are called to have childlike faith.  So, why don't we?  If we believe God is who He says He is, and we believe we are who He says we are, and we believe He can do what he says He can do...why don't we show it-share it-shout it from the roof tops!!!  Doesn't our savior deserve SO much more than that?

Somehow, in our growing up years we have lost our childlike faith.  How does this happen?  How, in becoming an adult, do we learn that it is no longer okay to be like a child? 

As I watched the 2012 group of pre-kindergartners graduate from our center today...as I watched their teacher send a balloon into the heavens wishing the best for each one by name...as I watched the parents filled with pride and tears of joy as they watched their children growing up...I was reminded of God's love for the children.  Jesus said "let the little children come to me."  Go to Him.  Drop your pride and selfishness and Go to Him.  Fall at His feet.  Allow yourself to enter God's presence like a child to a father and be blessed as he showers His love all over you!  AND THEN...SHARE that love with the people around you!

Oh, Lord, help me to have faith like a child.  To share the greatest love I've ever known.  To show your glory to the world.  Fill my heart with all that you are so that I do not draw attention to myself, but to you.

Confidence in Me

God created us all to showcase attributes of Himself through the way we live our lives. Unlike anyone I've ever met, God granted me with a mind that is music based. Not necessarily in a way that I can write, read, play, or sing music (though I can...to a point, and many others are gifted with far greater musical minds than mine), but wired in such a way that when I hear a word or phrase in conversation or in a sermon or reading scripture or on talk radio I immediately associate that word or phrase with a song (Perhaps I owe this thinking style in some ways to the History of rock and Roll class I took in college...), my brain puts music to it, and finds a chorus from contemporary, Christian, classic, or secular radio to accompany this soundtrack in my mind. For example-and the basis for our time today-I heard the word "confidence" on talk radio in the car yesterday, and I immediately thought of the song "I Have Confidence" from The Sound of Music, a song that had NOTHING to do with the conversation, but this is how God chooses to speak to me.

Now, if I could ask for a "mind-giftedness" I would probably ask for great memory or a way with words, wisdom in science or some great artistic ability...but God has gifted me as He sees fit, and as I write and blog my way through music, I find, God was right all the time!

So, confidence. The lyrics of this song are very positive, very uplifting, every encouraging, and very absent of God.

"I have confidence in sunshine
I have confidence in rain
I have confidence that spring will come again
Besides which you see I have confidence in me...
I have confidence in confidence alone
Besides which you see I have confidence in me!"

And really, reading through the words and listening to the song, it is all those things!!! BUT, what about having confidence in Christ alone??? Current culture and "new age" "positive thinking" would tell us that this song is the way to bolster the confidence we lack, to simply have confidence in confidence, confidence in sunshine, confidence in self... As Christians, we are called to something more. My Nelson's Quick Reference Bible Concordance sites 18 reference to the word(s) confident and confidence...Biblegateway.com sites 36 passage results for the word confidence and 19 for confident...

Psalm 71:5 "For You are my hope, Lord GOD, my confidence from my youth."

Proverbs 3:26 "...for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from a snare."

Isaiah 32:17 "The result of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever." (this one is my favorite)

Jeremiah 17:7 "The man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence indeed is the LORD, is blessed."

Philippians 3:2-8 "...watch out for evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, the ones who serve by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh—although I once also had confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ."

...just to name a few...

So, rather than finding confidence within myself, I find that I have confidence living in me in the form of my Beloved Christ (confidence in me vs. confidence IN me).  If our confidence is found in the Lord, we will be giving Him the glory of out lives...we will be living for His applause alone, and in effect, He will bless us. Not to mention the great witness we will be if we are showing others that our confidence comes from God, the eternal unchanging one! If we find our confidence in God alone, what will we lack?

Living for the Applause of God

My last post, close to 2 months ago, was entitled "It is Finished"...I'm willing to wonder if some of you thought I was finished...but this is not so...I am in fact very much still here and coming back with a renewed and building passion.  Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, God has been dragging me through a dry season.  By dragging, I mean that He is fervently pursuing me and my heart while I continue to put Him off, stringing Him along in my fickle humanness and empty promises.  Praise God, He didn't turn His back on me!

Last weekend was Memorial Day and I went on a beach retreat with church...it was a wonderful time!  The Bible says, "seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you."  Well, I set out to seek the Lord with a mild enthusiasm at best, tapping on the door thinking maybe there would be no one home but entertaining the possibility of maybe coming away with some nice parting gift...what I got was abundantly and immeasurable more than I could have asked or imagined...that's just like God, isn't it?  He's broken my silence and I couldn't be more thankful!  Praise be to God!  I have missed you all (and this blog) so much!

There is something so freeing and encouraging and uplifting to write out the Spirit's heart...akin, I imagine, to the feeling in the hearts of those who penned our Holy Scripture.  Of course, I do not liken myself OR this blog to the Holy Inspired Word of God by any means!  I feel a sense of God's pleasure in writing, though.  Each time I sit with a pen in hand or sit at the computer a wave of peace comes over me...as if everything were simply melting away.  In front of a blank page or a blank screen, I feel I can really hear the LORD speaking through my heart!  The sessions during our beach retreat reinforce this feeling (and really, helped me to see the validity of how I truly feel) were about living for the applause -for the GLORY- of GOD alone rather than for the applause and approval of men/women/people/self.  Something I struggle with constantly...(I care SO MUCH about how you perceive my words, how you like my words, how many of you actually read my words)...this hangs over my head like a weight...BUT GOD (I love that!) gives freedom and restoration and forgiveness for my sins of pride and covetousness and envy-among so many others!  With this new found purpose and drive I hoped to be changed by God, as the potter changes the clay on the wheel...

Jeremiah 18

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Parable of the Potter

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ² “Go down at once to the potter’s house; there I will reveal My words to you.” ³ So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, working away at the wheel.  ⁴ But the jar that he was making from the clay became flawed in the potter’s hand, so he made it into another jar, as it seemed right for him to do.

⁵ The word of the Lord came to me: ⁶ “House of Israel, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay?”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, house of Israel. ⁷ At one moment I might announce concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will uproot, tear down, and destroy it. ⁸ However, if that nation I have made an announcement about turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the disaster I had planned to do to it. ⁹ At another time I announce that I will build and plant a nation or a kingdom. ¹⁰ However, if it does what is evil in My sight by not listening to My voice, I will relent concerning the good I had said I would do to it. ¹¹ So now, say to the men of Judah and to the residents of Jerusalem: This is what the Lord says: I am about to bring harm to you and make plans against you. Turn now, each from your evil way, and correct your ways and your deeds. ¹² But they will say, ‘It’s hopeless. We will continue to follow our plans, and each of us will continue to act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’”

I love that passage.  Friends, God has the power to shape us and mold us into the most beautiful and USEFUL vessel we can become-because He's created us that way...formed from the dust in the Garden of Eden!  Oh, how I hope He will transform me!  And He will!  Jeremiah 18:6 gives me confidence and assurance of that!  All He asks of me is obedience and a willing heart!

So, in an act of obedience and with a willing and open heart, I return to the pen (or keyboard) and I pray that God will use me to be a part of someone else's story...who knows, maybe I'll be a part of yours.

It Is Finished

Happy Easter!

I love this holiday because it causes me to consider the resurrection in a way I don't the rest of the year.  Yes, Jesus' death and resurrection are central to the Christian faith and so are central to daily life and thought, but the 'holidays' always seem to make things more meaningful, make thoughts more potent, make love deeper felt.  And  that is what I feel this Easter.  Above all the LOVE of Christ!  To choose to leave paradise and come to Earth.  To leave the host of angels and live among the fallen.  To suspend eternal existence and die a brutal, shameful, torturous death.  To live a sin-less life in our fallen world and die with the weight of EVERY sin (ever) upon His shoulders (can you imagine what He saw?  what He felt?).  And all this to conquer death!  To rise on the third day and PROVE that He is the Power of powers, Lord of lords, King of kings, above all others!  Oh, what love.

I began thinking over the past few days in reflection, what must it have been like the day after Christ death?  Can you imagine what the disciples must have been feeling?  What Mary, His mother, must have been feeling?  To lose a friend, teacher, brother, son...and to watch His death be so painful...and to realize the next morning that He was gone!  Do you think they even remembered that He said He would "rise again on the third day?"  Or, were they so struck. so taken with grief that they had no thoughts other than "is this a dream?"

Out of this death, this resurrection, this love comes a call to all believers.  A call to action!  I believe that when Jesus cried out "It is finished" the battle was won!  We are victorious!  BUT...There are still wars to be fought...AND if we fight with the RESURRECTED Jesus on our side, who can stop us!?!  "It is finished" should be our battle cry!  It should spur us on to fight harder and win more should to Christ!  To advance and further the Kingdom of God!  To be His hands and feet!  A love like His deserves an active response.  The grief of losing Him should make GAINING Him the greatest moment of our lives!  He proved His Deity, He proved His love, He awaits our response.  "It is finished" is only the beginning!

Finding Meaning

My tardiness in writing this week is what has brought me to write...isn't it funny how the Lord works these things out for our benefit?  I think I've learned more from it than you will ;)   There was no inspiration to speak of this weekend...No great thoughts or wise musings...a pattern I have found to be far more frequent than I'd like!  Then, while walking home last night it hit me right between the eyes - and it was in front of me the whole time.  I finally allowed myself to listen long enough and quietly enough to hear that still small voice of the Spirit.

When was the last time you remember actually THINKING about something before you did-said-purchased it?  Probably, if you're like me, it was when making a big decision-big speech-big purchase...but I mean the little things...the things that don't seem to matter for the moment, but have lasting impact on the rest of the day.  The choice to have a donut for breakfast instead of eggs or yogurt for example (a choice I have not considered all to carefully these past few days)?  Or, perhaps, the choice to watch a movie or TV instead of doing work or spending time with the Lord?  Or, even, choosing to go to sleep earlier or push the snooze one more time instead of MAKING time for our quiet time (even though you promised yourself you'd do it)?  Yes, all of these I have struggled with.

Have you ever been through a day and thought, "where did the time go? how is it that time already? I didn't get anything done..."  Yup, me too.  Even through all our "best laid plans" it never seems to turn out like we planned it (whether for good or for bad).  Wonder why?  Me too.  And, in my wondering, I am reminded that in each of those moments when I wasn't thinking God was speaking...whispering to my heart, but I was so wrapped up in me and trying to plan for the next day when I should have been living for not the next moment but this moment.  We hear "seize the day!  Live life to the fullest!"  How many times do we find ourselves doing that?  And, when we do, how often is it living according to the world?

I reach the end of days like this full of guilt (which comes from Satan) rather than conviction (which comes from the Lord)...I shouldn't be surprised at why...living my day for the Prince of the World (Satan) results in an outcome that can only come from him.  BUT, I am forgiven!  How fabulous!  Jesus died on the cross 2012 years ago with ME on his heart watching the story of THIS day and the sins of THIS day as he hung in agony on the cross, causing the father to turn His face away, and now, I AM FORGIVEN!  My blood exchanged for His blood, my days wiped clean in the eyes of the Father.  Jesus, interceding - pleading with the Father to have mercy on me again and again and again!  Praise God!  What a LOVE!

And how do I thank Him?  What am I doing that is so much more important that the one who saved my soul from eternal damnation?  A love like this, the love of our savior, DESERVES nothing less that complete devotion and surrender of EVERY moment!

So, think about this, as I have thought all through the night and will not soon forget...Does your faith, your God, mean everything to you until it means you have to sacrifice?  Let me say that again.  Does your SAVIOR mean everything to you until He means you lose some sleep? Or lose a client?  Or lose a friend? Or have to cancel that meeting?  Or miss your favorite show? Or say "no" to going out with friends? Or giving up secular music/movies/television? Or sacrificing some of the little personal time you have?  Does Jesus mean everything to you until He becomes an afterthought?  Don't lose sight of Him today!