Farewell 2008

It's to that point when I have reached the end of another year and stretching out ahead of me is a clean slate. A new calendar full of days yet to be lived, stories yet to be written, joys and sorrows, memories to make, paths now unknown.

2008 has been challenging in ways that I never expected a year ago. There have been incredible stories, amazing journeys, wonderful days, and also intense tears, deep sorrows, and trials unsurpassed. Yet it's coming to the end and now I'm ready to look forward into 2009 with hope and joy and faith.

I don't know where I'll be a year from now. I don't know if I'll be in this office, doing this job, living with the same roommate, going to the same church. The days to come are unknown. Yet I am assured that all that has come before has prepared me for what is to come.

No matter how dark any day might look, I can't help but be excited that there's a new year coming. Some might wonder in the craziness of the world how I can be so positive and full of excitement for the coming days. The world is icky and there are a lot of stressful things going on that aren't fun for us to walk through.

So I'll let you in on my secret:
I'm excited because God is already there! He's already put pen to paper and written stories that I don't yet know. He's already working and He's preparing and He's planning for good. I come into this new year blind but God is there with eyes wide open and I just can't wait to see where the journey leads! I know that I can trust Him through the easy and the hard times, through the joy and the sorrow, through the known and the unknown. His mercy remains, His love never ends, His promises are always true. That's what makes me look forward with joy towards a future that's yet unknown.

I know the days to come will bring many stories (particularly since I seem to collect odd occurrences like some elderly aunt with a penchant for knick-knacks). I hope to share many of them with you and, through this blog, my hope remains that you will be encouraged and God will be glorified.

So, here's to the coming year! May 2009 be a most blessed one for all of my readers and may the God of all things be the central focus in every day to come!

Loose Ends

Here we are. T-minus 2 days until the final seconds of 2008 are counted off and 2009 begins.

I can hardly believe that another year has passed, that Thanksgiving and Christmas are now only memories, and that radio stations are playing out the top 50/100/500 of 2008.

It's time to tie up the loose ends. To make the new resolutions and think about where I hope to grow and change and believe in the coming year. It's time to close the door on some old dreams and allow God to open it on new ones. It's time to take note of all God has done and where He's still working on me. It's time to make decisions to leave behind things that I don't want to take with me and to hang on tight to the things that I want to carry.

We're here at the end. Here's where I take stock and give God the glory for the last 365 days and pray for Him to be glorified in the next. These are priceless moments where I am overcome with gratitude and worship for God who has done so much. Moments where I'm excited about the journey to come and thankful for the journey that is passed.

I look back today so that I can move forward tomorrow.

Now is the time.

Christmas 2008

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.
~Isaiah 9:6-7

To all of my readers both far and near, I wish you a very merry Christmas full of joy and peace.

May the God who stepped out of eternity be close to you today as you celebrate His birth and rejoice in His blessings.

Riches

You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us - in one stroke he became poor and we became rich.
~ 2 Corinthians 8:9

From angels to shepherds, power to dependence, diety to humanity. One cry broke time for all eternity.

Everything that He'd had, He gave up.

We would not be so quick to give up even a fraction of what Jesus gave up. We'd hold onto it with everything that we had, intoxicated by so much power and knowledge and finding our identity in the ownership.

Yet He stepped away from His great riches, giving them up completely, so that we may gain the immeasurable gift of eternal salvation. His riches became ours.

It wasn't forced, it wasn't coerced, it wasn't required.

Love sent Him to the manger. Love sent Him to the cross.

He truly had it all but He still wanted us.

Don't attempt to fully comprehend - it's impossible.

Do worship.

He's the only thing that's worth it.

Right Again

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.
~ John 3:16-17 (The Message)

God did love the world 2,000 years ago.

God still loves the world today.

As we begin our times of celebration, let us also stop and realize that the Jesus who stepped out of eternity all those years ago did it because today, at the very end of 2008, He knew there would be people who are desperate for the hope that's found only in Him. He came because He is the ultimate solution to the pain that's captured our world. He came because He can redeem.

It's not all about a manger. It's not all about the wise men or the stable or the shepherds. It's about the love that God had for a people yet unknown. It's about the ability to restore that's held only by a sovereign, all-powerful, amazing God who has a love for such undeserving people as you and I.

The manger was just the beginning.

Don't leave it at that.

Tell the whole story. Not just what Christ did as He walked this ground but what He's done in your life.

Shine for Him in these days.

There's a world that needs to hear.

Tinsel

We expect too much at Christmas. It's got to be magical. It's got to go right. Feasting. Fun. The perfect present. All that anticipation. Take it easy. Love's the thing. The rest is tinsel.
~ Pam Brown

Countdown at T-minus three days.

Last minute gifts are being purchased, travelers are packing the roads and airports, FedEx is coming at all hours of days and nights.

Hustle, bustle, scurry, run!

Don't forget though.

Don't miss it.

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
~ Luke 2:10-11

He is the celebration, not only in these immediate days but for all of eternity.

Don't miss Him.

To do so would be to miss it all.

Shouting

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
~ 1 Kings 19:11-12

This world is running on a short supply of hope these days and a big supply of pessimism. It's loud and scary and intimidating and uncertain. It's full of hurts and struggles and pain and fear. I hear the conversations, I see the people's faces, I read the stories, I feel the stress.

It's so easy to listen to the shouting. To allow the situations of life and the state of the world to twist your stomach into a knot and suck the peace out of your day. The shouting demands attention.

But so did the wind and the earthquake and the fire.

Elijah was hurting. He was running for his life, believing that the stand he had taken for God was worthless and would result only in him being hunted down and killed. Then God told him that He would pass by.

Elijah needed the Lord. He wanted to hear from Him. He desired reassurance and hope in a sad and scary situation. Sound like anyone you know today?

Then there was the wind, then the earthquake, then the fire. Big, frightening, attention-capturing events. I'm sure Elijah assumed these must be God. They weren't though.

Then at the end, as he stood on the mountain where he had just observed so much power but still hadn't seen the Lord, there came the voice.

The voice of God.

Small, quiet, unassuming.

Whispering hope, breathing life, restoring faith, releasing fear, bringing peace.

In our world of chaos, He still speaks the same things to us.

Listen for the whisper.

Difference

Time split.

A difference made.

One by one we are changed.

The world needs to know.

He was and is and is to come.


Upside Down from Pace Hartfield on Vimeo.

Answered

December 17

Match Day 2008!

7:20AM

Phone rings.

Me: "Tell me!"

Her: "We're coming to Texas!"

Many congratulations Dr. C and Mr. P! Texas can't wait to have you!

:)

Nonsense

A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.
~ Unknown

But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.
~ Psalm 68:3

Life is short, might as well enjoy it!

As I rode my shopping cart towards the cart return last night in the freezing temperatures this is what I said to the man who was looking at me very strangely. He quickly agreed and as I went on my way, I laughed at the way that acting like a kid even for 20 seconds brightens my day and gives me an opportunity to bring a smile to another's face too!

Try it some time. We're never too old to act like children. There are carts to ride, swings to swing on, snowflakes to catch, and dogs to wrestle with. Live with arms wide open! Embrace it all and know that God is the God of laughter and joy and happiness and He loves it when we enjoy the simple things that He's created!

Immanuel

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
~ Isaiah 7:14

Promised long before delivery, the world watched and waited for the sign guaranteed them by the Lord they trusted. Days were hard, trials were many, hope became scarce. Every baby born could be the fulfillment of the promise but, child after child, none delivered.

Do you not think that at times the people despaired that God would truly deliver? Do you not think that they struggled to believe in the promise given through Isaiah decades before? Do you not think that they wondered if they'd misheard something or overlooked something or gone the wrong way?

God didn't forget though. He wasn't making them wait for punishment or just to test their faith. Instead, He was waiting for the perfect time, predetermined by Him, that would fulfill not just one promise but every one that had been given.

Jesus was Immanuel, God with us.

Yet even before Jesus' arrival, God was near. Near enough to speak, near enough to care, near enough to know every need and meet it.

God is still near, Jesus is still with us. In this season, if you're waiting on God to move, remember this truth: He never promises without fulfillment.

Sometimes though, the promise takes time to be made perfect.

Words

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
~ Proverbs 12:18

Every once in a while I see something that is convicting to me and I want to share it with others. This video is one of those things.



It speaks to me of so many things: the power our words have on those around us, how we're most likely to use our words in cruel ways with those we love the most and how easy it is to put a mask on when we walk through the doors of a church or any place where others will be watching.

I'm often challenged by the words I say and how I say them. I may not currently be a wife or a mother but this short video reminds me that the things that I speak do impact those in my life. I have choices every day in the way that I use my ability to speak. Sometimes I use those opportunities for glorifying the Lord but other times I find myself saying things that are certainly not the best use of the mind and mouth God has given me. I am often realizing how cautious I must be in the words that I say and how I must always be asking the Lord to use my words for His purposes to encourage and build up others.

There are many things to say and many things to say them about. May we all be challenged to use our words carefully that we will bless others and bring glory to God!

Just my 2 cents on the topic! :)

He Is

He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth— the LORD God Almighty is his name.
~Amos 4:13

I stumbled on this verse this morning and absolutely love it!

As you have probably noticed if you read this blog, I've lately been fighting through the desire to define my path and determine the outcome of the journey I find myself on. I struggle to listen to God first and to set the voices of the world aside as they often make more immediate sense to me. I've questioned the direction and wondered if I'm missing something or if I could do it better myself.

This battle is pointless. I know that and I still choose so often to engage.

Then God reminds me, yet again, of who He is and why my arguments are always insignificant and incorrect in the face of His majesty, knowledge, and power. Every day I wonder who I must think myself to be to fight against this God. I recognize that my greatest wisdom is foolishness to the One who rules over all things.

Here's what truly amazes me though: this God who sits in authority over all things still chooses to reveal His thoughts to man! Even though I fight against Him and question His plan and fully deserve to be cast out of His presence for my impertinence, He still chooses to meet with me and speak. I am amazed at that...in awe, in reverence, in repentance. How dare I be so bold and how can He possibly be so kind? I will never understand this God but I am overwhelmed with gratitude that He chooses me anyways.

I have so very far to go on this journey. Day after day I see just how much I need a Savior. I hope to never reach a point where I don't recognize my utter dependence on Him.

He is so good. We are all so undeserving. He loves us in spite of that. Absolutely amazing!

Walk On

This morning an old-school song began to play and today it just resonated with me. If I were to define one thing that I feel in these days it would be the overwhelming sense that I have no clue where my life is heading. I don't mean that in a bad way, just in recognition that the path that I'm on is not one where I can discern the ending destination and what it will look like.

The funny thing is that I'm not overly concerned about where I'm heading because I know that God is working things out that are far beyond my comprehension and I can rest securely in that. However, there are moments when I struggle with the road because it's hard to explain and sometimes hard to walk. My God is big though, big enough to be the ultimate destination that my heart seeks.

Maybe these lyrics will speak to you too and encourage you to keep pressing forward, not because you know what things will look like but because you know the One who does!

Walk On
By: 4Him

The Wind Blows Hard
The Climb Is Slow
Shadows Are Dark
I Stumble On These Stones
But My Lord, You Are Near
I Will Not Fear

Chorus
I Chose to Take This Road Called Faith
I Will Walk On
I Trust That You Will Lead Me Through
I Will Walk On

No End in View
At Times I Feel Alone and the Signs Are Few
But At Least They All Say Home,
And You My Lord, You're the Hope I Hold
Strength of My Soul

Because of Love
There Was An Awful Hill You Climbed
And Because of Love
I'll Live My Faith
One Step At a Time

The Course Is Set
Life's Hard But Yet
We Will Walk On
Around Each Bend, Until the End
We Will Walk On

We Chose to Take This Road Called Faith
We Will Walk On
We Trust That You Will Lead Me Through
We Will Walk On

We Will Walk On
We Will Walk On

Peace

"The whole earth is at rest and is quiet..."
~Isaiah 14:7

I feel the hustle and bustle of this season beginning to pick up steam and my calendar is slowly but surely becoming more packed. Shopping malls are full and parking is scarce. Tempers become short and yelling overshadows the sounds of Christmas carols being piped through loud speakers. People bundle up against the cold and scurry from store to store, from event to event, rushing through their minutes as though there is no other option.

There is another choice.

Peace can reign.

Step out of the haste and kneel down at the Savior's feet. Let the world slow and the minutes drag. Worship Him.

God became man.

Let us not forget.

Grinch?

Those of you who know me well have probably heard me talk about my struggle with Christmas and gifts. This is a hard one to explain and sometimes I wonder if I'm not just being selfish or grinchy (if that can be a word) or scroogy (another made-up word, this must be a record).

The things is that it's not that I don't love the people in my life and thoroughly enjoy giving them things that I know will make them smile and bless them. If you're in my life, you've probably received random things from me throughout the course of any given year just because I'll see something and it will make me think of you and I'll buy it to share with you. That's what I love: to unexpectedly surprise people with small things that I know they'll love.

What I don't love is that Christmas has such a focus on gifts. I don't love that most of those who I buy things for could buy the same things for themselves. I don't love Christmas lists that tell me what you want because it makes me think that I don't know you well enough to find something that you would love. I don't like the pressure to find the perfect gift (or sometimes just any gift) to place under the tree on December 25th. I don't love that every year I find myself with more things that I don't really need because people feel the requirement to give.

What I want is to give (and receive) things that are meaningful. Let me buy you tickets to a concert we can go to together. Let me make you a picture frame full of cheerful moments captured on film. Let me take you to dinner or coffee or shopping or on a road trip. Let me invest in your life and not buy you more stuff. Or, if it is a tangible gift that I buy then I want it to be something that I know you'll love and you don't expect and it will bring a smile to your heart and you'll know I love you and really know you.That's what I think I really want the most.

I guess I just wonder: does Christmas have to be all about the stuff?

I don't think there's an easy answer to this and I feel like it's something I talk about every year because I still haven't figured it out. So, I'm trying yet again to find a way to combat the common solution to just buy everyone a gift off a list and call it a year. I've got 21 days to figure it out. Here's hoping.

I have to share this video too because I feel like it's very very very appropriate to the discussion that I've been having. Have you ever thought about these things? I'd love to hear any thoughts out there about this...I don't have answers, just thoughts.



PS: Just in case you're wondering, this is most definitely not a new question for me...it's just coincidental that I wrote about the overabundance of stuff in my life a while ago.

Training

We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best.
~ Hebrews 12:9-10 (The Message)

Do you ever have those days where it seems like God basically has to send you to the corner and tell you that it doesn't matter that things seem unfair, it's still the way that it is for reasons that you can't understand? That was my yesterday.

In somewhat two-year-old fashion and without the complete dramatics of major tears and throwing myself on the ground, I basically pitched a fit because I was frustrated and life just seemed unfair. Immature? Absolutely! Did I recognize what it was in the middle? Nope, not really. In fact, if you'd asked me I would have told you that I was just overwhelmed and frustrated and attacked from every side. However, this morning, as I was studying, I realized that it wasn't really that at all. It was really just me, claiming yet again that I deserved better or more or that this perceived unfairness wasn't meant for me. I'm sure it was charming. I'm sure God was thrilled with it.

Not.

The whole thing did teach me something profound though, something that I had known in my head but hadn't fully experienced in my heart. I realized that God doesn't give in to my tantrums. Sounds silly, right? Critical for me though. I needed to be put in my place a bit and I needed to be reminded that God isn't someone I can bully by throwing a fit and yelling. I saw God as a parent yesterday, a parent who loves me more than I'll ever understand and puts up with me even when I'm a brat and one who doesn't change His plans for my life just because I yell about them. He is one who knows better than I and has a reason for the exact place that I'm in. He makes the plans because they are for my good and in following them I really can learn how to best live.

I needed to see that. I needed to go to the corner and repent of my attitude. I needed a time out.

I still don't like waiting. It's still a struggle for me. Today, though, I'm a bit more humbled and a bit more patient and pretty darn sure that God's telling me that I'm in the right place and I need to wait it out. I can fight Him on it or I can submit. After yesterday I think I'll work more on the submission and less on the fight.

Just Wait

Today's Battle: Waiting

Battleground: Jen's Life

Common Foes: Impatience, Desire to hurry, Thinking the destination is known, Emotions

Known Allies: Prayer, Scripture, God Himself, Forced Stillness

Current Status: It could go either way - Impatience is currently fighting it out with Prayer and the battle feels far from over. Further bulletins as events warrant.

:o)

Tis The Season

Once again we enter the month that holds such meaning, not only as the culmination of the last year but as a time to celebrate the blessings of family, friends, and God incarnate. Things become so busy in these days that it's easy to allow purpose to fall by the wayside as life turns into a hectic dash towards the 25th. The challenge for all of us is to not just say that Jesus is the reason for the season or that we're keeping Christ in Christmas (both somewhat hokey although with good sentiment) but to really live our lives in that manner.

As I enter this month with all of its parties and events, my goal is to continually be asking what God wants from me in these days. Where am I to serve, who am I to minister to, what is my heart to be touched by? These questions are ones without easy answers but I believe in a God who delights in directing His kids so I will ask. Over everything in these days though, I hope that my mind is never far from the amazing reality that the holidays center around: God became man, walked among us sinlessly, and went to the cross with the weight of my sin and yours. If all else was to disappear, there is still plenty of hope and love in that sentence alone to sustain us through the darkest of days. That's where I hope my heart rests and I invite you to take time to dwell there too.

I'll leave you with a hymn I recently found based on one of my most favorite passages in Isaiah 9. May it help you remember why we celebrate!

The People That in Darkness Sat
By: John Morison

The people that in darkness sat
A glorious light have seen;
The light has shined on them who long
In shades of death have been.

For unto us a child is born,
To us a son is given,
And on His shoulder ever rests
All power on earth and heaven.

His name shall be the Prince of Peace
Forevermore adored,
The Wonderful, the Counselor,
The great and mighty Lord.

His righteous government and power
Shall over all extend;
On judgment and on justice based,
His reign shall have no end.

Stuff

Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
~ Matthew 6:19-21

I've been cleaning out my house a lot over the last month in preparation for a new roommate. I'm excited that I'll have somebody else living here and can't wait for all the crazy adventures that are certain to occur as this house goes from being a relatively quiet abode to being an open door invitation to many friends! I can't wait!

However, the process of preparing for her arrival has made me realize something. I have too much stuff!!! I'm totally overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff that I've accumulated over the years and truthfully, it embarrasses me quite a bit. The thing is, all of the things makes it look like my life is centered around accumulating stuff. I'd like to say that there's no way that's true - that my focus is on God and the things of God but the verses above are convicting to me. If it's really true that God is first, then why have I spent so much money on stuff over the last decades?

I would say that over the past year I've become more deliberate in this area - spending less on random stuff and really thinking through purchases but I see that there is more progress to be made. Here's the funny thing though, as I'm sorting through all the stuff and deciding what to throw out and what to donate, I realized that I would give up all the stuff for some very intangible things in life. The truth is that at this point in my life, as I look at all the stuff, I realize that I would give it up in an instant for things like friends and family, the salvation of those I love who are lost, and the ability to follow Christ wherever He leads.

I'm not saying that stuff isn't nice and that I don't appreciate a home that really feels like home but I see that I have too much and I'm going to remedy that because I am realizing that most of it just has very little importance to me when compared to other things.

This is an interesting journey...one I've been on for a while. We'll see where it ends up but at the culmination of all my days I don't want someone to walk in my home and define me by the sheer quantity of stuff that I've amassed. I want to eliminate the excess in my life and in doing so, allow God to train my heart to treasure the immeasurable heavenly things over the tangible earthly goods.

Prayer Challenge:
Please continue to pray for the team members who are returning even now from the Amazon. Pray that God will use this last day of travel to speak to their hearts and challenge them as they come back to their everyday lives. Find a prayer calendar here!

Thanksgiving Day 2008

This is a day for reflection. For celebrating the goodness that God has blessed us with over the last 365 days and giving Him thanks and praise. Many may not approach this day as a time to turn gratitude towards God but my hope is that even if it's not a common practice, many will pause today and whisper a prayer towards the One who makes their every breath and blessing possible!

As I've written many times here, I am overwhelmed by the faithfulness of my God. I don't have it all together and I would be the first to say as much but God still takes the time to work on me and refine me and give me abundant blessings in the process. Even in the hardest days, there is much to praise Him for.

So, please count your blessings today and thank the good Lord for each of them. I'll leave you with a wonderful hymn I recently found. May it bless you and may your day be excellent and bright!

Thanks to God for My Redeemer
By: August Ludwig Storm

Thanks to God for my Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a memory,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,
Thanks for dark and dreary fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!

Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thanks for storms that I have weathered,
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!
Thanks for pain and thanks for pleasure,
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Thanks for grace that none can measure,
Thanks for love beyond compare!

Thanks for roses by the wayside,
Thanks for thorns their stems contain!
Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,
Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!
Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,
Thanks for heav'nly peace with Thee!
Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,
Thanks through all eternity!

A List

In every thing give thanks.
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tomorrow we will sit down at tables across the country to enjoy fellowship with those we love and during the day we'll reminisce about all the things that we are thankful for. In anticipation of these moments, here's the off-the-top of my head list for things that I'm thankful for right now (in no order whatsoever).

- God (Ok, that one is in order)
- Friends of which I have the most magnificent assortment and really can't say enough about
- Family, both immediate and extended
- Facebook
- Fall (and this is not supposed to be an alliterative list)
- My job that's interesting and flexible
- Church and everything that it's meant in my life
- Music
- My home
- Nature and all of the beauty I see every day!
- Brady (that's my dog if anyone cares)
- Phone calls
- Sweaters
- My fireplace (nothing beats a fire on cool evenings)
- Not having to mow the yard anymore this year
- Internet access
- Getting accepted to school
- Travel
- Hope Fellowship in Boston
- TV: House and The Office
- Coffee (ok, if these were in order this one would have been much higher :)
- My car
- Exercise
- Cake
- Books
- Conversation
- Worship
- Wonder
- Snow (although not here so much)
- Seasons in both weather and life
- Trials
- Refinement
- Laughter and joy
- Peace
- Prayer
- Salvation!

I'm sure there are many many many more things that I am grateful for but this list is just a quick summary of those things that pop into my mind when I think of the many blessings God has given me. For every thing that I count as a blessing, my hope is that I will readily offer thanks to God as I realize that all of these things are truly gifts that He has generously given. May my gratitude serve only to glorify His name.

What does your list look like?

Prayer Challenge:
Today those in the Amazon are sharing the Gospel in small villages around Parintins. Please pray for confidence and the right words and that God would allow hearts to be soft towards His Truth. Find a prayer calendar here!

Thanks

What a beautiful thing, God, to give thanks, to sing an anthem to you, the High God! To announce your love each daybreak, sing your faithful presence all through the night.
~ Psalm 92:1-2

After yesterday's post I knew I needed to stop and just remember how faithful God has been and what amazing things He's done in my life and in the lives of those I love. I'm happy to tell you that a little bit of correctly placed praise and gratitude works wonders on my sour attitude and so I'd like to take this moment to be joyful!

It's here! Thanksgiving Week 2008!

I'm not going to lie...Thanksgiving may actually be surpassing Christmas as my favorite holiday...or at least it's holding a close second! Here are the things I love about it: excellent food, time with family and friends, the parade, and most of all, a point in time when everyone is encouraged to think about what they're thankful for!

This year I've learned more about gratitude than I would have ever dreamed possible. In walking through some valleys of great depth I have learned that I can actually thank God for the trials and find joy in the midst of them. It's not a constant thing in the middle of the hard times but I've found that I can stop and be thankful for moments when the sun comes out, a burst of laughter escapes, or I get a good parking space no matter what the overwhelming situation is that I might find myself in. There are those moments of blessing in every day no matter how dark things might seem around you. We wouldn't choose the trials if it were up to us but the fact that God uses them to refine us helps me be grateful towards Him even in the toughest ones.

As I approach Thanksgiving this year my heart is overwhelmed by the goodness of the Lord. I honestly will never come up with enough words to express the gratitude I have for what He's done in my life and for the relationship that I enjoy with Him every day. Over the past year life has been both incredibly good and incredibly hard but when I pause over turkey this year my gratitude for all of it will go back towards the One who made every moment possible.

It is indeed a beautiful thing to give thanks to God and to announce His great love and faithfulness! As the holiday approaches please join me in turning your hearts to reviewing how God has blessed you over the past 12 months.

Prayer Challenge:
Today in the Amazon the rally finishes up and the team enters the second half of their journey. Please pray for renewal and rest, encouragement and strength, and that God would be in their midst in mighty ways. Download a prayer calendar here!

Icky

Do you ever have one of those days where things just aren't fitting together and the world makes you weary? That's me today and it frustrates me. We're on the verge of celebrating one of my most favorite holidays this week and I'm finding myself feeling out-of-sorts and a little bit rough around the edges.

I had great plans to write today about Thanksgiving and why I love it and how important it is to stop and thank God for the most excellent gifts in our lives, both those we thoroughly enjoy and those that bring us immediate pain but ultimate blessing. Such was my plan.

Instead I find myself at the end of this day with my heart just not in it.

Rats.

Tempting as it is to just write a happy post and call it a day, I want to be real. There are yucky days in my life too. Today just happens to be one where I'm not quite as perky as normal.

However, just because I don't feel thrilled about things, I'm not going to succumb to the temptation to embrace my icky attitude. Instead, I'm going to write truth and dwell on it and know that my feelings are only that, feelings. Truth still reigns.

So, I'll leave you with what I know to be true for me and for you, even on those days when the pieces aren't falling into place and you're not quite sure which direction you're heading! Come and dwell here with me...

Isn't everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God?... You already have all you need.
~ 1 Corinthians 4:7-8

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
~ Philippians 1:6

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
~ Romans 8:38-39

Here's to a better day tomorrow! I'm believing that it will be and I'll hope to join you here again!

In the meantime, let us be faithful and not forget: PRAYER CHALLENGE!
Please continue to pray for those in the Amazon as they reach the halfway point of their journey. Pray for courage in sharing the Gospel and for many to meet Jesus. Pray for encouragement and strength for all those working. Download a prayer guide here!

Towards

You let [your] distress bring you to God, not drive you from him. The result was all gain, no loss. Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets.
~ 2 Corinthians 7:9-10

Today I woke up thinking about the course that my life has walked lately. The past couple of years have been full of experiences and challenges, both good and bad, and I am closer to the Lord now than I've ever been (which really just makes me realize how far I still have to go). I've walked through some of the deepest valleys that I have ever faced but looking back I see how I allowed those challenging times to push me to the Lord. There was mighty temptation at times to turn away and decide that I just couldn't keep walking where I knew that He'd placed me but by His grace I didn't turn.

The verses at the top are challenging to me though and here is why: I don't think I have an understanding that allows me to really see things in the true light of eternity. I love God and am loved by Him but I struggle with regret in instances and I feel loss. These verses speak to me of being able to look at it all, both good and bad, and dwell only on our relationship with the Lord. To allow every single circumstance to deepen our knowledge and passion for the Lord and to value that above all other things. To be thankful for the pain because it brought us closer to God and to be thankful for the blessing because it brought us closer to God, not because it made us happy.

I desire to allow all my struggles to turn me towards the Lord and I sense there has been progress in this area although I know I'm not there yet. However, there is an equally necessary change that needs to happen in being able to truly place the most worth on God and to not be affected by the things of this world except as they impact that relationship.

That's hard. I'm not there. I know few, if any, who are. There's more to ponder here. However, this is something to think on for now. What do these verses make you think about?

Prayer Challenge: Lift up the team in the Amazon as they reach Brazil and travel up the Amazon river towards the villages that they'll be ministering at. Download a prayer calendar here.

Pray Always

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
~ Ephesians 6:18

Today I have many friends leaving to go to Brazil on a missions trip. This trip is something that I've been involved with almost since the beginning as I've helped with fund-raising, strung bracelets together, and prayed with this team. My body is staying here on American soil but my heart is going with these dear friends.

It would be easy for me to feel left behind as the airplane heads for the unknown but that's not what my heart is feeling in these moments. Instead, I am reminded of the incredible privilege that each of us has to be involved from a distance through prayer. I may not physically step onto Brazilian soil, listen to a song in Portuguese or pray with a new believer but I can have a part in this ministry too and so can any of you who are reading! Prayer becomes the thing that overcomes miles!

I am continually amazed that I am able to have a relationship with a God who listens to my prayers and moves through them. How incredible is it that I can speak to God about something that's occurring thousands of miles away and as the words leave my lips, He is already there, acting for His glory! With this in mind, I challenge myself to be consistent in lifting up those on this trip. Please join with me in believing God for mighty things and pray continuously for His hand to be upon those who have gone and those who they will meet. We may never know until heaven what impact our fervent prayers have on situations that are unfolding but the thing that we do know is that God hears, acts, and moves on behalf of prayers that are offered to Him!

Come and be part of something greater than yourself!

For a downloadable prayer calendar, click here!

Score!

First things first:

I filled up my car this morning for less than $30!

Now that's something worth stopping for a moment and marking as a blessing!

Ok, back to life. Further bulletins as events warrant! :)

Wide Open

Open up before God, keep nothing back; he'll do whatever needs to be done:
He'll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon. Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him.
~ Psalm 37:5-7

There are moments when I'm tempted to hide from God. Moments when I don't really want to be honest about what I'm truly feeling or thinking or hoping for. These are usually moments when I know that my faith if faltering or my desires might not be lining up with Gods or I'm just wanting to rebel.

The thing is that this is such a silly attitude to have because no matter how I feel, I'm still always going to be trying to hide in vain. There's nowhere to escape from His presence and knowledge and reality.

Here's what I love though: when I am honest with God and truly bring the gross stuff out into His presence then He goes to work on it and changes it from darkness to light. He makes the changes that need to be made and then He stands back and smiles in approval as I become more like His Son! How amazing is that?

I like to try to hide but God loves me to let Him know what's really going on. He loves me so much that He wants to help me clean out the closets and vacuum up the spider webs in my heart. Then He shows off what He's done in the daylight, for everyone to see - not that they would see me but that they would see Him! Unreal!!!

Then there's the command at the end: quiet down before Him and be prayerful. Isn't this where it all starts anyways? How can we be honest if we won't first talk and how can He do work if we won't first listen? God loves to refine us. He just wants us to run to Him, throw open our lives to His purposes and plans, and then give Him the glory for all that He can do. I don't think it gets much better than that!

Funny

Just one thing to mention today:

No matter how much you enjoy birthdays, it's still a little weird to see your new age come up on a form at the doctor's office.

How old? Oh crud, you're right.

:)

Each day to the fullest, it's the only way to go!

Another Year!

I love birthdays and I think I appreciate them more the older I get (strange, I know)!

The truth is that I'm always happy to chalk another year up to this life that God has blessed me with and I use this day each year to stop and be grateful for the journey that I've walked since the last year's milestone. I also tend to set new goals for myself to accomplish during the next trip around the sun and I usually associate a verse or song or something with what I want my life to look like. Yes, it's kind of like getting New Years twice a year! I'm silly that way!

Just to share, this is the verse that I'm drawn to for this coming year:
Let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness.
~ 1 Peter 1:15

I love this verse and it's what I really desire my life to look like! A woman shaped by God's life and character and presence. A life lived wide open to the will of God and facing the future with hope and joy and faith! That's what I want to be!

Also, for those of you who know me, music is one of my big passions and sometimes a song just comes along that I really identify with. I recently heard a song that just jumped out at me as one that spoke so much of where I find myself. It reminded me of my weaknesses and how even with them, my primary desire is to live completely surrendered to God. I look forward to God taking my life and doing with it what He desires. Refining is not easy but I want to walk through it that I might better glorify Him with the time He gives!

Thanks for reading along and I hope to challenge and encourage you in the days to come!

For now, enjoy this great song!

Here I Am
By: Downhere

Sometimes your calling, comes in dream
Sometimes it comes in the Spirit's breeze,
You reach for the deepest hope in me,
And call out for the things of eternity.

But I'm a man, of dust and stains,
You move in me, so I can say,

CHORUS:
Here I am, Lord send me,
All of my life, I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me,
Somehow my story, Is part of your plan,
Here I am

When setbacks and failures, and upset plans,
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands,
Are you not the closest when it's hardest to stand?
I know that you will finish what you began.

These broken parts you redeem,
Become the song, that I can sing
(chorus)

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness,
And the fear that I'll fail you in the end,
In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces,
I can't put this together but you can.

Limits

No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.
~ 1 Corinthians 10:13

These last couple of days I've felt very much like a rubber band, stretched out to my absolute end and wondering just when everything is going to pop apart and end up hurting somebody. Gotta love it when your primary object of comparison is a rubber band!

The thing is that I've allowed myself to become too concerned with my thoughts. I've chased after God in so many ways and found Him to be so very real and true and good but just recently I have found myself relying too much on my own understanding and not enough on His. It's a funny thing to be pulled up short and reminded of how insignificant your brain really is. I fight against admitting that I can't figure things out and yet, when I'm honest, I recognize that this battle is an open invitation to temptation in my life. This is where I'm tempted: to insist on my own understanding. It's not always the big 'sins' that create areas of temptation with me - there are many things that have no pull on me. Yet it's things such as this, things that are so much a part of my humanity and my personality, that create temptation.

This is where it gets good though. See that verse up there? First, I'm not alone in facing this temptation, it's been faced before by others on the journey. Second, God is bigger than the temptation and He's able and willing to help me walk past it in victory. Funny thing though, this verse doesn't say what we would like to think that it says. It doesn't tell us that we'll never be tempted or that we won't have to walk through it because God will immediately rescue us from the trial. It tells us that God will be there to get us through it and He won't let us be pushed beyond what we can bear but we have to recognize that we have a responsibility here too. Our responsibility is to recognize that this is temptation and to seek God and ask Him to come alongside us in victory.

It would be so easy for me to not admit that this is an area in my life where temptation can lead to sin. It'd be a much more pleasurable time for me if I could just let my focus be on only doing that which I can understand. There is an easy road but it's not the refining road. So, instead of fighting for understanding from a God who has no requirement to provide it (see Job if you don't believe that) I can humble myself and approach Him asking for mercy and victory. See, I'm not perfect (just to set the record straight :) ), but my God is always desiring to refine me towards that goal. I just need to stop and call temptation what it really is in my life even when I'd prefer to just keep walking my own way.

So, today, I'm going to take my rubber band self and tell God that I'm stretched too far because I'm out there on my own trying to work things out in my head. The great thing is that He can release the tension in my life and walk with me through my temptations and, in the end, make me just a little bit more like His Son instead of the rubber band that I would be on my own.

Arranger

The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you.
~ Galatians 3:11 (The Message)

This scripture is speaking of how we can't be made righteous by following the law even if we follow it to the letter. When viewed in this translation, and knowing the background, it makes me very aware of how much a life of faith has to be constantly lived in the context of modifying my life to center around God.

From the very act of salvation where we are able to enter into a relationship with the Lord only by accepting the gift He offers, to the daily living out of faith where I aim to move only in the directions that He sets before me, it all becomes about Him.

I can so easily be a list keeper, one who analyzes and assesses and checks off another box on a list that tells me I'm headed forward in a direction. I can be found doing things for God and I can give great speeches on Him and His power and guidance. Yet when I truly am honest with myself, I know that's not really the goal. The goal of my life is to wait on Him and then walk where He leads, when He leads. It's not about eloquently preaching to many or being able to discern where my next steps will land me three miles down the road. It's about really allowing Him to be the one that moves and then knowing and trusting the relationship I have with Him enough to simply walk along with Him.

Honestly, this is hard for me! I do not do well when I can't see the end or I feel like I'm stuck. Right now I want to fight God on this very point - I don't want to be where I am with particular things in my life and I want to just walk another way towards something different because these things are not resolving to my liking.

Then I read a verse like this and I'm reminded, yet again, that no matter how much I want to run off and do things for Him or just to move instead of wait, that's not what I need to do. I need to let God be the arranger and find contentment in walking beside Him or even (gasp) following Him instead of being the one to run ahead and lead.

So many rough edges exist in me. Refinement is hard, very much so. I know that God's perspective of progress is not mine. He is the arranger, I am the one who needs to stop trying to take His job.

Lord, help me to wait on You and to not do so with clenched fists and a desire in my heart to continue running but feet that stay just because you said to. Instead, help me to wait on You with contentment and peace and a faith that chooses to stay because I love you, not because I am forced to. Amen.

Veterans

God bless America, land that I love,
Stand beside her, and guide her,
Through the night, with the light from above,
From the mountains, to the prairies
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, my home sweet home,
God bless America! My Home Sweet Home!
~ Irving Berlin

Today marks the 90th anniversary of the culmination of World War I with the signing of the Armistice. Here in America, we note this date as Veterans Day but I suspect that the majority of us will not even pause during this twenty-four hour period to think of the brave men and women who have given up so much for us to have the opportunity today to live and work and worship in freedom. I have definitely missed this day more than once in my life.

As our nation faces new challenges and old threats it seems that we should be ever more mindful of the cost with which our nation's freedom has been bought. Today I want to be reminded of those I've known and the many more that I've never even thought of who have bravely faced down enemies both foreign and domestic to secure this nation's peace. I want to make sure that this day does not end without offering up a prayer for the safety of those currently serving and thankfulness for those who have done so through the years.

Agree or don't agree with the use of the military throughout history but do not do those who serve the dishonor of implying that they have placed themselves in harms way for anything less than a noble cause. At the very least, as Americans, that cause is you.

There are challenges ahead and while I rest secure in knowing that God is sovereign over all things, I also continually pray for this nation and those who lead it and remain indebted to those who have served and bled and died for the liberties on which this nation was founded. May I be found standing consistently faithful to the God I serve and the nation in which He has placed me.

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.
~ Thomas Paine

Joy

Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.
~ G. K. Chesterton

I am a silly human and the older I get the more silly I think that I become. I am amused endlessly by the little things in life and I find great joy in things such as simply drinking a cup of coffee. Sometimes I wonder if I'm not becoming too simplistic, too easily pleased, too out of touch with the pain of this world. As I think on this I realize that I believe that it's fully okay to enjoy silliness in each and every day. I say this because I really believe that God is a God of joy - it's part of His character too! So when I am able to sit back and enjoy the wind blowing through the trees or the taste of a freshly baked cookie I'm being blessed by God and my joy reflects gratitude back to Him. Plus there are many many moments of intense thought and reflection and prayer in my life so it's not as though I've just thrown everything out the window and gone full on into silliness! It's just a part of my life that I see growing and that makes me happy.

I won't say that there are not times of intense hardship and struggle in my life. I would be lying if I did. In the midst of them though, I still have moments of joy because God is still waking the sun up each morning and allowing the birds to sing. I don't want to be a Christian who mopes through life and can't sing out loud or dance when the time just seems right (granted I try to confine that to my own home but I've been known to skip down a street or two and twirl in circles in a park). Life is too short to be constantly weighed down by the struggles of this world and I want to maintain that childlike joy. Struggles are a given in this life but I believe that we can still find joy because God is still in control and working behind the scenes.

I love the idea of God joyfully anticipating the rise of the sun in the morning and the fall of it in the evening. I love thinking that God is joyful in the midst of the struggles of this world, joyful not because He loves what is happening to His creation but joyful because He knows that at the end of time there will be no more tears and things will be made new again. He's joyful in the small things and joyful in the big things. I'm so glad that I serve a cheerful, imaginative God!

Doubt

When the Christian trusts, he is happy; when he doubts, he is miserable. When the believer looks to his Master and relies upon him, he can sing; when he doubts his Master, he can only groan. What miserable wretches the most faithful Christians are when they once begin doubting and fearing! It is a trade I never like to meddle with, because it never pays the expenses, and never brings in any profit —the trade of doubting.
~ Charles Spurgeon

Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
~ Mark 9:24

Doubt is one of those feisty emotions that limits our ability to embrace whatever circumstance we find ourselves in. For at the root of doubt is the question of whether God is trustworthy or not. If that's the primary question that we're asking then it becomes extremely hard to believe that whatever trial we're facing is something that we can and should endure.

I think we try to avoid admitting our doubts to ourselves, others, and our God. We like to pretend that we fully understand how to do this life of faith and that we'd never be ones who took our eyes off our Lord and sank in the waves as Peter did. Wouldn't life be so much easier if we could never doubt or question - if we could wake up each and every day and rest assured that God is indeed one to be trusted? It sounds so nice and it also sounds like something that we'd all like to say we succeed at because, after all, don't all good Christians have this type of faith?

I won't lie to you - I have struggles with doubt. I find myself wondering at times if God is truly, fully capable of doing things in this world. Perhaps it's the hardened heart of a relative or the seemingly unending trial or the fear of the unknown that brings doubt calling. However, these moments are ones that I force myself to face, admit to, and then bring before the Lord. These are the times that find me crying out to the Lord as the man did in Mark. Lord, I doubt, help me in my unbelief.

For, you see, God is always capable, He always cares, He is always sovereign. My doubts are based on feelings and emotions but they're not based on truth. For to question God's ability is to allow myself to listen to the voices of the world that say that my God isn't big enough to handle everything. So when I start to find myself in those moments of doubt, that is when I go back to the truth and I force myself to be honest with God. I don't try to talk myself out of my feelings with long prayers of how I shouldn't doubt. Instead, I confess my doubt and beg the Lord to help me believe.

Funny thing, God answers. In the midst of the doubt there sprouts a hope based on the truth I've committed my life to - the truth that my God is that big! I may still have questions and I may struggle again with the feelings the next day or sometimes the next hour but I am assured in those moments that God is indeed trustworthy. As God reminds me again of His utter trustworthiness I am able to continue standing in the place that He's called me and not falter.

So, even though at times it's an easy hole to fall into, I want to be as Spurgeon says and not meddle in the trade of doubting. For my happiness and joy comes from knowing that my God is indeed bigger than every other thing that might rise up in this world and attempt to shake me up.

Never Alone

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
~ Ephesians 4:4-6

I flew into Chicago today so that I could present some conferences for work. As much as I enjoy travel on the company dollar, when you're jaunting around the country by yourself there are usually moments when you just feel alone. Tonight I had plenty of time to find a place to eat and I'd had a pizza joint recommended so I headed downtown. I found the restaurant and sat down outside in some of the most beautiful November weather you might hope for. As the night settled in and I enjoyed a good meal there was a moment when I just wished for some company; someone with whom to talk and think about the day that I'd had and the thoughts in my head.

Now, I knew I wasn't truly alone because I have friends and family all around the country who care about me and would love to talk to me. However, I just wanted to talk with a person. So, I did what I usually do...I made a plan.

I pulled out my phone and looked up Moody Church which I thought was probably associated with Moody Bible Institute (not really I've learned since) and figured out where they were located. I was in downtown and they were somewhere north of that - probably about two miles or so is my guess now. They had service at 6:45 and it was 6:15 and I decided to hike it and go worship with some fellow believers.

Well, I walked for 45 minutes and finally got to the church at 7. It seemed like they were just starting so I went in and proceeded to enjoy an hour and a half of prayer and teaching (ironically enough about the same things I've been hearing over and over again lately). It wasn't Connection Service at Prestonwood but it was still a blessing because it reminded me that no matter where in the world I might find myself, I can always find people worshiping the Lord. For the record, this is not the first service I've crashed...I've done this in Austin, Austria and London.

Afterwards I was given a ride back to the train by this sweet lady who told me all about Chicago and was just so kind (it's also not the first time I've gotten in a car with a total stranger but that's a much longer story). So I went back to the hotel and settled in to do some work not feeling even the slightest bit alone in this city.

All this to say, God sends people to fill in the cracks in our lives. Some come and stay for a long time and some are just there for an hour or so to remind you that you're not alone. If you find yourself wishing for someone to talk to, take a chance and be the one to reach out. When I do this I usually find that there's a friendly recipient out there and it makes me realize that the body of Christ is not just limited to those I already know! So, my first day in the Windy City is drawing to a close and I'll go to sleep tonight reminded that God is still at work even when I'm far from home and the friendships I'm so blessed with there.

Election Prayer

Normally I don't post twice in one day but I read this article by Albert Mohler and really wanted to make it available for you too. I think that he makes some really powerful points about how we should pray for this nation as believers. Be challenged.

A Prayer for America on Election Day

Authority

He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
~ Daniel 7:14

Election Day 2008.

So many are worried, so many fear, so many wonder at the future of this country and what is about to transpire at the culmination of this day.

From both sides of the political fence people stress about the economy and safety and the war and so many other things that appear critically important at this moment in time.

I understand the concern and I pray for this nation and the direction that it is headed and I have already cast my vote. I do think this is a critical juncture in history and we must be informed and wise in our decisions. However, my hope does not rest on the outcome of this election. I can worry and fret about who might be sitting in the Oval Office come January or I can step back and remember where real authority and power lies.

Go back to the verse at the top. God is the one who is given the ultimate authority. It's not the president of the United States or any other person placed in power in the world. Every last one of them and every one of us is subject to the authority of God. So instead of worrying over the outcome of this race I am going to support those who appear to more closely support those things that God cares about and then I'm going to remember that He is in control and there's nothing that's going to happen today or any other day to come that is a surprise to Him or that falls outside of His control.

So please, do vote. In doing so though, don't forget that God is ultimately in control and that He is at work regardless of how things may look from this perspective.

One final thing: pray for those elected. The tasks that lie before them are not easy and God has the best access to their hearts and minds so let's commit to being diligent in calling on Him to greatly impact their lives that they might serve Him and not man.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
~ 2 Chronicles 7:14-15

If you'd like to hear some excellent points, check out what John Piper has to say:

Be Where You Are

Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him.
~ 1 Corinthians 7:17 (NIV)

Patience and I can be good friends...at least for a little while! :) I am certain that impatience is one of the things that I've battled more than any other over the course of my life and I think that's because often having patience requires me to just sit still and wait. I like to move, to plan, to do! I don't like to wait because so often I feel like it's just a waste of my time and therefore my life. I should be doing something instead of waiting to be doing something!

As I came across this verse not too long ago I was again convicted that God has placed me in this moment in time for a purpose. He is working at all times but my responsibility is not to run out ahead of Him and check out the path. It's to stay in the place where He has me and be faithful there. That's what I'm to do and in the doing I'm to let God work out the details for the next steps and move only when He calls me.

Just in case you're not totally grasping the verse above, let me share it with you in The Message:

Don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God's place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there.
~ 1 Corinthians 7:17a (The Message)

Holy cow! It gets even more convicting in this version! If I could just tattoo this verse on my forehead and live it every moment of every day I think that my impatience problem would resolve itself entirely! I know I'm not the only one who struggles with this area - it's a challenge no matter what stage of life you're walking through right now. Perhaps you think that there's never going to be a husband or wife in your future, or that your job can't possibly change, or that you'll never be a mom or dad. Read these verses again and listen to what God is really saying here.

He put you exactly where you are today in exactly the circumstance you find yourself in this exact moment in time for a REASON!!!! Maybe you know what it is and maybe you don't but that doesn't really matter because God does! So just seek to obey Him in the spot you're at and don't worry about where He wants you down the road. The journey is where life is lived, not at the destination.

Seek to appreciate every second God blesses you with wherever you are and know that He's always at work and someday He'll likely move you on but the timing of that is His deal, not ours. Know too that I'm walking through the same challenges here - just because I can write about it doesn't mean I've got it all figured out either!

Until next time, trust in His purpose for placing you in this moment. All I can promise is that He's got a good one!

Compassion

Rescue the perishing; don't hesitate to step in and help. If you say, "Hey, that's none of my business," will that get you off the hook? Someone is watching you closely, you know - Someone not impressed with weak excuses.
~ Proverbs 24:11-12

We live in a land of abundance. Even if we're not rich by our own standards, we must see that we surrounded by affluence on every side and we're incredibly wealthy by most of the world's assessment. We live in a nation that provides opportunities for advancement and has a system that attempts to care for those who find themselves in tight spots. I would challenge that almost all, if not all, those who read this blog have never gone hungry because there was no food available or slept outdoors because there was no shelter. Most Americans have never watched someone die of a curable disease or lived with parasites because their only water came out of a dirty well. This is life in America.

This is not life in many other parts of the world. Walk with me down dusty roads in Kenya where the children scavenge for fruits and there's one well within three miles where water can be obtained. Sit with me in the streets of India where children are forced to beg for scraps from passersby and the only bathroom is the gutter on the side of the road. Journey around the globe and see lives torn apart by war and famine, disease and disability, the reality of poverty that's experienced by so very many who live out their lives in places we've only heard of.

Know that there is a light in the darkness though. For the children who go to bed hungry and watch their parents and friends suffer from disease there is help. There is One who watches and knows their needs and loves them ever so much. God sees. God loves. God calls all of us to care. God's heart for the downtrodden is reflected in the ministry of Compassion International. This ministry reaches out to those in desperate situations and gives them hope. From sickness to health, hopelessness to hope, hunger to satisfaction, and ultimately we pray for death to life as they're introduced to the Lord.

This ministry reaches across the globe to help those in need. The challenge is huge - millions of children are in need. Compassion seeks to stand in the gap. Yet they can't do it alone.

It takes us to make a difference. Compassion provides the vehicle but it's us who can actively change lives. For $32 a month you can sponsor a child in need. In our land of abundance it might not even seem that such an amount can make a difference but for the six children I've sponsored over the years, a difference has been made.

Don't shy away from this call. I'll be bold about asking you to consider helping a child. This is a ministry that changes the lives of those who we believers are called to care for and, in doing that, we too are changed! Seek God's heart on this and get involved in taking action for the least of this world!

Visit www.Compassion.com to find out more!

Premature

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
~ James 1:2-4 (The Message)

These verses are always so rich regardless of the translation as they challenge us to look at all circumstances as a gift from the Lord, something being used by Him to refine us in character and righteousness.

However, this is what struck me today: "So don't try to get out of anything prematurely."

Like a knife directly into my heart are those words. I've written of this before; this quest for patience and the hope that I will allow God to do His refining work through the trials without running through the valley just to emerge on the other side.

I tend to measure required length of time in a trial by how much I believe I can bear. Once I feel this has been reached then I begin to believe that the time for movement has arrived and God must be done with His work because I surely can't be expected to stay in the trial any longer. How wrong I suspect I often am!

I am not the one who decides when I've learned the lessons that God has for me. Oddly enough I'm also not the one who really knows how much I can bear or when I am ready to move out of the valley or, for that matter, what the valley's end looks like! I squirm in the fire and fight the trial and see so much of my humanity in the middle of it. This is a challenge for me though - to not attempt to get out prematurely. What this really says is that I have to wait on God to show me when my exit is no longer premature because He's the one who knows the lesson plan.

As always, a call to utter dependence on Him. A challenge to step away from my desires for immediate gratification or release from struggle. Yet in it all, a blessing: that if I wait until God moves I will become "mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way." How can I say that that's not worth the waiting?

Prayer

I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.
~ Psalm 17:6

One spiritual discipline that I'm learning more about every day is prayer. I've been challenged through some of the discussions I've had, things I've read, and times that I've spent praying with many dear friends. I am realizing that prayer is truly something that should not be taken lightly as it is a direct connection to the God of the universe. Throughout scripture I see men and women of much greater faith than myself approaching God with powerful, honest, challenging words. I love these testimonies that have been left behind and am forced to look at the way I pray and what my motivation really is when I petition the Lord for things.

I've also had several discussions about the nature of answered prayers and how we are always so quick to look for answers - but so often we only want the answers that we desire. We don't want to hear no when we're looking for yes. We don't want sickness to worsen when we ask for healing. We don't want bankruptcy when we ask for blessing. I'm afraid that we are a people (and I rank along with all) who have forgotten that when we speak to God, we do not determine the outcome of His decisions.

His movement in our lives is still an answer. It may not be what we like, it may be incredibly hard, but it is still an answer from the living God to our lives and situations. I am ever so challenged to give praise for the answers that do not match up to what I desire. An answer that is not what I want is still an answer - still great proof that a holy God is aware of my life and acting in it. If I can not find it in myself to offer praise for this reality then I must seriously question what my view of God really is.

There is so much more that could be said on prayer, so much more that has been said. For today though, I'll leave you to think on your reaction when you request things of God and He doesn't act as you desire. Perhaps you'll be challenged, as I was, to give praise for all of His answers, not just the ones you like.

Closed doors are just as much God's leading as open ones.
~ Charles Swindoll

100

I can't believe it but this is my 100th post.

It's funny to me how much of a life this blog has taken on. It's challenged my writing, my thinking, my perspective. I've been encouraged to seek out other bloggers who live out lives in other zip codes and sometimes other countries but who think like I do and sometimes those who think completely differently. I've had fun sharing my thoughts and I've prayed for those who might have read the randomness that I've shared. I've been encouraged by having a place to put ink to paper, as it were, and this has grown to be a powerful document of the journey that God is taking me on. The truth is that I love to think and write and share and I don't plan to stop anytime soon.

I've seen people spend their 100th post telling things about themselves. I could do that but I'd quite frankly rather just use this space to say thank you to those who read. I hope that you have been encouraged to seek the Lord through things that you've read here and that you've seen through my imperfections to the perfection of my Savior.

None of us know where the next days and weeks and months will take us but, God willing, I'll be joining you on the journey through this technological marvel and walking with you as we seek God's face together. Thanks for being here and I hope you'll keep coming by to visit!

God bless you, my readers!

Prepared

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet.
~ Ephesians 6:13

On days like today I'm just not quite ready to face what the world has to throw at me. I'm feeling a little weak, a little tired, a little overwhelmed. I relate to the second sentence up there...I can't handle this on my own and today I'm overly aware of this truth.

In the midst though, here's just one of the very many things that I love about God: He tells us to be prepared but then He also tells us how to accomplish it. Reading on in this chapter we see this:

Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
~ Ephesians 6:14-18

See, I wouldn't know how to be prepared for what's coming against me in future hours. I wouldn't be able to figure out the best defense or the best offense. I can't see around the corners and in my weakness, I don't even have the strength to try. Yet God gives me instructions on where to focus. See, I need to focus on truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation. I need to be in the Word. I need to pray. I can't see the coming challenges but I can follow God's instruction and know that I can be prepared.

How amazing is it that without knowing what will occur, I can know that I have donned the required armor and prepared for the coming battle and that there will be victory when all is said and done. This so takes my mind off the specifics of the battle and reminds me of what I can do. So that's where I'll start. I'm up against more than I can handle but God tells me how to prepare so that's what I'll aim to do. So cool!

Determination

Resolution One: I will live for God.
Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.

~ Jonathan Edwards

Oh that this might summarize my entire life.

Every moment, every thought, every action: bound up and defined by my relationship with the Lord.

Standing against the tide, going against the flow, sometimes finding myself alone.

Hanging my entire existence on God.

To be found nowhere else. This is my prayer.

Economics

Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations, and say continually: "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart has trusted in Him and I am helped. He is not only with me but in me and I in Him."
~ St. Francis de Sales

I have hesitated to write anything about the current economic situation that the world is facing for several reasons. The first is that I honestly don't fully understand what is going on and the second is that I don't want to worry and fear something that I can not control or encourage others to do so.

All that being said, I do want to take just a minute to remind you of where we need to continually place our hope, trust, and where we should go to seek peace. The reality is that God sets up the nations of the world and He is the rightful owner of all that exists. While the world scrambles to undo messes that have been made and people stress over the decline of bank accounts, I hope to remain fixed on the eternal goodness and provision of our Lord. The truth is that as Americans we are abundantly blessed with far beyond the basic necessities and while the current crisis is challenging, we should never cease to remember that we have been given a great deal by a gracious Lord for many years.

Perhaps He is trying to get our attention with the current situation and if there's one thing that I would hope for, it is that through the struggles of the current day we will see people turning towards the Lord for strength and direction and perhaps that revival would visit the nations of the world.

As the world worries around us please try to remove yourself from the panic long enough to focus your attention on the one who completely knows your needs and has sufficient resources to care for you no matter what you are facing. It may be hard but I believe that in the long run the testimony of Christians in times such as these will be powerful witnesses to a world tied up in seeking success from bank accounts and status. Stand firm on the foundation of Christ and reach out to those who are struggling with the hands of God and hearts overflowing with love and sympathy.

Joy

"Give up the bitterness, the anger, the sadness for what isn't,
that you wish you had.
And embrace the gift of what you do have.
For therein is really what you want more of:
Joy."

~Elisabeth Elliot

It's hard sometimes to let go of our wishes and our desires and our hopes. We would much rather nurture them and somehow, through the nurturing, eventually see them through to reality. This is not what God calls us to. He calls us to set aside our desires that they might become His and, in doing so, that we may be incomparably blessed through experiencing the transformation of our souls to long for what He longs for.

Our wishes fall flat when compared to the dreams that our Lord has for us. He places us where He wants us for the times that He wants us there and when we are able to truly embrace that fact, then we find ourselves in the place where joy lives.

Lord, Help me not to hold on to any dreams that are not from you or spend my time wishing for things that you have not provided right now. Instead, help me be fully content in each moment as you help me to dream your dreams and rain down your joy on me. Amen.

Springboards

We all have...current relationships and responsibilities we can too easily take for granted. If we're wise, we'll see our duties not as unimportant ways to bide our time, but as springboards, launching us into God's plan and purpose for our future.
~ Joshua Harris

This quote makes me happy today! I think so very often I find myself looking at my days and just passing the time even when I attempt to make each moment count and not to rush past the present in search of the future. I am so often guilty of taking my current placement in life for granted - I go to work and count hours until I'm done, I take care of my house while wishing that the acorns would stop falling out of the trees so I didn't have so much to deal with, I spend time with friends but so often there is a voice in the back of my head reminding me of so many other things that still remain on my lists to accomplish.

These moments, every single one of them, are presented to me by God as places where I can wisely invest myself for a future that shines with God's purposes. This work that I do; I am here to learn for the next career path that God provides. This home I live in; I care for it because doing so increases my skills in caring for things entrusted to me in this life. These friends I have; incredible blessings who add to my daily joy and sharpen me as I walk through life.

All the things that I might try to rush through are things which I want to see as springboards towards the future God has planned for me. I want to be content in the here and now while always looking for the next places that I am to move.

Lord, help me not to rush through things or take any opportunities for granted. Help me to savor each moment and challenge and movement of your hand in my life. Use these times to prepare me for the next steps in this journey and help me not to waste the time you so graciously give. Amen.

Steps

Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I'd never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel.
~ Psalm 119:5-6

What a prayer this is and something that I constantly need to keep at hand as I go through my days. I long for steady steps but sometimes I wonder if I worry so much about the path I'm on as I do about the steadiness of my stride. I'm afraid that I can become so focused on where I am in the moments that I forget to sit back and look at the bigger picture. I long to walk with steady steps but I long to walk the correct course even more. I would rather struggle and stumble on the path God wants me on than glide gracefully down the wrong one.

In the end though, I hope that I can always say that I have no regrets when comparing my life with the Lord's counsel. Such a worthy goal, such a constant challenge, such a good daily reminder!

Silly

For all who 'love' the song "Friend of God" I present this to tell you that it can always be worse! :)



Hahahaha! :)
Any song that compares Jesus to a mountie is definitely worth a listen! :)

Enjoy your Friday funny!

Rejoice

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!
~ Philippians 4:4

Always means at every moment, in every situation, when life makes you laugh out loud, and when sorrow brings you to your knees. Always doesn't mean only when we feel like it or when things are good or when we're happy.

Always is always.

Dig down deep into God; your maker, sustainer, and savior. Dig deep and let the living water bring a smile to your face no matter the circumstances.

In all things, God is good.
Know this and you'll know the true joy Paul speaks of; unexplainable, uncommon, unquenchable.

Seek the Lord. Let Him be your happy endings!

"The truly happy people are those who have a source of happiness too deep to be seriously disturbed by ordinary troubles."
~ Marion K. Rich

Release

Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal.
~ John 12:24-25 (The Message)

I love this version of a verse that I've heard time and time again. In the NIV translation the last part reads, "The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." How often have you been told this or heard a sermon preached on this and then moved on with your day knowing that there's a challenge inherent in these words but unsure of what that really means? I know I've been guilty of that thought process more than once.

This version made me think again though. It speaks to me of letting go of what I think my life should look like right now, releasing the hopes and dreams and wishes that I carry through my days on this earth. It's the concept of allowing my plans to be put to death so that God can use them in much more powerful ways than I can imagine.

I can hold so tightly to things that I can see. I become fearful of letting go, fearful of taking a chance, fearful of the risk. That fear can be one of my greatest failures and I regularly need to be prodded and pushed into jumping off the cliffs. I don't know what God can do with this life but I know that if I keep holding on to it as it is today, I'll end up with just smashed fragments of what could have become a beautiful story if I let Him do the sowing.

I want to live recklessly in God's love. Now I just have to let go and leap!

Chasing Rabbits

And now, a funny story courtesy of my dog:

Brady is a golden retriever and as such, has a chase instinct second to none. One of the things that absolutely drives him nuts is the bunnies that live in our neighborhood. Every walk involves me watching him and calling him back from tearing off after those fluffy morsels. We've taken to walking in the dark lately as it fits my schedule better than trying to take him out while it's still light and I don't think he's bothered by it at all. However, it does make it more difficult for me to see the rabbits before he does so I have to pay more attention to him so that I don't loose my hand as he takes off.

Normally I've got this down to an art and he's pretty predictable in his reactions because the rabbits always run when he starts getting close. However, a couple evenings ago we were out and all of the sudden he charged what appeared to be a bunny sitting in the grass...

That statue must have been surprised...but not as surprised as my puppy! I'm just glad he didn't chip his tooth! Perhaps he needs glasses! :)

No deep thoughts for now...just some silliness!

Fixed

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
~ Hebrews 12:2

Sometimes life is just hard. I know it sounds trite and I know that it's something you've heard your entire life but some days it's just the truth.

These days are a swirl of thoughts, emotions, issues, questions, and complexities. I find myself burdened in prayer for so many dear friends even as I work through my own stuff that comes along with just living out the life God has given to me. It is not easy and perhaps it shouldn't be.

For if this journey was easy would I ever truly be drawn to the Word for strength, spending time listening to Him rather than rushing to the next thing? Would I understand as well that without Him I would fail and fall so much more than I already do? Would I be as deeply moved by the promise of what lies ahead if I were more at home in this world? Perhaps the surroundings of the lives we live are what truly remind us that we're made for much more than this and direct our attention to where real hope can be found. Maybe they're what help us to constantly remember to keep our eyes fixed on Him instead of the distractions!

While I walk through these days purposing to set my sights firmly on Christ I also want to remember that each day is a day that He has made no matter what circumstances try to convince me otherwise. I want to still take time to enjoy the beauty of this world, to remember the blessings of amazing fellowship, and aim to glorify the Lord with every breath that I take. I want to always look forward to heaven but also to relish all the moments in the journey on the way!

Happy Fall!

And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so.
~ Genesis 1:14-15

Today officially marks the first day of Autumn 2008. Since I was a small child I have been completely enamored with this season. Perhaps it's because it means that school starts (which meant new supplies) or because the leaves change (or did in Colorado) or that cooler weather is on the way or that it's going to be my birthday and then the holidays. I'm not sure what drove my fascination with this particular time of year but it's always been my favorite.

This year is no exception. I spent lunch at a nearby park reading and writing and I can guarantee that Brady will be taken on a walk every night this week (just like the last week as the weather began to play below the 90's). This year though I am even more excited to embrace this new season. It's not so much a saying goodbye to where I've been but the knowing that a new season will always bring new opportunities.

Looking back over the year, I can't say that this has been my best year but I can say that I have grown in my relationship with Christ in amazing ways and that colors even the painful times with gratitude. I've learned that I can't plan beyond my next five minutes but I also know that God is putting some amazing dreams in my heart for the years to come. My reliance on Him and my desire to know His word is growing each day and I'm hopeful that He'll change some of the rougher corners of my personality in the times to come. I guess maybe this year fall is just a time for thinking about where I've been and where I'm going and remembering that no matter what is to come, God created seasons because sometimes a bit of change is good!