Mercy Me brings a great reminder for me today - no matter how stuck I might feel, my only choice is to continue moving on and trusting in Him because that's where healing comes. So many lessons to learn in this life - so many questions without answers - such a journey towards righteousness. I love that God allows us to walk through the valleys but He always loves us too much to leave us there. When we can't walk we can still worship and when we can't run we can still crawl into His arms and let Him hold us. God is so very good - I will never understand that goodness but I will worship Him for it!
Keep Singing - Mercy Me
Another rainy day
I can't recall having sunshine on my face
All I feel is pain
All I wanna do is walk out of this place
But when I am stuck and I can't move
When I don't know what I should do
When I wonder if I'll ever make it through
I gotta keep singing
I gotta keep praising Your name
You're the one that's keeping my heart beating
I gotta keep singing
I gotta keep praising Your name
That's the only way that I'll find healing
Can I climb up in Your lap
I don't wanna leave
Jesus sing over me
I gotta keep singing
Can I climb up in Your lap
I don't wanna leave
Jesus sing over me
I gotta keep singing
Oh You're everything I need
And I gotta keep singing
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Foliage
There is an ongoing war between me and my yard and I'm pretty sure the yard is winning by a pretty comfortable margin. I spent almost three hours today working outside and still don't see a very noticeable difference although I do have a gigantic pile of organic material stacked up on my driveway. Here's some things that I learned and thought about during my stint outside (some funny, some serious):
1. When two bushes are so overgrown that they have become one bush and you don't realize it until you start cutting off pieces, you have waited to long to prune them.
2. If you seriously contemplate cutting down an entire bush because it's become so enormous that you can't reach part of your yard, that is a problem.
3. There are many spiders on the plants in my yard (this is probably not good in and of itself). I choose to believe that as soon as I cut off a branch the spiders abandon that piece for better accommodations. This enables me to pick up everything without worrying about those spiders.
4. When you realize that the "weed" you cut down is actually the size of a tree and you're going to have to check the Plano garbage regulations you maybe should have cut it down earlier.
5. Plants with stickers deploy evil weapons of pain when they are cut off from their branches...seriously, those things HURT!
6. Aphids will kill things completely if you don't step in with some kind of poison and kill them first.
7. God might have had to rescind His requirement of tending to the plants if I'd been in the garden of Eden.
8. You have to start somewhere if you're ever going to make progress on the outside of your house.
9. One can never underestimate the worth of a good pair of leather gardening gloves.
Now, since it's still me, here's just one of the thoughts that went through my mind as I went about my task:
Pruning is an absolute requirement for plants - it helps them to grow, makes them prettier, and generally increases the overall health of them. However, if you don't prune plants when you should the process of doing it later is much more extreme. First, the plants are bigger and more unshapely than they would have been but secondly, the inner branches tend to die off when they don't get sun and you have to be careful that you don't end up with just a bunch of twigs when you're done with the pruning.
I think we are the same way. We need to be shaped and remolded by the Lord and sometimes He needs to cut away parts of our lives in order to make us useful or help us to fit where He's called us. If we refuse to allow God to do the work that He needs to do in us it won't stop Him from eventually doing it. However, at that time it might be more painful and more extreme than it would have been if we'd allowed Him access to our lives all along.
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."
~John 15:1-2
Please tell me I'm not the only person who is constantly thinking of random connections to the Lord. My mind just doesn't seem to stop thinking of things that I end up sharing with you. Thanks for reading and hope that the journeys through my thoughts aren't too odd! :)
1. When two bushes are so overgrown that they have become one bush and you don't realize it until you start cutting off pieces, you have waited to long to prune them.
2. If you seriously contemplate cutting down an entire bush because it's become so enormous that you can't reach part of your yard, that is a problem.
3. There are many spiders on the plants in my yard (this is probably not good in and of itself). I choose to believe that as soon as I cut off a branch the spiders abandon that piece for better accommodations. This enables me to pick up everything without worrying about those spiders.
4. When you realize that the "weed" you cut down is actually the size of a tree and you're going to have to check the Plano garbage regulations you maybe should have cut it down earlier.
5. Plants with stickers deploy evil weapons of pain when they are cut off from their branches...seriously, those things HURT!
6. Aphids will kill things completely if you don't step in with some kind of poison and kill them first.
7. God might have had to rescind His requirement of tending to the plants if I'd been in the garden of Eden.
8. You have to start somewhere if you're ever going to make progress on the outside of your house.
9. One can never underestimate the worth of a good pair of leather gardening gloves.
Now, since it's still me, here's just one of the thoughts that went through my mind as I went about my task:
Pruning is an absolute requirement for plants - it helps them to grow, makes them prettier, and generally increases the overall health of them. However, if you don't prune plants when you should the process of doing it later is much more extreme. First, the plants are bigger and more unshapely than they would have been but secondly, the inner branches tend to die off when they don't get sun and you have to be careful that you don't end up with just a bunch of twigs when you're done with the pruning.
I think we are the same way. We need to be shaped and remolded by the Lord and sometimes He needs to cut away parts of our lives in order to make us useful or help us to fit where He's called us. If we refuse to allow God to do the work that He needs to do in us it won't stop Him from eventually doing it. However, at that time it might be more painful and more extreme than it would have been if we'd allowed Him access to our lives all along.
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."
~John 15:1-2
Please tell me I'm not the only person who is constantly thinking of random connections to the Lord. My mind just doesn't seem to stop thinking of things that I end up sharing with you. Thanks for reading and hope that the journeys through my thoughts aren't too odd! :)
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Gratitude
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.
~ Psalm 95:2-3
Here's something that I've been thinking on recently and it's changing the way that I view circumstances in my life. I've been pondering on how I am truly undeserving of the blessings that God has given to me. I think that the tendency is to think that somehow we are owed something because of what we've done or where we've been or how we've attained some spiritual maturity level (as if). This may not be something that we verbalize or are even honest with ourselves about but I think sometimes it is there in the back of our minds. It's that voice that cries out that things just aren't fair when we face a rough spot or feel a desire is unmet.
I can be so selfish at times and I know that I've been known to cry out about the unfairness of things before (and knowing me, probably will again). However, the more and more I've thought on this lately the more I realize how completely undeserving I am of any of the things that have blessed my life. I'm not deserving of a house, a family, wonderful friends, relationships, a job, a car, or the myriad of other things that can fill my days. God has been overly gracious and provided above and beyond in so many ways but at the root of it, none of the things that I have are given because I deserve them. So when I cry out about unfairness, I think that maybe what I'm really doing is telling God that somehow I deserved something different than what He has allotted to me for these moments. That somehow He "owes" me something different than what He has given. Now there's a scary thought to ponder.
So how does this tie in with gratitude? Well, what I'm thinking is that since I never deserved anything in the first place and I am certainly not owed something by God, the only thing to do is to praise Him and give Him thanks for the fact that I ever had the blessing at all. It's gratitude to the God who showed me mercy and grace in so generously giving me so many things that I have no right to, the greatest of which is found in the sacrifice of His Son! It's not about unfairness in the current moments - it's about recognizing that it's never fair that we had what we had to start with - it was just God being who God is and loving us with blessings that are abundant and beautiful and excellent. For that, we should give thanks and stop crying out unfair.
Of course, as with most things, this is much easier to think about than to actually apply. The hard part is that gratitude doesn't change the situation or answer the questions or eliminate the pain. What it does do though is open up our hearts to reflect on the real goodness of God and our place in His world - in my case it helps me take the focus off my own heart and emotions and directs it towards the One who can heal and bring peace.
~ Psalm 95:2-3
Here's something that I've been thinking on recently and it's changing the way that I view circumstances in my life. I've been pondering on how I am truly undeserving of the blessings that God has given to me. I think that the tendency is to think that somehow we are owed something because of what we've done or where we've been or how we've attained some spiritual maturity level (as if). This may not be something that we verbalize or are even honest with ourselves about but I think sometimes it is there in the back of our minds. It's that voice that cries out that things just aren't fair when we face a rough spot or feel a desire is unmet.
I can be so selfish at times and I know that I've been known to cry out about the unfairness of things before (and knowing me, probably will again). However, the more and more I've thought on this lately the more I realize how completely undeserving I am of any of the things that have blessed my life. I'm not deserving of a house, a family, wonderful friends, relationships, a job, a car, or the myriad of other things that can fill my days. God has been overly gracious and provided above and beyond in so many ways but at the root of it, none of the things that I have are given because I deserve them. So when I cry out about unfairness, I think that maybe what I'm really doing is telling God that somehow I deserved something different than what He has allotted to me for these moments. That somehow He "owes" me something different than what He has given. Now there's a scary thought to ponder.
So how does this tie in with gratitude? Well, what I'm thinking is that since I never deserved anything in the first place and I am certainly not owed something by God, the only thing to do is to praise Him and give Him thanks for the fact that I ever had the blessing at all. It's gratitude to the God who showed me mercy and grace in so generously giving me so many things that I have no right to, the greatest of which is found in the sacrifice of His Son! It's not about unfairness in the current moments - it's about recognizing that it's never fair that we had what we had to start with - it was just God being who God is and loving us with blessings that are abundant and beautiful and excellent. For that, we should give thanks and stop crying out unfair.
Of course, as with most things, this is much easier to think about than to actually apply. The hard part is that gratitude doesn't change the situation or answer the questions or eliminate the pain. What it does do though is open up our hearts to reflect on the real goodness of God and our place in His world - in my case it helps me take the focus off my own heart and emotions and directs it towards the One who can heal and bring peace.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Weakness
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
I have to believe that God is at times pleased with the weaknesses in me that frustrate me to no end. Those things that just make me cry as I see them in myself and realize how little of God I often represent. The things that bring me face to face with the reality of who I really am. Now I'm not saying that God necessarily wants me to sin and fail and struggle but I am thinking that He probably loves the weakness because the weakness is what makes me really recognize just how much I need Him.
I am so tough in so many ways and I've spent a lifetime attempting to prove that I can do everything just as well as the next person. In these days though, I'm all out of toughness. I'm nothing if not completely spent and utterly weak, lying helplessly as the feet of my savior and praying that He will rescue me. This is not where I'm comfortable. It's not where I like to be. If I had any ability left I would stand up and walk away from this place because it is hard here at the very end of myself.
But I think God smiles when He looks down on me. He smiles because I've come to Him and not done it on my own. He smiles because sometimes it's only when I reach these moments, these absolute lows, that I step out of the way and allow Him to be truly great in my life. He smiles because He loves me so much and wants me to be changed into what He has for me instead of leaving me hanging on to what I would have for myself.
When I reach the end of my efforts and ability, when I'm bowed low by sin and sorrow and shame, that's when I can only reach up and plead with the God of the universe to pick me up and help me to move and that's when He steps in. That's when miracles can happen. This is why that for every step I take, He gets all the glory. This life is not me - it's Him. And even though I do not love the weakness, I love the God who allows it. So I wait, weary and worn and weak, for the God who placed the stars in the sky and who still loves me, to lift me up in His perfect timing and allow me to glorify Him yet again.
~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
I have to believe that God is at times pleased with the weaknesses in me that frustrate me to no end. Those things that just make me cry as I see them in myself and realize how little of God I often represent. The things that bring me face to face with the reality of who I really am. Now I'm not saying that God necessarily wants me to sin and fail and struggle but I am thinking that He probably loves the weakness because the weakness is what makes me really recognize just how much I need Him.
I am so tough in so many ways and I've spent a lifetime attempting to prove that I can do everything just as well as the next person. In these days though, I'm all out of toughness. I'm nothing if not completely spent and utterly weak, lying helplessly as the feet of my savior and praying that He will rescue me. This is not where I'm comfortable. It's not where I like to be. If I had any ability left I would stand up and walk away from this place because it is hard here at the very end of myself.
But I think God smiles when He looks down on me. He smiles because I've come to Him and not done it on my own. He smiles because sometimes it's only when I reach these moments, these absolute lows, that I step out of the way and allow Him to be truly great in my life. He smiles because He loves me so much and wants me to be changed into what He has for me instead of leaving me hanging on to what I would have for myself.
When I reach the end of my efforts and ability, when I'm bowed low by sin and sorrow and shame, that's when I can only reach up and plead with the God of the universe to pick me up and help me to move and that's when He steps in. That's when miracles can happen. This is why that for every step I take, He gets all the glory. This life is not me - it's Him. And even though I do not love the weakness, I love the God who allows it. So I wait, weary and worn and weak, for the God who placed the stars in the sky and who still loves me, to lift me up in His perfect timing and allow me to glorify Him yet again.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Unexplainable
God is too big.
Too big to comprehend fully, explain always, understand completely, fathom totally, define finitely, and to box up in any way.
There is too much power, mercy, grace, compassion, love, justice, strength, meekness, wonder, knowledge, courage, wisdom, wrath, peace, patience, obedience, and hope found in Him that I just can't even begin to explain.
If I were to study every moment for the remainder of my life I would not be able to tell you everything about anything that has to do with the Lord.
Yet God is also small.
He knows every tear that falls and every hair on your head. He knows what you need and what you desire and what your heart cries out for in the quietness of your soul in the middle of the night. He knows every sparrow on the wing and every plant in the ground. He lives in and through and around you and uses you to accomplish His purposes here on earth. He loves every thing that you're made of and calls you beautiful as He sings over you. He knows your mind and every thought that you have and why you have it. He sacrificed His only Son for you because He loved you with such great immensity and longed for an intimate relationship with you. He's closer than your family, than your best friend, than your spouse. He wants to be everything to you and take you to places that you've not even dreamed you can go.
If you can fully explain or understand who this God is and how He works in the world then you are a far wiser person than me. All I've got is wonder and amazement and worship.
So, if you've ever read this blog and thought that I must be some scholar who understands all of these things about God let me assure you - I count myself among the lowest in my knowledge of this God. I like to ponder and think and wonder and explain but the truth at the end of the day is that I never ever can do justice to figuring out the creator of this universe and, quite frankly, I'm totally ok with that.
I thank Him for the way He draws me in and lets me ponder on the mysteries of Him but I don't ever want to reach the depths of that pool and I'm quite assured that even if it was my goal, it's not attainable on this side of eternity and probably not on the other either.
And that's all I have to say today.
Too big to comprehend fully, explain always, understand completely, fathom totally, define finitely, and to box up in any way.
There is too much power, mercy, grace, compassion, love, justice, strength, meekness, wonder, knowledge, courage, wisdom, wrath, peace, patience, obedience, and hope found in Him that I just can't even begin to explain.
If I were to study every moment for the remainder of my life I would not be able to tell you everything about anything that has to do with the Lord.
Yet God is also small.
He knows every tear that falls and every hair on your head. He knows what you need and what you desire and what your heart cries out for in the quietness of your soul in the middle of the night. He knows every sparrow on the wing and every plant in the ground. He lives in and through and around you and uses you to accomplish His purposes here on earth. He loves every thing that you're made of and calls you beautiful as He sings over you. He knows your mind and every thought that you have and why you have it. He sacrificed His only Son for you because He loved you with such great immensity and longed for an intimate relationship with you. He's closer than your family, than your best friend, than your spouse. He wants to be everything to you and take you to places that you've not even dreamed you can go.
If you can fully explain or understand who this God is and how He works in the world then you are a far wiser person than me. All I've got is wonder and amazement and worship.
So, if you've ever read this blog and thought that I must be some scholar who understands all of these things about God let me assure you - I count myself among the lowest in my knowledge of this God. I like to ponder and think and wonder and explain but the truth at the end of the day is that I never ever can do justice to figuring out the creator of this universe and, quite frankly, I'm totally ok with that.
I thank Him for the way He draws me in and lets me ponder on the mysteries of Him but I don't ever want to reach the depths of that pool and I'm quite assured that even if it was my goal, it's not attainable on this side of eternity and probably not on the other either.
And that's all I have to say today.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Don't Want To Go
I love music - it's one of my biggest passions in life and the thing that I love the most is the lyrics that exist in songs. It is almost every day that I have some tune in my head that I'm just singing over and over because I've either heard it or because something about the lyrics just resonates with where I am at that moment. God may not have granted me a beautiful singing voice but He definitely gave me a love for words put to notes!
Today I woke up singing the words to Avalon's song "I Don't Want To Go" which has the following chorus:
I don't want to go somewhere
If I know that You're not there
'Cause I know that me without You is a lie
And I don't want to walk that road
Be a million miles from home
'Cause my heart needs to be where You are
So I don't want to go
I didn't think that I'd heard the song recently but the words really met me where I find myself these days. I think that I'm in those moments of life where I'm just standing back and waiting to see where the next path is and when God is going to send me in another direction. In my mind I'm amassing lots of options and cataloging opportunities but I'm hesitant to move without knowing where God is actually pointing. The hazard that I run into at these times is that my waiting can become paralysis - I end up just standing by hoping that God will send some lightening my direction and I'll know exactly where to go next.
The thing that I'm learning more and more though is that God doesn't always lay out the safe, painless journey for us - lit by a thousand lanterns from above and very clearly defining where we're supposed to walk. Now, sometimes He does and I eagerly anticipate those moments of extreme clarity but I also know that sometimes the journey looks a bit more like venturing slowly down a dark hallway with one hand in front of me and feet shuffling along the floor as I have just enough light to make out that there is a path there for me to walk on! I think the reason I woke up with this song on my heart is because I truly don't want to go somewhere that He's not calling me to go - I don't want to chase a false hope or run ahead of where He's called me and find myself miles away from where I'm supposed to be. However, I also know that I sometimes need to just have faith that He's leading and that the things He's putting on my heart are the things that I'm supposed to walk after - not run headlong into but walk forward towards. I think in these moments there is a call for caution and patience and prayer and truly waiting on the Lord but there's also the challenge to step out because God can lead me much better if I'm willing to take a step when He shows me the next piece of ground.
Hmmm...funny thing, this post - I didn't expect it to go this direction and I'm not really sure what it all means but I'm always amused when I begin writing with one purpose in mind and end up in a different place. Perhaps it's just another way that God leads! :)
Today I woke up singing the words to Avalon's song "I Don't Want To Go" which has the following chorus:
I don't want to go somewhere
If I know that You're not there
'Cause I know that me without You is a lie
And I don't want to walk that road
Be a million miles from home
'Cause my heart needs to be where You are
So I don't want to go
I didn't think that I'd heard the song recently but the words really met me where I find myself these days. I think that I'm in those moments of life where I'm just standing back and waiting to see where the next path is and when God is going to send me in another direction. In my mind I'm amassing lots of options and cataloging opportunities but I'm hesitant to move without knowing where God is actually pointing. The hazard that I run into at these times is that my waiting can become paralysis - I end up just standing by hoping that God will send some lightening my direction and I'll know exactly where to go next.
The thing that I'm learning more and more though is that God doesn't always lay out the safe, painless journey for us - lit by a thousand lanterns from above and very clearly defining where we're supposed to walk. Now, sometimes He does and I eagerly anticipate those moments of extreme clarity but I also know that sometimes the journey looks a bit more like venturing slowly down a dark hallway with one hand in front of me and feet shuffling along the floor as I have just enough light to make out that there is a path there for me to walk on! I think the reason I woke up with this song on my heart is because I truly don't want to go somewhere that He's not calling me to go - I don't want to chase a false hope or run ahead of where He's called me and find myself miles away from where I'm supposed to be. However, I also know that I sometimes need to just have faith that He's leading and that the things He's putting on my heart are the things that I'm supposed to walk after - not run headlong into but walk forward towards. I think in these moments there is a call for caution and patience and prayer and truly waiting on the Lord but there's also the challenge to step out because God can lead me much better if I'm willing to take a step when He shows me the next piece of ground.
Hmmm...funny thing, this post - I didn't expect it to go this direction and I'm not really sure what it all means but I'm always amused when I begin writing with one purpose in mind and end up in a different place. Perhaps it's just another way that God leads! :)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Breaking Through
The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.
~ Psalm 89:5
Normally when I fly on an airplane I tend to go into what I fondly call the 'Jen Zone' where I plug in my music and just listen to the tunes and think about the words. It's one of the most peaceful times in my life as I don't have anywhere else to be and there's very little else to do. However, I also really enjoy watching the landscape as we travel and when I flew today I was reminded of one of the things I love to see more than just about any other. It always happens when you take off on a cloudy day and you begin to climb and as the day is gray all around you the plane suddenly breaks through the clouds and there is a panorama unparalleled on this planet! The clouds are always amazing and beautiful but the thing that takes my breath away every time is the brightness that exists just above the clouds!
That moment of breaking through never fails to make me think of the Lord because that is just how life is. No matter how gray or stormy things may get, God is always there; still shining, still interceding, still being over and above and through all. We may not see him when the storms set in but He's always there - just beyond the gray!
~ Psalm 89:5
Normally when I fly on an airplane I tend to go into what I fondly call the 'Jen Zone' where I plug in my music and just listen to the tunes and think about the words. It's one of the most peaceful times in my life as I don't have anywhere else to be and there's very little else to do. However, I also really enjoy watching the landscape as we travel and when I flew today I was reminded of one of the things I love to see more than just about any other. It always happens when you take off on a cloudy day and you begin to climb and as the day is gray all around you the plane suddenly breaks through the clouds and there is a panorama unparalleled on this planet! The clouds are always amazing and beautiful but the thing that takes my breath away every time is the brightness that exists just above the clouds!
That moment of breaking through never fails to make me think of the Lord because that is just how life is. No matter how gray or stormy things may get, God is always there; still shining, still interceding, still being over and above and through all. We may not see him when the storms set in but He's always there - just beyond the gray!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Real Strength
Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.
~ Colossians 1:9-12 (The Message)
Such good, sweet, stuff here! How often do I come to the very end of my ability only to grit my teeth, suck it up, and attempt to push my way through until the end? Yet this is not what we're called to or promised by the Lord! We're encouraged to find His strength; to seek it out and take it from Him when He offers it and, in doing so, to succeed in a power that goes far beyond our own and actually enables us to complete our tasks with joy and with reserves remaining. No more crashing through the finish line at the end of a task with an empty tank and a bad attitude - God provides us with a strength far beyond that - a strength that actually allows us to enjoy the journey along the way.
If there is anything that I have learned on the path though my life it's that I can be so stubborn in seeking out my own way and doing everything to make sure that it comes to pass. The lesson that God is overwhelmingly teaching me in these days is that it's not about my ability or strength or will, it's about His. I'm learning that there are many things that I just can't do on my own (or can't do well on my own) and in these moments I'm hoping that the refinement that is happening is truly making me more dependent on Him in both the good times and the bad times as I learn that it's in Him that I find strength and, at the same time, rest.
I believe that I'm beginning to learn that at the end of myself is truly where life gets good. Not perfect, mind you, but good. There is a richness that I'm finding in relying on the Lord that has been unparalleled in my life thus far. Arrived? No, not yet by any means. In progress? Most definitely!
~ Colossians 1:9-12 (The Message)
Such good, sweet, stuff here! How often do I come to the very end of my ability only to grit my teeth, suck it up, and attempt to push my way through until the end? Yet this is not what we're called to or promised by the Lord! We're encouraged to find His strength; to seek it out and take it from Him when He offers it and, in doing so, to succeed in a power that goes far beyond our own and actually enables us to complete our tasks with joy and with reserves remaining. No more crashing through the finish line at the end of a task with an empty tank and a bad attitude - God provides us with a strength far beyond that - a strength that actually allows us to enjoy the journey along the way.
If there is anything that I have learned on the path though my life it's that I can be so stubborn in seeking out my own way and doing everything to make sure that it comes to pass. The lesson that God is overwhelmingly teaching me in these days is that it's not about my ability or strength or will, it's about His. I'm learning that there are many things that I just can't do on my own (or can't do well on my own) and in these moments I'm hoping that the refinement that is happening is truly making me more dependent on Him in both the good times and the bad times as I learn that it's in Him that I find strength and, at the same time, rest.
I believe that I'm beginning to learn that at the end of myself is truly where life gets good. Not perfect, mind you, but good. There is a richness that I'm finding in relying on the Lord that has been unparalleled in my life thus far. Arrived? No, not yet by any means. In progress? Most definitely!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Soul Restoring
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
~ Psalm 23:1-3
God is such a good shepherd; providing for us in our times of need and making sure that we take time to be still and then showing us our next paths. The picture that we see in scripture of this God is absolutely unfathomable to my mind. I simply can't wrap my brain around the character of my Lord - His unwavering faithfulness, His intimate association with His people, His sacrificial servanthood, His great compassion and love...this God is incredible!
I'm on my way out of town today to spend time with my dear sister and her husband and I know that it will be a time where God allows me to rest and continues to restore my soul. I'm not a proponent of running away from hard times but sometimes it is worth taking those moments and letting God restore you for the journey ahead. We all need rest - He made us that way! So, I may be out of pocket a bit over the next couple of days but know that if you're in need of any encouragement, pick up that BIBLE and start reading...it's all in there! :)
~ Psalm 23:1-3
God is such a good shepherd; providing for us in our times of need and making sure that we take time to be still and then showing us our next paths. The picture that we see in scripture of this God is absolutely unfathomable to my mind. I simply can't wrap my brain around the character of my Lord - His unwavering faithfulness, His intimate association with His people, His sacrificial servanthood, His great compassion and love...this God is incredible!
I'm on my way out of town today to spend time with my dear sister and her husband and I know that it will be a time where God allows me to rest and continues to restore my soul. I'm not a proponent of running away from hard times but sometimes it is worth taking those moments and letting God restore you for the journey ahead. We all need rest - He made us that way! So, I may be out of pocket a bit over the next couple of days but know that if you're in need of any encouragement, pick up that BIBLE and start reading...it's all in there! :)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Planned Steps
A man's heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.
~ Proverbs 16:9
Although we cannot change the direction of the wind, we can adjust our sails.
~ Unknown
Life is funny. We humans think that we can so discern God's plans and how He will choose to work in our lives and in the lives of others. The thing is that God is still a God who loves to surprise us - so often doing things that keep us on our toes and make us pull up short and say, "Now just what the heck was that?" I know that God's surprises are not always fun - I think we all know that. However, their existence is so critical to our faith! If we always knew how God would act and where He would send us and what He would ask of us then how little dependence we would ever have on Him! The fact that He does surprise us should not be something that frustrates us or causes us to fear - instead it should be something that we look at with eyes wide open and arms outstretched, treasuring the moments of surprise that allow us to leap off the side of the boat into the arms of God! His surprises will keep coming but it's always our decision whether we will choose to embrace the changes in direction with a growing faith in the sovereignty of God or whether we'll stay on the shore of certainty and allow our faith to grow weak.
Now just so I don't come across as sounding callous or anything, please know that I deeply understand that some of the things God allows in our lives cause immense pain and sorrow and struggle and that it's not easy to just run forward and embrace the situation - believe me, I know. In those moments, when you're battling things that are so much larger than you believe that you can ever handle, please just know that at those times God holds on to you and longs to comfort you even as He allows you to face the difficulties. Know too, that my heart breaks for the pain that those around me experience and that if it were ever in my ability, I would do anything that I could to remove that pain from you. This world, mired in sin and shortcomings, never delivers all that we hope for but there is always the truth of a great God who cares about you intimately and loves you intently and cries with you as you weep. Allow Him to hold you until such time as you can walk forward knowing that His hand supports you and that your faith is founded on the eternal goodness of a great God.
~ Proverbs 16:9
Although we cannot change the direction of the wind, we can adjust our sails.
~ Unknown
Life is funny. We humans think that we can so discern God's plans and how He will choose to work in our lives and in the lives of others. The thing is that God is still a God who loves to surprise us - so often doing things that keep us on our toes and make us pull up short and say, "Now just what the heck was that?" I know that God's surprises are not always fun - I think we all know that. However, their existence is so critical to our faith! If we always knew how God would act and where He would send us and what He would ask of us then how little dependence we would ever have on Him! The fact that He does surprise us should not be something that frustrates us or causes us to fear - instead it should be something that we look at with eyes wide open and arms outstretched, treasuring the moments of surprise that allow us to leap off the side of the boat into the arms of God! His surprises will keep coming but it's always our decision whether we will choose to embrace the changes in direction with a growing faith in the sovereignty of God or whether we'll stay on the shore of certainty and allow our faith to grow weak.
Now just so I don't come across as sounding callous or anything, please know that I deeply understand that some of the things God allows in our lives cause immense pain and sorrow and struggle and that it's not easy to just run forward and embrace the situation - believe me, I know. In those moments, when you're battling things that are so much larger than you believe that you can ever handle, please just know that at those times God holds on to you and longs to comfort you even as He allows you to face the difficulties. Know too, that my heart breaks for the pain that those around me experience and that if it were ever in my ability, I would do anything that I could to remove that pain from you. This world, mired in sin and shortcomings, never delivers all that we hope for but there is always the truth of a great God who cares about you intimately and loves you intently and cries with you as you weep. Allow Him to hold you until such time as you can walk forward knowing that His hand supports you and that your faith is founded on the eternal goodness of a great God.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Impossible?
Is anything too hard for the Lord?
~ Genesis 18:14a
"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
~ Matthew 19:26b
The rainbow after the flood, the promise of Isaac, Joseph in Egypt, the Red Sea turning to dry ground, a stone in the sling of David, Jericho's walls crumbling to dust, army after army being routed and turned back, Lazarus rising from the dead, water to wine, lame men made to walk, Saul turning to Paul, Peter as the cornerstone, and so many more.
By the hand of God there have been worlds created, people rescued, the dead made living, illnesses healed, relationships restored, hope given, miracles seen, battles won, wonders shown, lives changed, and eternal salvation made available!
Now consider this:
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
~ Hebrews 13:8
You know what that means? That means that the same God who did all of the things listed above and any other thing that you can possibly think of or list is still fully capable of doing these things today! Which means that no matter what you are facing in your life, you are backed up by the power of a God who has done amazing, incredible, unbelievable things in so many lives through the centuries and lives to show that power to you wherever you are!
So, whatever you face, even if you don't know what to expect or even what would be the best, you can rest completely assured that God is fully capable of working in your life in a powerful, over-the-top, only-God-can-do, kind of way! Now take that and walk forward in faith!
~ Genesis 18:14a
"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
~ Matthew 19:26b
The rainbow after the flood, the promise of Isaac, Joseph in Egypt, the Red Sea turning to dry ground, a stone in the sling of David, Jericho's walls crumbling to dust, army after army being routed and turned back, Lazarus rising from the dead, water to wine, lame men made to walk, Saul turning to Paul, Peter as the cornerstone, and so many more.
By the hand of God there have been worlds created, people rescued, the dead made living, illnesses healed, relationships restored, hope given, miracles seen, battles won, wonders shown, lives changed, and eternal salvation made available!
Now consider this:
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
~ Hebrews 13:8
You know what that means? That means that the same God who did all of the things listed above and any other thing that you can possibly think of or list is still fully capable of doing these things today! Which means that no matter what you are facing in your life, you are backed up by the power of a God who has done amazing, incredible, unbelievable things in so many lives through the centuries and lives to show that power to you wherever you are!
So, whatever you face, even if you don't know what to expect or even what would be the best, you can rest completely assured that God is fully capable of working in your life in a powerful, over-the-top, only-God-can-do, kind of way! Now take that and walk forward in faith!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Deserts
God - you're my God! I can't get enough of you! I've worked up such hunger and thirst for God, traveling across dry and weary deserts. So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory. In your generous love I am really living at last!
~ Psalm 63:1-3 (The Message)
The truth is that every life contains dry and weary deserts - places where we don't want to find ourselves but where God sometimes puts us for His own reasons and purposes. The reality though is that when we go into those deserts, we always have a choice; a choice to stop, set up camp, and just live there or to keep moving, putting one foot in front of the other and trusting God to lead us through. We can allow those moments to develop in us an increased passion for the Lord and an amazing trust in His sovereignty and purpose for our lives or we can choose to become angry and bitter at the circumstances He allows us to be in. This isn't an easy choice and I think it's often one you have to continually make over and over again through the desert.
However, I truly believe that when we allow the tough things of life to push us towards the Lord there is nothing better than that journey. It's the one thing that allows me to walk the paths in front of me and even find joy along the way. God is always what everything is all about - it's not about me, or my happiness, or my desires. It's all about God and the more I hang on to that, the more I realize that He is ever so much more than anything else that I could ever have or hope for. Now that's what I call real living!
~ Psalm 63:1-3 (The Message)
The truth is that every life contains dry and weary deserts - places where we don't want to find ourselves but where God sometimes puts us for His own reasons and purposes. The reality though is that when we go into those deserts, we always have a choice; a choice to stop, set up camp, and just live there or to keep moving, putting one foot in front of the other and trusting God to lead us through. We can allow those moments to develop in us an increased passion for the Lord and an amazing trust in His sovereignty and purpose for our lives or we can choose to become angry and bitter at the circumstances He allows us to be in. This isn't an easy choice and I think it's often one you have to continually make over and over again through the desert.
However, I truly believe that when we allow the tough things of life to push us towards the Lord there is nothing better than that journey. It's the one thing that allows me to walk the paths in front of me and even find joy along the way. God is always what everything is all about - it's not about me, or my happiness, or my desires. It's all about God and the more I hang on to that, the more I realize that He is ever so much more than anything else that I could ever have or hope for. Now that's what I call real living!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Trust Absolutely
So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for him. God is a safe place to be.
~ Psalm 62:8 (The Message)
I love what this verse says and the way that it says it. This is not an optional statement, it's a requirement - to throw ourselves out there upon the hands of the Lord and completely surrender to Him. The great thing though is that God does not just ask us to jump off the side of a cliff with no net. Instead, He promises us that He is a safe place so that no matter how insane the path looks or how far out on a limb you may get you can know that if you're where the Lord asks you to be then you're held safely in His arms and there is no need to worry or fear.
This is undoubtedly a lesson that's easier said than done but the truth is that sometimes God needs us to take part in a little bit of cliff jumping so that He may truly be glorified through our lives. So, let us listen to Him and when He brings us to the edge of a cliff that we'd much rather back away from, let us be bold in our trust and step off of it with arms outstretched, knowing that He is the one who sustains us and He is the only reliable safe place to be!
Here's what a little card that sits on my desk says:
Trust - in HIS timing
Rely - on HIS promises
Wait - for HIS answers
Believe - in HIS miracles
Rejoice - in HIS goodness
Relax - in HIS presence
I just thought it went along with this verse and wanted to share it with you - may you be encouraged by what God is doing in your life even if you can't see it right now!
~ Psalm 62:8 (The Message)
I love what this verse says and the way that it says it. This is not an optional statement, it's a requirement - to throw ourselves out there upon the hands of the Lord and completely surrender to Him. The great thing though is that God does not just ask us to jump off the side of a cliff with no net. Instead, He promises us that He is a safe place so that no matter how insane the path looks or how far out on a limb you may get you can know that if you're where the Lord asks you to be then you're held safely in His arms and there is no need to worry or fear.
This is undoubtedly a lesson that's easier said than done but the truth is that sometimes God needs us to take part in a little bit of cliff jumping so that He may truly be glorified through our lives. So, let us listen to Him and when He brings us to the edge of a cliff that we'd much rather back away from, let us be bold in our trust and step off of it with arms outstretched, knowing that He is the one who sustains us and He is the only reliable safe place to be!
Here's what a little card that sits on my desk says:
Trust - in HIS timing
Rely - on HIS promises
Wait - for HIS answers
Believe - in HIS miracles
Rejoice - in HIS goodness
Relax - in HIS presence
I just thought it went along with this verse and wanted to share it with you - may you be encouraged by what God is doing in your life even if you can't see it right now!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
A New Look
Not sure if I love this new look or not but for the moment I think I'll let it stay. The good thing is that I've figured out enough to actually be able to not kill the blog when I'm changing its background. Now hopefully I didn't speak too soon on that! :)
Restful Moments
Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.
- Sir John Lubbock
Today I'm sitting in a local coffee shop simply enjoying the time that I have to stop, think, reflect, and enjoy the life that God has given me. I so often keep myself busy running from thing to thing that I seldom take time to truly pause and enjoy the reality of this amazing world that God has given to us.
I find myself being so much more purposeful in my resting right now - I have just found myself in one of those places where there is very little to do other than sit and wait on the Lord and I'm taking the opportunity to really relax and enjoy the moments. I'm certain that at some point in the future God will provide new opportunities for busyness and I will struggle to find time to relax but for today I'm remembering that rest comes from Him and sometimes the very best thing that I can do is to stop, take the day off from things, and just be in the moment. After all, moments are what this life is made up of and if I don't appreciate them when they come I'll never be able to appreciate them to their fullest when they're gone! So, enjoy your cup of coffee and the opportunities that you have to break from the busy world we so often get sucked up in! Make the most of every minute - each one is a blessing from the Lord!
- Sir John Lubbock
Today I'm sitting in a local coffee shop simply enjoying the time that I have to stop, think, reflect, and enjoy the life that God has given me. I so often keep myself busy running from thing to thing that I seldom take time to truly pause and enjoy the reality of this amazing world that God has given to us.
I find myself being so much more purposeful in my resting right now - I have just found myself in one of those places where there is very little to do other than sit and wait on the Lord and I'm taking the opportunity to really relax and enjoy the moments. I'm certain that at some point in the future God will provide new opportunities for busyness and I will struggle to find time to relax but for today I'm remembering that rest comes from Him and sometimes the very best thing that I can do is to stop, take the day off from things, and just be in the moment. After all, moments are what this life is made up of and if I don't appreciate them when they come I'll never be able to appreciate them to their fullest when they're gone! So, enjoy your cup of coffee and the opportunities that you have to break from the busy world we so often get sucked up in! Make the most of every minute - each one is a blessing from the Lord!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
What I Live For
I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise. I live and breathe God; if things aren't going well, hear this and be happy: Join me in spreading the news; together let's get the word out. God met me more than halfway, he freed me from my anxious fears. Look at him; give him your warmest smile. Never hide your feelings from him. When I was desperate, I called out, and God got me out of a tight spot. God's angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray. Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see— how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him.
~ Psalm 34:1-8 (The Message)
The Lord has been faithful to me and I want my life to be a constant reflection of His goodness despite the circumstances that may cause pain or sorrow. I can stand and bless the Lord, worship Him, sing His praises, trust Him completely, and give Him everything that I have because through it all, He has been faithful to me.
His love knows no bounds, His promises never fail, His salvation is eternal, His plans are perfect.
I will bless the Lord every chance I get too!
~ Psalm 34:1-8 (The Message)
The Lord has been faithful to me and I want my life to be a constant reflection of His goodness despite the circumstances that may cause pain or sorrow. I can stand and bless the Lord, worship Him, sing His praises, trust Him completely, and give Him everything that I have because through it all, He has been faithful to me.
His love knows no bounds, His promises never fail, His salvation is eternal, His plans are perfect.
I will bless the Lord every chance I get too!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Howdy August!
These [trials] have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
~ 1 Peter 1:7
August - fondly known by me as one month closer to fall! :)
This year I am not sad to welcome this month - it may be a thousand degrees outside but this year I'm somewhat glad to say goodbye to July and hello to August!
I know God's not done refining me by any stretch of the imagination but July was not a fun month of being on His anvil. Perhaps in the weeks to come God will show me the results of some of the work He's been doing in my life and the lives of others! If not though, I can still rejoice that through everything my faith is being proved genuine and will bring glory to God when all is said and done (and hopefully along the way too)!
~ 1 Peter 1:7
August - fondly known by me as one month closer to fall! :)
This year I am not sad to welcome this month - it may be a thousand degrees outside but this year I'm somewhat glad to say goodbye to July and hello to August!
I know God's not done refining me by any stretch of the imagination but July was not a fun month of being on His anvil. Perhaps in the weeks to come God will show me the results of some of the work He's been doing in my life and the lives of others! If not though, I can still rejoice that through everything my faith is being proved genuine and will bring glory to God when all is said and done (and hopefully along the way too)!
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