Viva La Adventure!

Hey there everybody!  This is the first official blog post for my Romanian adventure!  Here I am on the first leg of the journey, on the train bound for Chicago, where I will spend the night with my aunt and uncle.  Tomorrow afternoon I take off from O’Hare International Airport to cross the Atlantic!  After a change of planes in Switzerland, I will land in Budapest, Hungary on the 7^th, where I will meet my hosts and make the four hour drive to Arad, Romania.  Viva the adventure!

Some of you may not know what I’m doing in Romania, so I’ll give you the short version right now.  I’ll be able to share a lot more information when I actually get there and find out what kind of arrangements have been made for my time.

I will be serving with a ministry called Rock of Hope Romania.  They have a website if you are interested in learning more about what they do.  My hosts, Scott and Carolyn, are American missionaries who have a heart to help the youth of Romania.  Their primary ministry right now is with young women who age out of the orphanage and have no place to go.  They have an apartment where some of the girls live, and they try to make it as much like a family setting as possible.  They are  loving on them, spending time with them, helping them get jobs and learn skills and whatever will bring them to a place of healthy independence.  Without help, most of the girls would end up on the streets, being dragged into a horrible lifestyle. 

I will be living in the apartment with the girls.  They do not speak much English, so communication is going to present an interesting challenge.  But I am praying to be able to build meaningful relationships with them in the time that I have.  I also have opportunities to serve with other organizations while in Romania.  This will probably include an orphanage, a children’s camp, and a mental institution.  I plan to spend three weeks in the country, and I’m sure there will be many stories to tell along the way!

This trip was not my idea to begin with, but God orchestrated it and provided above and beyond what I needed, and I believe He wants to take me deeper with Him through this experience.  I am excited to see what He has in store, and I am so thankful for all of you who are remembering me and praying as I step out in faith. 

Next installment: the story of how I launched my adventure….I had to create some drama to make it an unforgettable send-off!

The Grand Master

The martial arts have been a fascination of mine for years.  I have dreamed of taking karate and becoming a black belt, but this year I decided to take the bull by the horns and pursue my dream!  I am making my temporary residence in a town which has a martial arts studio right up the street, and I wanted to do something different and crazy to commemorate the special birthday I just celebrated, so I started taking tae kwon do classes!  This is a style similar to karate.  Both are popular in our country.  My goal is to learn as much as I can in the next few months before I move back to Missouri for the summer, and I hope at some later time to be able to pick up training again.  I am heartily enjoying the experience!  Tae kwon do has a lot of physical and mental benefits.

Now, if you have read much of my writing here or on the His Ranch blog (www.hisranchblog.blogspot.com), you know how much I love analogies between the physical world and the spiritual.  Would it surprise you then to hear that I was also struck with analogies from tae kwon do?  I have been memorizing and meditating on Colossians chapter 1, and as I was pondering verses 9-14, the ideas started coming.

First of all, you need to understand the philosophy behind the martial arts.  I think many of us who are unfamiliar with the arts tend to have the wrong idea.  We think that martial arts are about superior fighting skills and self-defense, the stuff of the clandestine underworld and the military, and about making your body a dangerous weapon.  Yes, they can be and are certainly used that way, but that is not what the arts are truly about.  On the day I passed my evaluation to enter the tae kwon do program, the Grand Master, ie; the top dog in the arts, sat down with me and explained the philosophy behind these ancient skills.  He drew the Chinese characters for "martial arts" , explaining that it essentially means "the way of stopping the fighting".  In other words, it is the way of the peacemaker.  He went on to say that if you want to make peace but are weak in your approach, you will not be able to accomplish anything.  But if you show the antagonist that you are physically and mentally stronger than he, there is a great chance that he will listen to you, and it only needs to involve force if absolutely necessary.  I thought this truly interesting, especially since I know that I am a peacemaker for God, representing Him to the world.  And I recognize that I have been weak in my efforts to make peace on the spiritual plane, whether it be to help people be reconciled with God, or to fight for justice for the oppressed, or to take a bold stand against the sins of our nation. 

Colossians 1:9-10 says, "...we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God."

The word "manner" could be replaced with "way".  Paul is praying for the believers to learn to walk in a way that is worthy of Jesus.  He's not saying that we will become worthy by what we do, but because of the unconditional love and grace of our Lord, our hearts should respond in joyful gratitude and the desire to live in a way that brings honor and fame to the name of Jesus....the name we now bear.  How do we walk in Jesus' way?  It means living like Jesus, doing what He does, but I think it is more than that.  As I see it, we cannot get any closer than to follow right behind Him, walking in His footprints.  We are to become like Him!  In order to do that, we must stay as close to Him as possible, soaking in His presence, hanging on His every word, imitating what He does.  One who is devoted to loving Christ will naturally become devoted to walking in His way.

In tae kwon do, the grand master is the head teacher of the school.  He is the one who has mastered every level of the art and is fully qualified to train others to achieve the same.  In a similar, but much greater way, Jesus is our Grand Master for life! 
Jesus said, "A servant is not greater than his master...." John 13:16
Our goal is to look as much like Jesus as possible, but we will never become equal with Him or greater than Him.  Obviously, since Jesus is God, He is high above every earthly master.  But in a lesser parallel, a student of tae kwon do has the goal of attaining the black belt, and the ultimate dream would be to achieve the highest black belt status....that of grand master.  There is nothing higher than that.  So we could say that a student might possibly become equal to the grand master, but he cannot outrank him. 

If I wanted to become a grand master in tae kwon do, what would I do?  I would spend as much time with the grand master as possible.  I would watch him closely, pay strict attention to his words, and follow his instructions painstakingly.  I would work my hardest to match his every move, to pattern my form and technique exactly like his.  In fact, this is what I must do from the very beginning of my training, if I hope to even advance to the next level.  And to truly become a master, I would need more than technique and form.  The most important aspect would be to assimilate from my teacher the heart of a leader and the mindset of a master. 

This, then, is the picture in Colossians 1.  "....that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding...."  Knowledge is useful, but alone it is not enough.  To truly know God's will, to be intimately acquainted with it, we must be able to understand His way in our hearts, so that we embrace it as truth, and we also need wisdom....the ability to put our knowledge and understanding into practice in real life.  I can't just know about the techniques of tae kwon do; I must act them out and practice them until they become second nature.  Whether I am performing the dance of moves for an audience, using them effectively in a sparring session, or engaged in an actual fight where my life depends on my reflexes, I cannot be thinking through the steps in my head and concentrating mentally on each part.  I need these moves to become part of me.  I need my body to know them like it knows breathing. 

"...so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him...."  Nothing we do makes us worthy before God.  We are made worthy through the work of Christ on the cross.  But just as a child wants to please a loving and gracious father, our gratitude for the relentless grace of God should compel us to live in a way that brings Him honor and fame!  Nothing we do can change His love towards us, but the very existence of that love makes us want to live for His smile.  I had no special skills to get me accepted into the school of martial arts.  But because I was accepted and respected and treated well, I want to give my best effort to following the way of tae kwon do that I am being taught.  Students reflect on the teacher.  I want my performance to honor the grand master and to cast a positive reflection on the school.  I want to experience the pleasure of my teachers and hear them say "Well done!"

"...bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God."  Before we were even born, God had prepared good works for each of us to carry out, that we might bring Him glory!  The closer we walk in Jesus' footprints, the more fruit our lives will produce.  Fruit speaks of a life that is well-lived, with purpose and meaning and the rewards of labor.  I don't know about you, but I long to know that every moment of my life on earth has been worthwhile and counts for eternity!  If you and I are stepping in Jesus' prints, then it is a sure thing that every step of our lives are meaningful and fruitful!  And as we bring our steps in line with His, we will know Him in an ever-deepening way.  We will experience all that He is and know Him intimately, as you know your best friend or your mate.  In tae kwon do, there are many levels, signified by different colored belts worn by the athlete.  I am in the beginning level, the white belt.  As I work to know the form and technique intimately and to perfect my performance, I will bear the fruit of achievement and be ready to advance to the next level.  Each level goes deeper in the art and becomes more difficult and involved.  If I want to be a successful tae kwon do athlete, I must continue to grow, challenge myself, and increase in the knowledge of my art. 

Verses 11-12 say, "May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." 
Jesus said, "Without me, you can do nothing."  In my own efforts, I am weak, like a light bulb that is not plugged into the electrical circuit.  The power to walk in Jesus' steps, to bear fruit, and to please Him comes from His life in me.  He wants to strengthen me so I can endure joyfully through the trials and tests of life until the end of race, where I will receive a glorious reward!  Tae kwon do also requires great perseverance.  It takes a lot of focus, sweat, and muscle pain.  My teachers want to help me succeed, to move to the next level and the next and the next, all the way to black belt!  As a beginner, my flexibility is only fair, my movements are awkward, and my body is not well-conditioned.  But as I endure the difficulty and persevere, one class at a time, my muscles and my performance will become stronger.  I will be ready to move to the next level, where I will be challenged further, and with each new thing I learn, each added stretch and conditioning exercise, each level I achieve, I will be stronger and better.  If I could continue in the program long enough, I would eventually enjoy the rewards of top physical fitness, competence and accuracy in my form, the honor of achieving a high belt status, and an excellent natural reflex if I ever need to defend myself in a threatening situation.  I would also be able to lead other people in developing the same skills. 

As verse 12 implies, we are not qualified to share in the glory of God, but it is the Father Himself who qualifies us.  Through faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, we are given entrance into the Kingdom of God and an inheritance in a new family!  In a similar way to an infant entering the world, we enter this family with nothing but our dependence on Father for eternal life and a profound gratefulness that He has chosen us to be His children and paid in the full the price of our adoption! 

Okay, so the analogy starts to break down here.  No one paid for me to enter tae kwon do; I had to pay for myself.  I had to demonstrate some basic skill in coordination, flexibility, and the ability to follow instructions.  But otherwise, I had no prior foundation in the arts.  I'm like a baby in the way of tae kwon do.  But the school welcomed me in as a part of their family.  It's a place where people at all levels of the sport can train together.  Those who are stronger help and encourage the weak ones.  Those who are further along in their training learn to bend down to the level of the beginners and lead patiently and by example.  Part of the martial arts etiquette is to look ahead to what we will be....when we face off with partners in any kind of sparring, we first bow to each other to show respect and say, "Future black belt!"  We are envisioning the ultimate achievement for each other.  There is much room for growth and maturing at each level, but the teachers are as fully committed to my success as they are to that of the black belts.  In this way, I share in the inheritance of belonging to the school.  The joy of the other students in their achievements becomes mine, and vice versa.  Watching those in higher levels gives me a picture of what I have to look forward to.  If I continued in the program and put my heart into it, I would eventually reach their level of success.  I could become what I dreamed of....a black belt.  Sadly, finances and other priorities put a damper on reaching that dream.  Given the right chance, I would take the challenge.  But since that is not too likely, I rejoice that I have better things to pursue, things that will last for eternity. 

God says that all of His fullness dwells in Christ, and I am complete in Him!  I have not experienced all the reality of that in my daily life.  But the more I look into God's Word, the Word of freedom, the more I come to realize who I am in Christ.  And the more I believe who God has made me to be, the more I see it turning into flesh, reality, in my life!  He sees me as complete, a finished product.  I may be walking out my life on a low level right now, like the white belt.  But Christ has given me His status, like the black belt!  And God sees me as a fully achieved black belt in His kingdom!  He's teaching me to see what He sees.  And by faith, I step up into higher levels, reaching toward the high place to which He has called me.  What's even more crazy is that I don't have to wait for Heaven to know that I'm a black belt, that I am a finished work in Christ!  Many of us make excuses for our flesh in our walk with Christ, saying that someday, that "elusive someday", when we get to Heaven, we will be perfect and complete.  But according to God's Word, we are already living in eternity, and we are already perfected!  We are no longer slaves to sin and our flesh, although we can choose to continue living that way, and many of us do, because we don't know the whole truth.  But we do not have to live that way!  If we walk by the Spirit-life that is within us, we CAN live as overcomers of our flesh and children of God!  It is more than being a future black belt....it is being a perfect child of God here and now!

Take this as your reality today. 

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."  Colossians 3:1-3

Nosedive

God blessed us on Sunday with absolutely gorgeous weather!  Determined to take advantage of the early spring day, I packed myself off to a nearby park, along with a recently purchased kite.  The kid in me is fascinated with kites, so when I saw the display in Walmart, I couldn't resist. 

So there was a fair breeze on this day, and I was excited to get my eagle up in the air for his first flight!  Literally.  My kite is an eagle.  Albeit a plastic one.  I get him out in the baseball field, and I can tell he wants to take off....it's a good wind!  I start playing out the line, and we make a launch attempt....and crash.  Then another attempt....followed by another, and another....and another!  I want so badly to watch my eagle soar as he was made to do.  And he wants to go, he's willing.....but I'm starting to realize some things. 

My kite isn't trusting me.  That's right.  You see, he really wants to make the cut.  He wants so badly to do this thing right and be all he is meant to be....but he's trying too hard!  I think he's trying to make it work on his own!  I pick him up from the ground and hold him close, than release him into the wind....he is close to me, he can see me, he knows I'm his anchor, and he takes the wind with gusto....but then I move away, let out more line, encourage him to ride higher....and he suddenly thinks, "Oh, I'm on my own now.... I've got to make this happen!"  Next thing you know, he's in a tailspin, which ends with a nosedive into the dirt.  My kite doesn't understand that all he has to do is rest; the wind and his anchor at the end of the line will work together to create the energy needed to life him up. 

And another thing.  The kite is willing to go up, but he only gets so far before he hits a glass ceiling.  He's still holding on to the security of the ground.  He knows I've got him, but can he really trust me with everything?  Do I really have his best interests in mind?  He knows he is being ridiculous, but still his mind lingers on things that feel safe to him, and before he gets very high in the sky, he panics and turns his nose back to the familiar ground.  And what happens when you go nose down?  You're gonna fall on your face.  With your head buried in the sand.  Like an ostrich.  Trying to shut out the fears drowning out your faith.  But when your head is in the sand, you can't hear the voice of truth either.  And the string that was meant to create a healthy tension between the ground and the air to lift the kite to new heights becomes instead a burdensome tether, yanking its reluctant charge with awkward, halting, painful jerks over the uneven ground.  If only he understood that his only job is to let go.  I'll keep him anchored, I'll make sure he doesn't get tangled in trees and power lines, and I will rejoice over him as he rides the currents....he can fly high and free, if he'll only let go of his self-made security!

I don't know what it was, but something was keeping my eagle in a destructive flight pattern that day, and he never did get very high into the air.  But as you may have deduced by now, I was hearing God speak to me through my floundering kite.  "How many times have you done this exact same thing?  How often have you told Me you want to jump over the edge, lose everything for My sake, and experience My fullness, but you keep hanging on to your petty loves and security blankets?  How many times have you hit the ground because you've got your eyes on fear instead of faith, and you're allowing personal comfort to outweigh the rewards of risk?  I love you, and I will never quit on you, but won't you trust Me?  Won't you see that all you have to do is let go and rest, because the work of flying is Mine, not yours, and I will never let go of you?"

I watch my kite struggle, my heart sinks with each nosedive, and I feel the pain and I know I'm being ridiculous and I really want to stop this game.  My heart cries, "Father, You know I am weak!  But I don't want to be like this kite.  Please help me to let go and ride Your wind, as I long for the kite to do!  Help me believe that You are the only anchor I need."

"For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength.  But you were unwilling.....Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore He exalts Himself to show mercy to you."  Isaiah 30:15,18

On Being The Body

"For just as the body is ONE and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are ONE BODY, so it is with Christ.  For the body does not consist of one member, but of MANY."  1 Cor. 12:12,14

During my time in the Word recently, God gave me some insights on the body of Christ.  This is a truth I've been slowly learning over many years.  I used to be a lone ranger Christian.  I have the type of personality that processes things inwardly, so I really like my down time! When facing a crisis, I feel the need to get alone with God and pray and think things through.  There is nothing wrong with this...in moderation.  My problem was that I kept it all inside.  I didn't want people to know I was struggling.  I thought that my issues, especially in my spiritual walk, were between me and God.  He could certainly handle anything I threw at Him, so I should be able to work through it with Him alone, right?  Not so much.  It is true that ultimately, God is all we need.  He has the answer to every question.  He sees all and knows all.  He can and does carry us through every circumstance of our lives.  But I think what some of us tend to overlook is that God has not just given us the gift of relationship with Himself....He also gave us relationships with others.  And He chooses to do a lot of His work in our lives through those horizontal relationships. 

Go back with me to the beginning of Creation.  How did God set things up to function on the earth?  He fashions Adam, the first human being, and then He says, "It is not good that the man should be alone.  I will make him a helper fit for him."  Was Adam alone?  He had God, His Creator, to fellowship with!  So why would God say that he needed someone else?  Quite simply, God created us for relationship.  He created us to know Him.  But God is so high and holy and complex that He knew we would be overwhelmed by a full revelation of Him.  So He put pieces of Himself in every part of Creation, so to speak.  Do not misunderstand me; I am not saying that nature is God, or that God is in all things.  But He displays different aspects of His character and glory in nature.  And He put the greatest part of His glory on display in the crown of His creation....Man.  So I think that God gave us marriage, family, and community so that we could see Him reflected in each other, and thus better come to know Him whom we cannot see.

A year ago, I walked through a season of depression and anxiety.  At first I thought it was a spiritual issue, and that if I could just get things straight with God, everything would be better.  I was already in a situation where I was far away from my family and my closest friends, and I was feeling lonely and isolated.  The worse I felt, the more I isolated myself.  Still, there were people around me who cared and with whom I could find safe relationship.  When I did choose to seek fellowship, I found that my spirits were uplifted and my emotions lighter.  I have learned that the times when I least want to be with people are usually when I most need it.  But during the darkest part of that season, I usually defaulted to wallowing in my misery alone.  This is a pattern I have followed many times in the past.  But this time it became too much for me to handle.  I finally came to the point where I knew I had to start talking to people I trusted and bring my private pain to light.  Destructive emotions and thought patterns, when kept hidden, are like a slow-moving poison filling the soul.  Left too long, they will destroy you. 

Stepping out the first time to expose the darkness in my soul was incredibly hard.  But when I took that plunge, I felt an incredible weight lifted off me, just because someone else now knew what I was dealing with, and they assured me that I was not alone!  There was still a hard road ahead, until the Lord brought full healing, but knowing that my brothers and sisters in Christ had my back made a huge difference!  And one of the major lessons I learned through this time was how much we need each other in the body of Christ.  Not one of us was designed to be a lone ranger. 

Sin royally messed up God's relationship structure in the world.  We are all broken.  We are imperfect.  We hurt each other, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not.  And usually the ones we love the most are also the ones we will hurt the most, and who have the greatest potential to hurt us.  But when God sent redemption for our souls in the form of Jesus Christ, and reconciled us to Himself, He also redeemed our human relationships.  We call it the Church.  Everyone who comes to saving faith in Christ is part of this new family, one that spans the entire world!  But it's more than a family...Jesus took it a step further....He said, "Abide in me, and I in you."  John 15:4
In His prayer to the Father before His death, He asked for all those who would believe in Him...."that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you have sent me."  John 17:21

Jesus' intent for His church is that we will be one with God and with each other.  This speaks of a deep intimacy....as a man and his wife are to become one flesh, so the followers of Christ are to be one body!  Paul expounds further on this mystery in his letters to the church.  He tells us that just as in our physical body we have different parts with different functions, so we are one body in Christ, and we are joined together as members of each other, just as our body parts are joined together.  We each have unique functions, or gifts, and not one can function apart from the others!  As a whole, we display the full glory of God to the world! 

Think about this: how much good is your eye going to do by itself?  Or your hand?  Or your foot?  Every part of your body depends on all the other parts to be successful in your daily life.  It is the same in the body of Christ.  Joined together, we are a mighty force that Jesus said the very gates of Hell will not be able to prevail against!  (Matt. 16:18)  But on our own?  I'd say we're pretty powerless!  We're like a coal cast out of the fire....separated from the combined heat of all the other coals, it quickly burns itself out and dies.

So here is the Scripture I just read that really made me think.  Hebrews 10:24,25.  "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." 
I am seeing in my own history, and in the lives of others around me, the terrible price of isolation.  It tears us apart inside.  It leaves us vulnerable to enemy attack.  And it renders us ineffective in the service of our King. 

I am sharing a house with a few other women.  We have our own rooms, our own jobs, our own lives.  We come and go at will.  It's easy to keep to ourselves.  But we have decided that we need to build and maintain fellowship as sisters in Christ, so we set aside one night every week to sit down and share dinner together and talk about things in our lives.  The house we live in is also used for various ministry, including ladies' Bible studies.  Sometimes this brings in a large group, but we've had some nights when only three or four were there.  But whether it's a Bible study, a family, or just fellowship as housemates, I realized that we are still the Body of Christ, and we need to stay together if we want the power of God to be manifest in our lives!  In the church of America today, most people think they're doing good to make it to the worship service once a week.  But this is not what Jesus intended for His body!  If you read the book of Acts, you will see that the first believers at the birth of the Church met together EVERY DAY to break bread, to fellowship, to hear the teachings of Christ, and to pray!  I don't think this was a formal church service.  It was part of their daily lives.  They met together because they needed the encouragement, the accountability, and the perspective of their fellow Christ-followers.  They knew that the will of God and the mission of His kingdom could be accomplished only through a unified body of believers.  What soldier single-handedly wins a war?  What athlete wins the Super Bowl alone?  The Body of Christ is the most important team, the greatest army in all of history!  We are here to be the salt and the light in this dark world....together!  So what are we doing, separating ourselves in our individual lives?  You will find so much in the Bible telling us how the Body of Christ is supposed to function.  We bear each others' burdens.  We build each other up in love and faith.  We challenge one another to greater holiness and good works.  We confess our sins and struggles to one another and pray for each others' healing.  We steer each other back to the right path when one has strayed.  We share whatever we have that another needs.  The list goes on!  How can we ever hope to gain all these blessings and benefits if we neglect to come together, and if we allow our differences and the distractions of life to divide us? 

Brothers and sisters, we are far from the unity that Christ envisioned.  But we have hope!  Christ, our Head, is with us and is still building His church!  His Word declares that He is preparing a pure and spotless bride for Himself.  We are that bride!  He knows what it will take to make us one, and He is able to do it!  He WILL do it!  So don't lose heart.  Purpose today to do what is in your power to cultivate unity in the Body.  Stop hiding behind your wounded pride, your critical spirit, your fear, your unrealistic expectations, your secret sin, your private pain, or whatever it is that keeps you from real fellowship.  Come together with your brothers and sisters.  Let us rise up and be the Church!

A Page In The Story

I need to get motivated and write more frequently.  But sometimes I come across another writer who says it so beautifully and so in hopes of sharing the encouragement, I borrow.  I have just discovered my new favorite music artist....Matt Hammitt.  Every song I've listened to so far has an amazing message, and you can tell that this guy is for real and living the tough joy of the life that is continually being surrendered to God.  I've been so touched by the back-story I found on his song, All Of Me.  This and some of his other new songs have come out of the journey that he and his family have been on with his now two-year old son, born with a serious heart defect.  If you're looking for inspiration through a dark time, I highly recommend checking out their story.  You can find a lot of it at www.bowensheart.com.

But the song I want to share with you today is the first song of Matt's that I heard.  It speaks so candidly to the place my heart is in right now.  I'm fighting a lot of uncertainty and anxiety about my future, and I constantly have to come back to my Father and lay these burdens on Him.  I have so many questions about why He has me here and now and what His intentions are in the story of my life.  But He is gently teaching me that this is His story, not mine.  My life is all for Him.  It's all about Him.  And the more I see Him as He is, the more I focus on seeing and naming the thousands of gifts He pours out on me, and the more He opens my eyes to His work around me, the deeper my desire grows that all of my life be a song of praise recklessly poured out on Him.  I want to be like water.  Like a mountain stream that starts out on the heights and joyously pours itself down and down and down, always lower, into the deepest valleys and through canyons, always seeking to join itself to the sea.  That water doesn't cling to its own identity.  It gives and gives, merging with countless other waters on its journey, and that first tiny stream becomes so much more than it could have ever been by itself.  Its destiny is to lose itself in the vast depths of the ocean.  Oh, that we might lose ourselves in our God, allowing our identity to be swallowed up in His! 

Philippians 3:8-9 echoes this heart-cry:  "I count EVERYTHING as loss because of the SURPASSING worth of knowing CHRIST Jesus my Lord.  For His sake I have suffered the loss of ALL things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found IN HIM."
Colossians 3:2-3 gives us the focus of a redeemed heart: "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is HIDDEN WITH CHRIST in God.  When Christ WHO IS YOUR LIFE appears, then you also will appear WITH HIM in glory." (emphasis mine)

I love the way Matt puts it in the song: "The story is Yours; I'm just a page."  One page in a novel is like one drop of water in the ocean.  But that one page has value and meaning, because God wrote it.  He doesn't need you or me to complete His story, but He CHOSE us!  Isn't it amazing, that the Author of everything chose you to be part of His story?!!!  With that in mind, read these words, and let God speak to you.  This is what I want to do with my life.

Let It Bring You Praise

by Matt Hammitt

 

Lord, You created me, perfectly shaping me
I know my heart is safe in your arms
Lord, You know everything so when I feel afraid
I put my faith in You

This life is Yours to give so with each new day
Let every breathe that I take

Let it bring You praise, bring You praise
For I am fearfully and wonderfully made
When You choose to take let it bring You praise
Reminding the world that heaven awaits
Let it bring You praise

Before I even speak You know my every need
All that I am is because You are
You know my heart, You know my heart

Let it bring You praise, bring You praise
For I am fearfully and wonderfully made
When You choose to take let it bring You praise
Reminding the world that heaven awaits
Let it bring You praise

Before I was born You numbered my days
The story is yours, I'm just a page
With every word I want to proclaim
Let my life proclaim

Let it bring You praise, bring You praise
For I am fearfully and wonderfully made
When You choose to take let it bring You praise
Reminding the world that heaven awaits
Let it bring You praise
Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/matt-hammitt/let-it-bring-you-praise-lyrics/#ZpYLCAYm7WQ3PeGw.99

 

 





Such A Time

"And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"  Esther 4:14

One more day.  One more year.  By the mercies of God we live and move and have our being.  You are not here for yourself.  I am not here for myself.  Not to be what I want or do what I want or to make a great life for myself.  We exist by and through and for Jesus Christ.  "For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth....all things were created through Him and for Him.  And He is before all things, and in Him ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER."  Colossians 1:16-17
We are here on this earth, at this time in history, for the advancement of His kingdom and the glory of His name.  This is a time of gathering darkness.  A time of deception.  A time of wars and disasters and suffering.  But it is not a time to fear.  It is not a time to be uncertain and undecided.  It is not a time to lose hope.  It is a time when the grace of God is still freely extended to all men.   It is a time to stand up and be counted as ambassadors of the King of Kings!  It is a time to fish for men and love God with all the heart and fight on the side of Light with all the soul and dive deep in the Word and drink deep of His love and have no will but His and lose the life to find it and be all that Christ CHOSE us to be!

Father, empower us to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness and to make Your passion our own.  This is a supernatural work....possible only for You.  We don't know where You will lead us or what You will give and take away or what Your yes will look like in our lives in the days ahead.  "For all the promises of God find their yes in Him (Jesus).  That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory."  1 Corinthians 1:20

But this is what we know....our Redeemer lives!  (Job 19:25)  You are Life and Your love is forever and Your Word will never fail and YOU ARE FAITHFUL!  In such a time as this, Father....we are Yours.  We trust You. 

Of Gifts and Givers

Christmas is about giving, right?  We spend time, money, and energy looking for the perfect gift for someone we love in remembrance of the greatest gift of all time...God the Father gave us His Son so that we might have life.  "Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."  1 John 5:12

Of course in the hustle and bustle of this holiday madness we have created, the glitter of the retailers' big hurrah, and the ever-growing march of our society away from God, the greatest gift and the Greatest Giver are often lost, forgotten, or pushed aside.  We cheat ourselves.  We grieve our Creator.  And when tragedy strikes, as it does in this world, those for whom Christmas is only a festive occasion are suddenly left with nothing to celebrate.  No hope. 

In my family, we have tried to simplify our Christmas festivities.  Yes, family togetherness and special food and gifts are a part of it, but our desire is to keep Christ in the center.  We spent some time sharing what we are thankful for...some thought of simple pleasures that we can enjoy because God allows it , others spoke about the blessings God has given us that outlast our material world.  Our conversation turned to Kingdom matters and how to be better God-seekers.  Then we enjoyed the time of giving and receiving.  We didn't go wild buying gifts and we didn't spend what we don't have.  The gifts chosen were few but meaningful.  Sometimes fun, sometimes practical, sometimes surprising, depending on personalities, but always with careful thought to delight the recipient. 
With twelve people in the family, opening gifts turns into quite an event, despite our simple preparations!  We have a secret name exchange, so it's a time when we get to find out who drew our name.  It's a time for trading stories about where someone got a creative idea or where they found some special item or how they knew just what the person wanted.  It's a time to enjoy being together and expressing our love for one another in the tangible form of giving.  And it's a time to rejoice in each other's joy....the expressions, exclamations, and appreciation as each gift is revealed.

Today, the day after Christmas, I was thinking about the way our giving and receiving reflects our Heavenly Father.  It was fun to watch how everyone reacted in different ways to their gifts.  My seven year old brother was ecstatic over everything, especially his new cars!  He kept saying, "I can't believe it!!!"  One of my sisters was amazed that whoever got her name knew exactly what she liked....which happened with a little clandestine help from her roommate.  My mom was supremely pleased with her gift of new clothes...everything was perfect for her...the result of a cooperative effort by two daughters.  Everyone was fascinated by the uncommon gift that my inventive-minded brother gave my dad.  And when my future brother-in-law produced a gift of gourmet chocolates from his parents, we swarmed it like bees to honey!  Each of us took pleasure in the gifts we received, but we had double pleasure in watching our family members delight in what we gave them.  How sad would it be to give someone a special gift that you planned to bring them joy, and have them dislike or reject it?  Maybe this has even happened to you.

 I think that if I can get such pleasure from watching someone enjoy my gift, how much more joy does God have when we delight in His gifts to us?  When He created the world, Genesis tells us that He said everything He made was very good.  He takes great delight in the flaming sunset, the soaring mountain peak, the ocean waves roaring, the brilliant colors of sky and grass and flower, the grace of an eagle riding the air, the icy tendrils in a snowflake, the colors and shapes and sizes and unique handprints and personalities and gifts of every human being.  But God didn't fashion these things because He needed them.  He didn't need to put a little bit of His glory into every part of His creation in order to see or know how glorious He is.  I think He did it because He wanted to share His glory and joy with us!  Imagine Him planning every intricate detail for our enjoyment!  Think of the way you feel when your best friend absolutely loves the gift you gave them.  Can you imagine how much pleasure it gives God to see us loving the things He's made?  And when we begin to take the time to name every gift we can think of that He has given, and the list goes on and on and on, and we find even greater joy in the naming...how that must thrill His heart!  And then when we begin to look harder and discover the beautiful in the ugly things, the hard things, the painful things, and we understand that everything coming from the hand of our Father is good and perfect, even when it doesn't make sense, and we trust Him despite the pain....that must bring Him the deepest satisfaction, for He sees the whole of the beautiful tapestry He is weaving in your life and mine...we only see the ugly knotted underside.  And He knows that some of the sharpest and ugliest stones will become the most brilliant gems...ashes will become beauty, mourning will turn to dancing, streams of water will burst forth out of dry ground, and deserts will bloom!  Remember, the greatest gift came at the highest cost.  And it wasn't pretty.  Picture Jesus hanging on the cross.  Covered in blood.  Flesh ripped open.  Horrid, long nails through His body.  Gasping for breath.  Screaming in agony.  Heart broken as the full weight of our sin hangs on His shoulders and His Father turns away.  It's the ugliest picture you can imagine.  But it's also the most beautiful.  "But God shows His love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8  It's the ultimate love story.  "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?"  Romans 8:32

Sadly, untold numbers of people have rejected the greatest gift and the Greatest Giver.  Others have ignored Him, seeing their own small pursuits as more significant than knowing the One who gave them life.  And many, even those of us who call ourselves His children, have worshipped the gifts rather than the Giver.  Imagine if you gave a wonderful gift to your friend.  Maybe they expressed their gratitude at first, but they loved the gift so much they became obsessed with it.  They began to spend all their time and energy with this gift.  They no longer spent time with you, and soon your lives drifted apart.  This is how many people treat God.  They'll eagerly take His blessings, but they lose interest in cultivating a deep relationship with Him.  We also fall into taking the gifts for granted, neglecting to say thank you.  Instead of opening our eyes and telling God how much we are grateful for, we focus on what we don't have, and we become blind to everything we do have. 

So today, think about the Greatest Giver, and consider whether you truly want Him, or only His gifts?  Think about the greatest gift.  Have you accepted it and opened it?  Do you have the Son?  Think about your daily life.  Are you seeing, naming, and delighting in Father's countless gifts to you today?  Are you remembering that you have the best gifts, like hope, peace, and everlasting life, in Jesus Christ?  That no matter what happens, your life is bound up in the Giver, not the gifts?  He loves you.  He died to prove that.  He delights in your delight, but most of all, His joy in full when your delight rests in Him.  "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."  Psalm 37:4  He will be your desire.  Nothing else can fill you like He can.  He made you for Himself.  God is with us.  Immanuel.