A few weeks ago, I felt led to press the pause button in my life.
I paused from Blogger.
I paused from Facebook.
I paused from Twitter.
And {gasp} ... I even paused from ministry.
I quickly realized how busy my life had become from seemingly good things. I want my blog to bless others. I consider it a privilege to edify and encourage women through words painted on a page. Facebook allows me to share Jesus on a daily basis with unbelievers and has become an effective witnessing tool in my life. Twitter enables me to connect with almost 1000 people simultaneously. And my ministry stirs my soul to dream big and believe God for infinitely and abundantly more than I could ever ask or imagine.
But when these seemingly good things shift my focus away from my two best things, I am in grave danger of losing my peace and perspective. And I've been teetering on the edge of "losing" for quite some time.
You see, I often take my two greatest gifts- God and my husband- for granted. Because I know they'll still be there when I'm done with the good things.
God will never leave me or forsake me. And most likely, neither will my husband. He's the rock-solid type ... a Mr. Steady through and through.
God patiently waits for me ... to spend time with me, to chat a while. So does my husband, but he often has to compete with the aforementioned "good" things in my life.
As I've paused these past few weeks, God has convicted me of just one thing- it's so easy to lose focus.
I'm called to love God first- to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness- and then to love my husband. To make my life about completing his. To be his helpmeet. His lover. His best friend.
It's really so simple. But in our busy world that beckons us to trade our true calling in for a fraudulent one, it's increasingly complex to be the woman God's called us to be. We need to hold tight to the truth that our love for our husbands should reflect the church's love for Christ.
I'm amazed at the peace that has flooded my life since I've pressed "pause". Maybe today you need to join me. I hope you'll comment and share what you feel God is asking you pause from so you can return to the two men eagerly awaiting you.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Less Than-More Than
Please welcome my dear friend, Hester Christensen, to Sparkling to Reflect His Glory. I had the privilege of meeting Hester at She Speaks 2009, and we have remained close friends and co-laborers in ministry since that time. Hester's heart for the Lord is incredible, and her goal is to lead women toward spiritual maturity. I pray that her post below will help you perform the needed heart work necessary for lasting life change.
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1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV) "But the Lord said to Samuel, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
My heart sank as my second born shared his troubles. Last week he had difficulty with friends and classmates questioning him about the birthmark on his face. This wasn't the first time nor will it be the last. His port wine stain covers half of his cheek, his chin and flows down to his neck. The pigment is not scarlet, but bright enough to be noticed by a nine-year-old boy trying to understand his identity. He tells me he thinks it looks weird and he doesn't want to be teased.
We live in a culture obsessed with our external packaging. Everywhere we look the world propagates an ideal to attain. Our world defines a person's value by what lies on the outside. The problem is, these expectations stem from a culture that values the wrong things.
The worldly recognition for youthfulness and perfection push individuals to have the right look, wear the right clothes, cover all the blemishes etc. The relentless pursuit of thinness drives people to lose more and more weight. Be the right number and wear the right size are the voices poured into our mind from the media.
Many strain to obtain these only to be left discouraged and feeling less than. Less than the air-brushed model in the magazine. Less than what Macy's offers. Less than what the day spa promotes. Less than the 'perfect' woman on the treadmill at the gym.
The temptation to look a certain way is enticing. It is easy to become fixated over physical appearance. As Christian women, God wants more for us than what the world offers. Our passage in 1 Samuel 16:7 shows us how to become more than in a less than world. It reinforces our understanding that the condition of our heart is more important to God than the condition of our hips. He cares about our faith more than our face. He's interested in our walk more than our wardrobe. He wants our maturity more than a makeover.
The prophet Samuel has arrived in Bethlehem to anoint the next King of Israel, one of Jesse's sons. Samuel sees Eliab, Jesse's oldest son, and thinks for sure he must be the one God has chosen. Listen closely to the Lord's response to Samuel's thought, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
Did you catch that? "...but the Lord looks at the heart." Why the heart? God values the heart because it is the consummation of who a person is. It envelopes the eternal essence of each individual. God identifies us by what is on the inside, while the world tends to recognize us only by what is on the outside. If God values our heart more importantly than our exterior, then we should too. When our heart is rightly aligned with God, the expectation to live up to the world's standards fade away.
Sadly, I gave into worldly pressures and influence as a young teen and college woman. My heart was preoccupied with fat grams and calories, the number on the scale, my pant size, and how much exercise I could squeeze into one day. This obsession with physical appearance resulted in a seven year struggle with anorexia and bulimia.
I thought the pursuit of "perfection" would boost my self-esteem when in fact, it robbed my self-esteem and left me with a misplaced identity. Not only was I physically anorexic, I was also spiritually anorexic. I focused on my body more than my Beloved. I starved myself spiritually by being consumed with my appearance and not with my Lord.
God radically opened my heart and enabled me to see what I was missing: a fulfillment only found in Him. The nourishment my heart needed was met with a deep passion for God and a hunger for His Word. This eye opening experience shifted my priorities. I realized if I would exert as much energy toward God and His Word as I had toward exercise, eating, counting calories etc., then I would be on my way toward spiritual fitness and a heart that pleased God.
Don't misunderstand, exercising, getting our hair cut or even buying a new outfit is not wrong in and of themselves. Matter is not evil. God created beauty. However, anything can become an idol. Whenever we worship the created over the Creator we flirt with the world's standard of beauty and security. Our heart becomes divided because we cannot worship self and God.
As my son sorrowfully shared his struggle last week I shared God's truth with him in hopes of establishing a secure identity in Christ and an understanding of what God values in our lives. When God sees us, He sees our heart, not our hair-do, high heels or handbag.
The truth is friends, we are more than. More than an air-brushed model in the magazine. More than what Macy's offers. More than what the day spa promotes. More than the 'perfect' woman on the treadmill at the gym.
We are MORE THAN, because He became less than.
Heart Work:
Evaluating our motives is crucial and valuing what God values is vital. Evaluate your motives for doing the things you do pertaining to physical fitness and your body. Pray over them and seek the Lord to see if anything is out of balance in your life that He wants you to change.
Heart Exam:
What makes you feel "less than"?
How has the world's view of beauty distracted you from who you are in Christ?
Does your life reflect the values that God values?
Heart Changing Word:
Psalm 45:11 (NIV) "The King is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord."
Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
1 Peter 3:3-5a "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful."
Hester's Bio:
Hester is a devoted wife, mother, speaker and writer. She lives in Boise, Idaho and enjoys the blessings of her three boys. She has served in ministry alongside her husband for 16 years. During this time Hester has spoken to a variety of audiences. She has impacted numerous women through retreats, conferences, Bible studies, mentoring, and other women's events. Hester's heart is committed to leading women toward spiritual maturity in Christ. Hester is also writing her first Bible study and is hopeful for publication. For weekly encouragement visit her blog where she posts a new devotion each Friday. (http://www.hesterchristensen.com/)
***********************************************************
1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV) "But the Lord said to Samuel, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
My heart sank as my second born shared his troubles. Last week he had difficulty with friends and classmates questioning him about the birthmark on his face. This wasn't the first time nor will it be the last. His port wine stain covers half of his cheek, his chin and flows down to his neck. The pigment is not scarlet, but bright enough to be noticed by a nine-year-old boy trying to understand his identity. He tells me he thinks it looks weird and he doesn't want to be teased.
We live in a culture obsessed with our external packaging. Everywhere we look the world propagates an ideal to attain. Our world defines a person's value by what lies on the outside. The problem is, these expectations stem from a culture that values the wrong things.
The worldly recognition for youthfulness and perfection push individuals to have the right look, wear the right clothes, cover all the blemishes etc. The relentless pursuit of thinness drives people to lose more and more weight. Be the right number and wear the right size are the voices poured into our mind from the media.
Many strain to obtain these only to be left discouraged and feeling less than. Less than the air-brushed model in the magazine. Less than what Macy's offers. Less than what the day spa promotes. Less than the 'perfect' woman on the treadmill at the gym.
The temptation to look a certain way is enticing. It is easy to become fixated over physical appearance. As Christian women, God wants more for us than what the world offers. Our passage in 1 Samuel 16:7 shows us how to become more than in a less than world. It reinforces our understanding that the condition of our heart is more important to God than the condition of our hips. He cares about our faith more than our face. He's interested in our walk more than our wardrobe. He wants our maturity more than a makeover.
The prophet Samuel has arrived in Bethlehem to anoint the next King of Israel, one of Jesse's sons. Samuel sees Eliab, Jesse's oldest son, and thinks for sure he must be the one God has chosen. Listen closely to the Lord's response to Samuel's thought, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
Did you catch that? "...but the Lord looks at the heart." Why the heart? God values the heart because it is the consummation of who a person is. It envelopes the eternal essence of each individual. God identifies us by what is on the inside, while the world tends to recognize us only by what is on the outside. If God values our heart more importantly than our exterior, then we should too. When our heart is rightly aligned with God, the expectation to live up to the world's standards fade away.
Sadly, I gave into worldly pressures and influence as a young teen and college woman. My heart was preoccupied with fat grams and calories, the number on the scale, my pant size, and how much exercise I could squeeze into one day. This obsession with physical appearance resulted in a seven year struggle with anorexia and bulimia.
I thought the pursuit of "perfection" would boost my self-esteem when in fact, it robbed my self-esteem and left me with a misplaced identity. Not only was I physically anorexic, I was also spiritually anorexic. I focused on my body more than my Beloved. I starved myself spiritually by being consumed with my appearance and not with my Lord.
God radically opened my heart and enabled me to see what I was missing: a fulfillment only found in Him. The nourishment my heart needed was met with a deep passion for God and a hunger for His Word. This eye opening experience shifted my priorities. I realized if I would exert as much energy toward God and His Word as I had toward exercise, eating, counting calories etc., then I would be on my way toward spiritual fitness and a heart that pleased God.
Don't misunderstand, exercising, getting our hair cut or even buying a new outfit is not wrong in and of themselves. Matter is not evil. God created beauty. However, anything can become an idol. Whenever we worship the created over the Creator we flirt with the world's standard of beauty and security. Our heart becomes divided because we cannot worship self and God.
As my son sorrowfully shared his struggle last week I shared God's truth with him in hopes of establishing a secure identity in Christ and an understanding of what God values in our lives. When God sees us, He sees our heart, not our hair-do, high heels or handbag.
The truth is friends, we are more than. More than an air-brushed model in the magazine. More than what Macy's offers. More than what the day spa promotes. More than the 'perfect' woman on the treadmill at the gym.
We are MORE THAN, because He became less than.
Heart Work:
Evaluating our motives is crucial and valuing what God values is vital. Evaluate your motives for doing the things you do pertaining to physical fitness and your body. Pray over them and seek the Lord to see if anything is out of balance in your life that He wants you to change.
Heart Exam:
What makes you feel "less than"?
How has the world's view of beauty distracted you from who you are in Christ?
Does your life reflect the values that God values?
Heart Changing Word:
Psalm 45:11 (NIV) "The King is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord."
Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
1 Peter 3:3-5a "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful."
Hester's Bio:
Hester is a devoted wife, mother, speaker and writer. She lives in Boise, Idaho and enjoys the blessings of her three boys. She has served in ministry alongside her husband for 16 years. During this time Hester has spoken to a variety of audiences. She has impacted numerous women through retreats, conferences, Bible studies, mentoring, and other women's events. Hester's heart is committed to leading women toward spiritual maturity in Christ. Hester is also writing her first Bible study and is hopeful for publication. For weekly encouragement visit her blog where she posts a new devotion each Friday. (http://www.hesterchristensen.com/)
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Are YOU Risen?
On Easter morning believers worldwide greet eachother with the familiar mantra "He is risen!" But I wonder what would happen if we replaced the expected response "He is risen indeed!" with the question "Yes, but are YOU risen?"
For many years after committing my life to Christ, I clung to old sin-habits with a tight-fisted grip. On occasion I'd let Jesus pry a finger or two open and expose the sin inside, but as soon as control threatened to elude me, I clamped my fist shut once again. Cloaked in the false comfort being in control brought me, I refused to live the resurrected life in Christ. Brokenness bound me until I realized I had to die in order to truly live.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"
Jesus died to replace our old with His new. As believers we often settle for the mediocre instead of the miraculous. We pray the prayer, walk the aisle, and then try to be "good Christians." We cringe when we're challenged to die to our flesh. We'd rather be comfortable in our status quo Christianity than conquerors in Christ Jesus!
It's time to tap into the resurrection power that indwells every believer. Jesus is no longer dead and neither are we. So let's live "free from sin, [our] old master ... and slaves to [our] new master, righteousness." (Romans 6:18) Let's shed our grave clothes once and for all and robe ourselves in the righteousness of Christ. Only then will we lavishly live the resurrected life Jesus died to give.
For many years after committing my life to Christ, I clung to old sin-habits with a tight-fisted grip. On occasion I'd let Jesus pry a finger or two open and expose the sin inside, but as soon as control threatened to elude me, I clamped my fist shut once again. Cloaked in the false comfort being in control brought me, I refused to live the resurrected life in Christ. Brokenness bound me until I realized I had to die in order to truly live.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"
Jesus died to replace our old with His new. As believers we often settle for the mediocre instead of the miraculous. We pray the prayer, walk the aisle, and then try to be "good Christians." We cringe when we're challenged to die to our flesh. We'd rather be comfortable in our status quo Christianity than conquerors in Christ Jesus!
It's time to tap into the resurrection power that indwells every believer. Jesus is no longer dead and neither are we. So let's live "free from sin, [our] old master ... and slaves to [our] new master, righteousness." (Romans 6:18) Let's shed our grave clothes once and for all and robe ourselves in the righteousness of Christ. Only then will we lavishly live the resurrected life Jesus died to give.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Surrounded by Silence
It happened in an instant. I had just strolled hand-in-hand with my sweet Jesus through one of most intimate seasons we’d ever shared, but now my direct line to heaven seemed snipped at the source. Try as I might, I couldn’t quite splice the wires of my prayer life back together. Silence hung in the air like a thick cloud threatening to engulf me. And all the while the enemy of my soul taunted me with ludicrous lies.
Interludes of silence with our Savior shock us when we’re not prepared for them. Silence makes us squirm with discouragement and doubt. We wonder what we’ve done or failed to do. And in our solitude we feel not only forgotten, but forsaken.
When we're surrounded by silence, we can re-visit the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26) and know that we're not alone in our affliction. For it's there we find the fullness of Jesus' humanity. And it's where we can remember He understands exactly how we feel.
Jesus didn’t put on a plastic smile and pretend He wasn’t distressed by His looming crucifixion. The agony of His impending death forced Him to contend with His feelings. Jesus understood the importance of fellowship in suffering and shared His emotions with His disciples. He asked them to watch and pray while He went before the Father.
As drops of blood splattered the ground where Jesus lay prostrate, He prayed three different times for His cup to pass. And each time He fully submitted Himself to His Father’s will.
In every instance God’s response was the same—silence. God knew that rescuing Jesus would forfeit victory over death not only for Him, but for all who would ever believe. God chose the eternal over the immediate.
Silence is often a difficult response to bear as believers. Waiting on God may frustrate us, but silence makes us feel abandoned. Jesus’ example proves we can surrender even when God seems silent because His will is always better than our own.
Maybe today you feel forsaken by God. The all too familiar words My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Matthew 27:46) reverberate through your soul as you watch your life unravel. Turn your eyes to Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith, and remember "not to be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you." (Deuteronomy 31:8)
I'd love to have the opportunity to pray for you if you're amidst a season of silence. Please share your request in the comment section below.
Interludes of silence with our Savior shock us when we’re not prepared for them. Silence makes us squirm with discouragement and doubt. We wonder what we’ve done or failed to do. And in our solitude we feel not only forgotten, but forsaken.
When we're surrounded by silence, we can re-visit the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26) and know that we're not alone in our affliction. For it's there we find the fullness of Jesus' humanity. And it's where we can remember He understands exactly how we feel.
Jesus didn’t put on a plastic smile and pretend He wasn’t distressed by His looming crucifixion. The agony of His impending death forced Him to contend with His feelings. Jesus understood the importance of fellowship in suffering and shared His emotions with His disciples. He asked them to watch and pray while He went before the Father.
As drops of blood splattered the ground where Jesus lay prostrate, He prayed three different times for His cup to pass. And each time He fully submitted Himself to His Father’s will.
In every instance God’s response was the same—silence. God knew that rescuing Jesus would forfeit victory over death not only for Him, but for all who would ever believe. God chose the eternal over the immediate.
Silence is often a difficult response to bear as believers. Waiting on God may frustrate us, but silence makes us feel abandoned. Jesus’ example proves we can surrender even when God seems silent because His will is always better than our own.
Maybe today you feel forsaken by God. The all too familiar words My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Matthew 27:46) reverberate through your soul as you watch your life unravel. Turn your eyes to Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith, and remember "not to be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you." (Deuteronomy 31:8)
I'd love to have the opportunity to pray for you if you're amidst a season of silence. Please share your request in the comment section below.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Headed for Heaven?
I assumed it would be just another normal Monday morning. As I rolled over in bed and grabbed my phone, I noticed I had a voicemail. I immediately checked to see who had called me so early in the morning, and my heart sank when my mom's phone number crystallized before my eyes. Before I even listened to the message, I knew something bad had happened.
I dialed my voicemail, and as the phone rang I prayed, "Lord, give me peace. Lord, help me with whatever I'm about to face. Lord, keep me calm." My dad emphatically began his message and said only a few words: "Stephanie, this is your dad. Call me immediately. It's very serious."
I hurriedly dialed my parents' number and willed my heart to stop beating so fast. My dad answered and handed the phone to my mom. She was crying, and the words that tumbled out of her mouth left me numb. My Aunt Melinda, the oldest of eight siblings, had died suddenly a few hours before.
The shocking news of my aunt's death was surreal. My Aunt Melinda was a beautiful, vibrant lover of life. She was a beacon of light for Jesus Christ to all who knew her. And she lived like He would return at any moment, in eager expectation of His arrival.
Well, He didn't return. Instead, He called her home. And she was ready.
The question today is: Are you ready?
God had every day He ordained for you written in His book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:16). He knows the day you were born, and He knows the day you'll die.
Life is but a vapor (James 4:13-14) and death but a blip as we pass from this life to the next. That's because we'll all live forever. The only thing in question is where.
The reality is, we were created for a relationship with Jesus Christ. And He is the only person who will ever fill the hollow places in our hearts. God created us to know Him intimately, as a best friend (John 15:15).
But when Eve took a bite from the apple and sin entered the world, it marred God’s plan and separated us from Him forever. Instead of living intimately connected to God, we decided to follow our own selfish ways.
Thankfully God loves us with an everlasting love, and through Jesus’ death on the cross, He’s made a way for us to know Him. God waits patiently for us to trust Him with our lives because He doesn’t want us to perish in our sin (2 Peter 3:9).
Our salvation never depends on what we do; it depends solely on what’s been done.
We don’t have to wait until we get our acts together to come to Jesus. He beckons us to come just as we are so He can place crowns of beauty on our heads instead of ashes (Isaiah 61:3). He desires to separate our sins from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). He longs to make us white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).
Through His death on the cross, Jesus paid the price in full for the sins of the entire world (John 3:16).
Today I beg you to evaluate whether this is the Jesus you know. We are all sinners in need of God's mercy (Romans 3:23). And God made a way for us to have a relationship with Him through Jesus’ death on the cross (Romans 6:23).
Jesus Christ came to Earth to be the payment for our sins so that we might live forever with Him in heaven. This is a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9) that we can’t earn by being good people or attending church on Sundays.
If we could somehow earn our salvation, Jesus’ death on the cross would not have been necessary.
Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
It's that simple.
Maybe you're sitting on the other side of your computer screen right now and sense something is missing in your life. You have all you’ve ever wanted—a wonderful family, a beautiful home, a successful career. Yet inside you feel an emptiness you can never seem to escape. Or maybe you’re at your lowest point and the only place to look is up … but you have no idea who to look up to. Nothing has ever gone right in your life, so you figure you’ll just be broken forever.
God hears the cry of your heart right now. It's no accident that you're reading this post at this exact moment in time. God loves you, and He's pursuing you today.
Pray to God and acknowledge your need for Him. Tell him exactly how you’re feeling, admitting your brokenness. Confess to Him that you have fallen short of His glory because of the sin in your life. Admit that there is nothing you could ever do to earn your salvation. Tell Him you believe He sent His son Jesus to die on the cross for your sins so that you can live forever with Him in heaven. Thank God for His free gift of eternal life.
And then REST, knowing that God will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). The moment you are saved you receive the Holy Spirit, who is your counselor, comforter, and helper. The Holy Spirit steers your life and guides you into truth (John 16:13).
Because of the Holy Spirit’s power, you can live free from sin (Romans 6:18) and become a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Trusting Jesus transforms your life. As you surrender your life to Christ, you begin to look more like Him and less like yourself. There’s a visible difference in how your life looks before and after you meet Jesus.
So I ask you again: Do you know about Jesus, or do you KNOW Him?
None of us are promised tomorrow. So make sure you're ready to meet Him face to face today. Don't delay. You never know if this moment might be your last.
I dialed my voicemail, and as the phone rang I prayed, "Lord, give me peace. Lord, help me with whatever I'm about to face. Lord, keep me calm." My dad emphatically began his message and said only a few words: "Stephanie, this is your dad. Call me immediately. It's very serious."
I hurriedly dialed my parents' number and willed my heart to stop beating so fast. My dad answered and handed the phone to my mom. She was crying, and the words that tumbled out of her mouth left me numb. My Aunt Melinda, the oldest of eight siblings, had died suddenly a few hours before.
The shocking news of my aunt's death was surreal. My Aunt Melinda was a beautiful, vibrant lover of life. She was a beacon of light for Jesus Christ to all who knew her. And she lived like He would return at any moment, in eager expectation of His arrival.
Well, He didn't return. Instead, He called her home. And she was ready.
The question today is: Are you ready?
God had every day He ordained for you written in His book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:16). He knows the day you were born, and He knows the day you'll die.
Life is but a vapor (James 4:13-14) and death but a blip as we pass from this life to the next. That's because we'll all live forever. The only thing in question is where.
The reality is, we were created for a relationship with Jesus Christ. And He is the only person who will ever fill the hollow places in our hearts. God created us to know Him intimately, as a best friend (John 15:15).
But when Eve took a bite from the apple and sin entered the world, it marred God’s plan and separated us from Him forever. Instead of living intimately connected to God, we decided to follow our own selfish ways.
Thankfully God loves us with an everlasting love, and through Jesus’ death on the cross, He’s made a way for us to know Him. God waits patiently for us to trust Him with our lives because He doesn’t want us to perish in our sin (2 Peter 3:9).
Our salvation never depends on what we do; it depends solely on what’s been done.
We don’t have to wait until we get our acts together to come to Jesus. He beckons us to come just as we are so He can place crowns of beauty on our heads instead of ashes (Isaiah 61:3). He desires to separate our sins from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). He longs to make us white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).
Through His death on the cross, Jesus paid the price in full for the sins of the entire world (John 3:16).
Today I beg you to evaluate whether this is the Jesus you know. We are all sinners in need of God's mercy (Romans 3:23). And God made a way for us to have a relationship with Him through Jesus’ death on the cross (Romans 6:23).
Jesus Christ came to Earth to be the payment for our sins so that we might live forever with Him in heaven. This is a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9) that we can’t earn by being good people or attending church on Sundays.
If we could somehow earn our salvation, Jesus’ death on the cross would not have been necessary.
Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
It's that simple.
Maybe you're sitting on the other side of your computer screen right now and sense something is missing in your life. You have all you’ve ever wanted—a wonderful family, a beautiful home, a successful career. Yet inside you feel an emptiness you can never seem to escape. Or maybe you’re at your lowest point and the only place to look is up … but you have no idea who to look up to. Nothing has ever gone right in your life, so you figure you’ll just be broken forever.
God hears the cry of your heart right now. It's no accident that you're reading this post at this exact moment in time. God loves you, and He's pursuing you today.
Pray to God and acknowledge your need for Him. Tell him exactly how you’re feeling, admitting your brokenness. Confess to Him that you have fallen short of His glory because of the sin in your life. Admit that there is nothing you could ever do to earn your salvation. Tell Him you believe He sent His son Jesus to die on the cross for your sins so that you can live forever with Him in heaven. Thank God for His free gift of eternal life.
And then REST, knowing that God will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). The moment you are saved you receive the Holy Spirit, who is your counselor, comforter, and helper. The Holy Spirit steers your life and guides you into truth (John 16:13).
Because of the Holy Spirit’s power, you can live free from sin (Romans 6:18) and become a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Trusting Jesus transforms your life. As you surrender your life to Christ, you begin to look more like Him and less like yourself. There’s a visible difference in how your life looks before and after you meet Jesus.
So I ask you again: Do you know about Jesus, or do you KNOW Him?
None of us are promised tomorrow. So make sure you're ready to meet Him face to face today. Don't delay. You never know if this moment might be your last.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Rotten or Respectful?
I'm turning the screen toward my husband as I write this so He can see every word. Just typing the blog title makes me cringe ... and proves how necessary transparency truly is.
Respectful communication is a must in marriage. There's just one problem—the little pink thing that flaps back and forth in my mouth. Without warning it rages. I'm sure you have as much trouble with yours as I do with mine.
Proverbs 12:4 says, "An excellent wife is a crown for a husband, but she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones."
A few weeks ago, Mark and I hit a slippery slope. To tell you the truth, I didn't even see it coming. I let my responsibilities with my ministry take precedence over my marriage, and before I knew it, my husband was sending me an email to tell me how he was feeling.
An email.
After reading it I had a choice to make—respect him and acknowledge his feelings or shame him and shirk responsibility.
The second choice would've been much easier. I could've come up with ten-thousand excuses about why I was so busy. After all, serving God is paramount, right?
Wrong. It's number five on the list. According to Titus 2, it comes after my relationship with Christ, my husband, my children, and my home.
By the grace of God, I didn't go on a rampage as I've been known to do in the past. Instead, I respectfully talked to him with a repentant heart. I confessed to him my misplaced priorities and asked him to forgive me. And just so I didn't forget what I'd acknowledged as sin, I shared his email with two ladies on my leadership team for accountability.
There isn't a man in this world that wants to be shamed. That's why the locked-vault syndrome occurs when you disrespect your man. I know you know what I'm talking about.
You disrespect him; He clams up.
Then you get even angrier because he refuses to talk.
Men need the respect of their wives, which is why Ephesians 6 commands wives to respect their husbands. In the Greek, respect means "to fear, reverence, or be in awe." That sounds a lot like how we're supposed to treat God, doesn't it? God has given our husbands authority over us here on this Earth until he returns from heaven as our bridegroom.
When was the last time you stood in awe of the amazing gift God has given to you in your husband? Praise Him and thank him today for joining you together as one flesh, and confess to God any disrespect or shame you've shown your man. But don't just tell God; tell your husband as well. Then you'll be his crown.
Respectful communication is a must in marriage. There's just one problem—the little pink thing that flaps back and forth in my mouth. Without warning it rages. I'm sure you have as much trouble with yours as I do with mine.
Proverbs 12:4 says, "An excellent wife is a crown for a husband, but she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones."
A few weeks ago, Mark and I hit a slippery slope. To tell you the truth, I didn't even see it coming. I let my responsibilities with my ministry take precedence over my marriage, and before I knew it, my husband was sending me an email to tell me how he was feeling.
An email.
After reading it I had a choice to make—respect him and acknowledge his feelings or shame him and shirk responsibility.
The second choice would've been much easier. I could've come up with ten-thousand excuses about why I was so busy. After all, serving God is paramount, right?
Wrong. It's number five on the list. According to Titus 2, it comes after my relationship with Christ, my husband, my children, and my home.
By the grace of God, I didn't go on a rampage as I've been known to do in the past. Instead, I respectfully talked to him with a repentant heart. I confessed to him my misplaced priorities and asked him to forgive me. And just so I didn't forget what I'd acknowledged as sin, I shared his email with two ladies on my leadership team for accountability.
There isn't a man in this world that wants to be shamed. That's why the locked-vault syndrome occurs when you disrespect your man. I know you know what I'm talking about.
You disrespect him; He clams up.
Then you get even angrier because he refuses to talk.
Men need the respect of their wives, which is why Ephesians 6 commands wives to respect their husbands. In the Greek, respect means "to fear, reverence, or be in awe." That sounds a lot like how we're supposed to treat God, doesn't it? God has given our husbands authority over us here on this Earth until he returns from heaven as our bridegroom.
When was the last time you stood in awe of the amazing gift God has given to you in your husband? Praise Him and thank him today for joining you together as one flesh, and confess to God any disrespect or shame you've shown your man. But don't just tell God; tell your husband as well. Then you'll be his crown.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
A Rhetorical Response
Are you ever brazen with God? Do you ever question Him and demand a response?
Well lately, I've had a lot of questions for my sweet Savior. Although I seem to have fallen off the face of the blog world this past month, I've just been wrestling instead of writing.
One thing I love about God is that He doesn't scoff at my questions (or yours!)—but He often answers them differently than we might expect. You see, God already knows the minute aspects of our characters. He understands our motives long before we do. He dares us to discover the root problems which lie deep within our questioning hearts.
If God gave us immediate answers when we question Him, we wouldn't have to peel back the layers of our lives to learn what lurks beneath. That's why instead of giving us the answers we so desperately want, He often answers our questions with a question of His own.
Thankfully, we're not the only ones with whom God used this tactic! When Moses doubted God's call on His life and battled unbelief, he questioned God. But God often asked Moses a question before giving him an answer.
When Moses asked God what He should do if the Israelies failed to believe him, God asked him what he held in his hand (Exodus 4:1-2). God reminded Moses He would provide the needed tools for ministry.
When Moses argued that he wasn't eloquent, God asked him who gave man his mouth (Exodus 4:10-11). God reminded Moses it was not about what he could accomplish in his own strength but about what God would achieve through his obedience.
Like Moses, I desperately want to know the end before the beginning.
It's been months since I found out a publisher was interested in my submission for Grafted into Godliness (the first Bible study in the GEMS curriculum), and I often ask, "God, how long will this take?" He responds, "How long are you willing to wait?"
He mercifully shows me my impatience and unbelief. He reminds me that my times are in His hand (Psalm 31:15) and that if I truly believed His Word I wouldn't care if the publishing process took two years or ten.
Another question I often ask Him is how I'm supposed to juggle ordinary life with the awesome responsibility of ministry. After all, I'm called to live my priorites of being a wife, mother, and keeper of my home, and just because He's called me to ministry doesn't mean I can neglect my family, trash the toilet scrubber, and kiss the laundry goodbye.
He answers, "What branches in your life will you let me prune so you aren't just surviving but thriving?" (John 15:2-3). We often think Jesus only wants to cut off the dead branches in our lives. But He sometimes needs to cut off the fruitful ones as well so we can FOCUS. Only then will we truly flourish.
I struggle with the "YES" complex. I think I can have it all, do it all, and be it all. I battle busyness and wonder why I wind up short—short of time, short of enery, short of faith. God hasn't called me to race through life; He's asked me to rest in His perfect plan. And most times that plan involves doing one or two things with excellence- not ten thousand things well.
What questions have you been asking God lately? Instead of an answer, look for the question He's asking you back. Dig deep to discover what part of your heart He desires to change, and you'll have the answer you really needed after all.
Well lately, I've had a lot of questions for my sweet Savior. Although I seem to have fallen off the face of the blog world this past month, I've just been wrestling instead of writing.
One thing I love about God is that He doesn't scoff at my questions (or yours!)—but He often answers them differently than we might expect. You see, God already knows the minute aspects of our characters. He understands our motives long before we do. He dares us to discover the root problems which lie deep within our questioning hearts.
If God gave us immediate answers when we question Him, we wouldn't have to peel back the layers of our lives to learn what lurks beneath. That's why instead of giving us the answers we so desperately want, He often answers our questions with a question of His own.
Thankfully, we're not the only ones with whom God used this tactic! When Moses doubted God's call on His life and battled unbelief, he questioned God. But God often asked Moses a question before giving him an answer.
When Moses asked God what He should do if the Israelies failed to believe him, God asked him what he held in his hand (Exodus 4:1-2). God reminded Moses He would provide the needed tools for ministry.
When Moses argued that he wasn't eloquent, God asked him who gave man his mouth (Exodus 4:10-11). God reminded Moses it was not about what he could accomplish in his own strength but about what God would achieve through his obedience.
Like Moses, I desperately want to know the end before the beginning.
It's been months since I found out a publisher was interested in my submission for Grafted into Godliness (the first Bible study in the GEMS curriculum), and I often ask, "God, how long will this take?" He responds, "How long are you willing to wait?"
He mercifully shows me my impatience and unbelief. He reminds me that my times are in His hand (Psalm 31:15) and that if I truly believed His Word I wouldn't care if the publishing process took two years or ten.
Another question I often ask Him is how I'm supposed to juggle ordinary life with the awesome responsibility of ministry. After all, I'm called to live my priorites of being a wife, mother, and keeper of my home, and just because He's called me to ministry doesn't mean I can neglect my family, trash the toilet scrubber, and kiss the laundry goodbye.
He answers, "What branches in your life will you let me prune so you aren't just surviving but thriving?" (John 15:2-3). We often think Jesus only wants to cut off the dead branches in our lives. But He sometimes needs to cut off the fruitful ones as well so we can FOCUS. Only then will we truly flourish.
I struggle with the "YES" complex. I think I can have it all, do it all, and be it all. I battle busyness and wonder why I wind up short—short of time, short of enery, short of faith. God hasn't called me to race through life; He's asked me to rest in His perfect plan. And most times that plan involves doing one or two things with excellence- not ten thousand things well.
What questions have you been asking God lately? Instead of an answer, look for the question He's asking you back. Dig deep to discover what part of your heart He desires to change, and you'll have the answer you really needed after all.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Draw Me Close
Today I had an epiphany of sorts. One of those light bulb moments you could say. Now don't go expecting me to unleash something profound or unveil some marvelous mystery. Cause this one is simple. So simple it often slips right by us.
God created us for fellowship. He tells us to love HIM with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. He even makes it the FIRST commandment so we atleast have a chance of remembering. His desire is that we draw close to Him in every thing and every relationship and every aspect of our lives. I don't know about you, but I often overlook this truth.
My Bible reading becomes a check mark instead of an invitation to intimacy. A call to come. To draw close.
My prayer life becomes about the answer instead of the great I AM. I grope for the answer and fail to grasp God. I often miss Him altogether. He allows me to cast all my cares upon Him because He cares for me. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Yet I'm the one hunched over, disconfigured from being the burden-bearer. I forget to draw close.
My marriage is often about my happiness. I want romance and roses, not budgets and bills. I forget God created marriage as a picture of His love for me, His bride. God continually reminds me that marriage isn't about making me happy but about making me holy. I have to remember that the only way to be holy is through Christ alone. Through the Spirit's power. By drawing close.
My children become a burden instead of a blessing. Society screams that I have too many, since I have more than the 2.2 allotment considered normal. I forget that in motherhood God beckons me to draw close to Him, to stop and see the immense love He has for me reflected in my relationship with my children. To see them as He sees me- knitted together by a perfect Creator; fearfully and wonderfully made; a masterpiece.
My home is often a havoc instead of a haven ... chaos instead of calm. But God desires to draw me close to Him as I work in my home and steward well over the material blessings He's bestowed on me. He reminds me how little I need but how much I often want, and He purifies my heart as He sows contentment deep within. He reminds me that godliness with contentment is great gain.
In all things God desires to draw me close, and what He's teaching me is that anything that doesn't draw me TO Him is drawing me FROM Him. My life is really all about drawing close to Him. Yet so often I desperately want my life to be about ME. And that's where the great divide begins.
Today I pray the Holy Spirit pulls a string in your soul and turns on a light bulb in your spirit. I hope God illuminates dark corners of your life you didn't even know existed and shines the light of His holiness. May He reveal the areas where you've been drawn away from Him, and then draw you close once again as He wraps you tightly in the arms of His everlasting love.
God created us for fellowship. He tells us to love HIM with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. He even makes it the FIRST commandment so we atleast have a chance of remembering. His desire is that we draw close to Him in every thing and every relationship and every aspect of our lives. I don't know about you, but I often overlook this truth.
My Bible reading becomes a check mark instead of an invitation to intimacy. A call to come. To draw close.
My prayer life becomes about the answer instead of the great I AM. I grope for the answer and fail to grasp God. I often miss Him altogether. He allows me to cast all my cares upon Him because He cares for me. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Yet I'm the one hunched over, disconfigured from being the burden-bearer. I forget to draw close.
My marriage is often about my happiness. I want romance and roses, not budgets and bills. I forget God created marriage as a picture of His love for me, His bride. God continually reminds me that marriage isn't about making me happy but about making me holy. I have to remember that the only way to be holy is through Christ alone. Through the Spirit's power. By drawing close.
My children become a burden instead of a blessing. Society screams that I have too many, since I have more than the 2.2 allotment considered normal. I forget that in motherhood God beckons me to draw close to Him, to stop and see the immense love He has for me reflected in my relationship with my children. To see them as He sees me- knitted together by a perfect Creator; fearfully and wonderfully made; a masterpiece.
My home is often a havoc instead of a haven ... chaos instead of calm. But God desires to draw me close to Him as I work in my home and steward well over the material blessings He's bestowed on me. He reminds me how little I need but how much I often want, and He purifies my heart as He sows contentment deep within. He reminds me that godliness with contentment is great gain.
In all things God desires to draw me close, and what He's teaching me is that anything that doesn't draw me TO Him is drawing me FROM Him. My life is really all about drawing close to Him. Yet so often I desperately want my life to be about ME. And that's where the great divide begins.
Today I pray the Holy Spirit pulls a string in your soul and turns on a light bulb in your spirit. I hope God illuminates dark corners of your life you didn't even know existed and shines the light of His holiness. May He reveal the areas where you've been drawn away from Him, and then draw you close once again as He wraps you tightly in the arms of His everlasting love.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Just "Be"
Do you ever get so busy with the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to just be?
As I lay with my four year-old son, Noah, in his bed tonight, we played our make-believe game of "animals." He's usually the beautiful blue rabbit with the fun floppy ears, and I'm the big brown monkey with the bright red nose. Together we act out silly stories that send us into fits of giggles. Even if we attempt to be serious and act out a Bible lesson we just learned, it's inevitable we'll wind up laughing.
After our game was over, I didn't rush off like I typically do, determined to get one last thing done before a new day dawns. Instead, I rolled over and scooped him in my arms. And in complete silence, I held my precious little boy for several minutes. As I smelled the sweet scent of his freshly shampooed hair and watched his little chest rise and fall, I relished in just be-ing.
Because so often I am busy do-ing.
I'm do-ing homeschooling.
I'm do-ing housework.
I'm do-ing laundry.
I'm do-ing dinner.
I'm do-ing things for Jesus.
And before I know it, I've missed the blessing of be-ing because I'm present in body, but absent in spirit.
In the stillness of silence, the Lord reminded me that do-ing doesn't equal be-ing. I can do and do and do and never be.
Our society measures productivity in terms of what we get done. I'm so thankful God doesn't measure my productivity in parenting that way.
A crucial aspect of loving our children as God commands us to in Titus 2:4 is willingly laying aside our doing at times to just be. And the beautiful thing about be-ing is that you don't have to be do-ing anything at all.
As I lay with my four year-old son, Noah, in his bed tonight, we played our make-believe game of "animals." He's usually the beautiful blue rabbit with the fun floppy ears, and I'm the big brown monkey with the bright red nose. Together we act out silly stories that send us into fits of giggles. Even if we attempt to be serious and act out a Bible lesson we just learned, it's inevitable we'll wind up laughing.
After our game was over, I didn't rush off like I typically do, determined to get one last thing done before a new day dawns. Instead, I rolled over and scooped him in my arms. And in complete silence, I held my precious little boy for several minutes. As I smelled the sweet scent of his freshly shampooed hair and watched his little chest rise and fall, I relished in just be-ing.
Because so often I am busy do-ing.
I'm do-ing homeschooling.
I'm do-ing housework.
I'm do-ing laundry.
I'm do-ing dinner.
I'm do-ing things for Jesus.
And before I know it, I've missed the blessing of be-ing because I'm present in body, but absent in spirit.
In the stillness of silence, the Lord reminded me that do-ing doesn't equal be-ing. I can do and do and do and never be.
Our society measures productivity in terms of what we get done. I'm so thankful God doesn't measure my productivity in parenting that way.
A crucial aspect of loving our children as God commands us to in Titus 2:4 is willingly laying aside our doing at times to just be. And the beautiful thing about be-ing is that you don't have to be do-ing anything at all.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
White as Snow
With the tip of my nose pressed against the cool glass of my back patio door, I marveled at the beauty of God's creation. Snow had begun falling hours before, and though it was almost midnight, beams of light danced off the ice. It looked so clean. So pure. So bright.
It's been seven years since my family moved from New Jersey to Mississippi, and I'd forgotten the magnificence of ten inches of snow. I couldn't resist stepping outside to let the flakes fall softly around me. I slid the patio door open, and without any shoes on (yes, I'm a Cajun girl), I pranced in the fluffy white powder.
As I basked in the beauty that surrounded me, the words of Isaiah 1:18 flooded my soul.
"Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool."
Just as the snow blankets the Earth and covers unattractive things under its surface, the blood of Christ covers our sins and makes us beautiful. Because of the shed blood of Jesus, we are pure and clean. We are redeemed!
But not only does snow cover what is ugly, it illuminates the world around it. As I stood in the stillness of the night, I couldn't believe how bright my backyard was. The darkness of the midnight sky was no match for the light reflecting off the freshly fallen snow.
Jesus didn't spill His crimson blood to cover our sins so we can still live like we're dingy. He cleans us up and purifies us so that we'll illuminate the world around us and shine for His glory. Our brightness bears witness that we're new creations in Christ.
But we often get sullied because we forget it's been settled. We mull around in the muck and mire instead of living the victorious life Jesus died for us to live. We allow the Devil to deceive us into thinking things will never change.
God wanted to make sure our fickle minds would remember that He's cleaned us up- once and for all. That's why He started this scripture with "Come now, let's settle this." I'm sure He knew we'd somehow slip back into our sins and forget that He's already won the victory.
What if today you and I decided to live like it's been settled?
How would our attitudes change? Our outlook on life?
Would our Kingdom impact be drastically different?
I believe it would.
Sweet friends, may today be the day we begin to live like we remember. Our sin has been settled. It's time to sparkle like new-fallen snow.
It's been seven years since my family moved from New Jersey to Mississippi, and I'd forgotten the magnificence of ten inches of snow. I couldn't resist stepping outside to let the flakes fall softly around me. I slid the patio door open, and without any shoes on (yes, I'm a Cajun girl), I pranced in the fluffy white powder.
As I basked in the beauty that surrounded me, the words of Isaiah 1:18 flooded my soul.
"Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool."
Just as the snow blankets the Earth and covers unattractive things under its surface, the blood of Christ covers our sins and makes us beautiful. Because of the shed blood of Jesus, we are pure and clean. We are redeemed!
But not only does snow cover what is ugly, it illuminates the world around it. As I stood in the stillness of the night, I couldn't believe how bright my backyard was. The darkness of the midnight sky was no match for the light reflecting off the freshly fallen snow.
Jesus didn't spill His crimson blood to cover our sins so we can still live like we're dingy. He cleans us up and purifies us so that we'll illuminate the world around us and shine for His glory. Our brightness bears witness that we're new creations in Christ.
But we often get sullied because we forget it's been settled. We mull around in the muck and mire instead of living the victorious life Jesus died for us to live. We allow the Devil to deceive us into thinking things will never change.
God wanted to make sure our fickle minds would remember that He's cleaned us up- once and for all. That's why He started this scripture with "Come now, let's settle this." I'm sure He knew we'd somehow slip back into our sins and forget that He's already won the victory.
What if today you and I decided to live like it's been settled?
How would our attitudes change? Our outlook on life?
Would our Kingdom impact be drastically different?
I believe it would.
Sweet friends, may today be the day we begin to live like we remember. Our sin has been settled. It's time to sparkle like new-fallen snow.
Monday, January 10, 2011
The Next Step
Over the last 10 days, I've found myself overcome with emotion. As I've reflected on 2010, I've shed many a tear remembering God's faithfulness and the mountains He's moved in my life. To say I’m bubbling with excitement at what the future holds is a vast understatement!
I'm still in the process of praying about my goals for this year, writing them down, and developing strategies for accomplishing them. But after I’m done praying and planning, I’ll be pausing. And asking God to show me the next step.
Not the next ten steps. Not the next two steps. Just the next step I’m supposed to take.
You see, I often forge full steam ahead, juggling my resolutions while speed skating through life. I develop a Superwoman complex and then pretend I’m the maven of multi-tasking. I attempt to manage multiple goals in addition to staying on top of everyday life. But before I know it my resolutions coupled with my responsibilities result in burnout. And instead of accomplishing one thing, I end up accomplishing nothing—no thing!
Although we’re often focused on the big picture, God usually illuminates our paths just like a flashlight does— one small sphere at a time. He knows we’re prone to wander rather than walk hand-in-hand with Him. He beckons us to seek Him first and love Him with all our hearts, souls, and minds (Matthew 22:37). He invites us to rest in Him because He knows the plans He has for us, and those plans will be accomplished in His perfect time (Jeremiah 29:11). He urges us not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow holds enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34).
Proverbs 16:9 reminds us that “we can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” This year, let’s ask Him to determine our steps just one at a time. Once He does, let’s focus our efforts on completing the task He gives us each day and leave tomorrow in His hands.
That way, we’ll never become so focused on the destination that we miss the blessing of the journey. We won’t forget the value of the process because we’re too fixated on our progress. Instead, we’ll rest assured we’ve done only what He’s asked of us and that Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant will one day play like music to our ears.
I'm still in the process of praying about my goals for this year, writing them down, and developing strategies for accomplishing them. But after I’m done praying and planning, I’ll be pausing. And asking God to show me the next step.
Not the next ten steps. Not the next two steps. Just the next step I’m supposed to take.
You see, I often forge full steam ahead, juggling my resolutions while speed skating through life. I develop a Superwoman complex and then pretend I’m the maven of multi-tasking. I attempt to manage multiple goals in addition to staying on top of everyday life. But before I know it my resolutions coupled with my responsibilities result in burnout. And instead of accomplishing one thing, I end up accomplishing nothing—no thing!
Although we’re often focused on the big picture, God usually illuminates our paths just like a flashlight does— one small sphere at a time. He knows we’re prone to wander rather than walk hand-in-hand with Him. He beckons us to seek Him first and love Him with all our hearts, souls, and minds (Matthew 22:37). He invites us to rest in Him because He knows the plans He has for us, and those plans will be accomplished in His perfect time (Jeremiah 29:11). He urges us not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow holds enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34).
Proverbs 16:9 reminds us that “we can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” This year, let’s ask Him to determine our steps just one at a time. Once He does, let’s focus our efforts on completing the task He gives us each day and leave tomorrow in His hands.
That way, we’ll never become so focused on the destination that we miss the blessing of the journey. We won’t forget the value of the process because we’re too fixated on our progress. Instead, we’ll rest assured we’ve done only what He’s asked of us and that Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant will one day play like music to our ears.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The One Thing
You know the saying- A New Year, A New You. So I decided yesterday that the new, organized me would begin the process of decluttering my bedroom. I'm the princess of piles, and as I rummaged through old paperwork, I found a list I made a few years ago. Scratched across the top of the page was the title "Things I Want to Change- New Disciplines." And listed below the title were 21 goals I desired to accomplish in my life. Now these weren't just any goals, but lofty ones like:
I got my answer at church this morning. As my pastor preached on goal setting, he said that the source of our frustration is misidentification. The Lord revealed to me that while goals are good and plans make life purposeful, any time I elevate those things over the "priceless gain of knowing Christ," I'll end up disgruntled and miserable (Philippians 3:8). That's because God never intended for me to be satisfied with anything but Him. The fulfillment of any goal, no matter how lofty, will never compare to knowing Jesus in a personal, passionate, and powerful way.
As I write this, the lyrics of a worship song entitled Knowing You echo in my mind, and I pray they'll minister truth to your spirit as you start this new year.
All I once held dear, built my life upon,
All this world reveres and wars to own;
All I once thought gain I have counted loss,
Spent and worthless now compared to this.
Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing.
You're my all, You're the best,
You're my joy, my righteousness,
And I love You Lord.
Now my heart's desire is to know You more,
To be found in You and known as Yours,
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All surpassing gift of righteousness
Oh to know the power of Your risen life,
And to know You in Your sufferings;
To become like You in Your death, my Lord,
So with You to live and never die.
Knowing you, Jesus, knowing you
There is no greater thing.
You're my all, you're the best.
You're my joy, my righteousness.
And I love you Lord.
I know we'll make plans and set goals for the first year of this dawning decade. But in the process, let's never forsake the one thing for which we were created- to know God and be known by Him.
- Develop a proactive plan for my life rather than merely reacting, moving from crisis to crisis
- Have a specific vision for the spiritual growth of my marriage and my children
- Establish a tighter routine for my kids and a consistent plan for discipline
- Be accountable to a budget
- Love others as Christ does
- Memorize Scripture
- Develop a plan for keeping my home and stick to it
I got my answer at church this morning. As my pastor preached on goal setting, he said that the source of our frustration is misidentification. The Lord revealed to me that while goals are good and plans make life purposeful, any time I elevate those things over the "priceless gain of knowing Christ," I'll end up disgruntled and miserable (Philippians 3:8). That's because God never intended for me to be satisfied with anything but Him. The fulfillment of any goal, no matter how lofty, will never compare to knowing Jesus in a personal, passionate, and powerful way.
As I write this, the lyrics of a worship song entitled Knowing You echo in my mind, and I pray they'll minister truth to your spirit as you start this new year.
All I once held dear, built my life upon,
All this world reveres and wars to own;
All I once thought gain I have counted loss,
Spent and worthless now compared to this.
Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing.
You're my all, You're the best,
You're my joy, my righteousness,
And I love You Lord.
Now my heart's desire is to know You more,
To be found in You and known as Yours,
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All surpassing gift of righteousness
Oh to know the power of Your risen life,
And to know You in Your sufferings;
To become like You in Your death, my Lord,
So with You to live and never die.
Knowing you, Jesus, knowing you
There is no greater thing.
You're my all, you're the best.
You're my joy, my righteousness.
And I love you Lord.
I know we'll make plans and set goals for the first year of this dawning decade. But in the process, let's never forsake the one thing for which we were created- to know God and be known by Him.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Presents or Presence?
I must have been 10 or 11. And I had one thing on my mind- the Magnavox jambox that was at the top of my Christmas wish list. I had to have it. Not only was it equipped with a double cassette player for dubbing tapes, it had a CD player. And every soon to be middle schooler needed a CD player.
A few days shy of Christmas, my mom traipsed off to the store, leaving me alone with a tree full of presents. Let's just say self-control was not a virtue I possessed as a kid. I frantically began shaking each package that remotely resembled a jambox, listening carefully to ensure I didn't choose the wrong one. After all, time was of the essence, and I didn't want to get busted!
I made my selection and gingerly pulled the tape off one side. I loosened the paper and scanned the brown cardboard box for evidence of its contents. And then I saw the only word I needed to see- Magnavox. I was elated! The jambox would soon be playing in my hot little hands. I re-wrapped the opened box in a flash and placed it perfectly under the Christmas tree.
I must say this story makes me giggle. But when I stop and reflect on a deeper level, it begs me to question whether I'm still anything like that 10 year-old girl. As a child, I'd sit for hours with Christmas sale flyers strewn around me, making my list and checking it twice.
My focus was always on the gifts and never on the Giver.
It saddens me to think how many Christmases I've squandered because of unfulfilled expectations, longing deeply for perfect gifts to make me happy. My husband thinks appliances qualify, and let's just say I'm not the vacuum cleaner type. I've shed many a disappointed tear on Christmas morning because the gifts I got never quite measured up. I admit I'm too often fixated on presents rather than His Presence.
How about you? Do you gravitate toward gifts or the Giver? Are you focused on presents or His presence?
This Christmas, let's rest in the presence of Jesus Christ. Let's rejoice that we've already received the perfect gift from our Heavenly Father. And let's remember it is only Jesus who will ever fulfill our expectations and satisfy our deepest longings. He was and is and will always be our only perfect gift.
As Oswald Chambers says, "Nothing can satisfy the need [in us] but that which created the need. This is the meaning of Redemption- it creates and it satisfies."
Thank you Lord Jesus for creating in us a void that only you can fulfill, and help us never to be satisfied with any present other than your presence.
Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. We live and move in him, can't get away from him! Acts 17:26-28 The Message
A few days shy of Christmas, my mom traipsed off to the store, leaving me alone with a tree full of presents. Let's just say self-control was not a virtue I possessed as a kid. I frantically began shaking each package that remotely resembled a jambox, listening carefully to ensure I didn't choose the wrong one. After all, time was of the essence, and I didn't want to get busted!
I made my selection and gingerly pulled the tape off one side. I loosened the paper and scanned the brown cardboard box for evidence of its contents. And then I saw the only word I needed to see- Magnavox. I was elated! The jambox would soon be playing in my hot little hands. I re-wrapped the opened box in a flash and placed it perfectly under the Christmas tree.
I must say this story makes me giggle. But when I stop and reflect on a deeper level, it begs me to question whether I'm still anything like that 10 year-old girl. As a child, I'd sit for hours with Christmas sale flyers strewn around me, making my list and checking it twice.
My focus was always on the gifts and never on the Giver.
It saddens me to think how many Christmases I've squandered because of unfulfilled expectations, longing deeply for perfect gifts to make me happy. My husband thinks appliances qualify, and let's just say I'm not the vacuum cleaner type. I've shed many a disappointed tear on Christmas morning because the gifts I got never quite measured up. I admit I'm too often fixated on presents rather than His Presence.
How about you? Do you gravitate toward gifts or the Giver? Are you focused on presents or His presence?
This Christmas, let's rest in the presence of Jesus Christ. Let's rejoice that we've already received the perfect gift from our Heavenly Father. And let's remember it is only Jesus who will ever fulfill our expectations and satisfy our deepest longings. He was and is and will always be our only perfect gift.
As Oswald Chambers says, "Nothing can satisfy the need [in us] but that which created the need. This is the meaning of Redemption- it creates and it satisfies."
Thank you Lord Jesus for creating in us a void that only you can fulfill, and help us never to be satisfied with any present other than your presence.
Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. We live and move in him, can't get away from him! Acts 17:26-28 The Message
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Immanuel- God With Us
Do you secretly harbor what I call life's greatest fear? You know, the fear you dread more than anything? You've mulled it over in your mind and tried to solve it every which way, hoping it'll never come to fruition because the outcome might be disastrous. Well, Sunday night me and my biggest fear had a head-on collision.
As my husband drove our family home from our church's Christmas production, he began to stare straight ahead. A sinking feeling entered the pit of my stomach. "Mark, are you okay?" I asked. No answer.
Immediately I knew. Mark was having a seizure. While driving.
Although he was unresponsive to my requests to stop the van, I was thankful he was able to follow the road as it wound uphill through our neighborhood. But as he turned into our cove, I knew I had a decision to make. Since he couldn't stop the van on his own, I knew I would have to do it or it would be stopped by the telephone pole or one of the houses at the end of our cul-de-sac.
I had no idea how I was going to accomplish this feat, but I knew the One who did. And so I cried out to Jesus. And I asked Him to help me do what I could not do alone.
By this time fear overcame my three children, and they exclaimed that they couldn't watch anymore. As the distance between our van and the telephone pole shortened, I reached across my husband's lap and yanked the lever that controlled his seat, pushing it backwards. I then got on my hands and knees and reached under the dash, hitting the brake with the palm of my right hand. I threw the van in park, praising God for His divine protection.
God allowed my fear to suffer a blow Sunday night instead of my family. And then He reminded me of the reason why He came over two thousand years ago. He is Immanuel- God with us (Matthew 1:23). He goes before me and is with me; He will never leave me or forsake me. He commands me not be afraid or discouraged (Deuteronomy 31:8).
What fear in your life are you facing this Christmas season that needs to be replaced with faith? I'm praying that you'll allow God to minister truth to your soul as He did to mine, and that your greatest fear will suffer a fatal blow once and for all.
As my husband drove our family home from our church's Christmas production, he began to stare straight ahead. A sinking feeling entered the pit of my stomach. "Mark, are you okay?" I asked. No answer.
Immediately I knew. Mark was having a seizure. While driving.
Although he was unresponsive to my requests to stop the van, I was thankful he was able to follow the road as it wound uphill through our neighborhood. But as he turned into our cove, I knew I had a decision to make. Since he couldn't stop the van on his own, I knew I would have to do it or it would be stopped by the telephone pole or one of the houses at the end of our cul-de-sac.
I had no idea how I was going to accomplish this feat, but I knew the One who did. And so I cried out to Jesus. And I asked Him to help me do what I could not do alone.
By this time fear overcame my three children, and they exclaimed that they couldn't watch anymore. As the distance between our van and the telephone pole shortened, I reached across my husband's lap and yanked the lever that controlled his seat, pushing it backwards. I then got on my hands and knees and reached under the dash, hitting the brake with the palm of my right hand. I threw the van in park, praising God for His divine protection.
God allowed my fear to suffer a blow Sunday night instead of my family. And then He reminded me of the reason why He came over two thousand years ago. He is Immanuel- God with us (Matthew 1:23). He goes before me and is with me; He will never leave me or forsake me. He commands me not be afraid or discouraged (Deuteronomy 31:8).
What fear in your life are you facing this Christmas season that needs to be replaced with faith? I'm praying that you'll allow God to minister truth to your soul as He did to mine, and that your greatest fear will suffer a fatal blow once and for all.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Enter His Courts with Thanksgiving
This time of year stirs a sense of nostalgia in me. I fondly remember Thanksgivings spent with my ever-increasing family (we're 95 and counting) around white banquet tables glistening with crystal and fine china. The smell of turkey, pork roast, and honey-glazed ham lingered in the air intermingled with the familiar scents of rice dressing, sweet potato casserole, homemade mac-n-cheese, stuffed potatoes, green bean casserole, cheesy asparagus, and shrimp and broccoli rice casserole.
As a little girl, my favorite part of Thanksgiving was the food, but as I've gotten older, my favorite part has become our tradition of standing to share what we're thankful for. Not only has my favorite part of Thanksgiving changed, but what I'm most thankful for has changed as well.
I used to be most thankful for tangible things like my family, my health, and my possessions. But this year I've spent some time reflecting on the intangible: God's love for me, His amazing grace, and His perfect purpose for my life.
Stop and ponder the incredible reality that God doesn’t call you His servant—He calls you His friend (John 15:15). God loves you so much that He stooped down from heaven, rescued you from sin, and wrapped you in the cloak of His grace.
He offers you an immense revelation because He created you to impact the world, and the magnitude of your destiny can’t be fully understood this side of heaven. You’re on assignment from God, chosen to go and love others and offer them the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
God has a magnificent plan for your life. He has appointed you with a purpose no one else on this Earth can fulfill. “You are the only you this world will ever know. And something about your life is meant to make something about God known in a way that no else can.” (Dan Allender)
So rejoice with me today that we serve a God that not only redeems us but refines us to be used for His glory. Let's "enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." Psalm 100:4-5
As a little girl, my favorite part of Thanksgiving was the food, but as I've gotten older, my favorite part has become our tradition of standing to share what we're thankful for. Not only has my favorite part of Thanksgiving changed, but what I'm most thankful for has changed as well.
I used to be most thankful for tangible things like my family, my health, and my possessions. But this year I've spent some time reflecting on the intangible: God's love for me, His amazing grace, and His perfect purpose for my life.
Stop and ponder the incredible reality that God doesn’t call you His servant—He calls you His friend (John 15:15). God loves you so much that He stooped down from heaven, rescued you from sin, and wrapped you in the cloak of His grace.
He offers you an immense revelation because He created you to impact the world, and the magnitude of your destiny can’t be fully understood this side of heaven. You’re on assignment from God, chosen to go and love others and offer them the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
God has a magnificent plan for your life. He has appointed you with a purpose no one else on this Earth can fulfill. “You are the only you this world will ever know. And something about your life is meant to make something about God known in a way that no else can.” (Dan Allender)
So rejoice with me today that we serve a God that not only redeems us but refines us to be used for His glory. Let's "enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." Psalm 100:4-5
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Waiting on the Harvest- Part 2
Do you ever sense God is weaving a theme throughout your life? I always know when God is trying to teach me a lesson because He repeats His message in sermons I hear, songs I sing, or scriptures I read. Sometimes I think He might as well write it in the sky.
If God hopped on a jet plane today and decided to skywrite me a message, I'm sure the puffy white clouds would spell W-A-I-T.
Now I don't know about you, but I don't particularly like to wait. I wouldn't say I wait well. I can be impatient and irritable while I'm waiting, especially if it's something I'm passionate about. So it shouldn't surprise me that since I wrestle with waiting, God has decided it's time to sow the fruit of patience in my life.
I should have seen this season coming two months ago when my pastor lost my manuscript. Yes, you read that right. That manuscript contained hours worth of revisions splattered in red ink. I hadn't made a copy for myself before I gave it to him, and in an instant, all my hard work vanished.
Five days later, my pastor called me to tell me there was still no sign of my manuscript. I chuckled and told him I thought God was teaching me how to wait. Seconds later, his secretary walked through his office door holding my manuscript in her hand. Astonished, he said, "you'll never guess what Pat just handed me!" As soon as I surrendered, God showed up.
In that moment, God reminded me of an important truth.
There's always a divine purpose unfolding while we wait. God often brings us through a season of waiting to reveal to us something about ourselves that He already knows but that we desperately need to see.
If my manuscript hadn't been lost, I would've turned it in early. But I was forced to re-revise my writing while I waited, and I found mistakes I hadn't noticed the first time around. The Lord also showed me I needed to add an entire layer to my manuscript that strengthened it substantially.
So when I received an email last week from the editor I've been working with, I knew God was weaving His message in my life once again. She informed me that her pre-pub board meeting ran long and told me my proposal's review got moved to after Thanksgiving.
And instead of turmoil or angst, I felt complete and utter peace.
We often desire instant gratification. Immediate answers. Instantaneous results.
But that's rarely how God works. The heroes of the faith all had one thing in common- they waited for God to make the impossible possible.
What about you? Is there something you're waiting for today? Something that seems hopelessly impossible because you feel like you've been waiting forver?
Then let these words from Habakkuk 2:3 soothe your soul - "The vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal, and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come. It will not delay."
If God hopped on a jet plane today and decided to skywrite me a message, I'm sure the puffy white clouds would spell W-A-I-T.
Now I don't know about you, but I don't particularly like to wait. I wouldn't say I wait well. I can be impatient and irritable while I'm waiting, especially if it's something I'm passionate about. So it shouldn't surprise me that since I wrestle with waiting, God has decided it's time to sow the fruit of patience in my life.
I should have seen this season coming two months ago when my pastor lost my manuscript. Yes, you read that right. That manuscript contained hours worth of revisions splattered in red ink. I hadn't made a copy for myself before I gave it to him, and in an instant, all my hard work vanished.
Five days later, my pastor called me to tell me there was still no sign of my manuscript. I chuckled and told him I thought God was teaching me how to wait. Seconds later, his secretary walked through his office door holding my manuscript in her hand. Astonished, he said, "you'll never guess what Pat just handed me!" As soon as I surrendered, God showed up.
In that moment, God reminded me of an important truth.
There's always a divine purpose unfolding while we wait. God often brings us through a season of waiting to reveal to us something about ourselves that He already knows but that we desperately need to see.
If my manuscript hadn't been lost, I would've turned it in early. But I was forced to re-revise my writing while I waited, and I found mistakes I hadn't noticed the first time around. The Lord also showed me I needed to add an entire layer to my manuscript that strengthened it substantially.
So when I received an email last week from the editor I've been working with, I knew God was weaving His message in my life once again. She informed me that her pre-pub board meeting ran long and told me my proposal's review got moved to after Thanksgiving.
And instead of turmoil or angst, I felt complete and utter peace.
We often desire instant gratification. Immediate answers. Instantaneous results.
But that's rarely how God works. The heroes of the faith all had one thing in common- they waited for God to make the impossible possible.
What about you? Is there something you're waiting for today? Something that seems hopelessly impossible because you feel like you've been waiting forver?
Then let these words from Habakkuk 2:3 soothe your soul - "The vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal, and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come. It will not delay."
Friday, November 5, 2010
Waiting on the Harvest
It's been a whirlwind of a week ... filled with a whirlwind of emotions. After a fun day of shopping last Friday with my mother-in-law, Lorraine, and my daughter, Grace, we traipsed through the door at 8:00 p.m. exhausted.
As I sat down at my computer to check my email, butterflies flittered in my stomach. It was a little over four weeks since I had heard from the editor regarding my book proposal, and I knew she said she needed up to four weeks to give me a response. I hurriedly scanned my Inbox, but as the bold black letters of her name crystallized before my eyes, my heart skipped a beat.
This was it- acceptance or rejection.
I breathed in deeply and opened her email. I don't think I've ever read one so quickly. My black desk chair almost toppled over from the force of my body as I leapt from my seat. I screamed "PRAISE THE LORD" at the top of my lungs and literally danced around my yellow kitchen. You should have seen my Praise Jesus dance!! I could've given David a run for his money (2 Samuel 6:14). My mother-in-law quickly joined in, and we were both jumping for joy. Grace looked at us with a crooked smile as if we had both lost our minds. But once I explained to her that her mommy's Bible study was going to be presented to a publishing board, she rose from her seat and began dancing too!
Unfortunately, it didn't take long for the emotional high of Friday night to be replaced by an emotional low. Fear replaced confidence. Doubt replaced belief. And before I knew it, I was completely overwhelmed.
What if my proposal actually got accepted? How would I juggle writing a book with mothering three children seven and under and homeschooling two of them? What if I didn't have the endurance to pen an entire curriculum? What if I let the publisher down? I was plagued with what ifs. No one in the publishing world ever told me that success was just as scary as failure.
But then I remembered that God is not the Father of fear. That title belongs to the Devil. God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). I don't have to be afraid because God doesn't call the equipped; He equips the called.
One of my devotions this week in Jesus Calling summed it up superbly.
Walk peacefully through this day. You are wondering how you will cope with all that is expected of you. You must traverse this day like any other: one step at a time. Instead of mentally rehearsing how you will do this or that, keep your mind on My Presence and on taking the next step. The more demanding your day, the more help you can expect from me. This is a training opportunity, since I designed you for deep dependence on your Shepherd-King.
Walk peacefully.
Don't wonder- trust.
Take one step at a time.
Keep my mind filled with the perfect presence of Christ.
Expect more help when the days are demanding.
Realize I'm traversing God's training ground.
So I've vowed to walk peacefully and wait expectantly on the harvest. And even if I have to run to the horizon seven times before God answers (1 Kings 18:44), my prayer is that I'll run believing He is able.
As I sat down at my computer to check my email, butterflies flittered in my stomach. It was a little over four weeks since I had heard from the editor regarding my book proposal, and I knew she said she needed up to four weeks to give me a response. I hurriedly scanned my Inbox, but as the bold black letters of her name crystallized before my eyes, my heart skipped a beat.
This was it- acceptance or rejection.
I breathed in deeply and opened her email. I don't think I've ever read one so quickly. My black desk chair almost toppled over from the force of my body as I leapt from my seat. I screamed "PRAISE THE LORD" at the top of my lungs and literally danced around my yellow kitchen. You should have seen my Praise Jesus dance!! I could've given David a run for his money (2 Samuel 6:14). My mother-in-law quickly joined in, and we were both jumping for joy. Grace looked at us with a crooked smile as if we had both lost our minds. But once I explained to her that her mommy's Bible study was going to be presented to a publishing board, she rose from her seat and began dancing too!
Unfortunately, it didn't take long for the emotional high of Friday night to be replaced by an emotional low. Fear replaced confidence. Doubt replaced belief. And before I knew it, I was completely overwhelmed.
What if my proposal actually got accepted? How would I juggle writing a book with mothering three children seven and under and homeschooling two of them? What if I didn't have the endurance to pen an entire curriculum? What if I let the publisher down? I was plagued with what ifs. No one in the publishing world ever told me that success was just as scary as failure.
But then I remembered that God is not the Father of fear. That title belongs to the Devil. God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). I don't have to be afraid because God doesn't call the equipped; He equips the called.
One of my devotions this week in Jesus Calling summed it up superbly.
Walk peacefully through this day. You are wondering how you will cope with all that is expected of you. You must traverse this day like any other: one step at a time. Instead of mentally rehearsing how you will do this or that, keep your mind on My Presence and on taking the next step. The more demanding your day, the more help you can expect from me. This is a training opportunity, since I designed you for deep dependence on your Shepherd-King.
Walk peacefully.
Don't wonder- trust.
Take one step at a time.
Keep my mind filled with the perfect presence of Christ.
Expect more help when the days are demanding.
Realize I'm traversing God's training ground.
So I've vowed to walk peacefully and wait expectantly on the harvest. And even if I have to run to the horizon seven times before God answers (1 Kings 18:44), my prayer is that I'll run believing He is able.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The S Word
This summer, my husband Mark and I cruised to Cozumel to celebrate our ten-year anniversary. We had an incredible time and were thrilled beyond belief when an email survey landed in our inbox a few days after we returned home. Now I'm not usually a survey girl, but this was no ordinary survey. Upon completion of our customer satisfaction survey, we would be entered for a chance to win a FREE cruise!
So you can imagine how ecstatic I was a few weeks later when I received a call from Cruise and Land Promotions announcing that we won! I hurriedly scratched the trip details on a scrap piece of paper and hung up with the customer service agent. My fingers danced over the keypad of my cell phone as I dialed my husband's work number.
Our conversation went something like this.
Me: MARK!!!!! We won! We won the cruise! You know, from when we completed the survey!
Mark: Are you sure, Stephanie? It's free? Nothing in this world is free. Are you sure it's not a scam?
Me: Mark, this is a blessing. Why are you so negative all the time? It's free, except for the government taxes. You know the company can't wave taxes!
Mark: Stephanie, we'll talk about this when I get home.
Me: {Huff} Ok, but we have to call the company back by 6 p.m.
When Mark strolled through the door at 5:45, I was on the phone with the cruise company. After all, we only had 15 more minutes to make a decision! His skeptical look warned me I was in for a battle.
I covered the mouthpiece of the phone and asked Mark to hand me the credit card. He said, "Stephanie, I don't have a good feeling about this. I still think it's a scam!" I shoved the phone at Mark so the customer service rep could convince him that the deal was legit.
After a few minutes, Mark handed me the phone. "Book it," he said.
I did, of course, and was overjoyed until later that evening when Mark approached me with a sullen look on his face. He had just Googled the cruise company and discovered that his hunch was right after all. There was entry upon entry on the internet from people who had been taken for a "free" ride.
Suddenly the sting of conviction pierced my soul. If only I had been willing to submit.
According to Strong's concordance, submit means to be subject or accountable to another. It involves a voluntary attitude of giving in.
Subjection.
Accountability.
Giving In.
I don't know about you, but those aren't things I do naturally.
The beautiful thing is, I don't have to! The Holy Spirit is at work in me to lead me into all truth. And since He doesn't ever speak one word on His own authority, I'm guessing He knows a thing or two about submission!
John 16:12-14 (NKJV) says, I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
These words comfort me as I continue to cultivate a heart of submission towards my husband. I know that it'll be a lifelong process, but I praise God that He's given me a perfect picture within the Trinity of what submission looks like. And just as the Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus through submission, I hope that through submission to my husband I'll bring Him glory as well.
So you can imagine how ecstatic I was a few weeks later when I received a call from Cruise and Land Promotions announcing that we won! I hurriedly scratched the trip details on a scrap piece of paper and hung up with the customer service agent. My fingers danced over the keypad of my cell phone as I dialed my husband's work number.
Our conversation went something like this.
Me: MARK!!!!! We won! We won the cruise! You know, from when we completed the survey!
Mark: Are you sure, Stephanie? It's free? Nothing in this world is free. Are you sure it's not a scam?
Me: Mark, this is a blessing. Why are you so negative all the time? It's free, except for the government taxes. You know the company can't wave taxes!
Mark: Stephanie, we'll talk about this when I get home.
Me: {Huff} Ok, but we have to call the company back by 6 p.m.
When Mark strolled through the door at 5:45, I was on the phone with the cruise company. After all, we only had 15 more minutes to make a decision! His skeptical look warned me I was in for a battle.
I covered the mouthpiece of the phone and asked Mark to hand me the credit card. He said, "Stephanie, I don't have a good feeling about this. I still think it's a scam!" I shoved the phone at Mark so the customer service rep could convince him that the deal was legit.
After a few minutes, Mark handed me the phone. "Book it," he said.
I did, of course, and was overjoyed until later that evening when Mark approached me with a sullen look on his face. He had just Googled the cruise company and discovered that his hunch was right after all. There was entry upon entry on the internet from people who had been taken for a "free" ride.
Suddenly the sting of conviction pierced my soul. If only I had been willing to submit.
According to Strong's concordance, submit means to be subject or accountable to another. It involves a voluntary attitude of giving in.
Subjection.
Accountability.
Giving In.
I don't know about you, but those aren't things I do naturally.
The beautiful thing is, I don't have to! The Holy Spirit is at work in me to lead me into all truth. And since He doesn't ever speak one word on His own authority, I'm guessing He knows a thing or two about submission!
John 16:12-14 (NKJV) says, I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
These words comfort me as I continue to cultivate a heart of submission towards my husband. I know that it'll be a lifelong process, but I praise God that He's given me a perfect picture within the Trinity of what submission looks like. And just as the Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus through submission, I hope that through submission to my husband I'll bring Him glory as well.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Fall Decorating 101
Are you already dreaming of a white Christmas, or do you savor this time of year and relish the beauty it brings? In my last post Plugged in Yet Disconnected, I wrote about my memorable trip to the attic to find my orange tote of fall decorations. Now I’d like to unpack that box for you and show you how to become a “fall” decorating diva! Using just a few essential items, you can add a splash of color to your home this harvest season.
First, we’ll add some ambience to your fireplace mantel.
Grab a string of 50 clear lights, a garland of brightly colored leaves, two small pie pumpkins, two pinecones, and a large fall flower arrangement.
Next, we’ll tackle the coffee table. You’ll need two topiaries, a rustic looking bowl or basket, various gourds, and a small scarecrow.
Now that we’ve added a touch of color to the living room, let’s liven up the dining room!
To create a simple yet elegant centerpiece for your dining room table, use a festive fall wreath and a simple glass hurricane.
If you have a buffet in your dining room, create a beautiful tablescape using candles and flowers.
You’ll need a formal flower arrangement with deep, vibrant colors; a gold charger; pillar candles; and candle holders.
Last but not least, splash pockets of color around your home using straw pumpkins, leaves, and gourds. Place pumpkins and gourds of varying sizes on top of leaves to go from plain to pizzazz!
I hope you’ve enjoyed a sneak peek into my home and that you’ll try some of these doable decorating ideas!
First, we’ll add some ambience to your fireplace mantel.
Grab a string of 50 clear lights, a garland of brightly colored leaves, two small pie pumpkins, two pinecones, and a large fall flower arrangement.
- Wind the string of clear lights around the garland.
- Put the flower arrangement in the center of the mantel. I got this one for $5.00 at Wal-Mart at the end of the season last year!
- Place the pumpkins on either side of the flowers. Mine are from our trip to the Fiddlin’ Rooster Farm’s pumpkin patch!
- The pinecones are next- put them next to the pumpkins on the side near the flowers.
- Then weave the lighted garland throughout the decorations. I went behind the pumpkins and in front of the flowers, leaving a little garland hanging off each side of the mantle.
Next, we’ll tackle the coffee table. You’ll need two topiaries, a rustic looking bowl or basket, various gourds, and a small scarecrow.
- Fill the bowl or basket with fun gourds of varying colors and shapes.
- Position the scarecrow sitting on the back edge of the bowl, and don’t forget to cross his legs!
- Place the two topiaries equal distances from the bowl. I bought these for $2.50 each last year at Wal-Mart’s end of the season sale!
Now that we’ve added a touch of color to the living room, let’s liven up the dining room!
To create a simple yet elegant centerpiece for your dining room table, use a festive fall wreath and a simple glass hurricane.
- Set a warm-colored candle in the hurricane.
- Place the hurricane in the center of the wreath.
You’ll need a formal flower arrangement with deep, vibrant colors; a gold charger; pillar candles; and candle holders.
- Place the flowers in the center of the buffet. A gold charger placed behind the flowers makes the colors in the arrangement pop.
- Put candles on either side of the arrangement. I bought these leaf-embossed candles last year at the Dollar Tree.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Plugged in Yet Disconnected
Ahhh... it's one of my favorite times of year. The cool winds are beginning to blow in the deep south, and I can hear leaves crunching under my children's feet as they romp in the back yard. We're welcoming fall at our house, and with that comes a necessary trip into the attic to pull out orange straw pumpkins, vibrant leaves, and gourds galore!
My mother-in-law and I formulated a decorating plan last Friday, and we took my three kids and excitedly entered the attic to hunt for the bright orange box full of fall decorations. Everything was going well until darkness enveloped us. My boys were horsing around, and I figured one of them broke the utility lamp hanging from the rafters.
I checked the extension cord to see if it was still plugged into the outlet. It was.
Then I changed the light bulb.
But darkness remained.
So I did what any good Southern girl would do- I called a man!
My father-in-law walked through my kitchen door with his own utility lamp five minutes later, and as soon as my mother-in-law placed the new lamp in my hand, light illuminated my attic. My son Joey had diagnosed the problem. Even though the extension cord was plugged into the outlet, the lamp was not plugged into the extension cord.
All that time it had been plugged in yet disconnected.
Then I changed the light bulb.
But darkness remained.
So I did what any good Southern girl would do- I called a man!
My father-in-law walked through my kitchen door with his own utility lamp five minutes later, and as soon as my mother-in-law placed the new lamp in my hand, light illuminated my attic. My son Joey had diagnosed the problem. Even though the extension cord was plugged into the outlet, the lamp was not plugged into the extension cord.
All that time it had been plugged in yet disconnected.
By this point, I was frustrated by the wasted time and my father-in-law's wasted trip. But the Lord used this illustration to show me that I can be just like my utility lamp. I can be plugged into Jesus. I can know Him as my Lord and Savior. But if I'm not careful, I can easily become disconnected. My light can be snuffed out when my eyes aren't fixated on Him. I need to constantly peer through the magnifying glass of God's Word and look for disconnections in my life.
Jesus came to give us abundant life in Him. He never desired that we plug into the source and then decide for ourselves how to live. He wants us to remain fully connected to Him so that He can transform our lives.
In her book Lies Women Believe, Nancy Leigh DeMoss says, "We are not to be molded by the culture, as so many believers are today, but be so filled with the Spirit and the Word of God that our lives will penetrate and convict the culture around us." We need to be "transformers," not "conformers."
When we're conformers, we become disconnected and don't shed light. In fact, we blend right into the darkness. But when we're transformers, our lights blaze so brightly that we penetrate the darkness around us.
Let's sparkle together today as transformers! May we keep our eyes fixed firmly on Jesus- the author, perfector, and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Jesus came to give us abundant life in Him. He never desired that we plug into the source and then decide for ourselves how to live. He wants us to remain fully connected to Him so that He can transform our lives.
In her book Lies Women Believe, Nancy Leigh DeMoss says, "We are not to be molded by the culture, as so many believers are today, but be so filled with the Spirit and the Word of God that our lives will penetrate and convict the culture around us." We need to be "transformers," not "conformers."
When we're conformers, we become disconnected and don't shed light. In fact, we blend right into the darkness. But when we're transformers, our lights blaze so brightly that we penetrate the darkness around us.
Let's sparkle together today as transformers! May we keep our eyes fixed firmly on Jesus- the author, perfector, and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
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