Let's be awesome while we wait

My 2 year old nephew and his mom sing a song they learned on Yo Gabba Gabba that is to the tune of London Bridge is Falling Down:

Let's be awesome while we wait
While we wait 
While we wait
Let's be awesome while we wait
For our ** whatever it is we are waiting for** (usually 'dinner' or 'table' at a restaurant) 


2012 is about to end, and 2013 is just about to begin.   Looking ahead to a whole new year of unknowns, of most likely more waiting.  I start to get fidgety, I start to squirm a little.  I have the occasional tantrum.  But my God is so patient with me.

The words, Let's be awesome while we wait. Whisper in my head.  Let's be awesome while we wait.  I am faithful, I am powerful, I put the stars in the sky and I know them by name.  And most of all, I love you so very much.  So let's be awesome while we wait, my child, my daughter.  I created all things to serve a purpose, the stars shine for my glory and so can you.  Be salt.  Be light.  Trust me.  Let us be AWESOME while we wait.  


New Year's resolutions are, for me, typically forgotten by February.  But I am hoping not to forget this one.  My New Year's resolution for 2013: I will be awesome for God while I wait for Him.  Whatever that looks like.  I will strive to have a great attitude at work, to support my husband, to pray for my husband and family and friends, to seek God's will for my moment by moments, to invite others to Him, even to have a better diet and exercise!  Only by God's grace! haha!  So I sing it proudly back, Let's be awesome while we wait, while we wait, while we wait!   In Jesus' Name Amen!

Psalm 10

I have been meditating on Psalm 10 since Friday when I heard about the tragic shootings in Newtown.  Not exactly sure what David was referring to in this psalm, but there are verses in here that give me chills.  Psalm 10 sounds almost prophetic to Friday's events.  Maybe they are, I can't be sure.  But, I have to remember, evil has been in our world a long, long time.  And there are no easy answers.  It gives me comfort to know that God sees and He carries justice.  He is the Lord God of the helpless victim and the oppressed.  He listens to them and defends them.   I have listened to several commentators about this event.  Several counslors and pastors.  I think the best thing I heard one say, is that in honor of the victims let us take care of our own bitterness, anger, and rage in our hearts. That we do not put off for tomorrow, what we can take care of today.  Present yourself to the Lord God, and ask for his healing, and then set to work to get the appropriate counsel, bring it to light do not hide in the dark alone, talk to a friend who can be trusted, and possibly get the proper medications if needed.  Pray with me, friends.


Psalm 10:1-18

"Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?  Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?  In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises.  He boasts of the cravings of his heart; be blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.

"In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.  His ways are always prosperous; he is haughty and your laws are far from him;  he sneers at all his enemies.

"He says to himself, 'Nothing will shake me; I'll always be happy and never have trouble.'

"His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue.

"He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent, watching in secret for his victims.  
"He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.  

"His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength.  He says to himself, "God has forgotten; he covers his face and never sees." 

"Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God.  Do not forget the helpless.  
"Why does the wicked man revile God?  Why does he say to himself, 'He won't call me to account' ?

"But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand.  The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.

"Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out.

"The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from this land.

"You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more."

Morning Reflection

Hebrews 13: 8-9 and 14-16 

"(8)Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!  (9) Do not be carried away by all sorts of strange teachings.  For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not ritual meals, which have never benefited those who participated in them.

(14) For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.  (15)Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging his name. (16) And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for God is pleased with such sacrifices."

"Wait" a Poem by Russell Kelfer

Wait

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried.

Quietly, patiently, lovingly, He replied.

I pleaded, and I wept for a clue to my fate,

And the Master so gently said, "Child, you must wait."

"Wait? Your say wait??" my indignant reply.

"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why.

Is your hand shortened?  Or have you not heard?

By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

"My future, and all to which I can relate

Hangs in the balance, and you tell me 'wait'?

I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,

Or even a 'no', to which I can resign.

"And Lord, you have promised that if we believe, 

We need but ask, and we shall receive.

And Lord I've been asking, and this is my cry:

"I'm weary of asking: I need a reply!"

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate

As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."

So I slumped in my chair; defeated and taut

And grumbled to God; "So I'm waiting, for what?"

He seemed then to kneel and His eyes met with mine

And He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.

I could shake the heavens, darken the sun,

Raise the dead, cause the mountains to run.

"All you see I could give, and pleased you would be.

You would have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.

You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint;

You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

"You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;

You'd not learn to trust, just by knowing I'm there.

You'd not know the joy of resting in Me,

When darkness and silence was all you could see.

"You would never experience that fullness of love

As the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove.

You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,

But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

"The glow of My comfort late in the night;

The faith that I give when you walk without sight;

The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask

From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

"And you never would know, should your pain quickly flee,

What it means that 'My grace is sufficient for thee.'

Yes, your dreams for that loved one o'ernight could come true,

But the loss! if you lost what I'm doing in you!

"So be silent, my child, and in time you will see

That the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me.

And though oft' may My answers seem terribly late, 

My most precious answer of all....is still...wait." 

--"Wait" by Russell Kelfer taken from Hannah's Hope by Jennifer Saake pages 177-178 Copyright 2005

Through other people's eyes

You know that old song lyric, "You never know just how you look through other people's eyes"?

Well, this devo message made me think a little about that song, and mostly about one of my biggest fears and weaknesses.  At times, I feel like a geneticly engineered people pleaser.  I know I am this way, it's one of my biggest struggles.   You could say, " I was born this way."  Which is why I am amazed when God calls me to face my fears, and write things or say things from His Word when I feel acutely aware of the scrutiny of others.  That I am offending people, or it may result in someone I care about to avoid me, or maybe not, but I do fear that as a possible reality.  That's why this message really hit home for me, and has been on my mind and heart.


This excerpt is from October 12th's Jesus Calling devotional book.

"Beware of seeing yourself through other people's eyes. There are several dangers to this practice.  

First of all, it is nearly impossible to discern what others actually think of you.  Moreover, their views

 of you are variable: subject to each viewer's spiritual, emotional, and physical condition.  The major 

problem with letting others define you is that it borders on idolatry.  Your concern to please others 

dampens your desire to please Me, your Creator. 


It is much more real to see yourself through My eyes.  My gaze upon you is steady and sure, 

untainted by sin.  Through My eyes you can see yourself as one who is deeply, eternally loved.  Rest 

in My loving gaze, and you will receive deep Peace.  Respond to My loving Presence by worshiping 

Me in spirit and in truth."


God, help me to seek you, and to continually see myself through Your eyes.  That I am Your child, called out and redeemed for Your good purpose and pleasure.  Help me to see others through Your eyes as well.  Beloved creation, made in Your image, and dearly loved.  Amen.

That if....

What God says:


Romans 10:9 

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is LORD," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." 

What people say: 

That if you......follow the Ten Commandments

That if you.....were sprinkled by water in baptism as an infant

That if you.....were dunked in water in baptism

That if you.....participate in the Sacraments 

That if you......pray


That if you.....serve the poor and needy


That if you.....have a special rosary blessed by the Pope

That if you.....have parents who gave money to the Church

That if you..... come from a good family 

That if you....donate money to the Church

That if you......reason with God

That if you....wear a cross necklace 

That if you.... wear a blessed scapular 

That if you.....appeal to the Saints

That if you....hold a high position in the Church

That if you....attend a Bible study


"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved.  (v 10a) For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified"


Once we are saved, we don't "move on" from the Gospel, we "move into" the Gospel.  The truth that "Jesus is LORD" is then applied to every aspect of my life.  I know Christians will say, because I have said it, "yeah, I know this, don't worry about me, I am saved." But the Good News needs to be retold to us, we need to hear it again and again, so that we continue to live it actively, not as something in our past.  As ones who have confessed "Jesus is Lord" we then move on to confess "Jesus is Lord...of my house, of my job, of my family, of my future, of my relationships, of my finances, of my time, and yes, even of my Facebook page..."

God is living and He is active! Help me Lord to grow up in You!

180 Movie

Watch this 33 minute movie if you have the chance.  It breaks my heart everyday to think that babies all over our country are being killed LEGALLY under the guise of "choice."  It happened during the Holocaust, and it is happening today.  As Christians, we know that EVERY human life is created in the image of God.  I am compelled to share this video, so that we start thinking hard about what we say and do.

I also want to include this Back to Life movement video.  I was blessed with the opportunity to attend the Esther Call in Dallas in April of this year.  I got to watch Young Women, all of childbearing age, from all different backgrounds, ethnicities, and geographic locations take a stand for Life.  A friend of mine, Lisa, and I attended and fasted and prayed.  Some women were post abortive, some survivors of attempted or considered abortions.  All with the same message, that God heals and forgives, that God knows the pain and that we need to stand up for and empower these women and their babies.  Help me to do just that, Lord.  In God's Holy Name, Amen.

Growing increasingly Free

"Walk with Me in the freedom of forgiveness.  The path we follow together is sometimes steep and 

slippery.  If you carry a burden of guilt on your back, you are more likely to stumble and fall.  At 

your request, I will remove the heavy load from you and bury it at the foot of the cross.  When I 

unburden you, you are undeniably free! Stand up straight and tall in My Presence, so that no one 

can place more burdens on your back.  Look into My Face and feel the warmth of My Love-Light 

shining upon you.  It is this unconditional Love that frees you from both fears and sins.  Spend time 

basking in the Light of My Presence.  As you come to know Me more and more intimately, you grow

 increasingly free." 

September 23 Jesus Calling

Psalm 68:19

1 John 1:7-9;

1 John 4:18

Same as it ever was.

Many things, they are a changin.  New websites, fonts, new graphics, new technology, changing.  But no matter how much everything around the world changes, only God's Word stays the same.  People change, human traditions change.  Relationships change.  God's never changing Truth, God's word never fails.  Thought I would just write it, Same as it ever was.

Gospel of Jesus Christ

1.    God created us in His image.

-         Genesis 1:27

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

2.    Everyone has sinned and rebelled against God.

-         Romans 3:23

“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”

-    Isaiah 53:6a

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.”

3.    The penalty for sin is death.

-        Romans 6:23a

“For the wages of sin is death”

-        Ephesians 2:1

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.”

-        Isaiah 59:2

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”

-        2 Thess. 1:8-9

“He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power.”

4.    There is no way we can earn God’s favor or earn heaven.

“I am not that bad…”

-        James 2:10

“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”

“I do work for God and the church, I was born in a good home…”

-        Matt 7:23

“Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!’”

“I’m a basically a good person…”

-        Ephesians 2:8-9

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.”

“I’m intelligent…”

-        1 Cor. 1:20

“Where is the wise man?  Where is the scholar?  Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”

5.     Christ took the penalty we deserve upon Himself, and died in our place. 

-        Romans 5:8

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

-        Romans 6:23b (remember a?? what do we earn or deserve?)

“But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

-        Isaiah 53:5

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and that by his wounds we are healed.”

6.    We can be saved from death, and assured of eternity in heaven through faith in Jesus Christ alone.  We must believe.

We are made righteous before God because of Jesus.

-        Romans 3:22

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”

-        Romans 10:9

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

-        John 3:15-16

“Everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

-        Titus 3:5

“He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”

7.    Eternal life is based on fact, not feeling.  Blessed Assurance.

-        John 5:24

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”

8.    Ask Him to wash you clean, believe in Jesus and He will change your heart.

-        Psalm 51:1-2

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.  Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”

-        2 Cor. 5:17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!!!”

Here is my personal life story: 

I grew up going to church, and hearing about Jesus.  I thought that as long as I went 

to church, did some service work for the poor, took Communion, and basically didn’t 

murder anyone, I could go to heaven when I died.  I thought I was a Christian, as

 much as I was a white female, that it was automatic.  While I was in college, I did 

what seemed right in my own eyes, and what friends and society said was acceptable. 

I woke up one morning knowing I was dead inside.  Walking around campus, I knew I 

was a walking dead person.  This freaked me out.  I didn’t know what to do, but to 

return home, as I was able in August 2008.

In August 2009, I went to my first Women’s Bible Study.  These women joyfully

 demonstrated  God’s holiness and purity in their lives and in their personal 

relationships.  Showing

 me a different way to live.  They took what the Bible said at face value, as true.  They 

obviously loved God.  They prayed and presented the Gospel to me. 

The Holy Spirit taught me through His Word that there was a reason why I was 

feeling dead.  That even though I was dead in my sins, I could be alive in Christ.  I 

learned that only through my faith in what Jesus had done on the cross, and trust in 

His resurrection, could I go to heaven.  It was like puzzle pieces all coming together in

 my life, and I could see clearly for the first time. I believed, confessed my sins, and 

prayed to have Jesus as Lord of my life in March 2010. Once I trusted in Christ alone-

 windows and doors of light began to open up in my heart breaking the darkness that 

was there.  Now I walk around knowing I am alive, only because of Christ.  I have 

peace and joy walking with my heavenly Father.  Any good works I do now, praise 

God, because just like Paul says in Ephesians 2:10, I am God’s workmanship, created 

in Christ Jesus to do good works which he prepared in advance for me to do!

In August 2010, I married my husband, a man after God’s own heart. 

Breaking Bad

So, I know that watching this show is not the most praiseworthy way to spend my time.  But Zach and I found it on netflix and I think it's a very well done, interesting show.  Zach says I am hooked.  Probably, since I have been watching it for the past 2 weeks.

This scene that I posted struck me, as it reminds me of why we need God's Gospel of Jesus Christ.  To give some context to this scene, Jesse is a meth dealer and an addict to both meth and to heroin.  **Spoiler alert.  He kills an innocent man (he says he killed a dog to the support group) because the man posed a threat in cooking and selling the meth.  He has killed other people as well in the past episodes.  While in rehab, the counselor speaks of 'accepting yourself' and 'loving yourself' not being judgmental of yourself and others.  Which are good things.  It reminds me of how God's love never fails, His forgiveness.  But Jesse presses into the truth of the matter at hand, what about the sin, the evil things I have done??  He says what I think needs to be said, the question that needs to be presented.

"So, no matter what I do, hooray for me because I'm a great guy?? It's all good??"

The counselor finally gives a quiet, "no." At the end.

Something I desperately need to hear, and that I think we don't talk about enough in our churches today.  No.  You're not "all good."  According to God's standards 'all have sinned and fallen short'  and that because of that sin we deserve death.  Reading Amos and parts of Isaiah, the Old Testament prophets, we see God's anger toward sinfulness and rebellion against His laws.  He disciplines His children.  No, what you do has consequences.  Here and now, but also eternal.

In my experience, I had a difficult time appreciating the whole 'Jesus died for your sins' thing, growing up.  I heard that God loves me, Jesus loves me and Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead.  But, I didn't really put it all together.  It wasn't until the full Gospel of Jesus was presented to me, and reading Ephesians in prayer for the Holy Spirit's guidance that I realized that I deserve death.  My sin deserves punishment, and without Jesus there would be nothing keeping me from that due punishment.

Eph 2:1 "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins"

  A theme of this show is that for Jesse, things get worse and worse.  Killing one guy necessitates killing another, and then another to cover up the previous and so on.  For the other main character, Walt, he has to tell his family lies which lead to more and more lies.

Death begets death begets more death.  Unless God intervenes, nothing really gets healed. All life comes from Him.  Otherwise, we have to do what Jesse says.  "Just take inventory, and like, accept."

When I did that in my own life, I did not have the power within myself to change anything.

There is no healing in that.  The sin is left unpaid for, and so then, you will be the one to pay for it if not put on the cross.

Now, I have never been a drug dealer or murderer.  But.  If my life had been in different circumstances, I can't say that would never do that.  I also know what Jesus taught.
 Jesus said if you hate someone, it's the same as committing murder in the eyes of God.  If you lust after someone who is not your spouse it's the same as committing adultery.  

I am a sinner, but Praise be to my God, 'the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.'  Confessing to God that I needed Him, there was nothing in myself that I could do or offer. That I believed in Jesus as my Savior, that He as the Son of God died and rose from the dead.  That I desperately needed Him to live in me and work in me, then came the change that even others around me took notice.

I like this clip because you see that Jesse feels the weight of his sin.  What a perfect place to be to see the beauty and power of Christ's redemption.  The pain and blood that was spilled for us.

Thank you, God. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

He saved a wretch like me!  He made me beautiful!

One thing our pastor has been talking about on Sundays, is for us to look upon the holiness of God and ask for His help.  That He change us, that we do not just take 'inventory' of the evil sin we have done and just 'accept' and move on.  But, we take a hard look at what Christ has done for us and live as He wants us to live.  I like how the clip ends, when Jesse says "About time."  How much death and darkness inside me did I have to experience before finally someone said, "no."  Too much was wasted, and it is about time that I, as a follower of Jesus, deny myself, take up my cross and follow Him with a renewed joy with God's kingdom on my heart.

So Praise God, we don't have to hide scars

Today and this weekend was a convicting time for me.  Several posts ago, I talked about Legalism.  I ended with my struggles with not feeling 'good enough' for God.  The other ugly out come of legalism is self-righteousness.  My indignant looking's - on at the world around me, and thinking, "How could they?!"

I think that is something I need to be aware of, because thinking and acting like I am spiritually or morally superior can have damaging effects not only in my own walk with Christ, but also damaging to others.  The last thing the world needs is another hypocritical Christian to trip over to see Jesus.

Zach and I were talking about everything going on this past week in the media, politics, and Facebook. We talked through the issues, and Zach made an incredible statement.

"At the end of the day, no matter what the person's background, where they are or what they are doing.  That man (or woman) is no different than me, a sinner in need of a Savior."

My prayer focus this week: 1. Praise God, He alone is Holy!  God Show me Your holiness! 2. Praise God, we don't have to hide scars!  I linked the music and lyrics to this song that I have been thinking about recently.  Each of us has our scars.  The wounds of sin.  I once heard a counselor say how all pain and suffering in the world is because of the effects of sin. Think about it.  Whether it's sin we commit ourselves, sin of someone else inflicted directly on us even though we did nothing to deserve it we still suffer, or just the side effects of living in a broken world.  Whatever our scars look like and wherever they come from, Jesus invites us to bear our scars to Him.  Like the song says, by His scars, we are healed.

So, let's level the playing field, shall we? 3. I am praying this month, for an opportunity for me to bear my scars with someone and that Jesus shines through (despite me).  Because my scars remind me where I have been, but that's not who I am.  All that He has done for me, healed me, washed me clean, made my crimson stained self white as snow.  He can do that for anyone walking this earth.  So, praise God!

Future Hate Speech, just waiting...

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "The one who is righteous will live by faith." 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; 21 for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools; 23 and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. 29 They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 They know God's decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them.
Romans 1:16-32

Living the love story

Ephesians 5:25-26


"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word." 

"I love you, so much," he says, as I look out the window of the boat cabin, blinking away tears.

   "How much?"

"I love you more than sea otters."

"I love you more than ketchup, and you know how much I love ketchup."

He continues to whisper in my ear, as my tears continue to blink down my face and down to the collar of my rain coat.    He waits out the storm with me even though I know he wants to be outside on the bow of the tour boat with the other brave, younger travelers and not in the stuffy cabin with the elderly folks.

After enjoying the week vacation in Alaska's cool weather camping, followed by spa treatments and fine dining, joking about corky bus drivers and mosquitoes, we end our trip looking with other spectators at ocean scenery from a large tour boat.

All week I had been harboring a quiet dream in the back of my mind- "This could be it!  This could be the month! Let's see .... July, August, September ... March! Yeah, ok, March!"

But now here we sit.

The captain over the loud speaker - "If you look to the right, port side, about 2:00 you'll see a harbor seal and her baby cub!"

I roll my eyes and shake my head, "really?"

Zach continues to rub my arm and kiss my cheek and hold me.  He's moved on to singing for me.

"And we're the two best friends that anyone could have!  And we're the two best friends that anyone could have!"

He makes me smile, and we sing together.

"Can I get you anything?" he asks.

"Maybe a glacier?" I respond.
"A solid mass of ice on the side of a mountain, pouring into the ocean?"

"Yeah," he says, "let's go outside."

We brave the cold and rain, and soak in the chilly air, knowing we'll be flying back to Dallas tonight.

Large, blue and white ice - the bright blue amazes me. Puffins and sea gulls fly around and dive down into the ice cold water off cliffs.

"I love you, so much." I say to Zach.

   "How much?"

"More than the ocean."
"More than the glacier."

Thank you, God. Thank you for Zach.  Thank you.  I love you, O Lord, my strength.  May the humming of the waterfalls and calls of the gulls and puffins sing your praises!  The wales and sea otters, and seals all Your creation displays Your wonder and Your majesty as King!  You are splendid, My King!

Psalm 18:28


"You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light." 

Love does not demand it's own way, for everyday.

Beginning this week, the Holy Spirit speaking to me in an annoying situation ( I won't say difficult, because it is too minor an issue).  It struck me how simple His words and message is sometimes in our light and momentary struggles.  While praying this morning hearing His voice, "Love does not demand its own way." over and over.  This 1 Cor. 13 passage, not even the entire set of verses we hear often at weddings, but rarely quoted on a Tuesday morning before work!  Just, "love does not demand its own way."  Reminds me never to stick my faith in a box, but that it should spill over.  My job is my mission field, and I am called to Love each person I come across with the same love Christ has for that person.

Shaking off the work day last night, going to the church.  Following Jesus is not a "me" thing, it is a "we" thing.  And just like centuries and centuries of Christ followers before me, Zach and I get together with fellow Christians for prayer and fellowship.  And we talk about real life together and pray and look into His word.  It is just daily life made purposeful by Him.  (Jeremiah 33:3) "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unreachable things you do not know."

God Answers Prayers.

Application of the Light

These verses have been on my mind and heart lately:

Matthew 5:14-16

"You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

1 Peter 4:10

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."

Colossians 3:23

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men."

This is what I love about God's Word, it is so unique, no other book on earth can be so rich and words that fill my soul.  It juices me up, and fills me up, and energizes, and motivates, and conficts, and encourages me to press on and continue and never give up and love and cherish.  I love God for these reasons: 1. What He did for me.  2. What He is doing for me. 3. His instructions for me.  4. His power and strength to carry-out those instructions in my life. 

I have eternity in heaven with Him, my place mat and chair at His table is set only because Jesus saved me, only because of His death and resurrection and my trust in that (Romans 3:22).  He died and decended to hell in my place, so I don't have to.  Jesus my Savior lives now in heaven, and on that day I will see Him face to face.  But, in the mean time, I only have a limited number of days here.  I have become increasingly awhere of my circumstance, that is the human fate.  God has blessed me by putting Christ in me, so what am I to do now? Live for myself or live for God?  Matthew, Peter, and Paul's letter to the Colossians give me an answer. 




A couple of weeks ago, Zach and I had the pleasure and honor of having dinner with Luke and Leanne Turk, Allison family members and for 12 years working as missionaries in CAR (Central African Republic), Africa.  We talked about what God is doing in CAR and in their mission.  In their village, they have established a nursing school, hospital, church, agriculture center, and bible school.  


We have been contemplating going to CAR to visit them for the past several months now for a 3 week visit sometime this year or next.  We looked at pictures of the village and people and landscape, and I felt a little closer to an understanding of what it might look like if Zach and I end up going. 


Leanne said something that stuck with me.  That God calls us to all different places, and different situations in our lives mold us into the person He ultimately wants us to be, when we listen and obey Him.  Leanne said that God had called her to Africa because He knew that it was there that not only her gifts could be used to help others, but almost more importantly where she was challenged in just the right ways to grow up in Christ.  


More than likely, if we go to CAR, Zach and I may help out a little, but more than that I think we would be observing and seeing what God is doing in another part of the world that is so different from our part.  It would be an amazing experience for sure.


At that point in the conversation, I thought about how God is shaping Zach and I now, here at home.  A unique set of circumstances perfectly tailored for us by God, to challenge and encourage and bless us, and for us to grow and reach others in His name.

Since our meeting with the Turks, I have been praying for God's wisdom (James 1:5) and for Him to show me...I don't even know, I guess just where to put this little light of mine?  I feel like I am helping someone arrange their living room and I am holding out a lamp, looking at the owner, and ask, "Where do you want me to put this?"

"You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."


"Right there is fine, just don't hit the dimmer switch."

God has been answering my prayers this week, I am seeing where I need to grow and where I need to shine Christ's light and not 'hit the dimmer switch.' I donno why I love that anology, I like to think if Jesus walked the Earth today and was preaching that sermon, He would use that mentaphor. 

The dimmer switch is my battle with sin, Paul discribed it best with the whole 'I do what I don't want to do, but I don't do what I want to do.' Every Christian battles their fleshly desires against their desire to shine for Christ, and I am no different. 

Pray with me, brothers and sisters in Christ, that we do fight that good fight and that we do shine God's light inside of us all for God's glory and not our own! Today, and right where we are.

Early Happy Mother's Day!

With Mother's Day just around the corner, I think God placed the perfect find in my path at the exact, right time.  Last week, I was at my mom and dad's house looking for printer paper in the desk drawers of the upstairs computer desk, and I stumbled upon a sheet of notebook paper with something in my mother's handwriting.

I am not sure when she wrote this, it was not dated.  It was next to a paper dated 1991.  My mom is SUCH a blessing to me.  She does for her children what any great mom does, she prays for them. The way mom prays in this letter, is a perfect example of how God LOVES to hear us pray.  Not for selfish ambitions, or personal gain, but in honest desire for HIM!  For our spirits and our hearts, to know Him and know what is True!  As I read this, I am in awe of how God has answered her prayers for me in my life.  God is good! The following is what she wrote:


                "  My Prayers for Dan, Haley, Aubrey

That nothing will hender them from accepting Christ early in their lives. Matthew 19:13

That they will know God and have the desire to do His Will. Psalm 119:27

That they have a genuine love for God, for His Word and that would be the basis for making decisions. Ecc. 12:1

That they will have a sense of what is right and wrong. Romans 12:9

That they will increase mentally, physically, spiritually and socially. Luke 2:52

That they will develop a thankful heart and positive attitude. Psalms 26:2-3

That they are protected from Satan and evil. John 17:55

That God will destroy the enemies in their lives (selfishness, disobedience..) Psalm 120:2

That they will be successful in the world God has planned for them. Psalm 118:25

That they will have a strong sense of belonging to our loving family.Psalm 113 "

What a great find!  Thank you, mom! I love you!!

Follow-through

I took a personality test about a year ago, and I cannot remember the name of it, but I remember that it gave a synopsis of my personality type's general strengthes and weaknesses.  One of my strengthes is my enthusiasm and motivation for beginning projects and ideas.  My weakness is my enthusiasm tends to dwindle, and I have difficulty with strong follow-through of the project or task. 

I have found this to be so true in many areas throughout my life.  My golf swing seems to stop when I hit the ball, the organization of my home and car lasts for a week before it's a wreck again, I know all the familar greetings and days of the week in Spanish but my conversations with Latino families seems to stop short after "Bien, grasias."  And, like the Galatians, my Faith in Christ has a tendancy to dwindle into Legalism, if I am not vigilant.

Legalism seems to be a buzz word in the Church, and I think I had a mis-understanding of its true meaning for a long time- so here are some definitions:  

"Legalism could be definied as any attempt to rely on self-effort to either attain or maintain our justification before God."( http://www.reformationtheology.com/2006/06/what_is_legalism.php  )

"[Legalism] is the belief that I can become holy and please God by obeying laws.  It is measuring spirituality by a list of dos and don'ts.  The weakness of legalism is that it sees sins (plural) but not sin (the root of the trouble).  It judges by the outward and not the inward.  Furthermore, the legalist fails to understand the real purpose of God's law and the relationship between law and grace....Either the person becomes a pretender, or he suffers a complete collapse and abandons his desires for godly living." (Warren Wiersbe, 1977)

 "Dependence on moral law rather than on personal religious faith." (dictionary.com )

"The false teaching that we add to our own salvation, and that we could and should 'keep ahold of' our Justification by works.  The whole, "Jesus+ X (provided by me or someone else)" teachings that are unfortunately still happening today in our churches.  This teaching in practice will ultimately leave you vain, bitter, or just plain defeated." (me-speaking from experience)

Paul was quite offended by the church of Galatia's turning to legalism:

"After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" (Gal.3:3)

"know that a man is not justified by observing the law but by faith in Jesus Christ." (Gal 2:16)

He explained it to the Romans:

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom 5:1)

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Rom 10:9)

He spelled it out for the Ephesians:

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (Eph 2:8-9)

Paul compared good works to "rubbish" or "trash" for the Philippians:

"I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith." (Phil. 3:8b-9)

And he re-assured the Colossians:

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ.  He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code...he took it away, nailing it to the cross." (Col. 2:13-14)

This theme of Christ's grace as sufficient for salvation is repeated over and over by Paul, Peter, John, and as pre-dated by Jesus himself who told the sinnful woman, "Your faith has saved you, go in peace." (Luke 7:50) And the criminal on his right at the cross, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)

SO, why all the reminders?  Why do I struggle to maintain faith in my Lord Jesus Christ?  Simply put, it is in my DNA, it is human nature. 

We like to think we are ultimately in control of our destiny.  We like to compare ourselves to others.  We like to think that we can do "good" whether it is "for God" or "without God." We like to be right and prove ourselves.  We like the measurable and tangable. 

Someone once told me, "When you take an honest look at who God is, and take an honest look at who you are, the natural response will be worshiping God."

All God asks of us is simple, but quite difficult, to submit to His authority in our lives. 

In our culture today, especially my generation and younger, this is so "OUT." We are told by friends, media, you name it, to reject authority, "Be your own person!" "Follow your heart, wherever it leads you!" Even to the extent of "Damn the Man!"  Defiance is in and submission is out.

However, when you truly submit to God alone, that's when you are truly free from the "authority" of anyone else in the world.  I belong to Christ, and I am His.  That will never change.  I live for Him and no one else.  I have been set free from other's opinions driving me, from addiction driving me, from need for success driving me. I study His Word, worship Him with others in the Church, and I delight in His Law because I have the important job of being His ambassador.  To tell others and show others what He has done.  Jesus is the only one who cares for me to be all of a good wife, daughter, sister, worker, and friend with no personal gain but to love, bless, and save others.  When I do well, He loves me.  When I screw up, He loves me.

As His daughter, I have experienced the encouragment as well as the righteous discipline Christ has for his children. 

So, rather than constantly checking a 'to-do' list I am reminded that in God's hands all I need to do now is show up and be obedient to Him, and just be the person He created me to be.  I can say with all honesty, the greatest times in my life have been when I was following the Holy Spirit's lead, and not my own.

Now comes the follow-through, because I have that nagging worry pop up in the back of my mind every so often.  "Am I good enough? Am I doing it right? Am I doing enough? "  All the I, I, I's God replaces with a soft, "You are mine, and I will provide" And the best prayer I can end with is this:

Philippians 1:6

"Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

2 Thessalonians 3:5

"May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance."

Cup of Acceptance-->Easter Morning

"Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians." (Exodus 6:7)

"What a wretched man I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God- through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25)

Before the Throne of God Above (verse 3)

"Behold Him there!  The risen Lamb, My perfect, spotless Righteousness
The great unchangeable I AM, the Kind of glory and of grace
One with Himself I cannot die, My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high, With Christ, my Savior  and my God
With Christ, my Savior and my God!"