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!"

Good Friday

 Before the Throne of God Above (verses 1&2)

"Before the throne of God above, I have a strong, a perfect plea, A great High Priest whose name is "Love," Who ever lives and pleads for me.  My name is graven on His hands! My name is written on His heart!  I know that while in heaven He stands, No tongue can bid me thence depart!
No tongue can bid me thence depart."

"When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within. Upward I look and see Him there, Who made an end to all my sin.  Because the sinless Savior died, My sinful soul is counted Free!
For God, the Just, is satisfied, To look on Him and pardon me.
To look on Him and pardon me. "

For Lent: Be a Living Sacrifice

Matthew's Gospel gives us an inside look to what Jesus was thinking and feeling the night before His death, praying in the garden of Gethsemane. 

Matthew 26:39
"Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as you will."'

He prayed like that 2 more times, and between each time Jesus would go check on his best friends, His disciples, who were falling asleep.  No one else was with Him, just Jesus and His Father discussing what needed to be done for the will of God to be fulfilled.  I find it interesting that Jesus' last prayer to God before He is arrested is a cry out for this NOT to happen! If it is AT ALL POSSIBLE FOR THE WORLD TO BE SAVED ANOTHER WAY, then TAKE -THIS- CUP -AWAY!

YET --

So beautiful, yet.  YET- Not MY will BUT YOUR WILL BE DONE! 

So, God the Father silently gives His answer in the events to follow.  No, my beloved Son, there is not another way by which man must be saved.  No, this is part of my will for you, Jesus my Son, my will for you is to suffer and die.  Jesus was obedient to the Father, and chose to save us.  He was humiliated, he suffered, and he died. 

Because it was necessary.  And we now live with the Good News, which is that God honored and continues to honor Jesus today- He rose from the dead. 


Matthew 28:6

"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said."

Hebrews 10:12

"But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down a the right hand of God."

I say all this to give context to the rest of my blog.  'What are you giving up for Lent? ' Or, more recently,the popular thing to ask is 'what are you doing for the Lenten season?' Pray a little more, read a good spiritual book, give up candy or meat or icecream or TV (all things I have tried to do btw!).  All good and valid things, but I must not forget the following:


Galatians 2:16, and 20-21

"know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.  So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and NOT BY OBSERVING THE LAW, because by observing the law NO ONE will be justified... I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

This past week has been a struggle for Zach and I.  I have been hurting emotionally, as God silently says, "no" again.  I cry and grit my teeth as I respond, "Fine God, not my will, but your will."  Not ideal.

YET-- Yet. 

Yet, as I look at what Christ did for me, and as I read about the apostle Paul and his obedience through many different, difficult hardships, his gratitude.  And Ruth and Esther and Abraham and Sarah, their faith and perseverance in hope.  I want to be more like them.

His love is revealed, and His purpose is real.  And with much, much more prayer, and with ever so much helpful prayer from my awesome husband and other loving friends.  The picture refocuses.  I am again in love with my Savior, who died for me, who has blessed me more than I could have ever dreamed of. 

So, what am I doing for Lent?  I am remembering that I am a living sacrifice, for the one who gave Himself for me as a ransom.  He paid my debt, and I *literally* owe Him my life. ( and I mean literally! ;) )

John 3:16

"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."

Romans 8:28

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Expelled: No intelligence allowed

If you have an hour and a half to watch a controversial documentary, I highly recommend this one.  Ben Stein interviews scientists about Darwinism vs. Intelligent Design.  Subtitles are in Polish. 

The Lurker

Exodus 2:4
"[Moses'] sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him."

Around 1450 to 1410 B.C., the Hebrew people were enslaved by the Egyptians. At the end of Chapter 1 of Exodus, Pharaoh had made the declaration that there were too many Hebrew babies being born, he was fearful that they would be too numerous to control.  To prevent a future rebellion, he ordered all the Hebrew baby boys to be killed. 

"Then Pharoah gave this order to all his people: 'Every boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live." (Exodus 1:22)

It was in this frightening time that Moses was born.  There must have been so much prayer in that house.  After 3 months, his mother secured Moses in a basket, and placed him in the Nile river (irony, lest you escape me); while his older sister, Miriam, watched over him. 

How did Miriam feel while all this was going on? I can only imagine. 'This world is so unfair!  God, why? God, protect my brother! What are you going to do, Lord? God, show me what to do! '

I relate to Miriam, not only do I watch, pray, and wait to see what God is going to do in my younger brother's life and sister's life, but in other friends and family members, and in my own life as well. 

This can feel discouraging at times, and I feel pretty helpless.  But I watch.  I pray.  I wait.  And at times, God will guide me to action when the time is right, when the time is right, His time, not my time. 

At the exact, right time, Miriam boldly approaches the Pharoah's daughter to provide practical compassion. 

"Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, 'Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?'" (Exodus 2:7)

Essentially, 'not me,' she says, ' someone else.'

Not me.  Someone else:


"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

"[Jesus answered].... but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:14)  

Aubrey, I am praying for you and your friends at SCAD.  Yes, I am watching and praying and waiting, other loved ones, friends and family.  I love to pray for you! 

I trust God because I know He never forgets us. 

Exodus 2:24
"God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob."

He never forgets about you.