set free

"I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free." Psalm 119:32

My kids are not exactly fans of household responsibilities and chores.  It is not uncommon to hear groaning when they are asked to clean their rooms, pick up their toys, and contribute to the overall upkeep of our home.  They don't like my "commands".  They don't always feel so "free" while doing homework.  Yet, left to their own devices, with the freedom to run their lives, they would probably end up feeling more out of control and insecure.  They love the idea of freedom, but they just can't handle the immense responsibility that comes with it.

We love freedom, don't we?  There is something empowering about having the freedom to choose how we live our lives, where we live, what we eat, and who we want to be. Equally, there is something imposing and stifling to imagine someone taking away that freedom and control.

We are a lot like my kids, actually.  We want control.  We want to call the shots on our lives.  We don't want anyone telling us what we can and cannot do.

And yet, we don't always do such a great job when left to our own devices.

God has given us great freedom.  And I, honestly, can not find anywhere in the Bible where he invites us to a life of gloom and doom and drudgery.  However, he has given us guidelines for living- not guidelines that will take away our joy and pleasure in life, but guidelines that will enhance and protect our lives.  These commands, if we set our hearts on obedience, will truly set us free.

Our hearts long to pump hope, joy, peace and freedom through every vein of our being.  We long to shed insecurity, fears, burdens and the consequences of our mistakes.

We long to be set free.  But in order to taste the sweetness of freedom, we must surrender.  We must submit to God's commands.  Obey and trust.  Live honestly and humbly, patient and respectfully.

A heart that is truly surrendered is a heart that is truly set free.

don't look down

Peter was a water walker.  He was the kind of guy that wanted to take advantage of any and every experience with Jesus - even to the extreme of walking on water.

Matthew 14:22-32 gives the account of Peter's famous water-walking moment.  In summary, Jesus told the disciples to get in the boat.  Jesus took some time alone to pray.  When he was done, it was late and the boat had drifted quite a ways out due to the wind.  So, Jesus began walking on the water towards the boat.  The disciples saw him and thought he was a ghost.  Peter, our bold and daring disciple, challenged the "being" on the water saying, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water."  Jesus invited him to join, and the next thing Peter knew, he was walking on water, too!  Then the wind picked up, struck fear in Peter, and he began to sink.  Jesus took him by the hand and led him to the boat.

When Jesus reached out and caught Peter, he said one thing to him, "You of little faith.  Why did you doubt?"

Has God called you to get out of the boat and walk on water?  Or, has God called you to move out of your comfort zone and to step into something that seems completely impossible?  Has God called you to greater faith?  Greater responsibility?  Greater things?  When those moments come, and they do, and they will, it can be both exciting and scary all at the same time.

We ask ourselves: "Can I do this?"  "Is this really God?"  "What if I mess up?"  "Will God be there to catch me?"

The lesson here is: don't look down.  When God calls you out of the boat, don't look down.  Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.  The wind will blow and work hard at distracting you, but you must never turn your eyes away from Jesus.

Don't look down.

When we look down, we doubt that God will be faithful.  We doubt that God will see us through.  We doubt that his initial invitation to step out of the boat was real.  We begin to doubt everything that led us to that moment.

If we would just hang in there, set our eyes on Jesus, and walk forward, we will not just walk on water, but we will find our way to the perfect place of peace, fulfillment, and reward.

Don't look down.  Fix your eyes on Jesus.  Take courage...Jesus is right out in front of you!

when reason fails

"Lord, how great is our dilemma!  In Thy Presence silence best becomes us, but love inflames our hearts and constrains us to speak.  Were we to hold our peace the stones would cry out; yet if we speak, what shall we say?  Teach us to know that we cannot know, for the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.  Let faith support us where reason fails, and we shall think because we believe, not in order that we may believe." - A.W. Tozer

Have you ever tried to figure God out?  Have you ever found yourself right on the brink of something new, but the uncertainty of it all began to overwhelm you?  And the only truth you could hold on to was trust?

Sometimes my grasp of God is so very small.  I forget how marvelous and all-powerful he is.  I find myself working hard in my own strength because I can't truly believe that God is bigger than my problem, holier than my behavior, and deeply invested in my future, even more so than I.  I forget that God is God.

In the book of Zechariah a problem arose while building the temple.  The word of the Lord came to the prophet with a promise that the temple would be completed, and additionally, a reminder that, in his own strength, Zerubbabel would not be able to accomplish this task.  It could only be done through the power of the Spirit.

"This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.  Who are you, O great mountain?  Before Zerubbabel  you shall become a plain.  And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of  'Grace! Grace to it!'"

Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands will also complete it.  Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.  For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel." Zechariah 4:6-10

When God lays ahold of your heart, calls you to deeper purpose and greater things, it may feel as though you have been called to build a temple out of rubble.  But if God has truly called, then God will truly lay the foundation.

God is God, far greater and far more incomprehensible than any person we could ever know.  And when reason fails, may we lean more deeply into faith.  May we trust that God will complete the very thing he started in our lives.

And it is not in our might.  It will not be through our power, but it will be through the Spirit which cannot be hindered.

"Our power is not in our numbers.  Our power is not in ourselves.  Our power is in the simplicity of Jesus." - Dick Brogden, LiveDead

look

I accidentally dropped the belt to my jacket in the toilet at work yesterday.  Joel's car was in the shop, my head was throbbing, and a difficult conversation from the evening before was still very fresh on my mind.  It was a struggle to stay focussed and productive amidst all of the distractions pulling for my attention.  I am not very good at compartmentalizing my life.  If one thing starts to unravel relationally, professionally, or personally, you can be sure it will be felt everywhere else, too.

I guess that's why my Bible reading this morning hit me in such a profound way.

"Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." Psalm 105:4

It is so easy to lose focus.  We can start the day off on the right foot (hopefully), and then the kids start to squabble, or there's an unflattering e-mail waiting for us at work, or we trip and fall as we're trying to get out the door.  Those seemingly insignificant things that pop up can play a very significant role in how the rest of our day goes.  I don't know about you, but when I find myself sinking further and further into life's unforgiving mess, my focus quickly moves from God to me.

This verse in Psalms is a wonderful reminder to look to God, and then keep on looking to Him.  When I spill coffee on my white pants, keep looking to God.  When I'm stuck in traffic and I have to get Sydney to ballet, keep looking to God.  When the pantry is bare and I need to get dinner on the table, keep looking to God.  These temporary challenges are not the end of the world.  It's just life.  Sure, there are frustrations, but in light of the big picture, they are really nothing but small speed bumps along the way.

I am challenged today to seek his face always...to keep my focus on what is eternal...hopeful...true.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:2,3

Remember the Author.  Remember the cross.  Remember the joy.

He did it all, so that we would not grow weary and lose heart...

But we must keep looking to Jesus.

stuck in the mud

Growing up in Africa, Sundays meant long, bumpy trips off the beaten path to get to church.  During the rainy season, heaps of red clay and dirt roads would turn into miles of thick, muddy paths.  On one particular Sunday, our car got stuck in the mud.  We were out in the middle of nowhere, and our car would not budge.  We began to pray.  My dad tried to push it out all by himself, but the mud was so thick, and our car was so deep, that it was no use.  Suddenly, children started running toward our car.  We had no idea where they came from, but they kept coming.  Dozens of them.  With gigantic grins and bare, dirty feet, they gathered around us and started to help push.   Little by little, the car slowly inched its way out of the mud until we were free and clear.

There are a couple of things I have learned from this experience that have helped me navigate through those times when I feel stuck in the "mud of life":

1. Pray. Getting "unstuck" should always begin with prayer.  I realize my better judgement can be skewed by my emotions, so rather than try to figure it all out or sit and stress over the situation, I have learned to go to God in prayer first.

"Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it.  Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord.  And Hezekiah prayed..." 2 Kings 19:14,15

2. Get out of the car and change perspective. When I am stuck in the mud, all I can see, feel, hear, and touch is my stuckness.  Getting out of the car allows me to pull away and look at the mud from a different perspective.  A new vantage point can also help me see some practical changes that I may need to make that will help pull me out of the mud.

"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord." Isaiah 55:8

3. Seek support from trusted friends. There is nothing worse than pushing out of the mud alone.  In fact, you probably won't get very far with that method.  Seek out loyal friends, invite them into your life, and allow them to help you through the process.  Working your way out of the mud will be far more successful with the support, encouragement, and strength from a true friend.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.  If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!  Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.  But how can one keep warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

The mud you're in doesn't own your life.  If you're stuck because of poor choices, stop agonizing over it, repent, and then move on.  If you're stuck simply because of the circumstances in your life right now, don't fret.  God is in complete control.  Rainy seasons don't last forever, and God never intends to keep us stuck when we are willing to follow him.

Keep pushing on.

divided heart

My heart is so easily distracted.  I have a passion for Jesus, and pursuing those things that are eternal, and I have a passion for temporal things that quickly fade away.

I start believing I can have it all.  Half of my heart can belong to God, and half of my heart can belong to the world.

I get distracted by the American good life.

My heart is divided.

Psalm 86:11 & 12 says: "Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.  I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all of my heart; I will glorify your name forever."

While David was walking through troubling times he realized the only way to stay focussed and strong was to reach out to God.  David's plea was that God would teach him, guide him in truth, and give him a heart completely devoted to the Lord.

David's prayer is my prayer.  I want to know God's truth.  I want an undivided heart.  I want to praise God with all of my heart.

And I do not think that God wants to share my heart with the world.  I believe he wants all of my heart too.

It is so very easy to get caught up in the cares of this world.  Maybe you have found yourself wrestling between complete surrender and half-hearted praise.  Maybe you are like me, so quickly distracted by the superficial worries that cloud sound judgement.

The troubles that you and I face may not be poverty, or the threat of physical death.  We may not think we have any troubles at all.  However, our greatest troubles come, not in the form of persecution and famine, but in comfort and security.  And it is mighty difficult to give God an undivided heart when the cost may be the very thing we are clinging tightly to.

God wants more.  No.  God wants all.

"When we fail to focus on eternity, we will choose comfort over danger, self-fulfillment over self-denial, and escaping rather than bearing our cross." - George Wood, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God.

the voices in my head

Do your kids ever get scared?  Mine do.  In fact, I can get called upon, at least, three nights a week to come and pray for the "scary thoughts" that are keeping one of them from sleep.

"Scary thoughts" can be paralyzing:

"What if I fail?"

"What if I lose someone I love?"

"What if I don't have what it takes?"

"What if?"

Those scary thoughts can keep us from hearing God's voice, and those thoughts can even keep us from obeying God's direction.

Can I be honest with you?  I struggle with the "what if's".  Sometimes I get so carried away with the voices in my head that I stop listening to the voice of God.

Psalm 29 says:

"The voice of the Lord is over the waters...

The voice of the Lord is powerful;

The voice of the Lord is majestic.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars...

The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightening.

The voice of the Lord shakes the desert...

The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare.

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

The Lord is enthroned as King forever.

The Lord gives strength to his people;

The Lord blesses his people with peace."

I have to ask myself, "Who's voice should I truly be listening to?"  My voice - self-absorbed and sinful?  Or the voice of God - powerful and majestic?  God's voice, His Word, is the word of the King.  The voice of God brings peace, not fear and confusion. The voice of God strengthens our faith, it does not turn us into cowards.

When I get caught up with the "what if's" I have to quickly tell those voices in my head to submit to the Voice that is over the waters.

When you feel scared, or when you find yourself like me, caught up in the "what if's", look to God's Word.  Remember His truth.  Listen to His voice.  Surrender your fears, and walk in obedience.  And the Lord will bless you with peace.

2 Corinthians 10:5 "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

broken

We get broken in different ways.  Sometimes it's through suffering.  Sometimes it's the struggle to live an overcoming life in the midst of our ever-present weaknesses.  Sometimes it comes through a series of events or choices that have left us completely shattered.  Broken.

I'm broken.  Without sharing how you got there, I would guess that maybe you are broken too.

I "get" broken people.  I relate to those who struggle against their weaknesses.  I empathize with those who suffer.

I sense that in our world of quick fixes and distorted doctrines that elevate happiness and prosperity, admitting brokenness is very hard.  But brokenness is a reality.  And it is not wrong or bad or a sign of not loving God or having enough faith.

Psalm 34:18 says: "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

David faced many points of brokenness.  And in the midst of them, he knew that God was there.  That even with a broken heart, God would receive his prayers.

Psalm 51:16 & 17 says: "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

Regardless of how we got here - whether through weakness, suffering or poor choices - a heart, broken and desiring atonement, lifted to God in praise, is a beautiful sacrifice and will not be dismissed.

God loves the broken.  He sent his son, Jesus, for the broken.

Jesus is the story of redemption.  He came to make the broken whole again.  Not whole in the sense that we are perfect and we will never suffer or go through difficult things anymore, but healed, mended and made beautiful so that others would see Jesus through our brokenness.  Jesus came so that we could offer our broken sacrifices to God, and find wholeness through complete surrender.

Sometimes it's the broken things that are my favorite.  There is beauty in the brokenness.  There is beauty in a broken heart.

This song by The Afters is a perfect musical illustration of offering a broken sacrifice to God...enjoy.

broken Hallelujah

a time for everything

Life is cyclical.  From sunrise to sunset, everything moves season to season, upsides and downsides, highs and lows.  I think it is difficult for us in the Western world, with our Western mindset, to comprehend the principle of time and season.  We believe anything less than the high is unproductive and wasted time.

And yet, in Ecclesiastes chapter 3 we see a completely different perspective.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

He has made everything beautiful in its time."

Too often I fight the season I am in because I want to be on the other side of the cycle.  And I imagine that I am not alone in this.

We want to plant roots and dig deep, and God is calling us to uproot and make a change.

We want to dance and laugh, and God has us in a moment of mourning and tears.

We want to be silent, when God is calling us to speak.

In whatever circumstances God has allowed us to be, may we remember that we let go of our preconceived ideas, hopes, dreams, and plans, not to be left empty-handed, but to be free to embrace the new.

And remember...he makes everything - everything - beautiful in its time.

I love you more

Jackson and I have this little game we play with each other at bedtime.  I say, "I love you," to which he replies, "I love you more."  Then I say, "No, I love you more," and he pushes back with, "No, I love you more..." and on and on it goes.  Jackson, typically, will say, "Mommy, I love you too much to argue," when he's ready to have the final word, and our "argument" is over.

Have you ever wondered what life would be like if we treated others from an "I love you more" mindset?  What if, rather than try to get our own way, prove our "rightness", or criticize our fellow believers when they don't quite behave up to par, we just loved them more...more than they love us, or more than they deserve?  What if we took Jesus' command to love and made it our number one mission in life?

Love others more.

Love others enough to forgive them, even when they don't deserve it.  Love them in spite of how we feel.  Love them enough to tell them the truth, especially when that truth is not something easy to share.  Love them more than our reputation.  Love them even when its not the popular thing to do.  Love more in the good times and the bad times.  Love more.

This is an impossible task...truly.  The only way we can be successful in loving others the way God has commanded us to is if we obey his entire command.  Love God completely, wholeheartedly, with our minds, hearts and souls.  Love him more and more and more.  Because when we love God, and we give our lives to God in surrender and obedience, then God's love will pour out of us and spill onto others.

It's not loving more in our own strength.  It is loving more out of an abundance of God's love within us.

Speak truth in love.  Weigh all matters of the heart against a heavy dose of love.  See the world from the other person's perspective.  Listen to the message behind the words or behaviors.  See that person as someone who was created by God, just like me and you.

Jesus loved us more.  He loved us so much more that he gave his very life for us.  His life, death and resurrection bear a message of absolute love.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 23:37-39

He loves us more.

Let us, then, love others more.

Detour - when life interrupts your life

The kids were upstairs playing, enjoying the later bedtime freedom that summer brings, while Joel and I plopped on the couch and started listening to some of our favorite songs of the 80's and early 90's.  Flashbacks of high school slumber parties, listening to Wilson Phillips, Chicago, and of course Michael Bolton's "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You", suddenly flooded my mind.  It is in-con-ceivable to me that high school is well over 20 years in my past. How life  has changed.

I'm certainly not where I thought I would be when I was belting out Wilson Phillips' hits at the top of my lungs at the tender age of 17.  As seemingly insignificant as they were, I had plans for my life.  I had hopes, dreams, and a lot of prayer that things would go a certain way for me.  I headed off to college with high expectations.  And this (Lord have mercy...this) is where my life hit a major detour, and all my plans flew right out the window.  The road I wanted to travel was not the road I found myself on.  And believe you me, I fought tooth and nail to get back on my original path.  I desperately wanted things to go a certain way, and for a reason beyond my human understanding - at the time - God held firm to the detour.  There was tension and frustration of having to let go of certain expectations.  And I would add, God and I have played tug-of-war many times over the years, and there are still times I just want to yank that rope over to my side, but experience has taught me this is never a good thing.

Life will happen.  In fact I've noticed, at least with me, life interrupts my life when I least expect it or desire it.  This interruption sets me on a new course, a detour from my original path, and I have to adjust.  Experience has taught me to embrace the detour, as long and unknown as it may be, because it is the detour that has made me who I am today.  It has shaped me, softened me, matured me, and drawn me closer to my Heavenly Father.

If you are going through a detour right now, stop resisting.  If your life has been interrupted by an illness, or a death in the family, or the loss of a job, or depression, or an unrealized dream, understand this: it will not be the end of you.  It will most definitely hurt for a while...trust me in that...but it will not overtake you if you don't allow it to.   Trust that God is truly in control.  There are things that will not be defined or explained right now, and perhaps never, but the process he is taking you through will not be for nothing.  There is a purpose in everything.  Everything.  Every loss, every pain, every broken heart.  There is most certainly a purpose.  BUT, you've got to hang in there, follow the detour, walk the difficult, unplanned path for as long as it takes in order to see the purpose at the end.

And here is the silver lining...that which truly makes the detour worthwhile.

He makes all things new.

He takes the most bitter and ugliest parts of our stories and makes something beautiful, precious, rare and exquisite.

He sees everything.  He knows everything.  And he holds everything in his hands.  He is in control of everything.

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."  Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new."  - Revelation 21:4,5a

Popcorn praise & Popsicle prayers

The way to my children's hearts is through their tummies.  They love food.  They love thinking about food.  They love knowing what's for dinner before breakfast is over.  And they loved every delectable bite of the Ritz crackers and string cheese I served them for snack this afternoon. With that in mind, I decided that if we were to successfully pass on the value and practice of prayer and praise, then a good food analogy was in order.

Before we begin our family prayer time, we start out with "popcorn praise".  It took some explaining as Jackson kept expecting a bowl of popcorn to accompany his words of praise for the first several nights, but he eventually figured it out.  "Popcorn praise" is a time when we offer random words of thanksgiving and praise to God.  There is no order.  If  you have something you want to say to God, then go ahead and say it.  Be spontaneous.  Let it pop right out of your mouth like a kernel of popcorn in the popper.

"Enter his gates with THANKSGIVING and his courts with PRAISE; give THANKS to him and PRAISE his name!" Psalm 100:4.

After we spend a little time thanking God and praising Him, we have our "popsicle prayer" time.  A girlfriend of mine found this great idea on Pinterest, and she got me started with a bundle of wide craft sticks ("popsicle" sticks).  Everybody has someone or something new to pray for each night.  It is a pretty ingenius idea, and we have found it to be a great way to get the kids involved in- and take ownership of- our family prayer time.

Just to be clear: prayer time in our home is sometimes loud, sometimes long, sometimes short, and sometimes crazy.  Yet even while we are somewhat rough around the edges when it comes to prayer etiquette (ie: not interrupting your sister while she is thanking Jesus for you!), I feel immensely joyful having this special and quality prayer time with my kids, as well as confident that we are teaching them the value and practice of praise and prayer.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12.

Worst case scenario.

My kids are Young Champions, and they have the medals to prove it.  They just completed a week long track and field clinic/outreach that our church puts on for the community.  All three of my kiddos had an amazing time making new friends, hanging out with old friends, and learning new skills.  It was a joy for me to watch them work hard and compete.  Jackson was in heaven for sure - winning and competition are his two favorite things.  For my girls, however, Young Champions was a few stretches beyond their comfort zones.  After the first night I was actually concerned that Sydney might withdraw from the clinic and end up sitting on the sidelines with me.  In the car ride home she unloaded her frustrations and anxieties about the track and field events: "I'm not fast!  I always lose!  I'm don't jump high and I don't throw far.  I'm going to lose everything!  It's so embarrassing!"

My initial feeling was irritation.  Really?  Are you kidding me?  This was supposed to be fun.  You were supposed to enjoy the experience.  I wanted to lecture Sydney on all the reasons she shouldn't be feeling upset and discouraged, and give her a good dose of "you should be grateful for the opportunity..." etc, etc.  But I didn't.  Instead I asked her a few questions.

1. If you lose, will Mommy and Daddy stop loving you?

Sydney's reply: No

2. If you lose, will God stop loving you?

Sydney's reply: No

3. If you lose, will your friends not like you anymore?

Sydney's reply: No

4. So, what's the worst thing that can happen to you if you lose?

After a long pause, Sydney's reply: I don't know.

In a nutshell, if you lose Mommy and Daddy will still love you, God will still love you, and your friends are still going to love you and be your friend.  I guess the worst thing that will happen is that you will lose.  And that's it.  If you can handle the feeling of losing, then you will be alright, because it won't get any worse than that.  And really, it can only get better.

I've been trying to take my own advice lately.  Sometimes the unknown, or perhaps our worst fears, will keep us from enjoying a moment, or taking a step of faith.  I don't know about you, but I can almost become paralyzed as the worst case scenario plays through my mind.  I'm learning to ask myself the same questions I asked Sydney: If this happens (worst case scenario) will God stop loving me?  Will Joel, and my family stop loving me?  Of course not!  So, the worst thing that could happen is this "thing".  And if I can handle that, and with God's help and love I will, then I will be alright.

Because it won't get any worse than my worst case scenario.  And really, it can only get better.

He will fight for you.

Exodus 14:14 "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." He will fight for you.

Working it out, and making it work.

We are a family of five.  A family of five packed with lots of personality.  There is never a dull moment in our home.  It's lively.  Feisty.  Colorful.  Passionate and Diverse. Naturally, with all this passion and diversity comes an awful lot of disagreement (you can only imagine).  Our more recent family verse could not have been more appropriate.

This scripture prompted some interesting dialogue.  "What does unity in our family look like?"  "What if we made every effort at working it out, and making it work with each other?"  "What does it mean to be held together with the bond of peace?"

We set our goals.  We thought, each one of us, of what it would take to "make every effort".

We are going on week #2 with these goals.  We are learning.  Unity takes time.  I figure, if God isn't finished with me yet, refining and chipping away at the rough character issues in my life, then we can take another week to focus on "speaking with a calm voice," "using words like 'please' and 'thank you'," and "no poking, no whining...".

I love the way Joel expressed our need for this verse in our family to our children.  He explained that this is the way God desires for all of us Christians to treat and behave with one another.  We get to practice this in our home so we will know how to treat our brothers and sisters in Christ.

This summer we are working it out, and making it work.  We are making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace...and a whole lot of love too!

Old Dog, New Tricks

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  There are days I am tempted to agree with them.  Joel and I bought a new camera.  We spent months researching and comparing brands, prices, and pixels, then finally bit the bullet.  We pushed our nine-year-old, first edition, digital Sony camera aside and purchased a camera that promised to do everything, as well as cure cancer (well, not really).  I was like a kid on the night before Christmas as I waited for our upgrade into the 21st century to arrive in the mail.  When it finally came, I had that thing unpacked in less than five seconds flat. I started snapping pics like I knew something about cameras...which I don't.  In fact, as I flipped through to review my recent shots, it became very clear to me that I know absolutely "nada" about camera technology built in the last 10 years.  I pulled out the owner's manual and instructional DVDs, getting to work, learning about his new piece of machinery.  Suffice it to say, a month later I am still learning by much trial and error.  Almost to the point of pulling out my old Sony and giving up.  But of course I won't.  You see, the desire to take better quality photos far outweighs the desire to stop learning how to operate this new camera, as frustrating and impossible as it may seem at times.

I haven't been blogging lately because I have felt like an old dog learning new tricks over the past five months.  God is up to new things, and most of them aren't that comfortable for me.  He's been stretching me beyond my comfort zone and requiring my nose to be stuck in his instructional manual rather than my computer.  I often find myself wishing I could return to the things that I know, like my old Sony digital camera, rather than take that overwhelming step towards the life and future I have dreamed about.

It's easy to dream.  To think about how nice it would be to get that one perfect snapshot.  It's something completely different to start working towards that dream.  That takes discipline, time, a few tears, and perseverance.  It takes a determined effort to keep that dream in view, ignoring the growing pains, and trusting the One in the lead.  The new tricks might seem a bit out of reach, but they are never unattainable.

So, throw that old first-edition digital camera away, and get down to business on the new thing that God has brought your way.  We are not "Old Dogs" yet, my friend!

Safely Kept

The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.  Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever.  Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Psalm 138:8

From the dawn of time God had you in mind.  He created a tailor-made plan for your life, and being God, he intends to fulfill that plan.  The worries of this world would try to convince you and me that maybe God can't handle all the concerns and stress that we carry each day.  We begin to hesitate in putting our complete faith in our Heavenly Father, and we start looking to ourselves for answers and results.

But God knows what he's doing.  God hasn't forgotten his plans for you.  God is deeply aware of those things that concern you.  In fact, they concern him too.  And he is more than capable of taking care of our children, our jobs, our homes, our physical bodies than we ever could...no matter how hard we try.

Not only will he complete the work that he started in you, but he will perfect it.  He will make it better than you could ever imagine.  His love is a faithful love...it never goes away.  Just as you and I would never abandon our own children, he will never abandon you.  He will never forsake you.

You are safely kept in the palm of his hand.

How precious you are to him.  So let him carry your burdens.  Let him work out his plans for you.  Trust him and obey.  And allow him to draw you into peace, protection, rest and security.

Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love.  Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

Jeremiah 31:3

Perfectly Peaceful

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

I've been feeling a little anxious lately.  In fact, I couldn't sleep last night.  So many lists going, so many meetings scheduled, so many unfinished projects.  So little time.  Staring blankly at the ceiling, at one-o'clock in the morning, the one comfort I had was this verse.  In the middle of the stress, if I keep my mind on Him, I will find myself perfectly peaceful.

He will keep me.  He will strengthen me.  He will be my supply.

I will trust in Him.

Suffering

In fact those who have experienced more of the love of God than anyone I have ever met have also endured more suffering.  When you crush lavender, you find its full fragrance; when you squeeze an orange, you extract its sweet juice.  In the same way it is often through pains and hurts that we develop the fragrance and sweetness of Jesus in our lives. - David Watson

You don't have to look very far to find suffering.  In fact, you may be in the middle of a crisis right now that is squeezing the juice out of you.  I've been thinking a lot about suffering lately as I've watched various friends go through some of the most painful seasons of their lives.  What I am most captivated by is the beautiful glow that surrounds them.  It's not the grit-your-teeth-and-put-on-a-good-show type of beauty, but one that can only come through the grace of God so lavishly poured out on them.  The more they are squeezed the sweeter they become.

We must be prepared to acknowledge that there is no simple definitive answer to the "Why?" of suffering.  Instead, we may approach the problem from a different perspective: God is a God who suffers alongside us. - Nicky Gumbel from his book, Searching Issues

We have a God who is not oblivious or ignorant to our hurts.  In fact, he is deeply acquainted with our pain, and he walks beside us through each crush and squeeze of our suffering.

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.  Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered  him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. - Isaiah 53:3-5

A Brief Thought On Motherhood

Moms come in all different shapes, sizes, colors, histories, gifts and callings.  Motherhood is not a "one size fits all" deal.  In theory this is a great truth.  In practice it can be very challenging to accept and believe. Some moms work outside the home, some moms are full time homemakers.  Some moms send their kids to public school, some to private school, and some choose to homeschool.  Some moms are single, some are married.  Some moms are the outdoorsy types, and love camping, rock climbing, canoeing and hiking.  Some moms are crafty, some are foodies, some are musicians, some are story-tellers.  Some moms wear a high powered suit to work and lead major companies, some moms rock at farming and cattle raising.

I believe the best moms are not the moms that try to squeeze into a mold that doesn't fit (it's like trying to squeeze into a pair of ill-fitting jeans...that's downright sad and painful).  The best moms are not looking at other moms and comparing themselves or wasting time by judging and criticizing.  Just as each individual comes in a unique and beautiful package, so is the role they play in motherhood.  There is no "one size fits all".  Rather than comparing, wouldn't it be more productive for us to extend grace to one another and realize that most moms are simply trying to do the best they can to be the best they can be?

The best moms are the moms who are grounded in their faith, obedient to the individual calling God has placed on their lives, and are operating in their God-given gifts and abilities.  These moms will truly be their best selves for their families.

"Her children will arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:  Many women do noble things but you surpass them all.  Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." - Proverbs 31:28-30