Reminders from Scripture

Downtown Temple, NH - photo credit: Steve Wolfe

While walking with my husband we were talking about the struggle we have had to discover the place God would have our family be to worship and become a part of the local body of Christ -namely a church home.  This has been ongoing for months now.  Steve described our disheartened state as 'being in a spiritual funk', which I (sadly) found pretty accurate.
We are slowly feeling the fog lift as God is showing us things and we are stepping seriously outside of our comfort zone in some areas to be obedient to what we believe God wants for us.  It is not easy, but nothing says that any of this life is supposed to be easy.  What we are promised is that God will be with us on the journey and give us all that is needed to take each step with Him as our guide.

I am blessed to have access to a marvelous software program for Bible study, devotional helps, etc. from Logos.com, and have just completed a 5-day reading plan about spiritual growth that has been really good.  For the 4th day, I read three pieces of scripture that struck a deep chord because they give a picture of what God's heart is for His church.

Psalm 133:1-3

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!  It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes.  It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.  All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.  And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

John 13:35

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Blessings on the journey~

Change like a deluge

There have been quite a few changes in our lives recently.  Some of it has felt like standing beneath this waterfall and being told to catch every drop... with a Dixie-cup.  It hasn't been easy... it hasn't been a lot of fun most of the time... but God is so faithful that I'm beginning to feel like the waterfall might be looking more like this now.

Still changing and coming at us pretty quickly, but not unmanageable by God's grace and not feeling like I'm drowning - which is such a gift!
I am looking forward to the coming months... seeing this in my future....

Because God's grace flows like a river over my life and I'm going with that flow on the greatest adventure.  I trust the Guide... because of His promise.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."~ Jeremiah 29:11

Blessings on the journey~

Hebrews 12

Hebrews 12 (ESV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
³  Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. ⁴ In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
    nor be weary when reproved by him.
⁶ For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and chastises every son whom he receives.”

⁷ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. ¹¹  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

¹² Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, ¹³ and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. ¹⁴  Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; ¹⁶ that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. ¹⁷ For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
¹⁸ For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest ¹⁹ and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. ²⁰ For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” ²¹ Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” ²² But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, ²³ and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
²⁵ See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. ²⁶ At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” ²⁷ This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, ²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire.

~Biblegateway.com

Jesus is Never Snarky (or... an apology)

I offer sincere apologies to anyone who reads my Facebook posts and was upset by one post from yesterday (that has since been deleted).  I am truly sorry for my choice of words yesterday and have already had face time with the Lord over it, so now I'm doing the electronic version for anyone who cares.
Yesterday in a snit of self-righteousness and frustration I posted something on Facebook that was definitely snarky in tone and probably rude.  One of those motivations is definitely a sin that I'm continually having to struggle with and repent of and the other... hmmm... have to get back to you on that.
I read an amazing blog post by Teri Lynne and was both inspired and irritated.  You can read the post she wrote here.  She's pretty awesome a lot and I generally find helpful insights in her writing.
So.. back to my response.  I was inspired because God has been really impressing on me over the last year or so that we don't have to be some super-saint or have some amazing talent to be useful for Him.  We just have to be willing and say 'yes' when an opportunity presents itself.  Please note that I do not think that these opportunities arise by accident - GOD is planning all this - it says so in scripture "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10.
I was irritated because I'm struggling with a nasty funk of feeling like there are lots of fat sheep in our churches being only consumers without doing anything or sacrificing anything (Dietrich Bonhoeffer has been in my head lately too).  I'm really sure that Jesus got his hands dirty when He walked this earth and maybe we don't actually have to get physically dirty to serve for His kingdom... but we have to get out of the chairs.  Even in small ways - like Teri Lynne talked about.
So.  I apologize for being snarky and rude. 
But I do NOT apologize for the feelings that I'm wrestling with about how to live a better story for Jesus, and to DO what I say I believe.  I don't want to waste this short life that God has given me (yes - John Piper is in my head too) -  when I can choose to do something that may somehow make a difference.

What will you choose?
Joshua 24:15 "But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”


Blessings on the journey~

Some reading

So... I've been doing some reading... not a news flash to anyone who knows me.  I read a lot ~ not as much as some but way more than many.
In the past few weeks I've been reading these:

Which I mentioned here and can be purchased here.

bought from here

bought from here

J has also read the last two (Interrupted & 7) and has loved them to the point of not really wanting me to loan them out because she wants to re-read them.

The focus of all of these is living and loving like Jesus did and as He commanded - up close and personal with "the least of these".  It is about living our faith (see the book of James) and walking the walk that matches the talk.  Not the typical American version of Christianity in most places and not an easy thing for most of us living the average American life.  I have been so impacted that it is hard to sort out at the moment and find my family on a journey to really figure out what Jesus is calling us to do/change/be.
This also follows with the book Radical that I read last year. 

We have begun a family study of the book of James - yep, we're our own 'small group'.  I'm anxious to see how God is going to use this time together in Scripture, the books, much prayer, and some willing hands & feet.
The journey may not be swift or comfortable, but following Jesus is absolutely worth it and I know that we will all be different moving forward.  Jesus loves us far too much to leave us as He found us.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 says: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

That sounds like a promise to me... and I am seeking with all my heart.

Blessings on the journey~

Can I be 'barefoot'?

I am reading this book right now...slowly.

Barefoot Church by Brandon Hatmaker.  I say I'm reading it slowly because there is a lot to absorb and process.  For example: "We can try to argue that our actions and words function independent of one another, with out consequence. But one thing is for certain: our observers never separate the two."  (sorry I can't reference a page - I have it on my kindle).

I honestly think this book is one of those that God could use (like David Platt's book Radical) to really change me... but only if I am willing to be changed.  I am willing and that scares the stuffing out of me... and probably my family too. :-) 
Being willing to serve and proclaim... both in unity.  To reach out to the 'least' in love as Jesus did and to do so honestly in faith.  To move away from what I have always experienced & known in my American suburban 'church' experience to live what Jesus really taught as how to live as the body of Christ in action - the church.  It doesn't seem that it ought to be such a stretch, but it is in most cases as far as my personal experience has been.  We serve as an 'event' instead of a way of life.  I'm pretty sure that wasn't what Jesus had in mind.

I have a few more on my 'to read' stack (7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess and Interrupted - both by Jen Hatmaker)  - actually I have  HUGE stack to read... but those have migrated to the top of the stack.

I have so much to learn...and then to do.  I have to be willing to say "Here am I, send me."  Isaiah 6:8



Blessings on the journey~

Psalm 73

A Psalm of Asaph.

 Truly God is good to Israel,
    to those who are pure in heart.
² But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
    my steps had nearly slipped.
³  For I was envious of the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

⁴ For they have no pangs until death;
    their bodies are fat and sleek.
⁵ They are not in trouble as others are;
    they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace;
    violence covers them as a garment.
⁷ Their eyes swell out through fatness;
    their hearts overflow with follies.
⁸ They scoff and speak with malice;
    loftily they threaten oppression.
⁹ They set their mouths against the heavens,
    and their tongue struts through the earth.
¹⁰ Therefore his people turn back to them,
    and find no fault in them.^[a]
11 And they say, “How can God know?
    Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
¹² Behold, these are the wicked;
    always at ease, they increase in riches.
¹³ All in vain have I kept my heart clean
    and washed my hands in innocence.
¹⁴ For all the day long I have been stricken
    and rebuked every morning.
¹⁵ If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
    I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

¹⁶ But when I thought how to understand this,
    it seemed to me a wearisome task,
¹⁷ until I went into the sanctuary of God;
    then I discerned their end.

¹⁸ Truly you set them in slippery places;
    you make them fall to ruin.
¹⁹ How they are destroyed in a moment,
    swept away utterly by terrors!
²⁰ Like a dream when one awakes,
    O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
²¹ When my soul was embittered,
    when I was pricked in heart,
²² I was brutish and ignorant;
    I was like a beast toward you.

²³ Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
    you hold my right hand.
²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will receive me to glory.
²⁵  Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
²⁶  My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

²⁷ For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
    you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
²⁸ But for me it is good to be near God;
    I have made the Lord God my refuge,
    that I may tell of all your works.

Snow and other weirdness

These are photos from my front yard this morning... crazy!  I was NOT looking for a snowstorm this week, in fact, I have a catalog for garden seeds on my nightstand right now and had begun entertaining thoughts of attempting to grow things again this summer. *sigh*  In time I suppose... all this white stuff has to melt soon.. right?
It has been sort of a weird week here in a few ways - not just because of the crazy snow.
Steve and I celebrated our 16th year of wedded wonderful-ness on the 29th of February.  We only have an actual day on the calendar once in 4 years, so this was big.  Normally I would be spoiled with some amazing present from this incredible man who loves me so much, this year we have had some other family financial obligations that trumped frivolous expressions of love (like kitten leg surgery and a new car engine).  I guess this is what happens to old married people. :-)   It is all good - our family come first always and I already have more than enough of everything... I am most blessed among women.
We spent the day together as a family - made it a school holiday for the kids and enjoyed a nice day.  We even had a lovely dinner out together while the kids were at youth group.  I don't remember the last time we sat in a mostly empty restaurant and just talked for an hour after dinner.  It was really great.  Of course the fact that it was a Wednesday off of normal life, and then we had the snowstorm come through and messed up our 'normal' again on Thursday sort of has me all off-kilter now.

Most of the weirdness has been internal for me - emotional & spiritual - as I'm struggling to find some answers and direction with some heavy things in my life. I long desperately to be useful for God... to have my heart broken for the things that break His heart... to serve & love the way Jesus does (and did during his ministry).  To not just have a vertical faith - but to live my faith horizontally.  I want to be a conduit for God's grace in this broken world.

I'm reading a few books at the moment and two of them are about trusting God.  One is for my regular ladies bible study group on Monday nights and the other is part of a daily devotional series I bought through Vision Forum.  Both are excellent.
Today in the devotional book, the author shared 3 scriptures that really struck me.

"Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.  He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." ~Deuteronomy 8:2-3

I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.  ~ Job 42:2

Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. ~James 5:11
 
And then during my regular prayer time and scripture reading I came across this one:
I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself,
    that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
Correct me, O Lord, but in justice;
    not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. ~Jeremiah 10:23-24

I know God is trying to teach me some hard things... and I know that I am often slow to hear/learn.  I'm very grateful for His infinite mercy & amazing patience with me as I struggle to sort out lessons, truth and direction.  I pray from the depths of my heart for wisdom, discernment and clarity.  I trust Him and know that he has a Sovereign plan.  I long to be part of His Kingdom work in my everyday and anxiously await more and more of Him being poured into my heart/soul/mind so that I might be more like Jesus.


Blessings on the journey~

Third World Symphony and Compassion

Over a year ago I stumbled on a blogger trip sponsored by Compassion International.  Basically they choose a handful of bloggers - take them someplace in the world to witness what Compassion does first hand and let them share their experiences with their readers.  Pretty cool.  Pretty radical.
You can't know how someone will react to what they see.  You can't know what someone will write in response to what they experience.  But from what I've seen over the last year or so, it's pretty phenomenal how God is using this specific means to reach people to expose them to a way they can be Jesus' hands and feet in releasing children from poverty through sponsorship with Compassion.
I know - we are part of it now.  And because we are part of it, my parents are now part of it. And only God knows for sure where it will all go further from our two homes and the handful of kids we sponsor between us.
Anyway - on that first trip, and the ones since then that I've followed, there is this guy - well sometimes more than just one guy - but this particular guy is unique.  His name is Shaun Groves and he is pretty interesting and talented and funny... and best of all, he really shares his heart for God and these kids in amazing ways.  The fact that he is a home schooling Dad gives him extra points too. :-)
I started reading his blog.  He makes me really think, he cracks me up a lot - he has kids, he is genuine in his faith and honest beyond belief about his life, struggles, and what God has done and is doing with him and his family.   It's a peek into someone's real Christian life... and I'm just nosey enough to be fascinated.
A while back Shaun put out this idea of making an album and invited his readers to support his project financially - for our efforts (and prayers) we would get a free album!  Woohoo!  Who doesn't love to be part of something really cool and out of the ordinary like a music album?  And get free music?  Add the extra "hoo!" and count us in!



Shaun's new album Third World Symphony arrived the day before Hurricane Irene was set to hit New England and J promptly ripped it into iTunes for our listening pleasure.  It is completely awesome!
Even the 13 year old agrees!  She loves this album and is hoping that Shaun may eventually make some sheet music available to aspiring musicians who live in our house (J-girl plays piano and B-boy is learning to play guitar) *hint*hint* (just in case Shaun actually sees this - which I doubt - but you never know what God can do on the internet! *S*)
Now Shaun is doing a blog tour with video clips, Q&A interviews and various other cool stuff.  I follow him on facebook and have been reading all sorts of neat blogs because of this 'tour'.   There are some pretty cool and creative people on this web-thing.  And the really amazing thing is reading the hearts of all these people that have been touched by Shaun's music and his heart and  his work with Compassion International.  All these stories of how God is working around the world just blow me away!
People - ordinary people.  Moms with minivans and sticky counters, people with little to spare in their budget and people with more, guys with kids and without, people with words and stories and hearts that God is using - changing the world, reaching the world for Christ.  It's amazing, humbling, and almost too exciting to be able to wrap words around.
Shaun's music on this album, Third World Symphony, is so real.  It is music that has looked into the eyes of hurting and hungry people.  It is cries and praise to the only One who can save (John 3:16-17), the One who is the giver of every good gift (James 1:17), the One who never wastes anything (John 6:12). 
You should go to his album website HERE and listen to the music... buy a copy... let God use these amazing songs to change you in some small way. 


I'm so thankful that God allowed us the opportunity to be a small part of this project.  We all have a part to play in the symphony that God is writing. 
What is your part?

Another Birthday

This time is my youngest child... who has some how, in just a blink, become a young man.

At around a year old he was just adorable

and oh so BUSY! 

 

And today he is twelve!  A young man. Smart and strong, kind and loving.  Still very busy!  Learning, growing and in training to be the man God has planned for him to be....  and making his mama so proud of him!

Handsome like his Dad! :-)

Happy birthday my son!
May you always be blessed on the journey God has marked for you!

“‘“The LORD bless you
   and keep you;
 the LORD make his face shine upon you
   and be gracious to you;
 the LORD turn his face toward you
   and give you peace.”’ 

~Numbers 6:24-26

Sunday

May you all enjoy a day of joy & peace on this Sunday.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
~ Ephesians 2:13

Blessings on the journey~



Photo credit Steve Wolfe

Mother's Day & my birthday

My birthday falls near Mother's Day.  A few times it has even been ON Mother's Day.  It's not a big deal.  Neither day is that much of a 'special' thing for me personally.  Mother's Day is one of those quasi-Hallmark holidays in my book.  Don't get me wrong - I like to have my kids give me an 'atta Mom' and "We love you!"  But I much prefer them unprompted and unscripted.
Birthdays in general aren't a huge deal in our family.  We usually celebrate with just my folks and sometimes a friend or two for the kids and most of the time enjoy a dinner out someplace low-key.  We are not big on hype and super-fancy around our house.  *shrug* 

This year for my gift from Steve, I found a really neat necklace from a cool little etsy shop online The Adopt Shoppe.  All proceeds go towards funding their adoption of a child from another country.  Definitely a  worthy cause!  And the verse on the necklace is one of my favorites.  Jeremiah 29:11

Actually I love the whole Bible (of course!  It's God's Word!) ... but some verses really jump out to me at different times and this one has been one of those to hold onto when things are rough and when things are great too.

Jeremiah 29: 11(italics mine) - 13

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 

Doesn't that sound so hopeful and encouraging, comforting and just SAFE?  Yeah... I think so too.

Blessings on the journey all~

New Bible Study

Last night our ladies group began a new Bible Study from a book by Sheila Walsh, Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God.  I think it will be amazing.

This morning in our reading time, the kids and I read this passage:

2 Corinthians 4:6-18

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken."With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

I really love how God reminds us of His eternal love and care of us, even when we cannot see the reason behind the darkness that faces us in this moment.  He has a reason, we have to trust Him.

I love the Psalms

This passage is part of a bigger study over at Pleasing To You... she's doing a great job!

I love the book of Psalms... it is big, it has so much for everyone and so much of it is so beautiful.  This passage really spoke to my heart this morning as I am trying to get back on an even stride in my daily life after being away.

Psalm 119:33-40 (NIV)
³³  Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees;
       then I will keep them to the end.
 ³⁴ Give me understanding, and I will keep your law
       and obey it with all my heart.
 ³⁵ Direct me in the path of your commands,
       for there I find delight.
 ³⁶ Turn my heart toward your statutes
       and not toward selfish gain.
 ³⁷ Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
       preserve my life according to your word. 
 ³⁸ Fulfill your promise to your servant,
       so that you may be feared.
 ³⁹ Take away the disgrace I dread,
       for your laws are good.
 ⁴⁰ How I long for your precepts!
       Preserve my life in your righteousness.

Photo Credit: My amazing husband

What is important?

This verse hit hard this morning... an important reminder of what is important.

Micah 6:8  He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
                   To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.