Garage "Sailing"

My family recently had a big garage sale, and my precious friend Tessa came over to help with the sale.  While she was here, we had a deep conversation about sharing the gospel, and the LORD led us to become evangelism accountability partners, to encourage one another to share reach out and share Jesus with the world around us every week.  

As we were sitting at the garage sale, we decided to write a pass-it-on poem just for fun, and below is the poem we wrote together.  To us, this poem - which began as a simple way to pass the time - is now a potent reminder that everyone has a story, and life is a mission field.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I see a woman in floral attire

She has a soothing voice that could inspire

Look at the man in the worn-out jeans

But everything about him is not as it seems

So many faces, stories untold

Even the young, not simply the old

Frown lines, empty eyes, scars on the inside

All of the pleas they're trying to hide

Yet hope for tomorrow can come from another place

To capture their heart and lift up their face

Then joy can be theirs, beauty can fill those eyes

No longer will they feel alone or despised

If only they'll look to the One who frees us

Please, call out His name, beg for Jesus!

So I won't sit back and watch from afar

I will love these souls, wherever they are

Wedding Song

I'm overwhelmed by my thirst for Heaven, for Home - and my consuming desire to see Him face to face. Sitting at my beloved piano, overcome by my longing to be with my Savior, I wrote this song.

Desiderio Domini!  I long to be with my LORD! 

Now I leave this world behind
I’m flying home where I belong
My heart and soul cry out for You, Lord
I’m finally here at Your gates
How lovely is Your dwelling place
Besides You I desire nothing

I will hunger no more
Neither thirst any longer
For You fill my cup with Your love
You are the Bridegroom and I am Your bride
Your love is wonderful
Your love is deep and wide
______________________________________________
CHORUS:
This is my wedding song
This is where I belong
I’m finally home at last
Now I can see Your face
Breathe in and out your grace
You wipe the scars from my past
_________________________________________________
Now I’m in Your throne room
And I fall on my knees
But You pick me up again
Surrounded by glory, clothed all in white
This is our love story
Filled with beautiful light

{CHORUS}

Better is one day with You
Than a thousand spent elsewhere
In Your presence is fullness of joy
Whom have I in heaven but You, Jesus?
My soul yearns for You alone
Your love is glorious

{CHORUS}

I thirst for You like a parched land
I’m finally here holding your hands
You’re so beautiful, You are beautiful
You pull me into Your embrace
I feel your love, I see your grace
This joy and peace is overwhelming

This is my wedding song
This is where I belong
I’m finally home at last
Now I can see Your face
Breathe in and out your grace
You wipe the scars from my past
This is my wedding song

Resting in His Steadfast Faithfulness

He is so faithful - always faithful.

And I have so much to learn about resting and trusting in His faithfulness, not fearing the future, leaning on Jesus.

Corrie ten Boom once said, "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."

I’ve often struggled with fear, worry, and uncertainty about the future.  I like feeling secure and knowing exactly what’s coming next.  But when you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, nothing is predictable.  Life is an adventure full of miracles and crazy expeditions.  The only thing that never changes and never fails me is Jesus. 

“On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.”

No man can serve two masters.  You can’t effectively serve both fear and God.

The most common command in Scripture is:  “Do not fear.”  DO NOT FEAR.  Jesus often told us not to fear, not to worry about tomorrow.  He repeated it often because it's so important.  Fear robs us of joy and strangles our trust in God.

God just asks us to follow Him one step at a time:

“Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.”—Psalm 119:105

It's not a headlight.  You can't see down the path and the light doesn't shine ahead for you to see what's coming up in your future.  But as a lamp to your feet and light to your path, the LORD will lead you one step at a time.

Why do I have such weak human faith in Someone who is perfectly faithful?  I do believe in Him with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength, but when it comes to living daily life, I easily get caught up with distractions, challenges, and anxieties and I start relying on myself rather than Him.  I start fearing the future.

That's when I'm reminded of an old hymn I love:

“Great is Thy faithfulness!  Great is Thy Faithfulness!  Morning by morning new mercies I see.  All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided.  Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.”

My world is so unpredictable, constantly changing and shifting.  But through it all, God is still…God.  Still the same.  Unchanging.  Always faithful. 

“All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided.”  And it’s true.  Sure, I often don’t feel like my needs are met.  But God truly has provided everything I need.  In fact, He's gone above and beyond and given me everything I need for life and godliness.  I am richly blessed in so many ways.  How often do I take it for granted?

Now I just want to let the Bible speak for itself.  I want to share a few of my favorite verses about God’s faithfulness:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 4:6-7

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”—Matthew 6:34

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”—Psalm 46:1

“I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” – John 14:18

 "The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know your name will put their trust in you: for you, LORD, have not forsaken them that seek you.” – Psalms 9:9-10

 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”—Romans 8:28

 “…cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” –1 Peter 5:7

“Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” –Jesus, (Mark 5:36)

“Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” (Proverbs 23:18)

 “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” - Isaiah 41:10

‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’ - Jeremiah 29:11

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” -Matthew 19:26

"So then, banish anxiety from your heart." --Ecclesiastes 11:10

"Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and the bitterness.  Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me.  This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.  The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.” -Lamentations 3:19-23

And finally, another quote:     {Can you tell I like Corrie ten Boom?}

‎"When a train enters a tunnel and it’s dark, you don’t throw out the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer."~Corrie Ten Boom

What are some of your favorite verses about God's faithfulness?

Sandcastles

Running barefoot down the beach. Drinking in the fresh, salty tang of sea air.  Sea foam curling its frothy white lips on the sand.  A few wispy flumes of clouds drifting idly.  The ocean – shimmering, rippling, dazzling, gold-dusted by the setting sun. 

When summer rolls around each year, I long to visit the ocean.  I love the feeling of the ocean wind wrapping me in its wings and whipping my hair behind me.  I love the feeling of the warm sand and the sunshine and the icy ocean water. 

On one occasion, my family went on one of our long-awaited beach trips.  I couldn’t wait to just relax on the beach and lie in the warm sand.  But my little brother had other ideas.  He wanted to enlist my help in building sandcastles.  Somewhat reluctantly, I got up to help, only to become quickly consumed with the project.  Before I knew it, I’d spent hours creating an impressive castle—never once thinking that it was only a matter of hours before the tide would wash away all my hard work.

I think we often make the same mistake in life, expending our time and energy building our own little “castles”.  We all have sandcastles - some different, some the same.  Friends.  Good grades.  Fashion.  Sports.  Guy-girl relationships.  Possessions.  Popularity and Reputation.  Technology and media.  College.  We pour our time, energy, and money into building our own “castles” of possessions and basking in our own accomplishments.  We may claim to care only for Jesus, but in reality we flirt with materialism.  Slowly, "flirting" turns to infatuation - we become infatuated with the world.  We’ve been sucked into wanting to achieve “the American Dream”.  The little luxuries, goals, and things of this world are not always as innocent as they seem.

The trouble with sandcastles is that…well…they’re made of sand.  Eventually, they will crumble or wash away and we will be left with nothing.  Life is short.  A mere breath.  A vapor.  Do we want to spend our lives building sandcastles that will only wash away with the changing tide?  Are we living for the here and now or the then and there?  Are we living for the short today or the long tomorrow?  

The greatest danger of building “sandcastles” in our lives is that they often take the place of Jesus.  They become more than castles—they become our idols.  In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us that:  "...where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  What's your treasure?  And where is your heart?  If Jesus is your Treasure, your heart will be wrapped up in Him.

As the old poem by C.T. Studd goes, “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”  I don’t want to ever take this life for granted.  We only have a breath of time here on earth.  I don’t want to have any regrets.  I don’t want to regret building sandcastles here on earth when I could have been working toward the Kingdom to come.  I don’t want to get caught up with caring about the stuff on this planet.  I just want to live for Jesus. 

Giving up earthly treasures for treasures in heaven is always worth it.  We ought to invest our time, energy, and money in the Kingdom we are going to spend eternity in.  As my dear friend Shelby often likes to say, "Better to be radical than regretful."  God wants you to spend your time and treasure building His kingdom, not your own.  He is calling you to take up your cross daily and follow Him in surrender.  What He asks of us is not easy.  But it’s always worth it.  

With my eyes fixed on that old blood-stained cross on a lonely hill, I’ve found I am far richer than when building my castles of sand.   

"On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand...all other ground is sinking sand."

surrender

I am blown away by the incredible picture of surrender in Matthew 4:18-20 –

“As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.”

At once they left their nets and followed Him.  What a breath-taking picture of surrender!  These disciples were fishermen.  When they threw down their nets to follow Jesus, they literally left behind their jobs – their livelihoods – to follow Christ. 

It makes me wonder:  Do we take this calling seriously?  And are we willing to throw down our own “nets” to follow Jesus?

Our culture has taught us to view surrender as a sign of weakness, an act of giving up.  When we hear the word “surrender”, we imagine a battle field in which one army retreats and waves its white flag.  But surrender to Christ is very different.  Surrender to Jesus brings freedom and life.  Surrender to Jesus is beautiful.

So what is surrender?  A dictionary definition for surrender is: to cease resistance, to submit fully, to yield completely.  What does surrender look like?  It looks like letting go.

I love this quote, which perfectly captures the idea of letting go and holding open hands to God:

“I have learned to hold all things loosely, because it hurts when God has to pry open my fingers.” –Corrie ten Boom

We all have our own “nets” that we don’t want to let go of, that we clutch tightly in our hands.  We all hold onto different things – dreams and ambitions, possessions, relationships, fears and worries, the need to feel accepted and appreciated…so many other things.

For some of us, it’s our dreams, hopes, and ambitions.  We make plans for our lives and expect God to bless those plans, rather than seeking His heart and letting Him guide us.  We strive towards whatever plan we have: to go to a certain college, or work at a specific job or internship, or lead a certain ministry, etc.  I’m learning to leave my future safe in His hands, to be fully surrendered, and to let the LORD lead me.  His plans are always better than mine.

For some of us, we hold onto our earthly possessions – our things.  Whether it’s your house, clothing/fashion, technology, or your hard-earned money, are you holding onto the things in your life?  We must learn that the best things in life aren’t things.  It’s so easy to get caught up in the “American Dream” and the worldliness around us.  But where are your treasures stored?  In heaven or on earth?  I love Matthew 6:19-21 –

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

This weekend, I had a huge garage sale and got rid of over half of what I own, and I’m giving away a truckload to the homeless mission tomorrow.  Although it’s been hard giving away a lot of things that I’ve held onto all these years, it also feels so freeing and refreshing, especially when I see my things bring joy into other people’s lives.  And yet, even still, comparatively, I have more “stuff” than most people around the globe.  I’m so convicted by Luke 18:22.  Talking to a wealthy man, Jesus said: “Sell everything you have a give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.”  I may not be wealthy, but I’m still convicted about the “things” I hold onto.  What am I holding back?  Do I take these words of Jesus seriously?  Jim Elliot once said that “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he can never lose.”  What things do you need to surrender?

For many of us, we need to surrender and lay down our fears and worries.  Maybe, like me, you tend to fear the future rather than smile at it like we are encouraged to do in Proverbs 31.  God wants you to surrender those worries and lay them at His feet.  Your future is in His hands.

Comfort zones, frankly, tend to be very small, and it’s easy to make excuses for why we “aren’t qualified” or why we “don’t have the time” to do God’s work.  But though His work for us may seem big, and while the trials we face may seem ominous, the battles we face are not ours but the LORD’s.  We have to learn to abandon our comfort zones in radical obedience, lay down our fears, and follow Jesus.  “Always do what you are afraid to do.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson.  You don’t have to be fearless to follow Jesus; you just can’t let your fears control you.   Let go of your worries.  Fall on Jesus.

Whatever “nets” you may be clinging to, ask yourself: Am I fully surrendered?

If the answer to that is no…then ask: What am I holding back?

In Matthew 16:24-25, Jesus says: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

We’re called to give Him our lives.  Every part of us.  We may not always be called to martyr our lives…but we must martyr our way of life.  I want to die to myself, for “to live is Christ, to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21)  I want to listen to the Spirit’s leading and respond obedience and surrender.

Why?  Why should we surrender to God?  God is Love…and Love matters most.  Love isn’t just passion.  Love is sacrifice.  Love is surrender.  Love lays down itself for Another.  He laid down His life for us in the ultimate act of sacrifice.  He calls us now to lay down ours.

God doesn’t just want 95% of you.  He wants all of you.  All of me. 

In ancient Israel, the people were sinning and turning away from God, and the LORD told the prophet Ezekiel to go and speak His truth to the wandering people.  What was Ezekiel’s response? 

“So I did as I was commanded.” (Ez. 12:7)

Wow.  No questions.  No hesitation.  He just acted on a heartbeat of obedience, even when God asked Him to do some pretty radical things.  That is such an inspiring example of surrender.

So the question remains:  What do you need to surrender?  What are you holding onto that you’re putting before God in your life?  I love the old hymn “Be Thou My Vision”, particularly these lyrics: “Thou and Thou only, first in my heart…High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.”  Is He first in your heart?  Is He your only treasure?

Surrendering is actually a beautiful act of putting Him first and seeking God.  “Seeking” God, in the original Hebrew language, means “to beat a path to God”.  So surrendering to the LORD often means leaving the familiar path to follow Jesus.

I have a sign in my bedroom that says: “remember to surrender”, and it encourages me every time I see it to surrender freshly each day.  What do you need to surrender, right now, today?  

It's time for us to cease resistance, to submit fully, to yield completely - to surrender.  So wave your white flag, hold open hands to God, and let go of your nets.  You’ll be surprised by the amazing things He has in store for you when you just surrender. 

Psalm 16

Psalm 16: 1-11

1 Keep me safe, O God,
     for in You I take refuge.
2 I said to the LORD, “You are my LORD;
     apart from You I have no good thing.”
3 As for the saints who are in the land,
     they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.
4 The sorrows of those will increase
     who run after other gods.
I will not pour out their libations of blood
     or take up their names on my lips.

5 LORD, You have assigned me my portion and my cup;
     You have made my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
     indeed, I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
     even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the LORD always before me.
     Because He is at my right hand,
     I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
     my body also will rest secure,
10 because You will not abandon me to the grave,
     nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
11 You will make known to me the path of life;
     In Your presence is fullness of joy;
     In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

__________________________________________________

Oh LORD, You are my LORD, my everything.  You are my refuge – my Shelter, Haven, Hope.  I run to You.  I have no good besides You.  You are so good - always good and always faithful - even when I can’t see it.  

LORD, You have assigned me my portion and my cup – You’ve given me all I have and You’ve brought me to where I am right now.  You have assigned me my cup of life right now.  Let me say: “my cup overflows” even when my cup of life looks empty and broken at times.

The boundary lines You have set for me have indeed fallen in pleasant and beautiful places.  You have given me boundary lines, and they are good ones.  I have a good Shepherd.  You know what I need in my pasture.  I often long to leave behind this pasture of trials and run down to the green, grassy meadows of the valley.  But right now You have set for me a pasture with boundary lines in the high mountain passes where the rocks are sharp and craggy, and where I must look harder to find the grass.  But You are my good and faithful Shepherd; I am but a fearful little lamb and I need to trust that YOU know what is best for me right now.  

And yes, my Savior, I do have a beautiful, delightful inheritance.  Heaven is my inheritance.  You are my inheritance.  You have such good things in store for me.  

Because You are at my right hand, I cannot be shaken.  Oh Comforter of my soul, I will set You continually and always before me and fix my eyes on You alone.  I put the world behind me, the cross before me, and I cannot be shaken through any trial. 

You make known to me the path of life.  You will fill me with Your joy when I trust in Your sweet love, when I am in Your presence here.  For YOU ARE JOY.  You fill me with joy in Your presence, and at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  I am not alone.  I am never alone.  All the way my Savior leads me.

it is well with my soul

“It is well with my soul.”

Grace.  I’m overwhelmed by grace when I sing this song.  I’ve come to the point where I don’t know how to put into words what this song makes me feel.  It always tugs at my heart and awakens me to God’s unfathomable grace as if for the first time.  It has always been one of my favorite hymns, not just for the melody and the lyrics, but also for the story behind it.

Horatio Spafford was a successful lawyer and a happily married man who lived in Chicago with his wife, son, and four little daughters.  Yet soon, his life came crumbling down around him.  In 1871, he lost his four-year-old son to scarlet fever.  When the Great Chicago Fire swept through the city, he lost his estate, all of his investments, and was left with nothing.  The fire choked out everything he had owned.   

Left with nothing but his wife and daughters, he decided to take his family to England for another chance at life.  Unfortunately, he was delayed from making the journey, and sent his wife and girls ahead of him on a ship bound for Europe.  While crossing the Atlantic, the steamship was struck by another vessel and hundreds of the passengers perished at sea.  All four of Spafford’s young daughters died in the tragedy.  His wife, though injured, survived alone.  Upon arriving to England, she sent her husband a telegram telling him that she had been “saved alone”.  Wretched and broken, Spafford set sail for England to be with his grieving wife.  On his journey over the Atlantic Ocean, the ship passed over the place where his daughters had been lost to the sea, and it was then that he wrote “It is well with my soul”. 

The story is gripping, but also amazing.  The verses take on a new meaning.  As he passed over the place where his own children had died, he wrote, “when sorrows like sea billows roll…”  Yet though he had lost everything—his prominent position as a lawyer, his estate, all of his possessions, his son and four daughters—he looked not to earth but to heaven, and wrote, “It is well with my soul.” 

This song stirs my soul so deeply.  Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say: It is well, it is well with my soul.  I want my whole life to be about that.  I want to say in every circumstance, “Father, through this may I delight in you still more.”  Through storm and through fire, through the trials of this life, may my longing for Him and my desire to be Home grow. 

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

 CHORUS:It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

CHORUS

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

CHORUS

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pain shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

CHORUS

And Lord haste the day, when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Purposeful Intimacy

“In your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

—Psalm 16:11

We all have those days.  The morning looks something like a tornado.  Fumbling out of bed, you slam the snooze button on your alarm clock for the third time and rub your eyes sleepily.  How did it get to be so late?  So you get up—rushed, scattered, frazzled—trying to get your things together.  A quick shower, finding clothes to wear, grabbing your bag and perhaps breakfast on the way out the door…

 But where does God fit in?  As you race through your busy day, you keep putting off your time with Him, and eventually you plop into bed at the end of the day, telling yourself that missing one day won’t matter.  But then it happens again.  And again.

 A.W. Tozer said, “The man who would know God must give time to Him.”  But so often we treat God as an add-on to our busy schedules.  But Jesus shouldn’t be an item to check off on your to-do list.  He should define what is on your to-do list.  Jesus cares about every little detail of your life even more than you do—He understands the deadlines, the schedules, all the little things that “tie you up”; but He doesn’t want you to have a selfish and half-hearted relationship with Him.  The stunning reality is that the Creator of the Universe wants to have an intimate, personal relationship with you, and it is His desire and delight to spend time with you!  The best part is that He’s always there waiting for you, every minute of every day, because He’s always faithful and His love is unconditional. 

You can’t truly get to know someone unless you invest in their lives, put them before yourself, and really spend quality time with them—that’s how relationships are built.  You are fully known by God…but how well do you know Him?  Intimacy does not just happen.  It must be purposefully planned and purposefully kept.  Waiting patiently for you, God wants you to lay down the burdens and stresses of your life and to simply bask in His sweet presence, letting Him replace your worry with His peace.  1 Corinthians 14:33 tells us that, “God is not a God of confusion but of peace”.  And while it is sometimes easy to get lost in the confusion of life, God wants you to trust in Him, the Author of Peace. 

Dear friends, we don’t have to wait to build intimacy with Christ.  We have the great privilege to meet with Him every single day, wherever we are—to commune with Him, worship Him, meditate on Him, talk and listen to Him, and pour our hearts out before Him.  Steal away for a few precious hours with your King.  Give Him your mornings, and He will help the rest of your day to run smoothly.  Talk to Him throughout your day...while driving, at work and school, wherever you are.  And learn to listen.  Purposefully plan a time each day to spend with Him, even if that means getting up an hour earlier or finding a secret, quiet place in the day to be alone with Him.  Prayer meetings, Bible studies, youth groups, and church sermons are all wonderful and help you to grow in your faith, but God desires to have a more personal, one-on-one, intimate relationship with you.  Your Beloved wants you to come away with Him, and Him only.  I love how Augustine put it when he said, “To fall in love with God is the greatest of all romances; to seek Him, the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest human achievement.”  Make Jesus your First Love.

But it’s not just about the quantity of time you spend with Him - it's also about the quality.  Do you rattle quickly through your prayers in an attempt to cross as many people off your prayer list as possible, or do you wait, and pray as the Spirit leads, while letting Him speak to you as well?  Do you hastily chatter through your prayers, or do you take the time to listen to His gentle voice?  Do you hurriedly read through an entire chapter or book of the Bible just to say that you’ve read “enough” for the day, or do you take the time to carefully study, practically apply, and attentively meditate on Scripture?  I pray that we will make Him and His Word the center of our lives.

God is pursuing you as if you were the only person in the world.  Tozer also said that “An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children.  He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others.”  Isn’t that an incredible truth?  Jesus is chasing after you, pursuing you, loving you.  And wherever you go in life, He will always be there, waiting patiently for you to cultivate a deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. *

“God has made us for Himself, and our hearts can never know rest and perfect satisfaction until they find it in Him.”—Hannah Hurnard

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Author's note:  I know I haven't posted anything in a while.  I get too caught up in the adventure of living that I have scarcely any time to just write about life.  But, I hope to post here more often in the future.  Check back weekly for more posts!

joyfully ever after

"And they all lived happily ever after."  

But real life isn't that simple, is it?  

This is no fairy tale.  There's no use in pretending.  Life is difficult.  Here in the "real world," we can't find that kind of endless happy bliss, can we?  Well, yes and no.  Someday, in heaven, we'll know that perfect peace and happiness.  But as long as we're on this earth, and until we reach eternity's shore, we'll never experience perfect happiness until we finally see Jesus face to face.  But that doesn't mean we can't be joyful here on earth.  In fact, the Bible has a lot to teach us about finding true contentment and joy.  

In 2012, I began the journey of memorizing the book of Philippians.  Through my personal study, I've been so challenged and convicted, particularly about what this book has to say about contentment.

I'm especially moved by Philippians 4:11-13.  Keep in mind that the Apostle Paul was writing this during his long and harsh imprisonment in Rome:

"Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.  I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

Paul was in prison when he wrote that!  What I find interesting is that Paul writes that he learned to be content.  His contentment clearly wasn't found in the things he had or the comfort of his surroundings.  

So what is contentment?  I realize that contentment isn't a formula, but from digging deeper in God's Word, I've made a list of five things that I think capture what it means to be content.  Real contentment means...

1. Trusting that God knows what is best for us.

2. Accepting the obstacles as opportunities to serve and glorify God.

3. Finding joy in the presence of our Savior, no matter our circumstances.

4. Choosing to live with an attitude of cheerfulness and joy each day.

5. Thanking God for both the blessings and the trials.

Let's take a closer look at each of these.

Contentment means trusting that God knows what is best for us.  His plans are better than ours.  Where He has you right now is where He wants you to be.  God loves you dearly and He has your best interests in mind.  He knows your every need and desire.

Philippians 4:19 - "And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Contentment means accepting the obstacles as opportunities to serve and glorify God.  So many times, we let things - even little things - get us down.  We complain and grumble when things don't go our way.

Philippians 2:14 says - "Do all things without grumbling or disputing."

All things.  Yes, even dishes, chores, homework, all those unglamorous, small tasks that no one sees should be done without complaining or arguing, but with gratefulness and joy.  What a God-glorifying lifestyle that would be!  And what a humbling challenge...
Whether the obstacles we face are as small as doing the dishes or as enormous as the pain of a searing loss, God calls us to face all things without grumbling.  We must learn to see the obstacles as opportunities in disguise.

Contentment means finding joy in the presence of our Savior, no matter our circumstances.  JESUS IS OUR JOY.  We can only find true joy and contentment in Him, the Author of Peace and Creator of Joy.

I love Psalm 16:11 - "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore."

True joy and contentment are only found in the source of joy, our ever-present Savior Jesus Christ.  No matter what challenges I face, even if everything else is taken from me, I'll still have Jesus, and He is enough.  He is more than enough.  

Contentment means choosing to live with an attitude of cheerfulness and joy each day.  Joy is a choice.  It's a lifestyle.  Joy and happiness are two very different things. Happiness is a feeling based on circumstances; joy is living above our circumstances.  Joy isn't dependent upon our current situation.  We have to learn to consciously choose joy every day.  Have you ever noticed that many people in the Bible often said, "I will rejoice"?  They said that because they realized that they had to consciously choose to rejoice even when their circumstances looked bad.

And finally, contentment means thanking God - for both the blessings and the trials.  It's not hard to delight in God's goodness and praise Him when life is entertaining and easy.  But what about when we face the hardships of life?  I think we all want a lasting, unwavering joy, not just surging and sinking happiness.  The secret to contentment is a heart saturated with thankfulness.  It's a lifestyle of taking nothing for granted, giving thanks to God for what you have.

Every day is a gift....and an opportunity.  Let's choose to rejoice in each new day.

Psalm 118:24 - "This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Let's not waste this day grumbling or complaining.  Let's not take a moment for granted.  Today, let's trust in God's plan, embrace the challenges, find joy in His love for us, and choose to live this day with an attitude of cheerfulness and thanksgiving.

Life isn't easy, and it's not a fairy tale.  But the truth is, we can all live joyfully ever after.

Out of the Heart

Too often, I say something that I later regret.  Perhaps it’s something hastily snapped, or selfish, or even just tactlessly sarcastic.  Even if I don’t say it out loud, I may say or think something unkind under my breath.  

In those times, the Spirit gently reminds me that the words I say can cut deeper than any sword.  My tongue is a fire which I must guard, hold captive, and learn to use carefully.

But it goes deeper than that.  Our words are a reflection of who we are, of what is inside of us:

“For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” –Matthew 12:34

Just stop and let that sink in.  The mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. So what we say is a reflection - and a literal outpouring - of what is in our hearts.  Perhaps the question we should be asking then is:  What is in our hearts?  If we know Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells inside our hearts.  But does the way we speak show people that Jesus is in us?

We can use our words to honor and worship God, or to honor and worship ourselves.  We can use our words to heal, encourage, and build up, or to wound, tear down, and destroy those around us.

I love James 3, a chapter that's all about speech.  James 3:17 beautifully encompasses every aspect of how our speech should look as followers of Christ.  This verse about heavenly wisdom is a constant reminder to me to use my mouth to glorify God at all times.

"The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy." (James 3:17)

I want to always speak in wisdom and love.  So what does that look like for me?

• My words should be pure and honoring to God, unsoiled by contempt, profanity, gossip, or arrogance.

• My words should be peaceable.  So far as it depends on me, I should be at peace with all men, using my words to preserve peace, not to stir up conflict or quarrel.  

• I should be gentle to everyone, never harsh or inconsiderate.

• My speech should be reasonable - rational and fair - never bad-tempered, capricious, or difficult.

• In all my words, I should be full of mercy - compassionate, kind-hearted, generous, gracious, and forgiving. 

• My words should also be full of good fruits: profitable to all who listen, inspiring, purposeful, spiritually rich, rewarding to hear.  And all of my actions should reflect my good words.

• My word should be unwavering.  When I say something, I should say it with conviction.  People should be able to trust my word to be honest, steadfast, and resolute, not weak, dishonest, or indecisive.

• My words should always be without hypocrisy.  I must see the log in my own eye before pointing out the speck in another's eye.  I must be open to constructive criticism and always be willing to grow.

Oh Lord, may my speech bear these things!

Let us not forget:  Every word we speak, everything we say, comes out of our hearts.  I pray that we will speak in such a way that this weary, dark world will watch us and notice something beautiful and different - Christ in our lives.

* * *

Lord Jesus, You know my heart.  You see every thought in my mind and you hear every word I speak.  Please help me to glorify You with my mouth.  Use my words to bring hope, healing, encouragement, and joy to this world.  Thank you for using me and loving me despite my weaknesses.  Speak through me.  I am Yours.  Amen.

Beautiful, Wonderful Gospel

Awe-struck and humbled by the overwhelming beauty of the gospel, I sometimes express myself in poetry.  But even then, words fall short.  How great, how awesome is His Love.  Let us never forget:

Jesus, Savior, my King of kings,
He raises up this broken thing.
Molding this worthless lump of clay,
He makes me more like Him each day.

Without, I bear the marks of sin,
But now His Spirit lies within.
Once soiled and marred, I must confess,
Grace lavished on my worthlessness.

No greater love has been displayed
Than on the cross – the price He paid.
The King of Heaven, one true Prince
Bore my sin in His innocence.

Filled with anguish, crippling shame,
I am unfit to bear His Name.
Yet I am His and He is mine,
And with His beauty I may shine.
My blemishes He will not see,
Only His Son inside of me.

The daunting cliffs of life are steep
But greater still, His love is deep.
I face no challenge on my own
For I am cherished, I am known.

My life, I pray, be sweet perfume
For where He plants me, may I bloom.
Open hands, surrender my will
I’m slowly learning to be still.
Salvation’s great joy I can taste
This one short life I will not waste.

He’ll take me to His banquet hall
Even I, who am least of all.
From His love I can never hide
His own dear and beloved bride.

~by Sierra McClain