healing will come

I know that there are several of you who visit frequently that are not on facebook. So I thought I would share this link here as well. 

I had many thoughts the last few weeks... about my country [America] and about the elections that took place yesterday. As disappointing as the outcome was, I truly am not discouraged. 

I am CONVICTED! 

And as I contemplated how to convey my thoughts... I was met with this post by a friend this morning: I Will Heal.

I will not restate all of her thoughts, but I will say that God HAS promised healing to His people... [and yes, I realize that verse is spoken directly to Israel... but I believe the principle holds true to all who follow Him] 

...but this healing is CONDITIONAL. He will not bring it upon a proud and unrepentant people.

As my Pastor often says: where there is LIFE there is HOPE. Hope for salvation. Hope for peace inside. Hope for life beyond this one.

And in the same turn: 

where there is HUMILITY there is this promise... of healing. 

Please read her post... 

{also, I am doing Days of Thankfulness on my facebook page... and will do a summary post of them at the end of the month....}

giving good gifts {day 12}

"after" - this makes my heart sing.

Sometimes, it is frustrating to realize just how much like a little child {my children, no less!} I act. 

When they are asked to complete a very simple chore: please take the toys off of the bookshelves, because you know they do not belong there [this is purely for my own sanity]; their first response is: but I can't reach... whatever toy on whatever shelf... excuses. 

[SOMEONE put it there! and it wasn't Mommy!!] 

{yes. this happened just a few minutes ago... :)}

And then I think about simple tasks my Heavenly Father asks of me... write a kind note to a hurting church member, take a few extra steps and say HI to a visitor in church, let me {HIM} help you love your family as you want to... as is your heart's desire.

... and I say, but LORD! I just can't do that! for whatever reason. {I don't have their address, I feel awkward talking to strangers, sometimes it's hard to let God move in my heart....} 

I forget what I tell my own children: Just say yes, ma'am and do what you can; show me you are trying to obey, and ask for my help and Mommy will help with the rest...

"before"--'nuff said!

Is not God better than that?

and I am reminded of:

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened...If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Matthew 7:8 & 11

Yes, Lord. 

That is all the response He asks.

So, today, I wrote a note... and I am going to ask God to help me show my family how much I love them! 

And for tomorrow... we'll just see what tomorrow brings!

one other passage came to mind:  

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: 

for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 

Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, 

that the power of Christ may rest upon me

... for when I am weak, then am I strong.  

2 Corinthians 12:9 & 10

 

 

The bookshelf pictures were from about 2 weeks ago... I did a major decluttering and re-shelving of books. When little fingers think the bookshelves are playgrounds, nothing is safe! Most of the messiness is moved and 'rearranged' books. The "after" picture is almost what it looked like again this morning after we removed several layers of toys... SO happy! I took pictures to PROVE that they CAN look nice :) with all the books on the shelves and "in their home."

the fulness of life {day 11}

I read recently where someone was saying that [one of] the problem with the church is that she is not teaching us about how to "work." One commenter dubbed it the "doctrine of vocation."  

Here is a quote which nearly sums the article: 

"Christianity is given (sold?) to us, in the main, as a life of evangelism, morality and church activities. [yet] Our lives are made up of finely drawn details. Each day is full of countless ones. We do all these 'little' things at home, at work, and in the marketplace and they just don’t get a lot of sermon time." [you can read its entirety here]  

{And I believe this man is honestly speaking from a sincere heart. This is no attack on him or his thoughts. I do not even know him!}

This got me to thinking... and wondering:
Are we supposed to learn how to "act Christian" at work? Is there a different way to express our faith in the workplace as opposed to in church on Sunday?

and that made me be still... to listen and know.It is almost cliche among Christians {especially those who are faithful to church and church activities} to say: Let Christ have preeminence...  

{this is the first verse that popped in my head after reading the blog post: Colossians 1:18, And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence} 

It seems to be often preached: Put Jesus first... and you will have peace, you will know joy, life will have meaning, etc.

Often, both phrases are used interchangeably.

But they are not the same.

And I am not actually supposed to put Jesus first.

I am to put Him only.

Preeminence implies that nothing else can compare.

There is no list for Him to be "first" on because He IS "the list."

In the beginning of my Christian journey, He was the "first one" that I reached for/called out to in certain situations... but because He is always enough, I ended up realizing that He is the only anything that I need in any situation.
The problem, as I find in the Bible, is not that the church does not meet this supposed need of teaching us how to live in our different compartments: church, work, play, with friends, with family, in a store, in a restaurant, at a church function as opposed to a work function, with church friends as opposed to unsaved colleagues, etc.

The problem is that: WE LIVE IN COMPARTMENTS.

If I could just realized {and convey through example and testimony} that Christ is to simply be my life... I would see how He permeates [fills] every aspect... without special training or doctrines.

Further reading in that same passage reveals: For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; ....by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him... whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Colossians 1:18-20. {He is the fulness of all things... in heaven or on earth.} [emphasis mine]

and further still...
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled ... through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith ... and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, ...even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:  to whom God would make known ...the glory of this mystery... which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: whom we preach, ... whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. Colossians 1:21-29 [selected, emphasis mine]
 
If I remember correctly, Paul, though a traveling missionary... worked. He had a "vocation" outside of being a minister of the Gospel. And yet, when speaking of Christ, Paul never mentions anything apart from Jesus is the fulness... of... well, of life. Jesus is the fulness of life-all life. He is not just the fulness of going to church or of witnessing or of having family devotions.

  

If the Spirit whispers within me to speak to a perfect stranger about the Gospel, Jesus is being the fulness "in the store." 

If I realize that I have not given a true effort in a particular area of my secular job, then I know that I have not allowed Jesus to be the fulness in my "vocation." 

When I rest in His strength and find joy in His contentment, He becomes the fulness of any area/compartment I may have in my life.

Thus, Jesus becomes my life; and I do not need to blame my church for not teaching me how to live in my compartments.

not of the world {day 3}

Last night in my church's special Revival Services, the Lord touched my heart. He convicted me about my witness... out in public, not an online public, but where people see the actual flesh and blood of my body and who I am.

Though He has many times spoken to my heart about its conduct. And He has changed many things in my life in the area of speech and dress and attitude. This is not how He spoke to me this time {that is not to say I think I have arrived! but it is something I consciously work on frequently.}

During our 9 years of living in this home, we have canvassed [invited neighbors to visit our church as well as ask about their salvation] our street and a few surrounding streets several times, though rarely is anyone home. And while I think we as a family could do this more frequently, that is not what He spoke to me about either.

Being a stay-at-home-wife-and-mother with 4 children [ages 1-8 yo], and many years off/on only having the one vehicle [and now fuel is so high, it’s almost like having one vehicle as we use them both at the same time so rarely], I did/do not leave the house often outside of attending church. But when I do, I am not normally thinking about speaking to anyone. I have a grocery list and a time-frame, and often 2 or more children with me.

What the Lord so graciously and lovingly knocked me up-side the head with is that even then, even when rushed to make sure I do not forget the bread or that I don’t forget to look at the sales racks for that bargain.... I must not block out the world around me. The world that is literally rushing to spend an eternity in hell.

How long would it take me to grab a tract out of my purse and hand it to the lady perusing the canned goods with me? How much brain power does it really take so ask “Do you know Jesus?” to the family also looking for a deal in the toothpaste? How can I be so focused on the toothpaste that it takes precedence over a human soul? I am positive that if I came home and told my husband that someone promised to come to a service or even let me talk further about salvation right there in the grocery store, he would not be in the least upset that I told him I forgot the toothpaste... or even the milk and eggs and bread! 

So, this soul-beating that I took last night has softened my heart to SEE the world around me. Just because I am not OF the world does not mean I am not IN it, and I have a grave responsibility of sharing Jesus with someone!

when the season is called 'wait'

We all have "big things" that happen in our life. Most people call them milestones--though between them is often much longer than a mile! Some of these may include marriage and college graduation, getting a job in your career field, becoming a mother, buying a new home or a myriad of other events. Days and months leading to these momentous junctures often give us a sense of purpose. a motivation to get up. an intention for our day.

But what happens in the between times. 

the wait? 

What is the reason for getting up each and every day with no change on the horizon? 

I have, on occasion, struggled with that. And I have noticed others struggle with it also. perhaps someone engaged in an occupation that was not their "goal" when they finished college or a mother of young children or a family simply struggling to make ends meet. 

and I have thought, in those between times, "Is this really God's will for my life?"

BUT THAT IS THE WRONG QUESTION!

Of course, when the baby has messed all over and there are crayon markings on the wall, that is NOT the rest of my life. or yours. And when your vocation is not what was intended upon college enrollment, that is NOT the rest of your life.

But it is where you are. now. and our question should be:

Lord, what is your will for my life---today?

For me, today is about loving my children. preparing food. washing laundry. kissing my husband. encouraging a friend.

For you, today is about DOING whatever is required of you-be it as a SAHM, a teacher, a store clerk.... whatever! and doing it with your whole heart as unto the Lord! And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23,24 

Be a godly example of obedience to those under you AND those above you! Make wise decisions. And WAIT. 

because we never "arrive" at the rest of our life! 

Today is also about renewing my strength, preparing my soul for what lies ahead. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 

The Psalms are full of verses about waiting. sometimes the author was pleading for help and sometimes he was simply weary of waiting. sometimes he was calm and content and sometimes he was not. but still, he waited.

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. [why would he need courage if he were doing nothing during his waiting?]

WAIT, but don't stop LIVING and SERVING while you wait!

[On a more personal note, this spring has become quite busy in our family! We are in the midst of getting our garden prepared, and I have several obligations that are taking my time. For the next month or six weeks posts are likely to be very sporadic. I pray all continues well with those of you who stop by, and please visit around my previous posts as well as the {KINDRED} BLOGS blog roll on the sidebar!!]