God's Heart for You.

[Judy Harder]

Fiercely Dependent
What Women Fear: Chapter Eight
This Do in Remembrance of Me
Fiercely Dependent

Nov 2 2011

The sun beat down on the glossy water , gracefully reflecting sweet pigtails and a precious smile. Fondly I gazed at my sixth child, a special gift from God in her own right. We were walking together in the lazy river at the local pool.

Well, if you can call it "walking together."

Anyone out there have a terrific temper-tantrum-throwing two-year-old?
(I see that hand.)

Sweet T was having a lovely time exhibiting her endearing attitude of not wanting to hold my hand in the water. So even though the water was up to her neck, she bobbed her way along the side...
Fiercely independent.
Refusing my assistance.
With no desire for my help in the least.little.way.

Until...
We reached "the buckets."

A series of 4 rows and 4 columns of buckets that dump water right over your head at varying patterns. Too many for a toddler mind to comprehend.

The only hope is to escape at just the right window of perfectly-timed opportunity.


There was no bell sounding that the buckets were ahead. No warning that my pretty girl could readily identify other than seeing them.
Just the sudden urgency that something was bigger than she.
Water up to her neck was one thing, but water coming down from above at the same time? She would literally be in over her head.
This she sensed. This she saw. This she felt.
And then, Toddler T became completely dependent. A call for "Oh, no. The buckets!" paired with "Help me, Mommy!" made it evident that the earlier charade of complete and total independence was ...

history.
I chuckled to myself over her response.
But the whisper in my heart asked:

"What is so funny, Child of God? You act just like that temper-tantrum throwing toddler. You want me to stand by you, but you bob along your merry little way. I'm here for you, Daughter of Mine. But if you will just rely on me completely, depending on me fiercely, you will find that you are not alone. That independence and freedom you seek will be found in Me. Not without Me. Those buckets? They are for your good."

And I prayed.
"O Lord. Send more buckets my way. Fill them to the top, brimming over; so that when they pour out, I will be relying fully on you. If that is what it takes for complete surrender, I humble myself. Because the buckets are what make me...


Fiercely dependent."


Jeremiah 17:7

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.

What Women Fear: Chapter Eight


Today we are discussing chapter eight with Jenny Acuff.

From Angie:
Jenny is a girl with a plan. She just jumps in and claps her hands, and life goes in a direction. She is a motivator, a promise-keeper, and a champion listener and adviser. I wondered if she ever really had moments where that "planning" nature was challenged because in a life with God, we never get to be the final say. We have to defer to him, and for people like me and Jenny, that can be a hard thing! What if His plan doesn't look like mine? As usual, she nails it with practical, down to earth advice that will bless you if you have ever been in a season where you questioned what the Lord was doing with your days.

We welcome your thoughts in the comments below!


This Do in Remembrance of Me

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying,
This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
~Luke 22:19

Saturday evening services, annual meeting, and somehow I've forgotten it's communion until I walk into the sanctuary: men and boys on one side, women and girls on the other. This is my 7-year-old daughter's third time to take part; I tap her on the shoulder from behind and she beams, sitting with her friend.

I take a seat beside a church sister who's alone, too. She welcomes me and whispers that we've never taken communion together, smiling.

We sing a capella, sweet harmonies, old minor hymns. The children request a faster, lighter song, but it's not what I want to hear. The final song is called, and I nod and breathe deep.

Just one more time before the door
Of death would intervene
They gathered there to sup and share
Love's feast in joy serene.

For Christ aspired, strongly desired
To meet in fellowship here
With those who talked with Him and walked
Along each dusty year.

He gave them bread and wine so red
And told them when they meet
"Remember Me when this you see,"
Then knelt and washed their feet.

When next we meet in mem'ry sweet
Let love and fellowship flow
For this might be the last for me
Before I onward go.

lyrics from "The Last Supper," Old School Hymnal

Past, present, future, it's all here; I remember members of my family who have gone on and envision future generations sitting in these pews, tears in their eyes, singing the same songs.

Our pastor talks about the communion bread, symbolic of Christ's body, broken for us, and how the Jews thoroughly swept the leaven (yeast), which represented sin, from their homes before the Passover. The tray passes to me and I slowly grind the unleavened bread between my teeth.

The congregation sits still, silent, thoughtful, and I feel the Holy Spirit is among us here.

Then comes the wine, a symbol of Christ's blood, shed for the sins of his people. I drink and feel the warmth in my throat.

These first two parts of the service involve the vertical relationship between us and God. This last part is horizontal, fellowship among us here.

I take a towel and kneel in the floor, pulling a basin of water from beneath the pew in front of me, and then I lift my sister's feet, one at a time, washing them in the cool water as my rings softly scrape the metal pan. After each foot is wrapped in the towel and patted dry, we smile and embrace, and she kneels to wash mine.

We talk softly about my mother and how we both miss her, and of her father-in-law, an accomplished gardener who for years made the communion wine himself before he passed on. Tears gather and we smile, and I know similar hushed conversations are taking place throughout the room.

We rise and embrace our brothers and sisters: spirits refreshed, wounds healed as we do this in remembrance of Him.

It's good to be in the house of the Lord on this night.

Where do you find healing and refreshment for your spirit?

[Judy Harder]

     

(in)courage
   
An Opportunity

Nov 3 2011



Sigh... what a wonderful time of year we are in, don't you think? It is my favorite time of year. The busyness of summer has past. All the summer running around activities are finished. We still have time before we need to start thinking about our Christmas plans.

We have a wonderful opportunity before us if we only choose it.

We have the opportunity to take a deep breath.

To slow.

For quiet.



When we are in the midst of this noisy, busy world, He can get drowned out. We may not intend for this to happen, but it does. We think we can make the time... eventually... but sometimes we don't.

It has to be a conscious decision. We need to make a decision to step away from the busyness and choose to see something special. Even in everyday ordinary moments... choose to see something special. His wonders are all around us. He has placed them everywhere just for us.

To lift our spirit.

For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13



To know His love.

Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39

To give us hope.

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



To help us feel at ease.

The LORD surrounds His people both now and forevermore. Psalm 125:2

To make us want to know Him more.

Come near to God and He will come near to you. James 4:8

It is all a gift.

I pause in awe, giving Him my full attention. I am completely present and choose to feel true gratitude.



With a heart full of thanksgiving I receive His wonders.

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Have you taken the opportunity to step away from the busyness and be completely present in His wonders? How did it lift your spirit?


By Jennifer, StudioJRU

[Judy Harder]

in)courage
   

Dress Up Clothes
Nov 6 2011

"Um. Yes. I'd like a sah-lahd, puh-leeeese!"

She sat up straight, hands folded at the child sized table in front of her with lace dripping from her hat and from the hem of her fancy play-dress. My five-year-old reenacted her best English accent as she asked for a SALAD from the other little girl who "served" her in the pretend café at the local children's museum.

I sat down next to her.

"A salad, huh? Sounds pretty grown up to me." I smiled at her.

She lowered her eyes and set her hands gently in her dress-up lap. She smiled back.

"You LOOK grown up sweetheart. Do you feel grown up?"

Yes. She nodded demurely. Her "salad" was brought to her: a jumble of plastic lettuce, nectarines and kidney beans was set in front of her.

A few minutes before she'd found the dress up stash at the "theater," and immediately after she wiggled into the lacy frock she ran to the café to sit down like a Lady-Who-Lunches.

As soon as she had dressed the part, she'd begun to request new and different things and act in new ways. A salad? Sitting quietly in one place? Hands folded sweetly in her lap? These are all foreign to my rough-and-tumble, chicken-nugget-consuming, dirt-under-her-bitten-fingernails Kindergartener.

She acted differently as soon as she donned the garb.

I wonder if we begin to "wear" different clothes, things like kindness, gentleness and love if we'd begin to act differently and desire different things. Perhaps even things that are at the heart, very good and healthy for us.

If we wore peace, we might desire the quiet and not distractions.

If we wore grace, we might want to forgive others for their grave missteps.

If we put on goodness might we desire the successes of others?

And if we wore love, do you think we might crave Jesus in a way that we never have?

Peace and grace and love are far more difficult than zipping up a play dress and sitting down to lunch, but maybe clothing ourselves in these grown-up, mature things can be a way to see our hearts and minds changed in the direction of Him.

What do you "wear?" What do you want to "wear?"

By Sarah Markley

Hospitality: What Matters

I love to open my home to others. I always have enjoyed the idea of hospitality, but I haven't always known how to practice it with grace.

I have gone through many awkward seasons of hospitality! I remember so well the years where entertaining was quite stressful – trying to prepare a delicious and memorable meal, create the perfect ambience, clean a spic and span party-ready house, organize all the closets (because you never know when someone might unexpectedly look in your closet), and of course, wanting to show off well-behaved children.

However, my expectations of juggling perfection set me up for failure. I was too self-conscious to invite people over when my house was looking 'lived in.' I made excuses for the effort it would require to extend an invitation to a neighbor. I apologized to guests for overcooked vegetables and crunchy rice or for an imperfectly decorated room. I was mortified as my child threw a tantrum at people's feet under the dinner table. I failed countless times to have the laundry done and my party dress on before the first guest rang the doorbell.



I wanted to be gracious and witty and welcoming and instead I felt awkward and self-conscious. I failed at my own expectations for gracious hospitality. Yet through every excuse, failure and mistake, God was gently whispering over my shoulder, quietly asking me to consider what hospitality means to Him:

Oh my dear one, it isn't about the food. It isn't about your perfectly clean home or your clever conversation skills. It isn't about your furniture placement or the clothes you wish you had to wear. There is nothing wrong with enjoying any of those things or wanting to create a wonderful experience for your guests, I understand that — but are these details the things that matter most to me?

Gulp.

He just wants me to be there, to open the door and greet people with open arms. He wants me to practice hospitality as an opportunity to share His love. Oh how humbling it has been to learn to see my actions and attitudes from God's perspective. Many days I stumble and fail, I miss opportunities and shine bright glaring lights on things that should not matter. I'm a slow learner. Thank goodness He is patient.

I'm growing in my understanding and practice of what hospitality means to God. I'm an imperfect hostess, but I am actually learning to enjoy my imperfection! Embracing imperfection means I open my home more often, I am free to simplify my style of hospitality rather than complicate it, and I can focus more on the hearts and souls that walk though my door.

Find this post and many others in  DaySpring's Fall Magalog!

***

I love the featured products this month! The pretty place mats, apron, table runner and tea towels are all on sale at amazing deals so be sure to check them out here!

The wooden caddy is a MUST HAVE around my house for entertaining! And the pedestal is one of my favorite items, it is versatile for all seasons of entertaining and you'll be amazed at how substantial it is in weight and height! You won't regret getting either of these items, and with a 50% off coupon code, they are a great deal too!  You can find the code here.

[Judy Harder]

A Sunday Scripture

Nov 6 2011


Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Colossians 3:12-14

[Judy Harder]

     

(in)courage
   

What Women Fear: Chapter Ten
A Dime on the Road
What Are You?
How Are You, Really?
What Women Fear: Chapter Ten

Nov 7 2011

Well today is our last view discussion of What Women Fear. Today, we are ending things with Jenni Catron.
From Angie:
Again, we gave Jenni one of the "oh-my-word that's a tough one" chapters because we knew she would breathe her sweet wisdom into every thought. It's a beautiful thing-to fear the One who calls you to come to Him as Savior. We wanted to translate the love of a Father that doesn't want us to be afraid, but rather to reverence Him in a way that acknowledges His dominion over us and our need for Him. You will love what Jenni shares here...


We hope that this study has blessed you. Angie will wrap things up on Wednesday, so be sure to stop back!
Love,
Ang and Jess

A Dime on the Road

A dime on the road catches my eye,
partly submerged in dirt and grime.
So I pass it by.

My life, it seems, is submerged, awry;
And in this mire I don't have time
For a dime in the road that catches my eye.

I once had a dream, but by and by
It transformed, submerged—and lost its rhyme.
So I passed it by.

Perhaps when the grime is hardened and dry
When my dream is no longer covered in slime,
A dime on the road will catch my eye.

I'll stop and hold it and laugh and cry.
I'll think of the dream and I'll think of the dime
I once passed by.

In this sweet time, with the past gone by,
I'll say of the memory, as if describing a crime:
"A dime on the road caught my eye.
And I passed it by."

By Heather Gemmen Wilson
 


What Are You?

Nov 7 2011

"What are you?" These three little words jumped off of the page of my Bible from Zechariah Chapter 4 when I read them this week. I had uttered these exact three words out loud while on a walk through my neighborhood just a few days prior. God was clearly communicating with me and I decided to pause and take this inclination to let my fingers hit the keyboards again.

These three words jumped out of my mouth as a strange, flying, fuzzy black and red bug encircled me while I walked through my neighborhood one morning. I remember feeling a bit funny speaking the words, and to a bug. Nonetheless, I spoke them, "What are you?"...not "Who are you?" Or "What is that?" But simply, "What are you?"

Perhaps, you too have recently uttered something similar in your heart when faced with something new, peculiar and unfamiliar in your life?

I remember feeling a bit uncomfortable, not knowing what kind of bug it was and also as the buzzing sound increased so did the speed of the encircling bug. As I sit with Zechariah 4 open I am envisioning this bug circling the three words, and I had to circle the words "What are you?" in my Bible.

I cannot even begin to explain all that this means, but I can't deny the whisper of God to recognize that so much in my life right now seems to crescendo to a chorus of "What are you?" So many new things to embrace right now and so much unfamiliarity and it is all piling up like one huge mountain of laundry and I tempted to be paralyzed at the base of this mountain.

What's piling up in your life right now? Are there any mountains that seem to have just been placed in front of you causing you to experience a gamet of emotions? A girlfriend recently shared with me some particular mountains present in her world that I so identified with; they were something like...

Mount Doubt, Mount Fear, Mount Exhausted, Mount Discouragement, etc.

What are your current mountains?

In Zechariah Chapter 4:7 after the words, "What are you?" the text describes the mountains which will become like level ground. As I read, Zechariah Chapter 4, I heard God whisper and also later through the prayers of friends around our kitchen table, I heard the affirmations in my heart...'we will overcome.' For in all these things that are heavy on my heart, in all these present mountains...we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:37).

As I picture the mountains in my life crumbling through the power of prayer and all the power of our mighty God who just makes things happen; I am still picturing this buzzing bug.

I wish you could see me smiling right now.

I am thanking God for making flat a mountain that has been before me all summer long. Here I am with Him...one word at a time writing again and it is reminding me that with Christ I can do this and I am pressing on with Christ! (Phil 4:13 and 3:14).
Join me girlfriends...let's take one step at a time together with Christ and go either over, through or up the mountains before us.

By JGirl

How Are You, Really?



She showed up at my front door. Unannounced with this cupcake in her hand:



"How are you really, Kristen?"

Now let me just say, normally I am ALL ABOUT THE CUPCAKE.

But something unusual happened:  she waited for me to tell her. Really tell her.

And while the cupcake caught my interest, her words grabbed my heart.

I couldn't remember the last time someone had added that word –the one that changed the trite question I hear every single day.

And so we stood at the door for a long time, me gripping sugar, tasting salt, pouring it out.

She waited for my words. The ones that I longed to say. And she just listened. Nodding her head, tilting it with empathy. And then she hugged me, told me she would pray.

I thanked her for the goodie, but mostly for asking and listening.

Sometimes we just need to be heard. I closed my front door, lighter with the burden I didn't know I was bottling up, keeping in. I usually just nod my head with, "Yes, I'm good. Everything's great." I didn't even know I was waiting on someone to really ask.

Today, you're either in one place or the other: You sit reading these words and the salt pools and you are silently begging yes, please ask me. The burden is so heavy. Or you need to find the neighbor, friend, lonely mom after school, and ask, How are you, really?

Because I will tell you, I walked away from that experience, wondering how many women in my life are waiting on me to:

Ask (the question). Wait (for an answer). Listen (to her cares). Pray (for her).

With our rushing and racing, we miss this opportunity and fill the space with empty words and continue in a secluded pain that isn't God's ideal for the Body of Christ.

We are the body. You. Me. And we need to carry one another's burdens.

So, tell me, how are you doing?

Really?

by Kristen Welch, We are THAT family

[Judy Harder]

Sovereign
Never Too Late For Joy
Hospitality & Some (in)Spired Thanksgiving Deals
Sovereign

Nov 9 2011



"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17

I was making cupcakes to take to the teachers and neighbors but realized I was out of vegetable oil after I start mixing. I told the kids we would have to ask our neighbor Mrs. Sarah for a half cup of vegetable oil. My kids jump at the chance to go visit the neighbors, so my son starting putting on his shoes right away. "I'll do it! I'll do it!", he said quickly before his sister could offer. "Slow down.", I told him. "Do you know what you are asking for?" He looked up from putting on his shoes and said, "Yes? A half a cup of fish to boil?"

"How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 2 Samuel 7:22

We get in a hurry sometimes. We rush into a task or something that seems like a good project without getting a clear picture of what the Lord needs or wants from us first. We forget that God is sovereign. His plan should come before ours. We don't stop, we don't ask, we don't pray for discernment and we don't listen for His whisper – - – we rush, we decide without His input, we try to rule our territory.

He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes. Daniel 5:21

Hundreds of times in the Bible we run across the phrase, "Sovereign Lord" when God is addressed (especially in Ezekiel). Have you ever thought about what that really means? Sovereignty is defined as "the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory". I have read this word thousands of times when studying scripture, but it is tough to give a biblical definition of this word. In fact, sovereign is really more than a word – it's more like a concept when it relates to our Lord and Savior. We often hear, "God is sovereign." but what does that really mean? Some other definitions of sovereign include: supreme power, dominance, and absolute superlative quality. Some synonyms include: all-sufficient, irresistible, overwhelming, jurisdiction and mastery.

My favorite is irresistible. Isn't God irresistible?! I have found that His sovereignty, His mastery, His all-sufficient and His dominance is irresistible. Did I ever think I would say that? Honestly, no! For so many years I wanted to remain in control of my life. I wanted to be in absolute control of my actions and decisions, but He patiently waited on the sidelines while I fumbled, tumbled and messed up. That is what happens when we try to rule our territory instead of letting our sovereign God do it. Are you ready to accept his sovereignty?

When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. Acts 4:24

Allison T. Cain
Author & Speaker
www.godchickdevotions.com

Encouraging all women to see God in the ordinary



Never Too Late For Joy



A walk through the cornfield on a sun-kissed harvest day.

I've never picked corn before.

At the supermarket, sure.

But, I had never walked through a cornfield. Until a few weeks ago.

Sunday church was over and while milling around, a friend mentioned a nearby farm was putting on a Harvest Festival.

I knew the place would get crowded later in the afternoon, so I was anxious to get there before noon with Hubby and my two boys.

Problem was, I wore my heels that morning.

I wasn't dressed for the occasion.

We had to drive home — in the opposite direction — so I could change into my mud-ready outdoor boots.

On our way over, I hoped there was corn left for us to pick.

We arrived at the farm and stood at the edge of the field. Littered with husks.

We were too late.

Someone Who Can Carry

Surveying what's left behind.


Do you ever feel like it's too late for you to find joy?

Maybe you're looking at your schedule or your dreams, and it seems littered with the husks of missed opportunities or crowded with the pressures of the daily grind.

From the way things appear, that pursuit, relationship, job, friendship, child, marriage – that situation – is simply heading in the opposite direction of where you'd like it to be.

You're caught off guard.  Not dressed for the occasion.

In the moment, it feels like nothing can take away your sense of loss or disappointment.

But, there is Someone who can carry us in that moment.

The Pieces
The God who holds onto us when we are weary knows where He's taking us.

"I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten
You'll eat your fill of good food. You'll be full of praises to your God

You'll know without question that I'm in the thick of life with Israel [with you],

That I'm your God, yes, your God, the one and only real God.

Never again will my people be despised."
~ Joel 2:25-29

It's never too late for joy.

The Lord of the harvest – Jesus – came so that we can have life abundantly.

While we pick up the pieces of our lives,  Jesus picks up the pieces to our hearts.

He remembers how we are put together.

We can hang onto Jesus, who is strong enough to carry us through.

Beside You

The joy of corn unexpected.

As we walked through endless corridors of seemingly plucked-through stalks of corn, we decided to trek further — to the back of the field.

Far away from the crowds, where many turned around and left, we found rows and rows of corn.

Ready for us to harvest and bring home to enjoy that night.

As you stand there in the silence, surveying the rows of years gone past, notice Jesus standing there beside you.

He knows the way ahead.  He hasn't forgotten you.

There is more life ahead, Jesus whispers.

Just hold on tight to me.  I know the way to go and I'm taking you with me.

Unmistakeable Fragrance
It's risky to hope for joy, but God gently gathers us close, even when we're mixed with doubt and unspoken suspicions.

The place of need is the most beautiful place to be positioned.

That is where we experience the joy of being discovered by Jesus once again.

There is an unmistakeable fragrance that seeps into us, as we hide in the loving embrace of Jesus.

His grace, his tender understanding — mixed with our fears and tears — bring an intimate harvest of joy from within.

It's never too late for joy.

Never too late for you or for me.

~~~~~

"No more will anyone call you Rejected,
and your country will no more be called Ruined.


You'll be called Hephzibah (My Delight), and your land Beulah (Married),
Because God delights in you
and your land will be like a wedding celebration."
~ Isaiah 62:4

~~~~~





~~~~~


How is God calling you to find joy in the current season of your life?

Pull up a chair. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Click here to comment.

~~~~~




By Bonnie Gray, The Faith Barista serving up shots of faith for everyday life

For more shots of faith, join Bonnie and the Faith Fresh Community at her blog.

Hospitality & Some (in)Spired Thanksgiving Deals



I love to open my home to others. I always have enjoyed the idea of hospitality, but I haven't always known how to practice it with grace.

I have gone through many awkward seasons of hospitality! I remember so well the years where entertaining was quite stressful – trying to prepare a delicious and memorable meal, create the perfect ambiance, clean a spic and span party-ready house, organize all the closets (because you never know when someone might unexpectedly look in your closet), and of course, wanting to show off well-behaved children.

However, my expectations of juggling perfection set me up for failure. I was too self-conscious to invite people over when my house was looking 'lived in.' I made excuses for the effort it would require to extend an invitation to a neighbor. I apologized to guests for overcooked vegetables and crunchy rice or for an imperfectly decorated room. I was mortified as my child threw a tantrum at people's feet under the dinner table. I failed countless times to have the laundry done and my party dress on before the first guest rang the doorbell.

I wanted to be gracious and witty and welcoming and instead I felt awkward and self-conscious. I failed at my own expectations for gracious hospitality. Yet through every excuse, failure and mistake, God was gently whispering over my shoulder, quietly asking me to consider what hospitality means to Him...

****

Continue reading over at (in)spired deals today, where Melissa Michaels from the Inspired Room introduces our line of November featured items {Think Thanksgiving!}

At (in)spired deals you'll find:
A special coupon code just for you
Lots of reviews and giveaways
Wonderful Thanksgiving decor
Go ahead and click on over here to continue reading!

[Judy Harder]

I think God is just wonderful. I had just written my answer to Wilma about being lonely in a crowd and this was my next e-mail message to read and post. Just what I needed and what I must keep in my heart and mind. I am Chosen, You are Chosen, now to act this out. and learn the important message. Thank you Father for always keeping me in Your sight. jh



(in)courage
   

Chosen

Nov 10 2011

I was in the audience at a concert one night amazed by the size of the arena, the volume of the cheers and applause, and the excitement of being in this moment. At one point all eyes went to a ten year old little girl who was acknowledged by the singer and given the happy birthday wish of a lifetime.

As I sat there and thought about how exciting it must have been for that little girl to get the attention thousands others craved from this star, my mind wandered away from the concert.

I imagined Jesus standing up on that stage. I imagined the whole crowd fading away as He points his finger straight up to me. Little ol' insignificant me, sitting in row 116, section R, seat 24. And then He speaks straight to me, "I love you Lysa and I have chosen you. Can we spend some time talking about this?"

I smiled. Then the reality of the concert brought real life crashing back. To the rock star the person sitting in row 116, section R, seat 24 is just another face in the crowd.

But to Jesus there is no such thing as just another face in the crowd. Somehow to God, we are all unique souls who He desires to call out, recognize and invite into a more intimate setting.

Unlike a human pop star, Jesus can give this kind of individual attention without excluding others. Every single person in the crowd could have their own individual encounter with Him. The only requirements are the desire to experience Him and the belief that it is possible. Sadly, very few people have either of these.

I know. I used to have the kind of relationship with God where I viewed Him as The One who makes sweeping glances over thousands of people per minute just to make sure no one was getting out of line. But the possibility to have God pause in the midst of everyday life to spend a little time with just me wasn't in my scope of possibilities at all.

It almost seems a bit presumptuous to think God would want to notice me, choose me, call on me, and converse with me- doesn't it?

Maybe the answer to this question is yes in human terms but not in Biblical terms.

In human terms the word "chosen," sends my mind reeling back to playground kickball days. These were not some of my finer childhood memories.

"Chosen" was not at all a word I would have used to describe myself.

So, when I first heard that word in relation to God's feelings toward me, I couldn't process it. In human terms it did seem quite presumptuous to think that God would pause to pay attention to me. My earthly Daddy never did that. My kickball team mates certainly didn't do that. It seemed quite upside down to think that a girl the world ignored and passed over would actually be handpicked, on purpose, by God.

The Bible is full of reassurances that this is exactly the way God wants us to process life.

Colossians 3: 12 says, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

Psalm 25:12 says, "Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him."

And John 15:19 says, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world."

I am a chosen person, with a chosen way, who has been handpicked by God on purpose to live a chosen life set apart in this world. But please don't mistake this as an exclusive country club type membership. No, this is the truth that every person can stand on no matter their race, background, or their past. If you proclaim Jesus Christ, son of God, as your Lord and Savior, this is your chosen reality.

The problem is we have been trained to process life based on the way we feel. We think we must feel love for love to exist. We think we must feel wanted for it to be true that we are chosen. We think we must feel God's presence for Him to really be close. But God never meant for us to feel our way to Him.

God wants us to stand on the absolute truth that He is with us no matter how our feelings may try and betray that reality. When I process life through my feelings I am left deceived and disillusioned. When I process life through God's truth I am divinely comforted by His love and made confident in His calling on my life.

So, back to that concert when Jesus gave me the visual of Him calling out to me- choosing me, I learned something profound that night.

God made each of us with a vulnerable place inside our souls to be wanted, loved, and chosen above all others. I think that's what ultimately drives people on both sides of an arena filled stage. The one on the stage is looking to have this vulnerable placed filled by the screaming crowd. The screaming crowd somehow thinks this famous person has it all figured out so if they can just get close maybe some of that fulfillment will rub off on them.

All the while Jesus stands off to the side and wonders if anyone realizes He's the One our souls long for... not the fame... not the attention of the famous... and not the millions of other things we'll spend our lives thinking we must have.

The answer to our deepest desires is not the seemingly perfect life... not the most romantic husband...not the smartest and most well behaved kids... not the bigger house... not the better job... not the awards and recognition of man and not in trying to feel our way to God.

It's making the choice to recognize that God is close. Whether we're at a concert, on a playground in the middle of a sorry kickball game, or sitting in a chair in our den- God is there. Loving. Assuring. Teaching. Calling. Choosing to spend time with us.

Becoming more than a good Bible Study Girl means never settling for needing to feel our way to God or to simply limit our experience of Him to those few minutes we call our quiet time.

It's being able to sit in the noise of the arena of life with every worldly distraction imaginable bombarding you and suddenly thinking of Him- talking with Him- smiling with Him- and realizing every longing I've ever had in life to be more than just the girl in row 116, section R, seat 24 is already filled. By Him. The One who sees me as chosen.

I am giving away a copy of my book 'Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl" to 3 randomly chosen commenters today.

By Lysa TerKeurst

[Judy Harder]

The Weeping Of The Evergreen
Treasured Words Told From A Soldier's Lips
We're Finished!
The Weeping Of The Evergreen

Nov 11 2011


We cut it down, and placed it on the brush pile, a funeral bier, an altar that would soon reduce the offering to ash and smoke. Now, it was just a broken branch of deadened dry needles, but, once, not long ago, it had bestowed beauty, from fragrant pine needles, dripping a cedar sap of savory scent. Back then we didn't know that it was destined for offering, for aromatic ascension.

One evening, after the harrowing thrill of a pummeling hailstorm passed, this cedar tree gave me a gift. Admiring the icy diamonds scattered in the yard I caught a whiff of Christmas. Fragrance transports you through the years like a daydream from the dusty corners of delightful memory, and I visited a long-forgotten moment of holiday bliss, lying under another cedar tree, breathing the aroma of Christmas.

I wondered, "Why would it smell like Christmas after a hailstorm?"

My interest piqued, I kneeled to examine the hail stones, to breathe a melting nothing of a disappearing moment. As the invisible ice dripped from my fingertips, I followed the fragrance to the cedar tree, the weeping cedar, beaten and bruised by the hailstones, crying the aroma of brokenness.

O, beautiful fragrance of fallibility, aroma of vulnerability as I discovered the secret of the scent. Like wisdom permeates the brain at an inspired moment, understanding wafted into my spirit like the perfume of the pine. The mystery of the beauty of the bruises is in the fragrance of the ascending offering.

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5

This tree had endured a prior scourging by ice in the infamous ice storm of another winter, when  horror cried out in the echo of cracking Ozark forests, the beginning of slow death for this cedar tree. Like the taste of the forbidden fruit, the slow sensation of the curse of death began when the mast of the tree was cracked by the burden of that first icy beating. The terminal TIMBERRRR slowly began, but before the final felling, the evergreen gave me the gift of its tears, weeping a fragrant final offering of the beauty of brokenness, ascending as a sweet fragrance through the forest.

As the pounding of the hailstones bruised the evergreen, releasing the fragrance, so the buffeting of life's circumstances releases the fragrance of perseverance and victory in our lives, as we allow praise to ascend as our fragrant offering of faith.

"We are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing." II Cor 2:15

Have you experienced the release of a fragrant aroma in the midst of the pummeling of life's buffeting bruises? Have you noticed that praise is the perfume the transforms the bruises into beauty, the ashes into aroma as you press past the pain and discomfort of your present distress to release all the hurts? Break open the alabaster aroma of pain, and release it, as a sweet and fragrant offering on the altar of trust and forgiveness, and it will waft heavenward, a release of pain in exchange for joy, carried on the winds of faith, as a holy incense, a worshipful sacrifice pleasing unto the Lord.

By Shari Popejoy, Won Without Words




Treasured Words Told From A Soldier's Lips



He's waiting for me as I park my car. I can see him through the window and a smile fills his face. I hurry into the church building and open my arms to offer a hug. My schedule says I'm visiting to speak to a group of writers, but deep inside I know that a large part of the reason I've traveled to Shippensburg, Pennsylvania to see him.

John is 86-years-old, is nearly deaf in one ear and is sometimes more blunt with his comments than I expect. Last time I saw him we were in Louisville, Kentucky. I'd driven for hours to see him—see them—that day too. John and the dozens of other veterans I now consider good friends.

His arms open and he accepts my hug. My chin quivers and I try to push thoughts out of my mind of the other veterans I've known, I've cared for, but are now gone.

John introduces me to a reporter from the local paper who's come to take our picture. The reporter believes she's come to snap a photo of a writer and one of the veterans she's interviewed. A knowing look passes from John's eyes to mine. I've not only listened to his stories, I know the secrets of his war experiences. I've read his memoirs. I've read the letters he wrote to his mother and father during the war. "Dear dad," he'd write. But his letters to his mother seemed more personal. "Mother dear," he'd write to her.|

As I read those letters I couldn't help but think of my boys, now 22 and 17-years-old.Tears journeyed down my cheek as I read about John sleeping on frozen ground, about battles, about buddies lost, picturing Cory and Nathan in that situation. Tears now come again as I step back from John's embrace and remember how it all started.

I never planned on interviewing veterans. I had wanted to write romance novels until I came across a story that wouldn't leave my thoughts. I was traveling in Europe when I heard about the liberation of Mauthausen concentration camp. Young America GIs, 18 and 19-years-old, came upon the gates of the camp. From the first moment I heard that story I wondered about the emotions of those young men. Horror at what they saw. Fear that there were too many who needed help. Joy that after all the fighting they had the honor of opening liberation's gates.

My questions got the best of me, and I got in touch with some of the men. They invited me to their reunion and that's where I met Arthur, Charlie, Thomas, Tarmo, LeRoy, Russ, and yes ... John.

I am different because of the veterans I've interviewed. A part of their history abides in me in the form of their treasured words. It saddens me to think that I could have not asked. I could have continued with my busy life without taking time to hear their stories.

The pain of this strikes deep because that's what happened with my own grandfather. Life was busy. He was so quiet, so gentle I never really thought much about him being a World War II veteran. He passed away before I had time to talk to him about the war. I still wonder about the stories I'll never know. Maybe that's why listening is so important to me now. If I have the chance, I want to hear. I want to care. I want to share.

That's why it was so special to see John again—for both of us to be reminded of our connection built over shared letters and unbelievable tales. My time with John ended with me visiting with some of his family and friends, and then there was a final hug before I drove away. I smiled as I looked at his form in my review mirror, and I offered a whispered prayer to God. "Thank you. Thank you for this honor."

God knew John had stories he needed to tell. I'm so thankful I was the one chosen to receive those words as a gift. I'm thankful I was able to offer John a gift in return. It was one I didn't need to wrap. It was one that didn't impact my checkbook. Sometimes the best gift we can give—I've learned—is a listening ear.

By Tricia Goyer
 

We're Finished!



I just wanted to hop on and tell you all how blessed you have made me feel to have a community of women talking about such a difficult topic. Fear (as you know by now!) has run quite a race in my life, and as I learn more and more about the Lord, I can find peace that I never used to be able to access. That's not to say that I never find myself afraid, but it is getting better

One of the most important things you can do if you struggle with fear is to have a network of friends who you really know and trust. The kind that you could call at 3:00 a.m. if you needed to and they would be up to help in any way they could.  We long for friendships like these, and we certainly have been praying that you have made a few "kindred spirit" friends during our journey through this book.

Thank you for your contribution-your thoughts were more appreciated than you will ever know, and the fact that many of you really opened up to dark places you are struggling with-we really appreciate it. And it means the world that you trust us with your hearts. It's a privilege to be in community with all of you ladies.

I pray you received something valuable from my book, and also that you will continue to hang around. As we move into our Fall break, we have TONS of fun stuff planned and would love to see you there. Keep checking back for more info, and until next time, blessings to you and your families!

xoxo

Ang (and Jess)

[Judy Harder]

What's That Smell?

Nov 12 2011



My daughter's room smells like bacon. The bathroom smells like whatever my cat just did in its litter box in the next room. And the living room? Well, thankfully it just smells like the air freshener plugged into the kitchen wall.

For some reason I have not figured out in the eight years since we moved into our small ranch, smells don't stay where they're supposed to in this house. I've just learned to expect the lingering aroma of dinner in my daughter's bedroom, and suspicious smells in the bathroom are just as likely to have started in the office as anywhere.

The funny thing about this situation is that not only do smells – good and bad, for the record – migrate through walls or down the hall, but they also completely disappear from their rooms of origin. So while you might think my kitchen smells just as strongly of bacon as my daughter's bedroom, you would be wrong. The kitchen smells like dishwasher detergent.

As I walked down the hall and noticed my house's quirk [again] a few weeks ago, I started thinking. My house is a lot like my life.

I snap at my husband because I'm stressed out about a freelance project.
I cry as I watch a greeting card commercial because I had a fight with my husband.
I skip my workout because I stayed up late reading a novel . . . and snacking.
I ignore my daughter's requests to play dolls because I'm tired . . . and want to check Facebook.

None of those things are directly related, and yet, they might seem connected on the surface. If you asked me, in the moment, I might say that I snapped at my husband because he forgot to tell me he's leaving early for work. I might say that the commercial is extremely well-crafted and sentimental or that my workout is just too hard. I might even tell you that I simply don't like to play dolls and my daughter needs to learn to play on her own anyway.

But in reality, the bad smells in my life – short temper, moodiness, laziness, misplaced priorities – are coming from somewhere else. They might show up in one relationship but be a result of a problem in another relationship. They might make one situation "smell," but actually come from a completely different and separate situation altogether.

Confusion – or denial – over the cause of an emotional outburst isn't the only time I see this "mystery smell" phenomenon in my life. It also happens with behaviors that I'm not proud of, with sin.

Sin creeps into our lives so quietly, so quickly – and then has the audacity to disguise itself as something else.

I exchange my daily Bible reading for a few minutes flipping through a magazine or scrolling through Twitter, and I tell myself it's because I need some time to unwind. (Not really. I know from [repeated] history that I stop craving time in the Word when I stop seeking God with all my heart.)
I let days and then weeks go by without stepping on my treadmill, and I tell myself it's probably better to just accept my body how it is anyway. (Not true! While I know that God loves me no matter what size my jeans are, I also know that treating my body well is a form of worship and stewardship that I'm seriously missing out on when I don't exercise.)
I poke fun at my husband as he tells a story at our small group, pointing out every detail he got wrong, and I tell myself that I'm just making sure everyone knows the truth. (Not exactly. I've forgotten [again] that God calls us to respect our husbands, and in my marriage, that includes staying quiet when he tells the story his way – and even laughing at his jokes [again].)

Do you have any bad smells in your life today? Is sin disguising itself or hiding under an explanation like the bacon smell hides in my house?

[Judy Harder]

     

(in)courage
   

How Can We Pray For You?

Nov 13 2011



Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

~ Philippians 4:6-7.

How can we pray for you today? Won't you share in the comments? And then take a moment to please pray for the sister who commented before you – we're in this together, all the way.