encouragement

"One day at a time, and hold tight to those things that bring you joy.  And remember how much you are loved!!"

Encouraging words all the way from NZ.  Thanks, E Mill.

more on promises...

I recently listened to this sermon on Isaiah 61.  Which has led me to these questions:

• How is the Lord calling me to be part of fulfilling His promises (preaching good news to the poor, comforting the broken hearted, proclaiming freedom to the captives, etc.)?
• What is my ministry supposed to look like this year?
• What am I waiting on?  And has God promised it?

i've been learning

I've been learning that some of the things I think God promises might not really be the things God actually promises.  Example -- I can easily get myself into this place of thinking that God promises me a life of ease, comfort, happiness, and clear decisions.  But God does not promise me those things because he is a relational God.  What I sometimes want God to promise -- happiness, comfort, etc. -- are actually relationLESS promises.  The fulfillment of all those things can easily lead to living self-sufficiently without me recognizing my need for Christ.

So what does God actually promise?  That He is with me always.  Has been, is, will be.  Always.  (Joshua 1:9, John 1:14)  He promises a relationship.  It's simplicity is what makes it so complex.  In my head, I make it so complicated.  I long for ease and comfort.  Or rather, I think I'm longing for ease and comfort but really I'm longing for Jesus.  Never will life be infinitely comfortable or happy or easy.  Never will every decision be clearly black and white.  But that's why I need Jesus.  That's what I've been learning:  I need Jesus.  And my longing for other things is just a further indicator of my desperate need for Christ.  So when life is comfortable or uncomfortable, happy or unhappy, easy or hard, black and white or the murkiest shade of grey, seek Christ.  Abide in Him recklessly and trust in Him unconditionally.





    

all that i need.

This season of advent is hitting me hard.  Rocking my world and bringing me truth.  I am waiting.  I've been waiting for what feels like forever.  And it's hard.  It's confusing and frustrating and at times overwhelming.  I don't like it.  But never in this waiting have I lost hope.  And that is big.  I have Jesus and because I have Jesus I have hope.  I ask questions, I haggle with God, I throw my hands up and say, What the heck are you doing?!  But never have I lost hope.  I can wait in expectation.  God didn't just show up in a manger 2000 years ago but He continues to show up today.  And I can expect Him to show up tomorrow, and the next day.  I can have hope in the midst of waiting.

"GOD IS ALL THAT I NEED.  BUT I CANNOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT UNTIL GOD IS ALL THAT I HAVE."

Truth.  That came from a sermon at my church in Indy (Dec 4).  Listen to it here, it's SO good and reminds us that we can have hope.  The King is coming.  The sermon asks, What is it that God wants me to get out of the wilderness (waiting)?  That is seriously the question I ask literally every day.  Why the heck am I here (in VA)?  Show me why I'm here.  And I pray for a heart and a mind that is still.  That hears the voice of God.  Because for me, the wilderness can be loud sometimes.  Or muffling.  Sometimes I only hear myself.  Or I hear the voices of everyone else.  But I want to hear the voice of God and I need to.  Because the wilderness is the place where I come to grips with the fact that God is all that I need but I can't fully understand that until God is all that I have.  He is speaking.  He comes, He enters into my situation with me, He invites me into the light.  He is coming to form me and to deliver me.  It's my job to recognize it.

"In those in between places where I am not where I was, and I am not where I am going, God comes in to teach us that the wilderness is not designed for me to long to get out of the wilderness, as much as it is designed for me to get something out of the wilderness."

I'm reminded of the truth.  That there is hope in waiting.  Seek it.  Pursue it.  Allow yourself to experience it.  

comfort

"Father, You alone know what lies before me this day.  Grant that in every hour of it I may stay close to you.  Let me today embark on no undertaking that is not in line with your will for my life, nor shrink from any sacrifice which your will may demand.  For my Lord Christ's Sake.  Amen."

A Diary of Private Prayer, John Baillie

seek

THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S, AND EVERYTHING IN IT, THE WORLD AND ALL WHO LIVE IN IT... 

Psalm 24:1

Acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with WHOLEHEARTED DEVOTION and with a WILLING MIND, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.  If you seek him, he WILL be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.  Consider how, for the Lord has CHOSEN YOU to build a temple as a sanctuary.  BE STRONG AND DO THE WORK.

. . . . .

BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS, AND DO THE WORK.  DO NOT BE AFRAID OR DISCOURAGED, FOR THE LORD GOD, MY  GOD, IS WITH YOU.  HE WILL NOT FAIL YOU OR FORSAKE YOU...

David to Solomon, I Chronicles 28: 9&10, 20

#sweetsweetchesapeake

What a weekend in #sweetsweetchesapeake.  I am so exhausted but I feel so incredibly full at the same time.  My spirit is rejuvenated.  I feel this overwhelming sense of joy.  Really.  Truly.  My heart feels like it's overflowing and I'm just excited and encouraged about life.  Lord, thank you for these people.  Thank you for making us for community.  Thank you for the gift of shared experiences.  Thank you for the way I see you in my friends.

Highlights:
--Chick-fil-A.  It's a special place in Chesapeake.  Only great memories there.  Learned you can return your kids meal toy for an ice cream cone.  Winner.  Also learned they have bendy straws and straight straws.  Who knew?  Lots of laughter there.  And for me, a few tears...
--Triple R Ranch.  More friends, more animals.  Coleman and Austin are quite the horse whisperers...

No words necessary:

--Fountains.  Just one of the many features of #sweetsweetchesapeake.
--Monsters Inc. and a shoelace.  Eric you saved the day.  And our ears.

Thanks, friends, for a great weekend.  Juliette, Callie, Eric, Austin, Coleman, Leslie, Kristy, Mezz, Jim, Baha, Matt, Josh, Dave, RJ, Maria, Charles.  What a gift you are.