Order.  It’s an important detail in life.  Without it we would have complete chaos.  Think about it, no laws to guide other motorist (I’m sure you’d still drive safe), no lines at the store, and no repercussions of any sort.  Even our bodies are created with order (amazing!).  Our God is a God of order.  He created the world out of nothing, set it in motion and made everything have its season and time and order in things we know today.  How wonderful is that?

1 Corinthians 11 is about order among men and women in the church.  When you read the first few lines, most women cringe.  To think that a man, regardless if he’s worth it or earned it, is above me seems at the least, unfair.  In America, where woman can become CEO of any company, run for president, hold important positions in all walks of life, a man has no business being ‘head’ of any woman.  Or does he?

This might upset some, but please read with an open heart.

God is not of this world.  Often, our ideas are not God’s.  His ways are high above mine.  Let’s see if I can explain.  When we think of the world, rank has importance.  The director of marketing would report to someone with more power, more influence.  The VP of marketing would report to the president of marketing who may in turn report to the CEO of a company.  In the military, importance of rank is even more evident.  Could you imagine a private telling a sergeant what to do?  (My husband tried that once…just once).

While we see the importance of rank and order, what do you assume about rank?  Naturally, you assume the higher the rank the more important the person.  But, remember, our ways are not God’s ways.  He has order for our well being (which we can see), but he never said one position is more important than any other.  That is completely a lie so don’t even think it!

In 1 Corinthians 11:3, Christ is over the man, man over woman, and God over Christ.  Who is ultimately our authority?  God is, plain and simple.  Gal 3:28 says it beautifully, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  We will stand for ourselves before Christ, but to live in this world, there needs to be order.

In our Awana club, the leader reports to the director who reports to the commander.  The commander is the one who reports to the pastor (or children’s director, then pastor).  I am the commander, but my position does not make me more important.  I cannot imagine a club where there are leaders who think they are not as important as the rest!  The ‘chain of command’ helps our club run smooth, but does it matter who is where?  It does to God!  He has placed each leader, director, secretary and helper right where they need to be.  God does not see the positions in our church as a goal to attain, but as a machine running smoothly.  While the world sees the position as important, God sees the person working in each position as valuable.

Sometimes, we are moved to other positions.  Never is it more or less important or worthy, but always for our benefit.  He stretches us to grow in Him.  He desires our obedience when the world says independence.  But always, God’s order and placement for us is best for us.  Never mind the world. Give me Jesus any day!

I pray you find your place in God’s design; that His hand moves you to greatness in His image.  May your treasures be in Heaven and may God be your guide.

It’s been three months since I’ve written anything here.  Three months to see God move beyond my wildest dream.  Three months of sitting in His presence and watching Him shape the world around me.

To say I’ve seen a lot is an understatement.  It’s odd because for these three months I have been an outsider looking in.  Not much happened to me, but I’ve been witness to much more than a blog could ever tell.  A dear family has seen the man of the house suffer terribly.  I’ve been there and watched as he was healthy one minute, sick the next and in the following moment, on life support.  I witnessed surgeries and devastating news and sat in shock and tears thinking the unthinkable.  I also witnessed God’s healing hand and provision for this family as he might go home with his wife and children soon.  There is a long recovery road ahead, but so far, God has been so faithful.  AND IT SHOULDN’T SURPRISE ME!

I also watched as another friend has to console her children as their father passed from this earth.  While they have a loving step-father (the term doesn’t do him any justice, since he is a remarkable father to them), their father is gone.  But our Heavenly Father has held these young girls tightly in His arms.  They are sure of their salvation and believe their father is now in heaven.  The beautiful note by one daughter (9 years old) said, “He is in a much better place” and “I’ll see you again.”

In the past three months, I have wept tears of sadness when all seemed dark and ridden with despair and cried tears of joy at multiple miracles before me.  And now I sit here, more thankful for My God than ever before.

I am so thankful I have been loved these past few months, like nothing I have seen.  While I did not personally suffer, God equipped me to stand by those in need.  I was able to sit children, run errands and drive 4 hours for a surgery in the midst of my busy family.  He quieted my soul and gave me a peace which surpasses all understanding.  He kept me from evil and every one of my steps was clearly laid before me.  While on appointments with those in need, He gave me words.  But most of all, He gave me joy along the way.

Joy in the midst of suffering.  Joy when I lay my head at night.  Joy in each crazy moment.  Joy when worlds are turned upside down.

That is My God!  Bigger than doctors.  Bigger than a mommy’s hug.  Bigger than my wildest dreams could ever imagine.  Bigger than my highest hopes.  Bigger than any earthly thing.

I hope that those who read this come to know a God who fills you with joy in all circumstances.  A God who gives hope when the odds are stacked against you.  A God who knows the tiniest need and fulfills the greatest desires.

Here is Emily’s story.  It’s a work in progress and a hard one to write.  Be patient as she retells each detail as God was in every part.   www.liftupyourhearts.com  Start with the post “A month ago today.”

As I sit here writing, there is no breakfast made.  That’s not unusual though.  Some days, it’s cereal others it’s pancakes or waffles.   And yet when my younger son wakes, he goes for the eggs.  Loves to cook eggs, he does.   When they wake, they wander in the kitchen, eyes half open, hair tossed like banshees, and go for what’s out (or not).  Rarely do I hear, “What’s for breakfast?”  They know some days it’s yummy bacon and others it’s an oatmeal day.  Sometimes, they can smell it before they get out of bed. Other times, they get to the kitchen before they see what I’m cooking or not cooking.  Never are they disappointed though and they don’t ask anymore.  They know their breakfast need will be met.

Which leads me to my topic (I bet you are wondering what in the world my kids anticipation of breakfast has to do with this blog. I rarely write about my family!).  Prayer.  I hear so many looking for how to speak to God, how do we ask for things, how do we pray?

First of all, there is no formula so stop looking for one.  That may sound harsh, but I do speak it in love.  Let me illustrate with breakfast.

My children never know what is for breakfast.  We just don’t plan that out.  It’s an impulse.  But there are days, when they open their eyes to the smell of bacon cooking.  They know what’s for breakfast.  They don’t have to ask.  But they do get a little curious as they walk down the hall.  It’s hard to tell the difference between pancakes and waffles with your nose!  So they ask, “Pancakes? or Waffles?” as they come in the kitchen.  Usually, they see before I respond, but they know.  I think of prayer that way.  We should know our Heavenly Father so well, we smell His presence around us.  Sometimes, we must ask for a little more direction as we get closer, but often times, He knows what we need and gives it to us at His most perfect time!  Whatever is on our plate, we enjoy with His good blessing and forget all others.

My children wouldn’t get the pancakes and bacon if they went outside!  In fact, the smell would soon be so far away that they wouldn’t even know it’s there.  Would it do any good for them to sit out back and cry, “Mom, I want bacon so bad!  Why don’t you bring it to me?  I haven’t had it in so long!”  The plan is to get your food in the kitchen.

Let me pose this question:  Why do you ask for things?  Not just material things, but spiritual too?  Is it your own interest you ask or a Heavenly interest?   Are you praying in the backyard with an obvious answer in the kitchen?  Are you still asking, “How do you know what to ask?”   The answer, in a nutshell, is to spend time with God.  Scripture and prayer are the most important things.  As you sit in the sweet aroma of His presence, you’ll know what direction to go, what to say and how to act.  You may have to choose between two, but as you get closer and closer, the hand of God will be upon you and you’ll know for sure.  Just as my kids ask, “Pancakes or Waffles?” and get an obvious answer, so can you!

You can spend so much time wondering what God wants of you, going in circles trying to figure out His will, and seeking all books about Him, that you never stop to ask Him!  In your search for ‘how to pray’, did you ask the One who perfected prayer?  Jesus gave a model prayer (don’t worry, the disciples had a hard time too!).  But the only way to know for your specific circumstances is to dwell in His arms, not on the situation!  There is a difference between, “Lord, I want to know you more today and do your will.” than “Lord, I’m waiting for your direction.  Please give it to me!”  I have been there at the desperate end of a rope, clinging tightly, and usually His spirit comes and calms my soul.  Then, I can do anything because He gives strength!

Keep your eyes on Jesus!  The author and perfecter of our faith!

I encourage you today to not ask for a specific thing or issue, even if it’s urgent (I’m speaking of personally, not an intercessor prayer.)  Instead, ask to be closer to Jesus.  Ask God to reveal His character to you.  Seek to imitate Christ and you just might find yourself sitting in a fragrant aroma of offerings to God!  You may have an unasked for answer in your midst!  And then again, the original prayer you were going to ask, just might not be that important when sitting at the feet of Jesus!

I look forward to hearing what God shows you as you sit close to Him.  How does your focus change?  How do your prayers change?  Let me know!

This reflection isn’t about the year past.  It’s a reflection on a specific moment last week that revealed a truth about eternity to my heart.  Some of you may have been shown this already, yet I feel some may need to hear and see it now.

Last week I had a task I was dreading.  Not a homework type I-don’t-want-to dread, but a fear-that-grips-your-soul dread, definitely not a Godly thing. (I’m sure your brain is accessing all sorts of scripture right now such as Phil 4:6-8 or Psalm 23 or a multitude of others!  Mine did too, I just couldn’t process it.)  I know what scripture says about fear.  I know what it says about trust.  I want you to understand the fear though.  This particular fear I’ve had for almost 20 years.  It has gripped me and had a hold for a long time.  I’ve always known it wasn’t what God wanted, but it had such a hold I couldn’t see His hand outstretched to me.  Looking back, I can see God chipping away at it in the last few years.  Last week, it was conquered.  I prayed hard and diligently.  I couldn’t let this pass one more night…but in my weakness, I did.

The next day I prayed as Esther did.  She had the king come back for another dinner.  I prayed for strength as she had.  And you know what God gave me?  Scripture!  You might be surprised at what it was though.  I don’t remember what post or article I was reading, but a very familiar piece of scripture was in bold print.  It was angels speaking to simple shepherds.  It was in the Christmas story, right along all my activities, right before my eyes.  The only difference was God was speaking specifically to me this time, not to the shepherds in the fields. He chose to use the Living Word to relate to my situation amidst the wonder of Christmas.  Do you remember what was said?  “Fear not!” (Luke 2 has the whole story)

So, imagine my relief at the fear and dread slipping away.  I knew it would be hard.  I knew there were serious consequences to my actions (that was more tolerable than the act itself).  I was at peace about it though.  He had it in His hands already.  (I knew that, just didn’t KNOW it.)  No matter how bad it got, He had and still holds wonderful plans for me…

In spite of my fear, in spite of my dread, He is always unchanging.  He promised me something a long time ago and even though I can screw things up, He is faithful and true to His Word!  I did it.  I trusted God.  I’ve been a Christian for almost 25 years and I’ve finally trusted Him with my most deep and hidden fear.

And the best part is:  He walked with me whole way.  He stayed by my side.  Through the heart-pounding nerves, He was holding me up.  He prepared hearts (I think it started months before) and He restored something wonderful.  In this terrifying moment, I saw a God who loves me and cares for me.

My reflection of the year past accumulates in that one moment; I see an unchanging God.  He is the same now and forever.  This year will be no different from last.  His hand will be upon me.  He will guide my steps and protect me from evil.

And I will be forever grateful for His mercy on me every day of my life.

Emmanuel.  God with us.  What a comforting thought.  God is always with us.  He will never leave us nor forsake us.   In every situation, God will stand over us and keep us in His hand.

I want to challenge you to think deeper.  Deeper than your emotions.

When we hear Emmanuel, our hearts are satisfied with a God who looks over us.  We are contented to be under His umbrella of love. We look on our situations as something to endure because He will hold our hand and walk with us.

Our God is more than a god who watches and follows us.  Our Savior is with us always.  Did you catch that?

He shaped the world for you live.  He created the Heavens to declare His righteousness.  He paved a way for you to dwell with Him forever.  It wasn’t just a few hours or days He physically dwelt with us, but He dwells with us for Eternity!  While it’s wonderful to know He is with us, we sometimes forget He dwells IN us right now.  Next time you hear Emmanuel, God with us, remember that He is dwelling IN you!

It’s wonderful to think He is with us through situations and circumstances, it’s sometimes even better to know He is with us in suffering because He suffered too.  But our lives are not here by chance to endure with a flippant life.  Our lives are meant for a purpose in Christ and for that reason, when we sing Emmanuel, God with Us, our hearts should not be defeated or satisfied with an attitude of endurance for His sake, but we should thank God we have the power of Christ in us to overcome!

Emmanuel, God with ME!  Even in my sin and shame, God is with me to gently call me from it.  In the quiet musings of my life, He is nudging me to greatness.  My God with me.  What better reason to praise my God?  Because He is with me, I choose to listen when He calls.  I choose to be obedient to His will.  I choose to take my cup and bear it with His glory.

God with us.  It spurs me to be worthy of Him dwelling in me.  While I have a long way to go, I am pressing on toward the goal of which He called me.  I will cherish every moment with my Savior.  I will not see God with me as a means to endure this world, but God with me will be my victory in it.

Emmanuel, God with us.

 

With Thanksgiving in a few days, I thought this would be appropriate.  I am thankful for many things and most seem obvious:  Family, Health, Friends, Provision, and on it goes.  But I just returned from a wonderful retreat and the theme was “He knows my name”.   I don’t struggle with Jesus knowing me.  I know the day and time I was saved, remember how awesome being baptized was and have seen His hand on my for many years.  But what caught me this weekend was the simple fact He chose to know me.

Before the foundations of the earth, God chose to walk and talk to man.

He had me in mind when the world was formed and is wanting me to know Him as He knows me.  Wow!  The God who created the world is sitting in heaven wanting me to know Him.  He knows my innermost being; He knows my thoughts and when I come and go (which is often as a stay at home mom!); and He knows my future.

Now, as I sit here, God is wanting me to know Him even more.  I know He loves me.  I know He forgave some terrible things in my past (THANK YOU, JESUS!).  I know He desires me to seek Him out.  But above all, He wants me to know Him!  I wrote earlier on abiding in Christ…and I’m only beginning to see what that truly means.  The mind of Christ seems too much to grasp too, but God wants us to know it!  And once we start to know, He will keep revealing Himself to us so we know even more.

 

 

The title is so ugly.  Poor Rahab.  Known as a harlot, her good deeds are often overlooked.  I just love her story though.  Recently, I read through Joshua 2 and felt God softening my heart.  I didn’t see it as a prostitute saving Israel, although that is an important event. Instead, The Living Word revealed to me the other side of the story: the men who ended up in her house.

These men were spies sent by Joshua to seek the land and report before battle.  Hiding from the Kings men, they went to Rahab’s house.  She told the King they were there for business then left before the city gates shut (Josh 2:1-7).  I can handle that.  God ordained her to be their escape.  Often times, I have seen God use others in my life to aid me in my troubles.

Here’s where God spoke to me.  Rahab made them swear by oath to protect them.  They are men of their word.  They are upstanding and gentle.  They did not take advantage of her or her hospitality.  They did not accuse her of sinful behavior.  No, they swore to protect her and her family.  What caught my attention is that they were kind to her.  Not just thankful she saved them, but kindhearted before and after they hid.  The oath is in Joshua 2:8-14.

How often does my heart leap to accuse and rush to judge?  I don’t want to trust those who aren’t living the Christian walk.  But because of their respectful attitude, she trusts them and Joshua saves her family.  Everyone had to forgive her past, because everyone knew why she lived with them.  She saved the spies and found favor with Joshua.  She became an Israelite and she lived among them as one of their own (Josh 6:25).  In fact, she becomes Boaz’s grandmother, who is David’s grandfather.  She ends up in the lineage of Christ.

Her story is not far from many of ours.  She heard what God did through the Israelites before they came.  She knew the truth when it was before her.  And she made a decision to follow Him.  Before I came to Christ, I knew about Him.  I heard stories.  I saw the life of my grandmother and knew He loved her too.  It wasn’t hard for me to make Christ my savior too. If each of us looks at our own past, we’ll see shameful things.  But we’ll also see a Christ who was with us and saved us too.

I pray that our small knowledge of Him is used mightily.  We have only scratched the surface of who God is.  The longer I live and learn about Him, the more I realize how little I know.  I pray He moves mightily in those who read this.

When my hands are not in the mood to write nor my mind cooperating with me, I often think the flesh is getting the best of me.  While I do struggle with flesh at times and must rely on God to overcome things of this world, I am at a lost as to why I do not have words to write.   I love to write.  I love to hear the tapping of my fingers as they rapidly form precious thoughts into words.  The blinking of the cursor beckoning what will come.

But sometimes, God says wait.

Some call it writers block, but I truly sense God saying wait just one more day.  I struggle as I wait on His yes.  My fingers yearn to write what He wants.  They hover in anticipation over what will come.  In those moments of not writing, I contemplate and mull things in my mind.  What is worthy of Him to be written before me?  I crave to have the breath of God breath in me wonderful words to write.  And as I wait, I know He is ever with me, but I am so curious as to why He says to wait?  (Like a little child, I love to ask and know why things are the way they are.   I’ll often volunteer useless information because I think everyone should know why!)

In my waiting for the words to write, I have come to realize I need not just write words to Honor Him.  There are times I must use them in other ways.  My words can glorify Him if they are spoken justly and lovingly and truthfully (Eph 4:29).  My words can praise Him when I wake and when I go (Ps 19:14).  My words can be His, reflected and repeated to my children (Ps 78:4).   My words can be sung, even if the voice isn’t what I think it should be, and together with other believers He can be praised wholeheartedly (Ps 100).

I love to write, but God will use me in other ways too.  He equips and strengthens us for any task He has.   I pray you know you are equipped thoroughly for anything that comes your way.  You may be waiting to use a specific gift or talent God has equipped you with.  Know God has not left it useless, but is faithful to complete the very thing He started in you.   Be open to Him to show you new things and you’ll see the very hand of God move mightily in and around you.

These few words mean so much.  Jesus answered, “I am He” to the woman at the well.  He said it to the pharisees and Jews.  He is God, plain and simple.

But for some of us, it isn’t so plain and simple.  My background is from a Bible believing church.  So coming to my own salvation (by this, I mean Jesus became my salvation) was rooted in scripture.  I just took what was taught me before and after and ran with it.

Some aren’t so fortunate.  Some of you may have a background in religion that is confusing or contradictory to the Bible.  The woman at  the well (John chapter 4) was a Samaritan, half Jew, half other (Jews thought the other was sinful and ‘unclean’).  Some where in her history, she knew of the God of Israel and His hand on the nation.  But to her, He was a foreign God, a relic of the past.  She heard stories of God, but it was never personal.  She knew there was to be a Messiah (v 25), but didn’t know who or when it would be.  She had a heart for God, but didn’t know how to worship (v 19).  Even in her sin (v 17-18), she knew there was God and what she was doing was wrong.

And I love that in her limited knowledge of God, Jesus meets her.   It’s so wonderful our salvation is not based on our knowledge, on our ‘getting right’ or on anything we do.  When we seek God, truly seek after Him, He reveals to us what we need to know.  With this woman it was salvation.  With me, it’s my time.  With you, it could be love.  What ever you need, God will meet you there.

Make no mistake, you may not know what you need, but you can trust the Savior of the World to reveal Himself, just as only He knows.

This passage was recently taught by our pastor.  He brought up so many blessed truths about Christ, I couldn’t repeat them if I tried.  I don’t want to live on sermons of the past, but want to share with those who may be searching:  Jesus is the Christ, the Son of  the living God. (Matt 16:16)

It is my prayer that everyone who reads this believes and that by believing you have life in His name.  (John 20:31)

Well, it’s been about 2 weeks since I posted something.  I must apologize.  The lack of writing has not been because of a silent God, but because He kept directing me elsewhere.  He desires me to get in the better habit of daily study and immersion in His Word.  I must say, it’s been a little on the thin side.  I tend to ride a horse til it dies and the last posts (2 in a row!) kept me on a false high for a while.

And I know He kept me away to point me in the right direction.  He is stretching me to trust Him and His pruning shears are on me right now.  I am growing in Christ in ways you may never know, but it seems as though it’s a step back.  (I love that God works backwards sometimes to get us pointed in the right direction.)

20 years of walking with my Savior and I still can’t do it like He wants me to.  That’s the flesh in me…worthless!  Don’t get me wrong, I am not worthless.  My flesh is.  If I didn’t struggle with this coat of evil always about me, I could do much better.   If only…nah, I won’t go there either.  No ifs in my walk, only what God places before me.  I’ll face each day in these filthy rags I try to call righteousness.  And each day I’ll awake to a God who shines His love and mercy on me to bring me where He wants me.

May I be a servant today with a servant’s heart.  May my life reflect Him and His glory, even when the worst of me comes out.  As I sit in His presence, I’ll dwell on what is good and honorable and righteous…and let all these things be added unto me.

Phil 4:19  “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”