tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14200950117241494592024-03-19T02:19:07.127-07:00from our huddleJasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17529581085882324133noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-52862215007650980062014-11-11T04:44:00.000-08:002014-11-11T04:50:07.645-08:00The Source of our Saltiness<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want to put these words to page this morning in a spirit of love for you...love for God...love for the Kingdom.</span><br />
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You and I are made in Christ for great purpose! We are called to be the salt of the earth!</span><br />
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Now I could spend all of my time this morning teaching on what that means...but the truth is you've probably already heard a sermon or ten on it.</span><br />
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Instead, I want to look at the verse with you this morning from a different angle. So, here it is:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot." (Matt. 5:13-14)</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">Focus on the end of that verse with me, will you? If salt loses its saltiness...it is no longer good for anything.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">So, here's the love...we are meant to be men and women of great influence in this world. Not because of our personalities, our great looks, or our bank accounts. We are meant to be men and women of great influence because of the person and the power that lives inside of us.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">The great marker for the first deacons in the Bible was that fact that they were men "full of the Holy Spirit." In truth, that is the great marker for all servants of the King! You can keep your theologians, your politicians, your bank rollers...give me seven men full of the Holy Spirit of God and get out of the way!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">When we abide, walk, keep in step with...the Holy Spirit our lives our full of love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self control. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">That's what salty folks look like. That's how they taste. Good! People want to be around folks like that. They turn to folks like that when they face struggles and trials in life. They ask folks like that to pray for them. They ask folks like that why they are different. They ask folks like that how they can experience the same joy and peace that they see in their lives.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">These are the kinds of people that Jesus intends us to be. So, how do we do it?</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">The answer is simple: We hang out with the Source of our Saltiness - Jesus.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">Jesus is the one who stops the bleeding in this life! Jesus is the one who fills the empty stomach! Jesus is the one that makes the lame walk and the blind see!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">Maybe it sounds too easy! But I promise you it's true. The key to being useful in the Kingdom is spending time with the King! </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">I heard it put this way last week: At the feeding of the 5,000, we know that there were probably more like 15-20,0000 people. How did Jesus feed them? Well, He had them sit down...into sections no doubt. And He broke the bread and the fish and gave it to the disciples to hand out? How much food could Peter carry to his section of over 1,000 people? Only as much as his hands could hold. Maybe enough for 60? A 100? What did he do when he ran out? He had to go back to Jesus for more!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">Friends. Jesus is our bread! He is the bread of life! He is the source! The more often we go back to Him, the more effective we will be!</span></span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17529581085882324133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-52669689647255360772014-11-04T04:53:00.003-08:002014-11-04T09:07:50.001-08:00What's that smell?We were at my in-laws house and all of the boys were playing with their cousins. We had traveled for the night to roast some marshmallows and head to a pumpkin patch the next day.<br />
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The s'mores were good and sitting by the fire was fun. But my favorite part was watching the boys and Faith run around and play with their cousins. They had a blast!<br />
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And that's when it hit me! As the kids came over to roast their marshmallows the odor came over too! I knew what it was immediately. We have all smelled that smell before.<br />
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I immediately began checking all of the shoes of the kids. Trying to determine which one had stepped in the dogie doo-doo (sorry...that's the cleanest phrase I could come up with at six in the morning). To my surprise, all the shoes were clean. But the smell lingered.<br />
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It wasn't until we got inside that we figured out what happened. The football the kids were playing with had evidently landed in a fresh pile. My son wiped it off (or so he thought) and then he picked it up and continued to play with it. Running around and tightly gripping the ball to his chest as others tried to catch and tackle him. The smell wasn't coming from his shoes, it was coming from his shirt!<br />
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Gross, right?<br />
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Well, that's the picture the Bible paints about our pursuits. In Philippians chapter three, Paul outlines all of his reasons for personal pride. And then he drops this bombshell in verse 7 and 8: But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ...<br />
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That word garbage...you guessed it...dog-dung. Paul made a realization. Compared to Jesus...all the things he used to hold dear...all the things he used to grip tightly in life were actually dog-dung. Can you see it? Or rather, can you smell it?<br />
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You and I are made for so much more than this world has to offer. We are made to be the aroma of Christ! But if that's going to happen we need to loosen our grip on a few things. <br />
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And if we do, maybe next time we're around someone, they'll ask themselves "What's that smell?' ...and it will be a good thing...a God thing even!Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17529581085882324133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-28079343512856143752014-11-03T04:59:00.000-08:002014-11-03T04:59:01.051-08:00Please don't pray for my safety!Dear friends, I love you! I appreciate you! I covet your prayers! This pastor thing is tough! What am I saying? This life thing is tough! So, I appreciate your prayers.<br />
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But, would you please do me a favor? Don't pray for my safety. <br />
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Pray that God would be glorified in me. Pray that the gospel would be advanced through me. Pray that the kingdom would be my focus and Jesus would be my aim.<br />
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But, please don't pray that I would be safe.<br />
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You see, I don't want to be safe any longer. Safe keeps my door locked. Safe keeps me from speaking even when I feel like I should. Safe keeps me from dreaming and believing in the big things of God. Safe is paralyzing!<br />
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The gospel of Jesus isn't safe! It's dangerous! It has the power to break strongholds. It has the ability to overcome generations of sin and darkness. It brings dead people to life! It makes the lame walk and blind see. It gives the orphan a loving home and provides food and shelter for the hungry. The gospel allows me to open my heart up and willingly love others knowing that I might get hurt. It forces me to look at my finances differently and question what success really is. The gospel changes my priorities and my plans.<br />
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That's the life I want! Jesus told us that we would have trouble in the world (Jn. 16:33) so why do we pray that we won't? I want to be in the center of storm. Not because I'm crazy. Not because I have some kind of morbid death wish. But because I know I'll find Jesus there. And even if He doesn't calm the wind and the waves... His presence will be more than enough!<br />
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The greatest blessings I've ever experience in life have come in the few and far between moments that I decided to live dangerously for the Kingdom of Christ. I guess what I'm saying is...I want more of those moments in my life. Thanks in advance for the prayers! May God be glorified!<br />
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In Him,<br />
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Jason<br />
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<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17529581085882324133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-37977318998828365892014-10-29T05:00:00.001-07:002014-10-29T11:43:45.879-07:00CommitmentThe agony I endured that day has become the stuff of family legend. A young, head-over-heels in love kid...had decided to ask a man for his daughter's hand in marriage...a large man for his daughter's hand in marriage.<br />
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I thought through a hundred different ways to ask, but just kind of blurted out one Sunday morning...something along the lines of "Ed, I'd like to talk to you about my intentions towards your daughter." And with the escape of that eloquent sentence, He rose from his seat, called out to his wife and left without saying a word.<br />
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He was having a bit of fun! I, on the other hand, was dying a slow death. It wasn't until after church that day that he (at the prompting of my now mother-in-law) finally said, "how about you and I take a walk."<br />
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As we walked outside that day I felt more nervous than any big game I had ever played in. Here I was walking alone with a very large man...and I was asking for his daughter's hand in marriage. When he began to question me...I found it difficult to muster up the words to speak. It was only one question, but to this day I remember the turmoil I felt as I tried my best to answer it.<br />
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Here's my best recollection of how things went down that day:<br />
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LM (Large man) - "There's one thing that makes a marriage work. Do you know what that is?"<br />
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ENK (Extremely Nervous Kid - Me) - "Umm....ugh..." - with a puzzled look on my face.<br />
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LM - "It's one word"<br />
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ENK - Silent. Was he wanting me to say a word? What's a word. It's one of those things made up of consonants and vowels, right? Oh...yeah..I've got it. "Love!" Right? Love is the answer. Love is all you need (thanks John)!<br />
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LM - Before the "o" in love makes it off of my lips..."Don't you say love! Love comes and goes. It changes constantly. It's important, but it's not enough!"<br />
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"I'm looking for another word. It starts with a letter C."<br />
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ENK - A letter C? What is this Scrabble? Wow, I should have paid more attention in school. "Umm..." Now at this point I have to be honest...I think I had a bit of an outer-body experience. There was profuse sweating, an intense desire to see my lunch again, and for some reason I wanted to fall down into the fetal position and start sucking my thumb.<br />
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I think I managed to say "Christ?" I mean I paid attention in Sunday school that morning.<br />
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It was then, with a firm hand on my shoulder that my father-in-law to be taught me one of the most important Bible lessons of my life.<br />
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"The word is commitment my Son. The word I'm looking for is commitment. At some point in every marriage...the love fades...one ore both of you wants to give up...you feel like walking away. But marriage is a commitment to the other person and to God."<br />
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The profuse sweating began to subside immediately, but the profound lesson lives on strong...nearly 17 years later.<br />
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Commitment. Being faithful and determined to love and to stay together...even when my heart lies to me and tells me otherwise. Commitment. Staying the course in good times and bad....sickness and health. Commitment. Being a man of your word and staying the course with resolve much greater than anything man can muster. Commitment. Learning to love serving someone and seeing it as one of God's greatest blessings in life. Commitment. Sweet death that never says "good by" but gently whispers with a kiss on the forehead...."my love...my best friend...I WILL see you soon!"<br />
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That's the lesson I learned that day...and every day since. God is faithful. Even when we are not. He is. (2 Tim. 2:13) He is steadfast in His commitment towards me. He loves me with purpose. He loves me for the long-haul. It's one of the greatest truths of the gospel. A God that is committed...a God that is all in for all time. And it's because of His love...I choose to do the same!<br />
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How is my marriage? A lot like my relationship with God. There are struggles...usually attributed to me not spending the time I need to on our relationship. But...the gospel IS being lived out here! In the deepest parts of who God has created me to be I find resolve to be faithful because God has been so faithful to me! <br />
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To this day... "the walk" (as I now infamously call it) stands as one of the greatest Bible lessons I've ever learned. And as we now "walk" through this crazy adventure called life, with all of it's highs and lows, I remain steadfast...overwhelmed...filled with love...and most of all...committed. Committed to God...and committed to my beautiful wife and best friend!<br />
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One word with profound impact. One word that I'm still learning about and learning from today. I hope and pray you will too!Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17529581085882324133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-63115705546628096982014-10-22T05:34:00.002-07:002014-10-22T05:34:56.485-07:00Is your heart a raging sea of resentment?Anger...bitterness...resentment. They beat against your heart like raging waves pummel the side of a sailors vessel.<br />
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Only there is one major difference. These mighty waves of life don't batter us externally...they do their damage from the inside...stirred into a frenzy by a heart that rages from hurt.<br />
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And the great problem with this storm is that when you find yourself in it...you loose your bearings. The waves are so great, the wind so strong, that it consumes all of your time and attention. <br />
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But to the weary war-ragged heart there is a great hope. Believe it or not, there is a way to stop your heart from continuing to stir up the raging seas of resentment.<br />
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It won't come naturally. In fact it can't come naturally. The way that I speak of isn't natural in nature. <br />
There is only one way to calm raging seas. And it involves super-natural authority.<br />
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Jesus taught us that "All authority in heaven and on earth had been given unto Him." It's the authority that he constantly displayed during His ministry: healing the blind, raising the dead, calming the storm. <br />
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And that super-natural authority is still alive and active today...even if it's not as visible to us as it was to the disciples. When we take our hearts full of raging resentment and turn them over to the ONE who has authority over the "wind and the waves" Jesus does the unthinkable. He gives us the ability to breathe again. The ability to love again. The ability to trust again.<br />
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How? Because He teaches us what forgiveness really is. <br />
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And once we have truly understood the depth of His forgiveness...forgiving others suddenly seems possible. <br />
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With Christ on board we find new courage to stand in the midst of the strife and speak boldly out into the gale within. "Be still. You no longer have a hold on me. In the name of Jesus I forgive."<br />
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And with his authority...the unthinkable occurs. The resentment...the hurt...they begin to subside. Our heart stills and we are overcome by calm peaceable seas within.<br />
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<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17529581085882324133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-64083635505731099812014-10-21T06:50:00.000-07:002014-10-21T06:51:37.235-07:00Treasure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Treasure...it's the focus of any great pirate novel. You know, the one's with a secret map, a secret cave, and an X marking the spot.<br />
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Have you ever stopped to think about why we still read books and make movies about pirates?<br />
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I think I may have stumbled across the answer this morning in my devotion time: Treasure.<br />
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We are a people obsessed with treasure!<br />
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Oh sure...we all love a good pirate joke from time to time, but the thing that gets our blood pumping is the hunt for the hidden. The pursuit of the pieces of eight and the gold doubloons.<br />
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There's a name for it in the mining industry: gold fever.<br />
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And it's a well deserving name. Evidently once a man finds his first bit of gold...his excitement reaches such a heightened place that he ceases to think rationally...begins to fantasize or believe that he is bound to strike it rich.<br />
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Gold fever has been the end of many a man. Loosing everything in pursuit of what's deemed as great gain.<br />
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(Do you see where we're headed here? Can I love you enough to be honest with you?)<br />
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According to the bible...we've got a pretty bad case of gold fever too. It's so bad...it's even made it into many of the pulpits of our churches. We want possessions and prosperity so desperately that we're willing to listen to anyone and try anything to get them.<br />
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We spend out lives in a constant pursuit of consumption...and yet we are never content or satisfied.<br />
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And in the midst of our exhaustion...our wrong priorities...our sickness and sin...Jesus steps in and simply tells us to stop.<br />
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Stop chasing after that elusive promotion or position of power.<br />
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Stop setting your sights on the accumulation of more stuff.<br />
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Stop fantasizing about a fleeting romance or a newer version of your spouse.<br />
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Stop.<br />
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"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." (Mt. 6:19)<br />
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In other words...stop longing for and living for things that won't last!<br />
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"Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." (Mt. 6:20).<br />
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Friend...God understands your desire for treasure. In fact, He placed a great desire for treasure deep within your heart.<br />
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Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has "set eternity in the human heart."<br />
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But what you need to understand is that you and I have exchanged that pursuit of true treasure for a poor, man-made copy! <br />
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We constantly cling to the wrong things and wonder why our heart aches for more! Why we feel so distant and discontent!<br />
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We fail to understand that our heart can only be in one place. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Mt. 6:21).<br />
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This week our family is trying something new. We are attempting to center ourselves around a single prayer for the week. Something we desire for every member of our family.<br />
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If you happen to be reading these words, I want you to know that I consider you part of our extended family, and thus I want to share this simple prayer with you too.<br />
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"More of you Jesus." That's it. Less of all the rest. Everything else has to decrease in our lives, but Christ needs to increase!<br />
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That's my prayer for you this week too. Stop chasing after the cheap copies and start spending time with the King. Jesus is the true treasure. And when we seek Him with all of our heart we will find Him (Jer. 29:13). And when He is our treasure...when our hearts are with Him...we find all of the joy, peace, and contentment that we so desperately long for. <br />
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I'm not asking you to stop searching. Rather, I'm praying you'll start searching for the right treasure.<br />
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"More of you Jesus, more of your face, more of your glory in this place..." I promise you won't regret the adventure!<br />
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Happy hunting friends! Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17529581085882324133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-55842556671524031712014-10-20T07:38:00.002-07:002014-10-20T11:46:30.224-07:00Why Me?Ever think about why God wants to use you?<br />
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I do. On a regular basis I am astounded that God chose me...that He called me...that He allows me to be His ambassador (2 Cor. 5:20). <br />
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The thought of why is bouncing around in my head again this morning as I write in a new journal my youngest son picked out for me this week.<br />
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Caleb was out shopping with his mom when he saw it at the bookstore. It's a "God's Not Dead" journal, and the moment he came through the door with it he had the biggest smile on his face. This was and act of love. It involved thought on his part. He has a journal that he uses and carries to church and he thought I needed one too!<br />
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And last night I knew I better start using it! He moved it around several times so I knew exactly where it was.<br />
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Now here's the deal...I've been journaling my thoughts on the computer lately. It's been quicker...it comes with spell check (which I need).<br />
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But as I scribbled down these words this morning...I did so with a pen and my journal. A journal brought to me by my son who loves me with all his heart.<br />
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I don't need to use the journal...but I want to!<br />
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Did you know that God chose you and uses you for a reason?<br />
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Yes...using broken...simple vessels like us brings Him the most glory!<br />
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But God also uses us because He loves us. He doesn't need us, but He wants us...because He is our Father and we are His dearly loved children.<br />
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And that is the thought that floods every recess of my being this morning as I write in what might be the best journal ever.<br />
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It's not the biggest...the pages aren't wide...the lines are narrow...but, it's my son's gift. It's his act of service to me and that makes it special and important!<br />
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Here's the truth...God doesn't need me...and He doesn't need you.<br />
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But He loves us dearly and wants to use us...just like I want to use this journal.<br />
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Because He loves us, He invites us in to play a part in His great story of redemption. We get to be used. We get to do good works which He has prepared us in Jesus to do. We get to reflect the glory of God so that others take note and turn their eyes to Him and praise His name. We get to be ambassadors and ministers of reconciliation.<br />
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Loving God and serving Him in obedience brings great joy to our Father's heart...and to ours.<br />
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In a few minutes...a boy that loves his father with all of his heart will get out of bed to start his day. I'll offer him breakfast and he'll accept. But at some point...as the sleepiness wears off...he will make his way to the couch and the end table where he placed this journal last night. And when he does, he will find that the once blank journal is blank no more.<br />
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And the look on his face will be priceless. The smile worth a thousand words!<br />
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Dad, thank you for using me...even though you don't need to. It makes me feel indescribable joy in the very depths of my being. I hope you see the joy it brings me too...and I hope you feel about me the same way I feel about my son.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17529581085882324133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-25380104611642731602014-10-15T14:32:00.001-07:002014-10-15T14:32:45.473-07:00Listen to the Truth Not to Your Fear<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Luke 21:9-19 The Message (emphasis
mine) "When you hear of wars and uprisings, <b>keep your head
and don’t panic</b>. This is routine history and no sign of the
end.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">He went on, “Nation will fight nation
and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Huge earthquakes will occur in
various places. There will be famines. You’ll think at times that
the very sky is falling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">“But before any of this happens,
they’ll arrest you, hunt you down, and drag you to court and jail.
It will go from bad to worse, dog-eat-dog, everyone at your throat
because you carry my name. You’ll end up on the witness stand,
called to testify. <b>Make up your mind right now not to worry about
it. I’ll give you the words and wisdom that will reduce all your
accusers to stammers and stutters.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">“You’ll even be turned in by
parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. Some of you will be
killed. There’s no telling who will hate you because of me. <b>Even
so, every detail of your body and soul—even the hairs of your
head!—is in my care; nothing of you will be lost. Staying with
it—that’s what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t
be sorry; you’ll be saved.</b>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Then, verses 34-36,</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">“But be on your guard. Don’t let
the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking
and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete
surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it’s going to
come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don’t
go to sleep at the switch. <b>Pray constantly that you will have the
strength and wits to make it through everything that’s coming and
end up on your feet before the Son of Man.</b>”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I am not one who keeps tracks of all
the signs of end times. Honestly, I don't have any real desire to
watch the new <i>Left Behind</i> movie. But I do want to know what
the Bible says about it all. In Luke 21 (go read it all), Jesus
gives us specific signs and specific instructions. We are also told
in His Word that man will not know the time or hour, Jesus will
return (Matthew 24:36). There's no point in guessing. It tells us
that even Jesus does not when He is coming so why do any of us think
we might figure it out???? Trust that the Father knows and that He
has a purpose in only Him knowing.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We should not be surprised by this
world. It's a mess. It's been a mess since sin entered and will be
a mess until the Sinless One returns. It's only going to get worse.
In all of the hurting, confusion, and pain, we are called to be on
guard, know the truth, not to worry, and be able to give words He
gives us. I believe that no matters what happens in our world, we
are still called to the two greatest commandments, LOVE GOD WITH
EVERYTHING IN US and SELFLESSLY LOVE THOSE AROUND US (Matthew
22:36-40). We do this by obeying Him. We do this by knowing His
truth. We do this by loving the people placed in our lives. We do not
have to save the world, but we are called praise the One who does.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I have no idea who reads this blog. But if you are reading
this and don't know my Savior, I'd love to tell you about Him. Seriously, anytime, anyplace, just ask.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you do know Him, don't give way to
fear. Fear of this world or fear of man will only cause more pain
and confusion. Know His Word. Trust Him when He says you are in His
care so much so that even knows the hairs on your head. It may get
crazy and then even crazier around here, but He loves you and He's
got this. </span></div>
Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-29120454350225437692014-10-12T10:45:00.001-07:002014-10-12T10:46:31.114-07:00God is God<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.remnantresource.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Who_Is_God.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.remnantresource.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Who_Is_God.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">remnantresource.org</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I have read and pondered this quote by A.W. Tozer many times in my adult life. This morning as I read it again, I realized that often what has come to mind has changed based on my circumstances. This is a sad and dangerous realization.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">God does not change, no matter what is happening in my life or the world around me. <b>HE IS GOOD</b> --not sometimes, not only when life is good, not when it's convenient to believe it-- He is always good. <b>HE IS LOVE</b>, not based on my definition of love, but He is love because He created it. He gives it. He defines it. <b>HE IS HOLY AND PERFECT</b> even when I don't understand holiness or perfection. <b>HE IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL</b> no matter what I do, no matter how much I choose self, no matter how sinful I am. My choices do not change who He is. <b>HE IS CREATOR </b>even when I read science that strives to prove otherwise. <b>HE IS ETERNAL</b> even though I cannot understand or grasp eternity. <b>HE IS GOD</b> even when I doubt.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If we try to define God through what we know (or think we know) or what we've been through, then He is not GOD. Our "definition" of God must be through the lens of scripture, always, always, always, and it says <b>HE IS GOD</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">"God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?" Numbers 23 :19</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Know therefore that the Lord your God is God</b>, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations... Deuteronomy 7:9</span>Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-88901389567296808812014-09-23T13:50:00.001-07:002014-09-23T13:50:57.864-07:00It's Time for Thanksgiving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jacobabshire.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/give-thanks-to-the-lord-road-1024x576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.jacobabshire.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/give-thanks-to-the-lord-road-1024x576.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>http://www.jacobabshire.com/musings/wallpapers/wednesday-wallpaper-give-thanks-to-the-lord-for-he-is-good/</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I read the book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310321913/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0310321913&linkCode=as2&tag=froourhud-20&linkId=YTU5ZXKZOIGEME6Q">One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=froourhud-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0310321913" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, when it first came out. I think Ann Voskamp is a modern day poet and prophet, and <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/" target="_blank">her blog</a> has challenged me to go deeper with God for years now. This book is a challenging, but incredible read. In it, with her rich words that paint a picture in your mind, she teaches us that God gave us the secret to joy and peace. She uses the Greek word <i>eucharisteo</i> to explain,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px;">
Yes, it's all Greek to me, but this is the word that can change everything: <em>eucharisteo</em>—it comes right out of the Gospel of Luke: “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them…” (Luke 22:19 NIV). In the original language, “he gave thanks” reads “<em>eucharisteo</em>.” </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px;">
The root word of <em>eucharisteo </em>is <em>charis</em>, meaning “grace.” Jesus took the bread and saw it as <em>grace</em>and gave thanks. He took the bread and knew it to be <em>gift </em>and gave thanks. <em>Eucharisteo</em>, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, <em>charis</em>. But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word <em>chara</em>, meaning “joy.” <em>Charis</em>. Grace. <em>Eucharisteo</em>. Thanksgiving. <em>Chara</em>. Joy.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px;">
Deep <em>chara </em>joy is found only at the table of the <em>euCHARisteo</em>; the table of thanksgiving. The holy grail of joy, God set it in the very center of Christianity. The Eucharist is the central symbol of Christianity...</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;">One of Christ’s very last directives He offers to His disciples is to take the bread, the wine, and to remember.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5;"> </span><em style="line-height: 1.5;">Do this in remembrance of Me</em><span style="line-height: 1.5;">. Remember and give thanks.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px;">
This is the crux of Christianity: to remember and give thanks, <em>eucharisteo</em>.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px;">
Why? Why is remembering and giving thanks the core of the Christ-faith? <em>Because remembering with thanks is what causes us to trust; to really believe. Re-membering, giving thanks, is what makes us a member again of the body of Christ. Re-membering, giving thanks is what puts us back together again in this hurried, broken, fragmented world.</em></blockquote>
<div>
It's a powerful message. And for her it all started with a challenge from a friend to list 1,000 things in which she was grateful. It began a change in her heart, in her life, in her calling, and the book shares what she learned through all of it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've confessed that <a href="http://fromourhuddle.blogspot.com/2014/03/to-all-list-makers.html" target="_blank">I love lists a little too much</a> and <a href="http://fromourhuddle.blogspot.com/2014/03/chasing-god-book-review-and-more.html" target="_blank">a formulaic way of thinking is dangerous for me</a>. Knowing this about myself, I decided not to jump in with a list when I read this, but lately this book and this <i>eucharisteo</i> thought keeps coming back to me. I've been asking God to open my eyes. Help me see the people, the things, the world around me through a different lens.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You know what I'm finding? The troubles and weights of this life feel lighter and my heart becomes more free as I allow the Holy Spirit to change my mindset to one of thankfulness in all things. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Today I am thankful for,</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>A God who sustains. He holds me together all the time, even when I feel like I'm falling apart.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Hot coffee on a cool morning</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Friends who pray for me even I am too proud to ask</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>My home, not just a house, but a home - a place to invite, to unwind, to take shelter from this crazy world.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Books. Real paper books that I can hold and write in and let me tears of both grief and joy falls on their pages.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>A God who loves me where I am. He loves me when I doubt. He loves me even when I choose self. He loves me enough to call me to choose Him.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Getting glimpses of the man my 10-year-old is becoming and knowing God is doing a good work in him.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Grace. Grace. And more GRACE.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>A doctor who continues to seek answers on my behalf even when nothing makes sense.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Pathology reports that start opening the door to answers.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Autumn. Today we usher in a new season, my favorite season, with a sigh. It's a time for coolness, a time for family, a time to breathe and relax, and a time to give thanks.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>A marriage of two imperfect sinners could bring disaster but when yielded to a perfect God brings goodness, mercy, love, kindness, and humility.</b></span></li>
</ol>
</div>
Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-44171564331588898572014-09-03T08:25:00.000-07:002014-09-03T08:28:11.271-07:00Why is Asking for Prayer Difficult?<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Have you noticed that during "prayer request" time in your small group, Sunday School class, Bible study, or wherever that we rarely ask for prayers for ourselves? Sure, we hear "please pray for us as we travel this week" or "pray that my surgery goes well on Thursday" or "pray for my job interview this week." But rarely is there open, transparent requests for prayers for ourselves. It seems that most prayer requests are for things like Aunt Jane's cancer or a coworker's child or a friend who was in a car wreck. While there isn't anything necessarily wrong with these requests, they tend to be impersonal and can even keep us from getting too real.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
Why is asking for prayer for our own struggles so hard? When I examine my own heart, I think there are a few reasons. One, I don't want to be or, more likely, appear selfish. Two, my problems aren't as "bad" as these others so I don't want to waste anyone's time. Or probably at the root of it all, I don't want to be too vulnerable. I can be open about so much. I have a husband who is pretty much an open book to our entire congregation. Being married to him lends to few secrets in our family. It used to really bother me, but I've grown to appreciate it (most of the time ;) ). Even still, I don't want to be vulnerable. I don't want to NEED people or be a burden to anyone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
The only problem is that we all keep answering "I'm fine" when all the while so often, we are not. I keep thinking what if our small groups (whatever they look like) become our safe groups. What if "I'm fine" is no longer an acceptable answer in these groups?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
Don't me wrong. There are times when things are really good. But instead, let's share them, praise God for them together. And when things are just not, let's share those as well and hold each other up, encourage one another, truly live this hard life together. Not in a spirit of complaint and there needs to be guarding against that, but in an effort to drop the masks and the walls. We all need people. God does not require us to walk through this life alone. He is enough for us, but He also understands our struggles and gives us church families, friends, spouses, and more to lean on. Oh, isn't He good?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
This past week in our Sunday School class, I prepared myself to share some health struggles that I've only been partly open about it and felt God urging me to share. When our teacher said we are not going to do prayer requests this week, I relieved a sigh of relief. I could keep it all in for at least another week. I could talk myself out of it before next Sunday rolls around. I mean the pastor's wife should never even consider the possibility of being a burden when there is so much hurting going on all around, right? These are the arguments I have in my head.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
The truth is though that pretending like it's all okay and making jokes about my health issues, so I don't to worry anyone, is wearing me out. Don't worry I'm not dying (at least not from any of my current issues ;) ). Some of my autoimmune issues are flaring and I've added a new one to the mix. I have unexplained weight loss that is so far baffling my doctor. I've struggled with anxiety off and on this past year. Some days I feel fine and other days I'm exhausted for no apparent reason. I am so very blessed with a husband who is most always patient with me, but I don't think it's fair to him that I won't ask for prayers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
I am confident that God holds my health in hands and grateful that it's not worse. I know this is not my future. I pray that God uses all of this for His glory yet I'm realizing that if I walk around keeping up appearances, I may be not allowing Him to do just that. This morning I read in Galatians 4 where Paul shares, "As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you." Oh, let that be true of me someday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
So, I ask you, that next time you meet with your "safe group", be real, be honest, share the good and difficult. C'mon, I don't want to be the only one getting real.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
Seriously, no worries about me. SERIOUSLY. God says do not worry. God knew I'd be here struggling in this very moment. He has plans for me and He has plans for you. If you feel led to pray for me, pray that He would use all this. Pray that I would ask for help when I need it. Pray for my marriage and my family as we continue to try and figure this all out. Pray for my husband who is having to do way more than his fair share some of these days. Pray that most of all in whatever I do or say, I can do it all for the glory of God. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
I pray that everyone reading this has a safe place to be real and that you stop carrying your burdens alone. God never intended us to be worn out simply from keeping things in. He knows this life is hard. He knows we have struggles, health issues, financial woes, and so much more. I believe He gives us people in our lives for a reason. And that reason is not to make us more tired.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<i><span class="text Jas-5-14" id="en-NIV-30369" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30369A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30369A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30369B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30369B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span> in the name of the Lord.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text Jas-5-15" id="en-NIV-30370" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">And the prayer offered in faith<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30370C" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30370C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span> will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text Jas-5-16" id="en-NIV-30371" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">Therefore confess your sins<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30371D" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30371D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span> to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30371E" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30371E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></span> The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:14-16</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><span class="text Jas-5-16" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span class="text Eccl-4-9" id="en-NIV-17391" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">Two are better than one,</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-4-9" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">because they have a good return for their labor:</span></span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Eccl-4-10" id="en-NIV-17392" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">10 </span>If either of them falls down,</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-4-10" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">one can help the other up.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Eccl-4-10" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">But pity anyone who falls</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-4-10" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and has no one to help them up.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Eccl-4-11" id="en-NIV-17393" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">11 </span>Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-4-11" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">But how can one keep warm alone?</span></span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Eccl-4-12" id="en-NIV-17394" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">12 </span>Though one may be overpowered,</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-4-12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">two can defend themselves.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;" /><span class="text Eccl-4-12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.</span></i></span><br />
<i><span class="text Eccl-4-12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">Ecclesiastes 4:9-12</span></i>Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-60566077040300732322014-08-21T12:15:00.001-07:002014-08-21T12:48:36.538-07:00Being Unpopular Sucks But I Must Remain Focused<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Yes, I said sucks, because well it does and "stinks" just doesn't fully convey how it feels. Yesterday as I was having fun watching another <a href="http://www.alsa.org/fight-als/ice-bucket-challenge.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">ALS Ice Bucket Challenge</span></a>, I also saw someone else post that the ALSA funds embryonic research. I also started wondering what exactly is all this money doing. I read a few articles but it was a crazy, busy (and productive) day so my research stopped there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This morning one of my favorite people nominated me for the challenge. I was flattered to be a part of the fun though dreading the actual icy water. I asked Jason if he'd pour a bucket on me at lunch. I also started discussing what I'd read yesterday with him. That lead to us both posting a link to this well-written blog, <a href="http://www.nathanaelk.com/2014/08/why-i-cannot-accept-ice-bucket-challenge.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Why I Cannot Accept the Ice Bucket Challenge</span></a>. We were then told and read conflicting things so Jason called ALSA directly and found out that instead of giving online, </span><span style="font-size: large;">you can call the ALSA at 1-(888) 949-2577 to give and designate that your monies not be used to fund embryonic stem cell research though unfortunately most people have not done this or are even aware of where the money is truly going. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />Then, I'm thinking, "Okay, I'm back in. Dump the bucket on me." Only something still wasn't sitting right with me (and this is not me trying to avoid the ice water ;) ). I read on the ALSA website that they've raised almost <a href="http://www.alsa.org/news/media/press-releases/ice-bucket-challenge-082114.html"><span style="color: blue;"> $42 million dollars</span></a> so far through this challenge in the last few weeks alone. That's incredible! ALS is a unspeakable, horrible disease that I wouldn't wish on anyone. A cure for it would be awesome but I couldn't help thinking "at what cost?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Why was I still feeling unsettled about this? It's a fun, harmless challenge for a good cause, right? I started praying asking God to give me clarity and wisdom. He reminded me that I have been praying since the beginning of this year for focus and for Him to show me where my energy, focus, and giving should be. I have also prayed almost daily for Him to help me stop and think before I act on something. I've been overwhelmed with the hurting, the violence, the diseased, the hungry, and the lonely in our world. It's too much. My head spins, I weep, and I lay still and confused over how to help and what to do. And, then, so often I would freeze. I don't know what to do so I do nothing. I say a pray and I try to push it out of mind so I don't go insane. Prayer is powerful, but God didn't call me to only pray. He calls us to action. He calls us to give. He calls us to move out of our frozen state. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large; line-height: 20px;">God has been faithful in answering my prayers. Proverbs 2:2-5 tells us, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Prov-2-2" id="en-NIV-16436" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">turning your ear to wisdom</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-2-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and applying your heart to understanding<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-16436A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-16436A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>— </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="text Prov-2-3" id="en-NIV-16437" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">indeed, if you call out for insight</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-2-3" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and cry aloud for understanding, </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="text Prov-2-4" id="en-NIV-16438" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">and if you look for it as for silver</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-2-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and search for it as for hidden treasure, </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="text Prov-2-5" id="en-NIV-16439" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">then you will understand the fear of the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-2-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and find the knowledge of God.</span></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And James 1:5 tells us, "</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">God has been showing me that He gave me my passions for a reason. I am passionate about the local church. I am passionate about orphans, especially adoption and orphan prevention. I am passionate about the hungry, especially single moms who struggle to provide. I am passionate about spreading truth, whether it's the truth of the Gospel or simply stopping a lie being spread that is invoking fear or fighting. I have other passions, but those are what gets me going like nothing else. If you ever want to see me upset, say something ugly about the Bride of Christ OR tell me that I shouldn't foster or adopt (yes, it has happened way too often) OR tell me you don't have enough to share with others OR tell me you can't help so-and-so because of fear based on lies of this world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />These are the areas where God is showing me I am called to give and move and focus. Do you know the relief and joy that comes when I concentrate on those things? I can trust that He is moving in others to be the hands and feet for other injustices of this world. The problem is that so often I am distracted and I don't focus on these.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">
If you made it this far, by now you are wondering, what in the world does this have to do with the ice bucket thing? Or who cares if she does it or not (That's probably what I'd be thinking)? Contributing to the ALS is not my calling. It's not where my focus is supposed to be. It may be for others. If I were to participate, it would be simply because it's fun and popular. My motives would be ill-placed. I know I let "popular" things become a distraction to me.</span></span><br />
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So, here I am, a party-pooper. I'm raining on someone else's parade. But I am grateful. I'm grateful that God is growing me. I'm grateful that He is teaching me to stop and think. I'm grateful that He is helping me to align my passions with His calling.</span><br />
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Because of my passions, I leave you with the following. By the way, it would have been much easier for me to pour ice water on my head today than to share all this.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">There are <a href="http://www.alsa.org/about-als/facts-you-should-know.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">approximately 30,000</span></a> people in the U.S. suffering with ALS</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">There are <a href="http://www.orphancoalition.org/new/foster-care.php" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">approximately 120,000 orphans (meaning waiting to be adopted) and over 400,000 children in foster care</span></a> in the U.S.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">There are <a href="http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-facts/hunger-and-poverty-statistics.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">approximately 17,600,000</span></a> households in U.S. that struggle to feed themselves and/or their families</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">These numbers do not mean one is more important that the other. There are so many statistics I could share on everything from cancer to war to preventable diseases. These numbers are simply shared to get you thinking. I shared only U.S. statistics because I could easily find reliable sources. This is in no way to say we should concentrate inside our borders. The orphan and hunger problems only get bigger outside our country. Yet, <a href="http://fromourhuddle.blogspot.com/2014/03/orphans-widows-and-our-duty.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">the Bible is clear</span></a> that we are called to meet their needs. </span><br />
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Where is God calling you to spend your time, efforts, and money? What are you passionate about? What is distracting you from His calling? I believe He has specifics in mind for each of His people and we are not called to feel overwhelmed every time a "good" cause needs our money or time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
For all my friends and family who have participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge, I have enjoyed watching every minute of it. For those who feel led to participate, I hope you have fun pouring that cold water on yourself, but with anything like this, please be informed what you are supporting and where your money is going. For those that don't feel led to participate, I hope you move on to where you do and don't feel guilty or pressure for one minute.</span><br />
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And when the next fun craze comes around, I'm selfishly hoping I don't have such a personal dilemma over something as silly as an ice bucket. I'm sure anyone who has read this jumbled mess all the way through feels the same. :)</span></div>
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Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-9120607057034726032014-05-02T06:48:00.000-07:002014-05-02T06:49:35.145-07:00Truth & Femininity<span style="font-family: inherit;">I had my <a href="http://fromourhuddle.blogspot.com/2014/05/i-want-hair.html" target="_blank">pity party</a> yesterday. As much as part of me didn't want to be that honest on here, it was good getting it out. I think once something is out there, we have to deal with it. I could keep pretending to most everyone that I'm good and never struggle with this. Or I can share it and have to face it. In facing it yesterday and praying and thinking, I realize that I was believing in a lie. And there is freedom in truth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The truth is some mornings when I'm getting ready for the day, I am bothered my the image looking back at me. Other days I'm perfectly fine with who I am.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The truth is some days since I've had my new "hairdo", the double takes in the grocery store make me want to hide and other days they actually make me smile.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The truth is some nights I want to sit and whine that I have to deal with this and other nights I'm so grateful for this journey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The truth is some moments I feel beautiful and other moments I do not. But that has nothing to do with hair. That would be true at any time in my life. I think it's true of all women. At least I hope all women feel beautiful at some point in their lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And the truth is that I've struggled with femininity for much longer than a few months. This is where I found the lie. The Bible tells us to "s<span style="background-color: white;">tand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist" and when we are believing in lies, there are cracks in our armor. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">What is femininity? Here is what Google says,</span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; color: rgb(135, 135, 135) !important; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;">
the quality of being female; womanliness.<br />
"she celebrates her femininity by wearing makeup and high heels"</blockquote>
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The definition is fine, but it's the example using makeup and high heels where our thinking can go south. If I'm being honest, when I think about what it means to be feminine, most of my thinking has to do with outward appearance. I have a friend who comes to mind when I think on this topic. She prefers wearing dresses, has a beautifully decorated home, enjoys baking, always has her hair done, and often dons a string of pearls. She sounds pretty perfect, right? Well, first of all, none of these are true all of the time. She would be the first to laugh at me if she knew that it was her I was describing here. I've probably seen one Christmas card picture of her like this and now assume it's always this way. We, females, have a tendency to do that, don't we?<br />
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The world, and often other Christians, tells us that being feminine has to do with hair styles, hem lengths, body size, lace, lipstick, pearls, and so forth. If this is the truth, then so many in this world will never attain femininity and what a shallow goal in which to strive. If the definition is simple being female, why do we add so much?<br />
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What does the Bible say about being a woman? I read through lots of scripture and it rarely has to do with appearance. In fact, 1 Timothy 2 talks about appearance and says women should wear "appropriate clothes and not draw attention to themselves" and women are "attractive" by the "good things that they do." I'm pretty sure that is the exact opposite of what the world tells us. So, I kept searching and landed on probably the most feminine woman in the Bible. Oh, you Proverbs 31 mysterious woman, you! So often, we read through Proverbs 31:10-31 and all that she does and we feel defeated. She's superwoman, right? We get tired just thinking about it.<br />
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This time I looked more for who she is rather than what she does. I think I found the truth about femininity. This beautifully, feminine woman is trustworthy, hard-working, energetic, strong, hospitable, giving, resourceful, one who enjoys beauty, one who speaks with wisdom and kindness, one who brings good to her husband, and most of all she fears the Lord not her future. </div>
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I was looking through pictures of my recent trip to New York and found this one,</div>
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It's of my beautiful sister and I excited about heading to a church service at Brooklyn Tabernacle. Two God-fearing women looking forward to worshiping their Savior in a new place. I think that's pretty feminine. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Let's change the definition of femininity from the one the world so easily presses on us, especially for those girls growing up behind us. Let it not be something they can never attain and always struggle with. Let is be based on truth and not a lie.</div>
Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-73430372608324038302014-05-01T07:30:00.000-07:002014-05-01T07:30:47.050-07:00I Want HairI know I've been quiet again. It started when the whole <a href="http://fromourhuddle.blogspot.com/2014/03/division-and-world-vision.html" target="_blank">World Vision thing</a> greatly upset me and I had no words. Then, busyness and distractions took over. Oh, how easy it is to become distracted these days. Distracted from purpose. Distracted from calling. Distracted from God.<br />
<br />
In effort to be fully transparent, I feel called to share my struggles. Humbling as it is at times that is the purpose I feel God calling me to. I feel Him calling me to share with others what I am learning from Him and where I am failing. Hence, the title of the post. I want hair! I really do, at least today, and the last few weeks.<br />
<br />
When I first shared<a href="http://fromourhuddle.blogspot.com/2014/03/beauty-baldness-and-bravery.html" target="_blank"> my story and shaved my head</a>, there was freedom and confidence that only came from the Holy Spirit. I was excited about Him possibly using this for His glory. There were moments of doubt but they were fleeting. Not anymore. It's only been 2 1/2 months. I am apparently fickle. <br />
<br />
I am already tired of being different. I am tired of not feeling feminine. I am tired of arguing with myself that this is small in the grand scheme of things. <br />
<br />
As I cried in the shower this morning, I heard a whisper in my soul, "It's not about you, it's about Me." My mantra has been that very thing for years. I say it to myself often. I write on the pages of my journal. <b>It's not about me, it's all about You.</b> And there is the answer to my weariness. I devoured a book about nutrition and autoimmune disease over the last few days and only spent minutes in His word. I spent more time thinking about how frustrated I am with my body and health (which continues to pop up with new issues) than talking with Him.<br />
<br />
If I have ever appeared strong, it's all Him. I am weak, obviously. I truly want more than anything to serve Him and be used by Him yet I so easily lose focus. <br />
<br />
I don't know where I am going with this other than I know He is calling me to share. May whatever I write or say be from Him and not me!Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-52388888999889621442014-03-26T12:36:00.000-07:002014-03-27T06:52:16.448-07:00Division and World Vision<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.worldvision.org/sites/default/files/images/home-slides/water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.worldvision.org/sites/default/files/images/home-slides/water.jpg" height="324" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from: http://www.worldvision.org/sites/default/files/images/home-slides/water.jpg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I found it fitting this morning that I read this quote from
Max Lucado’s book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Outlive Your Life, </i>“When
workers divide, it is the suffering who suffer most.” </span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This World Vision thing has been mishandled by so many
people and in so many ways that I hope and pray not to simply be another one of
them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My prayer in all of it: in every blog -post, response,
defense, or withdrawal of sponsorship is that God would allow all involved to focus
on the suffering involved: real children in real need will be affected and it
doesn’t really matter who is to blame.</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I can find plenty of faults with World Vision and the way
they have handled this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By choosing to
allow gay Christians in legal same-sex marriages to be employed, while still
maintaining a rule that mandates abstinence outside of marriage, World vision
has essentially said that monogamy is more important than immorality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of using a simple/straightforward
Biblical code of conduct where all employees are asked to pursue Jesus with
everything that they have and everything that they are, World Vision is in
essence picking and choosing which sins to address, even though that’s exactly
what they were trying to avoid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richard Stearns,
who I respect and (will still) recommend as a voice for the forgotten and least
of these in our world (You should read his book: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Hole in Our Gospel</i> ) is in a difficult position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>World Vision does try to leave most theology
to denominations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They don’t have
statements of belief about proper modes of baptism, women in leadership,
etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, in continuing to mandate
rules, which include a call for abstinence, while allowing other types of
immorality, the group has painted themselves into a corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are in essence saying which sins are o.k.
and which sins are not. (Which you can't do by the way. The Word of God is pretty clear in defining sin.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Having said that, I can also find faults with those that
have responded so harshly against World Vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Many responses from evangelistic leaders have come across heated, mean,
and judgmental.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some have called Stearns
a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In reading
others you would think that World Vision has suddenly stopped its call to
minister to the widows and orphans of our world (which the Bible says is “pure
religion” by the way).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been another
spring-board for evangelicals to speak hateful things about homosexuality while ignoring the need
for mercy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the end, I think we should ask ourselves <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>this question: What about the suffering
children?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You remember them right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ones starving and dying from preventable
diseases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you had the ability to save one of their lives, would
speaking on the phone with a gay man or woman prevent you from doing so?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you could save a child’s life, would you choose not to,
simply because the person processing the paperwork could potentially be a gay
man or woman?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I think (I hope) most Christians would choose to save the
child!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because these children have already suffered
enough!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My point is this. As Christ followers I think we are bigger than these impassioned, impatient responses. It's o.k. if you feel shammed. If you signed up with World Vision based on their core beliefs and practices, it's o.k. to feel like they are trying to change direction. It's even o.k. to feel like you need to change sponsorship organizations.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If the choice to change hiring practices offends you, I
encourage you to send Stearns your objections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let him know that these kind of decisions cannot be made in a vacuum no
matter how much his board would like to think they can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell him that you don’t understand his change
in hiring practices or how he has seemingly made monogamy more important than
Holy matrimony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask him how he and the
board came to that decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But don’t cause the children to suffer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you feel led to cease your sponsorship, let the company
know that due to their decision you can no longer support their leadership
(which a portion of your monthly giving goes to support) long-term.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell them that due to their decision your
sponsorship will cease at the end of the year, so that they have time to find someone
to take over for you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But most of all, pray!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pray and ask God what you should do.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Let the Holy Spirit, whose fruit includes love, peace, and
patience guide you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t simply spout
off in anger or leave a child hanging.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The world’s biggest problems require the most people working
together towards their solution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
bigger the problem, the more people required.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The more people, the better chance that there will be some you don’t
agree with or even approve of.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are tons of great organizations out there (Compassion, Food for the Hungry, Project Hopeful) you can
support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe all of this causes you to
do a little more research and a lot more praying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Whether you continue to support World Vision in their effort
to end poverty and injustice or you choose a similar organization to support, I
pray that you would keep the following in mind: “When workers divide, it is the
suffering who suffer most.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">**UPDATE: World Vision has reversed their decision and publicly apologized. We think it takes great humility and wisdom to do this. See link below for the update and words from Richard Stearns.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/march-web-only/world-vision-reverses-decision-gay-same-sex-marriage.html?visit_source=twitter&start=1">World Vision Reverses...</a></span></span></div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17529581085882324133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-56907632862242878872014-03-22T16:12:00.000-07:002014-03-22T16:13:34.616-07:00New Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.priorityministries.com/christian-womens-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/03/2_cor_5_17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.priorityministries.com/christian-womens-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/03/2_cor_5_17.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I would venture to guess that most gardeners' favorite time of the year is the harvest. I know my boys love picking the veggies we've been working hard to grow. It is definitely awesome to be able to enjoy the actual fruits of your labor.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For me, though, I LOVE the planting. I spent a good majority of today planting various seeds and transplanting tomatoes and peppers. As I was finishing up, I just sat in the garden and took it all in. There is something so exciting and also peaceful about a springtime garden. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I sat there looking around, I couldn't help but think about 2 Corinthians 5:17. It's the new life that is so exciting. With gardening, it's an adventure to plant a tiny seed, see that seed emerge through the dirt, and eventually grow into something beautiful or edible. With people, it's so thrilling to watch a similar yet grander transformation. I love being around new Christians. The new life in them is often mesmerizing. This verse isn't just for "new" Christians though. We are all new creations. The New Living Translation says anyone <i>who belongs to Christ has become a new person.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As we prepare for Easter, I think about how new life would've been all around Christ during his last days. Flowers blooming, seedlings emerging, and new births would've been everywhere. What a perfect time to usher in a new way. A new freedom. A new life.</span>Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-39779772832302393352014-03-21T18:41:00.001-07:002014-03-21T18:47:17.773-07:00Hope When We're Just Plain Worn Out<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What do we do when we just have a rough week? A week filled with so many appointments and commitments and parenting woes and dirty kitchens and well, you get the picture. There have been good times this week in the midst of it all. Yet, I sit here on a Friday night just plain worn out. I keep thinking that one of these days I'll be mature enough or spiritual enough to rise above all this and not struggle in the day-to-day. I want to be able to give and love, but some weeks, it just feels like there's nothing left to pour out. I want to walk in the Spirit following hard after Jesus, but some days are so loud that I can't seem to hear Him. I long for some quiet so here I sit in a dark room hungry for peace and feeling defeated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then, I hear a whisper in my soul, <i>you were not made for this place</i>. And there He is. He pours out hope and grace reminding me that this world is not home. This world is hard. Loving others is exhausting. We are surrounded by hurts and selfishness and hate. But there's hope. <b>And as I lean into Him in this moment, He reminds that I don't have to be enough. He is enough. My strength will always wear out this side of heaven. His strength is everlasting. </b> And I'm led to these words in Isaiah 40 from <i>The Message</i>,</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" id="en-MSG-7895" style="background-color: white; position: relative;">Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,</span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span></span></span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="position: relative;">or, whine, Israel, saying,</span></span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;">“<span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> has lost track of me.</span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="position: relative;">He doesn’t care what happens to me”? </span></span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;">Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening? </span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;"><span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> doesn’t come and go. God <i>lasts.</i></span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="position: relative;">He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. </span></span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;">He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.</span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="position: relative;">And he knows <i>everything,</i> inside and out. </span></span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;">He energizes those who get tired,</span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="position: relative;">gives fresh strength to dropouts. </span></span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;">For even young people tire and drop out,</span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="position: relative;">young folk in their prime stumble and fall. </span></span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;">But those who wait upon <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> get fresh strength.</span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="position: relative;">They spread their wings and soar like eagles, t</span></span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;">hey run and don’t get tired,</span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-40-27-Isa-40-31" style="position: relative;">they walk and don’t lag behind.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>He is good. He is hope. He loves you. He loves me. He is never worn out. God lasts.</b></span>Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-33585827239038513962014-03-17T08:43:00.001-07:002014-03-17T08:43:57.063-07:00Comparison is the Thief of Joy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad318/howjoyful/blog/comparison_free_print-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad318/howjoyful/blog/comparison_free_print-1.jpg" height="310" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
These are wise words that often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt. I haven't been able to verify that he is the one who said them, but they still ring true. <br />
<br />
I think moms today especially need to hear these words and remember them. On St. Patrick's Day we see other mom's posting pictures of leprechaun footprints, buckets of gold, and their children in matching green outfits while we fished a green t-shirt out of the dirty laundry so that our child wouldn't get pinched.<br />
<br />
Remember these words. Remember that we are all different and there is beauty in that. Don't let comparison steal the joy of motherhood.Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-52446527960339106902014-03-16T14:06:00.002-07:002014-03-16T14:07:43.801-07:00Worth Reading...I have a few tabs that have stayed open on my computer all week. They are just good reads so I'm sharing them with you.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.incourage.me/2014/03/7-things-you-need-when-youre-overwhelmed-cant-keep-up.html">7 Things You Need When You're Overwhelmed and Can't Keep Up</a> - Ann Voskamp shares these encouraging words over at (in)courage this week - <i>We are all chased by grace.</i></li>
</ul>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://daddystractor.com/2014/02/24/the-heartbreak-of-foster-care/">The Heartbreak of Foster Care</a> - This family shares a piece of their heart and I agree with all of it. I keep re-reading these words,<span style="font-family: inherit;"> "<span style="line-height: 22.75px;">If he goes back to his bio parents I’ll cry because I will have lost him. If we adopt him I’ll cry because he will have lost his bio parents. Heartbreak is really just part of living."</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 22.75px;"><a href="http://joshwatts.blogspot.com/2014/03/doing-life-together-sarah-taylor.html?m=1">Doing Life Together</a> - My friend, Sarah, who I've known most of my life, shares about what "Doing Life Together" should really mean. Let's not let it become a cliche in our Christian circles. Let's mean what we say or stop saying it altogether. </span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 22.75px;">Happy Sunday!</span></div>
</div>
Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-55579652022195395782014-03-15T13:59:00.001-07:002014-03-16T14:08:12.415-07:00Orphans, Widows, and Our Duty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://boazproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/psalm-82-3to4_1-e1389808843325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://boazproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/psalm-82-3to4_1-e1389808843325.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of boazproject.org</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As a Christian, we can hear that there are 45 million orphans in the world and do nothing because it's just too big of problem. The Bible mentions "orphans" or the "fatherless" over 30 times and most of those times are a call to act. Almost every time orphans are mentioned, it is with widows. Why do you think this is? I think it's because widows and orphans are easy to ignore. We all have our own families, our own people to look after, and we don't think we have the time or the money or the whatever to help someone else. Yet, God doesn't let us off the hook.<br />
<br />
Exodus tells us not to take advantage of them. Deuteronomy says God "defends the cause of the fatherless," and He instructs His people to provide for the orphans and widows and to <u>never</u> deprive them justice. Job talks about rescuing the fatherless and widows. Psalms 82:3-4 is quoted in the above picture and tells to "defend" and "uphold" them. Isaiah 1:7 is pictured below and again tells us to"defend the cause of orphans and fight for the rights of widows." In Zechariah and Jeremiah, we are told not to oppress the orphan or widow. James defines "pure religion" as caring for the orphan and the widow. And my absolute favorite verses on this subject are Psalm 68:5-6 and we read that "<b>God sets the lonely in families</b>."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amycornwell.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/isaiah1.17-multi600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.amycornwell.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/isaiah1.17-multi600.jpg" height="282" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of amycornwell.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This is not every verse that mentions orphans or widows, but I think the picture is made clear. <b>We have a duty. It's not a special calling for a select few.</b> It's not something we get a choice in. As Christ-followers, we are told to care for the orphans and the widows. We don't need to pray about it whether or not we should, it's there in living black and white words. Our prayer instead should be, "Lord, <u>how</u> do You want me and my family to care for them?"</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I could list ways you could help. I could list ministries you could get involved in or send money to, but that could be overwhelming in and of itself. You don't have to look far and honestly, you probably already know about lots of these organizations. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I believe if you truly pray about how to help, it will be made clear. I will share our own personal journey to foster care with the hows and whys in a few days. But in short, it's this, we prayed and God made it clear. And I am so grateful He did. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
45 million orphans is an overwhelming and heartbreaking number. Remember that it's not just a number. <b> Everyone of these has a name and a story.</b> What would it look like if we all actually did our duty and cared for them? I just about burst into tears every time I think about the possibilities. Did you now that there are 2.1 billion people who claim they are Christians? The math isn't difficult. There simply shouldn't be that many orphans. I don't have the number for widows and there will always be widows and widowers, but "<b>God sets the lonely in families</b>." How awesome is our God! What is He calling your family to do?</div>
Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-68246384431019936162014-03-13T06:14:00.000-07:002014-03-15T17:11:50.602-07:00Beauty, Baldness, and BraveryOn February 14th, I had a coming out on FB. I posted the following words and picture,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I am about to do something bold and scary. I absolutely hate drawing attention to myself. But I'm also thankful for social media today and that I can get this out. I'm pretty open about about the fact that I have alopecia areata but have never made a huge announcement so this will be new to some of you. Alopecia areata is autoimmune disorder in which my body attacks itself and I end up with bald sp</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">ots all over. Since I was young, I've had bald spots come and go. Certain times are worse than others and the cause and cure are unknown. Over the last few months, it's gotten worse again. I've lost 30-40% of my hair on my head. I'm tired of trying to cover it up everyday. It's time consuming and expensive. I also absolutely hate wearing a wig. I did for years but it was uncomfortable and I was still self-conscious. All that to say you are about to see me shaven. I am hoping by announcing this I will stop the confusion and rumors of cancer (which have happened before). I don't feel sick. I'm okay with any questions you have. I don't mind talking about it. I covet your prayers as I do this. Thank you for letting me share this and get real with you.</span></blockquote>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
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I was completely overwhelmed with the response. The largest response by far has been people telling me I'm beautiful. The second has been people saying I'm brave or courageous or strong. I have appreciated every word. Though I must confess that when I made the decision to do this, I didn't feel beautiful and being brave or strong never entered my mind. I just knew with everything in me that it was time. I believe the Holy Spirit gave the courage to do it. I did shed some tears that morning, but for the most part I knew it was what I needed to do. And it was one of the most freeing experiences I've ever had.<br />
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I need to stop here and say that this is MY calling. I do not believe there is anything wrong with wearing a wig or scarves or hats. This is not and will never be about making a statement or telling others I'm doing it the correct way. For me, I had this constant inner battle anytime my alopecia worsened of wanting to be open about it and at the same time wanting to hide. I have struggled with a strong desire to look normal. Even though, I'm not sure any of us know what normal really looks like. <br />
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I've thought often over the last few weeks, why is this brave? Why has it been so freeing? I think the answers to both for me are one and the same. <b>I GAVE OVER SOMETHING I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CONTROL FOR YEARS.</b> I walked in obedience and haven't looked back. I literally felt lighter in so many ways and knew I had let go of a weight that had been tangling me up.<br />
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I really believe it has very little to do with my hair. If you've read any of my other blog posts, especially the one about me <a href="http://fromourhuddle.blogspot.com/2014/03/to-all-list-makers.html">loving lists</a>, you know I tend to be quite the control freak. I'm also a slow learner. I've never had control over this, yet I kept trying to control it. I've seen traditional doctors, tried treatments, changed my diet, cut out stress, taken supplements, and currently see a wellness doctor. I actually feel better than I have in years. Still, my hair continues to fall out. In doing all the blood work I've done over the past year, I've also been informed that I have markers for other autoimmune disorders, several in fact. In short, my immune system overreacts causing inflammation in various forms. Anyone with any autoimmune problems know it can be very frustrating and confusing. And you have no real control. Yes, I feel better and have actually seen numbers drop in my blood work on my current diet, but obviously it's not been a miracle cure. As far as I know, there is only one person capable of miracles and so far He's not given that to me in this area.<br />
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However, I cannot complain. I have been given a different kind of miracle. I don't cringe when looking in the mirror anymore or worry about whether a bald spot is showing. I'm learning about true beauty and actually listening. I don't know if I'm at the point where I can thank God for this and mean it, but I am truly thankful for what He is teaching me through it. I still wish I had hair sometimes and some days are harder than others, but most days I'm completely okay with being a partly-bald chick with a buzz cut. Of course, the fact that it only takes me about 15 minutes to get completely ready in the morning is a bonus. And then there's the money I'm saving on products and haircuts. :)<br />
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I'm sharing this to hopefully encourage you. <b>Whatever God is calling you to, do it. It probably won't be easy. Freedom rarely is, but it's worth it. </b>I don't feel brave. I feel vulnerable. In Deuteronomy and Joshua, we read the words "Be strong and courageous." So often we try to muster up courage that never seems to appear. The problem is we are not reading the rest of the words. Both times they are followed by a promise that God never leaves or forsakes us. We are not called to be strong and brave on our own. He is always with us and we are meant to be courageous in His strength.<br />
<b><br /></b>
God has been teaching me lots with my new look. I really don't what this blog to become the "bald girl" site, because I know my identity is not in my hair. However, it is a big part of my life and I will continue to share as I feel led.Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-14348379936508942932014-03-12T10:28:00.001-07:002014-03-15T17:12:47.466-07:00Real Confessions of a God-fearing, American Housewife<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I said I was going to be real on this blog. Lest you think I spend my days pondering the words of the Holy Spirit and sharing them with you (and laughing was heard from anyone who's been around my family). Here are some confessions of mine, in completely random order,<br />
<ul>
<li>I am a horrible housekeeper (and Jason just shouted "Amen!"). I hate cleaning and will usually find any other way to spend my time. Yet a cluttered and dirty house stresses me out. I need an intervention.</li>
<li>I struggle many days with finding time to really read my Bible yet seem to find time to get on Facebook and watch <i>Call the Midwife</i>. I asked the Holy Spirit to be unrelenting on me with this and OUCH!. He definitely is and I am grateful for it.</li>
<li>I have perfected the ability to tune out my children. This can be both a good and bad thing depending on the moment.</li>
<li>I am completely uncomfortable walking inside a nursing home or hospital. I hate this about myself and hope that changes one day.</li>
<li>When one of my children call out from their bed to remind me to pray with them, I sometimes thank God for them and other times cringe as I just got comfortable on the couch. </li>
<li>I think McDonalds is completely disgusting yet still let me kids eat it sometimes.</li>
<li>I spend way too much money on junk. The same junk that so often clutters up my home and stresses me out.</li>
<li>I struggle with wanting to be in charge of our family and wanting Jason to lead us. Maybe if I just get out of the way...</li>
<li>I am addicted to adoption fundraisers. If someone is adopting and needs money, I will give it. If they are selling a t-shirt (or whatever), I will buy it.</li>
<li>I love my kids so much that it hurts sometimes and I struggle with why God has given them to a messed up sinner like me.</li>
<li>People different than me make me uncomfortable sometimes. Another thing I hate about myself and I'm living proof that someone who lacks mercy can grow in it through Christ. He continues to stretch me and challenge me in this area and I am so grateful each time (though not usually at the beginning - when I'm digging in my heels and trying to find a reason not to step out).</li>
<li>I once told God I would never be a foster parent. It is one of the hardest things I've ever done. No, I don't think God called me to it because I said I wouldn't. I think He was calling me to it before I ever said no. But there is a little girl messing up my house faster than I do that I cannot imagine my life without. I hate that she ever needed to be removed from her home. I hate that this is world is so broken that moms and dads don't know how to love and care for their babies. But oh am I glad God never stopped pushing us here. </li>
<li>I would give you my kidney if you ever need it, whether I know you or not. The problem I have is in giving you my heart.</li>
</ul>
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I'm sure there'll be more to come.</div>
Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-7743613747652573282014-03-10T06:53:00.001-07:002014-03-15T17:13:34.213-07:00Let's Stop PretendingWarning: This post is coming from a very restless momma who's becoming increasingly uncomfortable every day.<br />
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I read and posted this blogger's take on what's happening to Christians in North Korea on Facebook last night,<br />
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<a href="http://loristanleyroeleveld.blogspot.com/2014/03/theyll-be-dead-by-morning-what.html">http://loristanleyroeleveld.blogspot.com/2014/03/theyll-be-dead-by-morning-what.html</a><br />
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Her post is in regards to this,<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/6/kim-jong-un-calls-execution-33-christians/">http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/6/kim-jong-un-calls-execution-33-christians/</a><br />
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I had trouble sleeping as I couldn't shake these brothers and sisters from my mind. I told God I don't understand it. I know this is not our home. I know how this world's story ends. Yet, I'm so troubled by the fate of these. I prayed that their death be remembered. I prayed that those of us on the other side of the world don't ignore it. <br />
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As I laid in my comfortable bed under a pile of blankets while my heater hummed in the background and my kids were tucked snug in their beds, I was overwhelmed with the disparity of the situation. Here I am stressed about the laundry and cleaning that the next day holds and there are 33 of God's children in a cold cell awaiting their death all because they stood up for the truth. They looked fear in the face and saw people hurting and dying around them and refused to keep quiet with the hope of Christ. <br />
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I cannot feel guilty about where I was born and where God has placed me for this season, but I can change my focus from being comfortable. It's so hard for us to even comprehend what these Christians across the ocean have faced and the choices they've made on a daily basis when my hardest choice today might be which room to clean first. <br />
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It's overwhelming. I tend to freeze not knowing where to go or what to do when I'm overwhelmed. I know I'm not alone in this. I see it happening all the time. We pretend not to know about these stories. We pretend not to see the woman standing on the corner. We pretend we don't know about the lonely man down the street. Ignorance is bliss, right? Only one problem, we're not ignorant of the hurts of this world. We see the hurting all around us. When we don't, we have an even bigger problem that we are so self-focused and therefore blind. Usually though we know and we choose to ignore. We've done it so much that we don't even realize we are doing it anymore. We justify our actions by our own busyness and we continue to pretend. <br />
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I am reminded of Katie Davis and her book <i>Kisses from Katie. </i>We can be overwhelmed with the hurt around us and do nothing or we can choose to love the ones placed in front of us. I think loving your family is a high calling and an important one, but I think sometimes we assume it's our only calling. We are called to get out and love. Some days as a stay-at-home-mom, I may love my family by not complaining about the laundry and doing it because I love them. That will be my calling some days. But on this side of the globe, we have become so detached and so used to staying inside our own homes that we don't even realize there might be more. I'm pretty sure other days I am called to leave the laundry basket and get out out my comfort zone. Could this be one of the reason we are depressed, feeling insignificant, and struggling with purpose? We were created for more.<br />
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Let's not ignore what's happening in North Korea or on our own streets. He's put you in your part of the world for a reason. We can pray for the 33 brothers and sisters who probably get meet our Creator sooner than we will. We can let their deaths not be in vain by letting them change us. I pray my children do not sit on their couches struggling with the same things I'm struggling with. I pray that as a family loving the people where we are placed becomes so familiar to them that they never consider the alternative.Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06431270544947403765noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-13131224534850355792014-03-09T06:10:00.002-07:002014-03-09T09:01:08.406-07:00Explore the depths of God's love!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://hqwide.com/wallpapers/l/1366x768/35/water_ocean_deep_sea_1366x768_34901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://hqwide.com/wallpapers/l/1366x768/35/water_ocean_deep_sea_1366x768_34901.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">I pray that you … may have power, together
with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep
is the love of Christ,</span> <span class="text"><span id="en-NIV-29271">and
to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the
measure of all the fullness of God. (Eph. 3:18-19)</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">Ever looked out over the ocean?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever looked out over the ocean in a beautiful
place where the water is blue and crystal clear (Galveston doesn’t count)?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beautiful deep blue water as far as the eye
can see!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">I heard the other day that of all the
places on earth, the ocean was the least explored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe that’s because we don’t really even
know how big it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scientists have
tried to guess, but the truth is, we really don’t know how wide, long, deep the
ocean is!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think about that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let that set in for a moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">And yet, the Bible says the love of God is even
greater! </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians (and for us
by the way) is that they/we would have the power (through the Spirit) to wrap
our minds around just how much God really loves us!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">His prayer is that we might explore the
depths, the cracks, the crevices, the trenches of God’s love that so many
others seldom come to see.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">He prays that in Christ and through His
Spirit we would become great explorers of the deep ocean known as God’s grace,
mercy, and love!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I think about the
true meaning of this verse I can’t help to think that most of us have only
stood upon the shore or waded into a comfortable level with God.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">Which begs me to ask: Where are you in your
journey? Ankle deep? Waist deep? Treading water?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">What are you waiting for?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dive in!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Dive deep!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Explore the beauty and
majesty the IS God’s love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Find His
mercy lying deep down next to His justice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Explore His grace and compassion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Check out His unfathomable forgiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">Dive in and explore!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each area of His love is filled with a
lifetime of beauty, splendor and adventure!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">According to Paul… only then will we be
able to be filled with the full measure of Christ!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">And let me close with this thought… its one
I can’t shake this morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can take
it or leave it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can over examine
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s just a simple observation
on my part: I think this kind of exploration of God’s love is something that
takes practice!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">Do you remember learning to swim?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you first began, you could only hold
your breath for so long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And because of
this, you could only dive so deep, and see so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, as you learned how to swim and
practiced, your lungs developed and you could stay under longer and see so much
more!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">I love to snorkel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my favorite things is to take a deep
breath and dive as deep as I can to take in all of the beauty of God’s
creation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">I think it’s a bit like that with trying to
grasp God’s love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not a one-time
road trip to the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a lifetime
of submerging yourself in the ocean of God’s love and mercy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s daily going as deep as you can and
taking in all the beauty and splendor you can handle.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="text">I hope and pray you (we) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hunger to see the depths of God’s love and
mercy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dive deep my friends!</span></span></div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17529581085882324133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1420095011724149459.post-48578880245168841272014-03-07T07:27:00.001-08:002014-03-07T07:29:13.377-08:00As bold as a lion...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://api.ning.com/files/CYX9IDogfIyvPbGlcYDaXsUMsz*ibP5dOjlK-4eEgpYuqGHQbChJdlZqYhgkWNHgyoeTZBnE*LCMMSAlFE7tDk6TYeIsBfAS/tribeofJ.jpg?width=737&height=246" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://api.ning.com/files/CYX9IDogfIyvPbGlcYDaXsUMsz*ibP5dOjlK-4eEgpYuqGHQbChJdlZqYhgkWNHgyoeTZBnE*LCMMSAlFE7tDk6TYeIsBfAS/tribeofJ.jpg?width=737&height=246" height="211" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I love to write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have truly missed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not back where
I want to be yet, but I have started to “jot down” some thoughts here and there
again and with the encouragement of my beautiful wife I will begin to share
them here from time to time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you have been paying attention and following our blog,
you’ll notice that we have very different writing styles and that the Lord is
working on us in different ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
that is amazingly beautiful!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t
begin to tell you how excited I am to see what Jesus is doing in her life!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We started this blog together some time ago to give people a
glimpse into what God is doing in our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For a long time it has been dormant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s not because God hasn’t been working as much as it is that we
haven’t been testifying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is
good!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has always and will always be
way better than we deserve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you
enjoy honest heartfelt testimonies that you find here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you enjoy reading the true writer of
the family (Hope) and that my ramblings at the very least make sense to you and
maybe even encourage you a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
that being said: Feel free to read on…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“The righteous are as bold as a lion.” Prov.28:1</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Those following hard after God possess a boldness that is
not of themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As they seek the Lord
with all of their heart, they find Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And in finding Him, they find His truth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God empowers His children with His Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their natural fears and inabilities are
replaced by His power, boldness and giftedness!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As Christians we have the ability and opportunity to seek
out the Lord and to cast our burdens upon Him in a <b>divine exchange</b> (where we
give Him our yoke and we receive His).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We have the opportunity to give Him our fears, our inabilities, our
shyness and selfishness, and to receive from Him His power, His ability and His
confidence!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Can you fathom how good this God is?</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t just save us and then leave us as
orphans (Jn. 14:18).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He saves us and
invites us into a divine cooperation in which we are constantly equipped with
His gifts and abilities.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I love what my good friend Andy Dietz says, <b>“Anything done
in the flesh is only as good as the flesh can do it, but anything done in the
Spirit is done as good as God can do it.”</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">No wonder the apostle Paul encourages us to<b> live/walk/exercise in the
Spirit!</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Father God, thank you for being so awesome!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for saving us!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for being a God that goes even
beyond Salvation!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A God that loves us
enough to meet us where we are, but loves us too much to leave us there!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My Father, thank you for not leaving me as an orphan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for this invitation to a divine
exchange!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for abiding in me,
empowering me, giving me your gifts as I abide in you!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Remind us each day of the invitation you lay before us: we
can go about life in the flesh and the results will be only as good as the
flesh can muster… or we can go about life in the Spirit and watch in awe as we
witness life done as God and God alone can do it!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Father, the choice is clear!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I choose you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For today and for a
thousand days to come… I choose you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May
Your glory be made known as your children walk in an abiding relationship with
you!</span></div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17529581085882324133noreply@blogger.com0