Authentically Christian

Tonight I sit and listen. I learn. I am learning how to be more Kingdom minded. How church is not about the "process" on Sunday mornings but how Christians are to live as Christ. To love the unloved. To seek the lost. To help the broken. To serve our neighbors. To think as serving as a call to love, not a checkmark on a to do list.

My heart is on fire. I want to be THAT Christian. I go to church every Sunday. I listen to the message. I cry at communion for that ultimate sacrifice that my sinful heart does not deserve, but freely earned. My God who loves me. My God who saves me. My God who forgives me. He is present. He is there. He seeks me, so I can seek those that are broken and lost. It's not easy. It's uncomfortable. God never promised comfort. In fact, Jesus reminds me that I will be hated.

John 15:18-19 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

In this hatred He is exalted. We are all sinners. It's a fact. We are all connected in our sins. We are all connected in our forgiveness. God forgives all who ask. God seeks the lost. God seeks the broken. God's heart breaks for your broken heart.

I listen. I learn. I want to be THAT Christian. I want to be the Christian that is not afraid to hug someone who is dirty. Someone who lives on the street. I want to be THAT Christian. I want to be the one who listens to the broken hearted. I want to be the one that prays for you. I want to be the one that offers you a hot meal. I want to be the one that offers you a roof over your head. Not for me. For God. We are all children of God, and it's His will to love you. I love you because he loves you. It's simple. Why is something so simple, so hard?

It's uncomfortable. It's hard. It's tiring. It's non-stop. So many broken hearted. So many hurting. So many lost.

One ripple. One heart. One hug. One prayer. God does not use the most powerful. He does not use the strongest. He does not use the most famous. He uses the ordinary. The common. Me. He uses me. I can do big things. I can do big things with simple love. I don't need to do big things. I can do simple things with big results because of God.

Living for Christ is truly living. All things. We cannot go through our day without putting God first. He's there. He wants us. We are called. In His presence I am strong. In His love I am strong.

Sunday I listened to a testimony. I heard a broken heart spill across the room. The life of broken pieces frantically looking to be put back together. A puzzle. Abuse. Neglect. Addiction. Broken. Broken. This world is broken. At the end - Jesus stood with open arms. He picked up the pieces. He loved the broken. He loved. He loved.

I want to be THAT Christian. I want to love you. No strings attached. I want you to know that you are not alone. That you are loved.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

"His kind of love is reckless for us. His kind of love will never give up, until the whole world knows how far he went to show His kind of love. " - Group 1 Crew

New Year, New Hope?

Happy New Year! Glasses clink, kisses are shared, the ball drops, Auld Lang Syne is played and 2019 is here. A new year! We celebrate! A new year full of new things, new ideas, new experiences, new plans, and new hopes.

Resolutions are made; Lose weight! Eat healthier! Spend more time with my kids! Paint more! Do things that inspire me! Etc. Etc. Etc. A month later. Life moves forward,

old habits kick in, time goes fast, and those new years resolutions made with good intentions and high hopes, are slowly being placed on the back burner with last years resolutions, and the year before that and the year before that. Sound familiar?
Why are these resolutions so hard to follow? We had such high hopes for these plans to work out. Why is it so hard to stick with it?

Hope: Webster's Dictionary tells me that it means "a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen". FEELING. DESIRE. This might be our problem. We are relying on ourselves to have these feelings and desires for things to happen. Maybe, we are putting our hope in the wrong things.
Is it wrong to want to lose weight? Absolutely not! Is it bad to want to make a plan to eat healthier or spend more time with our kids? No way! Are these really hopes though?

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".

God is our hope. He has laid out plans for us. He has a path for us. He has no desire to harm us....sin does this. God is our hope and our future.

Too many times I think we pray and tell God what we want Him to do for us, when it should be us praying and asking what He expects us to do for him. We think we know best. When God tells us to go through one door and we want to go through another, many of us are guilty of praying and telling God we think He got it wrong. Our Earthly minds can never comprehend what He knows. He created us and we need to keep our eyes above and not on things of our own desires.

"but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

God renews us, He gives us strength, He makes us not grow weary in this weary world. He is our hope. Stretch for success. Hope for the best. The best is our Lord!! If we hope for the best, which is our Lord, he will renew us!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" Romans 15:13

Our hope in the Lord will give us pure joy and peace. Yes, losing weight and all those resolutions will make us feel better, temporarily, and only if we follow through. However, our hope in the Lord brings joy and eternal life. Our hope is found in Jesus hanging on that cross. His blood was shed for us, our sins were forgiven through him. The hope in him is the promise from God. A promise for eternal life, unattainable without the hope in Jesus. His resurrection is our gift. Our hope. Our future.

"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Romans 8:24-25

"Since, then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Colossians 3:1-3

Our hope in earthly things will leave us feeling defeated, empty and longing. Our hope in the Lord our God will renew us, fulfill us, and give us glory! Things we wish for our earthly lives are just that. A wish. A desire. Want to lose weight? (I do!), I don't hope for it though. I have my hope in the Lord. I will work on losing weight. I WISH I could lose weight and I will try to lose weight, but the word Hope is reserved for higher things.

Our hope is not in the new year, but in the ONE that makes all things new.

Happy New Year!




May you be brought closer to God this year and keep your  eyes to the hope from above.

Light in the Darkness

Only days ago I awoke in darkness. I wasn’t afraid, it surrounded me like a comfort. The darkness allowed me time to focus my vision, let my mind wake slowly, and still notice the quiet sounds that the darkness holds. Again I was not afraid.

“The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it” - John 1:5

There is nothing to fear about the natural darkness of the world. It was created by God to give us rest, for the plants and animals of the world to find refuge and be renewed for the days to come. The fear of darkness is found in the darkness created by sin. That darkness blots out the light, brings evil to man, and corrupts our goodness.

Our strength is in Jesus. He is the light that shines on our path. He is that beam of hope and light in this darkness of sin. That darkness cannot overcome His light.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?” - Psalm 27:1

God’s word repeatedly reminds us that the light is stronger than the darkness. The darkness may suffocate, and blind you. The darkness may seem lonely and overwhelming, but the truth of Jesus Christ is that every morning the sun comes up, it warms the world, and fills in all of the shadows. The darkness can and will be overcome. It does not last. It is not strong enough. Jesus is our night light. His light never ceases to shine. His light is brighter than any light, it’s warmth is greater than that of the sun itself. His light is more powerful than any evil created in the dark.

I turn my face to the light and feel the warmth on my skin. It starts on the outside and soon my entire being is filled with that warming glow. It is this warmth, glow, and strength of light that I want others to know.

From that light we can go in the world and be the light for others. We can be the hands and feet of Christ, sharing his hope, and filling others with light that may be consumed by darkness.

God’s word is a beacon, a light house in the fog. When life is trying to drown you in busy schedules, fear, loneliness, shame, guilt, hopelessness - God’s word is steady, strong, powerful, and true. It shines. It cannot go out. His words can bring comfort in all situations, in all hardships, and remind us of the hope we have in Jesus.

Jesus’ light leads us straight to Heaven, a path that is paved in gold. A path that is not filled in by weeds, or covered in shadows. His path is straight, clear and well lit. It is up to us to seek it, to stay on it and follow that light. The reward is waiting for us seated at the right hand of the Father. An eternal life with our creator bathed in His light and love. What greater hope can we have?

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’.” -John 8:12

I can feel comfort sitting in the darkness because I know with certainty the light of the Lord. I know he is there even in the darkness. Seek his word, know his light, feel his warmth, and you will know the power of the hope in Jesus Christ, as he overcomes all darkness of the world. That is his great love for us!
In this natural season of darkness, these winter months with little natural light, rest assured that His light shines on for all eternity.

 

Joy

I sit here, barely awake, with the faint glow of the computer screen reflecting off my face. The darkness is deafening, but welcome. Thoughts that not long ago were perfectly written in a dream, strong and true, I  now fumble to find them. Still lingering in the corners of my mind, I strain to remember. In just a short while, my house will be filled with noise, schedules, happiness, so for now I must get these words down, that were so completely pure.

The street light is still glowing through my window, and the coffee pot is still cold. These words are important, I think. Why else would I have dreamed them?

Joy, the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying. What is your joy? What do we spend our time being joyful about? Is joy that new tv you just bought? Is joy the newest phone o n the market? Or maybe it's the clothes you wear, or the home you bought. What is your joy? Can joy be found in material things? How long does that joy last? Question after question. What is our joy?

Books surround me in every room, new books often show up on our front door step, do I say that this is my joy?

Joy is deeper than the things we own. Pure, unadulterated joy comes from only one thing. JESUS. A man, who is God, came down to earth to be hated, beaten, hung from a cross and murdered, for us. For US!!!! Someone sacrificed their life for you and you didn't even know him!! Pure love. Our sins are forgiven because of a plan that is greater than any one of us. We have eternal life because of a love for us that we can never even comprehend. Oh God, you are so great!

With Jesus our joy is eternal. Our happiness is everlasting. Our lives will live on in Heaven. What greater joy can there be? Can you find joy in your things, yes. Temporary. Fleeting. It's immediate joy, soon replaced by wanting. Wanting for the next new book, new phone, new clothes, car, or t.v. It's part of our sin. It's an addiction. This kind of joy holds us hostage. Break the chains, find your joy in Jesus.




"Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the JOY that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

Through Jesus our faith is made perfect and through his death on the cross our joy becomes eternal and pure.

He suffered for me. He suffered for you. My heart aches to know him more intimately. This is why I read my Bible, this is is why I pray. This is why my heart breaks for those who don't know him. Let me share this joy that I have for Jesus so others may know!

Joy is found in the hug of your child, in the meal you prepare for your family. Joy is found in the helping of a neighbor, the kindness to a stranger, through an extra big tip for that waitress. Joy is found in putting others needs before our own. Joy is found in the comfort after the loss of a loved one. It's found in the memories of our families.  Joy is found in the trees, the sun the sky, the air we breathe. Joy is found in every corner of home and world. Joy is found in the small things, and in all of the wonders that God provides. Pure joy, not the temporary joy found in material possessions. 

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6: 19-21.

Real joy cannot be stolen, real joy cannot be lost, real joy is everlasting. Trust in the

Lord. Know Him. Be intimate with Him. Cultivate your relationship with Him. This love He has for us is so great. My insides swell, my heart aches, my mind is clear and my thoughts are intentional. This joy that I have, I want to share. This joy that I feel, is goodness. This joy that I know, can only be from Jesus. I want you to feel this too.

The sun is slowly waking up. It's glint is stretching its fingers in corners, warming, and waking us gently from our slumber. Another blessing from God. A new day to live is waking up. A new chance to feel His love. A new opportunity to share your joy that comes from knowing him.

Pure JOY is putting J (Jesus) first and O (Others) before Y (Yourself). Only then can you know the pure joy that only comes from knowing God.

Timing is Everything

It's Fall, I repeat in my head. Not winter. I love Fall, the leaves, the colors, the temperatures, the pumpkins, and crisp breezes. On October 14, I expect Fall, but as I stand in two inches of fluffy white snow, while I pick peppers out of the garden, I realize that my expectations are just that, mine. 

The air is silent. Each snowflake drifts playfully to the ground. Wet and full of wonder they attach to my eyelashes and bits of hair that have come loose from under my knitted hat. Any other day, the task of harvesting food from my garden would be quick work. You would think on a day where the temperatures have plummeted into the upper 20's and my fingers are wet and numb from the cold, my work in the garden would be something to dread and I would quicken my pace.

Not today. Today I delicately trim each golden marigold from it's stem, slow and deliberate. I stop to watch the snowflakes dance through the air. I notice the birds flying overhead, escaping the cold. Instead of being cold and wet and dreary, I notice everything with clarity. I focus on the tiny green tomatoes draped in delicate layers of snowy lace. Each tomato is small, bright green, and fresh. Once again I realize that nothing can be planned with any real assurance, and that no matter how many careful plans we lay out for ourselves, it's ultimately not up to us how those plans occur.

The quiet blanketed world around me quickens my thoughts and I am reminded of the verse Isaiah 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways", declares the Lord. "As the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways and my thoughts than your thoughts". 

Our ways are not always God's ways. He has a divine plan for us that we can only trust the Lord to lead us. No matter what plans we make for ourselves, if it is not God's will, it will not be done. God always knows what's best for us. 

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I pick up yet another dejected orange bloom and breathe in the fragrance. Shake off the snow and think about how my to do list is long and never ending. I have to rip out the garden and winterize, I need to clean the house, meal plan, grocery shop, plan school, pay bills, and the list is overwhelming and endless. God knows that we need time to stop and listen to him. We need time to rest and focus on our surroundings. We need to admire our blessings and the work that God has put into our lives. He works tirelessly for us. Why don't we listen? How can we know better than our creator? Our thoughts cannot comprehend his divine thoughts, and our ways are selfish, unknown paths of our own sinful desires. Only God knows our needs, He hears our hearts and knows every hair on our head. Nothing can be more intimate than that. We have a Father that loves us, despite not listening to him, despite the fact that we are constantly disobeying him, and despite the fact that we are always trying to assert our own independence in this world. 

God loves us and has a plan for each one of us. A plan far better than any of us know or could choose ourselves. Why is it such a challenge to stop and listen, to strain our ears to the heavens and wait for his command? 

Today God knows my heart. He knows my exhaustion, and my overwhelming to do list. This snow is not an irritation. It is a blessing from God. A chance to curl up with my family in our warm, cozy home,

to slow down, sip my hot tea, and gaze at the beauty of each passing season. This early snow storm is an opportunity to realize that each day holds wonderous and beautiful things, that God has provided for us. No matter the day, find the blessings. Fill yourself up with the goodness the Lord provides. His plans are not to harm you but to fill you with hope and a future. 

My boots crunch the fine layers of snow that have been quietly falling around me. I breathe in the cold air, and close my eyes and listen. The silence is exquisite. My soul swells like the breaking of a wave on the shoreline and I'm at peace, in God's loving grace. 

My Dwelling

Welcome to my daily blog. My new home for my thoughts and my page to help spread God's word in this broken world we live in.

Press pause with me on our busy schedules and take a break. God is waiting for you with His arms open wide. He is ready to help you where you are. Sip your coffee or drink of choice and take a minute to really hear His word, and let it work in you. God loves you. Always has. Always will. You are His, and nothing can change that.

Colossians 3:16-17 says
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your heart. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through him."

The word of God moves me. It opens my hardened heart, and makes me see my own image reflected back at me and I don't always like what I see. This hardened and calloused world is tough and frequently his love gets lost in the fray.

When did caring for others become second to elevating ourselves? When did God's word become something we can pick and choose what is relevant to our lives, rather than hearing all He has to say. Why aren't our hearts breaking for the broken and our tears being shed for the lost? Like the shepherd who leaves his herd to find the one lost sheep because that one sheep is important, aren't we too supposed to search for that wandering stray?

I watch each day pass by in a blur and at the end, each night as I rest my weary head on my pillow, I wonder what I did that day to share God's love. Did I smile at a stranger? Did I hug my kids? Did I speak kind words or did I loosen my tongue to hatred? I can't be all things to all people. I can't do life all the time the way that God expects.....but God can!!!

He dwells in me. He lives here. I hollow out myself so that he can fill me up. I let him break my heart for the lost. I pray he challenges me and opens me to the dirty ways of this world. I don't want to be safe in my house. I want to be safe in the Lord. How can I be Christ's hands and feet in this world if I hide in my own comforts? What kind of Christian would I be if I sat sipping my coffee while my neighbor loses everything? A Christian that dwells only in their own relationship with God is not really a Christian at all are they?

Didn't God tell us that following Christ will be messy? We will be hated because they first hated Christ? Jesus never hated. He never boasted. He never took comfort in hiding in his own comforts. He came to this earth to get dirty, to be broken and to love the most unlovable. He charges us to follow in his path, to continue his work and to reach out to the lepers of our communities. I don't know about you, but I want Christ to dwell in me and I want to live God's love, not just read about it. I want to be the hands and feet of Christ and have my heart broken repeatedly because then and only then do I know that I am loving as Christ has loved me. Eternally. No strings attached.

Religion is not just a personal experience. Our lives were written for a purpose and each of us has something we can give to this world in the name of God. Let God in.