Monday, February 15, 2016
Still... A Work in Progress: "I WANT...I NEED..." Do You Really?
Still... A Work in Progress: "I WANT...I NEED..." Do You Really?: When you want something you don't have or miss, when things aren't going as you planned or moving as fast as you want, or whe...
"I WANT...I NEED..." Do You Really?
When you want
something you don't have or miss, when things aren't going as you
planned or moving as fast as you want, or when you are not in a
comfortable place (health-wise or circumstantially), ask yourself what might be really
bothering you? During times of such wondering, often the state of our
heart will be laid bare, exposed as well perhaps as idols we may have erected along the way. Are we
complaining? Are we whining? Are we impatient? Could God be
orchestrating things behind the scenes, perhaps at a slower pace than we
desire, but above and beyond all we could have hoped for? Occasionally, as
I listen to conversations and requests for prayer, I wonder if we have developed a stronger affinity for
just being comfortable (no matter what we may profess to the contrary)
than we do for seeking the deeper things, seeking to understand the real
reason for our discomfort and embracing it as a time of growth
individually.
When we are stripped of things that bring us comfort,
security, happiness and pleasure, when we face health issues or trials
of various sorts and come to the end of ourselves, it is there we may
find what truly motivates our words, our deeds...our lives
and...hopefully, in the end, we will find where our true strength comes
from, what really matters and what our true need really is. "The good
news of suffering is it brings us to the end of ourselves...It brings us
to a place of honesty, which is the place of
freedom. Suffering leaves our idols in pieces on the ground..."
It is completely counter cultural these days to think of
suffering as a good thing. And yet, if it strips us of all the peripheral,
non-essentials and focuses us on Christ as our full and complete
provision, there will never be a sweeter place. Are you really in NEED?
Do you really WANT...HIM? If yes, then allow Him to peel back the
layers of anything that would hinder your arrival to this sweet place.
In my most difficult, uncomfortable, uncertain and painful seasons, I
have found the most precious place of communion and times of knowing my
Savior, the one who gave up every comfort and luxury...HIS LIFE...for my
sake and God's glory. My prayer is that we would all ask the tough
questions of ourselves and not fear the honest answers, but rather TRUST as we
submit to the process of sanctification, He who is ever faithful will
bring us into a deeper walk with Him and a better understanding of
ourselves and our NEED of Him, and consequently, an insatiable growth in
our WANT of Him and His presence in our life!
Blessings!
For a great article on the above check this out...
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Boldness with YOUR Story
Please watch...ALL OF IT! Well worth the 16 minutes it takes...
Gianna Jesson - On Her Almost Aborted Life!
Well, to be honest with you, this little blog today is completely and utterly a surprise. I was not at all intending to write it, but for some reason, felt prompted to interrupt my plan to blog the follow up to Purposeful Suffering Part 1, Joyful Suffering - Part 2, with this, and might I add, in case you were wondering, I am definitely about to step up onto my soapbox right now...I will let you know when I step off!
Praise to GOD! My Creator answers prayers for direction, vision casting, and purposeful activity through the most amazing vehicles. This time it was through a Youtube clip. Upon watching it, I was completely unable to hold back the tears and emotion. I honestly don't see how anyone listening to the story of this young woman's life could remain emotionless. Her boldness is rarely seen and when it is, people sit up and take notice. This is what we want our heroes to look like. We want our heroes to be bold in standing up for what has been somehow termed "politically incorrect". What I saw in this clip was a particular type of boldness that comes from from the heart of person destined to be used for the glory of God, a vessel for proclaiming things others would never dare to, no matter how necessary! This is a boldness from a humble soul, a boldness from one unafraid of suffering or existing as a "living" martyr of sorts, and a boldness from one who has found purpose in this life.
To think, we are all born with purpose and sadly some of us don't even know what that purpose is. She has an amazing story, but we all have a story! The question is what are we going to do with OUR story to proclaim the love, mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior? Too many of us have sat silent merely playing "Christian". This woman - THIS WOMAN is proclaiming it from every corner of the earth she is allowed to enter. She has experienced "purposeful suffering" and because she has found purpose in the storm, in the suffering and in the circumstances God has allowed into her life, God has graciously taught her how to "joyfully" suffer. Too many of us quickly want out of our circumstances. It's human nature to want to escape suffering. But did you ever think that when God allows suffering, He just might be giving us an amazing platform upon which to proclaim Him and to do so with great boldness and an opportunity to identify with Christ? What can bring more glorious joy into our life than that? We may not personally receive invitations to speak in countries across the ocean, BUT, what we do have is a story of our own, very unique and purposefully designed. And, no matter what that story is, GOD CAN USE IT! God can use ALL THINGS in our lives as we surrender them for His purposes. The catch - well, the catch is that we have to be willing to surrender them. I strongly believe that God doesn't waste our experiences, our pain, our circumstances, good or bad, EVER. In God's economy, nothing is for nothing! Viewing all of life from that perspective changes everything because there always is purpose, always meaning to what we experience. I am overwhelmed to think of what this world could look like if we all were using the gifts and talents we have, and even, the weaknesses and struggles we have and have experienced as a platform for proclaiming Him and lifting up the body of Christ which so often is secretly suffering? I just wonder.
Let's stop looking at OUR comfort, OUR conveniences, OUR schedules, OUR activities, and get out of OUR own way so we can see what He is doing and join Him in it with what He has given us and purposed for us. Contrary to the world's proclamation, IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT US. SELF needs to be put to a quick death! The faster we all do so, the sooner we can find our true purpose and meaning, the one He has always intended for us to find. We need to pick up that cross and, dog gone it...just FOLLOW!!!!!
And students, for God's sake and glory, if you think my generation has dropped the ball in proclaiming Him as boldly as this young woman has before foreign government officials, politicians, Orthodox priests, and dignitaries, then by all means, stop pointing the finger and let God deal with us. YOU - PICK UP THE BALL and run with it! God has you here for a specific purpose at this time, in this generation, in this specific place! Seek Him and listen. Find out how you can use what He has given you and blessed you with to live it out just as loudly! Wherever He has you...at school, at work, among your friends, He will open doors and give you your own platform to proclaim Him if you are observant and willing! Gianna, put it perfectly. She said she wasn't put on this earth to make others or herself comfortable. She was put here to stir things up, be hated...and has been since birth. But, she has found it a glorious and worthy thing to suffer for the sake of Her God, Her Maker and Her Savior! Lovingly, she has boldly and graciously proclaimed the uncomfortable name of Jesus and has taken a stand against the politically incorrect. No, more accurately, just the plain incorrect. Now, how about you? How about me?
OH, TO BE THIS INSPIRED DAILY!!!!! OH, TO SEE SUCH BOLDNESS CONTINUOUSLY COMING FORTH FROM OUR CHURCHES!!!!WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN, IF...
Okay, so I'm getting off my soapbox for the time being...:)
code: 9/29/10 3:51p
Gianna Jesson - On Her Almost Aborted Life!
Well, to be honest with you, this little blog today is completely and utterly a surprise. I was not at all intending to write it, but for some reason, felt prompted to interrupt my plan to blog the follow up to Purposeful Suffering Part 1, Joyful Suffering - Part 2, with this, and might I add, in case you were wondering, I am definitely about to step up onto my soapbox right now...I will let you know when I step off!
Praise to GOD! My Creator answers prayers for direction, vision casting, and purposeful activity through the most amazing vehicles. This time it was through a Youtube clip. Upon watching it, I was completely unable to hold back the tears and emotion. I honestly don't see how anyone listening to the story of this young woman's life could remain emotionless. Her boldness is rarely seen and when it is, people sit up and take notice. This is what we want our heroes to look like. We want our heroes to be bold in standing up for what has been somehow termed "politically incorrect". What I saw in this clip was a particular type of boldness that comes from from the heart of person destined to be used for the glory of God, a vessel for proclaiming things others would never dare to, no matter how necessary! This is a boldness from a humble soul, a boldness from one unafraid of suffering or existing as a "living" martyr of sorts, and a boldness from one who has found purpose in this life.
To think, we are all born with purpose and sadly some of us don't even know what that purpose is. She has an amazing story, but we all have a story! The question is what are we going to do with OUR story to proclaim the love, mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior? Too many of us have sat silent merely playing "Christian". This woman - THIS WOMAN is proclaiming it from every corner of the earth she is allowed to enter. She has experienced "purposeful suffering" and because she has found purpose in the storm, in the suffering and in the circumstances God has allowed into her life, God has graciously taught her how to "joyfully" suffer. Too many of us quickly want out of our circumstances. It's human nature to want to escape suffering. But did you ever think that when God allows suffering, He just might be giving us an amazing platform upon which to proclaim Him and to do so with great boldness and an opportunity to identify with Christ? What can bring more glorious joy into our life than that? We may not personally receive invitations to speak in countries across the ocean, BUT, what we do have is a story of our own, very unique and purposefully designed. And, no matter what that story is, GOD CAN USE IT! God can use ALL THINGS in our lives as we surrender them for His purposes. The catch - well, the catch is that we have to be willing to surrender them. I strongly believe that God doesn't waste our experiences, our pain, our circumstances, good or bad, EVER. In God's economy, nothing is for nothing! Viewing all of life from that perspective changes everything because there always is purpose, always meaning to what we experience. I am overwhelmed to think of what this world could look like if we all were using the gifts and talents we have, and even, the weaknesses and struggles we have and have experienced as a platform for proclaiming Him and lifting up the body of Christ which so often is secretly suffering? I just wonder.
Let's stop looking at OUR comfort, OUR conveniences, OUR schedules, OUR activities, and get out of OUR own way so we can see what He is doing and join Him in it with what He has given us and purposed for us. Contrary to the world's proclamation, IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT US. SELF needs to be put to a quick death! The faster we all do so, the sooner we can find our true purpose and meaning, the one He has always intended for us to find. We need to pick up that cross and, dog gone it...just FOLLOW!!!!!
And students, for God's sake and glory, if you think my generation has dropped the ball in proclaiming Him as boldly as this young woman has before foreign government officials, politicians, Orthodox priests, and dignitaries, then by all means, stop pointing the finger and let God deal with us. YOU - PICK UP THE BALL and run with it! God has you here for a specific purpose at this time, in this generation, in this specific place! Seek Him and listen. Find out how you can use what He has given you and blessed you with to live it out just as loudly! Wherever He has you...at school, at work, among your friends, He will open doors and give you your own platform to proclaim Him if you are observant and willing! Gianna, put it perfectly. She said she wasn't put on this earth to make others or herself comfortable. She was put here to stir things up, be hated...and has been since birth. But, she has found it a glorious and worthy thing to suffer for the sake of Her God, Her Maker and Her Savior! Lovingly, she has boldly and graciously proclaimed the uncomfortable name of Jesus and has taken a stand against the politically incorrect. No, more accurately, just the plain incorrect. Now, how about you? How about me?
OH, TO BE THIS INSPIRED DAILY!!!!! OH, TO SEE SUCH BOLDNESS CONTINUOUSLY COMING FORTH FROM OUR CHURCHES!!!!WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN, IF...
Okay, so I'm getting off my soapbox for the time being...:)
code: 9/29/10 3:51p
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Broken People by Sophia Buehler
This was written by my daughter as she sat listening to some kids share about their lives in class! I wanted to share what she was inspired to write because it is this compassion I believe we as adults often become deaf and blind to as we grow older and more consumed with me and mine - in a culture FULL of me and mine. I was moved to tears and well, maybe you will be too or at least you might be challenged to stop and listen. What you may hear if you do might wreck you...Let it!
_______________________________________________________________________
 |
| Sophia Buehler |
Everywhere you go they are there. Broken people from broken homes. They try so hard to conceal it, yet we see them shrouded in darkness asking, "Why?" But their cries are lost in the wind unless… we are listening. They have not always been this way. Once, they were not shattered fragments of people. They were whole. One could almost see the happiness radiating from them. They were wrapped in vibrant, pulsating colors. Now, those colors have faded leaving only shadows of grey, like a bad memory haunting them. On the streets, in the bus, all around, we see them-their radiance dull and faded. We’ve been sent though. We have been sent to guide them back into life, back to the One who can restore all they have lost, all they have left behind and so much more. Shattered people destined to be repaired. They are broken but Jehovah Rapha will mend them. These are the shattered, broken people of today’s world.
When your ears are open, you hear more. That
is a fact. It is imperative that people who claim to live the cause,
practice keeping their eyes and ears open for opportunities.
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