Literally.

If a friend had a medical issue that needed attending to, and he/she was refusing treatment, you would not be so quick as to let time slip without prompting, if not urgent prompting, right?

What about heart treatment?  What about spiritual surgery?  What about eternal security?

I, for one, CAN. NOT. wait for this next study He has on tap for myself and a few friends.  The book of James!  One of my favorites!  Because it’s an easy read? Ah, no.  Because it challenges the socks off of me.  It forces me to look at my “ugly”.  It dredges up the mud in my heart so I can examine it, bring it from my dark recesses into His light.  I will do this knowing and wanting Him to show me, clean me, cleanse me, make me new!  I get an awesome hot shower  with lots of steam!  Sound good?

As with so many things the Lord brings my way, He leaves trails of reminders, a magnetic post-it, if you will.  Picked up a Max Lucado book and this is what I read.

James 1:17 – Every good action and every perfect gift is from God.

Ever feel like you have nothing?  Just look at the gifts God has given you:

He has sent His angels to care for you, His Holy Spirit to dwell in you, his church to encourage you, and His word to guide you…

Anytime you speak, He listens; make a request and He responds.

He will never let you be tempted too much, or stumble too far.

Let a tear appear on your cheek, and He is there to wipe it.

Let a love sonnet appear on your lips, and He is there to hear it.

As much as you want to see Him, He wants to see you more…

You have been chosen by Christ.  He has claimed you as His beloved.

Such a great reminder!  I simply can’t wait to dig in!  Don’t be afraid. Don’t be indifferent.  Do it.  Click that browser and search with a passion.  I figure, if we can spend time being nosy about what’s going on in our friends lives’ on-line, why not search with an even greater passion for what’s going on in learning more about our God, Our Creator, Our Father, Our Redeemer, and Our Friend!  We can’t afford not to!  Our lives, our family, our community are waiting for us to live out our God-given purposes.  It happens by learning and falling in love with the One who crafted our purposes in the first place.

Do it. Share it. Live it.

Colder weather leaves the skin a bit dry.  In the case today, my upper lip was in bad need of some chapstick.  Without any nearby, human instincts takes over.  In fact, the next thought was of the words I spoke to my daughter just a few hours prior,

Do not lick your lips.  Leave them be!

We KNOW that it will make this worse, but we do it anyway.  Perhaps temporary relief, even if for a moment.

Got me to thinkin…

Where else in my life do these words apply?

Might as well just have poked myself smack tab in the middle of my forehead.

Ouch.

I’ve been battling lately.  It’s a battle that’s gone to war several times in my life.  It takes on two extremes in my life.  It’s either all I can think about, or something I don’t think about at all.  Either way, not so good.

Bottom line… just leave it be.

You see, the more I think about it, the more I can’t NOT not think about it.  It infiltrates, it marinates, it consumes, it can control if not fought against.  ”It” becomes something it was never meant to be… in my mind.  Basically, these words spewed from my mouth towards my children, yet were meant for me…

Is it really that big of a deal?

Often times not.  So.  Get busy.  Busy doing the next thing.  Busy filling my thoughts with words from Him or of Him through others.  Busy serving others. Busy craving more of Him, filling with Him, not items of this world.  They will never satisfy.  I taunt myself with words that they will, but, they won’t. Real truth doesn’t change, ever.

It changes my perspective.  It changes my life.  One decision at a time.  Thoughts of condemnation turn to thoughts of truth. Thoughts of life.

What are you filling your mind, soul, & body with today?

May I humbly suggest this fabulous book, by speaker and author Lysa TerKeurst, called Made to Crave.  Also, Lysa is hosting a free webcast this coming Monday, Jan. 9th at 8pm!  Put it on your calendar, you don’t want to miss!  It is THAT good.

Blessings!

All I have is yours, and all you have is mine.  And my glory is shown through them.  John 17:10

God is in the business of changing the face of the world.

Let me be very clear.  This change is his job, not ours.  Ou goal is not to make our faces radiant.  Not even Jesus did that.  Matthew says, “Jesus’ appearance was changed” not “Jesus changed his appearance.”  Moses didn’t even know his face was shining (Exodus 34:29).  Our goal is not to conjure up some fake, frozen expression.  Our goal is simply to stand before God with a prepared and willing heart and then let God do his work.

And he does.  He wipes away the tears.  He mops away the perspiration.  He softens our furrowed brows.  He touches our cheeks.  He changes our faces as we worship.

Just Like Jesus - Max Lucado

I just finished reading this book, and I must say… it’s encouraged and inspired me in the area of physical wellness more than anything has in quite awhile.  God provided this in such a timely manner.  I battle, especially in the dreariness of winter months.  These words have shined God’s light straight to the heart of the matter with His truth.  I’m very thankful for Gary Thomas’ obedience in writing.  It has truly warmed my heart and filled my mind, spurring me on in the race I am running – to finish, and to finish well.

The goal in this book is to cultivate stronger, well-nourished bodies that are primed to become, in the words of the apostle Paul, “instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”

He encourages the reader to look at your body as an instrument rather than an ornament, and in doing so, you’ll find new and compelling motivation to embrace the kind of active lifestyle that fortifies your soul.

I appreciate Thomas’ attack on sin.  He writes,

Because we have positional holiness in the finished work of Jesus Christ, it’s tempting to ignore the call to pursue an experiential holiness, which Paul clearly calls us to do in 1 Timothy 6:11

The fact is, some sins are extremely difficult to get rid of, and on some level, we will be tempted by certain personally familiar sins until the day we die.  We can rise above being enticed by them.  We can manage them and gain mastery over them, but we may still be occasionally tripped up by them.  How often we are tripped up, however, often depends on our vigilance and effort in fighting back.

Many people give up because they have been lied to.  They think they can be cured, rise above the temptation, and never face it (or fall into it) again.  Paul wouldn’t call us to endurance if God delivered us once and for all whenever we asked him to.

In the face of this imperfect reality, rather than permitting us to just give up, the ancients and Scripture urge Christians to take an active view of pursuing holiness.  We can and even must cooperate in fighting sin.

John Baillie’s, a Scottish theologian, urges us to attack sin.  He models this in his prayer:

I remember with bitterness the duties I have shirked.

I remember with sorrow the hard words I have spoken.

I remember with shame the unworthy thoughts I have harboured.

Use these memories, O God, to save me, and then for ever blot them out.

I cherish the reminder that sin, it its stark-naked reality, essentially calls God a liar: “Your way isn’t the best way.  You want to deny me something that is good.  You’re misleading me as to how I should live.”  The reason we need to look at our rebellion in all its ugliness is so that our thinking can be changed.  Paul says we are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2)

What this means is that every point of sin is a point of disagreement with God.  And when we disagree with God, guess who is in the wrong?  When we sin, we’re telling God, explicitly or implicitly, “You say to live this way, but I think it’s better to live that way.”

Go back to that moment of temptation and ask yourself, When, exactly, did I begin to call God a liar?  Do you see how you were deceived?  Thinking through your failings will remind you just how much of a liar Satan and our own desires can be.

Good stuff ey?  This and countless information and statistics about the researched benefits of an active lifestyle can be found between the front and back cover.  It truly has refreshed an refueled me for those hard days. I have been refocused as to why I stay active.  I run to be prepared to go any good work.  I want to be prepared to be useful to my Lord.  I’ve been given this day, this one life.  May I continue to run the race well for you Lord, it’s but a short journey here, I want to give it my all.  Until that day, my goal is to run the race as to win the prize – a eternal lifetime spent in your presence.  May my ears hear – Well done, my good and faithful servant.  Thank you for these words Lord!

Here’s what she has to say:

If there was a time of the year that we should be most joyful, it is Christmas! But for many, Christmas is a reminder of better days. Days before an accident…before a diagnosis…before a death in a close-knit family.

There are no words to express the ache I feel for those experiencing sorrow during this time. But the Word of God contains the words- and the power- to heal. Gifts from our True Love- our Heavenly Father- are available each and every day.

So feel free to jump on over to her site, or simply click on this link to read more and order through Amazon.

It’s real.  It’s truth.  It’ll bless you.

And don’t forget to give drop her a note of encouragement while you’re at it!  Writers always enjoy hearing how their inspired words have come to settle on your hearts and make an impact.  It’s an encouragement for those moments she might think a bit of insanity hit her in the middle of a day and it’s too late to turn back now.  Thanks a ton!

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Every once in a awhile, I love to pull out a devotional that grabs my attention for a minute of the day.  This is one of my favorites.  Here’s today’s entry:

To all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God.  John 1:12

While we lived in Rio de Janeiro, we met several American families who came to Brazil to adopt children.  They would spend days, sometimes weeks, immersed in a different language and a strange culture.  They fought the red tape and paid the large fees, all with the hopes of taking a child [home} to the United States...

Hasn't God done the same for us?  He entered our culture, battled the resistance, and paid the unspeakable price which adoption required.  Legally we are his.  He owns us.  We have every legal privilege accorded to [his] child.  We are just waiting for him to return.  We are, as Paul said, “waiting for God to finish making us his own children” (Romans 8:23)

When Christ Comes, by Max Lucado

What if I asked you to tell me your story?  What would you say?  Perhaps many words, perhaps a few, maybe you would be hesitant, maybe you have been dying for someone to ask?

I recently finished a fabulous book in which the author challenged me to think about not only what I would include, but how I would share it.  You see, for such a long while, I never thought I had a story worth sharing.  The fact of the matter was, I didn’t have much I could claim as my own TO share. I spent many years of my life changing my stripes, morphing into what I thought people needed me to be.  Much like a chameleon, I mastered the art of blending into the scenery, so much so, that I lost any sense of who God created me to be.

In this fantastic book, Lisa Whittle shares straight from raw and wounded heart in such a God-honoring way that as a reader, you can’t help but dare to take a gander at what she terms, “the holes” in our lives.  Through her desire for authenticity, Lisa gives the reader the gift of going second.  In other words, she creates a safe place to risk it all by holding up a mirror in order to cast light onto the dark places of our soul.  The sole purpose of this endeavor is to allow sight into our deepest cravings –  to become whole.

Will you follow me in joining with several others, not only in reading about this journey through her words, but in the words of others as well?  She shares the first “story over” on her blog today.  She writes,

*Join me every Wednesday in December, as we uncover the unknown stories behind some of those in the community of this blog, starting this Wednesday, December 7. May we gain courage, hope, and inspiration from the journey of another.

This story is one I know very well.  It’s one of brokeness, healing, dying, and living.  It’s a story that continues with freedom found in truth.

What is YOUR story?

What I Want Most

Staying close to Me is really all about love – My Love for you and your love for me.

Too many people believe their faith is all about what they do.  They give Me their time, their money, and their service, but they don’t give Me the one thing I want most – their hearts.

Be careful not to let your faith become a set of rules to follow: church on Sunday, read your Bible, pray ten minutes each day.  Rules lead to habits things you do without even thinking – lulling your soul to sleep.

What I search for in My children is an awakened soul that finds My Presence thrilling!  There is abundant Joy in My Presence – and it is for you.  After all, I created you to glorify Me and enjoy Me forever,  I provide the Joy; your job is to live close to Me.  This brings Glory to Me and Joy to you!

Colossians 3:23; Psalm 16:11, Deuteronomy 6:5

Just like his father, he has a gift.  I have LOVED reading his thoughts.  He’s a great listener.  He takes his time to process.  And now, he’s choosing to share his thoughts with the world.

Here’s his recap of his basketball game yesterday…

December 4 2011

1st half was horrible for my team. We were being out hustled and UA wanted the ball more then my team. The score was not even close at half-time my team was losing by a lot. But then the coaches got into us and we did what they said and the result was a win for the Wildcats. It was a crazy game we were fouling them but they missed the free throws and then we got the rebound a bunch of times went down to the other side of the court and got the job done. Here it is in the last 45 seconds… 30-30 the score there best shooter and point guard is at the free throw line shooting, they are in the bonus, he misses the first free throw and I get the rebound pass it to our point guard and he dribbles it up the court looking to see if someone is open… he is at the three point line and there is someone open at the block (My best friend Chase) our point guard throws it to chase… layup… YEAH!!! Everyone in the crowd for our team is jumping up and down and screaming… 24 seconds left. UA brings the ball down and turns it over and then we have the ball. Our coach calls a time out with 8 seconds left. He tells us to do a stack and get the ball and dribble it around and waste the time so we will win. Good thing they didn’t foul and then THE WILDCATS WIN!!

Feel free to stop by at any time and leave him a comment!  Encouragement always does the soul good!  God bless!

Acts 11:23
When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.

My children and I found ourselves traveling through yet another morning routine…

Dressed, check. Hair brushed, teeth brushed, beds made (yes, I’m old-school), check, check, check.  Four bowls of cereal poured and consumed, four glasses of juice emptied, chores ensuing, and then…

An unmistakable sound.

A crash.

A reactive squeal.

A silence.

A hand-crafted holiday gift by my father, shattered.

You know those moments that instantly appear and you have a split second to decide how to respond?  Emotions run high?  You desire to do the right thing?  Thoughts of this-will-be-a-defining-moment flit by in a nano-second, and a beautiful blue-eyed 6-year-old holds her breath for your reaction?  Okay, maybe not the blue-eyed part, but the intense silence nonetheless?

Yeah, I wouldn’t know about that either.

I wish I could type words of how graceful, merciful words flowed from my mouth.  I wish I could tell you I wrapped my arms around said child and calmed any anxiety she might have experienced.  I wish I could tell you that my body language did not exude tenseness what-so-ever.  I can’t utter these words.

Oh, I forced out words of, “that’s okay, it was just an accident”.  I was clenched.  I didn’t give eye-contact. I was busy doing clean up work.  I was processing.  I was attempting to let go of the moment I could not return to.  The moment just before the item was moved, tipped, and chattered.  That moment when I craved a do-over. The moment when my darling girl was attempting to wipe the table fully clean.  She did not skirt the little crumbs, she was desiring a full and complete effort.

And in the moment of my justifications, my heart was broken.  My cherished candle was broken.  Why did I expect this accident to be prevented?  Was it carelessness? No. It was truly an accident.  And my little girl was watching my reaction.

Gulp.

Why is it I react this way Lord?  Why do interruptions in life sometimes undo me?  Where is my priority?  Jesus, can you help my heart see?

The gentle whisper enters.

My child, things will break.  This you know.  Focus not on the object, but the memory that it holds.

The memory… yes.  Memories of my father, memories of his tender loving care.  Memories I deeply desire to create for my children.  Memories, people, that are more important than things.

I bent low to my sweet child.  I cupped her sweet face in my hands and gazed into her deep-blue eyes, “Sweet child.  You are more important to me than a candle.  You noticed a few crumbs near the candle, and you needed to move it so that the whole table would be clean.  I’m proud of you.  I love you.”

Lord, thank you for loving all the broken parts of me.  Thank you for continuing to teach me in my broken places.  Lord, continue to break me, for then, I see more of you.  Thank you for providing me with Gorilla glue, that’s good stuff!  It’s not exactly the same, but it’s repaired.  May it always remind me to see the beauty in the broken.  Continue to interrupt my life, for there I grow more dependent on you.