The One

The door of my heart was open to everyone but you. Freely giving pieces of myself until pain and emptiness grew.

You, the One that could fill every hollow space. I rejected again. Your response: “I’ll wait.”

As my car careened you charged your angels to intervene. Thankful for a moment but I quickly forgot, it was you who saved me from that dark spot.

You, the One who rescued me and gave me life. I rejected again. Your response: “I’ll give her time.”

Sunday mornings spent in bed from a late night that left me with an aching head.

You, who whispered I love you anyway. I rejected again. Your response: “It doesn’t matter what you say.”

Crying babies. Sleepless nights. Toxic relationships with too many fights.

You, the One who makes all things new. I rejected again. Your response: “I’m not through.”

Broken and lost, tired of running. I lifted my eyes to see You, the One most stunning.

You, the living water who refreshes souls, lowered your hand to pick me up. I welcomed you and you filled my cup.

Who am I that you’d want me after all I’d done? Your response: “You are my masterpiece and my chosen one.”

What Would Jesus Do?

A comb hadn’t touched his hair for days. Or so it seemed. It appeared he had been wearing the same clothes for weeks. As my car pulled closer, I glanced at this stranger who held a sign and I kept going.  My ten year old son said “Mom, he needs help.” I responded “I don’t have any money.”

This event began a discussion with my son that has impacted not only him but me.  He went on to tell me that though we didn’t have money, we could still give him something.  Then he asked the question that caused my head to hang in shame and I was instantly convicted.  He asked “What would Jesus do?”

In the book of Matthew, Jesus says that whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. (Matt. 25: 40-45)

How many times have we prayed to be the hands and feet of Jesus and yet, when given an opportunity, we let it pass us by?

This wanderer’s face has replayed in my mind as I think about how I completely ignored him. I justified it by telling myself he was probably a swindler and couldn’t be trusted.  The truth is there are  many people in this world who are dishonest and making a living off of it.  But, can’t we still be generous and show love in other ways than giving money? Can’t we tell of the good news that God loves them and offer a warm meal?

I’ve heard it said that we’re all just one paycheck away from homelessness.  If this is true, the next person on the street could one day be me or you.

How many times have we overlooked the needy trying to fulfill our own “needs”? I have more times than I can count. My selfishness will cause me to have tunnel vision where my only focus is my own desires.  We want to be showered with blessings without being inconvenienced.  When all the while, the greatest blessings come when we bless others.

My family has learned a valuable lesson from this man.  One he will never know he taught us. He’s given more to us than we did to him. As we encounter people who seem to be less fortunate, let’s show them kindness and spread God’s love. Let’s step out of our own comfort zones to help bring comfort to others. After all, isn’t that what Jesus would do?

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the gift of this life.  Thank you for the privileges we are given that we take for granted.  Open our eyes to the people who are hurting and need you.  Help us not to pass the buck but to embrace every opportunity you give us to be your hands and feet.  Forgive us for our selfishness and help us to be more like you.  Break our heart for what breaks yours.  In Jesus' name, Amen. 

I AM!

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." - Revelation 1:8 (NIV)

I AM the Alpha.

I AM the salt of the earth. I AM the salt in your tears.

I AM in the beating of heavy rains. I AM in every beat of your heart.

I AM the rock upon which you stand. I AM your shield from rocks thrown from your enemies.

I AM in the swirling winds of the sea. I AM in every swirl of your fingerprints. 

I AM with you in the silence. I AM with you in the noise.

I AM pleased to see the fruit of your labor. I AM the fruit that gives you nourishment.

I AM on the wings of soaring eagles. I AM the wings that shelter you from the storm.

I AM with the soldier whose soles of their feet enter dangerous ground. I AM crying out for the lost souls to return to me.

I AM the warmth from the sun on a summer's day. I AM the SON who died to give you life.

I AM your first breath. I AM your last.

I AM the Omega.

From dust to dust, I AM!

What May Come?

There’s a monster in our house.  That’s right-a big, ferocious tickle monster that comes out daily.  He seems to make his way to both of my children, upon request. The laughter that echoes out of their mouths will light up a room with joy.

How ridiculous would it be if I told my kids I couldn’t tickle them because when they move, they could bump their heads on something and get hurt? Pretty silly idea, right? So many intoxicating, playful times would be lost all for what could happen.

Life is filled with great moments like that. The kind that bring delight and pleasure. Sometimes, their short lived and others last much longer than we expect.  But, with those, also come the trials and heartache.  As we age, we witness more blows so we come to expect the bad will always follow the good. As a result, even when things are going smoothly, we will hold our breath and wait for the other shoe to drop.

Why do we let the good things in our lives be overshadowed by fear of what may come?

When opportunity presents itself, it’s easy for us to ask the what if questions:

What if I give my heart away and it ends in heartbreak?

What if I pursue my dream and it crashes and burns?

What if I pitch an idea, apply for college or ask someone out on a date and I’m rejected?

If we are worried about what will happen in the future, we can miss all the great things that happen in the present.  To worry is to have fear and I’ve heard it said there are 365 fear nots in the Bible. One for every day of the year.  God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love. (2 Timothy 1:7) Can any one of us by worrying add a single hour to our lives? (Matthew 6:27)

The better question to ask ourselves is “what happens if we don’t open our hearts, chase our dreams and risk rejection?” Then we will never know what it means to step out in faith. The tickled pink feeling of new love. The gratifying sense of accomplishment knowing we tried.

There are countless stories in the Bible of ordinary people, like us, who, through their fears and doubt, trusted God and took a chance.  In turn, we are still reading about those very people today. Can you imagine what it must’ve been like for Moses, who didn’t think he could, to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land? He had no idea what awaited them in the future and yet, he did it anyway.

God wants us to live faith filled lives as we trust Him with every part of it. He wants to richly bless us with our hearts desires and watch our wildest dreams come true. Does that mean we always get what we set out for? No. Sometimes He says yes and sometimes no.  But “The rewards of the journey far outweigh the risk of leaving the harbor.” (Author unknown)

God's Gifts

Psalm 37:4 (NIV) Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart

Birthday parties are hassle free and relaxing…said no parent ever!  For any of us who’ve had or will have to plan a child’s birthday party, it can be quite stressful.

Once the day arrives and things run smoothly, we find a moment to exhale and enjoy the look on our child’s face as they beam with joy over a time celebrated just for them.  We watch with anticipation as they unwrap their presents and wait for the smile that appears followed by a thank you (hopefully). Why do we do this? Because we love our children and it brings us happiness to see theirs.

My nine year old will be moving to double digits in a few short weeks and in preparation, I’ve asked him what he would like for his birthday.  Though I can’t afford everything on the list, I’m sure he will be quite pleased on his special day.  In addition to purchasing new video games and Pokémon cards, there will be a few things he receives that he didn’t ask for. There always is. He may question why I’ve gotten him certain things and may even reject them initially, but, reflecting on previous birthdays, the gifts he didn’t want but needed have turned out to be the very best ones.

I thought about how many times I’ve asked my Father for things and I didn’t get them, or if I did, it wasn’t when I expected. It’s hard not getting the things we want when we want them.  For everything we don’t receive, it’s not because God cannot afford it. It’s because He knows it would be too costly to us. Our immediate wants can turn into future regrets when we act outside of the Lord’s will.  That’s why it is always best to trust Him. Gifts may not come packaged as we think they will and we may even reject them in the beginning, but they are always the best ones. He knows what we need long before we do and His time is always perfect.

The Lord takes great delight in giving us our hearts desires so long as they match His. When we take pleasure in Him, God’s gifts will always be vastly greater that we can ask for or imagine.  I picture Him watching with expectancy as His perfect plans are unfolded and a grin of satisfaction appears as he hears our thanksgiving.  Why?  Because we are His children.  He loves us and it brings Him happiness to see ours.

The next time we watch children opening gifts, let’s remember ones we’ve received as well. May we bring our hearts to a place of gratitude like we teach them and let’s not only do it on those days, but every day.

Like David

The older I get, the more I seem to reflect on my childhood. One major milestone for me and I assume a lot of youth, was getting my drivers license. I was 15 and my first car was a blue Pontiac Grand-Am. I drove that car until the tires were bald. You couldn’t tell me anything at that age because I knew it all. Yep, I had all I needed in that 4 door car. What an accomplishment it was to have this new found independence and freedom.

15 was also a hard age. I wasn’t a little girl anymore. I was stubborn and far from God. I believed in Him but I wanted no part of living the Christian life. The Christian life was boring. I wanted fun and to make my own rules.

As I was reading out of 1 Samuel this morning, I had to stop for a moment to ponder on David. A man after God’s own heart. David was the youngest in his family. A shepherd. Most know the story of how David killed the giant, Goliath, with a rock. Some think he was around the age of 15 (give or take a few years). David killed Goliath, whom everyone else was afraid of. At 15! David goes from being a simple shepherd to a brave warrior. 1 Samuel 17:50 says: “So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.”

David trusted in God. He obeyed the Lord and the Lord had favor on him. David goes on to be King of Judah at the age of 30 and finally ALL of Israel around the age of 37.

I cant help but do a comparison of myself at this age to David. Where I was a selfish, worldy driven girl. David was a selfless, heavenly driven young man. Where my biggest concern was having fun and driving around on a Friday night, his concern was listening to God and doing what He said.

The Lord used a young, simple shepherd boy to perform such a courageous act which in turn, caused a pivotal moment in history. He set such an example!

1 Timothy 4:12 says: “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

If God can use David, cant he use us just the same? No matter our age. No matter our appearance or economic status. It’s unlikely we will slay giants. We may not become king and queens. But, we can we be bold and courageous in our everyday lives. We can take a stand for the Lord and step out in faith. We can be men and women after God’s heart. Like David.

Prayer:

Daddy, I ask forgiveness where I’ve failed to trust in you or failed to take a stand for you. Help me to be obedient to your word. I pray you will use me in whatever capacity you choose to further your kingdom and do your works. Thank you for equipping me with whatever tasks lay before me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Knock Knock

The past came knocking today, with nothing new to say;

She told it to leave and yet there it stayed.

It invaded her thoughts and held her captive within;

Bringing visions and flashbacks of a life lived in sin.

The trip down memory lane revealed a girl covered in shame;

Saddened by her choices and haunted from outside voices.

She remembered she was washed clean one glorious day when she grew tired of living life her way;

In an instant He made her new, not by good works but just by asking Him to.

So, she slammed the door and fell to her knees, thankful these were distant memories;

For where she was and where she is, was a lifetime apart when she recalled she was His.

The light broke through and a smile reappeared, as her future was calling and it was instantly clear;

She wasn’t her past nor her mistakes, she was God's daughter and all sins He erased.