People That Make You Think

I went off to another church today; a new place with some familiar faces. The faces were warm and authentic - not plastic or shiny with veneers. Sometimes I feel like just another body or a number crowding up the spaces in the auditorium. I look around and say, 'Who are these people'? 'Where are they going?' 'Do I really fit into this type of kingdom work?'

Today I met with my Savior and heard words that draw my heart into that place - the place where life is bigger than what is going on in my own world...When God ambushes your heart, you become a revolutionary. You see injustice in other people's lives, you see brokenness with new lenses and there is a compelling draw to influence, give and bring Jesus to dark places.

Brian used my story again. He didn't even know I would be there. One moment in time to be told again...to create, inspire, to grow in others a desire to build a different kind of kingdom...not a kingdom that will turn to dust or be left behind when Jesus calls us home...but a people kingdom...a truth of God kingdom...a kingdom of healing...a kingdom about the nations, about poverty, AIDS, orphans, widows...

I was reminded today that I need to be surrounded with people that see the world like I do...one life at a time...waiting for hope and truth. I lose my focus. I lose sight of my potential to 'bring it'. This church makes me think. It makes me question my status quo. It makes me remember where I have come from and all that God has done. That's a very good thing.

I know there is no perfect church and I often wonder 'why are there so many churches?' Today I just go where God tells me to go and listen to His voice and worship from my deep places of gratitude and take communion and fellowship with people that feel what I feel...not expecting any thing in return...just moving.

I love Fruit!

On Saturdays I love to head off to the Farmer's Market in Holland. Last week I told my kids we were going for breakfast and they each had $3 to spend. It was crowded with people from all generations, a banjo man playing with his open case and colorful fruits and veggies. We walked along running into people we knew that we had not seen for a very long time and sampled the market fare. Each kid picked a juicy peach to devour; all dripping and sticky. And then they saw the 'whoopie pies'! They are just like a doughnut for breakfast:) We bought a pack of four and sat at a picnic table. I loved the comments, "Mom, they're so not as good as yours."

The market often reminds me of the fruit that God brings into our lives after a time of serious sowing of seed. Colorful fruit. Delicious fruit. Unusual fruit. A variety of fruit. Lots of fruit!

It's been a trying year of giving and waiting. How many tears have been sown? How much time has been spent waiting for the refreshing rain from the heavenlies? The glimpse of fruit was too far out of reach...and now...it's beginning to feel more tangible. The fruit that is. Conversations that are so from God. People showing us favor that is unexplainable. Business contracts that are far bigger than we could have imagined. Words and promises so close to our hearts that are being fulfilled.

God is the Master of Manna. He is the Giver of all good things. He is the Creator of FRUIT!

Letting Go

Every morning as I peek out from under my covers to check if the sun is shining or not, I think about my God. I must admit I think about him a short time compared to the next person I think about...myself. Lately, well actually for quite a while, I've been reflecting on the 'art of letting go'. There are many ways to 'let go'. You can physically let go by not saying something critical or not going to check up on 'things'. I can let go emotionally my releasing my fears, anxieties, worries, anger, resentment and bitterness. I can let go mentally by replacing a good thought with a lingering bad thought. AND I can let go spiritually...trusting God's hand as he weaves the lives of those I love with His grace.

Today I chose to let go of bitterness, judgments, and a desire to be successful (meeting everyone else's approval with money and achievement). Tomorrow I will probably let go of it again. And the next day...until it is finally gone and I've formed new habits of trusting God more with my life, with the lives of my children and with our future. An inner freedom is a great desire of my heart. And then when you see me next time I hope I look like I'm flying!

Noah and a Six Year Old's Belief

I love reading Bible stories to my six year old. We are currently on our fourth Bible together...graduating to a more challenging text each time. It is so much fun for him to remember a story that we've read before or actually read a new story that was not introduced in an easier Bible.

Tonight we read about God's promises and Noah. I asked him, 'does God always keep His promises? Is what God speaks always true?' I asked myself about my willingness to wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled in my own life. Noah had to wait for forty days and nights until the rain stopped and then several more weeks until there was land to occupy. How many times did Noah almost lose his patience with God? Did he question God's promises of safety and provision for he and his family along the journey? Noah was human and yet oh so righteous.

I pray for patience and of course then God requires me to wait. It's difficult to wait when God gives you a vision of something before it actually becomes real to us. The enemy comes along to tempt us into thinking the vision is not from God (doubt) or gets us thinking that God is taking too long and so we should 'help Him along' and make it happen ourselves (self-sufficiency). Just like Noah had to patiently build the ark - a vision God had given him that was not reality yet - God gives us visions that take time to take shape. Someday we'll be able to see a movie of our lives and all that was happening in the supernatural to make our visions, dreams and desires a reality to us.

Noah was human and there were probably moments of wavering and questioning. However, in the steady journey, Noah trusted God in the giving of the vision - the word that was spoken. Noah trusted God in the building of the vision - the precision and detail that was required. Noah trusted God in the valley where the vision was tested - his time of persecution from others and the character that God wanted him to attain. Noah also trusted God with and the final outcome - a place of glory and promises fulfilled.

In the simple words and a child's faith, tonight Davis ran his fingers over all the pages of his Bible and spoke, "Mom, ALL of this is TRUE."

Amen, dear boy. The promises of God are for you.

Where to Start?

It has been a year since I traveled to South Africa. Images of the poor and destitute still dance through my mind. However, more than that are the feelings that I continue to carry as it relates to the injustice of poverty, hopelessness of a godless people and the powerlessness of many woman.

Sometimes I cry to God in my heart for the nations and wonder where one begins with all this stuff that I've seen or experienced. I came home ready to go again and yet here I am in my Western world waiting on God for next opportunities that seem so far away and so BIG.

Where can I start today? This morning I choose to wake up in full surrender of all that God wants to do in my life. I will choose to trust that He has a plan for my life and my responsibility is that of abiding in the One who commands my destiny. I pray that a piece of God's plan for me is my 'ability' to GO in His perfect time, to a people group that He is preparing and that I in some small way will fulfill the Great Commission of influencing lives for the kingdom.