Color Wars (Day THIRTY-30 Day Challenge)

Yesterday morning we had something called Celebration Sunday! We were recognizing all of our church family who have been saved and baptized in our constantly growing little community church. As I was looking on, I could see that almost all of the people who had been baptized were wearing the same bright blue shirt. Each of them carried the same message on the front; 'I Took the Plunge'. As I was taking pictures of the group standing in front of the congregation, God gave me a cool illustration. In the fictional story below, all of those in the blue shirts are going to represent the saved. We are also going to pretend that those that did not have the blue shirts on...represent the unsaved. I'm choosing to write it from the perspective do someone who is lost(unsaved).

The alarm goes off and I wake up. Another monotonous day, sigh, more problems to face. I dress myself all in black because I have little happiness these days. I have nothing to look forward to and everything to fear. I wonder, 'Is this really how everyone feels? Am I missing something?'

I arrive to work and begin the process of waiting for the time that I can leave. I hate being here and I want it to show. I set my stuff down at my station and look up. Here comes the new guy. And WHY is he smiling? What could he possibly have to be happy about this early on a Monday morning. The guy is dressed down like the rest of us but his shirt...it's so bright. Everyone else at work is dressed all in dark, drab colors. It is almost as if our clothes represent our mood. Cold and dark. I find myself annoyed as he walks toward me. I can't handle being/seeing 'chipper' and 'fake' this early on a Monday. I look down as he walks by...hoping he will get the hint.

His feet stop right in front of mine. I can now see his hand stretched out in front of me. I, unwillingly, look up with a face void of expression and shake his hand. For just a moment I feel a warmth radiate through my body. This man's face is kind and gentle. His voice is calming and somehow reassuring. I quickly pull my hand away and cold resumes. I have no idea what he said...I was too distracted. I just knew that it.was.weird.

At lunch I kept my eye on him. In fact, for the next few weeks I did nothing but study him while we worked. I was waiting for the day that he came to work, dark, broken and bitter like the rest of us. It had to come, right? Isn't that what is inevitable in this world? Wait, what is that I just saw? One of my co-workers. The man that works right beside the new guy...now he has the same shirt. His face and his countenance seem different. He seems so...happy. What happened?! We all work the same job, what do they have to be happy about? Instead of asking...I just continue watching. From a distance, hopefully unnoticed, but I am sure watching!

A month or so goes by and I still can't get that first handshake out of my mind. As I mindlessly work I feel a tap on my shoulder. It is my boss telling me that I have a phone call. Instant panic its me like a bus. My gut tells me I don't want to hear what I am about to. My body is numb and drenched with fear as I walk toward the hall phone. It is a familiar voice, but one I had chosen not to hear for a while. I only heard the first few words that came from my mother's mouth. 'Your father is very sick. If you want to see him...today is the day.' I remember the last fight I had with him. And I remember the awful things that I said as I stormed out. I couldn't face him again...

I remember little of how I got to where I now found myself next. I do not remember hanging up the phone or walking. But here I was with tear-filled eyes as I reached out to tap the shoulder of the new guy. I didn't know him in the slightest. I had only ever watched him from a distance. But something from within me was drawing me to him. Something told me that he could help. As he looked into my eyes, his eyes immediately filled with tears and his face showed his evident compassion. Right there, surrounded by a crowd of dark, I poured my heart out to this stranger. 

Several times as I was talking I wondered 'Why am I still talking?!'...but, looking looking at the floor, still I continued. As I finished, he began. He was talking, but his eyes were closed. His hand was on my shoulder and I felt that same warmth I had felt before. He wasn't talking to me at all. He was talking to God about me. I remembered praying with my parents when I was little, so I closed my eyes. My heart felt like it hung on his every word. I clung to them as if my life depended on it. He was praying for my last conversation with my dad. He was praying things that I didn't feel...but that I desperately wanted to. Love. Forgiveness. Joy. Restoration. Peace. A new life.

Just before we parted ways he extended an invitation. Church. Ugh...he was inviting me to church. For some reason, that felt out of my rational control, I agreed. I walked away confused, but a little bit lighter. I didn't feel so lost and dark...and I figured anything was worth a try at this point. In the days leading up to the next Sunday I started to look around as I walked. There it was again and again. That same blue, followed by the same kind smile. It was as if people were being changed. It wasn't just about the color. That was what first caught my eye...but it was far more than that. Something within these people was different than what I had.

Here it was. Sunday. Anxiety almost got the best of me. I thought about going back home, but I was already in the parking lot. I hesitated just a few minutes. I decided to go in late so that I could avoid feeling awkward. They were having some sort of celebration that day. I heard name after name of people coming forward. There was that blue. There was that countenance that I kept seeing. They were all gathered together, proclaiming that they would never be the same. They were making a public statement in hopes that people would keep them accountable? After all of the clapping stopped the people returned to their seats. 

I looked out into the sea of people in that congregation and they were dispersed everywhere. Little pops of color. The people wearing blue stood out over all the rest. You couldn't help but notice them. They were bright and cheery. They looked as though they had something to celebrate. They all had something in common...but what? Do I dare ask them why they are so happy? Do I dare strike up a conversation with one of those 'peculiar' type? Why did they scatter among those who were dark? Why not stay huddled as a happy group? What good are the dark going to bring them?! Wouldn't they be safer to just stay away from those who are not like they are? I have to ask. I have to know...

If we could see each other from the heavenly realm, rather than from our earthly view; I wonder if we each radiate a color? I wonder also if the color could change depending on...our mood. Our faith. Our strength. Our mouth. Our thoughts. Our actions. Our circumstance.

If the darkest colors of the rainbow represented our lives without Christ...and red was an indicator that we were clearly on fire for Him...where would you rate yourself? Not just right this second...but when you first wake up. When you rush around to get out of the house on time. When you see someone you are uncomfortable with. When you are on a mission in Wal-mart and a stranger interrupts and asks you for a favor. When your husband leaves his clothes on the bathroom floor. Lol! (Where did that one come from?!) When someone attacks your character. When someone gossips. When someone hurts your child. When someone proves themselves to be two-faced.

I think this survey is worthy of asking yourself...but I would also encourage you to ask a few people that you confide in. Rate each other. Do not be malicious...but do be honest. If the vibe you are sending is cold and demeaning...wouldn't you want to know? Those feelings that people get when they first see you can help or hurt your witness. Who wants to have Jesus so they can STILL be miserable and void of joy? I can assure you...no one!

If you are on fire though...why and how? What did you have to go through to get to be that red hot mama? ;-)  Why is it so important that you commit to staying that way? Because people are watching! Some with a microscope. Some with binoculars. Some want to be sure they go over you with a metal detector, a fine tooth comb and a little 'religious condemnation' if needed. Others will not get that close to what they don't understand. They will only watch from a distance. Far enough to go unnoticed...but close enough to see. Either way though...when they come to a place where they are out of options; they will know to whom they can turn. They will have seen you be tested and come out stronger. They will see that your color of faith did not fade. It did not waver under pressure. It did change shades, but not how the enemy expected it to. It became even more vibrant and beautiful!

And when those who have been watching you come...you will welcome them with a heart of compassion. You will pray and rejoice with them, because that is the heart that strives to be like Jesus. Your color does not go unnoticed. Your passion is seen and heard. And when people come to their appointed time of a new beginning...they will reach out to someone who has been standing solid and firm within their view. They will spill their life into your path in hopes that they will be like those who are forever changed.

My crowd at work is FULL of color now. I could.not.would.not.shut.up about how that day at church changed me. To be among people of influence with The Answer to joy and life everlasting was what first inspired me. I now boldly proclaim why I have joy. I live what I know to the best of my ability because I see those without hope. I see them watching. And I can't wait for the day that I see them walking lighter and looking more like Jesus. I am redeemed. I am free. I am a blue-shirt wearin' fool...because I now understand the cost. The cross gives me hope and every reason to live like I have something to celebrate.

What about you? In these last 30 days...how has God revealed your true color to you? If you aren't where you thought you were...or are not where you want to be...what will you do? Today I would love for you to pray about finding a partner to war with you. Find a confidant to help you discern. Find a fellow Christian who will commit to pray for you to have contagious joy. Bold faith. Extravagant generosity. Complete humility. And passionate convictions.

And I, my friends, I pray for new ministry opportunities for you all. I want this world, your household, your workplace, your communities to be set ablaze. I want the many traits of Christ to be evident and free flowing! I'm praying for you because my ministry has me right smack in the middle of it all. I see lost. I see broken. I see deceived. But I believe for faith, restoration and healing to come soon. I proclaim it!

I LOVE YOU ALL! Thank you for your support during this challenge. I definitely picked the right word. Thirty day CHALLENGE! Wowza! Oh, there were trials. There were bumps. There were bruises. The enemy tried hard to quiet my voice...but I will not be silenced. Will you?!

Aborted Vision (Day TWENTY NINE-30 Day Challenge)

I want you to think right now of a vision that God gave you at some point in your life. I'm talking the type of vision that was maybe a bit intimidating to you. Or maybe it even scared you a little to think of what God would require of you. Or maybe it just seemed too far fetched to ever really happen. When you had one of those types of visions...what did you do with it? Did you pray and wait on God...or did you immediately abort it?

Do we tend to accept or abort these visions? Do we pray or play God on our own? 

A man that I know had this option when someone else cast a vision into his path. The pastor of the church he attended at the time, asked him to pray about doing a church plant. There was a little community church that needed some life and passion brought back into it. His immediate response was to abort the vision. He hadn't been saved for as many years as some and I'm sure there was a sense of inadequacy. I'm sure fear was involved. I'm sure the enemy had his whisper behind every doubtful thought that entered his head. But he agreed to pray about it.

That man is my Pastor. I'm so thankful that he did not abort God's vision for him. This community needs a man just like he is. Passionate about the lost. Stubborn for convictions he believes in. Feisty when he needs to be. Humble enough to say he doesn't know...and then to figure it out. Willing to believe for big things...even in small communities. Willing to cast God's vision for others to see and get excited about. 

Who would have missed out if he had aborted this vision without genuinely praying?

-The 86 people that got baptized on August 18th of this year. (Two of which were my own children, one grandma-in-law, and two of my husband's cousin's children!) =)

-The many many salvations that he has been a part of personally...but also the ones that happened through other ministries within the church that he committed to bringing back to life.

-The man who was delivered from being demon possessed.

-The people who have been healed from sickness, disease, infection, virus, bacteria, illness, pain, depression, etc.

-The lukewarm who decided not to stay that way and became fired up because of his evident flame of faith.

-The people who come every week. The broken and bruised. The tired and weak. Those lost and without hope. Who leave encouraged. Inspired. Joyful. Secure. Filled with new hope. 

-My own family would have missed out on new ministry opportunities, new friendships, new salvation, a new body of believers to war with and for, and blessings ga-lore! =)

-Last, he would have missed out on the greatest, most difficult and most fulfilling ride of his lifetime. 

I am so thankful that he prayed. I am so thankful that he was willing to be stretched and strengthened in his faith. Because every area that he is weak, God is strong! Where he lacks...God was already preparing him warriors/friends to fill in and help him uphold and feed the flock. I am so thankful to be a part of a team that pursues God's vision no matter what! The enemy can whisper. The enemy can scream and slander even. But God! God's vision is still clear in my pastor's mind...and he will relentlessly cling to and pursue it. And we have committed to do whatever God asks to make vision...reality. We easily follow a man with such audacious faith. We follow because we pray for his steps, and we trust the Heart that guides his.

Back in August, the leadership team of our church was blessed to be able to go to 'The Global Leadership Summit'. It was an amazing two days of intense leadership-oriented knowledge and challenges. The application...ugh...not as easy as the note taking. Bill Hybels was the first speaker and boy he just dove right in. His message was by far one of my favorites! I found it interesting that without knowing before hand; my favorite speakers from that summit where all pastors. I learned the most about the type of leader I aspire to be from them! 

Pastor Hybels was talking about this idea of aborting vision. He charged us to NOT be the type of leaders that Fed-Ex our God-given visions back to heaven with a cowardly note that says...return to sender. Or no thanks. Or send someone else. Instead he challenged us to be willing to pray Joshua 1:9. He said to pray it AS MANY TIMES AS IT TAKES! 

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

Can you boldly proclaim that verse, as often and as many times as it takes, to move forward toward the vision God has given you? My challenge to you this week is to pray, fervently and passionately, about a vision that God has given you at some point in your lifetime. Pray if it is still His will for you to complete? AND tell someone that you trust to pray with you. 

The following questions from Pastor Hybels, were a couple of the hardest for me to answer. I want you to answer them right now. Please don't just think about them. Don't just move past and forget. Give God a few minutes and answer so that you won't be content with just knowing. I want you to admit where you are and be passionate about NOT STAYING THERE!

Read these questions with a heart soft and willing to admit. Answer them with a heart plyable. Mold able. Changeable. 

 "Just because no one knows, or ever knew, about a vision you aborted...is it okay? What if your vision/your new ministry...is someone's ONLY hope? And when you stand before God and give an account for these things He asked you to do...what will be your excuse? What could you say to Him?!"

Be courageous my friend. Stand up and fight for  these dreams God has given you. They are not silly. They are not too far fetched. God says..."I have immeasurably more for you! You can not measure what I have because your scale is not mine. Trust MY vision above what you imagine. I am God. You are man."

Today...begin to dare to dream big. Tell people your vision. And do not be a squelcher of other believers visions! Just believe God is God and He knows better than you. Let Him to His job...He is MUCH better at it!! =)

Sunday Expectations (Day TWENTY SIX-30 Day Challenge)

What a week you have had! A week full of disappointment and heartache that left you in a state of absolute exhaustion. You were so overwhelmed by circumstances in life that you barely even noticed that you hadn't taken much time to be still and meet with God. And you definitely didn't take the time to worship Him. You sent up no praises to reach to the Heart of Heaven...only requests and questions. 'God please help me. Take this burden from me. Why? Explain Yourself God. Why would you allow that? How could you?!'

After a week like that you walk into church empty. You have nothing to give. If you showed with your body language how your heart felt, you would have your head down and your hand out. You aren't looking to give of yourself. You are only looking for your own expectations to be met. The prayers that day seem boring. You can't get into worship because you can think of nothing to be happy about. And the message...that has to speak to you right? *sigh* What a waste of time. You leave more disappointed. You expected more!

What do you expect when you walk in to church on a Sunday morning? Do you expect to get something amazing? Do you expect your pastors to move you? Do you expect the worship team to bring you into the presence of God?

Maybe the more important question is what do you do when your silent expectations are not met? How many people hear about when you walk in and then back out of church on a Sunday morning without being inspired or moved? What is your first reaction? Is it to attack...or is it to uphold your leadership in prayer? Is it to look for reason to complain...or is it to look for a way to help? Is your church more effective because you are an active part of it...or you a wall flower that likes to put off a foul odor when your needs are not met?

" 'Everything is permissible'--but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible'--but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others." 1 Corinthians 10:23-24

Look again at the series of questions, just after the italicized section, at the top of this post. Do you see the common denominator? I'm sure you picked up on it already because of your advanced nature, but who is the obvious focus on your Sunday mornings? It appears to me that it is you. Don't you worry though. You are sooo not alone. I'm guilty of this mentality at times too. I've gone to a special speaker or Sunday morning service and left disappointed. And it was not because the preaching was bad...or because the worship was boring. It was my own personal heart issue. I chose to make the focus about me. And I can now CHOOSE to remedy that problem by making it only about God!

What about the days that I walk into church with expectations from God and only God? Well...at least He can handle me. Lol! He is the only One who can speak to me so intimately, that is leaves me speechless. Can you imagine...an author of many words...with out
a.
single.
word? Haha! 

When you walk in, expecting man to fulfill a God sized hole; man will fall short. Every.Time. Man can not compete. Mankind was not created to be your or my source of God or only link to God. They/we can not handle that responsibility. That weight is too heavy for any man or woman to carry.

What would happen instead if you walked in expecting to give to God? What would happen if you spent the service praying for your pastoral team? Like for real praying for God to use them in a mighty way, to touch someone else? What if you listen to the pastor's words and search for what God is saying to you?

There are a lot of Sundays I write down key points from the sermon. Some of them came from the mouth of my pastor. And some of them were specific things God spoke to my heart while the pastor was preaching. Then during the week, during my own personal devotional time, I expand on my notes. A lot of times I write 1,000 words or more on just one verse or one line that the pastor said. I'm always searching for what God is speaking to ME. If I waited only on the pastor or speaker or worship leader...I could leave disappointed. God. does. not. disappoint...(as long as my heart is right!)

As the wife of the Worship Pastor of my church...let me just tell you...ministry is the most fulfilling job we could do, right next to raising our own four children. But we will still fail you. We are far from perfect and we realize it. We have circumstances that most people will never know about. We often have opportunity for offenses. We have felt deep hurt and pain from people we trusted. And yet...we praise. We praise God for His blessings. We praise God for His faithfulness. We praise God for His protection. When we didn't see His blessings, His faithfulness or His protection...it is only because we weren't looking for it in the right places. It is always there!

Here is my challenge to you. If you are dissatisfied with your church...find out why. I'm not saying put your pastoral staff under a microscope. That is not constructive nor healthy. Instead, look inward. What can you do to change your heart toward who you are expecting to be filled by? How can you actively shift your focus from man to God?

"...whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God--even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ."

Maybe you should sit down and talk to your the Lead Pastor. Find out his heart in ministry. Don't assume you know it. And don't make it about your needs and your wants. Make it about his passion in ministry. And then...here is the cool part...pray for that passion! Watch how much more his messages speak to you when you know where his heart is. Watch how easily you enter into worship when you have taken the time to get to know why your leader is so passionate about it. It is not about you. It never was. Change your focus.

When I focus on my pastor's passion for the lost..I couldn't dare leave disappointed. He is speaking to the hearts of the lost. He is challenging the saved. He is touching the broken. He is preaching the heart of Christ in ways that young and old, saved and lost, mature and not so much...can connect to. It is not easy...but it is his called position. Rather than beat him up for what you don't understand...help him become more effective. Help to be the hands and feet of Christ. You are missing out on some amazing blessing by choosing to be a stanky wall flower. ;-) 

Pray this over your Pastor(s) this week.
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:2

Devote yourself to pray for those bold enough to speak the Gospel! And ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS be full of Grace!

Suggest Hope

Good morning! And what a beautiful morning it is here in northwestern Pennsylvania! It's been a little chilly lately, but the sun is shining and it is already warming up. Don't get me wrong. I am a LOVER of everything fall! The temperature. The smell. The activities. The food. The pumpkin-a-latte loveliness. But...........it. is. JULY! *Rant over...for now*

Most of the year our church has a Saturday night service as well as Sunday morning. My husband is the Worship Pastor and I am also a member of the worship team...which means that we get to attend both services! :-) The message a while back on a  Saturday night, spoke a couple of really power-filled things straight to my heart...and I can't wait to share one of them with you today!! I've literally typed this post three times. Once on my phone. Don't get me started on how annoying that was! Once on my iPad...almost as equally annoying. And once on my computer. Fourth time is a charm? We shall see......

First, this is my challenge to you. Get your Bible out. *Vanesa taps fingers on table and hums Jeapordy theme song while she waits for you get your Bible* No matter how annoyed or impatient you are at my request it will help my post make sense!! Pretty please...*insert puppy dog eyes*

Whew...now open to Acts 27 and read verses 9-44!! The reason I say use your own Bible...is because that way you can underline the verses that stick out at you. You can also write beside them what God speaks to you today. It is for your benefit at a later date when you are struggling. The words underlined and written will stand out...and you will remember how God used them for your good! =)

For those of you honestly too busy, rushed, or ahem...lazy to get your Bible...here you go...

Acts 27: "⁹ Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Day of Atonement. So Paul warned them, ¹⁰ “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” ¹¹ But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. ¹² Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.

The Storm

¹³ When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. ¹⁴ Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. ¹⁵ The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. ¹⁶ As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, ¹⁷ so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor^[b] and let the ship be driven along. ¹⁸ We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. ¹⁹ On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. ²⁰ When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
²¹ After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. ²² But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. ²³ Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me ²⁴ and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ ²⁵ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. ²⁶ Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.

The Shipwreck

²⁷ On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic^[c] Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. ²⁸ They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet^[d] deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet^[e] deep. ²⁹ Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. ³⁰ In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. ³¹ Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” ³² So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
³³ Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. ³⁴ Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” ³⁵ After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. ³⁶ They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. ³⁷ Altogether there were 276 of us on board. ³⁸ When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
³⁹ When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. ⁴⁰ Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. ⁴¹ But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.
⁴² The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. ⁴³ But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. ⁴⁴ The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely."




I highlighted and underlined the verses that I wanted to bring your attention to. The men on the ship had given up hope. They did not see any way out of this situation they found themselves in. So what did Paul do. He suggested hope. He was the first to give them a thought of life over the death they were sure they were facing.

Let's think about this first suggestion of hope. Had they not believed...what would the outcome have been? Had Paul, being a prisoner of these men, been too terrified to speak up...oh how different this story would be. But Paul boldly spoke. And the soldiers hesitantly listened.

Think back on the course of your life for a moment. Has anyone ever been that first suggestion of hope to you? Whether you believed it at first or not...can you recognize that they boldly spoke what neither of you could actually see? Let me give you two of my life examples.



MY first suggestion of hope came after my second pregnancy, which just like my first, ended in a disappointing miscarriage. The difference though, was that I had had a lot more time to fall in love with baby #2. I was 16 weeks along when my hopeful attitude slapped me in face and into another state of shock, disbelief and soon to be depression. I held him. Born in my bathroom on December 20th of 2001, Isaiah Ethan fit into the palm of my hand. His arms and legs were like spaghetti. His tiny lifeless body I was sure would haunt me forever. 

Months went by. I was still unable to think of the events of that traumatic night with out shedding tears. One day I was with a couple of friends at their yard sale. Vicki walked up to me and spoke straight to where I was broken. She said that she was praying for me and God told her that I would have a child. I would carry the child to full term...and the baby would be healthy.

THAT, was my suggestion of hope. I no longer had to wonder. I no longer had to doubt. I just had to wait for God to bless me with this child I had now been promised. It was one month shy of 3 years after that conversation that God fulfilled that promise to me. My healthy baby boy was born in May of 2005...and all I had to do was believe.



MY second suggestion of hope came after I had my fourth child. (I only KNEW of the promise of one...but out of my seven pregnancies...I have gained four AWESOME kids...and three are in Heaven awaiting our arrival!!) After I had my final baby I was diagnosed with Post Partum Depression (PPD). It made absolutely no sense in the natural. Baby #4, Levi, was a very happy baby. The transition to bring him home was super smooth. And it was fall...my favorite season! BUT, in the supernatural it made complete sense. Knowing what I know now....it was an absolutely VITAL part of molding me to the woman I am today.

So, shortly after my diagnosis, God began telling me to talk to specific women. He would say, "Tell her what you are going through, she has something for you." So I did. Six women. Each with their own specific truth for me. Each one, one step in my road to healing. One of them though...was my suggestion of hope.

Bekah sat with me in my living room..while my kids raced around...and listened gently and softly spoke when appropriate. I told her all of it..."I feel like a horrible mother, I've had thoughts of hurting myself, I scream at these children that I prayed for, I flip out, I stay silent for days, I distance myself from everyone I love"...and what is her response?

"I see so much hope for you."

Confusion set in. I didn't see it. If I didn't know and love her...I would say that it was a cruel joke. So she went on to explain. "When you come out of this victorious...you are going to have a powerful ministry that will be set on fire. You will reach out to women who are going through similar circumstances and you will be their voice of hope. God will use you in a mighty way!"

I didn't feel it. I didn't see it. But I CHOSE to believe it. I had to. My alternative...was death. A few weeks later the opportunity would present itself. Death knocked at my depressed heart...and I fought for my life. Had I NOT spoken to those women...what would my outcome have been when the enemy whispered for me to take my own life? If I had not chosen to believe in the hope I neither felt nor saw....where would I be today?



Who has been that voice of hope for you? Have you ever told them? Maybe it is exactly what they need to hear today. Write it down. Mail it to them. Text them. Call. Email....whatever it takes. Let them know the impact that their suggestion of hope had on you. And be willing to suggest hope to the hurting people you know/see. They might be simple words to you....but to the searching heart....it is LIFE!

Relevant Reflections-Storms of Life

A few Sunday’s ago my pastor read a very familiar story from the Word of God. This is what proves that the Presence of God is all through the Bible. I’ve read this story. I’ve heard this story. And yet…God spoke a simple and powerful truth to me that I hadn’t seen before. He is forever giving me a reason to stand in awe of Him! (I sooo LOVE that about Him!)

We are going to read from Mark 4:35-41. I know that we’ve all heard and read the story of when Jesus calmed the storm…but please take the time to read it again. God has something specific to show you. He refuses to leave us in the dark. And where HE is…darkness cannot be. That is why He is forever making His Word relevant in our days. Specific. He meets us in a new way that meets our specific needs for that time in our lives. Awe. I’m in awe!

 

Mark 4: 35-41 “That day when evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. There were also other boats with Him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to His disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!””

 

I can paint you a simple picture with our last boating trip of the 2012 summer. Uncle Mike let my son Aiden drive the boat for a little while. Aiden…was SEVEN!

Intent. I guess that IS how you would want a seven year old to look while driving a boat. Intent and focused. No matter how nervous his mother is…pictures and videos still MUST be captured. And here is what his little brother was doing…… No fear. Zzzzzz

 

Let me point out my favorite parts of that story. First of all…it was Jesus’ idea to take the boat out! Oh how I needed to realize that truth…a LONG time ago. Haha! If it is HE that is leading you. If it is His idea that you are following. Even when you face obstacles and hardship…it does NOT indicate that you didn’t hear Him correctly. What it does indicate, is that you are about to learn to trust Him in a new area. You are about to see His faithfulness to your fresh, unfamiliar needs. Following the Voice of God will encounter some storms…BUT that same Voice will pierce through them in the moment you ask. (*Did that last statement just give you chills? If not…place two fingers on the inside of your wrist and check for a pulse. Haha! It did me!*)

That brings me to my next favorite part. When the disciples woke Jesus up…what did He do? Freak out? Nah. Cry? Nope. Run around like a crazy person? Not for a second! He rebuked that which He has dominion over. And what did He use to calm the raging storm? Not a spear…but speech. He spoke! Can you speak? Do you have power (because of the Jesus that lives within you) to speak to the storms in your life? YES!! Some days the truth hurts. Today, the truth sets you free my friend. :-D That voice is a powerful weapon in this storm you are waging now. Learn to use it to help instead of hurt!

 

So are you ready for what God spoke directly to me during the reading of this passage of scripture? This statement I’m about to make is the reason I woke up with my husband at 615 this morning. I knew someone needed this simple reality today. God whispered the following to me…”Did you catch that Vanesa? Jesus SAID to the waves… Just speak. Speak life even if the waves are higher than your vision!”

And that vision that God was referring to can be one of two things. Some days our storms, our problems, our circumstances can seem so deep that we can see nothing else. Our vision is blocked because all we are focusing on is the ‘why’ instead of the ‘how to move past’. So we literally, don’t have vision. It is being blocked. Which, by the way, makes the enemy beam with pride. His storm is doing exactly what he planned.

Then there is God vision. There is the glimpse that God gives you of what your future plans are to be. For example, God has given me a vision to write my own devotional. Sometimes the reality of how crazy my life currently is, with four young children, prevents me from seeing that vision ever coming true…but I KNOW IT WILL. I know that God has a season and right now, I am developing my own style. I am developing a deeper love for His knowledge. And I am learning to listen to Him through the calm and through the storm…and to come out praising Him either way.

When the enemy can keep us discouraged from completing God’s specific and intimate vision for us…this too is proving his storm to be effective for what he had planned. Picture the smile on his face. Let that awful, snickering smile motivate you today. Let that anger rise up within you and aim it the correct ‘power’. Let the enemy feel the wrath of *insert your name here* because God just revealed his scheme to you. Those waves just lost their height. The fear that he was holding over your life has just lost its power.

How is your vision? Is it blocked? Or have you forgotten you had ever seen a vision? Speak to your storms today. Don’t wait another second. Let the calm wash over your circumstance. God. Has. Got. This!

Have Some Faith Man…Don’t Look!

A few Sunday’s ago my pastor was talking about faith. It is a normal and expected topic when attending church, don’t you think? ;) What is baffling to me, is how I have been taught my whole life about faith…and yet still have SOOO much to learn. I still have eye openers. Light bulb moments. Jaw droppers. I just love how God is so amazingly clever in how He gets through these thick skulls we have. Haha! We can read the a passage of Scripture that we undoubtedly have read before…and God can highlight it in a way that makes it as if it is the first. Fresh. New. Real. Relevant! That is just one more proof in our days that He is living and active!

Let’s take a moment to list some things that are birthed from faith. Maybe this faith we strive to strengthen isn’t as necessary as we make it out to be. (IT IS! I was playing the sarcasm card there. And since you can’t hear my tone…I want you to KNOW! I have not lost it. ;) )

 

 

Evangelism. You would have no reason to evangelize if you, yourself didn’t have faith in the hope of your future in Heaven. You would have no confidence to evangelize if you didn’t have faith in the Author of your words. Christ’s perfect life, undeserved death, and miraculous resurrection are all the reasons and confidence that you need to speak. He took the life of each of us seriously. He is asking that you do the same. And not just with your own. We are to take every human life just as serious as He did when He gave His life up for us all.

Hope. Think about people in this world that you know right now who do not know Jesus as their Savior. What do they have to hope in? They should be dreading and terrified of when their life ends. Especially not knowing when, how, and what is to come. If they DO know what is to come…they have no reason to feel hope in their days now. What do they have to look forward to? Torment.

We have everything to hope in. No matter what the enemy throws at us…he is not our future. He was our past…but we have been delivered from eternity with him. Hope is a no-brainer. If we aren’t seeing our hope… We. Aren’t. Using. Our. Brain. Simple! And if we aren’t sharing this hope we have… We. Aren’t. Using. Our. Heart. Ouch!

Grace. Why in the world would we ever extend grace to anyone if we didn’t understand, by faith, that God’s grace trumps all else? He had/has absolutely no reason to extend grace to any one SINGLE human ever to live. Ever! After all, we are born into sin. We learn to sin before we learn much else. But God is a God of agape love. (Can I get a hallelujah?!) He sees His children who have chosen salvation through His Son, Jesus, as pure. Blameless. Without blemish. So why is it that we so easily do the exact opposite? Why is it that we see each other as a teen going through puberty…covered with blemishes? Sometimes we even get really close to inspect others with a magnifying glass. Looking for any sign of even the tiniest of blackheads forming under the skin. Then, we won’t let it go. Whispers. Gossip. Things blown out of proportion. Where is the grace in that?! If you are worthy of being magnified under the same scope than by all means…inspect away. If you fall short…try grace. It will look good on anyone! ;)

Forgiveness. Are you squirming? Forgiveness is tied right into grace isn’t it? How can I forgive someone who doesn’t even understand and/or care how bad they have hurt me?! Here is my challenge to that statement. Ask God…if, and only if you are braced and prepared for His answer…to break your heart for what breaks His. Your eyes will be opened to so much hurt and pain that you never saw before. That magnifying glass you gripped tightly will gather dust on a shelf because you will be spending so much time praying for and speaking life to the lost and broken. You will not have time for trivial things. Reality…there are people dying. There are souls heading for eternal suffering. There are wars going on in the Heavenly realms that could use some earthly warriors. Forgiveness is only a choice because we have made it an option. To God…it is an absolute.

Provision. Oh this one hits home. This is a stumbling block for so many. Whether you are rakin’ in the dough or scraping bottom; we are all to rely on God for our provision. Isn’t it interesting that it is difficult for both ends of the spectrum. Those who have worked their way to success sometimes have difficulty remembering Who it is that provided life for them. They don’t need a Savior to work miracles with their finances. They don’t need to have faith for tomorrow. Being ‘self-sufficient’ is not always the blessing it appears to be. And then there’s those who work all day and still come up short. They can also have a hard time trusting, by faith, that God is still working on their behalf while they are slumbering. They sometimes feel as though God is just watching them squirm. Faith though. Faith is being sure of things unseen.

Let’s look at a verse that can help put things into a simple perspective. Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”” I can just see some of you out there, minds turning, a bit of bitterness rising. You might be saying, in your head, ‘How in the world could I ever even think of becoming a lover of money when I have…none?! I don’t have money, that is the problem!!’ My child, read it again. It does not say that you have money, it says that you love it. You constantly think of it. You dream of the day when you can go buy whatever you want. You covet what your neighbor has. So what does contentment look like? Dive into the Word of God and find out!! You will not regret it!!

 

Let’s end with the four challenges and a quote that my pastor gave us when it comes to faith.

1) Don’t look at what you can’t do. (No fear.)

2) Don’t look at what you can do. (No pride.)

3) Don’t look at what you want to do. (No selfish ambition.)

4) Rather, discover what you’re supposed to (called to) do. (No limit!)

“Is God impressed with what you are capable of? Nope. But when you do it His power He will delight in you!”

 

Actively look for ways to strengthen your faith this week. Ask God for His revelation on areas in your life that need work. Maybe you have no problem trusting for provision, but are not showing grace. Whatever it is…be intentional! God did not leave your salvation to chance. He was absolutely intentional. Let your faith prove to Him that you are grateful for His sacrifice.

Just a little Devotion

“satan doesn’t need to take away your whole devotion he only needs to distract you.” –Pastor Bruce

Oy… Distracted. I would say that is a good word for my past few weeks. Distracted by sickness. Distracted by life being busy. Distracted by schoolwork and stuff for my kiddos. How funny (funny as in annoying and frustrating) it is that the only line of this post that I had taken the time to write was the first one. Read it again…

Gah! How true that is. How many times have you set your alarm for the following morning? You decide in the previous night that you will wake early and spend time doing your devotions. Something happens while you sleep though. By the time morning comes you have ‘forgotten’ how passionate you were the night before about waking up and meeting with God first? It is the bed. Never has it felt warmer and cozier. Snooze. What’s another five ten thirty minutes of beauty sleep? Or maybe it is a sick child. Perhaps it is that pesky, relentless mental to-do list. Whatever it may be…it is a distraction.

If the enemy can get us to skip this !!!MOST IMPORTANT PART OF OUR DAY!!!…he will surely have a foot in the door of distraction for the rest of it. Let’s get serious about turning our distraction into devotion. Devotion. When was the last time you thought of the definition of that word in relation to your daily time spent with God?

Devotion-Love. Loyalty. Enthusiasm for a person, activity or cause. Selfless affection and dedication. Commitment to a purpose.

Think of something that you are or have been dedicated to. Maybe at one time it was to a sports team. Maybe it still is…only now more from a sideline or ‘couch’ position. (Yes I meant couch…not coach. You know who you are. You speak as though you are one of the team even though you are no way, shape or form a part of it. Unless you count the merchandise you purchase. Ha-ha!) ;) Or maybe now your dedication is to a team/group in your church. Maybe it is your job. Maybe it is to your new health kick. Whatever it is…how would you describe your level of devotion?

Do you think of it often? Are you constantly improving your skill? Are you wishing you could be doing it when you are not? I will use my oldest son here as my illustration. Aiden played Munchkin Football this past fall. He was the cutest little blonde a rough-n-tough Titan. ;) (I am fully aware that he is not really ‘playing’ ‘football’ *I’m a big fan of inserting finger quotes when necessary* in either of these pictures. But I just love that handsome little face…so I just had to add the ones of him smiling!) Back to the illustration…Aiden had never played football before but that didn’t phase him. He was genuinely excited to go to each night of practice. He loved getting a chance to race the other players. He loved learning about the game. He loved winning. And he even learned to be a gracious loser. (Seriously…I AM proud of that one!!) He worked hard to improve. He didn’t want to miss a single opportunity to learn more and to play longer. He still talks about it and can’t wait until he can play again this coming season.

If you were a part of a team…wouldn’t you go to every practice and game? You’d have people counting on you to do your part. The same goes for your time with God. Not only will it bless you, and set you off for your day with a better heart condition…but there are also people counting on YOU. They won’t tell you. They can’t sometimes. But God has designed us in a way that we uphold each other. That is how the body works. And God can and will use someone else…but He desires to use you!

That is how I desire for my devotion to my faith to be all the time. Not just on Sunday. Not just when life is easy. Not just when I feel like it…but always. I want to be excited to meet with other believers. I want to desire to talk to God often. I want to love to learn more and more from Him…about Him. I want to search for times to talk about Him at every opportunity I can get. I want the desires of God’s heart to be inline with mine. I want to strive be content in every, last, little thing…except for how much I know about the Word of God. That, I want to seek, as if it is treasure. It is, after all, the ONLY treasure that is eternal.

A few weeks ago our church’s assistant pastor, Bruce, spoke of an old movie called It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. (<—Is that enough mad’s? LOL) There were people in the movie that gave their whole lives up for this treasure they searched for. They allowed it to consume their every thought. They were sold out. Nothing else mattered much anymore. All of this devotion was for money! How different this world would be if all who claimed to be Christians had that mentality about their faith. They would see that this life is not their own and they would give it up without a selfish thought. They would be consumed by God’s Word. They would be sold out to do the work of the cross and to take it into ALL the land. Nothing would matter as much or certainly not more than encouraging others in their walk to the Kingdom of Heaven!

What about our treasure? Is it clear to those around us what we treasure. No matter what we claim to treasure…is it clear by our actions? Our words? Our commitment? Our movie play list? Our television history? Our computer browser history? If we unlocked every part of our day to be open and in view…what would our treasure clearly be? (Don’t worry…I am fully aware of the plank in my eye. And yes it hurts me as much as it hurts you to read it for yourself.)

It’s not too late. It’s never too late for you. Click here to listen to the song Come Away that I’ve been loving lately by Jesus Culture. Let it speak to your mountain. Whatever it is that you have been consciously or subconsciously treasuring…it is not too late. Today. Now. Vow to treasure only that which is eternal. Make a pact with God that you will stop wasting your days on things that will rot. Instead you will begin to invest yourself, your time, your passion into things that Reign.

When you stand before God in Heaven…don’t you long to hear these words of approval? “Well done my good and faithful servant!” Picture it. Imagine yourself before the Presence of your King…imagine the emotion that will be packed into words such as those. Imagine how unworthy you will feel for them to be spoken from the lips of the Creator. Imagine how in awe of Him you will be. Let that mental image be your driving force from this day on. Devote yourself to the eternal and let it be evident to all!

relevant church is born!

Last weekend my pastor spoke what could be some of the most important words spoken over our church. “Today, is the birth of relevant church!”  WAHOOOOO!!!! (Excited much? Yes we are!) A while back (before we even started attending this church) they had decided to change the name. For the last few months I have heard it referred to by the old (Columbus Community Evangelical Church) and the new. Last week though…something changed. You see, God is moving among the people in this little town in PA and He is taking us along for the ride of a lifetime! =D

Sometimes I feel as though we, the church, feel disconnected from Scripture. Not necessarily from the the truth of the Bible…but from the application. We struggle on how we apply our knowledge, both old and new, to our every day. That is my goal. That is the purpose of why I write. I want you to understand that we serve THE GOD. The only God that is living and active. The only God that is…relevant. What a perfect word to name His church!

Relevant. Let’s go over some things that are still relevant today. Let’s look for ways that God proves Himself to still be alive and engaged in our lives.

 

Prayer. Never have I understood how relevant prayer truly is, until I experienced, first hand, the past year of my life. God has healed me at the prayers of myself, family, friends and church body. God has given me what I cried out for, knowing that I would not recognize it at first. Or even that sometimes I would ask Him “WHY?!” forgetting that it was at my request. *Vanesa thumps head here* God has taken me through the best of times and the worst of times…and helped me to see His plan was always greater. God has helped me counsel the hurting and broken because of what He had already given me victory over. God has helped me to speak life even when death was running rampant. My prayers of compassion and sometimes desperation reached to the heart of God. I will never be the same as I was a little over a year ago. And my pastor’s challenge to grow 2% closer each week for this year…will change me just as much or (as I am praying)…more!

Pastor Les said that the prayer ministries and prayer warriors of ‘the’ church, are the most vital. Prayer is the start of everything else. It is our most intimate time alone with our Father. We can tell Him all. No holding back. Anger. Hurt. Shame. Brokenness. Reality. He wants us to be genuine. And when we are…He will cover over each of those with truth. Simple truth. The darkness of anger will lift. The shattered hurt will begin to heal. The shame will turn to humble growth. The transparent brokenness will allow His power to become evident in your circumstance. And your reality…it will suddenly make sense. No matter what the mountain is that lies before us…blocking our view of victory…we will take each step up to the top with a renewed purpose and passion. And all of this starts with a simple prayer. Talking to God is not difficult. It is a conversation in which you are real and so is HE!

 

Worship. relevant worship…has a nice ring to it don’t you think? ;) Our worship IS to be relevant. We will always appreciate the things of old. We still love the  past…but we refuse to stay stuck in it. We want to always be engaged in what is to come. What is current. Think about it. God is writing new songs each day. He is reaching out to us with new words of life that we can sing to Him. He has not run out of ideas. He never will. The songs they sing in Heaven are relevant. I can’t even begin to imagine how amazing they are. And when they reach the hearts of someone here on earth…that is to be celebrated. Not just on Sunday…but always. Sing to your King anywhere and everywhere! Show Him how much you adore Him because He is absolutely CRAZY about you my friend!!

Let me set up a scenario for you. It happens often to me…and I am sure it happens to SOMEONE out there too! You are driving down the road and you hear a song. It doesn’t have to be the first time you’ve ever heard the song…but maybe it is first time you really listened to it. You are silent. You just sit and listen with fresh ears. The words speak directly to you…way down deep. If you are like me, you silently weep as they minister to you in a very specific way. You know that God wrote that song. You understand that He had you in mind for this exact moment of when you would need and accept it. You sit humbled. Thankful. Inspired. And feeling genuinely loved and adored by your God that is alive and engaged in your day. That…is relevant worship. It will happen more and more. Look for it. Be open to it. Bask in it’s glory and goodness when you feel it wash over you in waves of power. *A chill just ran through my body because these words are going to open up someone’s eyes today. Right now the enemy’s blinders are being peeled away in someone’s life…and the God of all Creation will be seen and praised. His power WILL be life-changing and forever evident.

 

Faith. Our faith must be relevant in our everyday. The stories of the power of God that we read in the Bible absolutely still serve a powerful purpose. For the mother who’s womb is barren…the story of Sarah gives hope. For the man who feels too weak to fight for what is right…the story of Gideon encourages strength in the name of Jesus. For the thief, the drunk, the liar who feels like he/she is too far gone…the story of the Cross proves that grace is available to all. We are still to learn from these Bible stories. We are still to apply their foundational truths to our daily walk. Just because they are ‘old’ doesn’t mean they are outdated. The Word of God is absolutely relevant. I dare you to try it out. Double dog dare you. Talk to God. Tell Him what you are struggling with. Ask Him to show you His relevancy in His Word. It might be a verse in a devotional that you pick up. It might be a verse on Facebook. It might be a seemingly ‘random’ passage in your Bible. Figure out what it is that God is teaching you…and be sure to praise Him for it. Talk about it. Lead by example and show your friends how He can be relevant in their lives as well.

Here is a thought provoking challenge question from Pastor Les to you…people out there in the world of cyber. ;) “If you were mentioned in the Bible…what would it say about you? Would they even know you were saved according to how you lived your life? Not according to how you act or ‘appear’ on Sunday…but how the rest of the days of the week that end in the word ‘day’ are. Would your name be recorded because of all you did for the Kingdom?”

It is never too late. Today is a new day. Start a new chapter in which you are sold out. Committed. Passionate. Let your faith be evident…not for the cause of being remembered…but for the sake of someone’s eternity. True love as the Father intended it cares more about souls brought to the reality of the Cross, than all of the wealth in the world. World changers. We need world changers who are Christ-driven to rise up.

Speaking of “it’s never too late”…take a moment to listen to a song by a Christian group named Jesus Culture. The song is called Come Away and I feel like it’s message is absolutely relevant to where we are headed. Click here to be inspired and challenged to worship as if you are standing in the Presence of the Almighty. You are. Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." It’s not too late!

 

Please understand I do not expect you, the reader, to just accept my list as complete. My hope is that you spend time searching for your own relevant applications. I would LOVE to hear how God is showing Himself to be relevant in your life! I know that He is. I believe it with all that I am. If you are not seeing Him…please let me know and I will pray for His revelation to become boldly evident to you. relevant church is praying for those of you out there that are reading this right now. Let us know the fruits of our prayers and/or how we can pray more specifically! After all, we are called to be Christ’s hands and feet!

I leave you with Colossians 1:3-6. “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints- the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.”

Watch out…relevant church is on the map! ;) relevant church is now alive. It has a heart beat. A heart that beats like it’s Heavenly Father. Curious? You should be!! Come and see what God is doing in a little community in Pennsylvania…that will someday soon have a huge impact on a world that is lost and broken. We believe that God is all together relevant and we are saying… “Why not use us?!”

Relevant Reflections-Are You Sludge-Like?

I woke up one morning feeling that the day had come that God wanted me to write this post. Knowing that, the enemy started messing with me. Ugh, so early. It was too early to be messed with. I was not in the mood. Haha! I didn’t even realize the enemy was doing it at first and that is the most frustrating part!

It was about 8am when I first woke up. (That NEVER happens! I remember that there was no school that day…and my kids actually slept in! *Cue the angelic music here!*) I laid in bed for another 15 minutes and then woke up annoyed that I wasted that much time of silence to write! I had allowed myself to be distracted.

Once I finally pulled myself up and put my feet on the cold floor I decided it was time to make coffee. (I love to write with a steaming cup of flavored coffee next to me.) Distracted.

I loaded the wood stove full so that my house would warm  up now that I was out of my comfy, cozy bed. Distracted, necessary, but distracted.

I put in The Lion King for my now very awake children. Distracted.

I wiped off all of my counter tops. Distracted again!

Are you seeing the sly scheme? I was doing everything but what I knew I had been called to do. When I started to clean out my dog’s food dish…it finally occurred to me that I was being distracted from God’s purpose for my morning. UGH! I can’t stand that little punk! No more distractions!

By this time it was 9am…and I was getting stubborn! The enemy really should know better than to mess with this girl and her writing. Oh how he tries to keep me silent…but what he so often forgets is that my Daddy is bigger than him! :p Haha!

Soooo, onto sludge. I am starting with the mental picture of sludge today. I want you to think of something that is sludge-like. Ugh…even just to say type that word makes me feel gross. No matter the tone you try to say it in…it is not at all attractive. As Pastor Les spoke a few Sundays about stagnant water, I was picturing sludge. If it weren’t the middle of winter here in Pennsylvania, I would hike up our hill and take a picture of a large stagnant puddle of water that is just inside of our corner of the woods. (You know I would! My husband knows I would too! Most of the time he smiles and rolls his eyes at what I just simply ‘have to capture’ ‘ for effect’! Haha!) This puddle…is not a pretty sight. To make things worse…it is right in the middle of our trail. I am told that people used to ride horses and four-wheelers on our path through the woods because it is a nice, wide path. And this stinkin’ (both literally and for effect) puddle, takes up the whole path for about 10 feet. Annoying? Yes-sir-ee!

I don’t trust my children to not test me on the “Don’t splash in that puddle or you will regret it!” instruction that I have given them. And when if that day comes, I will do what every scrap-book minded mother would do, take a picture. Before I rescue (as long as the possibility of actually being hurt is out of the question) I will capture what filth can come from something that USED to be clean.

Think about it. Water. It is one of God’s most perfect and utilized creations. It is from Him, for our daily use in life. It is used to keep us healthy. To cleanse us. To cook our food. To grow our food. Etc…

Water always starts out clear. (Unless you live in a little country house like mine…then ‘pale rust’ is the shade I would call it! Haha!) How does something that started out to crystal clear and perfect, turn into something so disgusting and unrecognizable? How does water become so sludge-like? How does it fall from the sky transparent and perfect for nourishment…and eventually turn into something that everyone avoids? How does a simple mud puddle turn to complete blackness with the most awful stench!?

It is quite simple acutally. It takes abosulutely no effort at all to go from fresh...to stagnant. Therein lies the problem...
it.
does.
not.
move.
Water falls down pure and perfect and then just sits. Motionless. Void of life. It’s usefulness being wasted. It’s rancid smell obvious to those who are near. No one will walk close for fear of coming away with the same stench. Any new droplets of water that fall into the stagnant puddle…immediately become black and carry the same vomit-inducing odor. Have I painted a clear mental picture for you? Movement is vital!

Have you ever known a person who has slowly become stagnant? Someone who doesn’t seem to be fulfilling much of their life's purpose. They don’t even seem to try. They are the ‘glass half empty’ type. You leave a conversation with them and feel more depressed about your own circumstance. Can I ask a hard question...are they Christians? Sadly…sometimes (gulp) too often we can answer that with a Yes. =/

I pray that that is NOT the type of person and/or Christian we are. When God gives us a gift, a purpose, a job, I pray that we actively search for ways to be used. I pray that WE (the church) don’t just let them sit. I pray that we are not void of words that give life. I pray that people do not fear spending time with us because they will leave feeling worse than when they came!

Let’s speak only what we would say if we were standing at the Throne of Grace. Let’s imagine that Jesus plays an active part in each conversation that we have. He does! Think about it. Really!! You know that check you feel in your spirit when you are about to say something that you shouldn’t? That is Jesus. You know that Scripture reference that pops into your head when you need it? Jesus. You know that sudden thought of compassion and prayer for a complete stranger? Jesus. You know that word of encouragement that you give or receive as ‘random’? Jesus! Those that I’ve listed are just some of the examples of our Father in Heaven being relevant, living and active.
How amazing it is to see God orchestrate each detail of our day. Look for Him in your today! No matter what day it is…or how long it has been since I wrote this post…tell me about how God was relevant in your day. I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! I want to be encouraged and excited with you. I want to rejoice. I want to sing praises for you. I want to thank God for how He showed Himself forever faithful. Leave me a comment in 3…2…1…

Relevant Reflections (Why Not?!?!)

Do you ever daydream about being a world changer for Christ? Why not?! This past Sunday’s sermon sets the theme for this year, 2013! I will say it again and again…Why NOT?!? God has placed within each of us specific skills. Specific abilities. Specific dreams. And all that He requires from us is the willingness to be used. He does the hard work…and the awesome thing is…we still end up being blessed. Think about it! God deserves all that we have, all that we are. He deserves our best, not just our final moments of the day seconds before our head hits the pillow. Or a rushed, monotonous prayer before a meal. He deserves the passionate side of us. He has created us to be passionate people. I can not think of anyone more worthy of my best!

 
Let’s start out by reading from the book of Ephesians. When my pastor said to turn to Ephesians because it was packed full of amazing verses…I smiled. Do you want to see my Ephesians? This is what my Bible looks like. ======>

I clearly LOVE the book of Ephesians! I have written all around the verses. In the margins. I write whatever the verses speak to me that day. And I try to always add the month and year beside what God speaks to me. It is awesome to see when I heard from God…and how far I’ve traveled since. =) Try it. It is liberating. I just realized today…I will probably never go to technology forms of Bible for my quiet time. I want to be able to underline and write next to the Word of God. After all…the same God that spoke the Bible…is speaking to ME! I want to remember my Father’s Words!!

Let’s look at the word of God and apply it to our challenge for this year 2013 that we are in. Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Think your dreams are too big? Doubt that they can ever really happen? Read those verses again. Immeasurably more than all we ask or IMAGINE! Those are not words for the doubting church. They are living and active! They still apply! Align yourself with God’s Word. Ask Him what His goals are for you this year. Then brace yourself. Be ready. Be willing to follow through with His answer. Your life will be so full of purpose and power that I promise you will not regret it!

I’m not trying to brag here…but do you  have a team of pastors in your church and IN your life that are committing themselves to ‘do everything in their power to make sure that you get closer to Christ’? I DO!!!!! If you don’t, it is for your benefit that you find one! You see…those are the words that were spoken by my pastor Bruce this past Sunday. They sounded loud and clear to my listening ear. To know that they really WANT their church body to know Christ more deeply and passionately…oh how wonderful news that is. And to know that they want to see new ministry, new life, new believers, new callings…called into existence. That is what it is about. Genuine love for the body of Christ…rare, but remarkable!

And how about this statement? “THE CHURCH HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!” All caps makes it seem in writing like I am yelling those words right? That is what it is about. We go to church to commune. To be fed. To serve. To be built up and encouraged. To use our giftings. But then…we are called to go out. Out to the lost. Out into our community. Out to other countries. Out to whoever God places in your path. We become the hands and feet of Christ. We put into practice what we have been taught. We pray when God speaks to our hearts. We speak when God prompts our lips. We do what God instructs. What a world that would be to live in! Close your eyes and picture it. His design is perfect in every way! Get out of His way…and step into His way. Does that make sense?

My church’s challenge for 2013 is to make an effort, each week, to try to become 2% closer to Christ. Just 2% per week. That seems do-able right? And by Christmas, at the end of 2013…oh the world changers that will have been made. I am in. I am ready. I am really excited for the year 2013! I could not have said that a month ago. But God, oh He can do wonders, miracles when we just trust His ways.

I, in my house, in my life…I am making some life goals for myself. I am writing them to you…so that you can pray them into reality too. I want to change as much this year as I did last year…plus some! I want to be relevant and alive. I want those who meet me, to know Christ because He is just bursting out!

Exciting things have happened to me already. Really! This year has JUST begun. Here it is the 8th of January and let me show you two things that God has already blessed me with…


The first…I got published in my first devotional book!!!!! It is called Living the Gospel Life. (Click <== that link if you want to see how you can get copies of these in your home, your church!)                                                                          
Here is my first devotional page the January-March issue.  <=Ack! That’s my name! =)


This is my first writing job where I get paid to do what I LOVE! That can only be the planning and workings of my God. He placed this desire to write, within me. He molded it along the way. He tweaked it. And now I feel humbled, blessed and extremely excited to be able to write with a divine purpose. What is to come? My very own devotional! Full pages of what God speaks to me. In print. In stores. Because…why not? Why wouldn’t God do that with me? He placed the desire within me…and this year I am going all out! =)


The second…I won my first photography contest!
I am pretty confident that when I ripped open the magazine to see the contest results…that I squealed.


I had hoped, but not expected.

I know I posted this picture recently…but I will post it again. This was the winning photo in the ‘Editor’s Choice’ category for the 2012 Penn Lines Magazine contest. And just to keep me humble…my daughter’s favorite photo is the beautiful butterfly in the bottom left hand corner of the magazine. Bahahaha…I love her honesty! And I do admit ,without any hesitation, that it IS a beautifully captured butterfly!

And again…it is not much…but there is a cash prize. Isn’t God so good? He taught me to do some amazing things with my photography and writing this year. I am fully aware of who my Teacher is! I give Him the credit because without Him I have no purpose. He is the reason I create! He has created such wonderful things of beauty. Sunrises. My Children. Flowers. Animals. Churches. I can keep going… ;)

I have no idea how photography fits into His plan for 2013. I have some ideas for Him…but I will wait for His lead. I will trust that His eye is on target. When He is in it…it is just easy.

I am also praying for new songs to be poured out from God, into the hearts of people that surround me. New songs! As in songs never heard before. We serve a God who is a very creative Artist! He has does not run out of ideas. His song book is just bursting as it waits to enter into the earthly realm. Be open to Him. I know I am! I am praying for it. I am believing for it. I am waiting…with my mind wide open to His will in 2013! Join me! Why not?

I have always heard it said. Find out what you love to do…and figure out a way to get paid for it. WHY NOT!?!? I am actively searching to be used and utilized for a divine calling!


How about you blogger land? How can I pray for you? Seriously! Write me a comment. Email me. Message me on facebook. I want to hear how I can speak to the heart of Christ for YOU, my friend. What did God bring to your mind while reading this post? What can you do this year to become closer to Christ?

Will you memorize Words of Life? Will you write a new song to your King? Will you give your testimony of salvation, of healing, of provision, of God’s never-ending faithfulness to someone that God sends into your path? Ask God to speak to you. Ask Him to be specific. Write down what He tells you. Tell someone you trust…tell me if you’d like. I would love to know that I am not alone.

Be excited, because in 2013, the church is going to Rise Up and make a difference. Don’t sit back and think you aren’t/can’t be a part of it. You are not weak. If you think you are…you are believing a lie. The God who resides in your heart is all-powerful! Rise up to what He is calling forth in you. I am praying for you! Much love my sisters and brothers!