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?!”

A Bud In Waiting

Ever feel like this? A bud. In the shadow of something more beautiful. *sigh* Always in waiting.

Waiting to be like those that you see already reaching out. Waiting for your time to be used for a greater purpose. Waiting to be noticed. Waiting to be ‘old enough’. Waiting for this phase of life to pass that so that you can feel fulfilled. Waiting to finish school. Waiting for your kids to grow. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting!

What is happening while we are waiting? What ministries are starving because they are ours to step into? What ‘phase’ are we just rushing to get through and missing out on? Does our God seem like One who would waste our time with day after day of things that served absolutely no purpose? Does he even care about our age in regards to what He has planned for us?

Today. Tonight. Whatever time it is where you are. I want you to stop waiting. Not in a place of discontent…but rather in a place of peace. Look for ways to be used by God for a greater purpose. Pray for them. Be aware of how God speaks to you. Listen intently to His voice. He notices you. He thinks you are the perfect age to be a light in the darkness. He is using this phase you are in, to mold you for what is to come. He has people for you to reach out to exactly where you are. He wants you to love and delight in watching children grow as they look to you to be an example.

It is time to bloom!
No more waiting for ‘some day’. No more hiding. Bloom. Because you are more beautiful when you act like your Father. The more you resemble His character…the more fragrant you become. The more you rely on Him for endurance and strength, the more opportunities He will open up for you to do even greater works in Jesus Name!!

Reach out in your community. Do whatever it is that God asks of you. Make a phone call. Visit a friend from the past who could use some uplifting. Send a card with a personal note to the person that God is laying on your heart. (Don’t worry…I am talking to myself here too. I feel the tug of Christ. I know who God is asking me to reach out to this week. This has been a tugging that has gone on for weeks. I’ve been ‘waiting’. For what…I’m not sure. But if I am asking YOU to reach out…you had better believe that I am planning to do it as well!)

I am guilty of the waiting game. As soon as God pointed it out to me tonight, I knew that I had fallen right into the trap of the enemy.

“Wait until your kids are all in school to proceed with your dream to publish a book.”

“Wait until you are older to try to teach 'actual' adults.”

“Wait until you have money.”

“Wait until your house is finished.”

“Wait until you have been at your church at least 6 months before you trust in friendships.”

“Wait until…”

Nonsense. The enemy is always trying to hold me/us back. And when he gets caught in his stanky-scheme…oh how happy it makes me. satan and I both know that when I am on to him, God is about to help me overcome! Ahaha! God does not make mistakes. He need not wait if the time has come.

What have you been waiting for? Who have you been waiting on? The time is now. This world is reaching out to the unlovable. They are accepting the sinful. What is your position church? The time of waiting is over. These people are hungry! Let’s introduce them to the Bread of Life. They are thirsty. Let’s take them to a place where Christ’s Living Water flows freely. Never will they hunger or thirst again because our God provides for His children.

Valentine’s Day is almost here!! Let that be your excuse to show love and compassion to those who you know or see that are broken-hearted. They won’t even know what hit them! ;) Let the joy of the Lord be evident. Let the spark that is set off by your words…set fire for a whole new kind of revelation. Christ. Reveal Him and watch Him spread! Get excited because love is in the air! Angels are working. The Holy Spirit is leading. And Christ will make Himself real to someone that you reach out to this week. Oooo…I just got chills when I typed that. =) GO BLOOM!

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…

A Pig Chase and a Prayer

Don’t you just love a good pig chase? Bahahaha!

Hold.

The.

Phone. (I haven't a clue what that expression even means. Hold the phone…eh…moving on.)

Did I just write that? A good pig chase?! Oy, how my life is different than I ever pictured it. Not worse…just very different. Haha!

Growing up, the number of times I was ever at a farm or even near farm animals could’ve been counted by holding up my ten fingers. (Super interesting, random and funny fact of the day…my husband’s parents were the ones that gave me most of my interaction with farm animals when I was a child. Every year they would bring their horses to the AWANA fair so that all the kids could sit on their backs and be led around the parking lot.)

The fact that I live on a farm now has presented me with many challenges. (Like trying to bottle feed four calves with only ONE bottle. Patience my little cow friends. Your turn will come!)

Some of those challenges resulted in fear.  (Like when the bee keeper told us the queen had 'left' and the bees would not return. Do you see bees? Cause I saw and heard LOTS of bees in the side of my barn the two years after he said they had ‘left’.)

Some pain. (All six of us have been attacked by a rooster at least once!)

Some challenges...okay most of them bring some degree of frustration. Some spark a prayer session. But my favorites are when they result in laughter.

And pig chases…are all inclusive.

A couple of nights ago, my husband returned home from work and requested my assistance in the barn. Our pig was due to go to the butcher shop…and that meant only one thing. We were going on a pig chase! Have you ever seen a pig chase on a movie? I happen to have just watched “The Man in the Iron Mask” this past weekend. It includes a pig chase…complete with an adorable little piglet and a jewel prize for whomever was to catch it. Ours…was nothing like that. Much more manure was involved. Much louder squealing. Much huffing and puffing from chasing and pulling. And cold…it was so cold! Oh…and absolutely no prize jewel, just an angry pig.

I tried to be a competent helper. I really did! My job sounded so simple…just “pull this bucket over the pig’s head,” said my husband. He would “take care of the rest”. After several failed attempts he, surprisingly, calmly asked me to call his father. *Insert a sigh of relief here* I could tell that he was trying to not show his frustration through his heavy breaths from wrestling with a 400-lb pig.

I quickly left the barn to make the phone call that I thought should’ve been made in the first place. I left Aiden (age 7 1/2) alone with Eric and Daisy (the pig). Aiden’s job was to guard the only opening that the pig could’ve squeezed through to get to the open world. I was scared for him because although there was a ‘blockade’ in between the two of them, his only weapon of defense was a plastic bat. I offered him a pitch fork…but he opted for the bat. He did not appear to have fear at all. Do not, on the other hand, ask him to battle a rooster. He has great fear. Much screaming is involved…and maybe a throwing of both of his barn boots in an attempt to scare away the above pictured rooster. ;)

Anywhoooo, Eric’s dad arrived quickly and I watched as they chased the pig around our barn. After several more failed attempts to get Daisy into the trailer I decided to go for a new game plan. The very hilarious “coax her down the isle way with pieces of plywood then grab her tail and attempt to cover her head with a bucket so you can hoist her into the trailer” technique was so not working. I went with the ever powerful…Prayer. Why not?! God cares about everything right? I believe that…and so I quietly prayed for favor and ease.

The guys coaxed the pig down the length of the barn one more time and Daisy walked right into the trailer. SHE. WALKED. RIGHT. INTO. THE. TRAILER!!! That never happens! I laughed out loud. Eric’s dad looked right at me…pointed…and said with tears in his eyes and a quiver in his voice, “You prayed didn’t you?” *Huge grin here!* God didn’t have to ‘show up and show off’…but oh how glad we were that he did! It just gives us a little boost of confidence. If He cared enough to answer that silly request…how much more does he care about the health of my children. Or the restoration of my husband. He hears. He really listens! I have proof…and she will soon be in the freezer of my pastors. =)

Why is it that we don’t take the small things to God? Why do we suffer when we have access to the Almighty? We wait until things seem huge…and then we pray. We get frustrated with daily struggles without a thought as to what God could offer. It won’t always be an immediate answer, but maybe it is our attitude that he will change. Maybe it is our patience that will grow stronger. Maybe it is our outlook that will gain fresh perspective. ;)

I’m sure most of you have heard it said, “We serve a crock pot God in a microwave world”. I can say that I always, not-so-secretly, want to have microwave results. But I am sure that I would grow to be unappreciative of those immediate answers as well. *Eeesch…the truth hurts!* Those are the ones that help to strengthen our faith little bits at a time.

How about those crock pot answers though? You know, the ones that you pray for months or years maybe even decades. What enormous strides of faith are gained when we see God prove that he is forever faithful to our constant prayers? When we finally see that God had us through every prayer. He was working while we were sleeping. He was molding while we were busy living our day to day. He was preparing us for what was to come…while we were still concerned with what was.

Our God does not slumber. He does not forget us. He is always working on our behalf. Trusting in His timing is one of the most freeing steps we can take in our Christian walk. It frees us from doubt. From fear. From worry. From anger.

What reason have you for not trusting? Think hard. If you are able to come up with a reason…find scripture that will cover over that lie. Find a prayer partner who can help pray you through this hurdle. Because once you are on the other side…you will have JOY. Unexplainable joy! It won’t make sense…and you won’t care.

Whatever it is that we are to learn. Whether it is to pray without ceasing, or to talk to God about all things big or small, or to trust God’s time. Let’s just try to do this one thing first. Let’s put God back on His throne. Let’s not put Him in the same group as the people that surround us. There are people in our lives that just don’t care. They don’t want to be bothered to pray for our headaches and sniffles. Or for our stubbed toes. Or for our success to chase a pig into a trailer. But God is unlike ‘us’. He is flat out A-mazing! He is always waiting, anticipating the next time He will hear our voice.

I leave you with the beauty of our Maker. He orchestrated this sunset for me us to enjoy last night. (He knows I’m a lover of these colors!) I took several pictures over a span of about 15 minutes. And each one was different than the one before. Meaning that the sky was rapidly changing from sun set to night fall. I marvel at His handiwork. I was so excited to capture it so that I will not forget what He taught me last night.


Prayers are forever beautiful just like pictures. They are unique and beautiful. (All the more reason to write them as well as speak them!) God does not forget a single one…just as I do not forget each picture in which I have captured God’s Creation. Keep speaking to your King. Keep laying your requests before Him. Keep speaking of His faithfulness in His answers. Keep looking for people to pray for. Get excited to pray. Ask a table full of children who wants to pray for the meal and watch as they, without hesitation, fight over who gets to go first. WHY NOT learn from them?!

I had a powerful time of prayer in my hubby’s truck tonight. I had to run a quick errand and I decided to do some warring. God was in that truck with me. NO QUESTION! I could feel His presence. I could sense that my Spirit was talking directly to Him and hearing directly from Him. It was so so so fun! I laughed. I cried. I screamed a bit…just making sure the enemy knows that I do not watch my spiritual family or actual family suffer without getting involved. I put him in his place. Beneath!

Do you remember a few posts ago when I wrote about God breaking my heart for what broke His? (Click here if you want to gain understanding into your emotional reactions to what may seem to be a simple prayer request from a friend/stranger.) At the end of that post I asked for requests. I wanted to be used as a prayer warrior for you. Whoever you may be.

To my surprise I actually got a few responses. Yipee!! Each time a new person called or texted, I knew it was them that I had been praying for God to send to me. They would give me their circumstance…and I could not help but smile. When you see the hand of God orchestrating something powerful, you just have to get excited! I get to talk to God. I get to pray passionately for the healing and restoration of these women that God has sent to me. Haha…I am excited! I can’t wait to see how God uses these things in their testimony. I believe because I have no reason not to. The God that I talk to…He is the same one that rose from the dead. He is the same one that parted the sea. He can handle this! I have no doubt!

Keep them coming. Keep sending me your requests. I don’t have to know you to pray for you. I don’t have to know details to speak life into your circumstance. This thing you battle…it is no surprise to God. He knew it was coming. Let’s ask Him what He wants to do with it! Let’s trust Him…and let’s become over comers.

You want to pray for me? I would absolutely LOVE that!!! Pray for healing and restoration in this house. Completeness. Pray for softness. Pray for supernatural understanding and grace.



How about you? How can I pray for you? It is my delight. It is my honor. It is my privilege. It is my joy to pray. Make a girl’s day would ya? =)

Am I Genuine? If Not…HOW?!

Genuine. It is the word that God kept speaking to me at the end of 2012. So I am starting off 2013 in search. Searching for whatever it is that God has to say to me not only about being genuine…but also about knowing genuine. I want to know genuine when I see it.

Let’s start off with an example that includes pictures! If you are like me (and I am going to assume that you are)…you are totally and completely awesome! Oh wait…that isn’t were I was going with that. Tee hee! *wink wink* *slap on the back* *nudge nudge*  

Okay…if you are like me, you enjoy picture examples. (Like little kids books…they are able to keep the child’s interest because they have pictures.) I am not only trying to keep your interest in my sea of words…I am using them to help prove my point. (And…they allow me to show off my beautiful children. (All bias aside.)) I am also banking on them helping you to remember my point. Then you can, in your mind, recall my picture example…and I pray that the point I was making is soon to follow.

That is, after all, why I write. I want to inspire you to take what God is teaching you and live it in your day to day. I am aspiring to do the same. This is not a blog in which I am sitting on a throne of knowledge…bestowing my wisdom to my lowly servants. I am serving right there with you. I am sitting at the foot of my Father asking to be forever changed by His Words of life! I am the one beside you with a tear stained face. I mess up. I ask forgiveness. And I learn so that I know I am passing the test.

Let’s take a looksie at this picture I took of my nephew recently.
 

It was freezing cold and I asked my brother to bring his three sons to my house so I could do a real quick photo shoot. Well, just incase you don’t know or remember…we live in Northwestern Pennsylvania…so winter is in full swing. I had to shovel a path through some pretty deep snow to get to one of my favorite spots for black and white portraits. But the idea, the goal for my pictures, was to really capture my subjects. The real them. And the picture above, although handsome, just wasn’t cutting it for what I wanted.

Genuine. I wanted the genuine smile of my sweet and thoughtful nephew, Brady. I kept talking to him. Being silly and requesting for him to turn his head this way and that…look up, look down until…



I GOT IT! A real smile that truly captures this man…in waiting.
What is he to become? What type of ministry is God designing for him as he matures? What part of his testimony of God’s faithfulness is being written right now?

I don’t know the answers to this question…but I DO know that God has placed me here in his path. I am privileged enough to be one of his aunts. And I hold within me a powerful tool. I can come to his/our Heavenly Father on his behalf. I can pray for the man that he is to become. I can pray that the passions that God has placed within him will continue to be fed and encouraged by those around him. And I can pray for this leg of his testimony. The ‘test’ portion of it doesn’t promise to be easy. But Romans 8:28 has him covered. The grace of God. The strength of God. The will of God…they will see Brady through to be a more powerful man of God because of what he has been the victor over.
I am excited for God’s faithfulness to be shown to Brady. I am excited for his child-like faith to be strengthened. There is nothing like the untainted by disappointment faith of a child. Spend some time with children. Pray with them and you will see how we are to be. Expecting. Believing. Trusting without a doubt. Without worry. We serve a powerful God…and His strategy is unlike any other!

Let’s move on to my next picture example. My niece Brittany…


Everyone should know someone like her. She has the heart of a servant. She adores children. (Minus their germs.) And she is the definition of quirky. While I also loved this picture above…I wanted something not so traditional of my non-cookie-cutter-stylistic Brittany.



Voila! Adorable. Non-traditional. And a style all her own. I love it! I see much of my own little 6-year old daughter in Brittany…so it is fun to see how she might grow up to be/act. Like maybe she will wear a winter pom-pom topped hat in July because she didn’t ‘feel like doing her hair’. (And maybe she will willingly and proudly admit it! Haha!) I just love it! I think there should be more genuine people just like Brit. Honest, but still somewhat tactful, and willing to be unique and true to herself.

Now to get serious. I already see a couple of God-given passions in Brittany. I know that God can use them for His divine purpose and glory. So I await…as if on the sidelines. I pray…as though I am just an assistant to the regional manager coach. I have no idea what God has in store for her future…but I know that He is preparing her now. It is really awesome to play a part as a partner in prayer. I have that right as a sister in Christ. I have that privilege as her aunt. And I know that this generation growing up now, has the power and ability to do more miracles and wonders than I have ever known! I can’t wait to see it all unfold!


What does it mean to be genuine? All I know for now is that it means to be the same on Monday as you are on Sunday.

It means that we do as we say.

It means that we pray with the same passion no matter what the request nor who is requesting.

It means that we live as we say we do.

It means that we show love to all people.

It means that we speak words of life from our hearts. (If the words that automatically come out are not life-giving, encouraging, up-lifting words…then we look within ourselves to change. NO excuses!)

It means that we are always looking for ways to serve others without the expectation of reward.

It means that we are always growing and never content with how close we are to Christ.

It means that we search the Scriptures to find characteristics of God so that we can aspire be more like Him. (And also so the we are a good reflection of Him as His sons and daughters.)

It means that we teach what we actually do. (Not the ever-familiar, unspoken, hypocritical ‘do as I say…not as I do’.)

It means that we show compassion to all people.

It means that we practice mercy to the seemingly ‘undeserving’.

It means that we extend grace to our brothers and sisters. (Leaving no one out…lost or saved.)

It means that we show Christ through our actions and our conversations.

It means that we speak of Christ to the friends, family, strangers, the intimidating, the sweet, the
powerful, the common…all are worth your time for the gift of an eternity in Heaven. Your Sheperd would come back if it was only you who was lost. Imitate Him!

This year, let’s try to become a church that is genuine. Let’s look to our Maker and set our goals high. Let’s not settle for what has always been normal. Let’s not accept the slightest bit of darkness in our days. Let’s not lay in our own filth and wonder why we feel so dirty.

Be cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. Let His healing, saving rain wash you clean…and vow not to step in the path of filth again. WHY NOT?! Why can’t we become a church that lives like we are heirs to the throne? Genuine and real just like the smiles and prayers of these amazing nieces and nephews of mine…
  

Pray with faith like a child. They are!

Sunrises…I Pray Never Get Sick of Them!

I was running late. (Not a shocker for me.) I had my camera and computer beside me in the car. I looked up and…

I

could

not

help

it!

I had to stop. I knew the consequence. I knew I would be even more rushed. But…LOOK! Look at the view that God blessed me with this morning!

 

 

 

I screeched slid stopped my truck quickly on the very icy country road. I snapped the picture, only to realize that I was in the way of my neighbor trying to leave her driveway. (Sorry Rachael! If I made you late…just show your boss the glory of God…and it should shut them right up. Haha! I just couldn’t pass this up!!)

I dropped my two youngest sons off with my mother-in-law, and hopped back into the truck to take my kids to school. No sooner did we start off and the radio started our fave song. We worshipped to the Great I Am, as I looked over the rural countryside view of the sun rising. When the song finished, my kids prayed…then I prayed. As soon as I dropped them off at school God spoke to me.

“I saved the best for morning. When you wake up to meet with me…you get to see what I have created for you to enjoy. The sun rising each day is to remind you that I am in each day. I have new beautiful things for you to enjoy. Keep looking for Me. Keep noticing Me in your day. I have more to come. I have barely begun!”

I cried at His powerful message to me. What a beautiful thought. I meet with God in the morning and I am blessed. I see His beautiful creation and I am blessed. I write for Him and I am blessed. This all seems one-sided. I seem to be getting blessed when I am trying to be a blessing. A-ha! That is His design. Only a God who is fully Love can create a world in which that is real. We serve so we can reach out in our family or community, and God turns around and pours blessing and goodness onto us.

I don’t know how I would live without Him! As a believer, an heir to the throne, I am so blessed that I don’t EVER have to find that out. It only gets better each day. The more I know, the more I want to gain knowledge of how God works in my life. I want to get closer to Him so that He will fill in any emptiness. And shine light on all darkness. I want more so I can give more. I want to be taught so I can teach.

Wake up tomorrow. Wake up the next day. Sit and meet with the King of Kings. Then go out and enjoy the rising of the sun. His gift to YOU! Once it is up…the magic has passed. Don’t sleep through it! It will bring tears to your eyes because of it’s majesty! Once you have followed these instructions…inspire someone else to do the same. Let’s start a ripple across this nation. Wake UP! =)

My Beautiful Little Fuzzy Blob of Color

God brought this illustration to my mind recently. It was given to me years ago by a man named Ben, who at that time attended a Bible study in our home. =) I have used it so many times since I first heard it. If I gave Him a dollar for every time I repeated this example…he would not be rich…but I’d owe him a pretty good chunk of change. Haha. Anyway, God prompted me to share this with you…so it must be for someone out there! =)

Tell me…what is this a picture of? Can’t tell can you? This blurry, fuzzy color blob just doesn’t make sense, does it? This is actually a close up of just one teeny tiny part of a mural. I’m talkin’ a huge building-size mural in my hometown. Let’s pretend that this mural represents our lifetime. This is what we see through our own eyes.   It is as if we have our faces smashed against a building-sized mural. How can we make out what is our next step? How can we make a decision on whether this is good or not? Is this part of God’s plan…or is this a dangerous scheme of the enemy? This is what you see. Is this what you are basing your life decisions on? A fuzzy blob of color that doesn’t make sense. Are you just floating through life…hoping for the best?! There must be a better way!

This little chunk of the picture is the part that God allows you to see. Why? Why does He do that? Why just little pieces of the mural? Why can’t we see what the picture looks like too? Why doesn’t God just show us the ‘big picture’? Why can’t we see what is to come? It seems as though it would alleviate some frustrations on our part, right?

I know for me…it is because I would not have followed the same path. I would not have gone through some of the things that God gave me victory over if given the choice. And if I hadn’t, I would not be who I am now. I would not be where I am now.

I would not have experienced a miraculous healing from post-partum depression, because I would have avoided ever going through it if God had allowed me to see it coming. I would have missed out on the blessings of my four living children if I had known that I would have three others that would never make it to full term, and chosen not to go through that heartache. I would have chickened out on a lot of things that have been used for my good.

I know now that I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT REALLY IS BEST FOR ME! I do not know what it takes to stir up the calling that God has placed on my life. But I can trust Him 100%. I know that NOW. If I had not seen God work all of these things together for my good…I would not trust Him as I do now. I have absolutely no reason NOT to trust Him. He has been the only One who has never failed me. He has always been faithful!

You have heard it said that only God can see the ‘big picture’. This is the whole mural on the side of a building in Corry.    This is what our lives look like to God. A beautiful masterpiece. Each trial, just one stroke of our design. Each mountain. Each valley. Used to mold and shape us for His purpose. What powerful warriors come out of pain! What amazing ministries are birthed out of following God’s path no matter where it leads.

The way I see it, there are four different types of people.

1) Those who have their nose smashed against the mural and are desperately trying to figure it out before they move at all.

2) Those who have their nose smashed against the mural and have their eyes closed because they fear what they will see and might not like.

3)Those who have their backs to the mural and can’t figure out why they don’t know where to go next.

4)And then there are those who have their nose smashed against the mural and trust that God will reveal His way. They wait when He says wait. They move when He says move. They trust because they have every reason to…and absolutely no reason not to!

I want to be the one who trusts. I want to be the one who is willing to go wherever God instructs. I want to stand when He tells me to stand. I want to speak when He tells me to speak. I want to sing when He tells me to sing. And I want to write when He tells me to write. (Right now…I should be sleeping. It is almost 1:00 am and the alarm is set for 5:10 am.) But, here I am practicing what I am preaching. God told me to write this post tonight. As I am typing I don’t even have the pictures taken that you will have for the final draft of this post. But when God speaks…I write. I have learned that my fuzzy color blob is beautiful when I trust the eye that sees it all!