thankful for suffering?

Will & I got to teach this past Sunday night in small group. We're currently doing a study of Philippians and were focusing on the end of chapter 2 this week. You may already know that we love the book of Philippians if you've read this post. I can say with 99% surety that it's Will's favorite book.

Anyway, even though we led the lesson for the group, I feel like I learned so much...or rather, had an epiphany in the midst of teaching. (Actually, I let Will handle most of the teaching. I chime in every now and then!) If you've never read through Philippians, I encourage you to do so. It's a short book with only 4 chapters and is packed full of encouraging verses. Paul wrote Philippians as a letter to the church of Philippi while he was in prison. Can you imagine? Despite being "locked up," Paul used this time to encourage other believers to live faithfully and humbly and all the while he was sharing his faith with prison guards around him. Paul is filled with such joy because he knows that he's living his life with Christ as the center. And if he's doing that, then nothing can shake him...not even prison! I don't know about you, but if I were in prison as Paul was, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be joyful and sure wouldn't be writing things as encouraging as Philippians.

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. 

Philippians 2:14-18

One of the topics we discussed Sunday night was suffering and how can suffering be seen as something to be thankful for. At first, I drew a total blank in my mind. I was thinking, "Really? Suffering? Why should we be thankful for that?" And then it hit me. I feel like this is when God spoke to me most about something Will & I had gone through last year. The beginning of 2012 was a tough, tough time for us. No, not in our marriage, but just things that we were going through together made it so difficult to see what good was going to come from it. It was probably the hardest time in my life and a time when I feel like my/our faith was tested the most. I'm getting tears in my eyes just thinking about what we went through and recalling so many memories. I'm not saying this for you to feel pity for us, but I feel like I should portray how we felt before moving on.

3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:3-5

That being said, when I look back on that time, I know without a doubt that I grew more in my faith during suffering through that period than I have in my entire life. It's truly amazing to think about everything God taught me through it all.

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First of all, in verse 14 Paul says, "Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent children of God..." Do you know how hard this was for me to do?! To just keep my mouth shut! I wanted to talk to everyone I came in contact with about what was going on. It's only because of prayer and constant encouragement from Will that I didn't do that. I realized what was and wasn't honoring to God and even though it was hard, I kept our issues to myself.

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I don't know why we went through the things we went through. And I know that everyone can think of something in their own life that was just as hard. I never thought I would say this, but I am so thankful for that time of suffering in our lives. If God led us through that time just to teach us to have complete faith in His plan, then it was totally worth it. Every single tear and feeling of hurt was worth it. Is there some suffering in your life that you've learned to be thankful for? Whatever it is that you may be going through, God has a purpose in it. Think of suffering as a means of refining that leads to holiness rather than just pain and hurt. I wish I had thought of that last year!

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4

it is finished.

He lived an ordinary life unmarked by fame and fortune.

                   

"He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.”

Isaiah 53:2

                  

For years he walked the earth healing the sick and comforting the poor.

          

"He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

Isaiah 53:3

 On Friday he would be broken.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5

Our guilt and shame on the cross He bore.

"All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned-every one- to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Isaiah 53:6 

Listen. Maybe you hear the birds singing or the wind blowing. Maybe you hear the drone of your office as printers and staplers begin the work day. Whatever it is, let the sounds of your day melt away. Block out the noise, hear the silence.

As you close off everything else, imagine the sound of feet marching on stony roads.

 Imagine the crowds shouting, “Crucify him!” Imagine the whips cracking, the flesh ripping. Screams of agony echo across the courtyard walls, pain can literally be heard from the sounds coming from the man awaiting his crucifixion. Imagine the guards yelling as they push the man towards the hill of execution. The people laughing, spitting, calling out for the man to save himself. Imagine the nails ringing out as they are hammered amidst flesh and wood. The screams as the cross is raised, as the crown is set, as the pain increases.

Imagine the sound of the struggling breath. The whisper of words between two men hanging from their crosses. Imagine the tears of a mother, the sounds of her cries as she watches her son die. Imagine the fears of friends as they watch their teacher, their savior and his last breaths fade away. Imagine the horror of the crucifixion. Hear the sounds of pain, of agony, of death.

Listen closely. Hear the savior calling,  

(John 19:30)

 It's Friday. The beginning of the next 3 days that would forever change the world. The beginning of the most agonizing suffering that had ever been witnessed. The beginning of redemption. The day that Jesus by his blood paid the price for my sin, for your sin, for the sins of the world. The day that joy would be brought to the world. The day that forgiveness could be seen, could be felt, could be obtained. The day that Jesus took our guilt, our shame, our disease.

Listen. Hear the sound of joy. Hear the sound of love. Hear the angels singing as the stone was rolled away and the tomb was found empty. Hear the sound of singing, of praise, as the disciples saw their Jesus risen from the dead. Hear the sound of redemption. Hear the Savior whisper in your ear, “It is finished.”

"...but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; 

Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee; 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'" Then they remembered his words."

Luke 24:5-8

Special thanks to my sweet husband for writing this post today!

This is probably my favorite song and video depicting Christ's death and the price he paid for us. I cry every time I watch it! Take a few minutes to watch for yourself.

It Is Finished by Matt Papa

If you're in the Memphis area and are looking for somewhere to come worship on this Easter Sunday, I invite you to join us at Island Community Church in Downtown Memphis. We'd love to see you!

When [worldly] Emotions Take Over

From my worldly view, I had such a bad day yesterday. I let the stresses of life consume me and I couldn't seem to shake it for the longest time. I was thinking about finances, the future, expenses we had coming up, Will graduating from seminary in May and our plans after that...and the list goes on. One thought led to the other and I was just getting upset. I texted Will and he did his best to comfort me and give me words of encouragement during my morning of panic, stress and fear of the unknown.

I'll admit, Will's affirmations did help, but not 100%. It was just then that I realized I was asking for comfort and peace in the wrong place. Sure, Will is my husband and does so great at being my husband and comforting me, but I needed to ask for those things from The Ultimate Comforter.

source: Kelly Ginn Photography

So I took a few deep breaths and just started to pray. I prayed for God to help me to relax and to reassure me that He's got it all under control. Our circumstances are no mistake. God has had them planned out and only He knows what's going to happen. I'm totally ok with that! God has our best interests in mind and is going to take care of us. Anytime I feel myself worrying about the future, these verses always come to mind:

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[a] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:25-34 ESV

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God began to bring to my mind all the things that I am blessed with.

- My amazing husband of (almost) 3 years

- My sweet puppies

- Supportive family & friends

- A home

- A job

- A church home

and on and on and on...

I am so thankful for all that God had blessed me and my family with. And I'm thankful for his promise to give us peace and comfort in times of worry. A peace that no one or thing in this world can give.

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

John 14:27

The next time your worldly fear and emotions start to take over, I hope that you'll be encouraged by the peace that only God can offer.

Have a great weekend!

Better Than Life

First of all, THANK YOU to the amazing Alyssa for sending me this hoop! Have you checked out her shop yet? I have several favorites and wish I could own them all!

Secondly, check out what my hubby has to say about one of our favorite verses:

I love my wife. I love my dogs. I love Taco Bell.

There are a lot of different types of love that we encounter and pursue throughout our lives, but there is one love that is better than life itself.


"Because your steadfast love is better than life,
    my lips will praise you."
Psalm 63:3


The beauty and depths of God's love for us cannot be described in a few short words, but what a difference it makes when we take time to reflect in awe on God's love. His love reaches us when we are broken, when we are unrighteous, when we are undeserving. It is an overwhelming experience of grace that we are able to know and find comfort in.
Take time to seek His love today. Be satisfied in Him


"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
    beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
    my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
    in your name I will lift up my hands."
Psalm 63:1-4

Let's Face It

I am so lucky to have a husband who inspires me daily and who pushes me to grow in my relationship with God. I'm also lucky that he agrees to write blog posts for me! Take it away, Will!
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Lets face it. There are normal days, and there are bad days. Most of my days are normal--school, ping-pong, more ping-pong, and then afternoon activities. Normal days are great, but every now and then one of those bad days creeps into the forecast. Bad days take a pretty wide range, including anything from a rough day at work or losing in chili cook-off contest to Amanda (side note: I’m only just a little bitter about that). 

Last week I had one of those bad days. The majority of the day I felt like I had this huge weight on my shoulders, and there was nothing I could do to make it move. It all started as I was sitting in class (seminary, aka Bible college) surrounded by a room full of guys and a professor who all seemed like they had their life plans pretty well worked out. I could point to most guys in the room and tell you where they worked or their plans for the future, but when I got to myself, the answer became unclear. For about a year I have been doing some serious recalculating in figuring out where God wants me in life. However, it is beyond hard as a married, 25 year old, graduating in May, Masters student to not be able to answer the question, “So, what are you going to do for a career?” Or the next question, “So where do you work,” when your reply is a couple of part time jobs when so many of your peers are full time employees or making headway in pursuit of a lucrative career. The reason unknown, but on this particular bad day, all these thoughts seemed to be rising to a crescendo. I was officially in the dumps. 

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After class I went to the library to work on some homework, and it was there that I ran into my friend Jim (Jim Jimmy Jim Jim Jim as I call him). We struck up a conversation about the new semester and just life in general. Jim, who works at the seminary, was pushing a big black trashcan. He proceeded to tell me that he just finished cleaning up a monster pile of fresh puke, and that he was pretty much having the worst day ever. It was in that moment that my bad day was totally put into perspective. Compared to my friend Jim, my day really wasn’t bad at all. The entire day I had been praying for peace, for guidance, and assurance. It was in that moment that God gave me a reality check. No, I'm not saying that Jim was worse off than me, but I think God was telling me to stop hanging out in “dump-land.” 

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It is easy to look at our lives and be unsatisfied or unfulfilled. Maybe your job isn’t as exciting as you hoped, maybe college is turning into a hassle, maybe you are about to graduate and don’t know what to do next. What God spoke to my heart that day was for me to take a step back and get the big picture. All too often we fall into the trap of letting certain circumstances bring us down or to the point of frustration. It might make you feel better just to know that I’ve been there. But even more beneficial is that God doesn’t want us to stay there. Looking at the big picture in my life God has done some incredible things. He showed me last week that He is not done with the work yet. 

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I’m convinced that the reason that we have those bad days, those unsatisfied moments with life, the uncertainty of the future, all boils down to a lack of trust, a lack of faith. In a world where so much hinges on the tangible, the real, we find ourselves crippled when the real becomes uncertain. Or on the opposite end of the spectrum, we find ourselves settling for less because it is reachable. 

God did not call us to settle. God did not call us to be empty broken vessels. Jesus lived, died, and was resurrected that we might live in the bountiful grace that He supplies, and the comfort of knowing that He has our best interest in mind. I’ll finish with some verses the apostle Paul writes from 2 Corinthians that give a practical approach to taking off the microscope that we put on our circumstances and moving towards a Godly vision. 

Rejoice in the fact that God comforts. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

“Blessed be the God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 

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In trusting God, the baton is passed from us to him. His comfort is much more knowable than anything that we can offer ourselves. What a peace to know that in our affliction God gives us His grace. 

Remember the fact that God changes. 

2 Corinthians 3:4-6:

“Such is the confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit.”

Trusting Jesus as your Savior is life changing (2 Corinthians 5:17, “For if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”). In the Christian life it is so important to remember that you have been changed. God gives us what we need to press on, to complete our goals. Our goodness is not an outflow of ourselves; it is an outflow of the grace of God within. Paul mentions the covenant of the letter (the law) because of the inability of all people to uphold it perfectly. It is only through the sufficiency of Jesus that the new covenant (of the Spirit) allows us to live in confidence and joy. Because we have access to this joy through Jesus, live it! Don’t be brought down by life’s negatives when the ultimate peace of Christ rests in your heart. 

Rely on the fact that God challenges. 

2 Corinthians 4:7-12, 16-18

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair, persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

It is through affliction that God often shapes us, molds us, and sanctifies us. Often life’s difficulties are looked at with resentment and remorse. Hold fast to the confidence that we have in faith that God will see us through. Though affliction may seem overbearing, the weight of it will never destroy when faith is rooted in Christ. He will provide. 

 Rest easy, the best is yet to come. We’ve only just begun. 

One Year of Philippians

"Ain't nobody got time for that!"
Sweet Brown’s phrase is heard often these days, and seems to be applied to just about anything and everything. But there are some things that definitely need to be given some time this year. A wise man (Barrett Bowden) once said, “Its hard to cook if you don’t have anything in the pantry.” For all you blogger chefs out there, you know this is true. Those days when you are frantically preparing an assortment of party dishes often turn into about 50 trips to the grocery store! Being ill-equipped only slows down the process.

By the way, if you have not seen this hilarious news interview click here

There are things in life that require a little prep time. Whether it is ironing clothes for the next day, catching up on a missed episode of the Bachelor, or packing a lunch, some things always take preparation precedence. There are other things such as reading the Bible, spending time in prayer, and memorizing scripture that often get pushed to the back of our prep list. So this year Will and I are proposing a challenge: memorizing a verse a week for the next 52 weeks. It sounds daunting; in fact, right now you are probably moving your curser towards the next blog on your reading list. But don’t change the channel just yet! This challenge may require some work, but it is guaranteed to change your life. It is all too easy to forget or overlook the reality that the Bible is the spoken word of God. It is how we know, love, and imitate Him. The tragedy is that so few spend quality time seeing and savoring the word of God. Our challenge presents a refreshing and challenging way to experience God in a new way that will leave you better equipped to serve Him and share His love with others.

That said, the verses for the challenge all can be found in the book of Philippians. Philippians is heartwarming, joyful, and reaches a theological depth that shines a brilliant light on the glory of Christ. In just four short chapters, Paul delivers a letter that is captivating and motivating. Paul wrote the letter of Philippians from a Roman jail cell, yet throughout the book his love and joy from knowing and serving Christ strongly outweighs any opposition or suffering. The message of Philippians can be summed up in one phrase: the furtherance of the Gospel. Paul’s mission for himself and for the church was and is telling the world about Jesus, through word and through action. Philippians without a doubt will force you to do a heart check in your commitment to following Christ. Knowing these verses will not only fill you with knowledge of who Christ is, but how to know, serve, and love Him. Whether you commit to learning these verses or just reading through the book, be encouraged by the bountiful grace that comes from knowing Christ. Only in Him will your life truly be blessed with fulfillment, purpose, and joy.

Click here to download free printable

The Interrupted Life

I actually wrote this back in February as an email to my Mom. I had been struggling with the fact that I had graduated college and hadn't been able to find a full-time job with the career that I wanted. Life wasn't going as I had so perfectly planned and I was frustrated and confused. I didn't understand "WHY" and questioned what I was doing wrong for a long time. I was reading through old emails today and found this one and it was a good reminder for myself of God's faithfulness and his perfect timing.

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Feb 2012: I started the book "Jonah" by Priscilla Shirer last night and I think it's just what I need. The first segment is talking about "the life interrupted." About how we feel like we get interruptions in OUR plans that we have for ourselves. She asked the question "How has your life been interrupted lately?" Obviously with me it's the fact that I can't find a job to save my life. MY plans were that I would graduate college and immediately find an awesome full time job at a hospital where I had the opportunity to move up within the company and that they would pay for my Master's too. I NEVER expected that 6 months after I graduated I would still be searching for a full time job. NEVER. I never thought it would be this hard. And I've really struggled with understand WHY I am having this much trouble. Why am I not good enough for someone at a hospital to even want to interview me? I know I'm smart enough to do these jobs, why can't employers see that? Is this not what I'm supposed to be doing? Throughout these 6 months I've really learned a lot about patience and being patient in God's perfect timing. I've also learned a lot about remaining faithful that God knows what He's doing! I'm learning to align myself and my plans with only God's plan and His will for my life. In the Bible study, Priscilla Shirer said that THE INTERRUPTED LIFE IS THE PRIVILEGED LIFE. We shouldn't see God's "interruptions" in our life as that, we should see them as divine interventions! It's not a negative interruption, it's a divine intervention. I need to yield to God and His plan...not my own plan. I know that God has a reason for making me wait 6+ months to find a job. And I can't wait to see what that reason is. Maybe it was just the simple reason to teach me patience and faithfulness. WHAT WILL I DO NOW THAT GOD HAS ALLOWED THERE TO BE AN INTERRUPTION IN MY PLAN?? Am I going to go where God leads me? God is giving me the opportunity to participate with Him in His plan for me. What a privilege! 

Priscila Shirer said: "God often sends us into the hopeless place because it's in the hopeless place that we can see the hope of God."

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Dec 2012: Well, here I am 10 months after writing that. I have a full-time job and, it's true, God's timing was perfect in orchestrating it. Earlier this year,Will had been serving as the youth pastor at a local church for just over a year when we felt God was calling us away. We struggled with the decision and had just decided to pray about it both separately and together until we felt a clear direction. I still wasn't working full-time and then with the additional insecurity of not knowing where or what we were going to do while Will finished up school... needless to say, we were worried. We didn't want to leave those youth we had grown to love so much. We finally decided together that we had committed to follow God's direction no matter where it takes us or what situations we come upon and we felt He was leading us to a growing church in Downtown Memphis who serves the downtown community and also the community of Mud Island. It was hard to say good-bye to the teenagers that we loved and that we saw 3+ a week. They had become our lives. Luckily we are in the same city so we can still see them every now and then! The exact week that we left that church, I got a full-time job. I don't know why I acted surprised at that timing. I know that God is in control and our obedience to him led me to that job. No, it's not my "dream job," but I've got a great boss and I know God has me here for a reason. 

I write all of this to say that even though I still pray for "my" hopes and dreams, I continue to have faith in God's timing and His hopes and dreams for my life. 

I think I've heard this verse so many times that I've forgotten the promise we have been given from God. No, this doesn't mean that we won't have hard times and struggles. But it does mean that all that we have in God is so much better than anything we could ever dream for ourselves. So when "our plans" don't go exactly as we thought they would, we should count it as a blessing that God has something so much better in mind for us.

Silence & Support for Sandy Hook

The tragedy that occurred on Friday breaks my heart. All of those sweet, innocent children. The bravery and protection of their teachers. The fear that they must have all faced. I can't even begin to imagine the heartache that those families feel or will continue to feel for years to come. The only thing that I know is that God is still God and He is still Good. We may never know why this happened and why those sweet babies had to be taken, but I just pray that the families turn to God for comfort and healing. I can just imagine those precious angels now walking on streets of gold in Paradise with the Savior. No more pain, no more fear, no more suffering. 

Charlotte Bacon, 6 years old

Daniel Barden, 7 years old

Rachel Davino, 29 years old

Olivia Engel, 6 years old

Josephine Gay, 7 years old

Ana M. Marquez-Greene, 6 years old

Dylan Hockley, 6 years old

Dawn Hochsprung, 47 years old

Madeleine F. Hsu, 6 years old

Catherine V. Hubbard, 6 years old

Chase Kowalski, 7 years old

Jesse Lewis, 6 years old

James Mattioli, 6 years old

Grace McDonnell, 7 years old

Anne Marie Murphy, 52 years old

Emilie Parker, 6 years old

Jack Pinto, 6 years old

Noah Pozner, 6 years old

Caroline Previdi, 6 years old

Jessica Rekos, 6 years old

Avielle Richman, 6 years old

Lauren Rousseau, 30 years old

Mary Sherlach, 56 years old

Victoria Soto, 27 years old

Benjamin Wheeler, 6 years old

Allison N. Wyatt, 6 years old

Holiday Perspective

Another gem from my hubby

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There’s no place like home for the holidays. That phrase has been heard and sung countless times, but it always rings true.

For me it has always been a halfway thought, because we have always been home or with family on Christmas. Today I realized how much I take that for granted.

I met J last year, he came to MABTS (Mid America Baptist Theological Seminary) for pastoral training all the way from India. J has had an extremely fruitful ministry in India but felt God calling him to MABTS for further ministry training and preparation for future ministry. He is one of the nicest guys I have ever met, soft spoken, humble, and always greets you with a smile. J left everything behind when he came to Mid America.

Since he has been here it has been clear how much he misses his family. He never hesitates to mention his children for prayer requests and always lights up when he speaks about his family.

About a month ago, J lost his father. Right in the middle of the school semester, J was unable to fly home for the funeral. I had not been able to talk to J about it much until today. I saw J leaving the library and we were taking about the thousands (or what feels like thousands) of pages we still had to write before the end of the semester. J asked me about Christmas shopping, and we talked about presents and what not for a while. Then I asked J if he was going home for Christmas. He looked sad as he answered yes, saying that he was going home. But for J this trip is not about presents and smiles. J looked at me and said he was going to visit his father’s grave, to poor out his grief over his tomb. He went on to say that being here while losing his father was the hardest thing he has ever faced, being alone with no family to cling to, no one to share in grief. As J spoke these words my heart melted. How could someone withstand the agony of such loss and be so far away. I could not imagine facing what J was describing to me. My mind raced with what to say next, searching for some way to even begin to comfort him, but as I looked back at J I saw hope in his eyes. He looked at me and simply said, “but God is good.”

Just a few words but so so profound. I was struck with the hard truth that so many of us live such comfortable lives never even wondering what true suffering is. J has left his home, his family, his friends all for the sake of the Gospel. He has turned his back to the things the so many of us take for granted in following the ministry to which he has been called. What J said to me was such a simple yet profound reminder that Jesus is worth it all. Everything that we have, everything that we think that we need, it all pales in comparison to the home that J is looking towards. I am reminded that Christ called us to suffer, that we never truly follow Him until we stop following ourselves.  I hope J reminds you today that the Christmas message is such a huge part of what we believe, but to take time to remember the cross. Remember that Christ gave up his life so that we might become righteous, that we might know Him.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Philippians 4:11b-13

“for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

Be grateful for what you have, whether it is time with family or just food on the table. But don’t let life’s comforts drive you, be led by where God is calling you. Be encouraged that we know and love and serve a mighty God, who has our best in mind. Remember that we are called to live by faith. There are those that look to the cross as foolishness, as simply a myth. But in what some call foolish, I will boast. Boast in His resurrection, in His life, in His sufferings. The cost of following Christ, is a cost worth paying.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

"For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

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Christmas Video

You have to see this AMAZING video. I could watch it over and over again and still be in awe! 

Come Thou long expected Jesus

Born to set Thy people free

From our fears and sins release us

Let us find our rest in Thee

Israel's strength and consolation

Hope of all the earth Thou art

Dear desire of every nation

Joy of every longing heart

Born Thy people to deliver

Born a child and yet a King

Born to reign in us forever

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring

By Thine own eternal spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone

By Thine all sufficient merit

Raise us to Thy glorious throne

What do you think?!

Joy Comes In The Morning

I asked Will to write another devotion again. I just LOVE when he writes. He inspires me daily and the things he write never cease to motivate me, encourage me, & remind me of Christ's love for us. If I haven't mentioned it enough, I am so proud of him.

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night shift. |nite shift| noun. 1. the time in which a person works at night. 2. a totally different animal than any other type of daytime job; a beast.

(excerpted from the Will dictionary)

There is something about those midnight hours that seem longer, colder, and uglier than the commonly dreaded nine to five workday. Every second that goes by your body reminds you that you should be dreaming of sunshine and rainbows, not steadily working the night away. I became acquainted with the night shift in the fall of 2009, at the fairgrounds of FedEx. Every night I would ride the bus over to our input, where thousands of containers were waiting to be unloaded. From the ceiling of the input hung old TV monitors which displayed two times: The first time displayed was the current time; the second was known as yellow time. Yellow time is the estimated time in which all of the flights with all of the containers that hold all of the boxes will have landed and been unloaded. Yellow time was subject to change, depending on flight delays and weather, but as real time approached yellow time, the yellow numbers would change to red. Red time meant no more estimations, but at this time all of the flights would be safely landed. Essentially, red time meant done time.  Around this time of year (Christmas) when more and more packages are shipped, yellow time has a bad habit of pushing farther and farther back. In my input, often as red time appeared we would let out a cry of rejoicing, knowing that we would soon be finished. Red time was what we longed for, it was the comfort that pushed us through the final minutes of the night, it was assurance of going home.

I will say that without a doubt the hardest part of the night shift was watching the yellow time change, when you realized that there was much more work to be done. But, no matter how long the delay, we knew that eventually red time would come. We always had those red numbers to keep us going when the going got tough. Red time marked the end of the night-the sunrise.

Psalm 130 describes a similar picture, a man waiting for his night shift to end. Longing to see the sunrise, knowing that rest is soon to follow- a watchman waiting for morning. Here the author is painting a picture of longing, of desperation, of the deepest desire to find rest.

            “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than a watchman waits for the morning, more than a watchman waits for the morning.”

Psalm 130 powerfully depicts the author’s pure desires to know the Lord. Waiting for His presence, for His grace, for His peace. He is simply, passionately, longing to spend time with God. It is such a beautiful picture of the relationship that we have with God in Christ--knowing that his word is our hope, that we can find rest in His comfort.

There are a lot of things that you can find hope in, or even temporary peace. Maybe you keep yourself extra busy, and the satisfaction of doing keeps you motivated. Perhaps you find peace in buying things, or friends, or relationships, or money. There is so much stuff marketed in our world to make life better, but it is all a false pursuit of happiness. You may think you’re catching a glimpse of the sunrise, but the reality is it’s just a guy holding a flashlight. TRUE joy, true ending of the night comes only from knowing Jesus. Our lives are completely empty without Him. In Psalm 130, the writer gives his reason for such hope and peace.

“Out of the depths I cry out to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you O Lord should mark iniquities, O Lord who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.”

The reality is we are all living in the night shift. The tragedy is that many of us are not longing for the sunrise. Living for the moment, you press on, hoping to gain what you can by being a good person, or helping others, or obtaining stuff. There is nothing wrong with any of these, but if you miss the point then it is empty.

“If you O Lord should mark iniquities, O Lord who could stand?”

This verse is humbling, eye opening, and life changing. We fall so short of God’s glory, yet almost every day we live to match up to it. We live so that others might think much of us, or be proud of us, or motivated by us. When, the truth is, we are nothing. We are filthy rags in the presence of an Almighty God. The only hope that we have is His forgiveness. Oh that we would recognize how much we need a Savior! We are in such a bad habit of overlooking our own depravity. We hold ourselves in high regard, overlooking the things that we do wrong and accountability for our actions. Without the forgiveness of sins we have nothing. Without Jesus, there is no forgiveness of sins. We are nothing apart from Christ; the question is why do we live like we are?

This is a time of year where focus is put on many things: time with family, presents, traveling, and great food. My encouragement to you is that aside from all those things you simply long for the presence of the Lord, that you would be reminded of the redemption found in Jesus. Philippians 2:5-7 reads,

            “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death by a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

I am constantly amazed at the love of God. I am constantly amazed by His forgiveness. I have a wonderful life with so many blessings. Great wife, great family, great dogs, but without Christ as my hope it all amounts to nothing. I am longing to see the sunrise. I am so thankful that Jesus is the red time in my life-I know that rest is coming. If you do anything this Christmas, I hope that you long to know Christ more. That you understand from His sufferings we gain life. This life is only the beginning. Joy comes in the morning. 

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Isn't he great? Sorry for the 3rd post in a day, but I just couldn't wait to post this! Merry Christmas!

Could We With Ink The Ocean Fill...

We have a Friday treat today! I asked Will to write something short for this post. When he spoke at the Glenmary Retirement Home a few weeks ago (mentioned here), he briefly talked about the old song "The Love of God" and I've had these words on my mind ever since. 

So many emotions come to mind when I read these words. The vastness of creation- the depth of the oceans, the length of the open sky- though breathtaking in their splendor, all pale in comparison to the overwhelming joy that's found in God's love. His love is beyond anything that we know, and yet it is so knowable. His love surrounds us, fills us, transforms us. Breathe in deep the love of God today and know that He is enough. He is the only one that fills our souls to satisfaction. So many people spend their lives searching for more, when all the while it's all around them. The beauty of the heavens is but a shadow of God's goodness. Through Jesus Christ we see with radiance God's love in full. Let Jesus fill your heart, your mind and your soul. And every time you look to creation, remember that the love of Christ is far more breathtaking. It is unmistakably everything we need.

Jesus Calling

By: Sarah Young

Have you read this book?? I just got it last week after hearing so many great things and I am enjoying loving it.

It is amazing how the devotion for each day seems to line up perfectly with what's going on in your life that day...weird even. The book is written as if Jesus Himself were speaking to you. 

It is perfect for someone who is already involved in a devotion because it's such a short (2 paragraph) reading for each days so it's to add on to what you're already involved in. It's also PERFECT for someone trying to start daily devotions/quiet times because it's so easy, short and simple so that makes the transition into spending time with God on a daily basis that much easier and that much BETTER. You'll probably find that after reading each day's entry, you want to read more into God's word and spend more time with Him everyday. I encourage you to order this book here and begin to read this book daily and BE ENCOURAGED by HIM.

Here's the devotion for October 15:

Try to stay conscious of Me as you go step by step through this day. My Presence with you is both a promise and a protection. my final statement just before I ascended into Heaven was: Surely I am with you always. That promise was for all of My followers, without exception.

The promise of My Presence is a powerful protection. As you journey through your life, there are numerous pitfalls along the way. Many voices clamor for your attention, enticing you to go their way. A few steps away from your true path are pits of self-pity and despair, plateaus of pride and self-will. If you take your eyes off Me and follow another's way, you are in grave danger. Even well-meaning friends can lead you astray if you let them usurp My place in your life. The way to stay on the path of Life is to keep your focus on Me. Awareness of My Presence is your best protection.

Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 12:1-2

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

I've been pestering Will for weeks to write a "guest post" on my blog. I was finally successful in bribing him with chicken spaghetti! I don't know if I'll ever want to write a post after his again, because he's such an amazing writer and mine just doesn't compare! I hope you enjoy his post as much as I do!

Direction. Since we left our home it had been the question that carried throughout the camp. We were safe now, but at times it felt as if we are still held captive by circumstances. There had been so much promised, so much seen; but our patience was wearing thin, and it seemed our time was running out. The journey seemed to be that of a lifetime, never knowing what the next day would bring, always hoping for the day of rest to come. 

But in this desert it is hard to find rest. The water is scarce and the food is always the same. The people grow weary, and understandably so. The thirst. The thirst is almost unbearable. A dry mouth and cracked lips have led only to a dry and cracked spirit. Why must we persist this desert? Why must we suffer after suffering for so long? 

So many questions we ask, so many answers we long to find. We cry out , "WHY?," but there is no response. I myself search the sky for a response, an answer of hope in this desolate place. Looking towards the mountain, my eyes are drawn towards something, something I have not noticed in days. The cloud stands in stark contrast to the deep blue sky, a threatening whirlwind encircling the tent. Strange how things so extraordinary become mundane in this painful life. 

I find myself filled with the desire to return to our former home, at least there we were fed, at least there we had strength. 

In the midst of the cloud and my whirlwind of thoughts, doubting the reason for everything I know, a feeling grips my soul. It is a feeling I've felt before, but it has been some time. Closing my eyes I breathe deep the desert air, and a fresh breeze that wasn't there before. I open my eyes to see the cloud, the great whirlwind, moving across the desert sky. Shouts break out around the camp as families and tribes begin to gather their things. 

The cloud. The presence of God. The reason we are here. In this desert hours seem like days, making it easy to lose track of time and thought. But in this moment, as the cloud begins to move, I am taken aback at the fresh reminder. The Lord is moving us towards His promise. He is our guide, He is our shepherd. Were it not for Him our lives would be worthless, but His promise brings us hope. Chills run down my back as the whirlwind flows across the plains. The voice of Moses pulls my attention away saying, "We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said 'I will give it to you.' Come with us..."

Numbers 9-10, though I have taken some liberties with the text, provides an incredible reminder of the importance of following God's leadership. Though the Israelites found themselves in many a tight spots, they never found themselves alone, but were constantly led by the presence of the Lord. Yes the Israelites made a few mistakes. Even after seeing miraculous works of the Almighty God, they did manage to get some things right. They knew that God was leading them to the Promise Land, and they knew that they had to follow his presence. Numbers 9:23, "At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord the set out." The Israelites never knew how long each stage of the journey would be (Num 9:22), but one thing they did know. The only way to get to where God was taking them was to follow Him. 

We have to reach the place in our relationship with Christ where we become totally dependent on His presence. Ironically enough we live in a "self made" society, the notion that greatness and success comes from the individual. In other words, we are who we are because we made ourselves that way. We desperately need to be reminded day after day that we are simply heading towards what God has promised us. This life is not about making ourselves great, but making Him great. How do we do that? Forsaking the preconceived idea to follow our "dreams" and beginning on the journey of following the presence of God. Without His presence we are doing nothing but wandering around in the desert searching for answers. The comfort we find in all of this is that God holds true to His promises. He will lead you in the right direction. He will take you to your destination. 

In my own life I constantly struggle with where to go next. How to take the next step, how to solve the next problem. This usually brings me to Stress City, as I begin to weigh out all the obstacles and questions that I have for the future. Thankfully, God did not call me to be a problem solver, He called me to be obedient. We are simply called to walk in His presence. Don't get caught up in the little issues that drive you crazy or cause you to worry, rest in the presence of the Almighty. Seek His Spirit and His grace. 

Read Numbers 9-10. Be encouraged, be obedient.