living Hope

stories

2012-02-04T20:39:00.000-08:00

As far back as I can remember, I have always loved a good story. Whether it was read or told by heart, I was all ears. All imagination. All interest. Open heart drinking it all in, eating it all up. Still digesting.

Perhaps it is my being Northern Irish that has to do with this love for a good story. I would not be surprised if one of my first sentences as a child was - "Tell me a story!" And tell me stories they did. Parents. Grand parents (whose sleeves were the fullest). Guests visiting our home. Missionaries coming through our home. Strangers stopping by. Anybody and everybody - "Tell me a story!!!" I would sit, captivated by the tales they had to tell. All different kind of tales - from the funny to the fascinating, from the scary to the sad. Words woven, relations relating past realities that would inspire, make me want to inquire. Narratives of courage and care, that would dare me to be someone, to do something, just like they had been someone, done something. Memories of life and love that would compel me, propel me to live and love. After all, don't those two things go hand in hand? Life, holding, helping hands in love.

So, there I sat. Wee British girl, enthralled, at the feet of whoever was willing to share. Growing up collecting people's stories. Growing up because of other people's stories. Many of my own memories, remembering their memories.

Stories. Words about life, words of life, living legacies.

But, it's definitely more than my being Northern Irish; it is my being a child of God that makes me appreciate good stories still now. All thanks to the grace of Jesus Christ, I am a child of God. And as His child, I have loved His story. He has told it to me over and over again from His Word, and I never tire of it, always desire more of it. Like the New Testament letter says, "Crave the pure, spiritual milk of God's Word, that by it you may grow - if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good." Oh, I have tasted and seen that He is good. So good. Too good. And I want more of His Words, for they tell me about Him, "the Word from the beginning, who became flesh, who made His dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth".

And the reality of His incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection and glorification is the best story of all. And how glad I am that this story is fact, not fiction - that we, sinful-selfish-souls, can be forgiven and reconciled, and invited into His glory story.

Our filthy rags for Christ's robe of righteousness is the first great exchange. The second - our futile, boring mini-dramas that are passing away for God's glory story that is from everlasting to everlasting. He made the stars; He is the Star. And we are part of the cast; we are the choir in the soundtrack of this spanning, stretching story. Though seemingly small, we must remember that we are not, because His hands are infinitely big and busy weaving together a marvelous story of redemption. We only get to "see in part" on earth, and these parts may seem minute and mysterious at times. But of this we can be sure - how the story culminates. People from all around the world uniting with the angels above, crying out - “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Until that day, that glorious forever-day, we have the riveting role of being His servants on earth. Act one, two and three, etc. - love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our script - the Good News of so great a salvation to all people.

Oh, let us listen to stories. Oh, let us be good Story-tellers.

prayer & paradox

2012-01-27T10:42:00.000-08:00

Perfect God,
"Not that I loved you, but that You loved me."
These words of Your's continually cause hope to swell up in my heart,
to overflow out of my life into others.
Your love is so undeserved, yet unreserved.

Lord, help me to always love others like You have loved me.
Graciously. Generously. Gladly.

This is Your intended way -
that You bless us so that we can bless others;
that it is more blessed to give than to receive;
that in service, we are most free;
that in surrender, we are most secure;
that in the losing, is the finding of life;
that being rich in mercy is true treasure;
that helplessness precedes hopefulness;
that humility ushers in victory;
that grace generates good works;
that Your beauty shines through the broken;
that You oppose the proud,
but give grace to the humble.

Help me walk in Your wonderful, full-of-wonder way,
because You are worthy.

All this - from You, by You, for You.

In Jesus' name,
let it be.

He is my strength, my song and my salvation.

2011-09-18T12:50:00.000-07:00

He has redeemed a choir unto Himself, and there are 10,000 reasons to sing.

Let His beloved unite in grateful anthem,
for He is the loveliest lyric there is.

Jesus colours life.

2011-09-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

"Vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?" Aren't Solomon's words sometimes our own sighs during early morning commutes when it's still dark outside and the caffeine hasn't kicked in yet?

It is then, as Christians, we must remember Paul's encouragement that is far stronger than a cuppa caffeine, for it feeds the soul - "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain."

Good thing, there is a 'therefore' at the start of that verse, lest it seem like a trite command to grin and bear it. Thankfully, what precedes this command are words of hope - a bright reality that enables us to obey the command to endure and abound always. "For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

So, is life vain or is it not? Well, the answer to that age-old question entirely depends on whether or not we know the One who breathed life into our lungs with our first birth, and who can make alive our souls forever with the great, second birth.

I have been having this reoccurring epiphany over the past few months, that - it is the reality of the Gospel - being chosen, loved, forgiven and transformed by our merciful and mighty God - that redeems the raw realities of life on earth. It is the intentional correlation between our thrilling theology and our work ethic. It is realizing Whose we are that gives worth to who we are, meaning to what we do, significance to where we are and purpose to who we are with. It is understanding that only who we are in Christ determines the importance of what we'll do and the influence we'll have. It is tasting the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ, the life of the Spirit, having an Abba in heaven, that is our joy in every place. And so, depending on the depth and delight of our relationship with Him, our day-to-day duties can either be a blessing or a bore.

In passing from death to life in Christ, we have also gone from vanity to victory, from futility to fruitfulness. Let us, therefore, go on brightening the corner where we are. Onward in joy, Christians - God is with us; God is good.

2011-08-19T11:56:00.000-07:00

no matter what,
the Christian can always say:

it is well

because God (Whose we are) is
extremely merciful and gracious,
always good and faithful,
ever powerful and sovereign,
all-knowing and completely wise,
strong and sweetly sufficient

in every season.

sure, we may not always feel swell,
but the fact is that we are well.

"return to rest, o my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you."
psalm 116 v. 7

'things are looking up' when you look up

2011-08-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

God calls His children to remembrance, to propel them forward in faith. Or as Amy Carmichael so perfectly puts it -

The Lord is always kind,
Be not blind,
Be not blind
To the shining of His face,
To the comforts of His grace.
Hath He ever failed thee yet?
Never, never: wherefore fret?
O fret not thyself, nor let
Thy heart be troubled,
Neither let it be afraid.

Look back at His faithfulness; look forward in faith.

2011-08-15T16:27:00.000-07:00

"Be still and know that I am God."
Psalm 46 v. 10

Have a listen to this Psalm sung.

2011-08-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

"Loved with everlasting love, led by grace that love to know;
Gracious Spirit from above, Thou hast taught me it is so!
O this full and perfect peace! O this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.

Heav’n above is softer blue, Earth around is sweeter green!
Something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen;
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow, flowers with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine.
Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine."
- George W. Robinson, 1876

2011-08-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.

[Lyrics by Robert Grant]

2011-08-02T22:02:00.000-07:00

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1

His love is undeserved, yet unreserved. Oh, the glory of it!

sing a new song

2011-06-07T14:48:00.000-07:00

Surprise, surprise - it's another quote from Spurgeon. But you know, what he says never gets redundant or becomes irrelevant, because he was in the business of making much of our blessed and victorious Saviour who ever liveth. So, I share this particular excerpt from his Morning and Evening in hopes that its bright truth resonates as deeply with you, as with me. It is as if this is one of those culminating entries in my journal - only Spurgeon wrote it for me decades ago in England.

This makes me think about how people like to label other people and themselves. "Well you know, he is the glass is half empty kind of person, while I try to see the glass as half full." Or "I really ought to see the glass as half full, but I just can't help myself." Or... etc. I'm sure you've heard this phrase, perhaps even used it yourself. Well, I propose that for the child of God, the glass is neither half fall nor half empty; it is over-flowing. My cup runneth over with moment-to-moment mercies.

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

2011-04-13T12:10:00.000-07:00

Spring is here in all its fresh glory, and the world is becoming more colourful, one flower at a time, over time. This season the Great Gardener has been teaching me patience through His natural revelation and Special Revelation.

It was just about the same time that I read this quote {below} when I noticed tight, tiny bulbs of green appearing on the rose bushes outside my door. I knew that colours were coming, and spring was humming about pretty petals and sweet smells. But I had to wait. And wait I did, with a camera in hand and excited anticipation in heart. Days passed, and the buds began their slow unfolding. Days passed, and the buds began to blossom. Days passed, and now they are blooming big.

"Cease meddling with God's plans and will. You touch anything of His, and you mar the work. You may move the hands of a clock to suit you, but you do not change the time; so you may hurry the unfolding of God's will, but you harm and do not help the work. You can open a rosebud, but you spoil the flower. Leave all to Him. Hands down. Thy will, not mine." - Stephen Merrit {Streams in the Desert}

Jehovah Jireh

2011-03-09T16:17:00.000-08:00

The Lord provides,
in every way,
all the time.

psalm one hundred and three

2011-02-28T20:17:00.000-08:00

My faith is so small sometimes, and Jesus sadly says to me, 'O you of little faith'. I am sad and sorry, and I feel silly, because to have little faith in the perfectly faithful One is not only pathetic, but also preposterous. From eternity past He has proven Himself perfectly faithful, down to the details. He has performed great deliverances for His children, ever since Israel became a nation. He has guided and guarded the feet of His people through waterless wildernesses and vicious valleys. Then He made a way for us sinners to be rescued from darkness and redeemed to light.

He has forgiven all our iniquities,
redeemed our life from destruction,
crowned us with loving-kindness and tender mercies,
satisfied our mouth with good things,
and renewed us
time and time again.

Yet still, I forget His benefits, and let my faith falter, and I am ashamed for that. I beg His pardon and plead for help - that He would increase my faith, to match His faithfulness - that my faith would be steadfast because the Object of my faith is perfectly steadfast, that my faith would be joyful because the Object of my faith is abundantly kind, that my faith would be hopeful because the Object of my faith is the God of all hope, that my faith would be sure because the Object of my faith is truthful and trustworthy, that my faith would be big because the Object of my faith is almighty, that my faith would be patient because the Object of my faith is timely, that my faith would be liberating because the Object of my faith is wise, that my faith would be calm because the Object of my faith is sweetly sovereign, that my faith would be brave because the Object of my faith is very, very great, that my faith would be humble because the Object of my faith is worthy of all praise.

This is my prayer, yet He has humbled me enough times for me to know that these resolutions will be broken in some way or another. My faith will falter and fail sometimes, because I am fallen and finite. But what I will cling to in these failures is Him - Him Who falters not and fails not. If I am unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny who He is. 2 Timothy 2:13

He knows my frame, and remembers that I am dust.
But His mercy to me is from everlasting to everlasting.
Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise His holy name for that.

ruby windows and clean clothes

2011-02-11T22:40:00.000-08:00

"Happy are you, my soul, if you know that God looks through Jesus' wounds on You, and through those wonderful ruby windows sees you so changed and beautiful that He can say, 'Thou art all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee.'" - S. Spurgeon

"And all our righteous acts are like filthy rags." [Isaiah 64:6]

"We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." [Ephesians 1:7]

"I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness." [Isaiah 61:10]

God calls for a wardrobe change before we can enter His heaven - a drastic wardrobe change. Thankfully, He supplies the clothes and does the dressing - on one condition, that we take off our filthy rags... all of them. Then, He can dress us in that gorgeous gown, that costly, gorgeous gown, purchased by His Son, years ago on Calvary Hill. Oh, what a glorious, undeserved exchange. And as if it couldn't get any better, it does! Not only are we given clean clothes, but also an invitation to an eternal banquet with the King. Those of us dressed in His clothes will dine with Him around a table, with Him on His throne at the head of it. Next to Him will be His Son, who paid for us all to enter this celebration. There will be fullness of joy forevermore, because God's steadfast love endures.

I know heaven has streets of gold, and walls of jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, and emerald; perhaps there will be ruby windows too.

His/tory

2011-02-07T11:06:00.000-08:00

I am currently reading a tremendous book by Nancy Leigh DeMoss called Lies Women Believe (and the Truth That Sets Them Free). If you are a woman, I implore you to find this book and get going immediately. It is a no-nonsense, practical, powerful read. Page by page, lies that we believe are uncovered and replaced with transforming truths.

This excerpt really struck me in a chapter engaging the lie, "It's all about you."

"History is the story of redemption. This story is much bigger than I. I am not the main character in the drama of redemption. I am not the point. But by God's grace I am part of it. My subplot is integral to the whole. It is far more significant to have a small part in this story than to star in my own puny production. This is a cosmic story that will run throughout eternity. Will I play my part with grace and joy, or will I go for the short-run, insignificant story that really has no point?"
- Susan Hunt

Jesus said, "Know the truth, and the truth will set you free." What's the truth? The truth is that you and I were purposefully created to live for His grand, gorgeous glory, to enjoy His excellence, to worship His wonderful worth. Unless we are doing so, we are not really, truly living; rather we are dead and disillusioned, in bondage to our-sinful-selves. We"-can't-get-no sat-is-faction" like the Rolling Stones sang, when we are living for ourselves, because we are fallen and finite, and made for more, a marvelous more. Perhaps the greatest lie each of us live by is that "it's about me". It's actually not! Look around, creation sings His song. Look back, redeemed saints sang His song. Look ahead, everybody will bow the knee and acknowledge their Creator. Better to face the fact sooner than later, that it's all about God, knowing Him, praising Him, enjoying Him. [This reconciled relationship made possible through His Son, the Saviour.]

Reality is ironic sometimes -
like how living as His servant is where true freedom is found.

food for thought

2011-01-24T18:26:00.000-08:00

we all have to eat. every single one of us. that is one of the indisputable facts that unites mankind on every continent. it doesn't matter whether you are dining around a pretty table with fine china, or sitting in a circle on the floor sharing wooden bowls. and it doesn't matter whether you use a fork, a set of chopsticks, or your hands. you could be in a crowded restaurant, a little café, or the comfort of your home. whatever the case, wherever you go, people eat. you eat. i eat.

now this whole idea of eating can seem like a very matter-of-fact, mundane part of life. our bodies need nutrition to function, so we eat. it's an old fact of life, from the beginning of humanity. yet, have you ever considered that eating could have been made a very boring activity, done just for the sake of survival? all i have to say is - praise God it isn't.

i am so delighted that God created taste buds, and gave thousands and thousands of them to each person. and i am so glad that He created flavours too. all kinds of delicious flavours. strong, spicy, rich, and colourful flavours. flavours that combine and clash, to make eating interesting. these taste buds and those flavours make eating a pleasure. God didn't have to make it that way, but He did. so whether we eat (or whatever we do), let us do it for the glory of God.

that being said, think before you eat. think about God's culinary creativity, and praise Him for your food. savour that steak, suck on that sweet, enjoy that enchilada, relish that rice, taste that tangerine... and worship God.

2011-01-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

"I would have despaired
unless I had believed
that I would see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD."

[Psalm 27:13-14]

living colour

2011-01-03T17:30:00.000-08:00

When I walk through the door of my house, these old photographs welcome me home.

What may appear as just a collection of old, black and white photographs to you are not just any old photographs to me, but rather the memory of colourful people. They have been carried carefully by my mum from Northern Ireland and Scotland, to the east and west coast of the States.

They are the faces of my family through the generations, some who have gone before me, some who live across the ocean, some who are still with me. They are stories to be told, and told again. They are people to be remembered and revered. They are lives to learn about and learn from.

I'm sure you have old, black and white photographs in your house too. Maybe they are in some nice frames, or maybe they are hiding somewhere in a box. Wherever they are, don't just let them collect dust. Don't imagine the lives of those in them as black and white either, but rather colourful and important. Go look at them, ask about them, listen, and learn from them.

in feast or fallow

2011-01-02T15:53:00.000-08:00

have a listen...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR15L9aBvAo

in feast or fallow
words and lyrics by sandra mccracken

when the fields are dry, and the winter is long
blessed are the meek, the hungry, the poor
when my soul is downcast, and my voice has no song
for mercy, for comfort, i wait on the Lord

in the harvest feast or the fallow ground,
my certain hope is in Jesus found
my lot, my cup, my portion sure
whatever comes, we shall endure.
whatever comes, we shall endure

on a cross of wood, His blood was out-poured
He Rose from the ground, like a bird to the sky
bringing peace to our violence, and crushing death's door
our Maker incarnate, our God who provides.

come, oh come, Emman- u- el
come, oh come, Emman- u- el

when the earth beneath me crumbles and quakes
not a sparrow falls, nor a hair from my head
without His hand to guide me, my shield and my strength
in joy or in sorrow, in life or in death.

humbling humility

2010-12-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

The official holiday of Christmas has officially passed. The 25th of December has come and gone, again. The decorations are being put away, one by one. The leftover sweets of the season are being eaten, one by one. The lights are going out, one by one. Sorry folks, no more jolly tunes or rockin' around the tree until next winter. If you missed your chance under the mistletoe, I'm afraid you have about fifty weeks to wait. Farewell Frosty the Snowman and adios Santa Claus. Poinsettias, it was nice seeing you all, but have a good break. Cadbury Chocolate, you have delighted our taste-buds once again, but please, I beg you, leave us alone while we make our New Year's resolutions to not eat you after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The happy holiday high is over for many. The glitz n glam is gone. Hey, it was fun while it lasted. Right? Now, it's back to work/back to school. Those rosy cheeks have paled. That sparkle in your eye has disappeared. Those cheery spirits have dropped... low. The shops have successfully sucked you in and spat you out, and now you're just waiting for a New Year's drink, or two, or three.

Regardless of how one may feel at this present time, there is hope. Very real and certain hope. His name is Jesus Christ. Christmas comes every year to remind us about how He came, and why He came into this world. And this ain't just a nice story, folks. Neither is it a tall tale or a Christmas carol. It is the truth. The most humbling and hopeful truth of all time/for all time.

The how is humbling.

"Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up his divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave, and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross." {Philippians}

In other words, God left His golden throne for a wooden manger. He left the constant praise of angels for the cries of cattle in a crowded barn. Later on, that wood made a cruel cross on which He hung for hours, and those cries in the barn became cries on a hill called Calvary, mocking cries from proud people, jeering at the humble Messiah. From adored king, to suffering servant. From Creator, to Saviour.

The why is hope.

"And you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." {Matthew 1:21}

"When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. We rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation." {Romans)

"He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed." {Isaiah 53:5}

In other words, Jesus Messiah came to die, so that we might live. He conquered death, so that we might live. He was wounded, so that we might be healed (of the disease of our sin). He paid the debt and printed the receipt that God's justice demanded. Through our humble repentance and trust in His perfect sacrifice on our behalf, a holy God becomes a faithful Father. In a sentence, He came to rescue us from our sin and restore us to a relationship with the great God of the universe.

Humble yourself, because He humbled Himself. Then, and only then, will you have joy and peace that will last you all year-round.

a wet, wild wonder

2010-12-23T15:44:00.000-08:00

I've always loved rain, but now I love it even more after reading this.

The Great Work of God: Rain
A Thanksgiving Meditation

November 19, 1998 | by John Piper

"But as for me, I would seek God, And I would place my cause before God; Who does great and unsearchable things, Wonders without number. He gives rain on the earth, And sends water on the fields." {Job 5:8-10}

If you said to someone: "My God does great and unsearchable things; He does wonders without number," and they responded, "Really? Like what?" would you say, "Rain"?

When I read these verses recently I felt like I did when I heard the lyrics to a Sonny and Cher song in 1969: "I'd live for you. I'd die for you. I'd even climb the mountain high for you." Even? I would die for you. I would even climb a high mountain for you? The song was good for a joke. Or a good illustration of bad poetry. Not much else.

But Job is not joking. "God does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number." He gives rain on the earth." In Job's mind, rain really is one of the great, unsearchable wonders that God does. So when I read this a few weeks ago, I resolved not to treat it as meaningless pop musical lyrics. I decided to have a conversation with myself (= meditation).

Is rain a great and unsearchable wonder wrought by God? Picture yourself as a farmer in the Near East, far from any lake or stream. A few wells keep the family and animals supplied with water. But if the crops are to grow and the family is to be fed from month to month, water has to come on the fields from another source. From where?

Well, the sky. The sky? Water will come out of the clear blue sky? Well, not exactly. Water will have to be carried in the sky from the Mediterranean Sea, over several hundred miles and then be poured out from the sky onto the fields. Carried? How much does it weigh? Well, if one inch of rain falls on one square mile of farmland during the night, that would be 27,878,400 cubic feet of water, which is 206,300,160 gallons, which is 1,650,501,280 pounds of water.

That's heavy. So how does it get up in the sky and stay up there if it's so heavy? Well, it gets up there by evaporation. Really? That's a nice word. What's it mean? It means that the water sort of stops being water for a while so it can go up and not down. I see. Then how does it get down? Well, condensation happens. What's that? The water starts becoming water again by gathering around little dust particles between .00001 and .0001 centimeters wide. That's small.

What about the salt? Salt? Yes, the Mediterranean Sea is salt water. That would kill the crops. What about the salt? Well, the salt has to be taken out. Oh. So the sky picks up a billion pounds of water from the sea and takes out the salt and then carries it for three hundred miles and then dumps it on the farm?

Well it doesn't dump it. If it dumped a billion pounds of water on the farm, the wheat would be crushed. So the sky dribbles the billion pounds water down in little drops. And they have to be big enough to fall for one mile or so without evaporating, and small enough to keep from crushing the wheat stalks.

How do all these microscopic specks of water that weigh a billion pounds get heavy enough to fall (if that's the way to ask the question)? Well, it's called coalescence. What's that? It means the specks of water start bumping into each other and join up and get bigger. And when they are big enough, they fall. Just like that? Well, not exactly, because they would just bounce off each other instead of joining up, if there were no electric field present. What? Never mind. Take my word for it.

I think, instead, I will just take Job's word for it. I still don't see why drops ever get to the ground, because if they start falling as soon as they are heavier than air, they would be too small not to evaporate on the way down, but if they wait to come down, what holds them up till they are big enough not to evaporate? Yes, I am sure there is a name for that too. But I am satisfied now that, by any name, this is a great and unsearchable thing that God has done. I think I should be thankful - lots more thankful than I am.

Grateful to God for the wonder of rain,

Pastor John

By John Piper. © Desiring God.

an alliteration of hope

2010-11-04T21:37:00.000-07:00

He redeems.
"He redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with love and compassion."
psalm 103:4

He restores.
"He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake."
psalm 23:3

He renews.
"those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength."
isaiah 40:31

He refreshes.
"come to Me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you."
matthew 11:28

four great truths starting with the same letter. fancy that!

never underestimate

2010-10-09T23:30:00.001-07:00

The disciples didn't know what to do with the large hungry crowd. There were just too many people, and too little food. Not to mention, it had been a very long day. "Let's just send them home," they decided.

They had forgotten Who they were with, though. Five loaves and two small fish don't pose a problem to God incarnate. In fact, this lack of food proposes a grand opportunity for Him to showcase His deity through a marvelous act of power and compassion. Jesus cannot and will not be intimidated. He is God. The God Who had made absolutely everything out of nothing, could surely make something great out of something small. The God Who filled their lungs with air, was also going to fill their stomachs.

So, Jesus vetoes His disciples' decision to send the hungry people home hungry. That will just not do. "Bring them here to Me," He says. God in Christ had yet.another.miracle up His sleeve. He takes the five loaves and two fish, and makes a feast of it. So much so, that every single person was satisfied.

A very dismal dinnertime beginning had a happy ending, after all. That, my friends, is how God works. "He does immeasurably more than all we can imagine."

Don't you think the faithless twelve felt ashamed about their initial lack of faith as they gathered up the baskets of l e f t o v e r s ?

life is a lot like music

2010-09-29T21:37:00.000-07:00

Just like music, life's got rhythm. Sometimes it's steady; other times it's syncopated. Just like music, life's got its major, and minor notes too. There is dissonance and harmony, played just a few notes apart. Just like music, life's got times for a solo, and other times for a duet. And just like music, life's got different tempos. Some measures are adagio, others presto.

Everybody talks about life being bittersweet. Bitter and sweet. Sweet and bitter. The older I get, the more real this reality becomes, the more personal it gets. There certainly are major and minor notes 'played in the same measures' of life that sober me up and bring me to His throne of grace, where there is always a song to sing.

These words from the Valley of Vision are perfect. They speak of that which causes the sad heart to sing, and the happy heart to sing some more, and that is His grace.

"O Lord, forever will Thy free forgiveness live
that was gained on the mount of blood;
In the midst of a world of pain
it is a subject for praise in every place,
a song on earth, an anthem in heaven,
its love and virtue knowing no end.
I have a longing for the world above
where multitudes sing the great song,
for my soul was never created to love
the dust of earth.

Though here my spiritual state is frail and poor,
I shall go on singing Calvary's anthem.
May I always know
that a clean heart full of goodness
is more beautiful than the lily,
that only a clean heart can sing by night
and by day,
that such a heart is mine when I abide
at Calvary."

adopted for life, forever

2010-09-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

Meet the Smith family. They once described themselves to me as the three flavours of Neapolitan ice cream. Isn't that sweet? It's Mr. Vanilla (TJ), Mrs. Strawberry (Karen), and Miss Chocolate (Chaya). Just like the ice cream, they are each great on their own, but even better together.

http://www.lukasvandyke.com/?p=5190

Beautiful little Chaya is from India, and just recently became an official part of the Smith trio. After many long months of court-dates and confusion, prayers and paperwork, Chaya's adoption has finally been finalized. Love never gave up, and perseverance has paid off! Chaya was once an orphan, but is now a child... the daughter, of two wonderful parents, who will provide for her, love her, and lead her well in this life.

I have come to love this photo below because of what it represents. See the trust that Chaya has, because her father's hands are ready for her. See the gladness of her soul, all over her face. See how carefree she is. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what it looks like to be a beloved child.

http://www.lukasvandyke.com/?p=5190

All of this is but a depiction of the most glorious adoption of all... into God's international family, for eternal life.

How marvelous to know that because of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, I have God as my Father today and every tomorrow to come... straight into eternity. Today, I am happy at the thought of so secure an adoption. Today, I am humble at the thought of so undeserved an adoption. And every day my Father reminds me that this adoption ought to change how I live every day. Little old rebellious me, adopted by big, kind, exalted He.
Thank You, Jesus.

the best 'but' in the Bible

2010-09-22T22:32:00.000-07:00

To my great delight, I have discovered that my old friend, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, had a wife, Susannah Spurgeon. And she wrote beautifully, just like he did. And she prayed fervently, just like he did. And she made much of her Saviour, just like he did. (They are hands-down my favourite couple in history.)

This prayer of her's dates back to the 1800's. Yet, all these centuries later, it is my up-to-date plea. And I am comforted, because He heard her then, and He hears me now.

"Not that we loved God, BUT that He loved us."
- 1 John 4:10

"As precious balm, so came these blessed words into my dull and aching heart. Dear Lord, I thank You for them; You have taken them from Your own Book, and spoken them to me with Your living, loving voice, and they have quickened me.

I have brought to You, with shame and sorrow, a hard and insensible heart; I could only groan out before You my utter lack of both faith and feeling. The very desire to love you seemed to lie fettered ad powerless within me, only an occasional struggle revealing its bare existence. Then, Lord, while I knelt in Your presence, with bowed head and troubled spirit - tears and sighs my only prayers - You whispered those sweet words in my ear and they brought light and liberty to my captive soul. Blessed be Your dear Name for this glorious deliverance! It is not my poor, cold, half-hearted love that is to satisfy and comfort me; but Your love great and full, and free, and eternal as Yourself! Surely, I had known this before, Lord; but I had shut myself up in unbelief till, in Your sweet mercy, You spoke the word that released me from my chains, opened my prison doors, and let me out into the sunshine of true peace in believing.

'Not that we loved God.' No, and that is the sad wonder and mystery of the unrenewed life, Dearest Master. Not to have loved you, is our greatest guilt and shame. It is even worse than this with us, for we were enemies, by wicked works, to Him who claimed the most ardent and grateful love of our souls; we had put ourselves in an attitude of defiance against our Best Friend; or if not openly defiant, we were totally forgetful of Him to whom our heart's allegiance was justly due. "Not that we loved God." Ah, dearest Lord, you know how deeply, sadly true this was of me, and how I mourn over the years spent without love to You, and at a distance from You. O hard heart, O blind eyes, O poor dull sluggish soul, that could be unmindful of the strivings of God's Spirit, could deliberately neglect the pleadings of a Saviour's love, and see no beauty in One who is 'altogether lovely'!

'But that He loved us.' Here is a blessed contrast, here is the antidote for sin's sting, here is light after darkness, hope after despair, life after death! Lord, my soul flings itself on this glorious fact, this saving truth as a drowning man seizes upon a life-belt thrown to him in the surging sea. If You do not love me and lift me, I must perish forever. But there is no question of sinking when Jesus saves, no fear of losing life when He loves.

O my Lord, how I thank You for this precious word upon which You have caused me to hope! Now all the day long, my heart shall sing over the safety and blessedness of being freely loved, instead of fretting about the sad lack of my poor love to You. 'Not that we loved God' is darkness and bitterness, 'but that He loved us' is light and pardon, peace and everlasting life."
Amen, in Jesus' name.

how many times can you say 'sun' in one sentence?

2010-09-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

some 'food for thought' that i've been chewing since the sunday sermon feast in the book of ecclesiastes...

you can't live 'under the sun' without knowing the God 'above the sun' through Jesus who came 'under the sun' to make this necessary relationship possible.

when you just don't feel like it

2010-09-14T14:38:00.001-07:00

... do it, anyways.

let's be honest, my generation, myself included, suffers from a serious epidemic of laziness. it's a dangerous little devil, disguising itself as procrastination, and showing up inconveniently at home, school, and work. his partner in crime is poor work ethic. they go everywhere together. but they always have an excuse, the most popular being: "i just don't feel like it/or i just don't feel up to it." does that get them off the hook? are they excused? i don't thinks so!

frankly, 'how we feel' doesn't matter all the time. we're not always going to want do what we have to do or ought to do. for that reason, we can't live based on our feelings.

it doesn't take a rocket-scientist to figure out that responsibility doesn't always equal pleasure. but it always does equal privilege. think about it. having a family, having a job, having an education, having... anything for that matter, is a privilege. things given to us. things we don't deserve.

granted, responsibility isn't always the most exciting thing in the world. the average person doesn't exclaim, "yippeeeee! it's time to do my homework. i've been craving some textbook reading since the moment i woke up." or "man, i just can't wait to pay my bills!" or "phew, just home from a long day at work, but i can hardly wait to get started on my household chores."

so, what are we to do when doing the dishes and finishing our homework don't give us the thrills? or when serving our families, helping our friends, and ministering to people takes time and energy, both of which are in scarce supply? here's what we are to do - do the dishes, finish our homework, serve our families, help our friends, and minister, anyways!

frankly, all of these things don't require your emotional cooperation to be done. it's called obedience to God. it's called good old-fashioned perseverance. it's called "all things are possible through Christ".

now before you think, i'm advocating a joyless, dutiful, forget-your-dreams, grin-and-bear-it sort of living, i am not. (far from it!) life is a wonderful gift from God, and in Christ, we live it as a beautiful act of sweet surrender and joyful service to Him, Who makes even the mundane meaningful and the impossible, possible. but what i am saying, is that life, these post-fall days, is bound to be monotonous at points. sorry to break it to you, but the alarm clock will not be our most favourite noise, nor the commute to work our favourite ride, nor the ministry easy. some days, you'll feel up to it; other days you won't.

regardless, He calls us to a routine faithfulness, and will provide the ability for the calling. so, let's get going, and get to it in a spirit of prayer. and heed the wise c.s. lewis. "don't bother much about your feelings," or we'll not do much of anything.

morning meditations

2010-09-07T23:13:00.000-07:00

school has begun again. and we all know what that means. early mornings, busy days, late nights.

i love to think this though, that our God never sleeps a wink. never ever, ever. He is forever strong and tremendously tireless, always sitting up on His heavenly throne, watching our 'lying down' and 'getting up' and 'going out' on earth.

how about you meditate on that as you gulp down your cuppa caffeine! He is mighty and His well of strength is bottomless. draw from it early in the morning, and it will last you until you return to your pillow, however many hours later.

and the good news, this well of His never runs dry. it is always full up to the top. His brand-new mercies meet us the moment our alarm clock sounds.

dying for a sweetie

2010-09-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

I've been on a serious C.S. Lewis kick as of recent, and I predict that it won't be soon over. My nose has been buried in a book of his all week, and let me tell you, the pristine clarity, the profound insight, and the downright truth of the pages 'smell' so good. (No doubt because he derives it from God.)

Yesterday I suddenly wanted to watch Chronicles of Narnia again. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Yes, it was a Friday night. Yes, I am twenty-one. And no, I don't think that was a bad way to spend my one free night of the week. I pretended to be a child, seeing it for the very first time (...which isn't exactly hard to do, considering my degree in teacher education, and an afternoon spent in the children's section at Borders).

Now, I could go on all.day.long. about the Gospel truths so cleverly woven throughout the one hundred and thirty five minutes of sheer imaginative genius that is the world of Narnia; however, I will choose just one line that wedged itself into my memory.

..."for sweeties."

Picture it: The terribly wicked 'queen' has hungry wee Edmund trapped in her icy, dark palace. While he was expecting a room of Turkish delights, he finds himself in a dark, dismal prison with a stale piece of bread. Turns out, she had lied and he was stuck. Edmund was in brutal bondage, for sweeties. He had betrayed his family and all the good in Narnia, all for a box of temporary Turkish delights that weren't even real. Drawn to the dark side by greed; lust proved fatal. And the title of this blog becomes literal.

Sound familiar? Unfortunately, it does. Every day, people on earth are forfeiting life eternal in Christ, for silly, sinful trivialities. Gaining nothing, losing everything. They are 'dying' for a sweetie, when really - the sweetest thing is Christ.

2010-09-03T20:14:00.000-07:00

every day this week, on my way to school, i've been listening to a wonderful mix of music. i tell ya, nothing to wake you up and get your day going like a few good songs!

this week i've made a morning tradition of listening to this old hymn, possessing poetry to stir your soul and truths to make you weep.

::::
come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
full of pity, love and pow’r.

[refrain]
i will arise and go to Jesus,
in the arms of my dear Savior,
oh, there are ten thousand charms.

come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome,
God’s free bounty glorify;
true belief and true repentance,
every grace that brings you nigh.

come, ye weary, heavy-laden,
lost and ruined by the fall;
if you tarry till you’re better,
you will never come at all.

view Him prostrate in the garden;
on the ground your Maker lies;
on the bloody tree behold Him;
sinner, will this not suffice?

lo! th’ incarnate God ascended,
pleads the merit of His blood:
venture on Him, venture wholly,
let no other trust intrude.

let not conscience make you linger,
not of fitness fondly dream;
all the fitness He requireth
is to feel your need of Him.
::::
{written by joseph hart, 1759)

sweet serendipity

2010-09-02T19:19:00.000-07:00

Encouraged by a recent sermon, called Slow Down, You Move Too Fast, I've been wanting to take the advice to "smell the roses" seriously. My opportunity came today, at the perfect timing. On my walk, I decided to take a new route. Little did I know that clusters and clusters of delicate white roses were a few steps ahead of me, lining a part of the path. I happened upon them, smiled at the surprise, let my nose do its thing, and remembered something Jesus said.

"See how the flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. Now, if that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"

Oh fellow pilgrim on His path, I pass on this to you... smell the roses, and know that He is God.

reality check

2010-08-31T20:59:00.000-07:00

today i sat at a pretty park,
and prayed,
"dear Lord,
make me a content with a little,
because even a little is a lot,
when what i deserve is nothing.
in Jesus' name, amen."

dry up or drink up / it's up to you

2010-08-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to start your imagination engines. On the count of three! One… two… three…

Think of a desolate land. A barren wasteland. A lonely plateau of cracked, dry, neglected earth. Of thirsty, dirty dirt. There is nothing for miles. Nothing, but one pitiful, little, laughable shrub, which has been long dead from dehydration. Its bare branches stand tangled in a mess, its roots forever choked.

Now, switch gears. Banish that horrible scene from your mind, and invite one much more pleasing to replace it. Behold a marvelous tree… a tall, tall tree. Its bark is a perfect brown, its leaves a lush green, and it produces every kind of fruit known to mankind. Delicious, ripe, flawless fruit hang heavily from every branch. Now, don’t forget… all this magic begins underground… down, deep, deep. Its roots run to the rushing river, source of its continual refreshment that keeps all its leaves green, and fruit healthy. Ah, satisfied soil! Thirst quenched forever. Not even Mr. Sun, at his worst, can threaten this tree’s contentment and growth. Now, that is one happy tree, if there ever was one.

Ok, so why this imagination assignment? Well, the idea is straight from the Genius Himself. See Jeremiah 17:5-8. I have been so struck with the imagery in these verses that I can't get the stark contrast between these two scenes out of my head. The frightful former represents the man who trusts in man and who relies on himself, and the lovely latter symbolizes the man who trusts in the Lord and puts his hope in Him.

We have two choices, people. Choose wisely.

2010-08-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

Life is strange, sometimes. It doesn't always go how we thought it would, or think it should. On some blue days, like today, all you can say is Thou knowest.

One thing is sure, though - God sits on His throne in majesty, in power, in peace; and He rules in sovereign love. He has recently caused me to sit at His feet, and it's a nice place to be. Oh, what would I do if I had not the comfort/the sanity/the privilege of being His child?

first day of class

2010-08-25T23:48:00.000-07:00

I am embarking on a brand-new adventure this year - a new school, a new group of friends, new professors, new information, new experiences. And so far, so good. (Hopeful final destination: a multiple subjects teaching credential!) Today in class, we had to write a personal poem (inspired by a children's book, of course). I am happy with how mine came together, and was always taught that it's nice to share. So, here you go.

The important thing about teaching is the people. There are parents and principals, students and supervisors, custodians and cooks. Hallways and classrooms and playgrounds are packed, packed, packed with people.
Teachers are learning and teaching, and teaching and learning. Students are stretching and growing, and going to new heights. Yet, it all takes time, time, time. There are lessons to learn, subjects to conquer, projects to plan, and homework to grade. There are problems to solve, brains to expand, and character to build. There are rules to keep and requirements to meet. All of this, and more to do; only seven hours in a school day.
But, the important thing about teaching is the people.

Okay, now YOU should write one of your own. I'm telling you, do it. It's easy! Not to mention, it very well might be be your ten-minute miracle because of how it helps you simplify the complicated. A few short lines like these organize your thoughts and direct your attention to the priority. All you need to do is start and end the poem with - The important thing about... {insert your word of choice}. It could be your occupation, a certain person, a personal goal... etc. {Whatever you please.} And then fill in the middle.
Happy writing, my friends!

advice from heaven

2010-08-24T20:02:00.000-07:00

"O, Angela, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with Him is full redemption."

Psalm 130:7

look & live.

2010-08-18T17:31:00.000-07:00

It was a typical English winter morning, and a young boy, called Charles, found himself caught in the Sunday snowstorm. In an attempt to escape it, he happened upon a tiny church down a side road. Anything to get out off the cold! he thought.

He entered the old building to find a dozen people and no pastor. You see, the snow had many people stuck at home. So, the resident shoe-maker of the group volunteered, last-minute, to fill the vacant pulpit. Unprepared, and simple as ever, the man read Isaiah 45:22 - Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. Then he directed this plea at the young boy with ears, "Young man, you're in trouble! Look to Jesus Christ! Look! Look! Look!" And so it was that day, that the Lord saved Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Think of it, he walked into the church that morning, a dead boy; and left it alive, [alive because of a living God!].

Notice though, there was no eloquent speaker. Neither was there an extravagant show. But there was Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the crucified and risen Lord, preached [plain and simple]. That was all, and that was enough; for the boy looked to the Sufficient Sacrifice, and was rescued forever. You see, we don't need anything but the Saviour Himself. Empty chairs aren't a problem, when Jesus is present... and a feeble speaker will do, as long as the Holy Spirit is in attendance... and not even a dreary dull morning can pose a threat, for the Light and warmth of the Father is stronger than it all.

So, stop looking at all the fuss and fame around us. Enough with the fancy frills. And please, no more 'in-style' distractions. Don't miss the Bright and Morning Star because of a few cheap spot-lights. What you and I need is Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Oh human with a soul, don't dare die again; be born again. Repent and believe; look, Look, LOOK to Him, and breathe for the first time.

He hath a beauty

2010-08-15T22:43:00.000-07:00

The best time for me to think is at night. Everybody is asleep, and the house is quiet. All that’s audible is the faint tick tock of the clock in the hall. I crawl halfway under my covers, and turn on the lamp by my bedside. Its soft glow fills the room. I find the Book, and begin to read.

Lately I have been loving the thought of God on His throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filling the temple. I envision His angels around Him and His international choir at His feet, admiring and celebrating His perfection. What a glorious imagination this is! The splendour is far beyond even my most wonderful thought.

The other night I found the chapter (Isaiah 6) where that phenomenal scene is described. I read on this time, though, to discover Isaiah’s response to such a sight. He cried, "Woe is me!" What a perfectly normal declaration. In light of the holiness of God, we are all wretches; aren't we? As Shakespeare put so well, He hath a beauty that makes me ugly.

That is why I'm so grateful for Jesus. Because Jesus is my perfection, I can come into His courts with thanksgiving in my heart. My ugly sin is forgiven, and I'm free to do what I was created to do... to gaze upon His beauty... and in so doing be beautiful myself... the unfading kind of beautiful described in first Peter three, verses four and five... the kind of beautiful that He gets all the glory.

dominican days

2010-08-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

Hola amigos! I am home, and happy to report that my eight weeks in the Dominican Republic were full of God’s power and provisions. Sincere thanks to those who prayed. What an encouragement it was for me to know that many of you were on your knees this summer. Let us rejoice… for God answered your prayers and did marvelous things in and around me.

Now, I wish that I could sit down with each of you and tell you all about how God was working this summer, however since that isn’t exactly possible, we will just have to pretend… won’t we? So, imagine this… you and I are sitting on a couch together, cups of tea in hand (or coffee if you prefer), and this conversation unfolding…

You ask, “What memories from your trip will you take home with you?” :::: Well, it has been almost two months now since I met that beautiful island. And now as I’m home, it is funny to reflect back to my first impressions of the Dominican Republic. I remember the initial embrace being hot humidity. That to say, it was a warm welcome indeed. From the moment our plane touched down, sweating became as natural as blinking and swallowing. By the end of the eight weeks, I barely even noticed that we are all pretty wet, all of the time. :::: Another initial memory of this island was beholding Dominican transportation for the first time. I vividly remember feeling simultaneously shocked and impressed when I crammed into my very first gua gua (small bus), and when I say cram, I mean cram. Let me tell you… all space is utilized, including the floor. Every nook and cranny is occupied with someone or something. A space that would usually seat one, seats two, or maybe even three. In other words, you know that whole American concept of one’s personal space… well it doesn’t exist here. The more the merrier, they say. But that’s not all! Lest you think that a gua gua just for human transportation, I report that I sat beside a man and his chicken, and another man and his parrot. By the end of the trip however, I was no longer shocked when we would pull to the side of the road to squeeze in one more person and their basket of bananas, but I admit to still being very impressed. How the four tires survive the weight, remains a great mystery to me. :::: On a more serious note though, I came to enjoy and appreciate the country very much, its little quirks are all. I found the slow pace of life wonderful, the fruit delicious, the nature diverse, the community strong, and the people friendly. I enjoyed many beautiful skies, painted the colours of sunset. The heavens certainly do declare the glory of God there! And I saw a few powerful tropical storms, with more rain at once than I ever thought possible. Most of all though, I fell in love with the simplicity of life in that place, where people genuinely enjoy each other and appreciate a good meal of rice, beans, and chicken. On a number of occasions, I was the recipient of kind hospitality from strangers, for which I am grateful. I left the Dominican Republic with new friends and sweet memories. :::: Best of all though, I left the Dominican Republic with a bigger view of God and His family. Amidst the difficult poverty of the country, He showed Himself to be the true treasure… which is precisely why the ministry of Makarios http://makariosinternational.org/ is so exciting! It was an absolute pleasure and privilege serving in the school, seeking to provide an education for children who would otherwise not to be educated, and in so doing sharing the Gospel in word and deed. Honestly, I cannot even begin to recount the lessons I collected working alongside the staff there. Some of these lessons include: the priority of love, the sufficiency of God, the motivation and implications of the Gospel, and viewing discipline and structure as a way of loving the students. In sum, sharing Life (pun intended – physically and spiritually, He is life!) was what He had called us to do there with those people. And now that I’m home, His call remains the same. I am to love Him with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength here, and my neighbours in the States as myself. ::::

You ask, “What are you glad that you didn’t know before you went?” :::: They say ignorance is bliss, and in some regards, it is. Thinking back to some specific instances in which ignorance was indeed bliss… well, it is probably a good thing I was unaware of the many insect species I would come in contact with on the island. Actually, it is definitely a good thing that I didn’t know about cohabitating with cockroaches and banana spiders, or else I might have allowed my bug phobia to deter my going. Thankfully, my fear was overcome by an intense desire to see the bugs dead. My friends joked with me that I turned into another person, a crazy, bloodthirsty killer to be exact, from the moment I spotted the unwanted guest until it was smashed dead by my trusty shoe. Who knew that I had the exterminator gene in me? I certainly didn’t. I suppose it took living in the D.R. to find out that fear in the face of the enemy serves as adrenaline to fight… to fight to the death. Let’s just say that eight weeks on an island forces one to overcome big silly fears of small silly things. ::::

You ask, “What did a normal day look like?” :::: In one word – busy! It would look like waking up very early to the ‘cock-a-doodle-do’ of the neighbourhoods’ roosters. (They are very persistent alarm-clocks! might I add.) Then after a quick breakfast and group prayer time, it was off to the Makarios school. The morning routine entailed singing and praying with the students and feeding them breakfast. After everybody was well fed, let the learning begin! For the next few hours, I helped the teachers teach math skills, reading skills, science lessons, art projects, and Bible stories. And FYI, this was all done without air-conditioning, technology, and electricity. The rest of the day entailed serving lunch and helping with soccer camps and VBS activities. Around six-o-clock I would head back to where I lived, help cook dinner with my team from The Master’s College and the other dozen missionaries, and then gladly sit down for a wonderful community-style meal. After some great food and fellowship, we would spend the remaining few hours of light visiting with each other and our neighbours. Before we would know it, it was time to hit the sack and recharge for the next full day.

You ask, “What Scripture passages became significant to you while you were there?” :::: It is funny how the Lord works sometimes. Allow me to explain one such instance, which caused me to chuckle at His delightful sovereignty. The first two weeks of my trip, I remember feeling a mixture of strong emotions. I was overwhelmed at the poverty and confused as what to do, and where even to start. In the midst of dire conditions and desperate people, my heart responded in fear and despair. Little did I know that the Lord had the perfect verse in store for me at the perfect time. I was visiting a missionary friend's house, only to discover exactly what I needed to read scribbled on a piece of paper on her wall. It read, "We do not know what to do but our eyes are on You." That is verse twelve from 2 Chronicles twenty. God was reminding me to look to Him. He caught me distracted by all the issues around me, and lifted my eyes away from it all to Him. That verse became the cry of my heart, and later on, the entire chapter became a precious passage to me, for it speaks of the power of God in contrast to our weakness. It reminds me to be courageous in the face of challenges, because God is with me (verse seventeen), and to be grateful in all circumstances because His love endures forever (verse twenty-one). I can exclaim, ‘Hallelujah!’ with Jehoshaphat’s army, because the same good God of their day in Israel reigns today in the Dominican Republic and the United States (and worldwide)! :::: Another verse that God highlighted for me was Matthew 18:3, when Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” The Holy Spirit had me think through… what can I learn from children about how I am to be, according to Christ? Well, children are curious, easily- molded, teachable, excitable, completely dependent, forgiving, vulnerable, eager, and trusting. Am I that those things before God? I better be, because Jesus requires such childlike faith. Let’s just say, as a teacher, I was learning a lot from my students in regards to this topic! ::::

You ask, “What impact will this trip have on your choices for life back in the States?” :::: I remember a conversation between one of the missionaries there and myself. She was telling me that oftentimes when Dominicans find out that she is a full time teacher in a small Christian school, receiving no paycheck, and working overtime, they are stunned. They just cannot believe that she would leave the luxuries of America to live amidst their poverty in order to teach a couple of poor, crazy kids. They think that she is crazy! That is because they do not know the Gospel. What is far more ‘crazy’ is the Gospel! This conversation caused me to consider the wonderful absurdity of Jesus’ incarnational ministry, that He would leave His throne in heaven to come to this sin-stained world, to love a group of rebel orphans is beyond my comprehension. His incarnation is a completely humbling thought that should leave us awestruck and speechless. We, children of God, should be stunned to an even greater degree, than Dominicans are stunned at Americans coming to their country. David Livingston says it best... "People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa... I have never made a sacrifice. We ought not to talk of 'sacrifice' when we remember the great sacrifice which He made who left His Father's throne on high to give Himself for us!" All that to say, this trip has got me to thinking about some sort of ‘incarnational ministry’ for my future, whether that be abroad or down the street in the inner city. I can think of no more exciting way to live out the Gospel. We shall see where God will lead. ::::

Well, thanks for taking the time to chat! That was a lovely cup of tea… wasn’t it? … and there is nothing better than talking about the great things that the Lord has done. Psalm 126:3

I hope that each of you had a great summer as well. How about another cuppa and we talk about what the Lord did in your life this summer?

to Him who is able...

2010-05-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

...to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine!
Ephesians 3:20

Team Dominican Republic
May 28 - July 23

Some things that you could join us in lifting before our Lord are:
- that God's great glory would be our motivation for service
- that His love would unite us
- that we would walk by faith and not by sight!
- that the joy of the Lord would be our strength
- that He would assist our tongues in Spanish
- that we would be an encouragement to the believers there
- that the lost would come to know God
- that God would give us great creativity as we work with children
- that He would bless the ministry of Makarios (check it out!)
http://makariosinternational.org/

2010-05-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

C.S. Lewis said some very true things in his lifetime. These two things stand out in particular tonight, as I have come to wholeheartedly agree with him in my lifetime.

He said, “A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest.” And, “You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” {amen, brother. amen.}

These past few days have provided the time to enjoy both such luxuries. Even now, I’m sitting on the couch, with a cuppa to my left, and books to my right. Saturday is almost over, but certainly I can squeeze in a few more sips and a few more pages before the midnight hour strikes. So, I better write quickly.

Recently I have had my head buried in a children's Bible. but not just any children's Bible. noooo, no. It is, in fact, the best children's Bible ever. Period. Entitled: the Jesus Storybook Bible (Every story whispers His name). It is written, as well as illustrated, beautifully. I tell you... Sally Lloyd Jones and Jago make a phenomenal team. They both bring their unique, God-given talents to the book, Sally with her words, and Jago with her drawings. I love their combined creativity, and think you will to.

Going back to what C.S. Lewis said, the genius behind this children's Bible is that it is just as much an interesting and enlightening read for a twenty-one year old like myself. The back of it says Ages 4 & up. Yes, that would be correct... right on up to ages twenty, and thirty, and forty... etc. Its simplicity is refreshing, and it has done profound things for my soul. Page after colourful page, I am being reminded of God's very involved hand in history. To be honest, I feel like a child again in some ways. Excited and amazed afresh. The exodus and the incarnation have got me praising God anew, again! Great things He hath done.

Don't ever be fooled... Bible stories are not just for kids. They are for everybody. For interwoven through their plots is God's powerful and outstretched and gracious hand. Through and through. That is precisely what compels me to recommend it to you, dear reader. Whoever you are, get a copy. And see God's great story of salvation in every story.

Ah well, back to reading. Should I put another pot on?

ribbon roads

2010-05-17T18:56:00.001-07:00

I present to you one of the sweetest, most romantic songs I know. I remember hearing it live a few years ago, and it has remained one of my favourite songs ever since. It speaks of the beautiful paths through Northern Ireland's emerald hills, where Keith and Kristyn would walk for miles.

Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFgJ4HQMOhI

wisdom in wrinkles

2010-05-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Billy and Betty are two of the most wonderful people I know. You met them a few posts ago. Remember? … that couple from Belfast, the ones that put the grand in grandparents. Well, they were here visiting my family for a few weeks. Those 'few weeks' were too short though, as usual, but definitely sweet, as usual... especially because they were here to celebrate my college graduation. It made the occasion all the more special, for sure.

Anyways, they are worth getting to know.

Ladies first…. I’m convinced that the chorus of When Irish Eyes Are Smiling was written about my grandmother. And I’m pretty sure that the tea industry has stayed in business all these years because of her too. She is the type of person whose presence lights up an entire room, and whose sense of humour gets along with everybody. You’re guaranteed a good laugh when Betty is around; there’s no doubt about that. The Bible says that a cheerful heart is good medicine. Well, let me tell you… if you could put Betty De Courcy in a bottle, a lot of sad people would be cured instantly.

Another thing I love about her is her collection of scarves. I imagine she has a whole wardrobe full of them, silky ones in a wide array of fantastic colours. And be sure, each one was a good bargain, for the lady knows how to shop a sale. She also knows how to tell a story, and has plenty of them, up both sleeves.

Betty lives life to the full, even in her seventies. Just the other day, we caught the train into Los Angeles for an afternoon at Olvera Street. Music was in the air as we walked from shop to shop. I decided to run over to the ‘churro stand’ to treat my grandparents to their first Mexican treat. The next thing I know, I look over to find a Mexican man in his sombrero, strumming his guitar, and my grannie clicking her heels and swaying her arms to his song. There she was, dancing and twirling in the middle of the street, for all the world to see. People passed by, smiled, clapped, and cheered on the dynamic duo. That is precisely why I love her dear-old-silly- self, for she is not embarrassed easily, and knows how to laugh at herself. The sooner one learns those traits, the better.

Her light-hearted approach to life is coupled with a serious side though, which has been wrought by life experience. I know, from her stories, that the Lord has a bottle of her tears collected. However, He deemed these tears necessary for her growth. And so they were. It was through those heartaches and hurdles that Betty became the woman that she is today, a woman who has learned to trust her great God. She wrote me this in my graduation card – “Like Abraham, you are going into unchartered waters, but fear not for God has been already there.” Wisdom like that, from a woman who has gone through her fair share of unchartered waters, is invaluable. I am the grateful recipient of such wisdom.

Now, meet my grandfather… Never in my life have I known somebody to enjoy music so much. I tell you, the man thrives on a good song or composition. He eats, sleeps, and breathes music. He’s near turning eighty years of age, and I believe that music has played a role in keeping him so well for so long. His taste is broad and interesting, and he is more than eager to share his findings with any pair of ears willing to listen.

Billy is well-traveled and reads extensively. His favourite country is Germany; his favourite book, Pilgrim’s Progress; his favourite writer, good ole C.H. Spurgeon. No wonder he is so insightful. He would eat Chinese food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if he could, and appreciates good chocolate, especially European chocolate. He has lived most of his life on the rough side of town, which the Lord has used to chisel and mold him into the strong man of conviction that he is. He has a work ethic that is hard to match, and a laugh that cannot be rivaled. It bellows deep from within, and has come to be one of my favourite laughs in the world. It is unusual and contagious. Best of all, he has been a dependable servant of the Lord since his twenties, when the Lord saved and transformed his life. He faithfully attends and serves at the tiny neighbourhood church, weekly.

To encapsulate Billy in one word, I would say, loyal. He is a loyal follower of God. He has been loyal to God’s church. He has been loyal to his wife and children. He has been loyal to his employers, and loyal to his friends. That quality is rare these days; loyal people are hard to come by. So, I am grateful for my grandfather. I appreciate that he is a man of few words, because he is busy walking the walk. I admire that he doesn’t have to be the center of attention. In fact, he would much rather sit back, listen, and learn. And I love that he makes God look great in the quiet way that he trusts Him, day in and day out.

God has put these two in my life to help me, and help me, they have. I think of the hymn written by Keith and Kristyn Getty, which speaks of “saints of old still line the way, retelling triumphs of His grace.” Billy and Betty are two such saints of old. They have heeded God and told the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, His power, and the wonders He has done.
(Psalm 78:4)

I'm glad that God's people are multi-generational. I have so much still to learn.

daily prayer

2010-05-15T23:59:00.000-07:00

“Lord, break the chains that hold me to myself; free me to be Your happy slave – that is, to be the happy foot-washer of anyone today who needs his feet washed, his supper cooked, his faults overlooked, his work commended, his failure forgiven, his grief consoled, or his button sewed on. Let me not imagine that my love for You is very great if I am unwilling to do for a human-being something very small.”
- Elisabeth Elliot

God moments

2010-05-03T14:48:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine has been encouraging me to look for special ways in which God ministers to me during the day. He calls them God moments. They happen all the time, because God is always up to something, as my dad says. It’s just a matter of whether we notice them or not.

This morning I woke up tired, like most college students during exam week. Lord knows how many times I hit the snooze button. When I finally mustered up the energy to roll out of bed, I landed both feet on the floor grudgingly. The window was open and the birds were singing their same sweet song, but I didn’t feel like joining them. Bible verses deck my room walls, but all I could see was today’s intimidating to-do list, and I wasn’t excited. In fact, I was downright miserable. All I wanted to do was crawl back into bed and hide under the warm covers. But everything was about to change on my way to the bathroom, toothbrush in hand…

There was a beautiful big sunflower smiling at me, outside my door. It stood there, tall and confident, looking at me with its usual cheerful boldness. I could not help but return the smile, and laugh to myself. “Seriously, of all flowers, and of all days, it just had to be a sunflower today!” Here’s why. Just recently I learned (from another friend) that sunflowers are phototropic and heliotropic, meaning that they reach for the sun and that their movements pursue the sun. Put simply – their face follows the sun as it moves across the sky, hence its name, the sunflower. Go figure, huh?

So what does all that mumbo jumbo have to do with my morning? Well, it had everything to do with my morning. The sunflower was a timely reminder from God teaching me to look to Jesus. Then the Spirit brought to mind one of my favourite verses.

Those who look to Him are radiant.
Psalm 34:5

Meeting Mr. Sunflower (whose middle name is Radiant, I suspect) has been the best part of my day today... my God moment of the morning, if you will. Although the to-do list hasn’t disappeared (yet!) and I’m still feeling tired, I am encouraged. While the situation hasn’t changed, my focus has… praise the Lord! I resolved then and there to face this last week of school, facing towards the Son. Oh, there is great joy and strength in looking to Jesus.

Thank God, for your God moment today.

2010-05-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

Meet Billy and Betty, from Belfast. This is them on their wedding day.
(March 22, 1958)

They put the grand in grandparents; and they put a smile on my face.

I could not be more excited that they are here for my graduation.

walk

2010-04-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

God does not ask us to leap by the Spirit, or sprint by the Spirit. He asks us to walk by the Spirit. Walking is a moment to moment thing, which is why I love this particular translation: let us keep in step with the Spirit, whether they be big or little steps.

stop supposin'

2010-04-24T01:28:00.000-07:00

It's funny how it's the little stories that are most helpful, most of the time. It's the simple stories that contain the most profound advice. And it's ordinary people, just like you and me, that God uses in great ways. For me, the anonymous woman of this story, who was just an ordinary woman of her time, has blessed me in extraordinary ways at this time; and she doesn't even know it. Praise the Lord for how He is using her legacy to teach me to trust Him now.

I once met a poor woman, who earned a precarious living by hard daily labour; but who was a joyous triumphant Christian. "Ah, Nancy," said a gloomy Christian lady to her one day, "It is well enough to be happy now; but I should think the thoughts of your future would sober you. Only suppose, for instance, you should have a spell of sickness, and be unable to work; or suppose your present employers should move away, and no one else should give you anything to do; or suppose...”
“Stop!!” cried Nancy, “I never supposes. De Lord is my Shepherd, and I knows I shall not want. And, Honey,” she added to her gloomy friend, “It’s all dem supposes as is makin’ you so miserable. You’d better give dem all up, and just trust de Lord.”

looking unto Jesus

2010-04-23T00:03:00.000-07:00

“It is ever the Holy Spirit’s work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus; but Satan’s work is just the opposite of this, for he is constantly trying to make us regard ourselves instead of Christ. He insinuates, 'Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you have not the joy of His children; you have such a wavering hold of Jesus.' All these are thoughts about self, and we shall never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: He tells us that we are nothing, but that 'Christ is all in all.' Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee – it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee – it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument – it is Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of thy faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by 'looking unto Jesus.' Keep thine eye simply on Him; let His death, His sufferings, His merits, His glories, His intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look to Him; when thou liest down at night look to Him. Oh! let not thy hopes or fears come between thee and Jesus; follow hard after Him, and He will never fail thee.”

I cannot tell you how these words of Spurgeon ministered to my soul tonight, except to say, praise the Lord! praise the Lord!

colours

2010-04-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

I am so glad that God invented colours. Aren’t you? They make the world so beautiful.

Today, I found a new favourite, in a bunch of roses. It was sort of like fuchsia, but brighter, almost like magenta, but better. Honestly, I can’t really describe it; you just have to take my word for it.

it.was.absolutely.incredible. Actually, it was so vibrant that I stopped right then and there, and celebrated God for His creativity.

Have you celebrated Him lately?

joyful surrender

2010-04-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

"As I read Job 12:10 again, 'In His hand is the life of every living thing,' I recognized that all I am and have is the Almighty's. Job is a lesson in acceptance, not of blind resignation, but of believing acceptance, that what God does is well done. So, Father, with happy committal I give you my life again this morning - not for anything special, simply to let you know that I regard it as Your's. Do with it as it pleases You, only give me great grace to do for the glory of Christ Jesus whatever comes to me."

I'm reading Shadow of the Almighty. It's a collection of Jim Elliot's journals, and I can't get enough. It's funny to me that these thoughts from decades ago ring just as true today. And this prayer is just as relevant now, as it was then.

no worries, mate!

2010-04-19T18:15:00.000-07:00

The birds just keep on singing these days,
their same sweet song,
reminding me
that I've got nothing to worry about,
nothing at all.

Because...
His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know He watches me.

Really, I should be singing along with the birds.

follow Me,

2010-04-18T18:50:00.000-07:00

and My goodness will follow you, promises God.

I had high hopes for this afternoon; at least half of my to-do list was going to get done. However, that goal went right out the window, the moment I looked out the window. I grabbed my Bible and ventured outside.

A butterfly kept me company on my walk. In fact, it wouldn’t leave me alone. It was nice though, watching its vibrant orange wings dance around me, rising and falling with the breeze.

I thought of something a friend of mine once said to me, and it hasn't escaped me yet, and that is – it’s powerful to be out in God’s general revelation (His creation) reading His special revelation (His Word). Yes. Yes, it is.

And today, as I enjoyed that powerful combination, the Holy Spirit was ministering something mighty to my soul. With graduation just around the corner, the whole thought of ‘after college’ is on my mind. And even when I try and forget it, I can count on getting asked that question. You know the one. “So, how are you feeling about graduation?”

Well, now I feel great, because today the Lord quieted me with Psalm 23:6 in a very special way. “How do I feel?” you ask. Well, “surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me; so I feel good.” Who knows, I might even break out in that James Brown song of one these times. Whoa-oa-oa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now I feel good, I knew that I would. So good, so good, I got... and here I would make a lyrical change... I got Him!

I am happy to have that promise.

psalm 31:15a

2010-04-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

my times are in Your hands.

It's amazing how drastically different life is, when I put on the glasses of God's sovereignty. People and places become exciting because I see that God has purposed these specific things for this particular time. There's no desire to fiddle with His clock, when I believe that its hands are positioned by His hand in the correct place. There's no reason to worry, when God assures me that this season is timely and good. There's no wearisome striving for something, other than this moment, because this moment is chosen for me by God. My prayer is to use it, and to see every day (wherever I may be and whomever I am with) as a God-ordained gift. With God in the picture, nothing is ever a waste, and nothing is ever random.

That is exhilarating.

So, no more of this nail-biting, knee-knocking, or twiddling of the thumbs. It's time to enjoy and employ the moment. Here I go.

laughs at words

2010-04-16T13:21:00.000-07:00

Steadfast is a beautiful word, perhaps one of the most beautiful. (definitely on my top-ten list of favourite adjectives!) So, my handy-dandy thesaurus came up with these words to describe this word. loyal. steady. faithful. firm. stable. dependable. unfailing. Still, all of this vocabulary cannot communicate what it really means, for it is deeper than we can comprehend, and so different from what we know on this earth.

This word belongs to God alone, for only He is truly steadfast. {Yet it is something I endeavour to be, because it reflects well my God.}

I find it interesting that steadfast nearly always accompanies love in the Psalms, and in so doing describes what God’s love is like.

And the realization of this kind of love causes such emotions to well up in my soul that there are no words worthy to explain it. As Amy Carmichael so well put, “Can words tell the joy buried deep within? Mine cannot. It laughs at words."

enough said.

mind your manners

2010-04-13T19:53:00.000-07:00

My parents take the whole idea of gratitude very seriously, and I’m glad they do. From the time I was just a wee girl in Northern Ireland, they have instilled in me the importance of expressing thanks to both God and people. I remember always thanking God for our food. And, I remember the infamous question that was inevitable upon leaving somebody’s house, “Now, what do you say, Angela?” As I got older, instead of asking me the question, they would just give me the eyes, which did the trick just fine. I remember, on birthdays and at Christmastime, receiving nice gifts from people. As I tore into these presents, paper in a flurry, my mum would be sitting with a pen in hand, keeping a list of what gift was from which person, so that I could properly thank them.

Before I knew it, saying thank you was routine (automatic, if you will). It wasn’t an empty habit though, nor did it feel like a duty. It wasn’t done for manners’ sake, and my parents certainly were not in the business of creating polite robots. Rather, they showed me that gratitude should be the way of life for the Christian. (This is the Lord’s grace, for sure.)

Now I’m twenty-one years of age, and becoming more and more independent with each passing year. I no longer have my parents reminding me to say thank you; it’s up to me now. And I want to continue in this grateful way of life – not because that’s how I was raised, not because it’s the nice thing to do, not even because it’s the right thing to do – but because of God. I cannot realize the magnitude of His blessings, and not respond in thanks. Doesn’t the Psalmist say, “How can I repay the LORD for all His goodness to me?” A few verses later, he says, “I will sacrifice a thank offering to You.” Psalm 116

When is the last time that you, or I, thanked the custodian? the cafeteria worker? the gardener? a pastor? a friend? a family member? and really meant it?

Thanksgiving should be a year-round holiday for the child of God, starting with today. Let’s appreciate people more, and God the most. Let’s get those two little words back into our daily vocabulary again. Let’s not underestimate the blessing of a sincere thank you.

for more on gratitude, see: http://rawchristianity.wordpress.com/2009/12/10/gratitude-in-community/

we need piloting

2010-04-06T23:44:00.000-07:00

My brother, Spurgeon, had a way with words. That's obvious. But that's not why I love his writings. I love them so much because they contain precious gems of truth about my God. Every sentence is inspired by Scripture. This one especially, the Lord has used time and time again, to return my soul to its rest.

“When my heart is overwhelmed,
lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.”
Psalm 61:2

"Most of us know what it is to be overwhelmed in heart. Discoveries of inward corruption will do this, if the Lord permits the great deep of our depravity to become troubled and cast up mire and dirt. Disappointments and heart-breaks will do this when billow after billow falls over us, and we are like a broken shell hurled to and fro by the surf. Blessed be God, at such seasons we are not without an all-sufficient solace, our God is the harbour of weather-beaten sails, the hospice of forlorn pilgrims. Higher than we are, is He, His mercy higher than our sins, His love higher than our thoughts. It is pitiful to see men putting their trust in something lower than themselves; but our confidence is fixed upon an exceeding higher and glorious Lord. A Rock He is since He changes not, and a high Rock, because the tempests which overwhelm us roll far beneath at His feet; He is not disturbed by them, but rules them at His will. If we get under the shelter of this lofty Rock we may defy the hurricane; all is calm under the lee of that towering cliff. Alas! Such is the confusion in which the troubled mind is often cast, that we need piloting to this Divine Shelter.
Hence the prayer of the text. O Lord, our God, by Thy Holy Spirit, teach us the way of faith, lead us into Thy rest. The wind blows us out to sea, the helm answers not to our puny hand; Thou, Thou alone can steer us over the bar between yon sunken rocks, safe into the fair haven.
How dependent we are upon Thee – we need Thee to bring us to Thee. To be wisely directed and steered into safety and peace is Thy gift, and Thine alone."

both

2010-04-05T00:04:00.000-07:00

Car rides at nighttime are the best. especially in the rain. especially with friends. Conversation is bound to be good in those conditions.

Tonight a friend and I chatted about loving Jesus. We talked about what it looks like to dream big for Him, but be faithful in the small things of today. We spoke about accomplishing things for Him, not for us. And all the while, I think He was speaking to us both, reminding us that we are alive for the joyful purpose of loving Him. Dreams, and service, and accomplishments are just meant to be the natural overflow of that. Jesus first.

We want to be about truth and love. not one at the expense of the other. not one without the other. But, both. Because Jesus Himself was and is both - perfect truth and perfect love.

God help us!

selfless

2010-04-03T00:22:00.000-07:00

Oh, the selfless love of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today at our Good Friday service at church, my dad spoke on one of Jesus' cries from the cross. However, it wasn't the typical favourite, "It is finished!" cry that we talked about today. Nor was it the next-most-popular "Father, forgive them" one. To be honest, I was a bit surprised at his choice, but pleasantly so. It turns out I needed it, badly.

"When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to his mother, 'Dear woman, behold your son,' and to the disciple, 'Behold your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home."

Time out! Jesus was in complete agony at this point, beyond my imagination. Yet still, He took thought of the welfare of Mary, telling the disciple to take care of her?!?! The answer is clear. Yes.

During the biggest event of history, planned from eternity past, Jesus wasn't too busy to consider something so seemingly small, as Mary's physical and emotional well-being. At the same time, He was taking care of her greatest need, which was spiritual, the payment of her sins.

Jesus was thoughtful of others in the middle of dying. And I can hardly think of others in the middle of living. That's why I need His redemption. I need Him to change me from a selfish idolater, to God-fearing, Christ adoring, Spirit-empowered servant.

The last thing Christians should be is selfish.

stories

2010-03-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

I have always loved stories.

Perhaps it’s because I come from a line of good story-tellers. My grandparents, on both sides, are master story-tellers. Professionals, if you will. Some of my most cherished memories involve the whole family sitting in the living room, listening to Granda or Grannie (whoever happens to be center stage at the time) share a particular memory, sometimes so moving that you can’t sleep that night for thinking about it, and other times so hilarious that you’re laughing well into the night.

Anyways, my favourite stories are the ones that are true, and usually the ones that are serious. Because life is a serious thing. Those are the sorts of stories that are unforgettable, that mean something, that teach us something.

During spring break, my mum lent me a book entitled Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan. Its pages contain the stories behind certain beloved hymns. I was instantly fascinated. You know, I’ve sung many of these hymns in church, in the car, in the shower. But I’ve never known their stories. I’ve wondered, but never thought to look up their history. Sure, the names appear at the bottom of the page in my hymnal, but that’s it, just a bunch of consonants and vowels. I mean… who were they? where did they come from? and most of all, what fueled their lyrics?

Well, I didn’t have to wonder any longer. I went straight to the index, scrolling down the lists for some of my favourites. Here’s what I found. (excerpts from the book)

I Need Thee Every Hour was written by a stay-at-home mother in Brooklyn, New York. Annie Sherwood tell us her story. “One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live without Him, either in joy or pain, these words, I Need Thee Every Hour, were ushered into my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me.” She later said, “It was not until long after, when the shadow fell over my way, the shadow of great loss of my husband, that I understood something of the comforting power in the words which I had been permitted to give out to others in my hour of sweet serenity and peace.”

O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go was written by George Matheson. He lost his eyesight during his teenage years, which caused his fiancée to break their engagement, as she refused to marry a blind man. He later came to learn of his sister’s engagement. Although he rejoiced with her, his mind went back to his own heartache. He consoled himself in thinking of God’s love which is never limited, never conditional, never withdrawn, and never uncertain. Out of this experience it is said he wrote the hymn, O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go, on June 6, 1882.

His Eye is on the Sparrow was written by Civilla Durfee Martin. Here is her account of her song, “Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle – true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheel chair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittle’s, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle’s reply was simple: “His eye is on the sparrow; and I know He watches me.” The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn His Eye Is on the Sparrow was the outcome of that experience.

Knowing these stories has made these songs all the richer.

expect great things

2010-03-12T00:12:00.000-08:00

You know the old song by Frank Sinatra, The Best Is Yet To Come? Well, it’s true… for the Christian.

I spent the afternoon with some of the older ladies from my church. They may be old, but I tell ya, they have more life about them than most teenagers I know. Young people could do with a good dose of Christian old people, if ya ask me. These women, in particular, sure knew how to have a good laugh. And they sure knew how to cook. My time with them passed by quickly, as I listened to them recount memory after memory. I learned about their late husbands, their children, and their careers. Their eyes sparkled as they reminisced about the good times. And their lips curled into a certain smile, as they remembered the bad times... with an appreciation, wrought by firsthand experience that “God does work all things together for the good of those who love Him.” One lady told me twice in the course of one conversation, “There is a reason for everything.” I listened and listened, collecting golden nuggets of wisdom.

Anyways, my dad and mum were both there as well, just as busy collecting their own nuggets, I’m sure. When it was nearly time to go, my dad shared a short devotion to encourage these dear women. Although, I’m secretly convinced God had custom-tailored this devotion for me. My dad quoted Psalm 27:13, I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! and Psalm 23:6, Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. Notice the expectancy in these verses. David is absolutely certain that God’s goodness is paving the path for his future steps. He goes to bed at night, expecting God’s mercies to meet him in the morning. He expects God to be tomorrow, what He has been yesterday and today.

My dad reminded us all today to remember that the best is always ahead for the child of God. That does not mean that everything will be just peachy. Of course not. But our good God will remain His same-good-self.

Let’s not forget 1 Peter 1:3, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It’s time we wake up again to the joy and peace of this living hope. Let’s face it -just because you’re breathing doesn’t mean you’re living.

To really be alive, you must know Jesus. And when you know Jesus, you’ve got a lot to look forward to! As an old man in Northern Ireland used to pray, Lord, keep me alive until I'm dead.

Hopefully some day, if God lets me live so long, I will be just like these sweet and seasoned women of the Lord. It starts now, though. It means trusting God, while I'm just twenty-one-years-old. It means expecting God to be faithful every.single.tomorrow, from here-on-out. It means living with hope.

counting my blessings

2010-03-08T11:36:00.000-08:00

You know it’s a good week when...
... you catch the sunrise and the sunset, on the same day.
... you go a walk in the rain with your mum, without an umbrella.
... your rejoicing in the Lord overflows into dance.
... you can say “There is no one like Jesus!”
... your friends (including Pandora, who, might I add, is becoming a good friend)introduce you to new music.
... a thoughtful card awaits you in your mailbox.
... you enjoy a cuppa organic earl grey tea with a friend.
... you have fresh flowers in your bedroom.
... this is the view from your window...

Thanks, Lord!

one need

2010-02-24T22:26:00.000-08:00

“Not relief from pain,
not relief from the weariness that follows,
not anything of that sort at all,
is my chief need.
Thou, O Lord my God, art my need.
Thy courage, Thy patience, Thy fortitude.
And very much I need a quickened gratitude
for the countless helps given every day.”
- Amy Carmichael

essentials

2010-02-21T16:22:00.000-08:00

Everybody should have an elephant tea-pot.
And to go with it,
fresh flowers
that are positioned in close proximity to the nose,
so they can do what they do best,
which is to smell good.
Ah, what a sweet aroma,
is filling the air.
Thanks mum for visiting,
and for your thoughtfulness.

double take

2010-01-31T15:06:00.000-08:00

Two of the most delightful things in life are letters and fresh fruit.

P.S. This set-up was a complete accident. I :)ed when I noticed it.

friends. really?

2010-01-30T22:11:00.000-08:00

The moon is glowing
The moon is showing
Its silver beams are bright
The light it’s casting
Is sure long-lasting
White light throughout the night

Did you know that the moon appeared bigger and brighter this past weekend, than it will for the rest of the year? The first full moon of the year is known as: Wolf Moon. Its name is hundreds of years old, and is derived from the hungry wolf packs that used to howl at the moon near Native American villages. Interesting, huh? And the reason why it appears fuller and wider right now is because in each orbit, the moon reaches this closest point to us, called perigee. Fascinating, eh? But really, you don’t need to know any of that to enjoy it. And enjoy it, I have. Last night, I enjoyed it with a friend over a walk. And tonight, I enjoyed it from a car window, while cruising with some friends on the freeways of California. And I wondered, like a child, about that age-old question, why it seems to follow me home. Anyways, it was dominating the sky, and demanding my attention. I couldn’t stop looking at it.

Creation gets me thinking about the Creator (as God intended it to). And I was struck with this thought – I am friends with the Maker of the moon. I, little-old-undeserving-me, enjoy fellowship with the One Who is currently fueling and suspending that ball of light, in the dark night sky. I am friends with Him, only because of Jesus, the Son of God, Who has reconciled me to God.

Nothing(!) is more awe-some than that!

fruit

2010-01-27T16:35:00.001-08:00

The sun finally decided to come out and say hello today, and I have to say, it was nice to see him. Even now, I am enjoying his presence through my open window. Everything around me is all pretty and golden, and my back is being warmed nicely.

On my way to class today, I ate a delicious apple, which hasn't happened in a while. Lately, I've been disappointed with the kind that appear good, only to discover a soggy inside; but this one today did not disappoint. It was red, as red could be, and juicy as ever. You know what I'm talking about. The kind that you're convinced came straight out of the movie, Snow White. The kind that probably populated the Garden of Eden, before the fall. That kind. And so you bite and bite and bite, until there is nothing left but the core. yum. Speaking of apples, that makes for a smooth transition into what I actually wanted to write about today, which is the fruit of the Spirit. Imagine that.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Galatians 5:22-26

I am silly and arrogant enough to try and produce this fruit by myself sometimes, even though it is blatantly the work of the Spirit. Hence the phrase... the fruit of the Spirit. Couldn't be any clearer, huh? Still though, I try to love people, and be joyful, and live peacefully, and be kind, and show goodness, and remain faithful, and be gentle, and practice self-control in my own strength. These attempts are pathetic though, and result in - defeat, disappointment, and guilt, (and usually in that order). In other words, I fail miserably when I try to do these things on my own. My tree is bare and fruitless. I look like winter.

But that is not how God intended it. No, rather He, in His grace, gave me His Spirit when He saved me. And it is His Spirit at work in me that produces the fruit. It is nothing in me or about me that can do it. It is the Spirit, that raised Jesus from the dead, residing within me, that can do it. I am so glad God has shown this to me lately. I can breathe a hUGE sigh of relief. To rely on the power of God, and to keep in step with the Spirit, that is what I am called to... and then, and only then, I can watch the fruit grow and multiply into beautiful orchards. It looks like summer, and God gets all the glory.

P.S. That is why verse twenty-six tells not to be conceited or envious of one-another. I used to think that that verse was sort-of awkwardly tagged onto the end of this chapter. I mean... really? c'mon! How is that relevant to the fruit of the Spirit. Well, come to see, it is totally relevant. The reason we can avoid conceit and envy is precisely because it is the fruit of the Spirit. How can we be proud when we realize that we have nothing to do with the fruit, because it is the Spirit of God who produces it? And how can we be jealous of another, when it is the Spirit working in another's life to make them more like Christ? Conclusion: we should be humble (and not think of ourselves more highly than we ought), and excited (giving thanks to God for another's faith).

2010-01-23T23:25:00.000-08:00

I pretend to see little patches of Ireland. It's not exactly 40 shades of green. But, I'll take what I can get.

It's a nice thing
to go a walk in the rain,
without an umbrella,
and just get plain-old wet.
You should try it sometime.

(view from my dorm room window) Now you know why my blinds are always up.

dear sky - you are so interesting

2010-01-21T16:46:00.000-08:00

These past few days, a storm has been passing through California. This means that I walk through a maze of colourful umbrellas in the hallway to get to my room. It means that my sock drawer is almost empty, which means that my laundry bin is quite full. It means that the raindrops drumming on my window have been my music, and the sky, my entertainment.

I have been doing a lot of looking out the window lately, because of the storm.
The clouds are shifting
The clouds are sifting
The sky through their grey shapes
Their shadows dancing
Their patterns prancing
Until some light escapes

And then I thought today of the latter half of James 1:17 - "with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." I am glad that God is not like the sky that I have been watching. Rather, He is unchanging, and dependable, and consistent, and steadfast. That fact affords me great sanity and peace.

(not so) sunny california

2010-01-18T12:59:00.000-08:00

The storm has arrived and the elements are fierce. It's bucketing, as we would say in Northern Ireland. The roads have turned into rivers, and the sky into one massive cloud. There are puddles in my shoes, and my trousers and wet and heavy. My umbrella almost took me for a ride in the sky. I've just made it to my room, drenched though I may be. You know you're soaking when you actually have to ring out your trousers. The heat is on and my shoes are drying. The blinds are up and I have a panoramic view of a very wet world. Waves of rain batters against my window, each drop like a tiny pellet. I'm enjoying its random rhythm. The wind is mighty, so that the trees are swaying violently; each tree branch is threatened with each gust.

Ah, I love a good storm.

rainy afternoon

2010-01-17T14:33:00.000-08:00

Rain always puts me in the mood to write... and to drink more tea than I already do. It’s funny what the weather can to do to you.

I am so glad God created a colourful world. Aren’t you? It is especially on days like today, when the clouds hang heavy and grey, that the colours around me are more vibrant. The grass looks greener. The dirt is browner. And the flowers seem revived.

I am happy to report that I have taken up a new sport, and am all the happier and healthier because of it. Perhaps you have heard of bird-watching. Yes? Well, I propose that, as well as something quite like it, called bird-listening. If you’ve got a pair of ears, then this is the sport for you! And if you tend to be a worrier, then this is definitely the sport for you! It involves fine-tuning your ears so that you can hear the birds. Usually when one starts chirping, others chime in, and before you know it, you have an orchestra overhead in the surrounding trees. I’m tellin’ ya… they are eager little chatterboxes. In fact, they are one of the most talkative creatures in all of God’s creation. The problem, however, is that we have tuned them out. Either that, or we are too busy listening to the competing worries inside our minds. This should not be so. God says that His eye in on the sparrow (Matthew 10:29). He also says that He feeds the birds, so that they are ‘careless in the care of God’ (Matthew 6:26/the message translation).

For me, birds are God’s little reminders that He is a caring Heavenly Father, who sees everything and sees to everything. That to say, I believe that Jesus would be an avid supporter of bird-watching and bird-listening. Not only that, but I implore you by experience, that these sports are good for the soul. I highly recommend them.

Some of my favourite lyrics are from Jon Foreman. In his song, Your Love Is Strong, he says this- I look out the window // The birds are composing // Not a note is out of tune // Or out of place.

Isn’t that wonderful? Yes it is.

P.S. Turn off your music. And listen to the rain.

high five

2010-01-09T21:35:00.000-08:00

five musings/realizations/thoughts (whatever noun you so prefer) as of late.

1. I have officially decided that I like my name better when it is said in Spanish, and best when it is said in French.

2. Sometimes I find myself trying to tinker with God's clock, often by trying to wind the hands forward a few days, months, years. I know that this is not only arrogant of me but also very silly. God knows everything. And God knows best. I best rest in His good hands and stop fiddling with my own.

3. "What is a dream to the glorious reality?" I read this yesterday in my Spurgeon's Morning and Evening. And it struck me fresh. What are all my dreams, no matter how grand they may be, compared to the glorious reality of my salvation granted to me through Jesus Christ my Lord. Nothing compares.

4. Just finished A.W. Tozer's little whopper of a book Knowledge of the Holy. It was excellent to say the least, so good that it's hard to summarize. I will say this though. Each chapter began with a prayer. This one in particular I feel is worth sharing. How great is our dilemma. In Thy Presence silence best becomes us, but love inflames our hearts and constrains us to speak. Were we to hold our peace, the stones would cry out; yet if we speak, what shall we say?

5. There are many beautiful things around us every day. The problem is we walk around too busy to notice, and that is tragic.

listen to the birds

2010-01-07T17:39:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I sat under a big, beautiful tree. It was an old tree. I could tell by its height and strong trunk. But it was a very lovely tree, as it's branches intertwined in such an interesting way, so that the sunlight peeked through and kissed my skin warmly. I was enjoying the bliss of it all, thinking about the Majestic Creator who was the Architect of the grand trunk and Designer of the twisting branches. He even tastefully decorated it with green leaves. He even gave me the senses to take it all in.

He didn't have to do that, as my professor reminded me in class today, but He did. And it causes me to praise Him all the more!

Now as I was sitting there, certain concerns sought to tiptoe into the back of my brain. There I was, enjoying moments of pure delight, and Worry the Weasel (as I have so named him) was threatening to ruin those moments. How dare he? He brought with him fear and reminded me of the question marks dotting my looming future. In just a matter of seconds, he distracted me from the Creator that moments earlier I was praising and enjoying.

And then, as it was raining leaves around me, it was like the Lord cued the birds to start chirping. It was His way of reminding me not to worry, Angela, not to worry. Jesus said, "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?"

And that was the end of Worry the Weasel. Thank you Lord!

God is real,

2010-01-06T18:03:00.000-08:00

so live like it.

It is astonishing how many people nowadays give little to no thought at all about God. They go on with their lives, maybe dabbling in a bit of religion here and a little philosophy there, just enough to fill their fancy. They attribute the beauty of this world to 'mother nature' (whoever the heck she is) and disregard the complexity, order, and design of the universe as pure chance (like that's somehow rational?). They have no adequate answers for evil and can't even explain the moral 'ought' they know to be true within themselves. They focus on life and forget about the fact that they will die. As my grandfather says, "Statistics show that ten out of ten people die." Frankly, people just don't care. But they should care. They need to care. Because God is real. He has revealed Himself in creation and His Word!

Perhaps the more sobering thought, though, is for those of us who do believe in this reality of God. We should care far more about these things! Many of us claim God to be true and 'worship' Him on Sundays, but then operate like practical atheists every other day of the week - worrying and whining, bored and bewildered, sorrowful and selfish. Such living is unacceptable. It is incongruent. It will not do because it is a failure to understand that His reality informs and infuses life with meaning. It's about time that people, who claim Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord, start being consistent with that claim. What I mean is - what we know to be true about God in His Word needs to influence how we deal with every issue of life. If we believe God to be merciful, we should be merciful. If we believe God to be slow to anger, we should be slow to anger. If we believe God to be holy and just, we ought to be holy and just. If we believe God to be all-knowing and all-powerful, we ought to be free of anxiety. If we believe God to be gracious and good, why then are we not rejoicing always?

May we who know God, through Jesus Christ, rely on His Holy Spirit to help us apply His real truth to our real lives, to practice what we preach. Because then, and only then, God is glorified and people are influenced.

alive

2010-01-05T17:17:00.000-08:00

A friend and I were enjoying some sunshine today. Ah, it was glorious. As we were chatting, an old man walked by and said hello. We asked him how he was doing, and you know what he said? He said, "Well, I'm still vertical, so that's good." I chuckled at his clever response and that was that. Later on, God brought it back to mind, and I realized how I was taking for-granted being alive today. Some would disregard that thirty-second conversation today as random, but I love knowing that God purposely arranged it, in order that I might be grateful, for being vertical.

... "for in Him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28)

it's time

2010-01-04T21:49:00.000-08:00

Don't you love how delicious Christmastime is? I do! And if you're anything like me, you have consumed ridiculous amounts of sweets this holiday. Chocolate. Cake. Cookies. Pie. You name it, I ate it, and loved every bite of it! You know how it is... between the parties and presents, your sweet tooth is satisfied more in the course of a few weeks than it is all year!

It therefore comes as no shock when the pants seem to have shrunk a bit, as soon as January rolls around, or when the dentist finds a cavity or cavities. Leftovers are still around at the beginning of January and you find yourself postponing your new year's resolution to lose the holiday pounds. Tomorrow becomes the word of the day.

But, it is the fourth of January, folks, and I think it's about time that I stop having dessert after breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But, it's just so hard. I'm telling you, it's like they call me from the fridge. And the promises of just one more bite dissolve as quickly as the chocolate in my mouth. And their calories don't scare me. No-sir-ee. Doesn't a little exercise take care of those things?

This needs to stop though, lest I become the blimp of 2010... lest I become the dreaded airplane passenger who should have booked two seats... lest I lose all my teeth to sugar rotting... lest people mistake me for a woman pregnant with septuplets! Not to mention, I so do not want to be one of the 'before' images you find on those weight loss commercials.

That said, it is time to back-away-from-the-chocolates for a while. And I will... as soon as I finish this last box of shortbread.

hello 2010

2010-01-01T16:22:00.000-08:00

I don't know what is going to happen this year. But I do know that God will be faithful. And that is all I need to know.

"It is good to give thanks to the LORD -
to declare Your loving-kindness in the morning,
and Your faithfulness every night." (Psalm 92:1-2)

good stuff

2009-12-30T12:03:00.000-08:00

I stayed up very late last night reading C.S. Lewis' book Mere Christianity. And... is it a good read, or is it a good read! These lines were particularly good. So good that they are high-lighted, and the page, dog-eared. So good, that they demand to be shared. So, folks, listen up!

"Christianity tells people to repent and promises them forgiveness. It therefore has nothing to say to people who do not know that they have done anything to repent of and who do not feel that they need any forgiveness. It is after you realised that there is a real Moral Law, and a Power behind the Law, and that you have broken that Law, and put yourself wrong with that Power - it is after all this, and not a moment sooner, that Christianity begins to talk! When you have realised that our position is desperate you will begin to understand what Christians are talking about."

Another way of putting it would be that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is good news. In fact, it is the best news. However, what makes this good news so good and so necessary is that it is put against the backdrop of very bad news. The bad news is that all have sinned. When the Bible says "all" that includes you, and me. Because we have broken God's law, we deserve punishment in hell. That is fair... because justice must be served... because God is perfectly holy. But God is merciful as well, and so He provides a way of salvation for us through His Son, Jesus Christ, who was the perfect sacrifice, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. And then He became alive again, according to the Scriptures, conquering death, so that all who trust in Him can conquer death also. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. There is no better news than that!

"I was dead in my transgressions and sins. But because of His great love for me, God, who is rich in mercy, made me alive with Christ even when I was dead in my sins. It is by grace that I have been saved." {Ephesians 2} Sheer grace, folks.

You know how when you pass the jewelers in mall, the diamonds that seem to shine the brightest are the ones on black velvet. Likewise: the gem of the Gospel shines ever-so-gloriously against the ugly reality of my sin.

one step at a time

2009-11-18T00:10:00.000-08:00

"Sometimes when we read the words of those who have been more than conquerors,
we feel almost despondent. We say, 'I feel that I shall never be like that.'
But they won through step-by-step,
by little bits of wills,
little denials of self,
little inward victories,
by faithfulness in very little things,
they became what they are.
No one sees these hidden little steps.
They only see the accomplishment,
but even so, those small steps were taken.
There is no sudden triumph, no spiritual maturity.
That is the work of the moment."
(thank you, Amy Carmichael)

(at a loss for words)

2009-10-05T00:32:00.000-07:00

"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." Ecclesiastes 11:5

"God is in heaven. you are on earth. so let your words be few." Ecclesiastes 5:2

"I am unworthy - how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth." Job 40:4

“Some things in nature must remain a mystery to the most intelligent and enterprising investigators. Human knowledge has bounds beyond which it cannot pass. Universal knowledge is for God alone. If this be so in the things which are seen and temporal, I may rest assured that it is even more so in matters spiritual and eternal. Why, then, have I been torturing my brain with speculations as to destiny and will, fixed fate, and human responsibility? These deep and dark truths I am no more able to comprehend than to find out the depth which coucheth beneath, from which old ocean draws her watery stores. Why am I so curious to know the reason of my Lord’s providences, the motive of His actions, the design of His visitations? Shall I ever be able to clasp the sun in my fist, and hold the universe in my palm? Yet these are as a drop of a bucket compared with the Lord my God. Let me not strive to understand the infinite, but spend my strength in love. What I cannot gain by intellect I can possess by affection, and let that suffice me. I cannot penetrate the heart of the sea, but I can enjoy the healthful breezes which sweep over its bosom, and I can sail over its blue waves with propitious winds. If I could enter the springs of the sea, the feat would serve no useful purpose either to myself or others, it would not save the sinking bark, or give back the drowned mariner to his weeping wife and children; neither would my solving deep mysteries avail me a single whit, for the least love to God, and the simplest act of obedience to Him, are better than the profoundest knowledge. My Lord, I leave the infinite to Thee, and pray Thee to put far from me such a love for the tree of knowledge as might keep me from the tree of life.” C.H. Spurgeon

He puts a stop to my proud thinking. He silences my vain questions. It is a good thing, a very good thing to be quieted by His love.

divine intervention

2009-10-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

"God, Who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, is faithful." 1 Corinthians 1:9

Sometimes, I am just so appalled at my own stupidity. But then again, it should come as no shock. After all, God likening me to sheep wasn't exactly a compliment. Rather it is a reality. What a fitting metaphor, you see. We, like sheep, go astray, leaving the pastures of peace for vain adventures. We are so foolish as to swap the perfect protection and provision of the Shepherd, for loneliness and fear. We are so silly as to starve ourselves of His all-sufficient love. But the beautiful thing is that God, the Great Shepherd, is in the business of seeking and saving lost sheep.

In our helpless state, He intervenes. Because of His great mercy, we are not consumed. I am no longer dead. I am no longer damned. This orphan has been adopted! He has redeemed my life from the pit. Not I, but He!

Salvation is from Him. Let me not forget it. That way, He gets all the glory, as He deserves. I have no righteousness to claim, except for that which He gives to me because of His Son, Jesus Christ. I have nothing to boast in, but the grace of God. The Gospel renders me dependent on Him. Does not 1 Corinthians 1:9 scream of our dependence? I am but the recipient of His call. He brought me to Himself, when I did not seek Him. He loved me, when I did not love Him. He keeps me, though I falter.

Therefore, it is only logical that this dependence should manifest itself in desperation. Just as I was unable to save myself, I am likewise incapable of growth, apart from the True Vine. And so, it is the 'is faithful' part of this verse where I breathe a huge sigh of relief. He will not abandon the work He has begun in me. I am confident of this, that "He Who began a work in me will complete it."

And just in case, we still don't understand, the Lord repeats tHis promise in 1 Thessalonians 5:24. "The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it." I think He is trying to get something across here, don't you? He is a patient Rabbi. Let me be a better student.

a lesson in gratitude

2009-09-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

Isn’t it funny how we end up learning something, even as we are teaching? And isn’t it even funnier how some of the best teachers are our five year old students? That, my friends, is one of the best paradoxes in God's world. And we would do well to realize it.

Today in Sunday school, we each enjoyed a lollipop. Mine was apple. And it turned my tongue green. But that's beside the point. Before we dared take a lick, I was informed by five-year-old Kimi that we needed to give thanks. So we did. She said, “Dear God, thank you for these lollipops and thank you for loving us.”

And in that moment, God used Kimi to remind me to "(always!) give thanks to the Lord, for He is (always!) good!" Good, to create us. Good, to love us. Good, to rescue us. Good, to sustain us. Good, to bless us. Good, to even give us taste buds.

i fell in love with fall a long time ago......

2009-09-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

The leaves have begun to fall, and I couldn't help but smile as I walked to class today, crunching them underfoot.
Something about this season makes me crave apple pie. Makes me wish for ‘a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils’. Makes me want to snuggle up in Barnes and Noble with the latest children’s book. Makes me want a cuppa something delicious in a little café. Makes me want to go to Boston. Makes me want to stay up late. Makes me take a stroll down memory lane, where I sometimes get lost. But most of all, makes me miss my years in Ohio, my street decked with the most colourful of trees, yards piled high with leaves; even makes me miss raking leaves.
Yes, this season has that kind of influence on me. I can’t explain it, but I certainly do feel it. Autumn is in the air, and I like it.

P.S. And if I could have nominated my street in Ohio for screen-saver-of-the-year award, I would have. And I bet it would have won. It was that pretty.

my simple prayer....

2009-09-05T15:37:00.001-07:00

...is to know that I am loved unconditionally by God, and to love Him and others because of it.

big hands in the little details

2009-08-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

“How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God!
Psalm 139:17
Divine omniscience affords no comfort to the ungodly mind, but to the child of God it overflows with consolation. God is always thinking upon us, never turns aside His mind from us, has us always before His eyes; and this is precisely as we would have it, for it would be dreadful to exist for a moment beyond the observation of our heavenly Father. His thoughts are always tender, loving, wise, prudent, far-reaching, and they bring to us countless benefits: hence it is a choice to delight to remember them. The Lord always did think upon His people: hence their election and the covenant of grace by which their salvation is secured. He always will think upon them: hence their final perseverance by which they shall be brought safely to their final rest. In all our wanderings the watchful glance of the Eternal Watcher is evermore fixed upon us, - we never roam beyond the Shepherd's eye. In our sorrows He observes us incessantly, and not a pang escapes Him; in our toils He marks all our weariness, and writes in His book all the struggles of His faithful ones. These thoughts of the Lord encompass us in all our paths, and penetrate the innermost region of our being.
Not a nerve or tissue, valve or vessel, of our bodily organization is uncared for; all the littles of our little world are thought upon by the great God!
Dear reader, is this precious to you? then hold to it. Never be led astray by those philosophic fools who preach up an impersonal God, and talk of self-existent, self-governing matter. The Lord liveth and thinketh upon us, this is a truth far too precious for us to be lightly robbed of it. The notice of a nobleman is valued so highly that he who has it counts his fortune made; but what is it to be thought of by the King of Kings! If the Lord thinketh upon us, ALL IS WELL, and we may rejoice evermore."
- Charles H. Spurgeon

Thank you Lord for putting Psalm 139 in Your Word! I entrust myself into Your big hands and thank You that Your fingers are working out all the details of my life. May I meditate on this, that You, O good God, are so powerful to spin the planets, and yet just as personal to keep a count of the hairs on my head. Thank You for being intimate with Your children. Keep me ever-exploring and ever-enjoying the many facets of Your character. amen, and let it be.

worldwide

2009-08-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

It’s often into the evening hours of Saturday that I begin to think about Sunday, because it is already Sunday in other parts of the world. I calculate the time difference in my head, and think about my brothers and sisters in all the continents. I specifically think of my family in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England, who meet with their small congregations. And I think of mis amigos in Argentina, as well. And I think of all my brothers and sisters who are meeting underground or in peoples’ homes or in lonely prison cells or under expanse of sky.

And I fall asleep rejoicing that God’s name is being praised in many different languages and in many different places by many different people! What a place heaven will be, when the international choir is united before Him.

the shell

2009-08-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

I came across this poem, written by Amy Carmichael. It was written decades ago, but is as timely-as-ever today.

Upon the sandy shore an empty shell,
Beyond the shell infinity of sea;
O Saviour, I am like that empty shell,
Thou art the Sea to me.

A sweeping wave rides up the shore, and lo,
Each dim recess the coiled shell within
Is searched, is filled, is filled to overflow
By water crystalline.

Not to the shell is any glory then:
All glory give we to the glorious sea.
And not to me is any glory when
Thou overflowest me.

Sweep over me, Thy shell, as low I lie;
I yield me to the purpose of Thy will,
Sweep up, O conquering waves, and purify
And with Thy fullness fill.

Amen, and amen!

restless, but resting

2009-08-04T01:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, like tonight, I feel so utterly restless. Wanting to be in a hundred different places at once. Thinking of 'there', but am here. Trying to sleep, but kept awake by a desperately needy world. On my pillow, thinking of those without one. In my house, thinking of those in huts. Me, with a full belly, them and their growling ones. But what is most haunting is their lost and lonely cries, for many do not know their Heavenly Father.

And sometimes, I am so disturbed, disgusted, and devastated with it all, that I forget the sovereignty of God, which tells me... that God has placed me here, now on purpose, which is His purpose. And other times, I am so burdened for other places and people that I lose sight of this place and people around me. And other times, I am caught dreaming of the future, that I let the present slip right by.

So, I have to recall, over and over again, that His sovereignty gives purpose to the 'here' and to the 'now'. And I reckon I'll be learning this again, and again, and again, till I'm home.

it's (much!) more than a song

2009-07-31T15:40:00.000-07:00

Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick ought to come with a warning label. It should say - Beware that if you read this book while in bed, you may not sleep afterwards, due to the glorious truths contained between these binds! Open at the risk of being changed forever!

I have slept very little these past few nights, and I blame it on the book, and the Holy Spirit who is changing me because of the book! And the funny thing is the effects of this all. I simultaneously feel as though I could sleep (like a baby!) because of His love and run around the world declaring (at the top of my lungs!) His love. And though I am tired today, I am as energized as ever! How is this so? Because He loves me.

'Jesus loves me.' You've heard this. And I bet a million bucks that you sang this every week at Sunday school as a child, and a billion bucks that you even know the hand motions. And speaking of motions, I’m afraid that’s all this song might be to us. A popular Sunday school tune. A sweet message. A nice line from the Bible. A cute song we sang as a child.
But it is so much more!

Those three words offer all the hope, joy, peace, and fulfillment that a person could ever need, let alone want! His love gives me a purpose to live and provides the foundation to fulfill that purpose! His love 'covers a multitude of sins'. His love 'drives out fear' because it is perfect. And "the width and length and depth and height" of His love fulfills "with all the fullness of God." And right there, you can enjoy forgiveness, peace, and satisfaction because He loves you. And that's only the beginning, my friend. R.C. Chapman got it right when he said, “When we would consider the love of God in Christ, we are as one approaching the ocean; he casts a glance on the surface, but the depths he cannot sound.”

I am just astounded, which is only natural when one considers the fact that God decided to love the world. A world rampant with blaspheming, arrogant rebels who belittle His existence daily with their selfish ways and hideous idols. Nevertheless though, 'God is love' and loved us 'while we were still sinners'. And He 'so loved us' that He 'spared not His own Son, but gave Him up for us all', which in doing so satisfied His just wrath. What a love! Undeserved but nevertheless 'lavished upon His children'!

My life was saved and is being changed Because He Loves Me.

P.S. I'm being dead serious about that warning label!

the absurdity of worry

2009-07-31T00:26:00.000-07:00

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Luke 12:6-7

It is foolish for us to worry. In fact, it is downright preposterous! Almost hilarious! Think about it. Can not the God who is currently spinning the planets, keeping their orbits perfectly on track, the God who lights up our day with the sun and our night with the moon, the God who is curtailing the mighty tides of the ocean take care of His children?

If He can count the stars and sand, I wouldn't dare (for one minute!) doubt that He can count the hairs on my head. And if He clothes the lilies of the field and feeds the birds of the air, will He not both clothe and feed me, His loved and adopted child?

Not to mention, God has a perfect track record. That bears repeating - perfect! Let me borrow the words of Amy Carmichael here. "Has He ever failed you yet? Never! Never! Wherefore fret?”

So let's put an end to our anxiety, by putting an end to our unbelief in God's promises to His children. And let's kill worry once and for all, because every time we worry, we are not only being ridiculous, but we are making a mockery of our Heavenly Father's unfailing hand. He has every right to be trusted. And we have every reason to be trusting.

wake up call!

2009-07-26T12:07:00.000-07:00

I am currently reading Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick. It's one of those books that ends up overwhelmingly yellow, from being attacked by the high-lighter! Anyways, this point in particular hit me, like a bag of bricks! It got me to thinking, which has got me to writing.

God's love isn't just important; it's essential! True love on our part can only be initiated and sustained by His true love, and the working of the Holy Spirit. Taking this into consideration, we should be alarmed at the self-help books stalking the shelves at the local Christian book store, and we should be just as weary singing songs to the Lord that declare our determination to follow Him, barely mentioning His determination to cause us to do so. It must always start, and stay with God! It's time to close those books that focus on us. And it's time to open our Bible! For when the focus is on Him (as it rightfully should be!), then and only then can authentic, lasting change happen to us!

It is frightening that we have strayed to take the first part of Philippians 4:13 to heart, that "we can do all things", and lost the second (vital!) part "through Christ who strengthens us". When His Word speaks of the believers' responsibilities and abilities, they are never spoken of separate from the fact of God's empowerment. The phrases "through Christ" and "by the Holy Spirit" are always attached to phrases such as: "I can do all things" and "all things are possible." God makes it crystal clear that it is only with Him and through Him, anything gets done. And just in case you still don't believe it, God rewords this idea for us! "Apart from Me, you can do nothing." Get it now?

Here's a thought...
Our relationship with God is ultimately His doing!

It is only by His mercy and grace that we've been pardoned and adopted. It is only by His power and Spirit that we are able to serve Him. It is only by His kindness that we are able to breathe another day. It is only by His sustaining strength that we are able to persevere.

All this to say, it is impossible for a Christian to walk, even a step, independent of His transforming work of love. We ought to be checking ourselves (constantly!) to see if we are under the arrogant delusion that somehow we are the catalyst of change. I mean, who do we think we are? Last time I checked, we deserve nothing! Have we mistaken His mercy to be merited on our part? If so, it's time for a reality check. Get a dictionary! Get a Bible! Mercy is entirely His gracious choice. It has nothing to do with us, apart that it is given to us. We need to humble and surrender our-pitiful-helpless-hopeless-selves, and realize His essential, life-changing love!

O God, let me not forget this - that is is completely and always God at work, lest for one minute I take pride in myself and fall. The only type of falling I want to do is on my knees, in realization of my weakness if left to myself. And thank God, that He doesn't decide to leave me to myself.

the five senses

2009-07-16T23:19:00.001-07:00

Some people with sight don’t see. Some people with hearing don’t hear. They go through life blind and deaf. They plug their nose, keep their shoes on, and waste their taste buds.

Tonight I got to spend a few minutes alone by the ocean.

I opened my eyes. The sun had already sunk below the water, but its golden hues remained to grace the sky. Colours blended and their shades befriended, leaving a sight that was undoubtedly painted by the great Artist. Creativity at its finest!
I opened my ears. The waves rolled and crashed. The water raced all around my feet. Then bubbles fizzed until the water was sucked back out by the mighty tide of the mighty blue. The noise was constant.
I breathed in the abundance of crisp air. I took of my shoes and let my toes sink into the soggy sand. I let the wind play with my hair. And I tasted the salt.

And let me tell you… tangled hair, sandy feet, and salty skin is worth it! Yes it is!
You know, God gave us all our five senses to use! So, use them! And then praise Him! Join in with the standing ovation of His creation!
{what a world! what a God!!}

fearless

2009-07-08T19:08:00.001-07:00

It’s sad when you wake up in the middle of the night to the sprinklers, thinking it’s raining. Once I remember, however, that I’m in California, and it never rains here, I settle back into my pillow again and just pretend.

In these recent days I came across two phenomenal movies on the tube – Veronica Guerin and Blood Diamond. What the two movies had in common were very brave journalists, fighting to report the truth, who refused to be deterred!
Veronica Guerin was an Irish investigative reporter who spent her life (and gave it in the end!) to revealing the truth about drugs and crime in Ireland! She was beat up and even shot, but that only proved to be more fuel for the fight! ‘Big problems call for big commitment.’ And this Irish lady committed herself to a cause, despite the danger, regardless of the threats. The enormity of the drug problem in Ireland got her writing, and kept her writing!
And the same heroism is starred in Blood Diamond, as there is yet another fearless journalist investigating and reporting in the face of great tragedy and misfortunate reality. She left American ‘bling-bling’ for African ‘bling-bang’ and devoted herself to unveiling huge injustice and deceit! She dodged the bullets. She asked the hard questions. She wrote the hard stories. Amidst political unrest and oppression, she uncovers what we call ‘conflict diamonds’.
Good movies invoke a lot of reflection. And reflect, I have. I have put myself in their shoes, in Ireland and in Africa, and ask myself if I would be so brave, as to stand up to crime and injustice. Or even more importantly, would I be so brave as to stand up for the Gospel? After all, isn’t Jesus Christ of the Gospel most worthy of my life, and death?
And then I remember – “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” He says to “not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Something not just to think about folks, but to live about!

The other day at work, an adorable little girl said to me, as she and her mum were leaving the store, “Ok, well have a good night.” I said, “You too!” of course. A minute later she came back and said, “And when you wake up in the morning, have a good morning.”

Well, good night folks. And when you wake up in the morning, good morning!

impossible is nothing

2009-07-04T11:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry, Adidas. Your slogan actually belongs to us.

I love what Adrian Rogers said - "If you realized you were inhabited (by the Holy Spirit!), you would not be inhibited."

And I love even more what Jesus told His disciples! "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

People! it's time to wake up and smell the power! The moment we were saved, God gave us His Holy Spirit! He is with us!

Amen, and amen.

transportation. tea. toe-tapping. trustworthy.

2009-07-02T16:35:00.000-07:00

My work office is right beside an airport, and so there are always planes ascending and descending outside my window. I always wonder where they are going, or where they have come from. And sometimes I wish I could hop on one of them, and go for an adventure.

I am a self-declared tea-addict. I love everything about tea. The smell. The taste. The warmth. But apart from it being absolutely soothing and delicious, I love that tea invites a conversation. Share a cuppa, and have a chat. They go together so wonderfully.

At my work, I spend most the time filing and folding paper, then stuffing and sealing envelopes. (Yes, it's exciting as it sounds!) But thanks to my ipod, the hours pass quite quickly. Today I got back to my roots, and tapped my toe to Gaelic Storm, The Cottars, The Dubliners, Eileen Ivers, and Riverdance. It took everything within me to not stand up and do a jig right in the middle of the office. Instead, I settled for toe-tapping, and dreamt that I was the lead dancer in Riverdance. (Like that will ever happen! But a girl can dream, can't she?) Let music stir your soul.

I used to be obsessed with alliterations. How obsessed? you ask. Well, let me give you an example. I would end my birthday cards to people with this: {and I quote} Have a day bombarded with bliss, packed with perfection, loaded with laughs, stuffed with smiles, and jammed with joy! Now, is that ridiculous or is that ridiculous? Yes, I was a bit weird as a child, but who wasn't? We all had (and have!) our little quirks, whether we admit them or not. And, I confess, alliterations still have a place in my heart. But then again, doesn't take a genius to see that (see title)!

Something to meditate on ...
"Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled." Joshua 21:45
God has never failed, nor does He intend to start. Now, isn't that encouraging!

the highest crime

2009-06-30T16:24:00.000-07:00

God forbid, that we complicate, categorize, or compromise the beautiful simplicity of the most important command in all of Scriptures - to love the Lord Jesus (with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength!).

I plead guilty of disobedience, of neglect. I have committed the highest crime, in the highest degree. I have 'lost Jesus' in my Christian walk. But God is faithful in awakening me to the possibility of that paradox, and it is frightening, folks. To overlook Jesus (the Saviour, my Saviour) is something I'm afraid we all do more than we would like to think.

I now see my pride, and it is ugly (very ugly). I've been impressing myself lately with applying Biblical principles, good conversations, going to church, encouraging others, and even trying to share the Gospel. All of which, are (very) good things, if done because I know and love Jesus. Those things should follow naturally a love for Jesus, but never be done independently or primarily. And so, I'm disgusted to admit, that in it all, I have failed in what is most important- knowing Jesus.

Is He just an acquaintance? A 'go-to'? A refuge? A 'get-out-of-hell card'? Or is He our everything? Our most precious Jewel? Our most intimate friend? Our most beloved Father?

He keeps His promises (thank Him for that!). How about we start keeping His commandments?, starting with the first, "love Him".

what's it gonna be, folks?

2009-06-24T16:20:00.000-07:00

You have two choices, ladies and gentlemen. Either you will be a thermometer or you will be a thermostat.
[A thermometer is an instrument for determining temperature. A thermostat is a device for regulating temperature.]

In other words,
(option one - thermometer)
- You are thrown to and fro in the ebb and flow of life. You let the ups and downs of life put you on a never-ending emotional roller coaster. You're happy one minute, upset the next. You allow circumstances to dictate your mood. You panic. You pout. You disregard His promises. You act as though you do not have a Heavenly Father.

or (option two - thermostat)
You cling to the One who is unchanging and let Him keep you still. Take that thought a step further, and you'll see that our attitude ought not to fluctuate because the good character of our God does not change (ever!). You let His Gospel govern your thoughts, and thus peace, hope, strength, and joy are all your's (all of the time) in Christ Jesus. You rest and rejoice, for your Heavenly Father knows what you need.

Remember, two choices. Let's be thermostats, steady and steadfast in our Lord!

cracked pots and crackpots

2009-06-21T17:13:00.001-07:00

D.L. Moody once said, "We can never be too small for God to use; only too big."

Ever noticed that God deliberately chooses the weak and the foolish to do something great for His name? God loves to use the nobody because, by doing so, He will get the greatest glory, [as He is due]. He is the only worthy Somebody.

He says, "This one I esteem: He who is humble and contrite (repentant) in spirit, and trembles at My Word."

It is good to know and feel our inadequacy, for it is true. We are incapable to even breath, if it were not for His life-giving grace. The beauty of it is though, that He will still glorify Himself by using us, as silly and stupid as we are. He uses cracked pots and crackpots.

Our limits do not limit God. (Hallelujah! for that.)