the impossible

Is anything impossible with God?

I don't think so, but I don't live that way.

I realized that there are many things I write off as impossibilities.

This week I talked about Jesus with someone, someone who was one of the last people I would have expected to have a conversation about faith with.

Last night I felt like God was present in the conversation we had at youth group, on a night when I expected that no one would show up.

Tim told me about a quote in the book "The Forgotten God" recently that really spoke to me.  Here it is:

"It's easy to use the phrase "God's will for my life" as an excuse for inaction or even disobedience.  It's much less demanding to think about God's will for your future than it is to ask Him what He wants you to do in the next ten minutes.  It's safer to commit to following Him someday rather than this day."- Francis Chan

I think God works mightily in the 10 minutes we are given at a time when we are willing to listen to the Holy Spirit.  The conversations and actions that make up each day are of use to our Lord when we are willing to give them up to Him.

I think the Spirit prompts us to speak to the lost around us.  I get caught up thinking about what I'm going to do for God in the future and neglect those around me, especially the difficult ones... the ones that seem so far away.

No one is too far from our God this side of death.

I am ashamed that I have judged some hearts as being "too hard" when I choose who I am going to share Christ with.  Somehow I have gotten into the habit of picking out what appear to be "spiritual softballs" and avoid sharing with the ones who are more abrasive, or seem more hard-hearted.

Since when was I allowed to judge an "impossible soul"?

Jesus didn't operate this way when He was on earth.  In fact, He seemed to get along quite well with the tough ones and struggled with the "righteous."  The upstanding people around him wondered what Jesus could see in His motley crew of redeemed sinners, and didn't realize that they were the ones whose hearts were hardened.

Jesus tells a parable about the sower, who threw his seed without partiality on the path, the rocky ground, amongst the thorns, and on good soil.  The sower did not judge the soil but gave the seed to each in good measure.  In the end, only the seeds in the good soil grow and they are a picture of the ones who "hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit."

Rather than being generous with the word like Jesus, I pre-judge the soil and make my own decisions.  Unfortunately, I'm missing the point.  I can only see the outward appearance and not judge the condition of the heart.

The hardest of outward appearance, even the hardest attitude toward God may be hiding a heart that is crying out for Jesus.

Far be it from me to judge who is ready and who is not.

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."  1 Peter 3:9

God wishes that all His people were saved,and I think I'm ready to share with them now.  I pray that God will lead all of us, the likely and and the unlikely closer to Him.

"For nothing is impossible with God."  Luke 1:37

to the faint and weary

"Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
And to him who has not might He increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
And young men shall fall exhausted;
But they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up on wings like eagles;
They shall run and not be weary;
They shall walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:28-31

like elijah

"And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He said, "I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life to take it away." 1 Kings 19:12-14

Elijah at this point in 1 Kings is afraid for his life. God has used him to defeat and kill all of the priests of Baal. The wicked Queen Jezebel wants to kill him and Elijah flees for his life. Talk about a stressful situation. Talk about being alone.

Even though I have had no reason to fear for my life like Elijah, I have felt alone in the world (think work). It can be difficult to be the only Christian, the only God-fearer in a place that is sometimes swamped with darkness. Recently though, I have heard the voice of God.

"Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him." 1 Kings 19:18

Lately I have been having faith conversations with people at my job. I cannot say where each of them are at in their path to Christ, but I know now that I'm not alone like I thought. The last couple weeks at work I have had two of the girls tell me they would be praying for me. It was like a breath of fresh air after nearly two years of feeling like the only one praying. It felt like God rolled back the clouds around Mt. Horeb and showed me His people, "Yet I will leave..."

God is working in more ways than we will ever know, even in the darkest situations like Elijah's, He is always present. May we never forget that though we feel alone, He is with us and His body of believers is still present in the world.

"And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20

out of my hands

I realized this weekend that I really don't like "feeling out of control."

I don't like worrying about money. I don't like having piles of laundry and a messy apartment. I don't like having spoiled food in the fridge. I don't like facing my social anxiety and cell phone. I don't like worrying about what other people think about me, who I am, and the job that I'm doing.

I realize I trust God really well when I've got things under control. Wait a second, that's not trust at all. Trust in myself maybe, but certainly not trust in God.

I don't want to come to Him messy. I don't want Him to have to fix me. I just want to do it myself. But I can't anymore. I'm too tired.

I don't want to freak out any more because things are out of my hands. I want to trust God recklessly. No more weak-hearted trust with doubt on the side. God's got this one, and all the other ones that came before it.

Lord, please help me trust You when bills are due, when the kitchen is a mess, when the phone rings, and the goat cheese is moldy. It's in Your hands, let me never forget that.

"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements-- surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Job 38: 4-7

"My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand." John 10:29

These passages tell me very clearly that the Lord, Yahweh, who created the foundations of the world, should have control over my life. It's in His hands, forever and ever. Amen.

lovely monday

It's been awhile since I have written one of these posts, and I figured today was as good a monday as any to write one. After a great weekend, I need to look at the the beautiful things around me to give me a little extra energy for the week. So, here is my lovely monday list for today:

1. Tim doesn't work nights or weekends anymore (huzzah!)

2. Our frequent trips to the beach.

3. Green.... the trees and grass make my eyes happy.

4. Coconut ice cream sandwiches.

5. Summer clouds.

6. Bare feet.

7. Time for art.

8. Watermelon, strawberries, peaches, and blueberries.

9. A calm day at work.

10. My third day in a row posting on my blog.

11. Family (I love you all!).

12. Falling more in love with my Savior Jesus and my husband Tim everyday.

So what makes your day lovely? I'd love to hear about it.

P.S. Here is a verse I have been trying to wrap my thoughts around lately (it's truly a wonderful list to dwell on). "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8