Lent 2014, Day 23: Speaking Truth

In light of yesterday's topic, I wanted to remind you of how important it is to speak the truth. I've mentioned the value of spoken words before (http://jprice-beauty4ashes.blogspot.com/2012/03/lent-day-20-powerful-speech.html), but I know I need reminding every once in a while. And recently I've been thinking about this in relation to other people - what am I speaking and praying and believing about the people in my world? Am I speaking anything over them at all? I so often forget to pray for my long distance family and friends as I don't see and hear from them daily. Prayer is such a powerful tool and I truly believe our mighty God can put our positive, truth filled words to use over miles and miles, but only if we take the time to express them to Him!
I also believe that speaking the truth over the people we encounter throughout the day has the power to change our perspective. Imagine how we would treat coworkers, clients, or even our family if every time we looked at them we reminded ourselves, " that's a beloved child of your King!" I know I would act a lot more graciously. So, today I leave you with another directive: Speak truth!

Lenten Sunday 4: Coping with Lies

This morning the teens and sponsors from Youth-A-Rama were asked to tell the church about the trip, silly stories and what we got out of the weekend. We do this every year as a sort of "thanks for the support, here's why it was worth it" kind of thing. So why I'm always slightly surprised and feel unprepared as I walk up to the stage I'll never know. I guess this year I wasn't sure if I would be asked to speak or not as there were so many teens to speak, so I hadn't thought of exactly what to say and I didn't want to steal any talking points from one of the teens... Well, this analogy from Ps. Mike came to mind and would leave me alone. It's a weird and silly one, but it definitely stick with you. So this is what I shared...
You know when you notice a hair in the top corner of your shower and you try and try to pull it down, but it's just out of reach? The only thing that can really be done is to toss some water on it so it'll slip down the wall to the drain. But so often it just drops a few inches, so you splash some more water on it and some more... And when you get a really stubborn one, you have to grab the shower head, aim it at the sucker, and blast it down the wall! Well, that little hair is like a lie from the enemy - it creeps up on you and it alludes your attempts to forget it. So you have to splash some Living Water on it, some truth from the Word of God. And sometimes those suckers have to be drowned in that life affirming truth before they go down the "drain" and out of our hearts for good. Ps. Mike shared this with us to remind us how important it really is to be grounded in the Word, to read what He says to and about us everyday.

Lent 2014, Day 22: Find Joy!

Tonight I went to the Artisan Center Theater to see The Scarlett Pimpernel with my sister and a friend. The play was amazing! The cast did a great job bringing this story to life, making us laugh, and leaving us wanting more. In fact, Rachel and I are trying to find a reason to go back next weekend! So tonight I was just thanking God for giving us these little frivolities, for creating laughter and making it such a powerful agent of healing and stress relief! I just wanted to spread the word about the play (and I hear the book is just as great), and remind you to laugh today. If you're stressed out or overly concerned about how things are going, take a minute and laugh a little. For even the Word tells us the joy of the Lord is our strength - so, find joy!

Lent 2014, Day 21: God of Grace

Grace has been on my mind lately, probably because another friend prompted me to write on the subject a while back. Before I write anything on the topic, I've done some research... So here are the definition of grace, some scriptures about grace, and a couple great quotes on grace.

grace: noun

(in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.

 

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." - 2 Corinthians 12:9

"Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." - Hebrews 4:16

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ... will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." - 1 Peter 5:10

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God." - Romans 5:1-2

“The cross is the lightning rod of grace that short-circuits God’s wrath to Christ so that only the light of His love remains for believers.” ~ A. W. Tozer

“Grace, then, is grace,–that is to say, it is sovereign, it is free, it is sure, it is unconditional, and it is everlasting.” ~ Alexander Whyte 

Lent 2014, Day 20: It is well

As I sit here at work, waiting for clients to walk in, I'm contemplating the thoughts that weighed on me this weekend. And the Holy Spirit begins to whisper gently to my heart...

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,^a
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Refrain:
It is well, (it is well),
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
A song in the night, oh my soul! ^b
a "know" (at the end of the third line) was changed to "say".
^b "A song in the night, oh my soul" (last line)
was changed to "Even so, it is well with my soul".

Now I am awash with His peace. My heart rests. I pray the same for you today - may His sweet Spirit overwhelm you and sooth your longings with His hope & peace!

Lent 2014, Day 19: Descend to Ascend

Today I happened upon a friend's blog that inspired me to dig deeper in my walk and to truly live a life of constant contact through humble prayer. It's a longer post, but I hope you'll read through it and it will encourage you to humbly seek the God who loves you!
http://kingsleydemakpor.blogspot.com/2014/03/holey-prayer.html

Lent 2014, Day 18: Books, books, books

I am an avid reader
And quite the day dreamer,
Just ask any of my teachers.

I love stories.
Stories of old
Told and retold.
New stories, yet unheard.
What I love best
Is just the written word.

Some of my favorite people
Are actually fictional!
They help when I'm unreachable.
Their courage and strength,
Their ambition and tenacity
Inspire the same from me.

Some books change my life.
They pull me in
And shake off my chagrin.
So I come back
Again and again,
As often as I can.

Those are the stories
That speak to higher glories,
Get me taking inventories
And bring joy to worry.
Blindly they lead me back
To the living story!

Lent 2014, Day 17: Book lover quotes

So, I spoke to my friend yesterday and she kindly told me she was intentionally vague about her prompt for me... She just wanted to see what I could/would be inspired to write about "books." Well, she already knows of (and shares) my love of them, so I wanted to give her something a little more. However, I'm still working on that... In the meantime, here are some fun quotes about books:

“You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” - C. S. Lewis

 

“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” - Oscar Wilde

 

“Literature is my Utopia. Here I am not disenfranchised. No barrier of the senses shuts me out from the sweet gracious discourses of my book friends. They talk to me without embarrassment or awkwardness.” - Helen Keller

 

“O day of days when we can read! The reader and the book, either without the other is naught.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

“There is no friend as loyal as a book.” - Ernest Hemingway

 

“A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting.” - Henry David Thoreau

Lenten Sunday 3: Purity in relationships

This video really helped me put things in perspective as far as whenever I actually start dating, and also even the way I think about “potential” husbands – I should really be thinking of them as Christ's and someone else's until we know we're committed to each other.

Lent 2014, Day 16: Are your thoughts captive?

I've also been ruminating on what kind of man I am really looking for. I struggle with attaching myself to either a celebrity I find both physical & personally attractive or the rare man of character I meet in real life. And I say they're rare only because most of the men in my life are either married, old enough to be my father, or in the youth group; so when I do get close to a friend or meet the friend of a friend and find them even slightly attractive, I tend to dwell on the possibilities of our future together... This is all well and good until it starts to really take over my thought life and I start to read into things and believe that whoever the he of this season is, is my meant-to-be! (And if you're a single girl reading this, you're probably thinking, “Oh, I've been there. I know exactly what she's talking about.” If you're a guy reading this... Wow, thanks for reading. I hope I can offer some insight.) Well, recently I have been rather convicted about this whole thought process and how ineffective and distracting it can be. The hardest part is drawing the line between enjoying the books and movies and allowing them to further indulge my daydreaming. As I've said before, I guess this is really where taking every thought captive and truly handing them over to Jesus comes into play.

On another, happier note, one of my good friends once pointed out that all the crushes I've had can help me decide what I really want in man, along with serving as reminders that God has an even better match waiting to find me!

Lent 2014, Day 15: Love communicates

Well, I have been a little uninspired of late... Which explains why I'm updating for the past three days all at once again. Anyway, after watching Divergent last night I've been a quite absorbed in reading Insurgent and so that's where my mind is. Here are a couple thoughts from what I've read so far – relationships, especially of the romantic variety, are not all sunshine and daisies. I've been told before that fairy-tales and chick-flicks fill women's heads with the notion that “happily ever after” is easy, that if it's hard then it isn't “true love.” But I believe that if we would teach our children that loving someone is not the same as liking them and all their behaviors ALL the time, that loving someone is not just a feeling of attraction and passion and completeness but rather a decision, an often daily choice... Then the idea of “happily ever after” would involve “true love” because it was truly worked on, kept up, and communicated often. My issue with Tris & Tobias so far (*spoiler alert* If you haven't read about 400 pgs into Insurgent, you may want to stop reading now.) is that they “love” each other, but they are not completely open and honest with each other. This drives me crazy! I know that it must be hard (I've never done this myself), but I truly feel openness and honesty are a huge part of a real, lasting foundation in an intimate relationship. In fact, how can you have true, pure intimacy without honesty? … Sorry, my thoughts for the day are a little deep...

Lent 2014, Day 14: Tales of love at heart

So, a friend recently prompted me to write about books... I'm not sure what she had in mind – I'll have to ask her tonight when we go to see the “Divergent” movie. So I don't really know what to say about books in particular, other than the fact that I am “old school” and love the feel of a hardback in my hands over a Kindle or Nook, I love the Beast for gifting Belle with a tower full of books, I love perusing the aisles of local libraries, and I love the smell of old books with new stories. On another note... I do love story, it's something that's always tugged at me and I've always responded to. But, haven't we all. I could go on and on about how story affects all of us, but what I really want to talk about today is how most stories reflect the ultimate story, that they reflect our heart's ultimate longing. I've always loved the song “Every Story is a Love Story” from Disney's Broadway musical Aida. Here's one of the best phrases from it:

Every story, new or ancient
Bagatelle or work of art
All are tales of human failing
All are tales of love at heart

It's so true! All story points us to a longing that needs to be fulfilled, a question that must be answered. Maybe they're not all as obvious as Aida, “a story of love in a time of hate,” but stories, especially the ones that speak deeply to us and stand the test of time, really are “tales of love at heart.” This is because we are all made to love and be loved; we are born with a void, a God-shaped hole, in our hearts! So, even when we haven't admitted it yet, when we haven't discovered that He was there beside us all along, we write about how we wish He was, how we long to be known, to be seen, to be pursued, to be purposed, and to be loved! It is a holy hunger, a righteous thirst that can only be satisfied with the pure, complete, overwhelming love of Christ!

Lent 2014, Day 13: ONE body

Tonight we discussed the passage in 1 Corinthians 12 that describes the importance of each part of the body. Our youth pastor, John, showed a clip from “Here Comes the Boom!” where Kevin James' character teaches his class about how a system heals itself. He described how an idle cell can bring down the whole system, but once a cell gets in motion, it starts a chain reaction where all the cells begin to bounce off each other. Once they get into a rhythm and work together, they can heal the entire system. This is very much like the body of Christ! As part of the body we can either build up or tear down the system; we can either work with the other members of the body and accomplish great things, or become lethargic and unresponsive and create a handicap. The Bible tells us to support and encourage each other as we are all invaluable – there is no more honorable or more useful part of the body over another, each part is needed and useful. And John pointed out that it is important that we are open and vulnerable with each other. In this he referenced verse 26, which states, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” This means we are called to lean on each other, and, which is often more difficult, to allow others to lean on us. We are to go to those suffering and build them up, but do we? How often do we just turn the other way? And how often do we find someone who shares our faith and ask them to pray for us when we're struggling ourselves? Don't we just bottle it up so we're not burdening anyone with our own problems...

Lent 2014, Day 12: Temptations of Jesus

So a couple weeks ago Ps. Z spoke about the things Satan tempted Jesus with while He was in the desert. He pointed out that Jesus went on this prayer and fast journey to get clear direction; we should do the same - seek God's direction through prayer and fasting before making life altering decisions. And as Christ fasted, the enemy challenged Him in three ways that we are often challenged when facing those big decisions. First Satan challenged Jesus' identity. It wasn't about how hungry He was, it was about questioning His Son-ship and ability - "If you really are the Son of God, you could do this." Jesus' response is one of confident authority, "Yes, but I am not what I can do or what I have/can get. I am whose I am!" What a powerful concept! This lines up perfectly with the Ps. Mike's point that we are Known by God, that He longs for relationship with us. And it also reminds us that our gifts and abilities are to be subordinate to God, they are to be used in His service, for His glory!
The next challenge is about trust. Satan surely knows the Word, he just doesn't understand the power of the Word! Jesus responds here with the idea that we are not to test our Father; He reminds us that trusting God isn't about jumping off buildings to prove points, it doesn't mean He will enable or bless life-threatening, selfish behavior. Trusting Him means we accept the life He gives us with all it's ups and downs and ins and outs; it means we have faith that He works all together for our good through the chaos and turmoil we might face.
Finally, Satan challenges Christ's thirst for power. He says, "You can have all of this, if only you will worship me." Surprisingly Jesus doesn't question the enemy's power to give Him a grand kingdom, He just refuses any power that is not subordinate to God. This is quite a revelation - I've never thought of this temptation and refusal that way. But it's true, we must remember that God has ultimate power and any power or authority that we have here on earth is given by and through Him and, again, should be used for His glory. So, how do you exert power? under whose authority, by whose name? Are you exercising your will over anyone? or is it surrendered to God?

Lent 2014, Day 11: "Luckily" someone wrote these down ;)

Well, this St. Patrick's Day I am a little under-the-weather and recouping from the long, but amazing, weekend in Lubbock. So, I am contemplating luck and all it's idiosyncrasies as I look at a few quotes on the matter. Sorry I don't have more to share today, just the thought that to me "luck" is silliness and, ultimately, God is in control (Rom. 8:28).

Good luck happens when preparedness meets opportunity. - Bret Harte

It's hard to detect good luck - it looks so much like something you've earned. - Frank A Clark

Good luck is often with the man who doesn't include it in his plans. - William Shakespeare

Lenten Sunday 2: More salt & light

Ps. Mike finished this YAR with a challenge to be salt and light to our world. He reminded us that Jesus didn't call us "Christians," that term came about much later; Jesus called us to bring light and flavor to the world - to reflect God's glory and make others thirst the Living Water! Ps. Mike sited a great example of light being brought as he told the story of Paul & Silas worshipping in prison and pointing their guard to the glory and saving grace of God (found in Acts 16:25-34). He also reminded us that people don't care what you know until they know that you care! So, go out and let them know you care, invite them to a service, remind them they are loved, and encourage them to seek the Father!

Lent 2014, Day 10: Not just a fan!

Saturday we heard what it means to be a follower versus a fan. Fans are admirers of, fanatics for, obsessed with, and even rather knowledgeable about the object of their fandom. But most fans get going when the going gets tough... Fans of Jesus will get just close enough to receive blessings, but will never sacrifice for His Kingdom. They live as though saying, "Oh I'm a fan of Jesus, but..." We need to be followers, people who are devoted, bought in ALL the way! In Luke 14:26 Jesus tells us, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters - yes, even their own life - such a person cannot be my disciple." Ps. Mike told this analogy: our lives can be lived in two ways, like a cafeteria style tray complete with divided sections so that the "juices" of one area (like our faith) do not incorporate with the meat of another (like relationships, thoughts, acts in darkness); or like a big dinner plate where everything touches and it's almost easier to just mix it all together and let all the flavors create something new! The secret of the Christian life is entrusting Jesus with the details - we are called to be sold out, to have every bit of our lives point to His glory! What compartment is He asking to invade on your tray today?

Lent 2014, Day 9: Maintaining the mountain-top moments

On Friday Ps. Mike spoke about the different ways people know us - some may know us as just a name on a call list, some may know us by the nickname we've used since little league, some may know us as a son or daughter... Christ longs to know us intimately, deeply, passionately; like a husband knows a wife; He longs for "into-me-cy!" And so our relationship with Him is not a one time or every-so-often mountain-top event, it is a process, a lifestyle. Just as a marriage is not just the wedding and the anniversaries, it is an everyday decision to love that person and to live life with them. John 15:6-11 puts it this way: "If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."
In order to remain in Him as we come down from the "mountain-top" that is a weekend spent with like-minded people, in an almost constant worshipful state of mind, we must remember to read the Word, fellowship with other believers as often as possible, and pray throughout our days. We read and study the Word individually because we cannot rely upon our Pastors and Youth Ministers to get us through lives ups and downs, we have to be grounded in the truth. And all too often we need the truths found in the Living Word to throw at the enemy as he tries to tear us down with lies about ourselves. The enemy would love to see us become ineffectual branches, not necessarily doing anything bad for the Kingdom, but not doing anything good either... We have to OWN our faith, it must be personal, yet relational. Then the fellowship of the body is as vital as the support and encouragement of our family. And our constant, open, and continuous conversation with Christ serves to remind us that our focus should be the glory of our Father and His great love for us! My favorite note from that night from Ps. Mike is "Faith is not taught, it's caught by others as we live it out!"

Lent 2014, Day 8: Known

The "theme" this year at YAR is that we are known. The messages will cover the idea that we are known by God and He longs for us to make Him known. And today was all about identity. Our speaker, Ps. Mike, spoke about how we often allow other people decide who and what we are. All too often we let friends sway our decisions, we try to be the person our parents want us to be, we allow the media to change our style and determine whether we're "liked," and we judge our value on our performance in sports or academics... Yet the Bible tells us we are fearfully and wonderfully made, that everything about us was created with a purpose. We try so hard to live up to expectations or be better than the last guy, but God found so much value in us that He not only sent His Son to die for us, He also decided to live within us! We are God's address!! And when you know who you are in Him, you know what to do!

Lent 2014, Day 7: Anticipating the mountain-top

So, Youth-A-Rama starts tomorrow... Which means I'm preparing to spend the weekend with a group of amazing, talented, and beautiful young women. As I do so, all I can reflect on is what an honor it is to work with these girls. I have truly been blessed by each of them and encouraged by their strength and their spirit. I came home almost five years ago hoping to find a way to basically live the life I was living in NYC. But God had other plans - through the recommendation of a friend, He put me in a position to get to know our youth. I quickly loved these teenagers like they were my younger siblings, and now I cannot imagine my life without them. I have expanded my vision for the future and for my education at C3College to include Youth Ministry. And yet I have had many conversations with God about my inadequacies when it comes to public speaking, to leadership in any form as I prefer the "second in command" role. As I prepare to love on and encourage our youth this weekend, I am also praying that He would use this weekend to speak to my heart and confirm that this ministry education is the right path, as I have recently struggled with doubts... I only hope that my anticipation doesn't lessen my ability to hear His voice!

Lent 2014, Day 6: In memoriam...

So, my sister and I got new tattoos on Saturday... And it seems like this ink is already under more scrutiny than my two other pieces. Of course, I know putting it on my wrist doesn't help with that. The one problem I have with people's reactions is the whole thing about "are you still going to like that or want that when your old?" It's not like I am a fifteen year old that did this just to rebel against my parents. And I also didn't do it just because it's something "my generation" does, like it's a trend I got sucked into. I've never taken the idea of getting inked lightly. And each piece means something even more than the last, or I wouldn't pay someone to come at me with a needle. And, lastly I'm not going to "grow out of" them or have no use for them as I age.
Here's why - Each tattoo is to remind me of something. The first is a little blue cross on my shoulder, I got it just before I graduated high school. It reminds me that though I respect my parents and their beliefs and opinions, I am my own person and I have to make my own decision to trust in the Good News of salvation. It also reminds of my connection to my sister, as she got the same one that same night. My next piece is the phoenix in flight that I added to my blue cross. This image reminds me of how I was formed from dust and to dust I will return. It also reminds me that I long to be a creature consumed by fire, ablaze with the glory of my creator! Finally, it's a reminder that I am a product of rebirth, that I have eternal life because I am reborn through Christ. And, like Christ, I must die to my own will before this can happen. That message will certainly never get old! Now this new ink is a representation of my relationship with my Gramma 'Nette. It's a heart, because she used to always say "Bless your heart," with a footprint inside, because she called me Sugarfoot. This tattoo will always remind me not only of my Gramma and the love we shared, but also the amazing woman of God she was and she longed for me to be. I hope that with each person I meet, no matter how obnoxious, I can wish them blessings and care for their heart, not just what they can do for me. And I never want to loose her image of me - "so sweet you drip sugar from your nose and your toes." It may sound diminutive or childish, but innocence is something I will always strive for, something I will always need God's power and grace to maintain.
So you see, maybe you don't like tattoos or you don't understand why anyone would pay to go through that pain, but I truly feel these messages, these reminders are that valuable, that important. And the pain is minimal and temporary, while the truth of these lessons is eternal. And, I'm getting down from my "soapbox" now...

Lent 2014, Day 5: Salt & Light

The last station for reflection that Pastor Z had set up on Ash Wednesday last week was one about Salt and Light. Here we were reminded of the parable that Jesus told in Matthew 5:13-16: "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city on hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
Then these questions for asked: Have we brought out the God flavor in the world around us or do we just settle for the world's norms? Do we taste salty and does the world desire living water because of interaction with us? Do we bring the light of salvation with us when we enter a room or join a group?Have we hidden our God-given light under a bushel just to go down the path of least resistance? And as we tasted a pinch of salt and gazed into the light in the room we were to contemplate this thought: When the world experiences us, should it not say, could this be anything but a Christian, just as you're tasting and thinking, could this be anything but salt right now?
This was my favorite station... The questions really got me thinking. Do I light up a room? Well... this is almost convicting - I've never thought of this question with the light of salvation in mind. I've always hoped I did, but for more selfish reasons, more shallow reasons. It is now my hope and prayer that I bring His light where ever I go, that people notice when I walk in and think, "I want what she has" or "Where does her joy come from?" I want my brightness to direct people to Him like a lighthouse or an exit sign leads people to safety. And I hope to never hide my light or mar my reflective service with the film of fear or apprehension just because I'm among a "tough" crowd. If I truly love all His creation, I would long to shine His light on EVERYone!
And, do I add "God-flavor" to my part of the world? Are people thirsty when they get a taste of my saltiness? These questions stepped on my toes too. I can only hope a bowl full of Jessica isn't "low-sodium," but so salty you need the Bread of Life to soak it up and the Living Water to wash it down!

Lenten Sunday 1: Keep your gears greased

Last Wednesday there was also a station with a little bowl of oil and these thoughts for reflection...
"I remember my affliction and my wandering,
    the bitterness and the gall.
   I well remember them,
    and my soul is downcast within me.
   Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore I have hope:

   Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
   They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness." (Lam. 3:19-23)

Reflect on the squeaky, stiff parts of your life - places where you're stuck, places that give cause of continual complaint. Consider how God's love may lubricate them, renewing them, making them usable in a way they haven't been before.

This room reminded me a little of what we discussed from the other two stations - Where and how can God work in us so that He can better use us for His Kingdom? What pieces of ourselves have we hidden or buried (or in this case, forgotten and allowed to stiffen)? And what would it look like if He rained down His anointing oil over us? If we basked in the "greasiness" of His grace? What an interesting concept...

Lent 2014, Day 4: Jars of clay

So, another one of the stations on Wednesday reminded us of the illustration God gave Jeremiah:
"But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 'Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?' declares the Lord. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel'" (Jer. 18:4-6).
Then there was clay you could soften and mold in your hands to remind you of the shaping hand of God, along with the idea that we are jars to be filled with His presence. There were also a couple questions for reflection: Do you ever feel your heart is hard, inflexible, judgmental? Do you keep your guard up in relationships with others? with Christ?
Personally, I think we all struggle with these issues, at least at some point in life, or with a certain person or group of people in our lives. How open and transparent are you with your co-workers? Or your extended family? your church? And there are times and places to be on your guard, and some times it's better to wait for the right timing. But if that's all we're doing, if that's how we're living day to day, or if we're bottling things up and letting them fester we need to allow the potter to ball us back up, clean us of impurities once again, soften us in His hands, and begin to reshape us for His purposes.

Lent 2014, Day 3: Spring cleaning...

On Wednesday Pastor Z told us that in the early church Lent was associated with spring. And in fact, the early English word lent meant "spring." So it can easily be looked at as the start of the spring season. And in spring we delve into some intense cleaning as we move long idle furniture and clean out overstuffed closets. Well, one of the stations set up for reflection this week was a room with a basin of water. There you read Psalm 51:10-12, which states:
"Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
  Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
  Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."
Then, as you washed your hands in the basin, you were to reflect on the idea that Lent is a season of "spring cleaning" for your spirit. Are there any closeted resentments you may be storing in your heart? Do any of the dishes in your sink harbor residues of negative behaviors? Has dust settled on any idle talents? Have any of your spiritual gifts become buried and moth-eaten with doubt or worry?
These questions definitely stepped on my toes a little, as my behavioral residues usually come in quietly, in the form of longings or cravings that seem harmless, but lead to occasional lust or bitterness or self-reliance. And how often have I desired something but then doubt creeps up and tells me how unlikely it is to happen and how unworthy I am anyway... So then I turn to what is comfortable and controllable instead of the truth, instead of believing in His love that makes me worthy, instead of having faith in my God who can and does do the impossible! What would my heart's home look like if I truly allowed Him to gut it, clean every crevice, and dwell there?!

Lent 2014, Day 2: Taking Ashes

So last night Pastor Z held a unique Ash Wednesday service. It had been a long time since we had an Ash Wednesday service at all, so he started the evening with a great video that explained what this season of Lent is all about and what taking the ashes represented. I definitely learned a few things... First, the ashes are traditionally from the palm leaves from the Palm Sunday the year before - how cool is that. Then, the discrepancy between the 40 days of Lent and the usual 46 or so days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday is not because Holy Week is not included in Lent, but because each Sunday is a mini-celebration of Easter and they are therefore not included in the 40 total days. (Does that mean there are 40 "business" days until Easter? LOL...)  Lastly I was reminded that taking the ashes, and actually the whole Lenten season, is about turning from sin to repentance, about remembering that we can't do it on our own, in fact, we're not made to. The video reminded me that we do not wear ashes to proclaim our holiness but to humbly admit that we've sinned and are in need of repentance and renewal.
The video also stated it well, that during this season we traditionally fast, pray, and give, but why do we do these things? We fast because depriving ourselves of a basic need reminds us of our utter dependence on God; and the money we "save" while fasting traditionally goes to those in need. Which reminds us that we give because what is given to us by God is not for us alone, but for us to share with others and for the service of others. And we pray because we are not self-sufficient; we have a need inside of us that cannot be filled by ourselves or others; we have a holy longing and must look to God. In the video they used the Lone Ranger as an example of the mythical American hero - self-made, independent, and alone. But Tonto is closer to a Biblical definition of hero - part of a tribe, community minded and dependent. It ended with the idea that Ash Wednesday (and Lent) is all about repentance (fasting), renewal (praying), and community (giving)...
Pastor Z then had us go through different stations where we delved a little into the Word and reflected on concepts like being salt and light, allowing God to mold and form you like clay, and doing some Spiritual "spring cleaning" by washing away the grunge of regrets and the dust of complacency. I'll tell you more about those in the next couple of days. It may sound a little crazy, but I've gotten to where I really look forward to Lent as it has become a real season of growth and renewal in my year to year living. I hope these posts will help you realize the joy of this season instead of focusing attention of the deprivation and obligation that is so often associated with Lent.

Lent 2014, Day 1: Captivated World-view

About a month ago, our youth pastor proposed a thought provoking question: What is your world-view? And has becoming a Christian changed your world-view? His point that evening was that how we view the world, the people, the media, the beliefs, matters. And our focus, our perspective as Christ followers should definitely differ from that of the rest of the world. But one thing he touched on really stuck with me... He mentioned that our world-view heavily influences how we look at, react to, and interact with the people around us. Well, this really convicted me as it got me thinking, “do I see every person I interact with as Christ sees them?” If so, why does that not show in the way I speak to, or even think of, them? I know that all too often I observe people and wonder why they did this or that... or even what were they thinking when they put that top with those bottoms... These aren't terrible thoughts, though I've had my share of those as well, but they are not encouraging, edifying thoughts either. And as we are called to minister to the world and spread the Gospel message, these critical thoughts distract us and set us up to react to people negatively, whether by ignoring them, acting indifferent toward them, or out-rightly berating them. We really need to start taking EVERY thought captive, as 2 Cor. 10:5 tells us, especially our thoughts toward other people. After all, we are ALL His children!