Years ago my grandmother got too feeble to live by herself, so she moved in with my parents. When I would go visit my parents, I would watch her putter around the house with her walker and grow more feeble and forgetful as the years passed. It got to a point where she couldn't hear the TV well enough to watch it anymore, couldn't see well enough to read and had lost too many friends and family to have visitors.

On one of those visits I wondered why God would leave someone on earth after the point that they were ready to go, after most of their loved ones had gone before them and when they were in so much pain. One night I walked by her room and saw my 4 year old, Rachel, sitting on the side of Grandmother's bed, tucking her in and talking to her. God whispered to my heart, "That's why."

When we tell God that He can use us, we expect Him to give us a task, to show us where to serve. Sometimes though we tell Him that our life belongs to Him, and He allows us to become the task. It's much easier when God lets me stay the strong one, sends me to care for and love hurting, sick or broken people. But what about the times that He takes my life and uses it to teach others to care for and love one in need? What about when I become the broken and needy one? Am I really willing for Him to use my life however HE sees fit and in whatever way will bring Him the most glory?

To trust Him is that place is real and selfless faith!

-Angela

Have you ever been overwhelmed by the fact that we get to come into the presence of the God of all creation....just as we are?

We lived in France for 3 years before we found a school that would accept Michael, our son with special needs.

The process went like this: a place would come open in a school, they let 3 or 4 children come in for a "3 day trial period". After the trial periods they choose which child got the open spot. I can't remember how many "trials" we went through and were told each time that Michael had not been accepted. It was a very painful process.

I began to despair and wonder why on earth God had called us there. At the beginning of our 4th year in France a school called with an opening and said they wanted to give Michael a 5 day trial to see if he could adjust. Everyday of that week I would walk him to the door with my heart pounding and resisting the urge to fall at their feet and beg them to accept and love my son just as he was, handicaps and all.

One morning I drove home angry with how wrong it was for a system to ask an already challenged child to prove himself before he was accepted.

I was suddenly struck with the realization of what a miracle it is that I can come bravely before the throne of God....just as I am, handicaps and all....and I am completely accepted. I never have to fall at His feet and beg him to accept and love me.

What Jesus did for me at the cross covers my sin and brokenness. I realized that my son compared to a "normal" child is nothing compared to the difference between me and the holiness of God.

What a miracle. What an awesome God we serve!

-Angela

"If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhle, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark....only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God."
Oswald Chambers

How I long to be that one in the crowd!

-Angela

I'm reading Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson. It's a good book and I wanted to share something with you. Batterson is talking about the lesser things of the world encaging us so that we are not free to pursue the adventure to which God calls us. He writes,

"In the case of the rich young ruler, his cage was financial security. Jesus said to him, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have reasure in heaven. then come, follow me.'

A part of us feels bad for the rich young ruler, right? How could Jesus demand so much? He asked him to give up everything he had! But we fail to appreciate the offer Jesus put on the table. I don't care how much the rich young ruler had to give up - Jesus offered him so much more. This was the opportunity of a lifetime: an internship with the Son of God."

Batterson's point is that we often become irresponsibly responsible; letting life's lesser things crowd out the most important things. One thing is for sure; the call of Jesus is the same for all of us, "Come follow me."

-Rob

“What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open” Rev. 3:7

I’ve mistakenly banged on some doors that God meant to stay closed. And I've reluctantly walked through doors that I was sure should be closed. The wild thing is that so often farther down the road, or looking at a door that never opened farther down the road, it makes perfect sense. How often have I let out a sigh of relief that God didn't feel obliged to do things my way!

In all honesty though there are times when farther down the road I don't understand any more than I did in the beginning. Those are times when I ask for peace beyond what I can understand:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

and I choose to trust that God knows better than I do.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9

Trust means we acknowledge that God’s plan is at work and good, even when it's way different than what we hoped for or what we understand.

-Angela

As the Israelites approached the promised land, a few of the tribes desired to settle east of the Jordan. Moses told them that this was fine as long as they crossed the Jordan with their brothers and helped them battle for the land. The people of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh did just that; for years they fought alongside the rest of Israel until Joshua allowed them to return across the Jordan and rest. As they were returning, they built a massive altar.

11 And when the Israelites heard that they had built the altar on the border of Canaan at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side, 12 the whole assembly of Israel gathered at Shiloh to go to war against them.

Israel immediately thought that these tribes had constructed an altar to use for sacrifices; one that would replace or be in rival with the altar of the tabernacle. They are so ready to project these motives on the eastern tribes that they gear up for war. However, they send a delegation first and in conversation they find that this is not the case at all.

24 "No! We did it for fear that some day your descendants might say to ours, 'What do you have to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? 25 The LORD has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you—you Reubenites and Gadites! You have no share in the LORD.' So your descendants might cause ours to stop fearing the LORD. 26 "That is why we said, 'Let us get ready and build an altar—but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.' 27 On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the LORD at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, 'You have no share in the LORD.'

I was thinking that we are just as quick to apply the very worst motives to others when we don't understand what they are doing. We are often quick to make war of one kind or another; cold shoulder, gossip, slander, etc. We can learn a lesson from this passage in Joshua about confronting a situation and having a discussion rather than just assuming the motives of another and acting on those assumptions.

- Rob

If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
2 Timothy 2:13

How comforting to remember that God's faithfulness to me does not depend on how faithful I am. How often I get confused and think that I am the initiator instead of the responder.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6-8

All that I do and am is in response to this great, unconditional love.

-Angela

invisible presence
enter
expand
sacrificed essence
necessary substance
empty
exit
immeasurable worth

- Rob

I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own;
it is not for man to direct his steps.
Jeremiah10:23

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
Proverbs 16:9

Most of the time the thought, that my life is not my own and God directs my steps, is so comforting. Other times is scares me nearly to death. I like being in control (or at least the illusion that I am in control). I like making my own plans, having my dreams, working to make things happen.

I always come back to the place though where I realize that He knows me better than I know myself. His plans are good, He is FOR me and not against me. He can be trusted. When I catch a glimpse of how His plan is better than mine, then I thank Him for directing my steps even when I fought against it.

He never says that we shouldn't make plans or dream or deliberately move in a direction, just that we should hold all things loosely in our hands and in our hearts. We can rest in knowing that He is always at working guiding each step.

-Angela

I am suffering from a relatively severe case of Plantar Fasciitis. Basically, this is some level of tightening and tearing of the tendons under the foot; in the heel and arch regions. I've learned the primary cause of this problem is improper preparation and equipment. In other words, I don't stretch properly and I clothe myself with inadequate shoes, then go out and play tennis. The result? OUCH!

Colossians 3:1-4, 12-14
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Perhaps there are areas in our lives that are like my foot. We are hurting or struggling, or being crippled by something and the cause is improper preparation and inadequate clothing. Maybe it's not more arch support we need, but more compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness and love. Where do we get these things? Not Howards or Shoe Carnival; but from above. From focusing on Jesus' example and putting our hearts and minds on God, eternity, and Kingdom values.

- Rob

I'm reading through Joshua and have hit the EXTENSIVE descriptions of the land allocations Joshua made for each of the tribes of Israel. (Not the greatest of readings unless your a realty attorney!) There is this gem in the midst, however, that made me think about requests we make in prayer.

Joshua 17: 14-18
The people of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people and the LORD has blessed us abundantly."

"If you are so numerous," Joshua answered, "and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites." The people of Joseph replied, "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have iron chariots, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel." But Joshua said to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh-"You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have iron chariots and though they are strong, you can drive them out."

Paraphrase:
Joe: "You haven't given us enough."
Josh: "Yes I have, if you'll do what you need to do."
Joe: "But that's still not enough, and besides, what we need to do is really hard."
Josh: "It is enough, and you can do it."

Now there is always a balance between self-reliance and abdication of responsibility. We are not supposed to do everything ourselves and not rely on God. But sometimes, relying on God means doing what he nudges us to do, even when that seems hard. When I pray, am I willing to do what God says is my part; and am I willing to be satisfied with what he says is enough?

- Rob

Edited: 07/08/2009 at 9:41 AM by rmehner

One of my favorite songs right now is "Hosanna" by Hillsong.
Here are some of the lyrics from that song:

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from nothing to
Eternity

I've written those words in my journal as a prayer.
I long to love like I have been loved, to have my heart break over what breaks God's heart.
I've got a long way to go, but I believe He'll take us there if we ask Him to!

-Angela

My daughter has a reading assignment for MAC Track, a program for youth at La Croix who feel they may be called to ministry. The assignment is to finish a book called The Story, which essentially is the Bible distilled down to just the narrative presented in chronological order.

My daughter, my wife and I are reading it together. This has been really interesting as each person has some perspective and different questions about what is being read. As we moved through the Gospels the other night, we hit a section from John 17. In prayer for the disciples, Jesus draws out the incredible relationship between himself and the Father, as well as his hope for the same type of relationship with his disciples and those who will come after them (US!). He speaks of the important role the Holy Spirit will play in this indwelling intimacy.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit in perfect unity with the desire and wherewithal to include us. It was something special to read about this as a family. Perhaps I need to remember this when I get mixed up about who God is and what he's after.

- Rob

But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, "You are my God!" My future is in your hands. Psalm 31:14-15a

There are mornings when I wake up and immediately feel the cares of the day or week crash in on me. I start my day feeling overwhelmed and anxious about one thing or another. Sometimes the stress comes from something I'm worried about that is weeks or even a year down the road. This is when I have to open my Bible to verses like this one and remember that my God holds my future in His hands and He can be trusted. I choose to live in peace.

Easier to do on some days than others, but always worth the effort!

-Angela

Edited: 07/07/2009 at 3:06 PM by abeise

I was reading Joshua 9 this morning. In it, a group of people from the land that God has promised to the Israelites use deception to make a covenant with the leaders of Israel. They say that they are from a distant land and have come to be servants to the Israelites. Once the leadership makes the covenant, it is revealed that they are not who they said they were, nor were their motives.

It made me wonder, as I reflected; are there things that have come into my life - activities, beliefs, even people - that I have accepted and made peace with because they seemed benign, but really don't belong there? My prayer afterward was for God to search me and make me aware of anything like that. He's already answered that one!

- Rob Mehner