I never liked the game of hide and seek. It just got boring after awhile, when some of the players found really good spots and the fun of finding them was replaced with the boring and tedious task of never figuring out where they'd gone. My attention span was never that long.
So while I never much cared for the game, I do like to hide. I do it all the time. It has become my coping method of choice and habit. I'm not sure it's really a good thing, either.
I don't hide, as some people do, behind an emotional or facial mask of content and happiness. I actually hide -- I immerse myself in computer games, I go to my sewing room and work, or I just get away from the house, alone, and am by myself. I don't answer my cell phone, and I don't tell people where I'm going. Sometimes I just go to sleep. I don't generally call my friends (although I am always happy to see them), I don't participate in group functions much. I don't like retreats and conferences because of all the people and the schedule and feeling herded.
I quite literally hide, and I do not want to be found.
This frustrates my family on a regular basis. They need me to be available to them. But when I can't, when the stress level is just too high or I'm just too tired, or I've just had enough -- I have to get away. Because I'm an introvert, this happens on a regular basis. It frustrates my friends, too, who tend to think I don't care about them. It's not that, truly. It's just that being alone is far less work than to cope with everyone's personality.
I'd love to say that I haven't always been this way, but it's not true. I have always been this way. People are hard for me. I want to please them, and I am continually frustrated by the fact that I disappoint them regularly. I try, and then I default to my usual habits. And I hate myself for failing them, so I hide. My husband has always interpreted this as my lack of care about what others think of me. In reality, it is quite the opposite.
Here is what Matthew 5:14-16 has to say about it:
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Probably the most ironic thing about all this hiding I do is that most people around me will insist that I'm not an introvert at all. They would readily say that I'm an extrovert. I find this very funny, because I have effectively fooled them quite expertly.
I fool them by hiding the way most people do - by putting on a face, an attitude, a general aura of happy well-being. The trouble is that I can't keep it up for very long at all. Depending on the day and how physically and emotionally rested I am, I can only keep this up for a few hours, maybe a day. But that's it.
Perhaps I should have been an actor. I could have been rich. Surely I have missed my true calling.
Well, here's the thing of it: (I swear I'm going to have that engraved on my dad's grave; he says it all the time) --
God knows my name, He is infinitely patient, and He calls to me every minute of every day. He says "Come out, Jenny. I know you're in there. You must trust Me."
How can I refuse Him? I always venture out cautiously. And then I wander away, fascinated by some thing or another, and end up in that same vicious cycle of disappointing people or hurting someone or getting hurt myself. Sounds like regular life for most of us, doesn't it?
It is regular life. And that is entirely beside the point. Remember what Beaver said about Aslan?
"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
Following the King isn't always a safe business; the King Himself isn't safe. We get beaten up and hurt along the way. We hurt others. This isn't because we're bad people, or because we can't cope. It's because we're human. It is because we learn from failure as much as success.
And quite honestly, hiding doesn't fix it. It just delays it for a bit.
So I am working on not hiding these days. Being in the company of people who don't hide helps a lot. In order to be with them, I have to come out of hiding. It's ok to take a break every now and then. But if I'm away for too long, my light goes out, and I might just as well have put it under a bowl in the first place. And then there's all the trouble of finding a match or a lighter, and feeding it enough to get it burning brightly again -- with all that hassle, you'd think I wouldn't even have gone into hiding and let it go out in the first place.
So once again, I come out of hiding. It is a tenuous business and I am afraid. But I know He is the one who calls me out, and moreover, it is an amazing thing to be caught up in this thing that my friend Richard called "the reckless raging fury that they call the love of God."
Deep breath. Here goes.
xoxoxox
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Monday, June 27, 2011
Monday, August 9, 2010
I Wonder as I Squander
Today, I am feeling the weight of what is about to happen: I have one daughter already gone and living 500 miles away, and two more are leaving in a week. One is going about 250 miles southwest, and the other about 100 miles southeast.
I wrote to my Mom last night, because I usually go to my Mom when I don't know what to do. I said this: "They're all leaving. Make it stop."
And because I know my mother well, I know she is feeling my pain, feeling tears sting her eyes like they do mine, and all the while knowing that I'll get through it just fine, because she did.
It is as life goes. It is the repeating of things over and over again. My turn.
Paul encouraged me today. He had no idea when he wrote that letter to the Corinthian church that Jenny's heart would be lifted by what he said. But that's God for you --
1-10Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us.
I know Paul is talking to people in the church at Corinth who seem to be going on about their lives as if nothing had changed. I realise that he's concerned about opportunities they might have to change lives in their community, to introduce their neighbors to Christ, to be examples, to let their lives be arrows pointing straight to God.
But he is also talking to me. He's telling me that time is valuable, precious, gone in a wink. So don't squander it; don't waste time fussing about who did the dishes when you could be hugging her and telling her how amazing she is and how convinced you are she'll conquer every challenge.
Not that the dishes don't have to get done. OK, tell her that while you're doing the dishes with her. Maybe squirt some water or snap a dishtowel and laugh a lot.
I have heard people tell me this all my life: every moment I have with my daughter is precious. So every moment in one daughter's life, times five -- how did I get to be the one who won the lottery and hit the jackpot when it came to precious moments? I don't know, don't really care -- I just want to be highly mindful of it, not be looking back all the time at those moments I did squander with my own selfishness. I want to look ahead. The moments aren't over, they're just spread a little further apart with physical distance.
And it is so much easier to enjoy them now that there aren't all these little high-pitched voices screaming and talking and arguing over whose turn it is to do the dishes.
I need a sign somewhere in my house -- maybe in the kitchen somewhere -- that says "no squandering allowed." Get out the map. Quit squandering around.
And squander over here and let's get some dishes done.
xoxox
I wrote to my Mom last night, because I usually go to my Mom when I don't know what to do. I said this: "They're all leaving. Make it stop."
And because I know my mother well, I know she is feeling my pain, feeling tears sting her eyes like they do mine, and all the while knowing that I'll get through it just fine, because she did.
It is as life goes. It is the repeating of things over and over again. My turn.
Paul encouraged me today. He had no idea when he wrote that letter to the Corinthian church that Jenny's heart would be lifted by what he said. But that's God for you --
1-10Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us.
I know Paul is talking to people in the church at Corinth who seem to be going on about their lives as if nothing had changed. I realise that he's concerned about opportunities they might have to change lives in their community, to introduce their neighbors to Christ, to be examples, to let their lives be arrows pointing straight to God.
But he is also talking to me. He's telling me that time is valuable, precious, gone in a wink. So don't squander it; don't waste time fussing about who did the dishes when you could be hugging her and telling her how amazing she is and how convinced you are she'll conquer every challenge.
Not that the dishes don't have to get done. OK, tell her that while you're doing the dishes with her. Maybe squirt some water or snap a dishtowel and laugh a lot.
I have heard people tell me this all my life: every moment I have with my daughter is precious. So every moment in one daughter's life, times five -- how did I get to be the one who won the lottery and hit the jackpot when it came to precious moments? I don't know, don't really care -- I just want to be highly mindful of it, not be looking back all the time at those moments I did squander with my own selfishness. I want to look ahead. The moments aren't over, they're just spread a little further apart with physical distance.
And it is so much easier to enjoy them now that there aren't all these little high-pitched voices screaming and talking and arguing over whose turn it is to do the dishes.
I need a sign somewhere in my house -- maybe in the kitchen somewhere -- that says "no squandering allowed." Get out the map. Quit squandering around.
And squander over here and let's get some dishes done.
xoxox
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
A Bit of History
I love history. I love for a couple of reasons.
One is that we inevitably have a romanced view of what happened in the past, so it's a pleasant experience to remember. One other reason is that there are valuable principles to be gained from a study of history.
I also love being a pioneer. I have always enjoyed change, even with the pain and discomfort it usually causes. In the end, it's always worth it. There is something always to be learned or gained, and if we hit it just right, both.
One doesn't get to be a pioneer without looking forward. Looking over our shoulder doesn't help us when we're moving forward because we can't see where we're going.
And let's face it, time keeps right on going, like a river. It always picks us up and takes us -- sometimes fighting and screaming like children throwing tantrums, and other times mercifully thankful to move on.
Looking forward also means you have to have something at which to look. Whether it's just our feet moving in steps of blind faith or a goal we're striving to achieve, God gave us eyes for a reason.
I often cringe when I hear the words "don't mess with what works." I always wonder just how much longer it will work, and to what end? Is this thing we refuse to change really going to last?
Of course it won't last. Nothing really lasts -- one look at the castles of Europe or last week's leftovers will leave us with one conclusion: things aren't made to last. And more importantly, God didn't create the world to last.
Even Paul says this:
Phillipians 3:13-15 (New International Version)
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
I'm a sheep. I do the following when it comes to my husband and other leaders. I lead some small groups of sheep where I'm qualified and called. But overall, it's not my job to cast vision and be a big-picture person in the kingdom.
I depend on my shepherds to do that. And I really do pray that they don't depend on history to do it. Because again, it is the principles of history -- and not the practices of it -- that should guide us.
xoxoxox
One is that we inevitably have a romanced view of what happened in the past, so it's a pleasant experience to remember. One other reason is that there are valuable principles to be gained from a study of history.
I also love being a pioneer. I have always enjoyed change, even with the pain and discomfort it usually causes. In the end, it's always worth it. There is something always to be learned or gained, and if we hit it just right, both.
One doesn't get to be a pioneer without looking forward. Looking over our shoulder doesn't help us when we're moving forward because we can't see where we're going.
And let's face it, time keeps right on going, like a river. It always picks us up and takes us -- sometimes fighting and screaming like children throwing tantrums, and other times mercifully thankful to move on.
Looking forward also means you have to have something at which to look. Whether it's just our feet moving in steps of blind faith or a goal we're striving to achieve, God gave us eyes for a reason.
I often cringe when I hear the words "don't mess with what works." I always wonder just how much longer it will work, and to what end? Is this thing we refuse to change really going to last?
Of course it won't last. Nothing really lasts -- one look at the castles of Europe or last week's leftovers will leave us with one conclusion: things aren't made to last. And more importantly, God didn't create the world to last.
Even Paul says this:
Phillipians 3:13-15 (New International Version)
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
I'm a sheep. I do the following when it comes to my husband and other leaders. I lead some small groups of sheep where I'm qualified and called. But overall, it's not my job to cast vision and be a big-picture person in the kingdom.
I depend on my shepherds to do that. And I really do pray that they don't depend on history to do it. Because again, it is the principles of history -- and not the practices of it -- that should guide us.
xoxoxox
Friday, June 18, 2010
Only Ten Things.
From Romans 4 -- (The Message) --
4-5If you're a hard worker and do a good job, you deserve your pay; we don't call your wages a gift. But if you see that the job is too big for you, that it's something only God can do, and you trust him to do it—you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked—well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift.
I read this just now and was reassured. Believe me, I need to be reassured right now. Here is why:
Around about late February/early March, Hunk O Man and I had decided it was time to put our house on the market. We'd spend Spring Break, the first week of April, doing the odd and end things to get it ready. Then, April 12 we'd put it on the market.
So Rhonda called and said "I know it's not ready yet, but I have this couple who'd like to look at your house. Do you think I could show it to them?" This was the second week of March, a full month prior to the time we had planned to put it on the market. Rhonda is not a pushy kind of gal; she is sweet and accommodating. But we thought hey, why not? So we cleaned it up and I staged it, and the couple saw the house.
And they loved it.
On March 22, we had a signed contract and a closing date of April 25. But -- we had a lot to do. I only had about 10 things to do. The list went something like this:
1. Re-screen the back porch.
2. Write two research papers.
3. Read "A Streetcar Named Desire" and write an essay on it.
4. Paint the dining room.
5. Write six more essays for final exams.
6. Make two prom dresses. Don't use a pattern, just design one as you go and copy the other from an existing dress. Drive the 1.5 hours to Raleigh about 3 times for fabric and patterns and notions and more fabric.
7. Pack up the entire house.
8. Prime and paint the kitchen cabinets.
9. Put a door on the closet in Bug's room, paint Babydoll's room, touch up the peeling paint in the laundry room, paint all the wainscoting that ran (quite literally) everywhere in the house.
10. Try not to lose my mind.
And you know what? I prayed a lot, worked hard, and God made it all happen. It all got done and everyone's mind, including mine, came out intact and functioning normally. The job was clearly too big for us, and God got it done.
So with such a fresh example in my head, why am I freaking out now?
Because the house we live in now is my favourite house of all the houses in which I've ever lived. I LOVE this house. But -- this house is on the market also. It has been for over 2 years. We agreed to an open, month-to-month lease because we thought we'd probably find another house.
We had a showing on Wednesday (my birthday, no less!). The a/c was broken and it was probably 90 degrees and 90% humidity in the house. I picked it up but didn't really "clean" it -- too hot to run the sweeper! I can stage a house and make it fabulous, and I didn't do that.
But -- the people loved the house. And yesterday, I had to go back to God and ask "Really? You would make me move 6 weeks after I moved into the house I absolutely love and you would do it on my birthday? Really?"
Now let's just hang on a minute here, Jen. Am I talking to the same God who enabled me to accomplish that list of the 10 things? What is the matter with me? What makes me think He would put me in such a position?
I hang my head as I realise this: I had to get past the freaking out part before I could step into the trust. I wish it were one easy motion. But I am a horrible sinner and it is not one easy motion. Of all those I could trust the most -- the One who has never failed me -- I seem to trust Him the least. I know God, really know Him. I know better than to not trust Him.
So He reassured me today with Romans 4. Because He loves me, and doesn't want to give me too much, and He wants me to remember that He never will give me too much. If I have to move again, there will be another list of 10 impossible things and He will get them accomplished, not me. Or even just one impossible thing -- that I don't lose my mind and have to be sent to the nut house -- and God will still keep me sane.
16This is why the fulfillment of God's promise depends entirely on trusting God and his way, and then simply embracing him and what he does. God's promise arrives as pure gift.
When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do.
The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God.
Promise, after promise, after promise. I am thanking God today.
When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do.
The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God.
Promise, after promise, after promise. I am thanking God today.
xoxox
Monday, May 17, 2010
Deja Vu All Over Again
I realised something this morning.
I've always wanted a do-over in my life. I've wanted the chance to go back to certain sections of my life and re-do them, so I could avoid the mistakes I made.
This morning I realised I'd just make different mistakes.
And once again I am thankful for the blood of my Saviour!
xoxoxox
I've always wanted a do-over in my life. I've wanted the chance to go back to certain sections of my life and re-do them, so I could avoid the mistakes I made.
This morning I realised I'd just make different mistakes.
And once again I am thankful for the blood of my Saviour!
xoxoxox
Friday, June 26, 2009
Sliding into Home Base
My brother wrote to me recently from Iraq. He said this:
I read something once that said:
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming... "Wow! What a ride!"
I love the picture in my mind that I see when I read these words. It makes me think of the apostle Paul, who said these words in Philippians 3:
17-19 Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I've warned you of them many times; sadly, I'm having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ's Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.
20-21 But there's far more to life for us. We're citizens of high heaven! We're waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He'll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.
We're right there with him, running this race, jogging the marathon, ready to jump and land flat on our bellies as we slide toward the finish line, bruised, aching, tired, old, probably with a black eye, filthy, ragged, and proclaiming "Wah-hoo! What a ride!"
I personally need to remember this when I'm so focused in on my very small life, in my very small town, and my very small issues, only growing narrower and narrower in my view. This abundant life is a glorious ride! It is designed specifically to wear you out and use you up! Go for it!
xoxoxoxox
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Vroom Vroom
Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.
Philippians 2:13
And that is why I love this book. Paul is so full of encouragement! For the past 3 days or so, I've been suffering with a migraine -- change of climate after a week in Indiana, changes in air pressure, whatever. All I know is that my head hurts.
But God's energy deep within me -- that is such an encouragement when all I've gotten done is some laundry. That energy will well up within me and take over. For now, after the sun has just gone down at 9:00PM, the headache is at bay. And I'm ready to let God do whatever He wants.
It's so nice to know that I don't have to find things to make myself busy. God is at work within me! All I have to do is make myself available to Him with a simple prayer -- Please Lord, use me today.
xoxoxox
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Home
I've been gone over a week -- I had a birthday last Tuesday (a rather big one), and Hunk O Man surprised me with a week-long visit up north to Indianapolis. I saw precious friends, gave hugs and kisses, rubbed noses with two sweet little girls to whom I am Auntie J, ate and drank my favourites, shopped a little, visited a lot, and relaxed. I didn't hurry, I didn't worry much about home -- I just began the next century of my life quietly and easily, and in the company of people I love. And in a place that has always felt more like home than any other place.
In a word -- it was wonderful!
And now I'm home again doing laundry and cleaning the kitchen. Hunk O Man has a birthday next week, and what with Father's Day, he decided to buy himself an Imax Theater for the living room.
Well, not really. I think it's only something like 50 or 52 inches.
The previous tv in there was at the point where you had to hit the side of it to get the picture to straighten itself out, so I didn't flinch when he bought this Imax. JB hooked it up and now the only problem is that there's no HD yet. Something about cords and boxes and the like. Also something about it needing to be fixed and eyes looking my direction.
I've been reading in Ephesians and just began Philippians, my favourite book -- and Paul often says "I thank my God for you." I love these verses because I thank my God so often for the friends I saw recently. And I thank Him for my family as well. Sometimes you get to have such a perfect week, or day, or moment, and you just think 'ok Lord, that's it, I've experienced it all and I'm ready to go.'
But we don't go, because there's still so much work to be done. My neighbors still aren't settled into a real ongoing relationship with Jesus. My kids aren't raised all the way yet. My husband's ministry isn't finished yet, and so neither is mine, since mine is to minister to him while he ministers to others.
So it's back to real life, and real work, and the realities of my relationship with the most important one, Jesus. On with the next half century. I'm armed with the Message and ready!
xoxoxox
In a word -- it was wonderful!
And now I'm home again doing laundry and cleaning the kitchen. Hunk O Man has a birthday next week, and what with Father's Day, he decided to buy himself an Imax Theater for the living room.
Well, not really. I think it's only something like 50 or 52 inches.
The previous tv in there was at the point where you had to hit the side of it to get the picture to straighten itself out, so I didn't flinch when he bought this Imax. JB hooked it up and now the only problem is that there's no HD yet. Something about cords and boxes and the like. Also something about it needing to be fixed and eyes looking my direction.
I've been reading in Ephesians and just began Philippians, my favourite book -- and Paul often says "I thank my God for you." I love these verses because I thank my God so often for the friends I saw recently. And I thank Him for my family as well. Sometimes you get to have such a perfect week, or day, or moment, and you just think 'ok Lord, that's it, I've experienced it all and I'm ready to go.'
But we don't go, because there's still so much work to be done. My neighbors still aren't settled into a real ongoing relationship with Jesus. My kids aren't raised all the way yet. My husband's ministry isn't finished yet, and so neither is mine, since mine is to minister to him while he ministers to others.
So it's back to real life, and real work, and the realities of my relationship with the most important one, Jesus. On with the next half century. I'm armed with the Message and ready!
xoxoxox
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Acts 10
I just read this, and there were a couple of things that really struck me.
First of all, Mr. Regular Guy Cornelius. Here's how he is described:
There was a man named Cornelius who lived in Caesarea, captain of the Italian Guard stationed there. He was a thoroughly good man. He had led everyone in his house to live worshipfully before God, was always helping people in need, and had the habit of prayer.
Just a regular guy, right? He was Italian, so I'll be he was even good looking. A good-looking Italian soldier. Relatively godly. Prays a lot and does good deeds. Leads his family in a godly way.
Well, he gets a visit from an angel.
Now I know a lot of godly people. But they don't get visits from angels. Obviously there was a purpose to this angel's visit, having to do with Peter.
But you know, WHOA! A visit from an angel, folks!
I'm thinking here that I want to be that kind of godly. I'd like a visit from an angel. Can you imagine? A person appears at your door, you invite them in, they fill the room with light . . .
Next amazing thing from this chapter. Peter is lost in thought and prayer and meditation -- and the Spirit speaks to him to tell him there are people at the door:
Peter, lost in thought, didn't hear them, so the Spirit whispered to him, "Three men are knocking at the door looking for you. Get down there and go with them. Don't ask any questions. I sent them to get you."
OK, I'm pretty close to the Spirit of God -- I talk to him all the time. But I don't think He's ever whispered to me that there are people at my door and I need to pay attention. I have never audibly heard the voice of God say "Hey Jen, go to the door." Or "Hey Jen, you should answer the phone, it's from Me."
Again, can you imagine? Being so close to God that He takes the time to whisper AUDIBLY to you?
I cannot get over how these things amaze me. These aren't just stories, they're actual history. Strange stuff happens all the time in our universe, in our lives. But this stuff, straight from God -- WOW! How cool would it be to live in a way that would enable stuff like that to happen now? As in 2009 now?
Lord, please fix our eyes on Your marvelous face. Change us. Speak to us. Lead us. Whisper to us to pay attention. Drop in on us from time to time and fill the room with light. Give us that kind of faith. Because of Jesus, Amen.
xoxox
First of all, Mr. Regular Guy Cornelius. Here's how he is described:
There was a man named Cornelius who lived in Caesarea, captain of the Italian Guard stationed there. He was a thoroughly good man. He had led everyone in his house to live worshipfully before God, was always helping people in need, and had the habit of prayer.
Just a regular guy, right? He was Italian, so I'll be he was even good looking. A good-looking Italian soldier. Relatively godly. Prays a lot and does good deeds. Leads his family in a godly way.
Well, he gets a visit from an angel.
Now I know a lot of godly people. But they don't get visits from angels. Obviously there was a purpose to this angel's visit, having to do with Peter.
But you know, WHOA! A visit from an angel, folks!
I'm thinking here that I want to be that kind of godly. I'd like a visit from an angel. Can you imagine? A person appears at your door, you invite them in, they fill the room with light . . .
Next amazing thing from this chapter. Peter is lost in thought and prayer and meditation -- and the Spirit speaks to him to tell him there are people at the door:
Peter, lost in thought, didn't hear them, so the Spirit whispered to him, "Three men are knocking at the door looking for you. Get down there and go with them. Don't ask any questions. I sent them to get you."
OK, I'm pretty close to the Spirit of God -- I talk to him all the time. But I don't think He's ever whispered to me that there are people at my door and I need to pay attention. I have never audibly heard the voice of God say "Hey Jen, go to the door." Or "Hey Jen, you should answer the phone, it's from Me."
Again, can you imagine? Being so close to God that He takes the time to whisper AUDIBLY to you?
I cannot get over how these things amaze me. These aren't just stories, they're actual history. Strange stuff happens all the time in our universe, in our lives. But this stuff, straight from God -- WOW! How cool would it be to live in a way that would enable stuff like that to happen now? As in 2009 now?
Lord, please fix our eyes on Your marvelous face. Change us. Speak to us. Lead us. Whisper to us to pay attention. Drop in on us from time to time and fill the room with light. Give us that kind of faith. Because of Jesus, Amen.
xoxox
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Healed by a Shadow
From Acts 5:12-16, The Message:
12-16Through the work of the apostles, many God-signs were set up among the people, many wonderful things done. They all met regularly and in remarkable harmony on the Temple porch named after Solomon. But even though people admired them a lot, outsiders were wary about joining them. On the other hand, those who put their trust in the Master were added right and left, men and women both.
They even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on stretchers and bedrolls,
hoping they would be touched by Peter's shadow
when he walked by. They came from the villages surrounding Jerusalem, throngs of them, bringing the sick and bedeviled.
And they all were healed.
I WANT FAITH LIKE THAT.
xoxox
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