Speak

Do you ever fear talking about your faith? I do. What if they don't care what I have to say? What if they don't listen? What if my words don't come out right? What if it turns them away? But what if God is urging me to talk to them and I refuse out of fear...what then?

As God is preparing Ezekiel to become a prophet in Israel He tells him, "Your job is to speak. Whether they listen is not your concern." (Ezekiel 2:7 msg) Then God promises to strengthen Ezekiel in verse 3:8.

What is interesting to me is that even though God is going to directly give Ezekiel the words to say to his people, he still has a choice as to whether to speak them. The same choice that we have everyday. So God lets Ezekiel know that if he chooses NOT to speak the message that he's been given, God would hold him accountable for the ruin of the people. (Ezekiel 3:20-21) I wouldn't want to be responsible for that.

While you or I, as Christians, may not be commissioned as prophets, we have been commissioned to "go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20 msg) I think there are different ways to reach different people. But when I feel that stirring inside me, telling me to share something about my faith with a particular person, I hope to always say "Yes, Lord. I will not fear, for the outcome is up to you. Give me the right words to speak."

Like a Child

Sometimes I finish watching a movie and think "Wow, I just wasted the past two hours of my life!" And sometimes I enjoy movies because they are entertaining and make me laugh. But there are those few movies that stir my soul and leave me deep in thought...movies that I know I will remember for weeks, months, and even years after watching it. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is one of those movies. Essentially it is about seeing the Jews concentration camps through the eyes of a child. And it reminded me that sometimes children have things to teach us adults...

Children can teach us to love without judgement or prejudice.

Children can teach us to fully enjoy the moment, instead of thinking about everything else that needs to be done.

Children can teach us to play sports for the love of the game. I enjoy watching Jacob's t-ball practice because the kids care about each other and having fun more than the competition (which may drive all the fathers crazy during games..lol)

And when it comes to faith, Mark 10:15 tells us to "receive the Kingdom of God like a little child". My kids are so trusting and have complete faith in me to care for all their needs. They don't worry because they know they are loved and in capable hands. If only we all trusted our Heavenly Father the same way...

Boy Meets Girl

You may be wondering why I'm reading a book about courtship since I'm married. Yes, that stage is behind me...Thank God. Well, there has been a single young lady coming to me for relationship advice. Thinking back to my single years, I could tell her what NOT to do. I have learned from plenty of mistakes. But I was lacking in wisdom on how to tell her to do it the right way! So I bought her this book, Boy Meets Girl by Joshua Harris, to guide her and I decided to read it as well.

I would highly recommend this book to any singles out there wanting to pursue a relationship in a God-honoring way. I wish I would have read it. Joshua Harris talks about the idea of courtship...purposeful romance. Some of his ideas seem old-fashioned. I read it thinking "Are there really people out there that can maintain this level of purity?" Our culture is bombarded with images of immorality so often that it has become the accepted way to enter a relationship. But just because it is accepted doesn't make it right. Young people today need to know that they have a choice...there is a better way.

The updated version of this book also has a section in the back with "8 Great Courtship Conversations" that are neat date ideas for couples who want to get to know each other on a deeper level.

Expectations

Yesterday was Mother's Day. I could have expected to wake up to a hot homemade breakfast, flowers, and heartfelt cards telling me how wonderful I am :) I could have expected to get the "day off" and do no chores of any kind...a day of total relaxation. I could have expected that someone else would do those chores so they wouldn't all be waiting for me Monday morning. I could have expected that my children would be perfect angels and would cease to argue and disobey. But those expectations would have led to disappointment. They wouldn't be grounded in reality.

So instead, when I woke up yesterday morning I decided to get my attitude in the right place. I told God "I am so thankful to be a mother. There are many women that aren't able to have children. I have been blessed with 3 active, healthy boys! Today I don't want to focus on ME. I want to focus on Your faithfulness in growing my family and making me a mother." And I believe I was able to enjoy my Mother's Day much more because of it.

I have learned that I have the tendency to daydream and "anticipate" certain events in my life. While all anticipation isn't bad...what happens when expectations aren't met? Disappointment and discontentment. I find that much of my unhappiness in life comes from unmet expectations. And that is something I have control over! If my expectations of how life "should be" are coming from fictional movies or books, or my own imagination, then I am setting myself up for a fall. It's a difficult thing to separate myself from because I really enjoy those types of entertainment! However, I know what is best for me. Real life. Real people. Real experiences. And most importantly...God's truth and perspective. Is there an area of your life that is causing you unhappiness? A change of attitude and expectation might be a good place to start.

Adam and Eve

"Eve was not taken out of Adam's head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled by him, but out of his side to be equal to him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him." - Matthew Henry

The Treasure at the End of the Trail

Being alone with 3 little boys all day long can wear on me. I love them dearly, but the collective whining, arguing, crankiness and demanding nature of children can overwhelm me at times (like today). Sometimes I wonder if I have what it takes. Gary Thomas says that "If God gives us situations we already have the strength to handle, we won't have to grow in order to deal with them."

He says that "our first and natural inclination in any trial is to pray for God to remove the difficulty". (Obviously, that isn't an option in parenting!) "But God's first priority is often to strengthen us in the midst of the difficulty rather than to take us out of the difficulty. That's because he can see the treasure that lies at the end of the trail".

And just what is the treasure? "No matter how difficult our children may be, God can and will use them to shape our souls into his Son's image. No matter how many bumps we may hit or bends we may have to negotiate along the road to raising our children, God promises to guide our steps, strengthen our stride, and refresh our souls. He knows we are insufficient, but he points us to his Son's provision and his Spirit's comfort, guidance, and power, all of which more than meet our needs. Even if we don't see all the results we like to see, at least we're getting steady reminders of God's patience and long-suffering toward us. Parenting may not be an easy journey, but in this it is truly a sacred one". (from Sacred Parenting)

Reminders

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to the Closing of a Women's Emmaus Walk to hear the testimonies of the women who had attended. I almost didn't go. Lots of excuses ran through my mind as to why I should stay home. But an invitation from a friend convinced me, and I am so glad I went. To think that I nearly missed out on the blessing and inspiration that I received last night...

God used the testimonies of these women as reminders to me. It brought back memories of my own Emmaus experiences and what God had taught me. It also reminded me of the power of God's love and how he can use us to show that love to others if we're willing. There were women there who had recently buried loved ones, who had been hurt by the church, who had drifted away from God, who didn't feel loved...all kinds of pain. And these women found restoration. They had joy. They had hope. They felt the love of Jesus because of a group of people who were willing to sacrifice their time to invest in the lives of others. It was beautiful.

One story I heard from one of the ladies (we'll call her Jen) echoes something I struggle with...being quick to judge based on appearances. Jen says that there was a girl on the Walk who she was critical of. This girl had some physical deformities and a speech impediment. Jen was nice to her, but held feelings of judgement in her heart. Well, there came a time later in the weekend that Jen was overcome with emotion and was at the altar crying. Suddenly she felt a set of arms around her and heard someone praying words of comfort...it was this girl. Jen learned a powerful lesson and said she will never view people in the same way again.

It was an awesome reminder to me as well that we are all children of God. We share the same hopes, dreams, fears, and hurts. We may look at another person and think that we have nothing in common. Maybe because of how they look or act, or how we perceive their life to be. But there is so much that goes on beneath the surface. May we all take the time to see others for who they really are. Thank you God for the reminder.