faith, hope, love

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. -1 Corinthians 13:13

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" We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. " 

-1 Thes. 1:3

 Work produced by faith....

When have you last had to take some steps forward in total reliance on the Lord?  Without a visible safety net?  Is God urging you toward something that doesn't feel "safe" but would require complete and total faith in Him?  When we do that, we're entering into a faith walk...this is where faith is measured, and this is where faith begins. This is where faith grows.  Faith is, after all, trusting in what we cannot see. And the work produced from this kind of faith is able to fulfill God's plan in a mighty way!!  When we put total trust in Him for each step, for the details, for the big and small stuff,  He is able to do far more in us and through us than we could ever imagine.  

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  -James 2:14-16

Labor prompted by love...

There is no more pure expression of the spirit of God than to serve out of love.  This is the epitome of the person of Jesus and the heart of our Father.  

 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

-James 1:27

This reminds me of what I remember of my mother. She had the kind of spirit that thrived on being poured out for others.  Like being poured out is what made her heart keep beating.  I want my life to be just like that.  One looooong series of acts of love, one after another after another.  A pure love that gives without expecting gratitude or recognition, love that is unconditional, love that reflects the life Jesus died to give me.  Love that urges us to reach out to a stranger. Senseless, selfless love.  Love for the lost, for the poor and rejected, for the sinner, for the outcast, for the broken hearted....this is why we were created. To be God's "hands and feet!."  I know better than to think I can possibly live this kind of life if I rely solely upon my own strength and imperfect, selfish nature.  I have to be committed to dying to myself daily, and letting His spirit in me reign. 

Labor prompted by love saves lives.  And gives life and purpose to ours.

 Endurance inspired by hope in God....

Hope in God actually PRODUCES endurance. It is what allows us to keep going when our own flesh wears out and gives up...achieving His will for your life depends on it!   It's what takes a regular bunny and turns it into an energizer bunny!  There's no limit to what God can do through a person who has surrendered their efforts and energy to Him, to be poured out to be used to fulfill His will. 

 "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not grow weary.  So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people...."

-Galatians 6: 9-10 

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."  - Hebrews 12:1-3

 

Empty spaces?

The Empty Tomb

                          "He has risen just as He said." -Matthew 28:6

In all of us, there is some degree of brokenness. Something that was once whole, maybe too long ago to remember, but is now broken.  Shattered by pain, disapointment, rejection, guilt, or heartache.  That broken place can stay broken, and then it just feels like an emptiness.  A void.  And you may have become so accustomed to it, that you have forgotten what it feels like to have it whole, filled up.

God knows.  He knows our brokenness.  He knows the pain, or anger, or numbness. 

But He doesn't want to leave you that way. His death on the cross, and then resurrection was more than a love story.  It promises us that nothing broken ever has to stay that way.  It offers hope to the hopeless. 

That empty tomb was a visible, tangible message for us.  For God, NOTHING is impossible, too broken to fix, too ugly to make new. 

"The power of the resurrection means that nothing but the tomb is meant to be empty!" -beth moore

The empty spaces you have were meant to be filled by His love, grace, and mercy.  Maybe you haven't released it to Him yet.  Maybe you haven't totally trusted Him with those broken parts of your heart.  Maybe you feel ashamed for Him to see them, or maybe you've grown numb to them.

The sooner you let it go, and entrust Him with it, the sooner He can breath life back into those dark, dead spaces.  He'll make it better than new.


Psalm 147:3  He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Jeremiah 29:11  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Tame your tongue

^{James 3: 3-11
3} When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴ Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.


⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Wow, what a great reminder.  We truly are the only ones who can "tame" our own tongues.  We can be provoked, angered, tempted, flustered, and our mouths just pop open and junk comes out.  And it can't be put back in.

In first grade, I must have had a pretty loose mouth, because I remember clearly, on more than one occasion, being made to sit alone in silence, as my teacher rebuked me, "if you can't say something nice it's better to say nothing at all!"  (I know, I'm in shock myself..)

How are you using (or abusing) your speaking privelages?  Consider each day an opportunity to bless or "burn" with your tongue.  Because out of the same mouth can come kindness, or evil. 

All Eyes on Him

Tonight I was reading my son a children's bible story about Peter walking out onto the waves toward Jesus.  What I love SO much about scripture is it's great relevance, whether you're 5 or 85, and that there's always potential to gain some new insight that you didn't see before, if your heart is open to it.  And as I sat and typed this it occurred to me that I already did a blog entry about getting OUT of the boat (haha, I tend to have a slight memory issue) ...so this one focuses on trusting Him once you're out.

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.  ²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”  ²⁹ “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”   -matthew 14:22-33

Verse 26 reminds me of times when we fear what's ahead and we don't recognize God's hand is at work.  God is an absolute.  He is good, all the time.  We may not always like what we see ahead, but we can be sure He's there when we get there.  His plan is perfect.  He never changes.  His love for us never changes.  And He will always be with us.  We may have times when we feel we can't see or feel Him but His promise remains...He will never leave us or forsake us.

Then in verse 27, when the disciples express fear,  Jesus immediatly offers comfort and reassures his friends.  "It is I!  Don't be afraid!" 

In verse 28, Peter wants proof. What I love is that even in Peter's moment of doubt and testing, Jesus continues to reassure, rather than rebuke.  Peter literally asked Jesus to "prove it, and let me walk on water too!"

And Peter did!  He asked, and he received.  Jesus allowed Peter to experience walking on water, as long as PETER's FAITH would allow, anyway.  Is there something you may never know because you haven't yet totally trusted God with it?

 And then we get to the kicker- verse 30 and 31.
When Peter saw the wind and the waves, he began to sink.  Isn't that what we do?  As soon as we allow our thoughts to wander from truth to dark little places of doubt and worry, fear takes over like a crashing wave, and we're hopeless and helpless in it's grasp.  It's only when Peter's eyes stayed on Jesus, that he was able to do the unimagineable...walk on water!  And it's only when we keep our focus on Him and His power and love, that we are able to do great things amidst a storm!

The ultimate message of this passage, though, is that Jesus reached out to Peter as he sank and caught him. 

And if Peter had not reached out to grasp his hand, he wouldn't have lived to tell about it.  Are you struggling and sinking, and gasping for breath?  Reach out, because He's waiting to take your hand.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  First post of 2012...woohoooo. 

A lot of us will face the inevitable question, posed by someone.  "What's your New Year's resolution?  It's often an unwelcomed question too, especially if we haven't gotten around to even thinking about it yet.  Or if we know we haven't yet fulfilled the ones we hoped for in 2011...

So, instead, I want to ask a few other questions.
What's NOT working well in your life?  What would you change? What relationships need work?  What are your worries?  What is your focus, and should it be different?  What gets most of your energy and attention?
What qualities do you admire in others that you wish you also saw in yourself? 

Now, I'm the kind of person who doesn't like to sit around and wait for something different to happen, and frankly, I don't have much patience for people who refuse to change their circumstances, but would prefer to sit and wallow in them.  I think God has given us the will, and the intelligence, to make significant changes in our own lives, and the lives of others. 

For example,  (and many of my closest friends and I seem to share this problem) life is "too busy."  Seems like everybody has that same gripe. 
So do something about it.  Cut things out. Don't allow your children to each participate in 3 activities at once. Don't say "yes" to every opportunity that arises, no matter how "good" it is.  Don't volunteer in 4 different things, and then offer to take a position in the PTO, and then start a non-profit organization, and then take out your frustration on those you love the most.

Clear the schedule.  Make time to just live.  Stop and smell the roses.  Then, when something comes before you that's clearly from God, you may have the right attitude and energy to embrace it and fulfill it beautifully.

Maybe you are carrying around  bitter, or broken heart.  Stop and consider if you've been taking care of it.  Have you allowed people in, who desire to bless and love you?  What have you been "feeding" it?  Meaning, are you surrounding yourself with people and messages that reinforce your hurt and bitterness?  Or have you taken charge of the healing process and chosen to reject self-pity?

Wherever you are as you enter 2012, focus on what you can change.  Pray that you are able to let go of the things that you can't change.  Reject the things (and obligations, and people, and habits, and thoughts, and attitudes)  that tie you down, and keep you from being your BEST self.  Because this is YOUR year.

I love you my sisters. We are all in this journey together.  Let's encourage and pray for eachother, and never stop fighting the good fight.

 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  -galatians 6:9

Mother Teresa's Philosophy

"It is in giving that we receive."  Mother Teresa

All I ever knew about Mother Teresa is that she lived her life dedicated to the betterment of the lives of others.  I picked up this little coffee table book on clearance at Borders titled, LOVE, the words and inspiration of Mother Teresa.  Reading her story, and of her dedication to loving the "unwanted", I am in awe of a life given over to others.  It doesn't seem that she lived even a day for herself, but continually poured herself out to homeless and hurting children, the sick, and the dying.  She rescued babies left in trash cans in India,  and provided shelter, medicine, and food for abandoned children living on the streets with disease.  Where there was news of abandoned children during a war, she would, herself, at age 75, drive in the war zone to personally rescue them.  When a limousine was donated to her by Pope John Paul IV, she immediatly sold it and donated the funds.  She said, "why own a limo when I can walk or take a bus?"  She worked hard to think outside the box to reach the needs of the people who were otherwise forgotten.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes of hers from the book.

"Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put into what we do."

"The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for, and deserted by everybody.  The greatest evil is the lack of love and charity, the terrible indifference toward one's neighbor..."

"A smile is the beginning of love."

"Joy is love- a joyful heart is the normal result of a heart burning with love, for she gives most who gives with joy."

"In these times of development, everybody is in a hurry and everybody's in a rush, and on the way there are people fallingdown, who are not able to compete.  These are the ones we want to love and serve and take care of."

"Never let anyone come to you without coming away better and happier."

"Intense love does not measure, it just gives."

Let's live each day looking for someone who needs our love, our encouragement, a warm smile, a kind word.  In doing this, one by one, we can heal the hearts of this world!  Let us be encouraged by Teresa's example, that one life, humbly poured out, CAN change the lives of many.

simply CHRISTmas

The Christmas hoopla is all well underway.  For many of us, it's an exciting time, full of Christmas music, decorating, shopping, and baking, and parties. But for nearly as many others, it's a rough time to get through, for a long list of reasons. 

It's so easy to lose our focus this time of year, with the good and the bad.  With our focus on gifting, there's a great financial burden for a lot of people.  With the focus on activities, there's the stress of a TOO packed December schedule, and how to fit it all in.  For a lot of us, the family "reunions" that happen this time of year are equally as stressful.

The danger each year, though, is to miss out on simplicity of what Christmas is all about.  With the focus on Christ during CHRISTmas, we are all able to breath a sigh of relief, and grab onto the peace and hope that the story of Jesus so abundantly offers us.  When we choose to embrace what it's all about, and maybe forego some of the other stuff, we also can CHOOSE to reduce some stress and busyness.

Let's celebrate Christ's birth like we never have before. Let's be intentional to sit with our families and our young children, and tell them what it's really all about.  Let's set our hearts on the gift of His son, born to die for us.  Christmas is what we make it.

the birth of Jesus:
Luke 2:8-20
⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Let's glorify and praise God for the gift of his son!