I Don’t Think it Was a Dare…(NEWS!)
Life can look like a barrel of monkeys at times- reach your hand in and you never know what will show up....or is someone planning things a little better than that? As fun as the monkeys would be, I have to say now more than ever I believe in a plan, a purpose and a God who always gets His timing right.
I've summed it all up before, the last 3 years of my life pretty much- you should go read it so you can see how incredibly cool what just happened is. When God called us to Spain, I put my biggest dream of moving to a farm, living on some land, bee keeping, goat raising, blueberry harvesting away. Less than a month ago Brad's Uncle asked us to move out to the farm and live there. It is larger than we'd ever need, the house, the land, and the God that I serve, by large in all of the aforementioned- HUGE. Not only is it a dream-- but it was one I had no idea how God would remedy. I've told Him often, either grant this wish or take it, I'll be content with either. But when we were asked to move to the family farm my brain popped and my image of God shattered, He is a very weird God- in an extremely great way. It won't be any time super soon, things have to get prepped and primped- but it will be in about 6 months.
So when that happened, I pretty much looked straight into heaven and thought to myself (and probably right at God too) saying: "Huh God, you are good, always good, I wonder if I am pregnant now too". I don't think it was a dare, and I know God didn't take it that way...but I am currently pregnant. Yep, sometimes people say things happen by coincidence, I think that they must be some of the most oblivious people in the world. Farm and baby in the same month,that is no coincidence.
If you don't believe God can do it, I dare you...give Him the chance. He doesn't love me any more than He loves you. God is just purposeful in how he loves us, weather through complete joy filled blessing, or trials that will bring the heart that He desires in us, which is bigger than any earthly blessing. God is stinkin' AWESOME!!!!
It also is no coincidence that I just started memorizing Hebrews 11 on Faith.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
In approximately 6 months we will be farm dwellers, and use the land (oh that is thrilling!!! AHHH!!!) and in the first couple weeks of June I'll be having a baby. That is a lot of news for one post.
Here is the summary with links if you'd like to be more clued in:
First we were excited to be missionaries, and have more BABIES!!
We waited and waited...
Then He said "NO", to the missionary thing and I wasn't getting pregnant.
Learned the humility that that required. (for both things)
And then I thought I just would never know why God did what He did.
Now I do.
Day 6: Be With Him.
Walk with God today, ask Him what He is asking of you and where improvement needs to be made. Or just walk along side Him enjoying the immensity of His presence and don't talk at all. That's why today my words are few, I want to lean into Christ to rest.
Sometimes when I am having a hard time hearing God I write in my journal to Him, then I sit and await an answer- even no words is an answer. So often He will just surround me and I know how He feels, sometimes He gives me words of encouragement, others he has something He wants me to know, or something to leave behind.
I love the following song, God stills me each time I hear it. Close your eyes and listen.
Previous Posts on Prayer and Fasting:
Day 5: That Quiet Grinding
Day 4: Define Me.
Day 3: Grace
Day 2: Giving Up.
Day 1: Starting Out
Allowing Blank Space.
Consider Change
On fasting.
Day 5: That Quiet Grinding
They aren't the large stones, or even the smallish ones, pebbles are the ones you might not feel when you start your run and yet by the middle of it they will make themselves known. Pebbles left in a shoe throughout a long run will rub the skin raw, causing blisters, creating a wound-taking the runner out by their mere presence -no matter how small.
What pebbles do I have in my running shoes, which after only a few miles will create sores and fill each of step with agony? A little character issue swept under the carpet here, another there, little thoughts, little words, bad attitudes hidden with white smiles, all these and many other 'little' things create problems in your spiritual walk.
Last night at our church's prayer meeting several of the leaders wept over the pebbles that they had allowed to be left in their lives while being too lazy to remove them, not even really feeling them-but for the repercussions these setbacks where having somewhere deep within.
We weren't made to run with that constant grinding, that nagging pain shoved down and ignored but out of embarrassment of its disclosure and the humiliation of its existence we leave them right where they are smiling at others through the pain. We all have these pebbles, we all have weakness. Jesus wants to remove your shoes, peel off your blood-stained socks, clean the wounds, let the air get to them and rinse away the pain as well as the guilt.
What if He chose a christian friend to do it? What would that exposure of your unkemptness show them? Just that you, as much as they need a good washing in the love of Christ. Be vulnerable, remove your fake smiles, let down the masks that glisten, be transparent, in that there is freedom.
Time to peel off the bloody socks.
Previous Posts on Prayer and Fasting:
Day 4: Define Me.
Day 3: Grace
Day 2: Giving Up.
Day 1: Starting Out
Allowing Blank Space.
Consider Change
On fasting.
Day 4: Define me.
[Raw Clay] Photo Credit
If I really grasped what I looked like in raw clay form I would be more apt to let you work in me Lord. I think I am much more beautiful and useful in my natural form than raw clay, but you know the truth-that only when I allow Him to mold me am I truly worth anything. Without His hands changing me I am formless, and then when I shove Him away after I feel I look a little better I am flawed.
This is what I read today in the bible and I thought it so fitting to what I have been thinking already this week:
1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 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. 5 Then the word of the LORD came to me. 6 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. Jeremiah 18:1-6
When God wants to weed out character flaws, time commitments, or a wrong mindset I am to listen. When He longs to plant seed I am called to allow for it the best habitat of growth in me-not starve it out or throw it aside because of the work involved in the nurturing. It doesn't matter if I don't understand why, or for how long or what the end goal of God is. That is not my concern. I am only to be obedient at his first command, his first touch.
Define me Lord. I can't define myself.
Previous Posts on Prayer and Fasting:
Day 3: Grace
Day 2: Giving Up.
Day 1: Starting Out
Allowing Blank Space.
Consider Change
On fasting.
Day 1: Starting Out
I never know how each day will go during the week of prayer and fasting. God has laid it on my heart to write a list of burdens, people, prayers, or weaknesses and to carry it with me in my pocket-- so that throughout the day I will bring them before Him. I am going to include those I am praying for for salvation, broken marriages of friends and family, relationships, my children, my husband, my pastor and last not but VERY not least that God would use this week to deal with my weaknesses, and that I would be open to listening. I will list as things come up.
If you are stirred to do the same, make your own list, take the time to do it, you can always add to it as the week goes on.
What the fast will look like for me: I debated as to weather I should share this with you, but I feel I should and so I will. I am a horrible faster, horrible. My body does not respond well to the catapult of high and low blood sugar or something...it is just not acceptable for me to do a water or juice only fast. So I asked God to tell me what I should fast from and He was as faithful as ever to answer.
This is what He told me: No media including books (Bible and devotional books excluded), music, tv, movies, and Internet with one exception--I will share my thoughts daily on here. Sugar is a biggie for me, and thus it must be forsaken for the week. As far as food goes I have decided to put rice and beans exclusively on the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, yes every meal it will be beans and rice. I will also drink juice.
You are completely welcome to join me on this journey, I'd love it if you did- but don't feel you must. I only ask that you genuinely ask God what He would like from you right now. He is the only one you need to please. :)
Previous Posts on Prayer and Fasting:
Allowing Change.
On fasting.
Feel free to share your thoughts, what God is challenging you with or encouragement in the comments.
Consider Change.
Each new year many people take a step back and pick over their life, habits, relationships and health. A new year does not bring a new person, each new day does. Every day consider it a brand new start- where you are standing on your past to enable advancement into the future. With each day there are new catastrophes, unrealistic
The week of Prayer and fasting is coming up for our church (23rd of January-29th) I would ask you to consider making some changes in your own life.
I've been burdened, even more lately
That is seriously the most false starts ever for me on a post. I wanted to word it in a way so as to draw the reader in,because what I have to write about today is life-changing. After thinking it over though, I realise that it isn't my task to accomplish.
A week of prayer and fasting for our church is coming up, and as I know my readers live all over the world and cannot attend with me in personI thought that I would mention it in advance so we can all join in together to seek God. The week set is January 23 – 29th. Consider it, listen to the Holy Spirit inside you communicating to you the way only He can.
What in your life is God calling you to seek victory in? If you look for security in relationships, food, love, exercise, family, media, this could be a time of incredible severing of ties. Ask God to burden YOUR heart for what HE wants of you.
Fasting is not a hunger strike or bribing God to do something, it is the neglect of of food, securities, or habits that make you cling to Christ to meet your needs. If you are curious about fasting, please read a great book called God's Chosen Fast and/or check out Your Personal Guide to Fasting from Campus Crusade.
I was thinking for that week I will do posts on what God is doing. I will post a little daily and would encourage you to consider it also however you feel you should. If you'd like to you can post about what God is doing in you during the fast in the comments. Or you can follow along in silence, whatever works.
Consider making allowing change, consider fasting.
More of my posts on fasting.
Celebrations for Three Kings Day
Today is Three Kings Day (or Epiphany) ! It is traditionally Spain's day to give and get Christmas presents.
Weeks before today children send their letters to the three kings filled with lists of toys that they'd like to receive. Then the night before the big day every village has its own parade with the magi on a float for the kids to see and if you are willing to wait in the line at the end you can even meet them! The town where I grew up usually provided hot chocolate and Migas to keep the onlookers warm, and probably the dads bellies contented.
The children eat their Roscón de Reyes (a pastry with a hidden surprise for the lucky) and head to bed early, but not before setting their shoes by the door along with hay for the camels and food, wine and treats for the over-exhausted and long-traveling kings.
The next morning everyone awakes with hopes of finding what was on their lists. Naughty kids are rumored to receive coal in their shoes instead of candy- however there is a candy coal that is not only tasty but also leaves your teeth, lips and tongue a blue-black colour for hours after its consumption.
Now you know, maybe next year you too can celebrate the day that is remembered to be when the three kings came to worship the King of Kings. The boys got little betta fish from the kings this year and named them Prince Caspian and King Miraz- two dueling men in their beloved Chronicles of Narnia books. I also painted this little picture of the kings in watercolour for the boys, they eat that kind of thing up and I enjoy having a reason to create. We also watched The Nativity Story, it is very powerful. I've watched it three times and have cried each of them.
The three kings traveled for a very long journey and brought Christ: gold for the King of Kings, frankincense for the Priest of Preists, and myrrh for the sacrifice (of His own life) that He was to make.
This year I have decided to contemplate what gifts I can bring to the feet of my King. What do I need to give Him? If you are willing, consider it too, something to bring to Him as an act of worship, today is the best day to do it.
Happy Three Kings Day!!
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I (adoringly) HEART—>
