Come Let it Shine...

Tonight, for the first time ever Joeby was introduced to the moon. He tried to say Moon...Kinda came out more like "moo". But it was a good first try. The moon doesn't shine it's light in the daytime, or does it? It does, but we can't see it. Why? Is it not bright enough? No, it's because the moon shines but only those who are in the right place can see it...or only when the moon is shining at just the right spot in the sky can we see it.

God is there. ALWAYS. whether we choose to see Him or not. Just like the moon, though, sometimes we must align ourselves properly in order to "see" Him.

Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

His love, His glory, His goodness, His qualities they are all visible through the creation around us.

He wants us, like Him, to shine. We read a great and timely devotional today about why we face hardships and trials and loss and it was talking about how God is allowing us to "partake in Christ's sufferings". Just like our lifegroup of others who've all endured losing a child like we have and now we sadly can relate, we can empathize, we can completely understand on a very real level of understanding, we can communicate in a new and unique way, we can walk in a new understanding ourselves, a new level of care for other's who've endured this pain. We know the emptyness and hurt, the questions and the deep loss. Similarly, Christ endured hardship, loss, pain and in this way we too can now "partake" in sufferings and know that we can communicate with God differently, on a deeper level and with greater faith because of our sufferings.

Psalm 22:24
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
He will come and rescue.

He has redeemed us. We were sold like slaves to death, suffering, pain, loss...but He has re-purchased us.

Isaiah 43:1
[ Israel’s Only Savior ] But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

Just like Joeby finally realizing there really is a moon...take a moment, breathe, and know that breath did not come upon you without a great miracle. Every fiber of your being is in place because the God who formed you intricately in your mother's womb cares for you and knit you together and provided you another breath. If you are searching for God, I encourage you to keep searching for Him. If you need to re-align your eyes to look at Him again and find Him "in the sky like the moon", then I encouage you to do so.

May He be your reason to sing! Need a listen, go here ... May you seek Him and find Him!

Psalm 119:2
Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—

~Abi

Ephesians 5:14
This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Running

Running with God, Running from God, Running to God...

Which way are you running your race?

Some analogy's within the jog, yet again. As a writer you may relate to that feeling when the words are just so overwhelming they feel as if you don't get them down fast enough they may bubble over in you. That is how much I felt God speaking to my heart through the time I spent running. It was like His still small voice whispered in every heavy breath I took.

Often times in our burdensome "runs" of life we look too far ahead and become clouded in our vision. We feel incapable of finishing "the race". But, when we narrow our vision and focus on the attainable steps laid out in front of us we can reach the farther goal, we can finish with endurance, perseverance and strength.

When we look at the "path laid out in front of us" sometimes we see only sun beaten gravel. We see no relief, no break from the sun, no glimmer of hope, no God to reach to. In the storms of life the rain can beat down so heavily and the wind can so fiercely push us where it may that we can tend to feel unable to overcome. We succumb to the trial. God is nowhere to be found. We cannot feel Him. We certainly cannot see Him (with the sweat from our brow clouding our vision) in the bitter heartache, in the injustice, in the betrayel, in the loss, in the storm...so He must have forsaken us. He must not be who He says He is. Right? NO, He is there.

Sometimes what we fail to realize though is that the "path laid out in front of us" is actually NOT the path He has laid out for us, but rather the path that we have taken as a result of the storm, the circumstance, the pain we are in. We get "caught up" and we forget that we must make the choice. The choice is to take that one step off the "path" to actually get back on the true "path".

Psalm 71:20
Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.

On my jog today I saw a golfball aside the road, "off the path". I realized that until I actually "touched and felt" that golfball it was completely intangible, it was almost like it did not exist. I couldn't "feel" it and I scarcely could "see" it through my sweat laden brow. But when I stooped down, slowed my pace and took that uneasy step just "off the path" I realized, wiping the sweat from clouding my vision, it was really a golfball. I know this sounds extremely silly. But I really felt God nudging me through this and saying to me, "Abi, sometimes you must take that step of faith and step outside of your circumstance, outside of your pain, outside of your hurt, your questions, your loneliness, your wondering AND YOU must take the step to meet ME. I am here, waiting. Waiting for you to seek ME, to want ME. My arms are outstretched to you and I want you! I love you! Don't remain stuck in your circumstances. Don't be stubborn and think you 'know the path'. I know the path and I do not want ill for you. I do not want pain and toil and struggle and burden for you. Come to me. Even if you have to wipe the sweat from your brow to see me clearly, SEE ME! I AM here! Even if you must slow your pace, leave the path you feel was laid out for you to seek Me in peace on the true path I have for you. You will feel me and know me and see me when you step out in faith."

Even if we must slow our pace during the storms and through the heat and when the sun is beating us down and when the hill seems ever heigtening and we feel we can't go on, we must keep on! We must run with diligence. He is not allowing us to see trials and bitter circumstances to weigh us down, but rather to build us up and strengthen us for the endurance it will take to truly run with perseverance the course laid out in front of us. He is faithful and patient,

 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

We grow tired and weary. We wonder, we question...when, why, how.

Isaiah 40:28
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

Yet, He does not weary or tire. He stands and patiently waits for us to trust Him. To wipe the sweat from our brow. To step, even if while in pain, outside of our circumtance and in faith, trust that He did not design us to live in pain, wandering and hurt. He wants us to trust His love. Let's run with perseverance!
Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

Serve'n'hood

Serve'n'hood

Well, we're in a new neighbor"hood", a new house, and we have great friends and family who "served" by helping us move in last weekend. Really without the sacrificial help of others we would not be here right now. Some families gave in ways that probably hurt to a point. One entire family gave up their whole Friday night as a family to come help us move. This may not sound like such a big deal until you consider that the husband's job is such that they often go 4 days without even seeing one another and when they do he is tired. Another friend drove almost 45 minutes to help lift and move furniture all while his wife stayed behind, alone to add our 3 kids to their 2 leaving her with 5 kids for over 5 hours. Other friends lifted, put together and arranged all our "stuff" for us throughout the many hours we spent loading and unloading. Others gave snacks and drinks to help me stress less about providing for those helping us and my wonderful parents gave dinner for those helping. It was all such a blessing and felt so undeserved.

All the serving and sacrificing others have done on our behalf lately makes me think of God's GREAT sacrifice for us in Jesus death and resurrection. It reminds me that often true loving brotherly sacrifice hurts, is not comfortable and does not come easy. It is truly "laying down one's life for the  better of others". It does not always have to be painful to give sacrifcially and it is not neccessarily a measure of how good your giving is or how much it is worth.

However, I would challenge you to examine your giving, your sacrificing, and your serving. Does it ever hurt? Does it ever push you? Does it ever mean you laying down your own plans, desire and will at the foot of the cross to say instead, "you matter"? If you only give when it is within your means...if you only serve when it is comfortable and something you enjoy or find "easy"...if you only sacrifice when it is a cause "worthy" of your giving... Hmm, how sacrificial is it really, how giving is it, what kind of a servant heart is being used to serve someone you want to serve rather than someone who stinks worse or lives in a house that stinks worse???

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
1 John 3:16
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
I know it challenges me to examine WHY I give, sacrifice and serve... And after this week I will be pondering sacrificial giving in a whole new way. I thank God for meeting our needs through the sacrifices of time, energy and resources our friends and family offered us.

backWORDZ

We live in a backWORDZ way. We're sinners, but we've been forgiven. We make mistakes, but yet we're redeemed. We fall short, but we're loved. We lack, but we have enough. We falter but we have a steadfast pace set for us in Him. We say things we don't mean and mean things we don't say. We ask for things and then complain about them when we get them. We are greedy even though we have an abundance. We are selfish, and will not serve. We are served, but will not offer gratitude. We are bent on revenge and being pleased. We are not quick to forgive or quick to be silent, but filled with hatred and violently loud about our own opinions. We shed tears of both joy and sorrow. We hope for tomorrow yet we know it may be filled with the same disappointments and troubles of today.

We live in the backWORDZ world.

But, one thing I choose to cling to is a belief, a hope, a promise, a faith that despite the backWORDZ way in which we are destined to live, ONE DAY all that is backwords will be made right. All that is so upside down will be turned around. All that is lost will be found and tears that are shed will be wiped away. All that is empty will be made whole. All that is old will be made new. All that is torn apart will be restored. All that is burdened will be lightened. All that is held captive and bound in chains will be loosed. All that is hidden will be uncovered. All that is fallen will be rebuilt. All that has died will be given new life. All that is will be restored.

This hope, this promise that I cling to, THIS is what has gotten me through my struggles, through my pain, through my hopes dashed, chains bound, pain felt, emptyness and toils.

Colossians 4:5-6 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.


We live in the backWORDZ, but let us not use our WORDZ without gentleness, without seasoning, without thought, without HOPE and without restraint. Let us, instead, speak with and walk with wisdom. Let us redeem the time! Let us speak HOPE to the hopeless! Let us begin even now, even in the backWORDZ to RIGHT the time by speaking truth in a world muddied in lies, to speak hope in a world drowning in hopelessness, to speak love to a place perpetrating hatred and pain.