Have you ever known someone who always seemed to know, without a shadow of a doubt, what they would do in life, what their "plan" was and how they would accomplish it? In high school they were the graduates who were headed off to the college they had talked about since freshman year with a declared major that they would never end up changing in their four years of education. These people seem to have it all figured out. They plot out a future. They execute their plan.
I am not said person.
I am the girl with no plan. I am the college student with a rotation of majors. I am the high-schooler with no dream college. I am the part-time worker with no distinct career path. I don't have a five year plan. I don't even have a one year plan. Heck, I don't even have a one day plan!
And yet, here I am, living a life better than anything I could have ever imagined. It wasn't a plan that got me here - not my plan at least. It was HIS plan.
I have always been a dreamer. Not necessarily a logical planner. I love to come up with fanciful schemes. I am a great one for dreaming up another trip or another business idea. But very few of these "plans" ever come to fruition. Not many even make it past the stage of a mental image.
And yet, God has given birth to dreams that I couldn't even imagine ever coming true. He has given life to dreams that were deep in the recesses of my mind, bringing them into vivid color and making them part of a plan I couldn't have come up with much less executed.
Isn't He beautiful? Aren't His ways extraordinary? You can be a dreamer, lousy at planning logically for a realistic future that is deemed smart and sensible by the world's standards and still have a beautiful journey through life! You don't need a five year plan. You just need God.
As I sit in an airplane bound for Charlotte and then onto Pittsburgh, I am in awe of the road my life has taken. Each turn has felt like a new surprise being revealed. In my mind's eye I never saw all of the events in my life taking shape this way. But God, in all of his limitless knowledge, has had my story plotted out for all of time, before I was ever born or a twinkle in my mother's eye. He knew that I would be on this plane. He knew that I would go through a valley period of isolation and struggle for years as a young adult. He knew all of the details that have been such a shock to me.
The places he has taken me have been nothing short of miraculous. This past weekend was no exception. I ended up at the International Christian Wellness Conference by His grace. I didn't know what to expect when I registered to attend. I didn't know a single soul that would be in attendance. I didn't know how many people would be there, how old, what their backgrounds would be like or what I would learn. I could have never foreseen the amazing weekend that unfolded.
God blessed me from the moment I stepped on the first plane bound for my adventure. He put people in my path that showed me repeated God winks. I had encounters that couldn't be described in any way other than God's divine intervention.
At the conference He gave me the privilege of sharing my story. Even greater, He gave me the opportunity to hear the testimonies of other women. They were an inspiration and encouragement on my journey. I was given the chance to speak to women of faith with years in God's mission field and the fitness field. They showed me love from the very start. I immediately knew I was sharing the weekend with true believers in not just fitness but a deep faith that overwhelms their lives and influences every aspect of their being.
I didn't plan to end up there. God did.
God has plotted out my future for me and is taking me to amazing places. He knows I am not a planner, and thankfully that is A-O-K with Him. He doesn't need my plans. In fact, He laughs at my plans.
He wants my heart. He wants me to be sold out for Him, living in childlike obedience. He wants me to delight in Him so that he can give me the true desires, the dreams, of my heart. He doesn't just want to fulfill a five year plan that I sketched out on notebook paper. He wants to shock and awe! He is in the business of blowing our measly little plans out of the window!
I never thought I'd say that I'm thankful for being a girl without a plan. But instead of trying to hide it, I want to shout it from the rooftop. I don't have a path that I have thought out. I don't have a target date for reaching point A, B or C. I don't have a goal for my income. I don't have a projected career path. I don't have a certain number of kids I want or a certain place that I'm dead set on living. I'm a girl with no plan!
What I am is a girl sold out to God's will for my life. I am convinced that the plan he has is so much better than any I could come up with. And the fun part is that his plan is a surprise. It is like a perpetual Christmas morning. Each day I get to wake up knowing that my duty is to The Lord. If I live in obedience to Him, continually choosing the path that will further his kingdom, then I don't need to worry about the logistics. God already has them under HIS control.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Your mountain
Dear Reader,
I don't know who out there will come across this post. I know that the eyes that read these words are few and far between. Most people will never hear what I have to share on this simple little blogspot. But, for those who happen upon its message, my prayer is that it is an encouragement to your weary soul. Because aren't we all weary sometimes? Don't we all come to a place in life where the future looks daunting and the motivation to continue on is scarce? My prayer is that you will find strength and hope for your journey through the words God pours out through my hands. I don't have any credentials or letters by my name to recommend me. But I have a story and I have a life and body that is proof of the power of God.
This morning your journey may be feeling like a climb straight up the side of a mountain. The path is treacherous. Your foot struggles to find a stable place to land. You are practically brought to your knees when you stumble. How much longer? Is a paved path up ahead? Is the top of the mountain within sight yet?
On this side of your mountain you see nothing but obstacles. Forget the view. You don't see anything but the ground beneath your feet, the jagged rocks that threaten to send you tumbling down and the steep drop off that sends a shiver up your spine at the thought of what happens if you lose your balance. You are worn out and tired. Your stamina is waning. Your legs want a rest. Your body wants a shower.
Maybe you could just turn back? Head back down to the base of the mountain where the ground was level and you felt safe. But the mountain keeps calling you forward: "Just a little while longer"...."Just wait till you see the view from the top"...."Come further"....
But how? How will you keep moving along when you feel too weak, too small, too vulnerable to finish the climb?
Turn to your constant Help, your Sustainer, your Living Water, your Portion. When you are weak, He is strong. When you can't take another step, He will lend you a hand and a word of encouragement. When you stumble, He will reach out and catch you. When your breathing becomes labored, He will restore it with His mighty breath.
If you think you can't make it up this mountain, you're right. You can't. But He can. It is too big for you to tackle on your own. You might make it pretty far all by yourself but you will be worn out, aching and sore. Your climb will be a constant struggle.
Don't try to tackle it on your own. Let God guide and carry you. Cry out to Him in your pain and allow Him to heal you. Cry out to Him when you are too tired to go on and let Him infuse you with renewed endurance.
I don't know what your mountain looks like today. Maybe it is emotional. It might be spiritual. Or maybe it is a physical mountain peak. Whatever your mountain, God can overcome it. He is bigger then the highest peak. The elevations that sound too daunting to us are a stroll around the park to Him. Don't try to be your own cheerleader. Don't try to climb your mountain by yourself. Call on God and He will go with you.
As you struggle up your mountain I know it will feel never ending and tiring. Even with God, there will be moments of weakness where your human desire for resolution, a peak, will surface and cause you to grow impatient of the climb. Keep hold of God's promise that He has great things in store for you. Just get to the top, the view will be worth every ounce of sweat and every difficult step you had to take.
In the midst of your journey you will be too distracted to appreciate the beauty that surrounds you. At the top the landscape will finally come into full view. The beauty of creation and the marvelous work of God's hand will become evident. Without the climb you won't get the extraordinary view. You must scale the most difficult walls and steepest mountains too see the greatest of glories.
So, dear reader, keep climbing. I don't know what your view will look like in the end. All I can promise you is that it will be abundantly worth it!
Your Friend,
Stephanie
I don't know who out there will come across this post. I know that the eyes that read these words are few and far between. Most people will never hear what I have to share on this simple little blogspot. But, for those who happen upon its message, my prayer is that it is an encouragement to your weary soul. Because aren't we all weary sometimes? Don't we all come to a place in life where the future looks daunting and the motivation to continue on is scarce? My prayer is that you will find strength and hope for your journey through the words God pours out through my hands. I don't have any credentials or letters by my name to recommend me. But I have a story and I have a life and body that is proof of the power of God.
This morning your journey may be feeling like a climb straight up the side of a mountain. The path is treacherous. Your foot struggles to find a stable place to land. You are practically brought to your knees when you stumble. How much longer? Is a paved path up ahead? Is the top of the mountain within sight yet?
On this side of your mountain you see nothing but obstacles. Forget the view. You don't see anything but the ground beneath your feet, the jagged rocks that threaten to send you tumbling down and the steep drop off that sends a shiver up your spine at the thought of what happens if you lose your balance. You are worn out and tired. Your stamina is waning. Your legs want a rest. Your body wants a shower.
Maybe you could just turn back? Head back down to the base of the mountain where the ground was level and you felt safe. But the mountain keeps calling you forward: "Just a little while longer"...."Just wait till you see the view from the top"...."Come further"....
But how? How will you keep moving along when you feel too weak, too small, too vulnerable to finish the climb?
Turn to your constant Help, your Sustainer, your Living Water, your Portion. When you are weak, He is strong. When you can't take another step, He will lend you a hand and a word of encouragement. When you stumble, He will reach out and catch you. When your breathing becomes labored, He will restore it with His mighty breath.
If you think you can't make it up this mountain, you're right. You can't. But He can. It is too big for you to tackle on your own. You might make it pretty far all by yourself but you will be worn out, aching and sore. Your climb will be a constant struggle.
Don't try to tackle it on your own. Let God guide and carry you. Cry out to Him in your pain and allow Him to heal you. Cry out to Him when you are too tired to go on and let Him infuse you with renewed endurance.
I don't know what your mountain looks like today. Maybe it is emotional. It might be spiritual. Or maybe it is a physical mountain peak. Whatever your mountain, God can overcome it. He is bigger then the highest peak. The elevations that sound too daunting to us are a stroll around the park to Him. Don't try to be your own cheerleader. Don't try to climb your mountain by yourself. Call on God and He will go with you.
As you struggle up your mountain I know it will feel never ending and tiring. Even with God, there will be moments of weakness where your human desire for resolution, a peak, will surface and cause you to grow impatient of the climb. Keep hold of God's promise that He has great things in store for you. Just get to the top, the view will be worth every ounce of sweat and every difficult step you had to take.
In the midst of your journey you will be too distracted to appreciate the beauty that surrounds you. At the top the landscape will finally come into full view. The beauty of creation and the marvelous work of God's hand will become evident. Without the climb you won't get the extraordinary view. You must scale the most difficult walls and steepest mountains too see the greatest of glories.
So, dear reader, keep climbing. I don't know what your view will look like in the end. All I can promise you is that it will be abundantly worth it!
Your Friend,
Stephanie
Monday, September 16, 2013
For your health
Life is not a series of coincidences. God is orchestrating even the smallest details of your day. He is involved in the life altering and the easily overlooked. He shows up in the most obscure of places, when you are going about your day to day business. You may not be out there searching for him in the grocery store aisles, red light in a traffic jam or seat on a plane but none the less, he can still show up. He is remarkable in his ability to infiltrate every crevice of our ordinary lives.
Today I was given the perfect example of God's not-so-coincidendal drop in. It happened in downtown Scottsdale in one of their many jewerly stores. I was on the hunt for something pretty: Mom's orders. She encouraged me to get myself a reminder of the trip and, being the obedient daughter I am, I went into shopping mode (obedience can be so tough sometimes don't you think?)
I had walked in and out of what felt like ten different jewerly stores looking at the shiny cases but nothing seemed quite right. I had a picture in my head of a simple silver ring with a round blue stone. I thought I'd have lots to choose from but instead I didn't even have one to settle on. So I kept going up and down the streets. Finally I had exhausted all but one option. I figured I'd go into this last store, even though it didn't look like it had quite the selection of the others, and give it one last shot to find the ring of my mind's eye.
By now I'm sure you know where this is going.... to a pretty silver ring with a blue stone.
You'd be right. I walked around the circle of the store peering in all the cases. Again, nothing. A woman with a thick accent approached me and asked what I was looking for. "I can help you find it very quickly," she said. Normally I reply with a "thanks but I'm just browsing" but I wasn't just browsing and I wanted to find the perfect ring so I took her up on her offer. I told her I wanted a ring.
She immediately jumped into action. "It's over here," she said.
I hadn't told her that I wanted my ring to be silver with a blue stone, round or oval please. I didn't have time to get that far. She was up a few stairs to another circle of counters unlocking a case that housed an array of gigantic rings with silver bands and huge stones, some red, some white, and some blue.
I immediately tried to tell her that these were too big and that I just wanted something small and petite that wouldn't cover my whole hand! Again, she wouldn't let me get a word in. She was off and running, telling me about how she had my ring right here.
I gave up trying to stop her and waited for her to pull out "my ring." She reached in and out came a silver ring with an oval, blue stone. It was delicate but not so small that you would miss it. The stone didn't cover my whole hand. The band was precisely my size.
I put it on and the lady just smiled. "This is your ring," she told me.
How did she know?
I didn't ask. I just told her I'd take it.
After I paid for the ring she removed the tag and placed it in my hand. I slipped it on my ring finger on my left hand. (I'm married to Christ so I get to wear a ring on that finger).
Once it was on she reached across the counter and said, "For good health."
My jaw might have dropped, I'm not sure because I didn't ask to see the video surviellence in the store. But I'm quite certain that it must have dropped...to the ground. I asked her to repeat what she said. Again, she told me it was for my health.
How did this woman know that this particular ring, one that I hadn't described, was my ring. And how did she know that this ring was a symbol of my renewed health through Christ and my restored body through the power of God?
Beloved, there are no coincidences. You might not believe that God cares about where you buy your jewelry. But he is intricately involved in even the most insignificant of details. He can show up at a church revival and he can show up in Iranian woman's jewelry store. He isn't confined to only the "Holy places" or your morning devotional. He wants to be with you everywhere. When you invite him to be your constant companion he will faithfully go forth with you, everywhere and always. He will come along for the ride no matter where it takes you. When he is your traveling companion you can be sure that the miraculous will occur in the middle of the mundane. The ordinary will be turned into something extraordinary.
I am still in awe as I reflect on those three simple words: for your health. These past three days have been a love letter from God celebrating the amazing work he has done in my spirit and body. This ringis a symbol of that glorious restoration.
Today I was given the perfect example of God's not-so-coincidendal drop in. It happened in downtown Scottsdale in one of their many jewerly stores. I was on the hunt for something pretty: Mom's orders. She encouraged me to get myself a reminder of the trip and, being the obedient daughter I am, I went into shopping mode (obedience can be so tough sometimes don't you think?)
I had walked in and out of what felt like ten different jewerly stores looking at the shiny cases but nothing seemed quite right. I had a picture in my head of a simple silver ring with a round blue stone. I thought I'd have lots to choose from but instead I didn't even have one to settle on. So I kept going up and down the streets. Finally I had exhausted all but one option. I figured I'd go into this last store, even though it didn't look like it had quite the selection of the others, and give it one last shot to find the ring of my mind's eye.
By now I'm sure you know where this is going.... to a pretty silver ring with a blue stone.
You'd be right. I walked around the circle of the store peering in all the cases. Again, nothing. A woman with a thick accent approached me and asked what I was looking for. "I can help you find it very quickly," she said. Normally I reply with a "thanks but I'm just browsing" but I wasn't just browsing and I wanted to find the perfect ring so I took her up on her offer. I told her I wanted a ring.
She immediately jumped into action. "It's over here," she said.
I hadn't told her that I wanted my ring to be silver with a blue stone, round or oval please. I didn't have time to get that far. She was up a few stairs to another circle of counters unlocking a case that housed an array of gigantic rings with silver bands and huge stones, some red, some white, and some blue.
I immediately tried to tell her that these were too big and that I just wanted something small and petite that wouldn't cover my whole hand! Again, she wouldn't let me get a word in. She was off and running, telling me about how she had my ring right here.
I gave up trying to stop her and waited for her to pull out "my ring." She reached in and out came a silver ring with an oval, blue stone. It was delicate but not so small that you would miss it. The stone didn't cover my whole hand. The band was precisely my size.
I put it on and the lady just smiled. "This is your ring," she told me.
How did she know?
I didn't ask. I just told her I'd take it.
After I paid for the ring she removed the tag and placed it in my hand. I slipped it on my ring finger on my left hand. (I'm married to Christ so I get to wear a ring on that finger).
Once it was on she reached across the counter and said, "For good health."
My jaw might have dropped, I'm not sure because I didn't ask to see the video surviellence in the store. But I'm quite certain that it must have dropped...to the ground. I asked her to repeat what she said. Again, she told me it was for my health.
How did this woman know that this particular ring, one that I hadn't described, was my ring. And how did she know that this ring was a symbol of my renewed health through Christ and my restored body through the power of God?
Beloved, there are no coincidences. You might not believe that God cares about where you buy your jewelry. But he is intricately involved in even the most insignificant of details. He can show up at a church revival and he can show up in Iranian woman's jewelry store. He isn't confined to only the "Holy places" or your morning devotional. He wants to be with you everywhere. When you invite him to be your constant companion he will faithfully go forth with you, everywhere and always. He will come along for the ride no matter where it takes you. When he is your traveling companion you can be sure that the miraculous will occur in the middle of the mundane. The ordinary will be turned into something extraordinary.
I am still in awe as I reflect on those three simple words: for your health. These past three days have been a love letter from God celebrating the amazing work he has done in my spirit and body. This ringis a symbol of that glorious restoration.
In Christ Alone
In Christ alone my hope is found; he is my light, my strength, my song.
Is he yours?
Today as I sat in the middle of the gym at Living Streams Church, comfortably seated on a yoga mat in a position of calm and in a state of peace, I began to reflect on the abundance of strength I am given by my Savior. I have not done anything to deserve it. I haven't lifted heavy enough weights to grow my muscles big and strong. I haven't been a warrior in the face of all my trials.
I have picked up weights that were small and only mildly challenging. I have quit running when I knew I could go further.
I have cried in the middle of my darkest moments. I have crumbled to the ground when my life has proven more difficult then I could handle.
On my own I have been the embodiment of weak. I haven't been able to muster up enough courage out of my own core. I haven't been able to endure simply by chanting the words "try harder." All of these human tactics have fallen short for me. None have truly lifted me to soaring heights. They have just kept me limping along, tripping at times and completely falling at others.
Yet, there has been a hope for me. It hasn't come from me but it has been for me. It is from Christ. He is the hope that has carried me. It wasn't until I came to the end of my own flesh that I found him there, waiting to carry me in his unlimited strength.
He has given me strength to walk when it hurt, run when it seemed impossible. He has empowered me to lift weights that look daunting for longer then I thought my little muscles could possibly endure.
In my spirit He has come into my darkest places and shined a light. He has brought with Him patience and peace, pouring them out to me as often as I need them and ask for them. He has never let me down. He has been faithful in carrying me even when I thought my body wouldn't. There were days when it seemed my body simply couldn't go on. But He proved, over and over, that with him nothing is impossible.
In this little body He has shown that He can be all the strength we, His weak children, will ever need. My prayer for you is that you will see your need for His strength. Don't try to push through it on your own. No matter what your struggle: a run, a crisis of health, a dissolving marriage, a set of push-ups, inadequacy, failure, an eating disorder, a broken heart, an addiction... don't rely on your own muscle. Rely on HIS. He will carry you even when you don't have it in you to take another step. Cry out to Him. Believe that He is enough to take you to the top of the mountain. Hold tight to your Hope.
Let him be your All in All. Stand in the love of Christ. He wants to be your light, your strength and your most beautiful song. Will you let Him?
Is he yours?
Today as I sat in the middle of the gym at Living Streams Church, comfortably seated on a yoga mat in a position of calm and in a state of peace, I began to reflect on the abundance of strength I am given by my Savior. I have not done anything to deserve it. I haven't lifted heavy enough weights to grow my muscles big and strong. I haven't been a warrior in the face of all my trials.
I have picked up weights that were small and only mildly challenging. I have quit running when I knew I could go further.
I have cried in the middle of my darkest moments. I have crumbled to the ground when my life has proven more difficult then I could handle.
On my own I have been the embodiment of weak. I haven't been able to muster up enough courage out of my own core. I haven't been able to endure simply by chanting the words "try harder." All of these human tactics have fallen short for me. None have truly lifted me to soaring heights. They have just kept me limping along, tripping at times and completely falling at others.
Yet, there has been a hope for me. It hasn't come from me but it has been for me. It is from Christ. He is the hope that has carried me. It wasn't until I came to the end of my own flesh that I found him there, waiting to carry me in his unlimited strength.
He has given me strength to walk when it hurt, run when it seemed impossible. He has empowered me to lift weights that look daunting for longer then I thought my little muscles could possibly endure.
In my spirit He has come into my darkest places and shined a light. He has brought with Him patience and peace, pouring them out to me as often as I need them and ask for them. He has never let me down. He has been faithful in carrying me even when I thought my body wouldn't. There were days when it seemed my body simply couldn't go on. But He proved, over and over, that with him nothing is impossible.
In this little body He has shown that He can be all the strength we, His weak children, will ever need. My prayer for you is that you will see your need for His strength. Don't try to push through it on your own. No matter what your struggle: a run, a crisis of health, a dissolving marriage, a set of push-ups, inadequacy, failure, an eating disorder, a broken heart, an addiction... don't rely on your own muscle. Rely on HIS. He will carry you even when you don't have it in you to take another step. Cry out to Him. Believe that He is enough to take you to the top of the mountain. Hold tight to your Hope.
Let him be your All in All. Stand in the love of Christ. He wants to be your light, your strength and your most beautiful song. Will you let Him?
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Marvelously ruined
God has given us the most precious picture of restoration right here on earth. In each and every physical body he has provided a perfect vehicle in which to show the power of salvation and ability to make new the old and broken.
Isn't this picture the most beautiful you can imagine? Just look at your own life.
When I look back on my life I see the destruction I brought upon myself. Physically and spiritually. Physically I took my body for granted. I ate whenever, whatever. I over-ate at times and under-ate at others. I didn't build up my body with the healthiest or most beneficial of foods. I didn't challenge my body to grow in strength. I thought little of my health. I had it, so what did I need to worry about?
Have you ever slipped into this complacency? Can you relate to the error in my ways?
It took losing all I had in my physical body to understand how precious a gift I had. My body had to be ripped down to nothing, stripped of its strength and size so it couldn't be dependent on itself. My weight had to fall to dangerously low numbers. My legs had to throb with each step. I had to lose my healthy body so that I could see what it is I had.
I had to be marvelously ruined.
When I look at the trajectory of my struggle I am struck by the parallels I see between my physical journey and my spiritual journey. The outward journey that has been displayed in my physical body has been a mirror image of the inward journey that has taken place within the recesses of my soul, at the core of my being, in my innermost spirit.
That too had to be marvelously ruined.
The spiritual journey downward was subtle at first, small steps down the wrong path. But over time the divide between the road I should have been following and the one I had ended up on became so expansive that it was undeniable. I was in a state of rebellion against God, my parents and obedience to the Biblical standards laid out in scripture. I was walking my own path and in the process, destroying my life: relationships, commitments, integrity, honesty, joy, peace... they all became burnt out remnants of what they had once been. I was a hypocrite, a liar, selfish and living deep in sin. I had destroyed all the goodness that had once been in my life. All of the wonderful blessings that God had bestowed on me were squandered away in what I thought was my right to live life the way I wanted. In the end, it left me in a state of chaos, bound by sin and living a life of repeated destructive behaviors.
My life went up in flames. And then it went crumbling to the ground. Ashes.
And when there was nothing left God was able to break in. He was able to rebuild.
He had to let destruction take hold so that my faulty foundation could be scrapped away. The tearing down of my life was needed so that a new, better, stronger structure could take its place. A new structure, built by the hands of God, built on his word and designed by his loving hand. My construction had been built with my own human effort. In the end my lack of architectural know-how became abundantly apparent. And that is when the whole thing went crashing down.
My spiritual life had to go through a state of tearing down before it could be rebuilt. My body had to be stripped of all its resources before it could be refilled with heavenly resources and Godly strength.
This journey has been a long one. It has been trying at times. But not for a moment would I trade a second of it. Being marvelously ruined has been the greatest blessing I have ever received. I can't imagine one better. I can't imagine a love more divine then the love God has poured out on me in my darkest hours, at my absolute lowest points.
This is the beauty of restoration. We can make a mockery of God. We can ruin the very lives he has given us. We can squander all of the blessings he has poured out on us. And yet, he forgives. He restores. He rebuilds.
He can make us beautiful again. He can restore our bodies and restore our souls. He can take all of the darkness of our spirit and transform it into something beautiful. He can wipe clean the slate of sin we have filled with our rebellious, selfish, disobedient living and make it pristine again. He can make us new.
In our bodies he can rebuild the muscles we have let waste away. He can heal our suffering ligaments, tendons and bones that have become broken and frail. He can breathe new life into the painful, dark places within that have left us suffering. If we have neglected to take care of our physical beings he is there, ready and willing to be the strength we need on the road to tending to our temple.
He desires to restore your body and spirit so that it is at its best. He created you for strength, endurance, wellness and wholeness so that you can travel to all the places God has in store for you. He wants you to be a well-oiled machine that can travel along the road with him without sputtering out and breaking down. He needs you to be at your peak so that you can keep up with his big plans!
He can restore you physically. He can make you whole again. And, most importantly, he can do the same in your spiritual body. He can make it new. No matter how far away you have fallen or how much destruction has taken place, he can rebuild. This is the beauty of Jesus on the cross. He came to restore you, make you whole and save you from the messes you've made. Aren't you thankful?
Isn't this picture the most beautiful you can imagine? Just look at your own life.
When I look back on my life I see the destruction I brought upon myself. Physically and spiritually. Physically I took my body for granted. I ate whenever, whatever. I over-ate at times and under-ate at others. I didn't build up my body with the healthiest or most beneficial of foods. I didn't challenge my body to grow in strength. I thought little of my health. I had it, so what did I need to worry about?
Have you ever slipped into this complacency? Can you relate to the error in my ways?
It took losing all I had in my physical body to understand how precious a gift I had. My body had to be ripped down to nothing, stripped of its strength and size so it couldn't be dependent on itself. My weight had to fall to dangerously low numbers. My legs had to throb with each step. I had to lose my healthy body so that I could see what it is I had.
I had to be marvelously ruined.
When I look at the trajectory of my struggle I am struck by the parallels I see between my physical journey and my spiritual journey. The outward journey that has been displayed in my physical body has been a mirror image of the inward journey that has taken place within the recesses of my soul, at the core of my being, in my innermost spirit.
That too had to be marvelously ruined.
The spiritual journey downward was subtle at first, small steps down the wrong path. But over time the divide between the road I should have been following and the one I had ended up on became so expansive that it was undeniable. I was in a state of rebellion against God, my parents and obedience to the Biblical standards laid out in scripture. I was walking my own path and in the process, destroying my life: relationships, commitments, integrity, honesty, joy, peace... they all became burnt out remnants of what they had once been. I was a hypocrite, a liar, selfish and living deep in sin. I had destroyed all the goodness that had once been in my life. All of the wonderful blessings that God had bestowed on me were squandered away in what I thought was my right to live life the way I wanted. In the end, it left me in a state of chaos, bound by sin and living a life of repeated destructive behaviors.
My life went up in flames. And then it went crumbling to the ground. Ashes.
And when there was nothing left God was able to break in. He was able to rebuild.
He had to let destruction take hold so that my faulty foundation could be scrapped away. The tearing down of my life was needed so that a new, better, stronger structure could take its place. A new structure, built by the hands of God, built on his word and designed by his loving hand. My construction had been built with my own human effort. In the end my lack of architectural know-how became abundantly apparent. And that is when the whole thing went crashing down.
My spiritual life had to go through a state of tearing down before it could be rebuilt. My body had to be stripped of all its resources before it could be refilled with heavenly resources and Godly strength.
This journey has been a long one. It has been trying at times. But not for a moment would I trade a second of it. Being marvelously ruined has been the greatest blessing I have ever received. I can't imagine one better. I can't imagine a love more divine then the love God has poured out on me in my darkest hours, at my absolute lowest points.
This is the beauty of restoration. We can make a mockery of God. We can ruin the very lives he has given us. We can squander all of the blessings he has poured out on us. And yet, he forgives. He restores. He rebuilds.
He can make us beautiful again. He can restore our bodies and restore our souls. He can take all of the darkness of our spirit and transform it into something beautiful. He can wipe clean the slate of sin we have filled with our rebellious, selfish, disobedient living and make it pristine again. He can make us new.
In our bodies he can rebuild the muscles we have let waste away. He can heal our suffering ligaments, tendons and bones that have become broken and frail. He can breathe new life into the painful, dark places within that have left us suffering. If we have neglected to take care of our physical beings he is there, ready and willing to be the strength we need on the road to tending to our temple.
He desires to restore your body and spirit so that it is at its best. He created you for strength, endurance, wellness and wholeness so that you can travel to all the places God has in store for you. He wants you to be a well-oiled machine that can travel along the road with him without sputtering out and breaking down. He needs you to be at your peak so that you can keep up with his big plans!
He can restore you physically. He can make you whole again. And, most importantly, he can do the same in your spiritual body. He can make it new. No matter how far away you have fallen or how much destruction has taken place, he can rebuild. This is the beauty of Jesus on the cross. He came to restore you, make you whole and save you from the messes you've made. Aren't you thankful?
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Not just another Tuesday morning
Today is a big day! Have you heard? This day is monumental. Its importance is of utter significance. It could, quite possibly, be a defining day for your future. This day might very well be one you look back on and say, "Yes, it was that day that everything changed for me."
So, what is so special about today? Is this one of those days that conspiracy theorists and theologians have deemed "the date" for the end of the world? Is there a big election? Is a new technology being unveiled that will revolutionize your life? (Yes, the next generation of i phone is being announced but I highly doubt it will alter the course of your life.) Am I giving you a free subscription to Match.com, ensuring that today Mr. or Mrs. Right will be flung into your life, right onto your computer screen?
No to all of the above. I don't claim to know when the end times will come. If there is a big election I am unaware of it. Technology is cool but not this exciting, in my opinion. And, sorry to disappoint, but there is no free subscription of Match.com coming your way.
Today is exciting and monumental for another reason all together.
Today is exciting and monumental because it is the day the Lord has made.
Uh-oh, did I let you down? Were you expecting a big announcement or some deep, philosophical observation?
I hope you don't overlook the importance of my declaration just because you've heard it before. You probably sang the little song in Sunday School as a child. The leader sings out the simple chorus, "This is the day" and then all the little kids repeat. It goes on, "that the Lord has made," and once again the children repeat. Then, "I will rejoice...and be glad in it."
It is so simple, isn't it? When we're young we sing it with conviction. We don't fully grasp the depth and significance of our words but still we join in the chorus wholeheartedly.
Then we grow up. And we stop singing the song. Our music becomes more complicated, the words more in-depth. The words of classic hymns replace the simple melodies of a children's song. Yet, we are still called to be "children of God."
Matthew 18:3, "And he said, 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me."
The song of our heart, all though it grows in obedience and understanding, is still to be a song of simple devotion. We don't need fancy words or complex reasoning. Life doesn't have to become complicated. What we proclaim can still be as simple as declaring this day the Lord's.
This day is the day the Lord has made. You can rejoice in that and be glad. You can take today as a special day for growth. You can use this day to anticipate the miraculous, knowing that you serve a God that is able to do all things in his limitless power. Today is a day that you can see healing, love, peace and joy all become realities in your very life.
Because today is special, set apart and ordained by your God who sits upon his throne on heaven. Isn't that a beautiful image? Today, a day unlike any other, was not an accident. It was created by the hands of a master potter using the most precise techniques to design the most intricate of details.
And you thought today was just another Tuesday morning?
Whether or not today is the day that God turns your life upside down in a way you can touch, feel and see, this day is something exceptional. You can experience all things wondrous and amazing if you will allow God to fill you with the Holy Spirit, making your ordinary truly extraordinary. Because that is what he desires to do for all of us. He wants to come into our mundane, run-of-the-mill, average lives and make them mind-blowingly, astonishingly (insert your favorite superlative here) extraordinary!
There is a beauty in walking with God and continually singing the praise of his glorious hand on each and every day. When you walk with him this closely and intimately you will find that even your simple days are sprinkled with the remarkable; it might be as inconspicuous as bumping into a stranger or as monumental as the birth of a baby. God can, and will, turn your life into a series of stepping stones that form a path to knowing more of his heart. Every day becomes a day for spiritual growth. Every circumstance becomes an opportunity to know God in a new way.
Today is no exception. It is the day the Lord has made. He wants to do something spectacular in it. He wants to bless you in it, no matter where you are or what you have on your to-list. He wants you to sing the children's song of praise and proclamation that this day is special because it is the handiwork of our almighty God.
So, what is so special about today? Is this one of those days that conspiracy theorists and theologians have deemed "the date" for the end of the world? Is there a big election? Is a new technology being unveiled that will revolutionize your life? (Yes, the next generation of i phone is being announced but I highly doubt it will alter the course of your life.) Am I giving you a free subscription to Match.com, ensuring that today Mr. or Mrs. Right will be flung into your life, right onto your computer screen?
No to all of the above. I don't claim to know when the end times will come. If there is a big election I am unaware of it. Technology is cool but not this exciting, in my opinion. And, sorry to disappoint, but there is no free subscription of Match.com coming your way.
Today is exciting and monumental for another reason all together.
Today is exciting and monumental because it is the day the Lord has made.
Uh-oh, did I let you down? Were you expecting a big announcement or some deep, philosophical observation?
I hope you don't overlook the importance of my declaration just because you've heard it before. You probably sang the little song in Sunday School as a child. The leader sings out the simple chorus, "This is the day" and then all the little kids repeat. It goes on, "that the Lord has made," and once again the children repeat. Then, "I will rejoice...and be glad in it."
It is so simple, isn't it? When we're young we sing it with conviction. We don't fully grasp the depth and significance of our words but still we join in the chorus wholeheartedly.
Then we grow up. And we stop singing the song. Our music becomes more complicated, the words more in-depth. The words of classic hymns replace the simple melodies of a children's song. Yet, we are still called to be "children of God."
Matthew 18:3, "And he said, 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me."
The song of our heart, all though it grows in obedience and understanding, is still to be a song of simple devotion. We don't need fancy words or complex reasoning. Life doesn't have to become complicated. What we proclaim can still be as simple as declaring this day the Lord's.
This day is the day the Lord has made. You can rejoice in that and be glad. You can take today as a special day for growth. You can use this day to anticipate the miraculous, knowing that you serve a God that is able to do all things in his limitless power. Today is a day that you can see healing, love, peace and joy all become realities in your very life.
Because today is special, set apart and ordained by your God who sits upon his throne on heaven. Isn't that a beautiful image? Today, a day unlike any other, was not an accident. It was created by the hands of a master potter using the most precise techniques to design the most intricate of details.
And you thought today was just another Tuesday morning?
Whether or not today is the day that God turns your life upside down in a way you can touch, feel and see, this day is something exceptional. You can experience all things wondrous and amazing if you will allow God to fill you with the Holy Spirit, making your ordinary truly extraordinary. Because that is what he desires to do for all of us. He wants to come into our mundane, run-of-the-mill, average lives and make them mind-blowingly, astonishingly (insert your favorite superlative here) extraordinary!
There is a beauty in walking with God and continually singing the praise of his glorious hand on each and every day. When you walk with him this closely and intimately you will find that even your simple days are sprinkled with the remarkable; it might be as inconspicuous as bumping into a stranger or as monumental as the birth of a baby. God can, and will, turn your life into a series of stepping stones that form a path to knowing more of his heart. Every day becomes a day for spiritual growth. Every circumstance becomes an opportunity to know God in a new way.
Today is no exception. It is the day the Lord has made. He wants to do something spectacular in it. He wants to bless you in it, no matter where you are or what you have on your to-list. He wants you to sing the children's song of praise and proclamation that this day is special because it is the handiwork of our almighty God.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
You've got mail
Hands down one of the best movies of all time is You've Got Mail. Someone older, from a different era than my own, might beg to differ. But if you were born in the 90's and are a female then there is a very probable chance that you adore this movie.
Oh, you want me to enumerate the reasons I'm in love with this movie? Well sure I will, only since you asked.
1) It takes place in NYC...in the fall. This, in my humble opinion, is the optimum movie setting. Fall is such a picturesque time of year. New York is tough to beat when it comes to the ranking of big cities. Put the two together and you have the ideal movie setting.
2) Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. Who doesn't love the two of them together? We fell in love with them in Sleepless in Seattle and they never fail to disappoint us.
3) AOL dial up. Old school internet connection is a step back in time. Plus it adds suspense - my kind of suspense. Will there be a new message in the inbox??? So much better then the kind of suspense that involves a possible murderer behind the next door.
4) A dog. I live in Chagrin Falls (aka dog town) so it would follow that I love dogs in my movies, too. 5) A small, family owned business. Who wouldn't want to have a shop around the corner that all the little kids flock to after school? This is small town America at its best - in the middle of a big city, no less. We all long for this kind of intimate sense of community at some point in our lives.
6) There is a villain: Fox Book Store. Again, my kind of villain, the kind that sells books at a discount price.
7) The Starbucks and its seats next to the window, overlooking those that pass by on the sidewalk. Starbucks is a passion of mine (can I call it that?)... Currently I am sitting in a Starbucks at just such a seat by the window overlooking the street and those that walk by on the sidewalks. My own little slice of You've Got Mail.
I could continue on to infinity with my litany of reasons I love You've Got Mail (and the reasons you should love it, too) but I think you get the point. There is one last reason for my love that I think it worth sharing. It is a bit more in depth. Not as basic as a cup of coffee. Not as definable as a dog.
I love You've Got Mail because it can hit a chord with any person who has ever wanted to have love returned to them. It speaks to the heart that is longing for a love letter, a confirmation of mutual desire.
At some point in life's journey we all feel deeply for someone. Some of us will act on that wheeling up of desire and proclaim it to the one that has captured our affection. Some do it in words, others in actions, some in a letter. Others keep their feelings close to their chest, never revealing the passion that is stirring within them.
Whether or not you have ever made a declaration of love, chances are you have felt it inside of you and chances are you have desired that the other person would take the risk and proclaim the feeling first. You've wanted a love letter.
You've wanted to get mail.
In You've Got Mail the whole premise of the movie is based on wanting to hear the confirmation that this other person who you've fallen for and who your heart is yearning for, is thinking of you and is yearning for you in return. Neither person comes out and admits to such feelings, at least not right away. So instead they are holding onto inbox messages that keep their dream of mutual affection alive. With each new message comes a renewed hope that, yes, this person has a desire for me. My feelings are not just mine, but they are his as well.
The greatest part of the movie is the end. If you've never seen it (which would be hard for me to believe) then I won't give it away. But as I'm sure you can figure out by my love of happy and not scary movies, the ending is a good one. There is a happily ever after. Blue birds do fly. There is a rainbow. Love wins out.
Maybe you are like me today. You have felt love in the past and you took the leap of faith to proclaim it, declare it and act on it. But the ending wasn't a happily ever after fairy tale like you had hoped. Yet your desire to share love with someone still blooms within you, even if the love affair with a particular person does not. As Meg Ryan says, "there is the dream of someone else..." Maybe, like me, you are hanging onto that dream.
My message to you, dear dreamer, is to hold on and not give up. I can't promise you that your dream will ever be fulfilled. I can't guarantee that mine will be either. None of us can. But I can assure you that your dream is a worthy one. Love is always a worthy cause. Love is always worth desiring.
There is no perfect love this side of heaven. We must face reality and know that if we do reach a time in our life where love is felt and returned, that love will be imperfect. It will be flawed. But that doesn't mean that it can't be beautiful, so keep desiring it. Keep your heart open to being blessed by that imperfect human love.
In the meantime, don't forget to read the love letters you already have in your inbox. No, not that inbox. A dial up or even a DSL connection is needed to receive these letters. The love letters that are awaiting you are right on your book shelf, tucked away in the scriptures that God has written for you. They are a passionate, intimate, burning letter of love and devotion.
Today, as you go through the routine of your day, dwell in the beauty of the words written for you. Here are just a few that God has penned to you, sent via the Holy Spirit in the form of ancient scriptures, meant for you today, tomorrow and forever. They are true for all of time, filled with as much passion now as they were the day there sentiment was scribbled onto paper. In them you will find all the love letters your heart could ever imagine, more abundant and beautiful then any e-mail inbox could ever hold.
Oh, you want me to enumerate the reasons I'm in love with this movie? Well sure I will, only since you asked.
1) It takes place in NYC...in the fall. This, in my humble opinion, is the optimum movie setting. Fall is such a picturesque time of year. New York is tough to beat when it comes to the ranking of big cities. Put the two together and you have the ideal movie setting.
2) Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. Who doesn't love the two of them together? We fell in love with them in Sleepless in Seattle and they never fail to disappoint us.
3) AOL dial up. Old school internet connection is a step back in time. Plus it adds suspense - my kind of suspense. Will there be a new message in the inbox??? So much better then the kind of suspense that involves a possible murderer behind the next door.
4) A dog. I live in Chagrin Falls (aka dog town) so it would follow that I love dogs in my movies, too. 5) A small, family owned business. Who wouldn't want to have a shop around the corner that all the little kids flock to after school? This is small town America at its best - in the middle of a big city, no less. We all long for this kind of intimate sense of community at some point in our lives.
6) There is a villain: Fox Book Store. Again, my kind of villain, the kind that sells books at a discount price.
7) The Starbucks and its seats next to the window, overlooking those that pass by on the sidewalk. Starbucks is a passion of mine (can I call it that?)... Currently I am sitting in a Starbucks at just such a seat by the window overlooking the street and those that walk by on the sidewalks. My own little slice of You've Got Mail.
I could continue on to infinity with my litany of reasons I love You've Got Mail (and the reasons you should love it, too) but I think you get the point. There is one last reason for my love that I think it worth sharing. It is a bit more in depth. Not as basic as a cup of coffee. Not as definable as a dog.
I love You've Got Mail because it can hit a chord with any person who has ever wanted to have love returned to them. It speaks to the heart that is longing for a love letter, a confirmation of mutual desire.
At some point in life's journey we all feel deeply for someone. Some of us will act on that wheeling up of desire and proclaim it to the one that has captured our affection. Some do it in words, others in actions, some in a letter. Others keep their feelings close to their chest, never revealing the passion that is stirring within them.
Whether or not you have ever made a declaration of love, chances are you have felt it inside of you and chances are you have desired that the other person would take the risk and proclaim the feeling first. You've wanted a love letter.
You've wanted to get mail.
In You've Got Mail the whole premise of the movie is based on wanting to hear the confirmation that this other person who you've fallen for and who your heart is yearning for, is thinking of you and is yearning for you in return. Neither person comes out and admits to such feelings, at least not right away. So instead they are holding onto inbox messages that keep their dream of mutual affection alive. With each new message comes a renewed hope that, yes, this person has a desire for me. My feelings are not just mine, but they are his as well.
The greatest part of the movie is the end. If you've never seen it (which would be hard for me to believe) then I won't give it away. But as I'm sure you can figure out by my love of happy and not scary movies, the ending is a good one. There is a happily ever after. Blue birds do fly. There is a rainbow. Love wins out.
Maybe you are like me today. You have felt love in the past and you took the leap of faith to proclaim it, declare it and act on it. But the ending wasn't a happily ever after fairy tale like you had hoped. Yet your desire to share love with someone still blooms within you, even if the love affair with a particular person does not. As Meg Ryan says, "there is the dream of someone else..." Maybe, like me, you are hanging onto that dream.
My message to you, dear dreamer, is to hold on and not give up. I can't promise you that your dream will ever be fulfilled. I can't guarantee that mine will be either. None of us can. But I can assure you that your dream is a worthy one. Love is always a worthy cause. Love is always worth desiring.
There is no perfect love this side of heaven. We must face reality and know that if we do reach a time in our life where love is felt and returned, that love will be imperfect. It will be flawed. But that doesn't mean that it can't be beautiful, so keep desiring it. Keep your heart open to being blessed by that imperfect human love.
In the meantime, don't forget to read the love letters you already have in your inbox. No, not that inbox. A dial up or even a DSL connection is needed to receive these letters. The love letters that are awaiting you are right on your book shelf, tucked away in the scriptures that God has written for you. They are a passionate, intimate, burning letter of love and devotion.
Today, as you go through the routine of your day, dwell in the beauty of the words written for you. Here are just a few that God has penned to you, sent via the Holy Spirit in the form of ancient scriptures, meant for you today, tomorrow and forever. They are true for all of time, filled with as much passion now as they were the day there sentiment was scribbled onto paper. In them you will find all the love letters your heart could ever imagine, more abundant and beautiful then any e-mail inbox could ever hold.
Ephesians 2:4-5 But
God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved
us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together
with Christ— by grace you have been saved—
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