The Sweet Smell of Hope

Today I received a phone call from my dear friend, Wendy, who lives in another state. She said, "I have a question for you." 

She then proceeded to tell me about a family (a single mom with six children) who had been displaced over the weekend by a fire in their apartment in a low-income complex. While she was laying the foundation for her question, I was thinking, "What can I possibly offer in the way of help for someone who lives eight hours away from me?"

Then she got to it. Knowing that replacing clothing and bedding for six children would be expensive, and having learned that except for one of the rooms, the majority of the damage was from smoke and water, she had decided to take the salvageable items and launder them. She wanted to know what I recommended to remove the smell of smoke from the clothes and bed linens."Ah," I thought. "Now that I can help with."

Two years ago this past week, my husband and I lost our own home in a fire, and one of the biggest blessings to us was when someone (Sharon) offered to take all of our clothes and linens and wash them to remove the smell of smoke. This was no small task, as each load had to be washed multiple times with a special laundry detergent. What was returned to us was some of the sweetest smelling clean laundry I had ever seen. It never would have occurred to me to even ask someone to do this, but she and her family had been through a tornado a few years prior and understood how big a blessing this would be to us. And it was. 

I contacted Sharon to see what method she had finally landed on that got the laundry smelling all fresh and clean, then passed along the information to Wendy. One of the things Wendy said to me was, "I have a new found understanding of what you and David went through when you had your fire after visiting that apartment. What a mess!" 

Yes, life can be quite messy. And sometimes we go through things that seem overwhelming. But beauty can and does come from the ashes and life on the other side of the heartache can be quite sweet. Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego entered into the fiery furnace in a devlish plan that was designed to destroy them. They came out unsinged, with not even the smell of smoke on them. It was in the intense heat of the fire that they experienced a personal encounter with the Son of God Himself. The fire purifies and prepares us for a greater work. We are equipped with the first-hand knowledge that what doesn't kill us really does make us stronger, and we are able to reach out with a much deeper compassion to those around us who are hurting. 

Every act of service to others is a significant - even if all we can offer is to help them get the smoke smell out.We all need a little sweet-smelling hope from time to time. Freely you have received. Freely give.

Contending & Self Talk

Sometimes in the course of life, a word drops into my spirit. If I didn't know any better, I would say it came from out of nowhere - but I know better. It is the voice of the Holy Spirit gently nudging me into a revelation. I have learned over the years to not ignore these subtle prompts, as they inevitably lead me to a deeper understanding of what He is wanting to accomplish in and through me.

It seems that much of my communication with God lately ends up with me in tears. Sometimes they are accompanied by the overwhelming sense of His presence and love for me (which I still cannot and probably will never come anywhere near comprehending). More often than not though, lately the accompanying cry of my heart sounds something like this: "I don't understand. I don't understand why everything has to be such a struggle. All I have ever wanted is to love You and serve You and walk in the center of Your will. Why is it always such a struggle just to make ends meet? How can this be Your will for Your children? Am I missing something?"

Tonight, as I prayed for David and about our situation in general, I heard the word "contend" being deposited into my spirit. I knew the general idea behind the meaning of the word, but here is what I found when I looked it up:

con·tend [kuh n-tend]  verb

1. To struggle in opposition: to contend with the enemy for control

2. To strive in rivalry; compete: to contend for first prize

3. To strive in debate; dispute earnestly: to contend against falsehood

Origin: 1400-50 late Middle English contenden < Anglo-French contendre < Latin contendere to compete, strive,  draw tight; equivalent to con (con) + tendere (to stretch)

I was immediately struck by the realization that all three meanings have a clear application in the walk of the believer. 

1. To struggle in opposition with the enemy for control 

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."  Ephesians 6:12-13

2. To strive in rivalry (compete) for first prize

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever."  1 Corinthians 9:24-25

3. To strive in debate (dispute earnestly) against falsehood

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  John 8:32

Even in the word's earliest origins, it meant to stretch or draw tight. As we reach what feels like the breaking point, where we don't think or feel like we can take another minute of our current situation, the Holy Spirit gently prods, "Contend." 

The last dime has been spent and the pantry and refrigerator are near empty, "Contend."

Bills are due and past due and there is no money to pay them. "Contend."

Physical strength wanes and sickness sets in. There is no money for medicine. "Contend."

Fill in the blank with the circumstance that makes every attempt to steal your hope, your joy, your peace. "Contend."

Sometimes we have to talk ourselves into continuing on - into not giving up. It worked for King David. He asked himself why he was so downcast and commanded himself to put his hope in God. Following the example of one whom God Himself called a man after His own heart, I will now excuse myself to engage in a little Psalm 42-43 style conversation with myself.

And contend.

 

And The River Flows

From my journal dated March 25, 2012

The waters returning to Lake Travis (Jonestown, Texas)

From my vantage point under my new friend, the Old Oak Tree, the water at the bottom of the lake bed is now easily visible, and it is flowing. 

As the sun's rays dance on the surface of the southerly flow, it is as though the waters are singing a joyous song of redemption, proclaiming praise to the Giver of life. No one needs to instruct this river where to go. Its waters flow naturally and with purpose in constant movement to the music of their life song. The birds sing along as bees and butterflies prance among the flowers in a full-on presentation to the rest of creation.

My own life seems sometimes to lack this kind of divine flow - the effortless sense of simply being in the flow of what I was designed to be and to do. There are days I long for my existence to be simple - uncomplicated, when I yearn to escape from the pressure cooker that seems to define my waking moments. 

Taken standing in the bottom of the lake bed.

But then I remember that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, crafted by the same fingers that smeared mud on the eyes of a blind man to restore his sight. 

I remember that my moments, every last one of them, are nestled safely in the in the palm of the same hands that blessed five loaves of bread and two fish, multiplying them to feed thousands. 

I remember that the same voice that spoke the whole of creation into existence now gently whispers my name, calling me to come away with Him to a secret place where we can dwell together. 

When I remember these things and take them to heart, the refrain of my own life song begins to reawaken within me. The flow is being restored, and it is well with my soul.

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The Realm of the Unexpected

As I realize how much time has passed since I last posted, I am reminded of just how quickly life happens when we are looking the other way.

The past few months have seen many changes, not the least of which is David and I being reunited in the same house for the first time since January of last year. The move from Arkansas to Texas was a transition that took longer than either of us had anticipated in terms of our living in separate areas of town while job issues were resolved.

Well, resolution is not fully complete, but thankfully we are back under the same roof. We spent several grueling months trying to purchase a home only to have the financing fall through at the last minute, the result of mishandling by our broker. We decided to find a small and cheap rental to give us some time to regroup, and on April 1, we moved into a small, modest four-plex in an area near one of central Texas' greatest treasures, Lake Travis.

I mentioned "many changes," and while time does not allow me to elaborate on that at the moment, I can say that where I find myself today is working to build a home-based business while also looking for a "real" job to help sustain us financially until the aforementioned business takes off, which I am confident that it eventually will. This process has proven to be a real test of my faith, as we have really had to trust the Lord for His provision during this season of continued transition.

The past couple of weeks have brought me into a realm of renewed closeness with Him as He has once again drawn me into His presence at unexpected times, in unexpected ways and in unexpected places. As I have begun to release my grasp on the circumstances around me and my incessant drive to control them, I have watched His provision come forth in short bursts when I'm least expecting it. My sensitivity to His gentle nudgings is being heightened, as is my awareness of Him throughout the day.

During a recent encounter I had with Him, I tearfully asked Him why He had been so silent lately. He replied that He had been bringing me to a place of total dependence on Him because of what He is about to release me into. The details of this are currently between me and Him, but let me encourage you with this:

If you are feeling isolated and alone in your relationship with Him, and His voice seems distant at best, do not give up. Stay close to Him. Keep pressing your head into His chest. Let go of whatever it is you need to let go of. If you genuinely ask, He will show you - in fact, you probably already know what it is.

Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions. He is not afraid of them, and He will answer them. Most of all, seek wisdom. When you aren't hearing anything regarding where to turn next, His wisdom will guide you, and He promises to give it freely.

Blessings on you and yours. May hope reign in your heart and peace reside in your spirit.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, 

who gives generously to all without finding fault, 

and it will be given to you."

James 1:5

Planning vs. Doing

True confession: I am a planner. To a fault. I plan for all kinds of scenarios. When faced with almost any situation, I picture in my head how it might play out and I plan for how I will respond/react to that outcome. Then I pick another potential outcome and do it all over again.

I plan how certian conversations will go, especially if there is the potential for conflict, and I plan what I will say and how I will say it.

I plan my days, my weeks and my months, knowing full well that life almost always intervenes and throws my planning out the window, but I am compelled to do it again and again.

If anyone ever saw the crazy tangled mess of planning and re-planning and trying to anticipate life and how I will react to it that goes on inside my head on an almost constant basis, I would undoubtedly be quickly committed to the nearest psych ward for evaluation - probably donned in a white "hug-me" jacket that ties in the back just for good measure. I'm not a danger to others,  but to myself - now that's open for debate.

I spend so much time planning and trying to control my little corner of the world that I sometimes neglect to do the doing.

I stumbled across a verse in Psalms this evening, quite the way one stumbles across a boulder in the middle of the sidewalk. Right there, nice and unobtrusively obvious in its placement on the page where my fingers turned and my eyes fell was this little gem:

"Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;"

Wait for it ... wait for it ...

"On that very day their plans come to nothing."   ~ Psalm 146:3-4

Ouch. That hurt. I don't want my plans to come to nothing. If I spend my life planning and not doing, then my life will also come to nothing. Not that planning in itself is a bad thing. It is a necessary part of life. But like anything else, it must be kept in balance and in proper perspective. It is in the doing that we live out what we are designed to do. It is in the being that we discover who we are destined to be.

I want to be close to Him; found faithful; called a friend of God; known by Him; sheltered under the shadow of His wing; someone in whom the love of Jesus is seen and the heartbeat of God is heard.

I want to do the will of my Father who sent me; the work of His hands; that which pleases Him and brings a smile to His face; that which honors His name and causes others to look to Him.

I want to plan my days, my weeks and my months, knowing full well that life almost always intervenes and throws my planning out the window; and that when it does, it is not because I have planned poorly, but rather because I have learned well to listen to the voice of the One who loves me most and am willing to let my plans go as I embrace His.

As I trust in Him with all my heart, leaning not on my own understanding, He will make my paths straight.

Now that's something I can plan on.

To Mend A Broken Heart

Over the course of the last few weeks, I've started noticing a certain theme in some facebook postings, especially among my younger friends. I've been seeing a lot of reference to Valentine's Day, or more specifically, being alone on Valentine's Day.

Now I'm all for couples taking whatever opportunity they can find to display their love for one another, but I'm just not sold on the idea that purchasing flowers, candy, gifts and cards is the most effective way to do it - unless of course, your significant other's love language is gifts. But for the one whose native tongue is words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch or acts of service, candy and flowers just don't get it done. Especially when the underlying reason is basically because everyone else is doing it. What did we teach our kids about that being the reason for doing anything? But that's a conversation for another time.

The thing that disturbs me about Valentine's Day is that somewhere along the way, it has helped to promote the idea in young people (and some not so young) that if they don't have a "Valentine", something is wrong with them and they don't fit in. They have gotten the idea that their value as a person is somehow connected to whether or not they are involved in a "romantic" relationship. During my years in youth ministry, I can't tell you how many times I heard from young girls how much they wanted a boyfriend. They were so desperate for a guy (any guy) that their judgement would be clouded by the first charmer who looked their direction.

This desperation for "love" (and I use the term very loosely) is why so many young women find themselves in one bad relationship after another. And it is an underlying cause why so many of them end up victims of abuse - and worse.

February is National Mend A Broken Heart Month. This, partnered with my own experience in a bad relationship, inpsired me to, for the first time in a long time, tap my creative side to design something that will hopefully remind others of the importance of being aware of the hurting ones around us and what they need to enable the healing process. The verse is original, and the graphic is of several hands forming a heart, surrounding it.

The design is printed on ivory parchment paper, is suitable for framing, and is available for purchase on my business website, FreestyleBizSolutions.com. It is also available by contacting me directly.

During the month of February, for every print sold, I will donate $2 to Hope Alliance, Williamson County's only emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assualt. I have visited the Hope Alliance office and met their staff, and I wholeheartedly support the work they do in providing safety and hope to the women and children who seek their help.

The original verse included on this print is shown below.

In the meantime, let me encourage you to hug a young person and let them know that they are valuable and precious. Not because of their accomplishments or talents or whether or not they have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Just because they are who they are. Maybe if we give enough hugs and words of encouragement, we can prevent at least one heart from needing mending.

To Mend A Broken Heart

A broken heart needs healing

A broken heart needs hope

A broken heart needs comfort

While it's learning how to cope.

A broken heart needs safety

A shelter filled with peace

A place where it's okay to cry

And find a sweet release.

Where loving arms are open

Where one can find a friend

Here in the warmth of unconditional love

The broken heart will mend.



You Are Here

God's ways are not like our ways, of this there is no doubt. The harder pill to swallow, however, is that His timing is usually not like ours, either. I think that we are impatient creatures by nature and that patience does not occur naturally. None of us is born with it. It is a process - a fruit of the Spirit that must be nurtured and cultivated and, well, you get the idea.

Our culture has capitalized on this fact that we are impatient by nature and has carefully groomed us to expect instant everything. But the harsh reality is that we don't always get what we want, even if it is what God wants for us, when we want it.

In the four months since I have moved back to Austin, my idea of what my life would be like by now has pretty much shriveled up and died. My expectations have proven to be a bit unrealistic, although not necessarily by the world's standards, but by the standards adhered to when walking out what the Lord is leading you in - no matter how crazy it seems to yourself and everyone else.

Where I thought I would be by now is a tiny little speck on the horizon while I stand here in the middle of nowhere under a big red circle that reads, "You are here." Well, "here" is not where I want to be. I want to be "there." Waaaay over there. Now, please.

While I have spent much of the last several weeks feeling like I was spinning my wheels going absolutely NO-where, just waiting for something - anything - to bust open, I am beginning to catch a little glimpse of the "why" behind all this waiting. It's still a little fuzzy, but I am confident that the path that has been laid out before me will gradually come into focus as my "eyes" adjust.

Things are beginning to move slowly. Very slowly. I have been often frustrated in recent months because things were not happening as quickly as I thought they should. I have questioned whether or not I had heard God in pursuing the things I have been pursuing, and each and every time, I have ultimately returned to this one simple truth:

There is an illogical peace that resides deep in the soul of a child of God when she is standing dead center in the will of God for her life.

It makes no sense. Every circumstance swirling around her screams, “Worry – fear – dread!” But she quietly stands. The people around her question her actions and may eventually begin to believe that she has somehow missed the mark. There she is, standing alone. Her own thoughts and everything she has come to understand as what “should be” are shaken to the very core and pieces begin to crumble to the ground. She’s still standing.

This peace defies all reason and even makes her look like a fool. But it is the quiet confidence that is intravenously transmitted from the heart of the Almighty Himself directly into her spirit, and it is the very source of her strength and resolve to keep standing.

He sees the much larger picture of His plan for me than I will ever be able to comprehend or would even be able to carry if I saw it all now. This is where trust becomes something you can sink your teeth into. This is where faith brings you one step closer to spiritual adulthood, making the transition from child to woman or man. This is where your spirit becomes more intricately intertwined with that of the Creator. This is real - more real than anything else staring you in the face right now.

So keep standing. Keep your eyes fixed on the face of the One Who knows you best and loves you most. Your Deliverer is coming. He is standing by. You WILL see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

 "In quietness and trust is your strength..." 
Isaiah 30:15


"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness
of the LORD in the land of the living." 
Psalm 27:13

Not Forgotten

I have a confession to make. I love Amy Grant music. The old stuff. I guess it's mostly because it is part of the music I grew up on, and as much as I love current music, I do occasionally wax nostalgic and take great delight in listening to the songs that became the soundtrack of my life. Recently as I have been listening to Grant's The Collection, I have been hearing something in the lyrics of some of the songs that I have missed before.

If you are a singer, you know that there are particular songs, especially early on, that seem to generate requests for you to sing again and again. For me, one of those songs was El Shaddai, which I first sang at a little Assembly of God church in El Campo, Texas in my teens. As many times as I have listened to and sung this song, there was something that only became real to me today.

As I was driving to pick up my dog from the groomer, this song came on, and one line in particular struck me in a way it never has before. I relate on a more personal level to this line than I ever could have imagined when I was a young singer with visions of touching the masses with music that would move and inspire them.

The line that captured me was this: "...to the outcast on her knees, You were the God who really sees." Today for the first time when hearing this line, my mind immediately returned to a little bedroom in my parents' home in the months that my first marriage was ending, and the image of myself face-down on a tear-soaked carpet, pouring out my heart to a God I couldn't see, longing to be held by arms I couldn't feel.

In those agonizing months of coming to terms with rejection and betrayal, I learned to know Him on a deeper level than I had ever dreamed possible. He came to me, expressing His love for me in real and intimate ways that even now I have a difficult time expressing with mere words. I came to know that He saw every painful thing that had happened, and as He healed my heart, His voice became more familiar and precious to me than I had ever known before.

Today as I drove, I heard that same familiar voice speaking again to me - through me. Here is what He said:

"To the one whose heart has been battered by rejection and betrayal, to the one who has been cast aside, to the one who has been overlooked in search of someone or something else, to the one who feels the dull ache of dreams that seem too lofty to ever come true and the sting of criticism that makes their destiny seem unattainable, tell them this:

I have not forgotten you. You are mine. I have inscribed you on the palm of my hand, and your face is etched into my heart.The ones you thought would love you may have rejected you, but I have accepted you. The world may have cast you aside, but I have adopted you as My own. The world may have overlooked you, but I have called you by name, and you belong to Me. I want you to know the depths of My love for you, to commune with Me in sweet intimacy. When we spend time together, your destiny will become clear, and as you walk in all that I have laid out in My word and listen to and follow My voice, your destiny will be fulfilled in a more powerful way than you have ever dared to imagine."

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

       How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them,
       they would outnumber the grains of sand.
       When I awake, I am still with you."

Psalm 139:17-18

The Butterfly Circus

As we navigate this earth life, we are sometimes faced with circumstances and situations that challenge our resolve to continue in our pursuit of the dreams that the Almighty has placed within us.

We encounter difficulties and trials, financial struggles, health issues, nay-sayers, and every sort of scheme the enemy can muster to discourage us from continuing onward. Sometimes we just need to be reminded that the process of becoming what we were created to be is not meant to be an easy one. Butterflies aren't born as tiny little versions of their parents. They enter the world as a less-than-attractive little worm-like creature, but through a process of isolation and great pressure, they become beautiful & graceful flying marvels, sparking a bit of child-like wonder in anyone who witnesses them as they flutter by.

As I have been battling discouragement today, I was faced with news that seemed to just add insult to injury. I told my husband, "I will not be discouraged by this. I refuse to do it." I went on to say (as much to myself as to him) that we must be on the verge of something really powerful, because the resistance we have been receiving the past year or more has been intense and nearly non-stop.

Enter The Butterfly Circus. This brief movie (20 minutes) is one I have seen before but felt led to watch again today. There is an abundance of symbolism is this project and a host of potential sermons reside therein. The lessons are simple but very profound. The one I am walking away with today is the reminder, as spoken by the Showman, "The greater the struggle, the more glorious the triumph."

The movie features motivational speaker Nick Vujicic, a man born without arms or legs. I strongly encourage you to take a few minutes out of your crazy life and watch this uninterrupted, soaking in the priceless messages of hope, restoration, and overcoming that are portrayed in this story. And by the way, have a box of Kleenex handy.

For more information about Nick and his ministry, visit lifewithoutlimbs.org.

Since space here will not allow a screen size that will let you enjoy this movie at its best, I'm linking you now to the official site. Enjoy.

The Butterfly Circus

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work 

so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

James 1:2-4

Walk with Me

Music from the Heart: Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield

A few years ago, three friends and I (the core leadership team of what is now The River Fort Smith, an outreach church), felt a pressing need to get away for a few days to refresh, recharge, reconnect. So the four us piled into the car and headed to St. Louis to attend the Joyce Meyer Women's Conference. We jokingly called it our "Elders Retreat," but it quickly became a weekend filled with laughter, tears and memorable moments, with laughter presiding. Way before the weekend was over, we all knew this girly getaway was destined to become an annual event.

We have since left our mark on Tulsa & Branson. This year we made our trek through the Ouachita National Forest to Hot Springs Village for three days of doing absolutely nothing. It was glorious.

In terms of personality and life experiences, we are about as diverse a group as you can get, which is probably why we enjoy each other so much - and definitely why we need each other so much. But when it comes to a desire to bring hope, healing and restoration to hurting people, we share a strong and common passion. We are girlfriends and partners in ministry.

We have laughed together, cried together, made fun of each other, even hurt and forgiven each other. We have worshiped together, prayed together, and ministered shoulder to shoulder. We have seen each other at our best and our worst, from dressing up for a "Putting on the Ritz" dinner event to lounging in wrinkled pajamas with bed hair & no make-up. We have counseled each other, corrected each other and cheered each other on. These relationships are real, rich & genuine, and I wouldn't trade them for the world.

Back to Hot Springs Village this past weekend. This was a no-agenda, all-diets-are-off, total chill-time weekend with the girls. On Saturday, it was after 4 o'clock in the afternoon before we shed our pajamas and got dressed to go out for a little nature walk. It was a perfect autumn afternoon in Arkansas - a warm sun peeking through leaves of orange, red & gold, playful squirrels at every turn, and the unmistakably nostalgic rustling sound made only by feet shuffling through the leaves that have already found their way to the ground. It was perfect.

Being a photo junkie, a nature walk doesn't happen in my world without a camera. I managed to snap several shots of multicolored leaves, trees & sunlight reflected on the lake, and even a couple of a squirrel who agreed to pose for me. But my favorite picture is one that I caught when I lagged behind the other ladies while they walked ahead on the hillside path. It captures three friends walking side-by-side on life's journey, drawing strength and comfort from the presence of each other. While this picture may be found lacking in quality in terms of photographic excellence, it is priceless to me because of its content.

One of our little entourage is headed to MD Anderson in Houston next week for surgery. She will remain there for about a month, then recover for two more months at home before returning to work in February. Over the weekend, we presented her with a Healing Basket filled with all kinds of goodies - soft fluffy socks, candles, healing worship music, teaching CD's, her favorite candy, comfort foods, bath & body stuff, framed photos of the four of us, and a wide variety of other trinkets & tokens of our friendship. We also gave her a stack of get well cards, to be opened one per day while she is in Houston. Some contain inspirational messages or prayers, but most of them are designed to invoke laughter, which we all know is the best medicine for whatever ails you.

We are trusting our precious sister/friend to the capable skills of some of the leading specialists in the country But even more so, we are trusting her to the healing hands of the Great Physician, Who also just happens to be the One who designed and created her, knows her best and loves her most. She will walk through this experience with the three of us at her side, laughing, crying, whatever it takes to bring her through to the other side of this. And as soon as she is up to it, we have next year's trip to plan.

"Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.
Just walk beside me and be my friend."

Albert Camus

In The Garden

I've stated in prior posts that I often wake up in the morning with a song in my spirit. This morning, it was the old hymn, "In The Garden."

In April of 1912, hymn-writer C. Austin Miles was alone in the dark room where he kept his photographic equipment and organ. As he opened his Bible, it opened to the 20th chapter of John - the post-resurrection encounter between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Mr. Miles wrote of a vision he had that day, describing the scene in great detail.  

"My hands were resting on the Bible while I stared at the light blue wall. As the light faded, I seemed to be standing at the entrance of a garden, looking down a gently winding path, shaded by olive branches."

He goes on to share what he saw, ending with:  

"I awakened in sunlight, grip­ping the Bible, with muscles tense and nerves vibrating. Under the inspiration of this vision I wrote as quickly as the words could be formed the poem exactly as it has since appeared. That same evening I wrote the music."

Mary was distraught as she approached the tomb that morning. She so longed to be near to Jesus (even what she expected to be His lifeless body), that she could not even wait until daylight. She went while it was still dark. Seeing the stone removed from the entrance of the tomb, she ran to tell Peter & John that someone had taken His body.

The men came and saw for themselves that He was gone, and they went home. But Mary stayed. 

She was not ready to let go. Her heart was so intertwined with the person of Jesus that she could not bring herself to leave that spot, the last place she had known Him to be. 

After a brief conversation with two angels, Mary is addressed by another man, whom she assumes to be the gardener. She does not recognize Him to be the Lover of her soul. Not yet. But then she heard His voice. He uttered to her a single word, the first word He spoke after being resurrected from the dead (at least as far as we know from Scripture). With the utterance of a single word, Jesus made Himself known to her.

He only said one word. Her name. "Mary," He said.

Immediately Mary recognized His voice and turned to Him. The emotion that must have welled up inside her as she heard that familiar, sweet, comforting, powerful voice call her by name. I imagine that her eyes opened wide and her breath caught in her chest as she realized that it was Him.
 
May we all find the same sweet, intimate and deep relationship with Jesus that Mary had. The kind of relationship where even when we don't recognize Him in the circumstances of our lives, His voice is familiar enough to us that when we hear it, we know it is Him, turning to Him as Mary did.

IN THE GARDEN

by C. Austin Miles

     I come to the garden alone,

While the dew is still on the roses;

And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,

The Son of God discloses.

      

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

      

He speaks, and the sound of His voice

Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,

And the melody that He have to me

Within my heart is ringing.

"The sheep that are My own hear 
and are listening to My voice; 

and I know them, and they follow Me." 

John 10:27 (Amplified)

Listen to the Lyrics

While leading worship last night at The River, the lyrics to one of the songs seemed to call to me, beckoning me to pause and examine them more closely. Too often we sit in church and sing songs with powerful words but our minds and spirits are not really connecting with what we are singing. Last night, I connected, and I believe others did, too, as we stopped for a moment to really take in what we were singing. Words have power - the power of life and death, and whether we speak them or sing them, their effect on the spirit realm and on our lives is profound.

With this in mind, I am simply going to share with you the lyrics of this song that captured my attention last night and encourage you to ponder each line and what it can mean for your life today - right now, in this moment.

What cry of your heart needs to be heard and answered today? What hope needs to be renewed? What deep, dark thing inside you is longing for freedom? There is safety in this place. He is here.

Here I am once again
I pour out my heart
For I know that you hear every cry
You are listening
No matter what state my heart is in
You are faithful to answer
With words that are true
And a hope that is real
As I feel Your touch
You bring a freedom to all that's within
In the safety of this place

I'm longing to...

Pour out my heart
To say that I love You
Pour out my heart
To say that I need You
Pour out my heart
To say that I'm thankful
Pour out my heart
To say that You're wonderful

Song: Pour Out My Heart
Artist: Brian Doerksen
Album: Light the Fire Again
Written by: Craig Musseau
Copyright: 1994 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing

Attention Grabbing Title Here

Busy is as busy does. Okay, that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, but I needed a catchy opening line for this not so spectacular posting.

I really just wanted to make available for your viewing pleasure a short video comprised of photos from this year's Hope Fest. Normally I would have preferred to have this done much sooner after the actual event, but as my opening line indicates, I've been quite busy and just finished the video this week.

For more details on what we did and why, as well as why the song in the video is significant, please take a minute to check out the post from June 17 entitled "You're the One."

Otherwise, I'll let the video speak for itself. Enjoy, and remember, He will leave the ninety-nine to pursue the heart of one. You, dear friend, are indeed the one.

PS: Before you start the video, don't forget to go to the music player on the left side of this page and stop or pause the song that is playing.

The song: Leaving Ninety-Nine by Audio Adrenaline

Broken Things

Enjoying a rare long weekend together, David and I took Sheba out on a little "mini adventure" the other day. David had no sooner grabbed her leash than she was waiting at the door, wagging her tail and ready to go. That dog loves to ride in the car. It doesn't matter where she's going. She doesn't care. If she's in the car going somewhere, she's happy.

First stop, the dog park. For the first time, we were the only ones there, but that didn't stop our girl from heading straight for the pond for a quick little dip. Next, we went to the nature center, where the three of us meandered down one of the walking trails. Later that evening, I noticed Sheba was limping. At first I thought she had perhaps picked up a sticker or splinter or something. But closer inspection revealed something a little more serious. The pad on her right front paw was torn away in one spot. It was not a deep wound, but it was easy to see why it was tender. What was supposed to protect the flesh on her foot was no longer there.

She laid there patiently while we bandaged her up. It was like she was almost grateful to have the wound being tended to. For two days now, she has not fussed with the bandage, which is a far cry from the last time she got hurt. Last year she took a flying leap out of the back of David's truck and messed up all four of her feet. Since she wouldn't leave the bandages alone, she had to wear one of the big plastic collars that limited her movement. She did not appreciate that one bit, but it was necessary for her to let the wounds heal.

This time, though, she is leaving everything alone and letting the foot heal. By the next morning she was already walking much better, and the foot is healing nicely. I know she's "just a dog," but it's like she has learned the hard way that an unattended wound will not heal - something the rest of us would do well to remember.

Hiding from the broken places in our lives and pretending they are not there only moves us farther away from wholeness. We limp through life, trying to ignore the hurt in our heart, while it is blatantly obvious to everyone around us that we are hurting. We need the Healer to tend to our wounds.

First He cleanses the wounds, washing away all the debris that surrounds and causes infection. Next, He applies a healing ointment, a soothing balm that brings comfort. This is followed by a covering, which protects and allows the healing to begin. Many people want to stop here in the healing process. But there is another step that must be taken for the healing to be complete. When the wound is ready, the covering is removed so that air can reach it. This results in the restoration of the outer layers of skin, which provide natural protection. A scar is left, a reminder of what was, but the healing and restoration are complete.

There are things in my own heart that are in this final restorative phase of the healing process. While still unpleasant at times, I have no doubt that this is for my good, and that it is necessary if I am to walk in wholeness. Yes, the air on a not-quite-healed wound stings a little from time to time, but I can handle it. As it heals, it itches occasionally, and I want to scratch it, but this would only reopen the wound, slowing down the healing. I don't want to go there. I like it here and I like what lies in front of me.

The Healer is monitoring my progress. Broken things are being restored. Placing my heart in His hands was the first step. It can be for you, too.

"Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it;
I will heal my people and will let them enjoy
abundant peace and security."
Jeremiah 33:6

You're The One

Music from the Heart: Leaving Ninety-Nine by Audio Adrenaline

This past weekend we (The River) hosted the second annual Hope Fest, a community missions outreach held at a local low-income apartment complex. In the final days of preparation, some of the ministry leadership began to sense that the turnout may not be what we had originally hoped for, but that the Lord was encouraging us to move forward with all the passion and vigor as though there would be 100% participation from the residents. We sensed a burden for individuals (although we had no idea which individuals) that seemed to grow heavier as the event grew closer.

As it turned out, there were fewer people there than at last year's event. In fact, at the No-Walls Worship service, there were more worship team, ministry team and volunteers on site than residents. But that's okay. In fact, it's better than okay.

One of our team members, Sarah, was supposed to leave on a family vacation prior to Hope Fest, but felt so strongly that she was supposed to stay and be a part of the Hope Fest that her family postponed their departure until the day after Hope Fest ended. A couple of weeks prior to the outreach, we were praying about KidzFest (the Saturday morning children's event), and Sarah stepped in and said she felt she was to take the Bible activity time. What she did not realize was that her obedience had a prophetic element to it and ignited something in the spirit that would permeate the entire event.

Sarah's theme for the Bible activity with the kids was the love of the Shepherd for His sheep, and how He would leave the ninety-nine to go after a single lost lamb. She did a beautiful job of illustrating this and bringing it into real-life application for the kids, even donning a shepherd's costume as she told her story.

Hope Fest ended, and I called Wendy (pastor of The River) while I was on my way home Saturday night. I shared with her what was on my heart - that if one person was eternally affected by what took place over the weekend, it was all worth it.

"It's kinda like Sara's message with the kids," I said. "He will leave the ninety-nine to go after the one." Wendy's reply: "Well, he went after the one."

She began to share with me what had taken place that night with a young man, a self-proclaimed atheist, who had been brought by his girlfriend. Throughout the evening, it was obvious the Lord was working on him, and while he has not yet given his life to the Lord, we believe it is only a matter of time. By the end of the evening he was obviously enjoying himself and was almost engaged in the worship. The Shepherd has His eye on that one.

The testimonies are beginning to trickle in of several "ones" that the Holy Spirit latched onto this past weekend. More details on those later, as we are still compiling them.

Until then, here's the thing. You are the one. You are the one He will leave the ninety-nine to come chasing after out of a deep and passionate love for you and the insatiable desire to see you where you belong - with Him. You are the apple of His eye, the love of His life. You are His favorite.

No matter what today brings, remember this: The Good Shepherd Himself watches over you day and night. You are what He is all about. This assurance brings with it great hope, great peace, and great purpose.

The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm—
He will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121: 5-8