waste

REMIX...I like that Word. Tonight at Relevant, we talked about Prayer Remix. The basic premise was that we needed to remix our prayers or think them through a little more. I have been doing a lot of REMIXING lately...or maybe I should say examining the way I think and questioning why I do things or believe things. I have been challenged to let go of some things. I have had to redesign and eliminate things. I have had to ask some hard questions and I didn't like the answers I got, but when faced with the truth, change was the only option.
I began to ask questions like:
1. If Jesus is on the throne, would He be saying 'right on' to this?
2. If I filtered this through the Word of God, would it pass? or is this just what I like?
3. What is GOD's thoughts, plans and heart on this?
It is funny because when you ask these questions it begins to make life uncomfortable. Why? because we have ideas about life that don't measure up to the Word, God's heart and He wouldn't say right on to.
For me....well, I had to remix-rethink. And example of this was how I chose to spend my day yesterday. I thought I deserved some down time. We have been busy and needed to just stay home and relax. My day started with family time and a soccer game. While at the soccer game, I got to engage in conversation with other parents on the sidelines about the Kingdom of God. So while I am not sure that Jesus is "down" with soccer, I do know that He wants me to invest in my children and I used the time to advance the Kingdom as well by having intentional conversation. So, I think that one passes. Noah had a friend over and we went to eat. Then we all went home to watch the Clemson game. I made a pot of coffee, sat on my couch and did nothing for 3 hours. NEXT, came cooking dinner for the family, a trip to Anderson to look for a vacuum belt (which I didn't find), a cup of coffee at a bookstore where I read a gossip magazine and then home. I crawled in my bed at 8:45 and watched chick flicks for the next 4 hours.
While for many, that may seem like a good day. A fun day. A relaxing day....I was torn up over it. I did NOTHING. I thought about NOTHING. I WASTED the bulk of the day. I did very little for the Kingdom. It started out good...using what opportunities and commitments I had to talk about Jesus, but then....I tanked. And when I shut the TV off...I was sad.
I watched better than 7 hours of tv....omg, that sounds really bad, when I say it that way. I laid around and did nothing productive. I spent time reading a gossip magazine. I did very little to invest in relationships, community or the Word. I can't imagine Jesus was on the throne going....Christy, I want you to do more of that-this is exactly what I wanted you to do with the time I gave you. I know that the time spent in front of the tv would never make it through the Word of God test. I just liked it and did it. I know God's heart was grieved at the time HE gave me to breathe and live for HIM and I took it and squandered it.
I am a believer in a Sabbath rest. But the Sabbath is for GOD....to focus and center on HIM. I believe in being still and taking down time, but not so that I can fill that downtime with things of the world.
Honestly, I can't say that Jesus was pleased with how I spent my day. There are moments where I talked about Him, thought about Him and used it for His glory....but 7 hours wasted....
I think I need a remix on how to spend my time, not just how I pray. I laid in bed last night, sad because of the WASTE. I confessed to the Lord how sorry I was that I had not used any of the FREE time to love on Him, pursue Him or even just sit with Him. I was sad because while I could have used that time for Him. I used it for me. And I am quite certain Jesus was not on the throne going....RIGHT ON....with that.
So will I watch football....CERTAINLY, but I will be more intentional about what I do with that time. Have people over, talk to my kids about being on God's offensive line, use it as an illustration. Watch the plays and think about how we need to be offensive and defensive in the Kingdom. Compare that to the playbook. Or maybe, just have people over, work on community and unity and fellowship, talk about God while we enjoy the game...I don't know....but I do know that I don't need to waste a second, but use every moment, every breath as a chance to advance His Kingdom. I can't find anywhere in Scripture where it says...take a little time for yourself, indulge in the simple pleasures of life, don't worry about thinking about GOD today....Time for a remix...to change the way I think.
Jesus, I am sorry for the waste. I repent and return to you. You are my hope, my dream, my all. Help me to use every step, every breath for you-to not waste a moment. ALL FOR YOU

simplify

Ever since I was a kid, there was a phrase that has pushed me to do things and say things, change things and process things in ways that people can understand. It is a phrase that continues to swell in my brain as an overiding theme of life. It is represented on my wall in a word, a word that reminds me of the phrase. The word is not something I naturally lean into, but something I have to really work at.
The word is Simplify. The phrase is "keep it simple, stupid."
And while I KNOW these truths, I find that it is a hard thing to live out. Life is not simple, it is complicated. Schedules, family relationships, jobs, finances, conflict, church. Our lives quickly busy with "life". And we complicate it with "stuff". Somewhere along the way, we all get caught up in DOING instead of BEING. We lose sight of the fact that God never intended life or church to be this way-complicated. We like our options. We like being busy. We like "stuff". But "stuff" sucks the life right out of us. We are too tired to come to church, to serve, to love, to listen. We are too busy to study, to work on relationships, to be intentional, to want more. Our lives are full and we like it that way....and yet, most of us sit and wonder how life got so complicated? What can we cut out so that we can simplify?

I have been reading a book called SIMPLE CHURCH. Dave actually gave the first chapter out to our deacons and has encouraged them to read it. In reading this book, I have been reminded that Jesus had a very SIMPLE plan for changing the world. It was a very SIMPLE mandate from Scripture and a very SIMPLE process. Why? because people respond to SIMPLE. If you make something complicated....people just shut down, tune you out, don't come back and stop participating. Why? because people respond to SIMPLE. It is why the IPOD exists. It is why Starbucks has made millions. It is SIMPLE....they do ONE THING and do it well. They have designed a SIMPLE process to reach people. They have a SIMPLE product.
(exerpts from the book follow)
Now, there is a difference between simple and easy. Simple is basic, uncomplicated and fundamental. Easy is effortless. Ministry will NEVER be easy. It is messy and difficult because people are messy and difficult. (not looking for easy, thinking simple) But if anyone knew simple, it was JESUS. And if anyone was a revolutionary, it was JESUS. He is the original simple revolutionary. He stepped into a complicated and polluted religious scene. It was CLUTTERED with Religious people-Sadducees, Pharisees, Herodians, Zealots....He did not play by their rules. (He made them mad because He wouldn't do church their cluttered way!) He could not stand their hypocrisy. The religious had a religious system with 613 laws-that were not even in the Bible. But Jesus has the ability to take religion and make it simple. He stood opposed to all the religious laws and summed them up in a simple statement-to love the Lord your God with all. Jesus was and is adamantly opposed to anything that gets in the way of people encountering Him-especially religion.
Many of our lives, and our church life is CLUTTERED. So cluttered that people have a difficult time encountering the simple and powerful message of Christ. So cluttered that many people are busy DOING church instead of BEING the church.
Clutter can make things look okay, even good. The busyness is a great disguise for the lack of life. Complexity is a great cover-up. Great amounts of activity do not produce life change. It only gives the impression that things are happening, that there is life. The question is not how much are we doing or not doing? The question is how much life change is happening as a result of what we do? If we are not seeing Spiritual transformation in the lives of people, then we have become content with busy calendars to masquerde the truth that life change is not happening. We are on religious treadmills going nowhere.
How do we get here? It occurs when churches and leaders are not sure who they are. They are not clear what their fundamental identity is. They run in a disjointed and frantic fashion. When the church is unsure of who she is, programs and ministries move in multiple directions. This is not an enviornment for life change to happen. While we all know that the church is to be committed to evangelism, prayer, helping people build relationships with believers, the study of the Word, seeing people grow deeper and serving (Acts 2), the question remains why is this not happening and HOW do we create a SIMPLE process so that it does? And why are we doing all this other stuff? The problem is there is no overarching discipleship process that pulls everything together. There is not a clear process in place that streamlines ministry and keeps everyone on the same page. We can no longer measure ministry on how well a program is going. Then we just become program managers. We MUST see the whole picture. Who we are. What we are created to be. We must get rid of the clutter that masqurades life and begin to discern what our process is. We must be sure that everything in church produces life change. There must be a simple process that pulls everything together to move people towards spiritual maturity.
So what is it that we are called by God and Scripture to be about? The Great Command...not suggestion is that we are to make disciples. Jesus had a SIMPLE plan and it worked. He changed the world by pouring His life into 12 men. It was not a program or a platform. It was Jesus making Disciples. And that is what He told us to do.
EXERPTS FROM SIMPLE CHURCH by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger

As a church, we have proclaimed to our community that our heart is for FAMILY-children and students. And so, if our identity is to BE the CHURCH (not just do church) in our community that reaches out to FAMILY-children and students-making that our focus and who we are, then we must create a SIMPLE process by which we make disciples of those the Lord gives to us. We must skillfully design enviornments where life change can occur. We must create a process that moves people through stages of spiritual growth. The process must be clear, planned and must move people toward maturity. This is not some fly by the seat of our pants activity...this is the GREAT COMMAND-we Can't mess this up. We must MAKE DISCIPLES and we have to be intentional. That doesn't mean it needs to be complicated. In fact, just the opposite. It NEEDS to be SIMPLE. Let's do one thing....and do it well. We say we are all about family. God has called us to make disciples. Let's focus on that and move forward towards that goal. Let's make it SIMPLE...work on the one thing and BE what God has called us to BE, DO what God has said to DO.
ALL FOR YOU

Have you ever walked on stepping stones that were not spaced correctly? It makes you feel almost like you are stuttering when you step. It causes you to feel off balance and for lack of a better word a little retarded in how you walk.
For weeks, I have been thinking about this because everytime I go to walk into the office at the church I had to walk across stepping stones that felt that way. They just weren't spaced right. They were off just enough that it felt weird and made you hesitate. In fact, I eventually just stopped walking on them because it became so hard to adjust my step to them. That is...until today. Someone (thankyou!) adjusted the stepping stones. They must have been bothered by it too, however, they took some iniaitive to fix it. (better than me, again, thankyou!) So, as I began to walk into the church office, I realized that the stones were an easy fit to my step and that it felt natural and normal to walk on the stones and get to where I was going. I felt bad for not having fixed it myself, but grateful that someone had taken the time to make the steps easier to walk on.
Obviously, I have been thinking about stepping stones and the process of walking on them lately. Just like the stepping stones into the office, we often make church just as difficult. We think we are laying stones that are plain, easy and are a path to where people need to go. But the best laid plans often become cumberson and difficult to traverse. Sometimes through religion and tradition-though well intentioned, we make it HARD for people to walk out the process of being a follower of Christ. What was intended to help us walk out our faith, only makes things difficult. What was supposed to lay the groundwork to where we need to, only causes people to step off the path.
Maybe it is time to REALIGN our steps so that people can walk on the path.

Ps....this does not mean we change the message....to fit our steps. It just means when the process is too hard to walk in...we might ought to think about a different process.ALL FOR YOU

Not too long ago, a friend of mine visited Disney World-you know the "happiest place on earth." While there, she encountered another Mom who began to share with her about her daughter. She said that it didn't matter where they took their daughter, that everywhere they went the little girl would just cry. She would cry and say "i don't want to be here, Mommy, I want to go to the Kingdom. I only want to go to the Kingdom."
Of course the little girl was referring to MAGIC KINGDOM and that she didn't want to be in any of the other parks, any of the other places. She wanted to be in the KINGDOM. She wasn't interested in the other rides and the other amusements the "world" had to offer. She wanted to be in the Kingdom. That is all she wanted.
Today, my heart feels a lot like that little girl. Not really interested in what the world has to offer. Not amused by the attractions and entertainment it is throwing my way. I am sure it is great and that many would enjoy. I am not even saying that they are wrong to enjoy them. But, today, my heart longs to chase what the little girl stated. My heart is crying out saying "I don't want to be here, Daddy, I want the Kingdom. I ONLY want the Kingdom."
As I have delved into the Scripture, I have been reminded that the Kingdom of heaven is in our midst. (Luke 17:21) It is here and NOW. It is living inside of ME. That Disney World is not the place where Dreams come true. That the Kingdom is alive and well and advancing inside of me. But I was also reminded that it doesn't just fall into our laps. It doesn't just come easily. The Kingdom has come and everyone is forcing their way into it. (Luke 16:16) I can be happy in the other places or I can be like the child who is crying out and forcing her way there, despite the calls and attractions of the world.
Today, I am just a child, crying out and saying that I just want the Kingdom. Only the Kingdom. Nothing else. But today, I am also an adult who realizes that the Kingdom is here and now, inside of me and that I must not sit back and expect it to be an amusement at Disney World, but must work to force my way into it....through all the other stuff....to get to what I really want. ALL FOR YOU

fair?

On our way home from our first trip to California to visit Jim's Mom, we had to sit in Burbank airport awaiting our flight to leave. Knowing that we would leave shortly, I decided to go to the Ladies room. But I got sidetracked. People just amaze me. I guess that is why I am a people watcher. You can learn so much about people by watching them. And I got sidetracked by a woman who was making quite a seen at the gate across from the bathroom.
Apparently, last call had been made for the flight, the door had been shut and gate closed, when this woman appeared with her children. She was running late. She held her shoes in her hands (from the security check) and was out of breath, indicating that she had probably run all the way to the gate with her kids from security. I knew from only minutes before that security was a nightmare and that it had taken us a half hour to process through that check point. We were so glad we arrived early.
In the graciousness of the attendant, he phoned the plane, grabbed the kids and ran them to the flight. It seems that she was not flying with the children, but was there to put them on a plane to go somewhere without her. And while the gate had been shut, the man made an exception to get the children on the plane. I observed all of this while walking to the restroom. I didn't think much about it until the attendant came back through the doors and the woman began to yell like a mad woman at the man. It was at this point, I decided that the restroom could wait and I just leaned against the wall outside the door to the Ladies room to watch the show.
In the minutes that followed, this woman began to rave about how this man had not treated her fairly. She must have said it a dozen times, so loudly that even over the airplanes, anyone in the near vicinity was aware of how she felt. She berated the man for the next five minutes, saying she was treated fairly and that she wanted to say goodbye to her kids. Best I can understand, the woman was upset because she didn't get to walk the jetway with her children and tell them goodbye. Even on a good day, when she wasn't late, she would not have gotten that privilege. No One gets through the gate without a boarding pass. But she was insistent that she had not been treated fairly.
I began to laugh. Here is a woman who was late to the airport-for whatever reason, she did not have a boarding pass to get through the gate and yet, she seemed to think that SHE was the one who was not treated fairly. It was not the attendants fault that she was late, nor that she did not have a boarding pass. In fact, he had gone out of his way to be sure the kids got on the plane, even thought the gate had been shut. It was at this point, the attendant called security.
I quickly slipped into the restroom and when I returned to my spot on the wall, found the woman in the custody of two armed security guards, while one additional guard spoke with the attendant. It only took a few minutes for the guards to explain that whether she thought she was treated fairly or not was not the issue, but that she could not speak to the attendant nor make the scene that she was making in the airport. It was at this point that I decided the excitement was over and I returned to find Jim at the gate where we were to depart.
As I sat contemplating the scene I had watched, I was amazed that this woman thought she had been treated unfairly. What a crazy thought. She was late, exceptions had been made for her and her kids got exactly what they needed-to be on the plane. But instead, she was insisting that she was not treated fairly. It only took a few seconds for the Lord to prick my heart and to say "isn't that how so many treat me." I stopped dead in my 'thoughts' and backed up. How many times do WE say to God-You aren't treating me fairly. Well, maybe we don't say it...or even think it, but we do feel it. We think we DESERVE things when we don't. We feel like God owes us things that we He doesn't. We are at fault. We mess up. We sin. Exceptions are made. Grace is given. Mercy is offered. And we still look at God as if to say, you didn't treat me fairly.
Okay, some of you might be thinking...NOT ME. But have you ever thought:
-I am a good person. I do what is right. Why is it always so hard? Give me a break.
-I obey your commands. I go to church every week. I even teach Sunday School. But it never seems to pay off?
-I tried to raise my kids right. I took my family to church. We even had devotions. So why did things turn out this way?
-I gave money in the plate. I always helped others. So why are my finances to tight?
-I prayed for help. I depended and trusted you to bring healing. But you didn't. Why should I worship a God that won't help me out.
-Why would a loving God let this happen to me? (so you deserve better? you didn't get hell...that should be enough!)

I could go on...but you get the point. We all do it. We all stand at the gate and though mercy and grace has been offered, we look at God and say "you haven't treated me fairly. You owe me more!"
When will we ever realize that God owes us nothing. He doesn't even owe us breath. In fact, we deserve to NOT breathe. We deserve nothing. Fair...you want to talk about God being fair. If we really wanted fair...then we would get what we deserve, which is hell, total separation from Him. We are traitors. We are unfaithful, disobedient, stiff necked, strong willed children that incessantly insist having our own way. And yet, He gives us grace. He gave His Son to pay a debt He didn't owe. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing and equipped us for everything pertaining to life and godliness. And yet, we think He owes us MORE because we go to church or TRY to live right. We think that we deserve more because we TRIED with the HIS children or gave some of HIS money back. We think that because we are trying hard that He should give more.
What a crazy thought. But it is how we think. He has not treated us fairly. But I am not sure FAIR is what we want. I want grace, not what is fair. If I get what is fair...I don't think I will be very happy.
You can learn a lot leaning against a wall and watching people. And in those moments, it is when God speaks and pierces our hearts to remind us His grace. We can scream about how unfair life is all day long, but the truth is....we got more than we deserve. ALL FOR YOU

surf school for disciples

While we were in California, we took a morning to drive down to Newport beach and let the boys swim in the Pacific ocean. The beaches there are much different from what we are used to on the East Coast. They are wide and deep and filled with Baywatch lifeguards and lifeguard stands. This particular beach was one Jim used to hang out at when he was kid and so with the visit came memories of the past.
We arrived at the beach with only ourselves and our towels. Jim has this hang up about looking like tourists and carrying tons of stuff to the beach. So, we simply parked our car, picked up our towels and walked the 100 yards of sand to the ocean. The boys ran and played, enjoying the surf. While Jim, Drew and I watched the surfers that were shredding the surf as if it were cotton they were surfing instead of waves. I sat on the beach and took pictures and enjoyed the scene of my children, my husband and the surf.
That is until something else caught my eye. And NO it was not a Lifeguard. (lol) It was these groups of children in wetsuits. Some as small as 4, others as old as 15, but they all were doing different activities-TOGETHER. I am all about the TOGETHER right now, so I was intrigued. I love to people watch and discovered after a few minutes that surf camp was going on and we had parked ourselves in the middle of the beach where kids were learning how to surf. Enthralled and interested in how and what they were teaching these children, I began to watch as they did differing activities to train their reflexes and teach them the skills they will need to know to be able to stand on a surf board, while at the same time, watching the myriad of people surfing. You had the experienced surfers, riding the waves and the inexperienced, learning through training.
After about an hour or so of watching the kids in their activities, I began to see a group that had surfboards, heading out into the water. They were on long boards and there was an instructor with each child. It was so amazing to watch as the instructor would walk the child through EVERY step of what it was going to look and feel like. He didn't just tell him how to do it, but was out in the water, showing him how to paddle past the waves. And then he turned the child around, held onto the back of the child's board (they were only waste deep) and he would help the child stand while the wave was coming and then gently let go and let him ride the board in to the shore. Some would fall, some would make it. But I was not intrigued by the children. I was struck by the instructor and what a cool picture of disciple making that was.
You see, the instructor didn't just teach, speak or tell the pupils. He didn't just stand on the shore and shout instructions. He got wet. He stood right beside the student. He literally walked with him through every step of the process and as a result, surfers were being produced.
I sat on the beach and thought to myself-that is what I am supposed to do. That is what the church is supposed to do. That is what Jesus commanded us to do. Make Disciples. Jesus came to make disciples and He didn't do it by yelling instruction from heaven. He came in the form of a man and walked with those men-every step, showing them how to live, how to make disciples, how to sacrifice, serve, love and obey. Because the best disciple maker is one that gets wet. Or gets dirty. Or gets involved...of just gets in. The best disciple maker is the one who is willing to sacrifice their comfort to journey into the water and help the student learn every step of the process so that nothing is missed, no shortcuts are taken and no mistakes become habit.
I think I had church that morning. God spoke through a surf school to my heart and reminded me that what we want to produce are those who shred the waves-learned disciples. But the way to do that is to walk out the process-every step with those whom the Lord has given you to teach, so that we don't reproduce badly-but those who can ride the waves. The best disciple makers.....GET WET!ALL FOR YOU

are we falling

I am sitting in the Chicago airport having just arrived from Greenville. We are traveling with all three boys and it has been quite an adventure already. There are terrible storms in Washington, tons of flights were cancelled and rerouted. Therefore, the airports are crazy. We didn’t have seats together, so we are in the process of having our seats reassigned. And the boys are going crazy. I have just given them Dramamine, in hopes that they will sleep the rest of the way.
The flight from Greenville was somewhat interesting. The stewardess was quite the comedian, making jokes about how for those of us that have not been in a car since 1957, we will need to know how to work a seat belt. We had seats in the very back, which was perfect for the boys. They were excited about the adventure. The first half of the trip was a bit uneventful, as they settled in to watching movies and having snacks. That is until we hit a little turbulence.
For me….well, I don’t like turbulence. I don’t like roller coasters and I don’t like planes that drop or bump in the air. But Micah, that is a different story. He loves it. He thought it was cool. He immediately started screaming…WEEEEE and then looked at me and asked “are we falling?” To which I answered, “I hope not!”
We were passing through clouds and we couldn’t see how far up or down we were. Things were bumping around and I found myself grabbing the seat in front of me, which Jim was seated in. But Micah, was cracking up laughing and enjoying the ride. Every time we would drop, he would laugh and ask me again if we were falling. I didn’t think it was so funny. But, he did.
I was thinking about the reason why it didn’t bother him. It might be because he has a bigger sense of adventure than I do. It might be that he is going to be a roller coaster lover and I am not. It might be that he loved the risk and the feeling of his stomach in his throat. But I kinda think that it might be because he wasn’t thinking about the danger and he trusted the pilot.
Micah was not thinking about the danger involved in “falling” out of the sky. He was excited about the ride. He was excited about the adventure and the bumps along the way didn’t bother him. He wasn’t concerned that he couldn’t see what was ahead. He trusted the pilot and didn’t think that the pilot was really going to let us fall out of the sky, even when it FELT like it.
Maybe we need to embrace some “Micah thinking”. Maybe, we need to be excited about the journey God has on us, despite the bumps along the way that might make us think that we are falling. We may not like the feeling of falling, but we can get over that when we trust the pilot that is in charge. When we trust the Father so completely that even when we FEEL like we are falling, we can rest in the truth that no matter what we FEEL we know the reality is that we are just on a bumpy journey and we will arrive safely at our destination.
So, Micah has just proven one of my life’s motto’s. LIFE IS A JOURNEY, ENJOY THE RIDE….even if it is bumpy or feels like we are falling. Trust the Father…
ALL FOR YOU

Can you imagine the time and energy it must have taken to place every single egg into place in order to balance and create such a thing? While I am very impressed with what has been accomplished, I must say that my first thought when I saw these pictures was NOT "how cool!"

In fact, it was just the opposite. I could not help but think "what a wasted life." There is just something inside of me that wonders if God is up on His throne in heaven saying, "I sure wish you would spend days, weeks, even months balancing eggs." I just can't conceive that God created anyone for the purpose of egg balanced art. That when He breathed life into man, that His dream for them was to accomplish art from eggs or spend all their days working diligently to create such a thing. I just can't see Jesus cheering him on and saying, "well done! that is why I created you. Keep up the good work." There is NO doubt in my mind that God can use anything to further His Kingdom and advance His fame. There is NO doubt that we can use any talent we have as an opportunity to advance the heart of God-even egg art. But there is just something inside of me that screams....DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE. Spend your days becoming and making disciples of Jesus Christ, investing life and relationship in others for the sake of the Kingdom, living for the name and renown of God, laying down your life for one another. How is it that we have come to a place where we glorify egg art over the greatness of a Holy God? And how is it that we don't believe that this is a wasted life and that living wholeheartedly, surrendered to Jesus is? I don't know....just feeling a little sad today over so many who waste their lives NOT chasing God with all that they are, but instead choose things of this world. I just KNOW that God is not on His throne hoping we will accomplish great egg art, but instead is crying out for us to Go and Make disciples of all nations. Anything less...is a wasted life.

This was just such a picture of that to me.
Doxa
Christy Upton
The intimacy of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant. Psm 25:14
for more....check out http://doxaglory.blogspot.com

ALL FOR YOU

simulated rain?

Downpour.....it is what I have been praying for since October of last year. Sitting in the verses in Hosea 6:1-3 and crying out to heaven that He would send the rain. Over the recent months, I have spent a lot of time thinking about, praying for and longing for rain. While sifting through Hosea, I realized that Hosea 6 is connected to Hosea 5. (I know, I am a little slow) What a revelation of truth there! God tells us in chapter 5 that He will go away until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face. Basically, says that there will be no rain until we Repent and Return. (exactly what Acts 4:19 affirms.)
That hit me like a ton of bricks. We can pray for rain. We can call down heaven. We can ask for a downpour, a deluge or even hurricane-but He will withdraw from us, until we Repent (change the way we think, turn from our sin and abhor it) and Return (turn back and follow after His ways, pursue, harrass and run after Him!). We can pray for it, but it will not come without the Repenting and Returning.
While meditating on these things and asking the Lord to cause me to repent and return so rain may fall in my life, I was struck by a visual that the Lord gave me. We have really needed some rain-both spiritually and literally. My grass needed to be watered. We had run the sprinklers a couple of times, hoping to help it, but what it really needed was just a good downpour. Why? Because simulated rain is not a replacement for what only heaven can bring. I can water my grass with simulated rain (sprinklers) everyday, but it will not produce what one downpour from heaven can do. Simulated is not the same as real. And simulated will not sustain-only what is real produces the effect wanted.
The same is true for our lives. Simulated "rain" is not the same as real. We can try to simulate a downpour from heaven, but only a real one will produce the effect wanted. We can try "sprinklers", but what we really want is for the sky to open up and rain down. And THAT only happens when we repent and return.
So, I was on my way to a pool part last week and praying through all these things. NOT wanting simulated rain. NOT wanting to turn my sprinklers on and just asking the Lord to send a deluge of rain. About an hour into the party, the clouds began to brew and before we could leave and get home....a downpour came. I was telling the boys in the car how gracious the Lord was to answer my prayer, that I had prayed for rain and here it was. Naturally, they were upset that I had prayed for rain when they were going to a pool party. What was I thinking?
Isn't that how many of us think when it comes to asking the Lord to rain down? What if He does? What if He rains down and it ruins our party, our life, our plans, our comfort? What if He rains down and the wind blows and it uproots some things that have been? What if "trees" fall?
Then so be it....if God rains and things are uprooted...then they were not intended to remain. We should never fear the rain, but instead repent and return and cry out for it...so that we can live before Him, press on to know Him, be raised and revived.
But NONE of this will come without the REPENTING AND RETURNING. And NONE of it can be simulated. Everyone will eventually see that simulated won't isn't real-because simulated doesn't last.
If you are finding life dry....pray for rain.....but don't expect any-unless you repent and return. And then wait-don't simulate, because simulated is not the same as real. We don't want sprinklers. We want a deluge of heaven, raining down on us. ALL FOR YOU

altar and plow

Once again, it is getting late. When Jim is gone I burn the midnight oil. I think better at night. And it is quiet. I guess it takes my mind all day to gear up, but once it starts moving...it is hard to gear down. So, here I sit, in the quiet, with my thoughts, dwelling on this phrase that I am falling in love with. NO...it isn't written on my wall...not yet anyway.
I was looking at some Scripture in Acts about the Altar that Paul saw while passing through their town. Inscribed on the altar was 'to an unknown God'. I thought it was quite funny that they would make an altar to an unknown God, as if to say...."in case we missed you....". I have always wondered if people passed through my life, what would they see written on my altar. What would they observe as the object of my worship?
Don't fool yourself. We may think and say that we worship God, but everyone knows what is on our altar and what it is we worship. For some it is an unknown God...a God they don't know, have not experienced and don't really want to let in close. For others, it is an object, an ego, pride or people.
And yet, Christ has called us to place our lives upon His Altar. To sacrifice all. In Fact, Paul reminds us in Romans 12 that our lives are to be offered to God as living sacrifices-as our spiritual service of worship. Consecrated to Him. Our lives are to BE on the altar.
However, for most, as we pass through their lives we can see that they are not on the altar, but instead worshipping at the altar of an "unknown god". Funny...how everyone else sees that when we don't. Deceived....our gods are not really unknown....only to us because we won't admit them. For everyone else passing through sees them.
I want my life to BE on the altar.

The second word is plow. I first started praying over this word as I was studying through Hosea. Hosea 10 talks about breaking up the fallow, hard ground in our lives, for it is time to seek the Lord-until He comes to RAIN righteousness on you. As I have been seeking to sow righteousness, I have also been painfully aware that in order for that to take root and for the rain not to become RUN OFF, that we must break up the hard ground-otherwise the rain comes, but the ground does not absorb it and does not bear fruit-it just runs off. So I have been praying that the Lord would break up/plow up the hard ground. I want to be part of that....I am not asking for the easy way. I don't mind hard work. I don't mind putting my hand on the plow and working the ground so that it is ready for what God wants to do.
There has been a lot of plowing going on. Breaking up and making the ground ready...so that when it does come a deluge...it won't just be run off.
But this week, that thought became even more precious as I read in Luke 9:62 that "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Our lives are to be about the Plow as well. Allowing the Lord to break us up, but also being part of those who til the soil. And if we don't do this...we are not fit for the Kingdom. If we are lazy and not willing to be broken. If we are unwilling to do the work necessary to prepare the soil. If we spend our time looking back instead of plowing ahead. We are not fit for the Kingdom of God. NOT MY WORDS....HIS. We are to put our hand to the plow...break it up and not look back...but move forward.
My heart is to be a plow. Allowing the Lord to break up the fallow ground in me, but also tiling the soil and not looking back in the Kingdom.

And then I was thinking the Altar and the Plow go together.
The life of being a living sacrifice doesn't mind being broken nor does it mind working hard to break up what is hard. Our spiritual service of worship is to allow the Lord to break us and then to break up the hard ground. It is to sacrifice and put our hands to the plow and never look back. To conform us to His image and bear much fruit as we sacrifice ourselves and plow up the hard ground.
So I think I might be ready for the Altar AND the Plow....
neither seem like fun....sacrifice, brokenness, Hard work....yet, when it rains-much fruit will come and thus prove that I am His disciple and He will receive much glory.

Altar and Plow....just a thought....ALL FOR YOU

Jim is gone and the house is quiet, now that I have the other two boys in the bed. I spent the bulk of the day at baseball, which is a good thing. I get to spend time with my boys, while redeeming the time...listening to preaching. I listened to all of John MacArthur's sermons on the BeAttitudes. Since we are teaching that in TREEHOUSE right now, I could certainly use the input to help wrap my mind around the truths we are trying to teach and live out before the kids. (5 hours of sermons...my brain is tired...but it is GOOD!)
But that is NOT what this is about. Most of you know I take TONS of pictures. Well, today I had some of them printed and was busy framing and hanging them tonight around my house. But that is NOT what this is about either. Hanging the pictures on the wall got me to thinking about what I want on the walls of my house. Which led me to the WORD of God. Which led me to ONE WORD-which is a Bible study method I have been using lately. Allowing the Lord to focus my heart on ONE WORD, penetrate my heart with that truth and wrap my heart around it so that I can obey. I am finding that a lot of the time I have trouble with ONE WORD. So why move on?
Anyway, I don't want to get bogged down there. Because this isn't about that either. I was thinking about the WORDS that God has been using to pierce my heart and to change me and the way I think. I was thinking about words like; Breathe, Dream, Checed, Yada, Doxa, Run, Canopy, Perhaps, Naked, Free, Roots, Coffee....all things that bring me back to a truth that I am working on. So, I stopped hanging pictures and went to writing words on my walls. Most of you will think that is weird and would never take a paint pen and begin to write on your walls. But for me....well, I am just weird. So, I picked up the pen and began to meditate on the WORD and allowed the Lord to tell me which words to write....Lampo-the Greek Word for Shine. Ruwts-the Hebrew word for Run. There were more, but I won't bore you with my list of words.
The point is this....We can hang pictures on our walls, but the heart of the Father is that His Word be written on our hearts. So, instead of JUST hanging pictures on the walls, I want a daily reminder of the WORDS HE is writing on my heart. I don't want the Word to just be a picture that is on my wall. I want it to pierce my heart and to get into my bones. I want to bleed it when someone bumps into me and I want it to be the natural exhale of every breath. So, my office is slowly becoming a place full of Words. You may walk in and think....what was she thinking. But to me...those Words....HIS WORDS...they are life to me.
For I do not want the Word written only on my walls. I want it written on my heart.

Exod 34:27 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel."

So tonight, I guess I was just wondering if there might be ONE WORD....that you could write on your wall as a result of HIM writing it on your heart. You don't have to take out a pen, but I was just wondering....in all of us....if we had to write ONE WORD-that explained what God was teaching or doing in you in your heart-would you know what to write on your wall? ALL FOR YOU

a picture says it all...

tracks

While running on the beach one morning during the Beach trip with the youth, I heard the Father whisper into my ear. Some of you may think that is weird, but the Word says that the sheep KNOW HIS VOICE. The Voice was clear and simple. I had been running down the beach, being careful not to get my shoes wet. I don't like sand and wasn't too thrilled about the fact that it was slowly filling up my shoes. Still....I ran. And it was in that moment, I heard the Voice whisper in my ear.
Later in the week, I had the chance to share with the students what the Lord had said to me on the beach. It was obvious that it was the Voice of God because the students immediately latched onto the phrase that was given and began to "run" with it.
What did He say? "Let's Make Tracks!" Not a phrase I would typically use, but on the beach as I watched the footprints of those in front of me wash away and thought about the ones that I was laying down as I ran, the Lord gave me a phrase and word picture of what our calling is to be. We MUST be a people that are running with the Father and leaving tracks for those who come behind. God's Voice to me was "Christy, Let's Make Tracks....run after me and leave tracks for those who are coming behind." And then, I realized that the world was quickly coming behind me and erasing what I had laid. Whether it was the surf or others who were messing up my tracks with their own, the tracks that I lay are in danger.
So, how do I fix that? I make sure that those who are following my tracks are following close enough that they don't miss the tracks that have been laid and end up following another course. I make sure that those who are following are laying tracks as well, so that the consistency of what has been laid continues. I make sure that those who come behind are faithful to follow and make tracks as well.

There is also a different interpretation of the "let's make tracks" thought....for many, that phrase is something that is used to say..."Come on, let's get moving, let's go!" The cool thing about when God speaks-all meanings apply. Come on...let's go, let's get moving and Make some Tracks. Let's lay some tracks that can be followed and let's follow so closely that we don't have to worry about the world wiping away what we lay down.

This week....Let's Make TRACKS!

PS....check out the pics....all about laying tracks, where we walk and the putting feet to what the Lord has said. COME ON LET'S GO! ALL FOR YOU

bleeding

The woman who had hemorrhaged for 12 years and could be healed by no one came at touched the fringe of His garment, wanting to be healed. Her faith was amazing....believing that she only needed a touch of his garment. And she was right, she was immediately healed. It has always amazed me that Jesus stopped everything to identify who touched him. Naturally, He is God...He knew who. He wasn't looking for her or wondering who she was. He knew...all along. And yet, He asked the question, "who is the one who touched me?" The disciples thought this preposterous. People were pressed all around, many touching Him. But only ONE received the power of healing from the touch. Not because she spoke and asked. Not because she cried out. But because of her faith. She merely just wanted a TOUCH of His garment for she knew it held the power she longed for.
When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice and that Jesus knew what had happened, (which is funny to me-she had to realize that she couldn't sneak up and get something from God. And that if He could heal her, He could identify her.) that she came trembling and fell down before Him, declaring in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him and how she had been immediately healed.
Jesus wasn't interested in identifying her. He already knew her. He wasn't interested in finding out why power had gone out of Him. He already knew why. He was interested in her DECLARING in the presence of ALL the people what the LORD had done. He wanted the glory among ALL the people, not in secret. She came and bowed low, trembling and worshipping Him and He was able to show even more grace and compassion and receive even greater glory.
I am just like this woman. Knowing that all I need is a touch of His garment, coming in secret amid the crowd. And yet, His desire is that we would not try to "get" His power in secret, but declare among ALL the people the need and how He meets it. He does not want us to hide in the crowd, but to declare amongst everyone, worship at His feet in front of everyone and fall down before Him in front of everyone.
Her faith made her whole, because her faith was GREAT....a touch of the fringe of His garment. But He doesn't leave it at the healing or at making her whole. He wants it declared among the people.

Isa 43:21 "The people whom I formed for myself, will declare My praise.

Every thing in our lives is an opportunity to touch the fringe of His garment and declare His praise among the people. We can not hide in the crowd but MUST come before the crowd and make His praise glorious.
Ps 66:2 Sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious.
ALL FOR YOU

Random thoughts on sharing life

If Jesus brought the Father glory by accomplishing the work which He had been given to do in reproducing Himself in the life of the disciples....If Jesus realized that all He had been given to the Father HAD to be passed on to those He was entrusted with-given by the Father.....and if Jesus lives in me-I am dead-He lives, then we have been given the same work to do-to glorify God by being sure that we accomplish the work given in reproducing Jesus in the lives of those the Lord has entrusted to us.
God has given us people, not just ministry and our lives MUST be given to pour LIFE into a few. Jesus staked everything on a few. He risked His Father's glory, fame and message on a FEW. (it wasn't really a risk, but you know what I mean.) He put all He had to offer in a few, knowing that it would mass reproduce. He was willing to stake everything, His Kingdom, heaven and His Father's fame on a few. His whole work depended upon what He did with the 12, particularly 3. His whole ministry would have either succeeded or failed based on what He did in those lives. And IF He lives in us....the same methodology and the same truths remain. What if we looked at people that way? as if the whole success of the Kingdom was based on what we did with what we had been given? ( I realize the Father does the work in us...but again..you know what I mean?)
What does it take to think and live like this? TIME....that is all it takes. Not money, not technology, not programs, but Time spent with the Father so that we have something to pour out and time spent with people, to pour out on. God gets glory when we see others through to completion. We MUST continue to flesh out the Word=which is life, to pour it onto people. We were all created to bring glory to God, by Christ living IN/thru us. So, What was Christ doing that He still wants to do in and through me? Reproduce disciples by pouring LIFE onto a few-.
How often are we lazy slaves with the people we have been entrusted? The disciples were God's gift to the Son and the Son's gift to the Father. God has given us people and our gift back to Him is to give back disciples that we have poured everything we had into. People are a gift to us! But most of the time we view them as a burden. That SO needs to change.
We are very quick to share with people what they should DO...and yet, we need to spend more time sharing who they should know. We are to SHARE LIFE-share JESUS, share the WORD. For Jesus is life and the Word. So How do we share Jesus and the Word....by SHARING LIFE.
When Jesus came He came that we might have LIFE TOGETHER....both I in Him and He in me, but me in you and you in me. That WE may be One as the Father is ONE with the Son. How does this happen? Sharing LIFE together. For it is the only way we KNOW one another-that intimate faith. It is relationship in the daily, in the moments. It is the OVERFLOW-what's on our hearts and minds will flow out of our mouths-we will talk about and to the ones we Love-both God and one another.
If the Word is indeed our life and it is not an IDLE Word....then Life together looks like talking about Jesus and His Word in the daily everyday moments of life. If this is NOT happening-Is He our Life? We can't share what is not ours. We should bleed Jesus and His Word. Not works, not programs, not service-but HIM. Jesus' ministry was talking about the Father and glorifying Him by laying down His life for others and investing in 12. What if we began to think like this? Everything Jesus had, He passed on to the disciples. And that is what we are to do. We are to pour our lives out for one another as we SHARE LIFE with one another-living LIFE TOGETHER....for LIFE IS CHRIST and CHRIST is TOGETHER.
Jesus did not say to live life so that Christ is seen in US alone...He said live life so that it is seen in others. God is glorified in THEM-the disciples. What if we began to view success based on not only our own walks but in making sure that the others make it to completion? What if the few became our dream so that Christ recieved glory? Would we be willing to STAKE Everything ON ONE....other than us....making it to completion in Christ. If everyone had ONE who was living life to make sure they made it....we would all succeed.

I guess the thought that is piercing me today is that our intention in life can not be independent but must be staked on sharing LIFE TOGETHER so that He gets glory, disciples are made and the bleed reproduces. The enemy will stand against this, but God's plan is clear. SHARING LIFE TOGETHER is what reproduces disciples. It is not idle life....or idle words, it is indeed our LIFE......
ALL FOR YOU

yawn or yearn

Have you ever passed Yawn gas? You know, when you yawn and then the person next to you yawn's because you did. In fact, you may have just yawned right now thinking about it. Wouldn't that be funny?
Yawning has always been a sign of being tired or perhaps bored. And yet, the Father has called us to run after Him, to follow after Him, to YEARN for Him. However, most of what is seen in us is yawning, not yearning. No wonder the world is not interested in what we have. We look bored and tired of it.
We are such a spoiled people. We have the BEST of the best. We have everything we could dream of available to us. The best music, the best preaching, the best of relationships. We have the best technology, the best air conditioning, cars and houses. We have sung the greatest of earthly responses to the Lord and heard the most well spoken sermons. We have had available to us the Word of God and people to explain to us how to study it. We have had the presence of ALMIGHTY GOD all around us, Living IN US and longing to draw us closer. Yet, all we can do is Yawn instead of Yearn.
Instead of Yearning for His presence, responding to His greatness so the world may see and basking in the blessings of all that He has given to draw us to Him, we Yawn. We stand in our services and act as though the treasure we have received is just another on a list of spoils we have retained. I had someone tell me in the last couple weeks that we just look dead-and that can't be all we have to offer the God of the universe. I CONCUR!
We are spoiled rotten. We are selfish and we are calloused to the truth. We yawn instead of yearn. Which makes me question whether we see and know God. Isaiah 40 says Have you not seen, have you not heard that the Everlasting God of the universe, the Creator, the Lord does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary and to Him who lacks might He increases power. How do we become bored with such a God? How is it that we grow tired of whispering His name, serving His Kingdom and expressing His worth? How is it that we don't long to lavish our love and worship upon Him with each passing breath? Because we don't yearn for Him. We stand in our churches and yawn, waiting for the service to be over instead of yearning for His presence to fall in such a way that we don't want to leave.
Why is it that we don't? We are spoiled. But it is also evidence that we are not IN LOVE with Him. Our hearts are not fully given to Him. We have been taken captive by the things and pleasures of this world. And so we look at Jesus and yawn while we yearn for time on the boat, at a football game or by the pool. We don't have to be taken captive and put into slavery by another country. We are already there. We are held captive by the things of this world that have stolen our love and affection, causing us to yawn instead of yearn.
Eph 5 says it this way, "Awake O sleeper and arise from the dead and Christ will shine on you."
Stop yawning and wake up. Yearn for Him and He will shine on You. And quit passing the YAWN GAS! ALL FOR YOU

cost of following?

The cost of Following Christ seems so high. While we all want to receive what God offers, few of us long to Follow In what He requires. And somehow, in the dichotomy of thinking, we have divorced the idea of Following Christ from being a Christian. Another words, we want the grace without the obedience. We want to accept and not follow. We want what we want without the cost.
I know most of you would disagree and say that you are a Christian AND you are Following Christ. However, let me challenge you to look at the Followers of Christ in the Bible. Just take a few minutes and look at the lives of the Disciples, of Paul and the countless others that the Word calls Followers of Christ. And then look around and see how many people we see in our churches living like that. I am SO convicted when I look at the Word and measure my life against it. Haven't you ever looked at the Bible and then at the lives of American Christians and thought.....could we all have missed it-because what I see looks nothing like what is described in the Word? In fact, my heart aches as I look around and see that is in this Book is Nothing like what I see being lived out around me. And it has challenged me to take a fresh look at my life and begin to count the cost of being a Follower of Christ.... and to ask what does that REALLY look like. I am finding that I must REPENT-change the way I think about Following and the cost of it.
In fact, when we start talking about the cost of discipleship, the cost of following Christ-it just seems too high. Honestly, it just seems like what it will cost me and what I get...just doesn't measure up. After all, I can accept God's grace, live as I want-doing a few good things and coming to church along the way and still get into heaven, right? Is that why Christ died? So that we could live as we want, but still get in? Did He really die so that God could have a people that Followed Him with a half hearted commitment and mediocre love? So, why should I pay the price of Following Him in ALL, when I can still get in if I don't. I mean...He will forgive me of all my sins, if I confess? MAY IT NEVER BE. That is what Paul said. (Romans 6) What crazy thinking! The dichotomy of being a Christian and a Follower is NOT Biblical.
But we still think this way. The cost is too high. Let me give you an example of this thinking. We will spend thousands of dollars on vacation. We will rise early to work out or to go hunting. We will take days off work to enjoy our latest recreational activity. We will forgo time with our family for work. We will mark out time for relationships that we enjoy. But do we do ANY of these things in order to be a better Follower of Christ? Will we spend thousands on time away that will advance our Spiritual journey? Will we rise early to spend time in the Word, make it to a prayer or accountablity small group? Will we take days off of work to attend a conference that will point our hearts towards the throne? Will we forgo time with our families in order to see the Kingdom of God advance? Will we mark out days at a time to spend searching out the things of God? So, tell me again...what is it we value?
You see, maybe it isn't that the cost of discipleship is so high. Maybe it is that we don't value it enough. Maybe, it is that we value other things more highly and thus are willing to sacrifice for them. If we were offered a thousand dollars a verse to memorize Scripture, we would certainly start memorizing like crazy. All of us would TRY. But why does it take that kind of motivation to make us strive to place the Word inside of us? Could it be that we value money more than the Word. That we see the value in memorizing Scripture when we are being PAID for it? Our thought...."we are actually getting something out of it." But aren't we getting something out of it regardless?
The cost of Following is high. But the truth is, we aren't willing to pay it. And so the question begs....are you truly a follower if you aren't willing to pay the price it costs to be one?
A though crossed my desk this week that has sent me reeling into thought about these things.
"the cost of Following Christ is high. But isn't the cost of NOT Following higher?"
It may cost us to Follow Christ. It may cost us our family time, our rec time, our dreams, our vacations, money and much more. But what is the cost if we don't Follow Him? Isn't that cost higher than if we do?
Count the cost....your choices determine your future.ALL FOR YOU

better Daddy

Micah continues to WOW us with his thoughts on life. And His questions! The things that run through the mind of a five year old are scarier than things that run through my mind (which can be pretty intense and scary at times!) We have had all sorts of questions lately, including; Why are bears bad animals? How does the chick get inside the egg? And how do babies come out? But my favorite this week was two fold.
Podcasts are a big deal in our house. And my kids are learning to LOVE preaching. If we are in the car, they are listening to some sermon and it is funny how much my five year old listens and asks questions. On the way to church this week, we were listening to a preacher who was talking about God being Jesus' Father. And out of no where, Micah chimes in to the conversation.
"Mom, is there a better Daddy than God?"
Now, I can guess where the question came from. I am sure he was thinking that Joseph was Jesus' Daddy, after all, that is what the Bible says and we have taught him. So how can God be Jesus' Daddy and is God a better Daddy than Joseph? Not to mention, I am thinking he thinks his Dad is pretty cool and I figured that fit into the equation somehow. So I asked him what he meant.
He replied, "is there a better Daddy than God?" Since I got no more information, I decided to run with that....
"No, Micah, God is the best Daddy ever. And, He is our Daddy as well."
"How can God and Daddy be my Daddy?"
Now certianly, I could have talked about God, the Father and the contrast between Him and the Father of lies-the enemy of our souls. I could have explained how God made us and has the right to be our Father. But instead, I decided to explain the gospel in such a way that maybe he might actually understand. "Well, God desires that we live to listen and obey Him. And when we choose to follow Him, doing all He says to do and when we Love Him with all our hearts, He comes into our lives and tells us how we should live. He becomes our Daddy."
Thinking, I had done a pretty good job at the Daddy question, I waited for his reply.
"I am not so sure about the listening and obeying part, but I want Him to be my Daddy."
I laughed, because I realized how honest his answer was and how much it represents most of us. We want God to be our Father, but we are not so sure about the listening and obeying stuff. We want the salvation without the obedience.
So I asked Micah, "You don't want to listen and obey God?"
He replied, "yeah, I do-because I Love Him and want Him to live in my heart."
The Scripture says that a child shall lead us....and while the honesty of his heart so represents us, he already recognizes that if we love Him, we will obey-even when we are not sure that is what our flesh wants to do.
Micah has the faith of a five year old. It will grow and mature. But the Word says that there are many who remain in this state-babes, never maturing. How odd it would look to have churches full of 35 year olds that never progressed mentally passed the age of five. How strange would it be to think it normal for 50 year olds to have never matured past the five year old standards.
Is there a better Daddy than God? Of course NOT! But sometimes we allow the enemy to make us think there is. Maybe it is time we grow up IN HIM and listen and obey-even if it isn't what WE want, because our love for Him is so strong that nothing else matters. ALL FOR YOU

Ring Tones

Last night, we had a group of young people at the house for Discipling. While the goal has been to impart what little we have to those who are in the house, invariably we are the ones who always learn something. That is what is so cool about discipling. It goes both ways.
While they were at the house, we learned about a new ring tone. A ring tone that older people can't hear. At first, I thought they were messing with our heads and that there was no such thing. However, Jim got on the internet and did some research and found that it was true. The ring tone was developed as a high pitched sound that only young people could hear and was to be used to keep young people from loittering around places. The tone would be played and they wouldn't want to stay around. While at the same time, the older people couldn't hear it.
Now it is being passed as a ring tone on cell phones. A tone that older people-paricularly anyone over 25 can't hear at all, but that younger people describe as a high pitched tone.
So Jim, in his classic humor, thought it would be fun to mess with those who were in the house by sounding the tone in the house on a regular basis until it drove them nuts. They kept yelling at him to stop it, while I was oblivious to the sound or to why they were so upset they were getting agitated with him because he kept playing it. He thought it was funny because we couldn't hear it....that is until about 10 minutes later.
While I could not hear the tone, it seems to have still had an effect on me, because shortly after all this was going I began to realize I had a headache and another complained of their ear hurting. We could not hear the sound, but it still adversely effected us. There were those who heard the sound and fought against it because it hurt their ears, while there were others of us who couldn't hear, but were still effected by it.
Isn't that just like our battle with the enemy? There are those who see and hear the enemy coming. And then there are those who can't hear or see, but are still effected by it.
Isn't that just like sin in our lives? Some of it we can see and hear, while there are other things that we don't see or hear, but are still effected by.
Isn't that just like what is going on around us all the time? We may not see or hear what is going on, but we are still effected by it.
The Bible says in Zeph 3:17 "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." God is rejoicing over us with singing. He is singing over us right now. We can't hear it. We can't see it. But He is. And just like a ring tone that we can't hear, it still effects us.
What goes on around us that we can't see or hear effects us. Whether it is warfare or singing, just because we can't hear it doesn't mean we are not effected by it. This should make us all the more dependent upon those who can see and hear. It should make us trust the One who is SINGING over us instead leaning on our own understanding-because we are blind and deaf. We need Him. I am so thankful that while there is a battle that rages around me that I can not see or hear that my God is singing over me and that the effects of that will ring true over those things that long to steal my soul. ALL FOR YOU

memorial day

Memorial Day brought with it a day off, cook outs, the chance to chill out and time to have fun with friends. It also brought a chance to reminisce about old times and to look back at what the Lord has done. To REMEMBER. The Bible talks about remembering because we often forget. We forget where we have come from, where we are going and what we have gone through. We get so caught up in the now and the intensity of the days we live in that we forget what the Lord has done and therefore get off track with where we are going.
And so the Lord says to set up markers of remembrance along the way. For the Children of Israel it was an altar beside a river or a monument, so that when others would pass by they would ask what it was and they could be reminded of what the Lord has done. The Lord wants us to set up markers of remembrance, so that when we pass through, we will be reminded of what the Lord has done and is going to do, thus keeping us from getting so caught up in the moment that we miss God along the way.
Scripture tells us to stir one another up by way of reminder. We are called to help one another remember where they have been and where they are going-to NOT allow one another to get so caught up in daily life that we don't stop to remember, but look back and then look ahead.
Setting up some markers of remembrance is important. Making memories, having intentional conversations, involving yourself in activities that you can trace back to as a marker of change...these things are important to our walks with the Lord.
I was reminded tonight of God's faithfulness by looking back and dreaming forward. I was reminded of the value of friendship, the significance of time and the power of looking back in order to allow you to spring forward. We can not cling to the past, but we can certainly learn from it and use it to stir us up. ALL FOR YOU

from louie....to us

Thursday, May 10, 2007
Ashley's Home

You guys remember Ashley, the Florida senior who sent what might be the coolest e-mail of all time. Just after Passion 07 we received this at the Passion House from her:

Hi, I feel kinda weird writing this email. And i doubt if it ever gets to Mr Louie Giglio. I am a Senior at The University of Florida. I got a new roommate this semester and she is a Christian and I have never really been into the whole Christian thing because every pastor or speaker that I have ever listened to didn't speak in a language I could understand. I have believed in God and Jesus, but never really understood it because the preachers at the church that I have always been forced to go to every Sunday of my life. They speak all high and mighty and I never really felt connected, and I felt like God was only for the perfect people.
Well my roommate went to this Passion Conference over winter break. And she came back and moved into my apt and she was real and genuine about all her Christian stuff, like I have never seen before in a person. She said that God changed her at this conference, so i was like what are you talking about. And she told me. She told me about how God was cool, and how God really wanted a deeper relationship with her, and she wanted to really love God the way he loved her, so of course I was like well huh? She then said you need to listen to Louie talk about God, so I asked who Louie was, and she put on the Indescribable talk, and then we watched the Passport talk. And in the Passport talk you said that Christians do not have to just hope for the best at the end, that they do not have to do enough good stuff. You explained how to get to heaven in a simple way, in a way that I have never heard before. I actually got it, I got it that it is not about being so good, cause I am not a good person. I have screwed up a lot. But then you said grace, and talked about how is was different than other religions. Because God is a loving and a kind God who wants to forgive me. My roommate then explained that he wants to forgive me.
Now for one of the reasons I am thanking you. One, I am now a Christian. And two, my roommate said that she had never really cared about telling others about how much God loved her before she went to this conference. So though I am not sure who will ever read this. Please tell Louie thanks from me, for talking about Christ in a way that a college kid can understand. I know that Jesus has changed my life and as I get ready to graduate college in May, I am gonna be a different person. I am sorry this is kinda rambling but I just had to tell you that I now know about the Grace of God, and I have life for the first time in my 22 years

Ashley

I will never forget the day her message came. And I'm not going to forget last Friday. Waking early for the last day of Thirsty, I happened to see this on my Blackberry and opened it.


Dear Mr. Giglio,
It is with a heavy heart that I send you this email. My daughter is Ashley, she wrote you an email that went on your blog and podcast Well, today May 3rd at 4pm we buried Ashley. She was killed in a car accident late on Sunday night. She lost control of her car and hit a light pole. She was the only car involved and had serious internal bleeding. She died in the arms of my husband at the hospital from unstoppable internal bleeding. But I have hope of seeing my daughter again. I have this hope because after years of praying for her, and watching her live a lifestyle in college that is known as the typical college experience. The last semester of her college career I saw a woman, not a college girl that I have never been more proud to call my daughter. I can point the thanks to you and Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Matt Redman, and everyone else involved in your Passion Conferences. Ashley fell in love with our Savior over the last 5 months of her life. She was so excited about graduation this week and moving to California to work her first real job. She had a life ahead of her. I miss my beautiful princess more than anything in this world.

But I just felt like you should know that she listened to as many of your talks as she could get her hands on and read your book I am not but I know I am and she was so excited about God and her new found faith. Words alone can not thank you enough. I may never meet you here on earth, but I know that someday I will be able to meet you and give you a hug in heaven, but only after Ash does. Thank you so much for praying for my girl, and your support of her as she was starting her new life. Also thanks for being a man of God who has a passion, and love for college students.

Your vision to share the gospel and getting college students to do the same made all the difference at a funeral today. Instead of being sad and scared for her. We were able to sing praise and worship songs today. Though there will be tears and I am so very heartbroken and crying as I type this, it is only because I will not hold her for so many years. And I will miss her for the rest of my life. I know I have said thank you a lot in this email, but because of you and Christa (Ashley's roommate) and people at the Bible Study that she was going to she was happier than I have seen her in a very long time. In the email she originally sent you, it said she had life for the first time in her 22 years, and please know she meant every word of that. She lived the last few months serving and loving and learning more about Christ. She will now spend eternity in heaven with Him so one more time thanks. I know this was long and I debated for the last 4 days as to whether or not to write you. I know you are a very busy man, but I also figured you would want to know.
Ashley's Mom
Anna

By the third line tears were streaming down my face, blurring the words, but not the sudden reality of it all. I had just received an e-mail from Ashley a few days before saying how excited she was to finally be through with college and headed to a "real job" in the Bay Area of California. And now she was gone.

I was crushed, but I found myself pumping my fist in the air, confident that Jesus Christ overwhelmed death and the grave. And just in the nick of time, He reached through the confusion and hopelessness and brought Ashley back to life again. Her mom was kind enough to allow me to share her e-mail and sent a photo of Ashley so we could all put a face with the name that has brought much rejoicing throughout the Passion world in recent months. Anna, please know that you and your family will be in our hearts and prayers as you begin the process of living without the daughter you so deeply love. You will see her again. And with our prayers we are praising God for matchless mercy...mercy that saved the day and carried Ashley safely home.
ALL FOR YOU

operating system

Have you ever tried to change computers? Or perhaps, you have changed from Windows 95, to windows 98, to windows 2000? Maybe you have changed from dos to windows or from windows to a mac? Changing operating systems on your computer can be a nightmare.
I have been thinking a lot about changing systems lately-particularly computer/operating systems. As I have thought about it, I have come up with a list of things that are musts for the change;
First it is important that everyone is on the same system. If not, then things that worked in dos won't work in windows and things that worked in windows won't transfer to a mac. Which means the work I do won't benefit anyone else.
Second, changing systems requires that you lay a good foundation for the change. Another words, you have to get ready for change. Me...well, I am a creature of habit and I would choose to use the same operating system on my computer forever, but in order for process and progress to occur, I can't stay in windows 95 forever, eventually I have to upgrade so that I can use the technology available to advance my productivity. And if I stay where I have been, then I get left behind and miss out on what lies ahead. Which means, ready or not....I have to get ready for change and just prepare myself that it is GOING to happen.
Third, it is NOT a gradual change. When I shift from one operating system to another-you just have to do it. You can't partially shift to a Mac, you either go all or nothing. I can't use windows 95 and 2000. I have to totally change-there is no in between.
Forthly, I have to realize that the change is going to bring conflict and glitches. There will be glitches in the software compatibility and conflict in programming from old to new. And if not dealt with it will shut down my system.
Fifthly, the way to deal with such conflict and glitches is to just make the change and deal with it as the problems arise. There is no in between, no easy way, no way to keep it from happening. As you resolved the glitches the new system becomes easier, better and more productive.
Sixth, I will not like the change at first. Why? because I like the ease of the old way. That is until I realize and learn that the new way is better and to my advantage. I may not like my Mac at first, but then I realize that as I learn to adjust to the change that it is better than the old operating system and I begin to love it.

As I have thought about changing operating systems on my computer, the Lord has revealed to my heart how alike these things are for each of us in our walks with Him and in church. God has called us to REPENT...to change the way we think. To line up our thinking with His. To change operating systems. To move from what we think...to what He thinks. His ways are not ours and to change the way we think or repent means to change operating systems.
Changing our system and our thinking requires the same things for us as it does for changing our computer.
First, it is important that we all get on the same system so we avoid not being able to work together. We must all decide that the operating system we are going to get on is GOD's. Whatever HE says we will do. We abandon our opinions and our own operating systems to get on His. How do we do this...we line up everything with the manual-His Word. If it doesn't line up...we can't do it. If it is there....we must.
Second, I better get ready for change. The message of the Word is not to leave us the same but to continually conform us to the Image of God and therefore that means Change. To fight against change is to fight against the gospel. Jesus came to bring change, particularly to the religious. Look at the gospels and see if that measures up...Jesus spent most of his time addressing the church via the Epistles, the religious of the day or the crowds (via the gospels) identifying what they were doing wrong and how to CHANGE it. If change isn't happening...something is wrong. In order for process and progress to occur, I can't stay where I have been forever, eventually I have to upgrade so that change and productivity for the Kingdom happens. . And if I stay where I have been, then I get left behind and miss out on what lies ahead. Which means, ready or not....I have to get ready for change and just prepare myself that it is GOING to happen.
Third, it is not a gradual change. We have to make the leap to getting on God's operating system and there is no in between. Sometimes we try to gradually shift over but we can't be partially on God's system and partially on our own. We are either fully on His system or not at all.
Fourth, conflict and glitches will arise as we change systems. People will not be happy with us. Conflicts with those who are not on His operating system will be apparent. Old programming will become a problem and not work with the new way of operating. But the only way to deal with it...is to deal with it. We can't avoid it. We MUST deal with it so that it doesn't shut down the new operating system and keep us from what we need to do. And the option is not to go back to the old way of thinking.
Fifth, I may not like the change, but I better learn to deal with it. Why? the alternative is to NOT be on God's operating system. And to miss out on what God has because I think my own way, the old way is better.

I am working hard at changing the way I think-at moving away from my own way of operating to being sure that everything lines up with Scripture. I am having to take a hard look at everything in my life and I am realizing that so much of it doesn't line up with God's operating system. I have been deceived in my thinking. Changing over is not easy...there are glitches and I don't always like it, but I am realizing that it is better and that though learning a new system can be difficult at times, it is also something I am beginning to enjoy as I see that changing the way I think to measure up to God's way of thinking is becoming something I desire and not just know I have to do. Because HIS WAY is BETTER. ALL FOR YOU

200th post....

I was doing a little gardening earlier this week. And let me say "a little" again, because it is not really my thing and I know absolutely nothing about it. I don't have one and was simply learning as I went. I can't even get my hanging baskets from Lowes to live....so gardening...Wow...a stretch for me.
But I was thinking a lot about the whole process; from tilling the ground and preparing it for the seed to having to weed it and tend it regularly so that it will produce what you want it to. But the thing that really got me was the grass....trying to keep the grass out. Tilling it up and removing what was once planted so that you could reproduce what you want. And then having to totally remove the remnants of the grass so it doesn't grow back. It was a lot of work just getting ready to plant, to produce what you wanted. And a big part of that was not just tilling up the ground, but removing from it the things that you no longer want there or else it will return and overtake what you are trying to produce.
For many of us, we are just like this garden. We have good intentions of producing good fruit. We even toil the ground and plant the seeds. But most of us do not take the time to remove the grass-we leave a clump or two here and there and think nothing of it. I am not even talking weeds. I am talking grass. Things that normally would be no big deal, but when you are trying to bear fruit for the Kingdom are a natural deterent. Tearing up what can not exist in order to get what you want. And for many of us it isn't about removing sin alone, but about removing those things that might creep in and destroy your crop, your fruit. Those things that would rob us and steal from us the produce of our labor...or later make reaping that harvest even more difficult to find because it would be overtaken with "grass". It is our outbursts of anger, selfishness, pride and frustration, but it is also our TV watching, movies and laziness. It is our lack of sacrifice, insufficient time in the Word and a casual prayer life. It is not putting others before ourselves. These things and so much more can cause whatever had been planted to be choked out, overgrown and keep good fruit from being produced.
We often start with great ambitions, but fall short because we don't remove the remnants....and it creeps back. We don't pull it up, carry it away and cast it aside. And it affects our produce.
There is a lot of work involved in simply getting the fallow ground ready for what it is going to receive so that it can reproduce. We all like the produce, but few of us like the work. I think it is time to get dirty....and to start dealing with the roots that keep creeping back into the garden, because it is affecting the produce. ALL FOR YOU