Hard Things

Sometimes being obedient is a hard thing. why? because sometimes God asks you to do things that are outside of our comfort zone, that require taking a risk or mean that we must sacrifice of ourselves for another.
Obedience is a MARK of the believer. A true believer is one who has enslaved their life to the Father and is obedient to His bidding no matter what is asked...even if it is a hard thing, a risk thing, a sacrifice thing. Obedience is where the truth of our faith is seen-whether it is a mere facade or mask that we wear or the evidence of a heart fully changed and transformed by the Father.
The question of the Father is not what do you want, what do you think or does this make sense. The question of the Father is what have I said and will you obey? Obedience is hard because sometimes it requires us to walk in contrast to our own desires and opinions. However, choosing to disobey when confronted with truth is evidence that you are not on the path that God has for you.
I am so glad that the Father is patient with me concerning these things, because there are days obedience is just hard. But that doesn't mean I don't have to choose to obey.

Isa 14:24-27
24 The LORD of hosts has sworn saying, "Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand,
27 "For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate {it} And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?"

His plan will not be thwarted or changed. We are not going to it back or frustrate it. So we might as well obey and get in on God's deal, because He isn't going to join ours. HIS deal, His plan will stand-not matter what.
So leave your mark.....OBEY!

ALL FOR YOU

tuning up

Have you ever thought about what it takes to make harmony. It means everything must be in tune in order for the harmony to produce beautiful music. In fact, all it takes is one string, one person, one harmonic to be out of tune to ruin the entire masterpiece that is being played.
Just think if one string on the piano was out of tune. No matter what you played, it would effect the sound. Just think of one string on the guitar being out of tune. No matter how hard you strum, the music will not be beautiful. Just think if one voice sings off key in a choir, the whole sound of the choir is effected to the negative. All it takes is for one instrument in the orchestra to be out of tune for the sound to be off.
It is that way for us in life as well. Whether we want to believe it or not, we all effect one another. We are not islands, that only effect ourselves. What we do, how we live and what we say all effect one another. We are made to be an orchestra, all sounding together to make beautiful music that reflects the glory of God. But when one person is off...it effects all of us.
All it takes is one hypocrite, one person in sin, one bad attitude, one gripe or complain to effect the whole sound that is coming forth.
This is why when God created the body of Christ, He meant for us work together, hold one another accountable, to disciple and mentor one another. We are to help one another stay on course...because all it takes is one Christian walking outside the lines to effect the whole idea of who and what Christians are. The church has abdicated this role, not wanting to help one another, to hold one another accountable, to get our hands dirty...and thus the whole has been effected by the ones that are out of tune.
But the beauty of it is...that when we tune up...we get involved, help people and hold each other accountable, we tune up and harmony becomes beautiful...that is if we are tunable.
Don't fight the fine tuning...it is what makes life worth living. ALL FOR YOU

friendship

True friends love the friend more than the friendship.
What does that mean? It means they will ask the hard questions and broach the hard subjects despite what it might do to the friendship in order to help the friend. It means they will take the risk to say hard things and get messy in someone else's business in order to help the friend despite what it might do to the friendship. For me, I have some friends like this and I want to be a friend like this. I want to be the friend that loves the person more than the friendship.
I am a friend of God as well. I am so glad that He loves me that way. God loves me more than He loves being a friend to me. This is why He will say tough stuff, discipline me, question my heart and ask the hard questions-because He loves me more than a relationship with me.
I want to be that kind of friend-one that loves the friend more than the friendship. ALL FOR YOU

mission statements

for the last 5 days, I have been carrying around in my pocket a receipt for my lunch from Zaxby's. Zaxby's has great chicken and we love to eat there. In fact, I know we have eaten there probably 50 times in the couple of years. I don't know why I never noticed it before, but this time something caught my eye on my receipt that I had never noticed. It was their mission statement. Usually, I am not even interested in those things, but this one is different. It is strong. It makes a statement. It made me stop in my tracks and really think hard.
It reads, "CONSISTENTLY create ENCORE experiences that ENRICH lives one person at a time."
Wow...Now, that's a mission statement. And then I thought...wait a minute. This isn't a ministry, a church, a discipleship group. This is CHICKEN for crying out loud. This place that does chicken has at it's very core the mission to CONSISTENTLY create ENCORE experiences that ENRICH lives one person at a time. Chicken...
Made me think....maybe if the church(body of Christ)listened to the chicken place...we might actually get something right for a change. I mean, after all, I keep coming back for more chicken.
What if the church had at it's core a desire to be CONSISTENT-instead of inconsistent at how we live, what we do, how we love, our walks with the Lord?
What if the church had in it's heart to create ENCORE experiences-experiences that made people want to come back instead of running them off?
What if the church's backbone became to enrich the lives of others one person at a time-returned to the idea of accountability, discipleship and mentoring?
What if the church learned from the chicken place about what it's mission should be?
Maybe we should be begin to consistently create encore experiences that enrich lives one person at a time.....
I will carry this receipt with me for awhile...to help me remember that as Believer it is our lives goal to disciple, mentor and help hold accountable one another so that we might consistently create encore experiences that enrich lives one person at a time. (have I said that enough-maybe we will remember it.)
ALL FOR YOU

lead?

the Lord continues to ring a in my heart the truth that "you can not lead someone to a place you have not been." Or at least a place you don't have directions for. God continues to remind me that as a leader, you can't take people to a place you have't been. You can't take people to the throne room, until you have been there yourself. You can't lead people to the cross, until you have been there yourself. You can't help people journey in faith, unless you are going yourself.
As leaders, we often want to challenge people to do great things for God. Great challenges....but we can't lead people to places we are not going ourselves. If you want to see faith increased, let it begin in you. If you want to see grace increase, let start in your heart. If you want to see people go further and higher, than lead the way-by going there yourself.
the problem seems to be that we want to challenge people to do great things without ever doing them ourself. And God's heart is that it would begin in you and in me. If we want others to see God....then be in His presence so that you know how to take others there. As leaders, we can't take people to places we have not been. So "move it, move it, move it." others will only go as far as you lead them and you can only lead as far as you have been!ALL FOR YOU

intimacy

Intimacy is found in coming together, whether it be between man and woman or just friends. Intimacy is NOT found in being apart, but in time spent and invested in one another. We all long for intimacy. The ability to be totaly bare before another and unashamed. It was what Adam and Eve had in the garden. It is what comes from the union between man and woman. But it is also found in laying down the masks with one another. To have an intimate friendship is to be able to share eveything because no shame or vulnerablity exists. Intimacy with God is found in coming together with Him and laying it all out there. The world is longing for intimacy...and so are we. But it takes risk to have intimate spouses, friends and relationships with God. You can't hold back...you must lay it all out there. It is a scarry place to live, but the only place intimacy is found. I want intimacy...with God and with man. I want more than just the facade of relationships. I want depth. I want to be able to be vulnerable and transparent-without fear. I want more than just the average, status quo...I want to come together with others in REAL, authentic, intimate relationships for the glory of God. Could it be that others are looking for the same....?ALL FOR YOU

risk

I have come to believe that most of Christendom does not like getting involved in other peoples lives because it is messy, time consuming and requires a measure of risk. It means you have to decide you love the friend more than the frienship. It requires that you are willing to sacrifice your time and be vulnerable to being hurt yourself in order to reach out and help someone else. However, most of us have decided to live life with our hands in our pockets, never risking, never getting involved because it will cost us and there is risk; rejection is possible, fear is prevalent, and it might bring loss to our own lives. And yet, Jesus was all about sacrificing His life for the sake of others. He did not come so that we could be safe, free from risk or worry. He desires that we extend life to those who are drowning, to get involved in others lives. I am so glad He got involved in mine!
But that means we have to be willing to deal with our own mess...AND that we don't get so caught up in our own mess that we neglect those around us who are struggling as well.
So take a risk....deal with your stuff...and then reach out to someone else who is drowning in a sea of hurt. Sure, you might get rejected, you might lose a friend...but are you a true friend if you don't risk anything?. If you care more about the friendship than the friend-is that a real friend? Sacrifice....and show them you love them!@
Isn't it time we journey together instead of apart?
ALL FOR YOU

christian OLYMPIANS

It is rare in life to be an Olympian. Only the cream of the crop, the best of the best are ever recognized and able to compete for the prize. And only a small few of those that get to compete actually win the prize. Nevertheless, there are many in training-as early as 2 years of age, planning, preparing, practicing for a chance to be an Olympian. They work long hours, push themselves to extreme lengths, spend outrageous amounts of money, sacrifice everything, simply for the chance to compete. All of this for a piece of gold to hang around their necks.
What if there were some Christians that chose to train as if we were headed for the Olympics...truly trying to compete for the gold. What if we started training early, planning, preparing, practicing. What if we worked long hours, pushed ourselves to extreme, radical lengths and spent our money on and for things of the KINGDOM of Heaven instead of our kingdoms here on earth? What if we sacrificed it all, simply for the CHANCE to compete...to be a Christian that was unleashed, untamed and barbaric? What if we abandoned other things for the call to follow Christ and treated it as if we were training for the Olympics-instead of the half hearted effort most of give?
And the reward is much greater than gold around our necks, trophies on a shelf or crowns on our heads. Our reward-to run the streets of Gold, knowing we have no need to be ashamed because we buffeted our body in such a way that we attained the prize-the high calling of Jesus Christ, to walk in a manner worthy of Him, pleasing Him in all respect, bearing fruit in EVERY deed, increasing in the knowledge of Him, strengthed with all power, giving thanks and knowing that we are truly the champions!
ALL FOR YOU

Passion lives here

I have been watching the Olympics. It has been incredible to watch the competition between countries and competitors and to see the spirit in which the competition is played. It has been both inspiring and motivating to watch atheletes compete for the gold with their whole heart. In the midst of it all, no matter what venue you are watching, there is a sign that is the theme of the Torino Olympics. It reads PASSION LIVES HERE. I love that sign, but I love the message even more. And it is true. It is evident that those who are there indeed have passion within them for what they do. No one has called into question their passion or their quest for gold.
I wonder if the same could be said for us as believers and church members. PASSION LIVES HERE? might be a better way of reading the sign for us. We might declare that as a fact, but people watching would question that truth in many of us. Why? because there is no PASSION for what we are doing seen in how we live. We do not compete as if we were striving for gold, motivated to win with a passion for glory (God's) so great that it pushes us beyond the natural boundaries of human frailities, fears and acceptance. We say there is passion, but we are not inspiring and motivating to others-in hopes of drawing them into the competition. We do not strive for excellence. We are comfortable and lazy. And we will never be an Olympian-in this world or for the Kingdom.
This is not a competition you say? I beg to differ with you. We are in a battle for the souls of men. And if our enemy/our competitor can convince us not to compete or to have a lack of passion, motivation and inspiration-he wins.
I want the sign at my house, my church, for my family to read....PASSION LIVES HERE!!!!! OH YEAH!!! I don't want there to be any doubt as to whether I am passionate about what I do for the glory of the Lord. I don't want there to be any doubt that I AM a COMPETITOR. I don't want there to be any doubt about the passion that lives within me and I want to inspire, motivate and challenge others-so that the world look at our sign not with a question mark, but with an exclamation mark. I am on a quest for gold. I will not sit on the couch, be comfortable or lazy. I will press on towards the call of Christ Jesus. I will buffet my body and run in such a way that the prize is won. I will....because PASSION LIVES HERE. ALL FOR YOU

In need of rest

Today I find myself exhausted. I am need of rest. Sleep. Downtime. And yet, who has time for that. I push and push until I crash and burn. Rest....I need of rest.
As I dwelt on that thought, I was so thankful for my husband who recognized that need and provided extra time for me today. I was reminded how Christ loves the church and gave Himself up for her-even though she was underserving. I am so thankful for a VALENTINE who loves me as Christ loves the church. I am so thankful for a God that is not just concerned about the things I do, but is also concerned about things I need to stop doing so that I can rest. Discipline is a good thing, but there should also be times of rest. Sometimes I forget that. I am so wrapped up in the idea that there is no retirement in the time of war-that I forget that tired soldiers make dumb mistakes. So today....I shall rest with VALENTINE...in Him. For He is good-both of them! Thanks honey....for being my VALENTINE and for giving your all for me. What an example of Jesus you are to me! ALL FOR YOU

infected

Over the weekend, my computer caught a virus. At first, we thought we had stopped it by simply removing the program. But over the next couple of days, we realized it was slowly eating through my hard drive. It was nasty and a huge problem. The frustration came because I got it from someone else-who sent it to me. So for the past couple of days, I have thought a lot about what it means to be infected with a virus that is passed on from someone else and the idea of how that affected me.
Infected....we all are infected. Maybe not with a computer virus, but most definately with sin. we are born with it. Just like the computer virus, the sin of one affects us all. And when you are infected, it stops you dead in tracks until you deal.
Miriam understood that. For it was her sin and her leprosy that stopped the forward progression of God's people. Her sin/infection kept everyone from moving forward-until she dealt with it. It is the same for us today-sin in the camp stops the forward progression of God's people. If one of us is infected and we do not deal-it will affect all of us. Just like a computer virus....it may not be my sin-but we all crash and burn if it isn't dealt with.
So I want to be sure my sin is dealt with...but I also want to be sure that those who affect me are dealing as well-so that the forward progession of God's people is not stopped and we don't all crash and burn. ALL FOR YOU

Goggles

My niece, Gabby, is five years old. She a bright, intelligent little girl that probably communicates better than any five year old I have ever met. Gabby asked Jesus to come into her heart several weeks ago. She was at school and asked her teacher if she could ask Jesus to come in and the teacher encouraged her to wait and talk with her parents at home. At pick up, the teacher informed my sister that Gabby had asked about asking Jesus into her heart. With tears in her eyes, my sister drove home, called her husband and they decided for my sister to go ahead and talk with her (before he got home from work). My sister got her Bible and they laid down on the bed, looked at some Scripture and talked about what asking Jesus to come in meant. Gabby fully understood and quickly asked Jesus to come into her heart. PTL!!!
However, there was a whole other issue to this Jesus thing-being baptized. After asking Jesus to come into her heart, Gabby knew that baptism was the next step. It meant going underwater in a baptistry and this was going to be a problem. But Gabby, had thought this through! She is a smart kid and she had figured out an answer to her dilemna. She explained to her Mom that she was a little afraid of the whole baptism thing, but that she would do it (because Jesus said to) if she could wear her goggles while being baptized! What a hoot! My sister told her that she didn't think Jesus would have a problem with her wearing her goggles.
When my sister told me the story, I cracked up laughing, but saw a cool corelation spiritually. Gabby has just asked Jesus into her heart and is a little afraid of the next step. So she wants to wear her goggles. She wants to be able to see and not have water in her eyes. What a beautiful picture. The Lord has just opened the eyes of her heart to see Him and he desire is to continue to see through the next step of baptism. How cool is it that a 5 year old understands what so many of us don't. I am sure Gabby's reasons for wearing goggles is not spiritual-but what a cool visual for us...a young girl, in the waters of the baptistry...simply wanting to see and breathe.
So Gabby was baptized yesterday....and SHE WORE HER GOGGLES....isn't that AWESOME!
Her daddy had the opportunity to baptize her. A Father, helping his daughter to see, breathe and come into the family of God. What a picture that is!!!!
And so God opens the eyes of her heart....breathes life into her flesh-that she might live forever!
ALL FOR YOU

Own NOTHING

I was just sitting at my computer when a message pops up from AIM. It says, "own nothing, have everything." I think it was advertising downloads, but it hit my heart as a message from the Lord.
Paul said in Phil 3:7-16 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ,and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from {the} Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which {comes} from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;

Wow...I love that thought....I own nothing. It is all loss in view of knowing Christ. And yet I have everything, because in Christ I have all things.

In a day when we are challenged by the idea to own everything and have everything, God is calling out a people who will own nothing and still have everything-because we have a view to eternity.
It's all for YOU!
ALL FOR YOU

Lover of my Soul

I had a little bit of a break down on Monday night, for various reasons. But mostly because I have been pushing really hard for a long time and just needed to let some stuff out. Jim was so awesome about it, reminding me that our home is as much a Sanctuary for me as I try to make it for other people.
In the midst of all the crying and sharing, he just took me in his arms and told me that he loved me for who I was, who God created me to be and for who I am growing to become-more like Jesus. He took care of me, pampered me and reminded me that he is the lover of my soul. He was the perfect picture of Jesus to me. How awesome God is to give me a husband that loves me as Christ loves the church-giving Himself up for her and loving her no matter what. I am twice blessed-given to the Lover of my Soul-both of them.. I love you Jim.....
ALL FOR YOU

It's HIS DEAL

I have been soaking in saying for the last few days that is radically changing the beat of my heart.
Religion is our way of getting God into our "deal".
Christianity is God's way of getting us into His.
Every one of us are trying to get God to join our "deal", whatever that may be. Jesus, bless this, help this, fix this, make this....We are always trying to get God to bless our religious activity. And yet religion is what makes the Father sick at His stomach. Jesus is being lost in a religion that bares his name.
God is all about getting us to join HIS DEAL-not the other way around. He even sent His Son so that we could join His deal. He invites us to join Him where He is at work. He is not waiting to be invited into where we are working. He is longing for us to join His activity, His plan, His deal. But instead, we spend most of our days trying to get God to join ours.
I don't think God will ever join our deal....for then we would be God-in control of the plan. I think God's plan from the beginning was to make a way for us to join His. Somewhere in the midst of that plan-we misunderstood and got religious. We think that we should invite God into OUR lives, OUR plans, OUR future and OUR goals. When instead, HE IS INVITING us to JOIN HIS!
So maybe it is time we stop asking God to bless our deal-and just join HIS!
ALL FOR YOU

Worshipping....

It is amazing to me that we will offer more to the pleasures of this world than we do in worship to our Father. We will pay more, love more, rejoice more and serve more. I know...we say that is not true, but if we were really honest, few of us abandon ourselves in worship like we do at a football game. And the last time we gave as much to God as we did M/C-well, we can't remember when. And who can remember the last time we spent more hours serving the Father at church or somewhere else than we did at PTA, Little League, Boy Scouts, Dance or whatever. And even more astonishing is the thought that when given the chance to stand in line for a movie or for a worship service-the movie always wins.
But I believe that the Lord is awakening a few, stirring the hearts of a remnant, captivating the souls of a group of people who will abandon the norm of Christianity for a barbaric faith that looks more like Jesus than any before now. As a result, I believe church will look radically different. This group of people is called Revolutionaries-a people who live in concert with the Bible, but have no patience for irrelevant traditions and customs, who won't go with the flow, but seek a spark and are willing to pay the price to see the fire of heaven fall. They make people uncomfortable and are not very popular. But they are a people who are passionate about following after Jesus-not as the church has defined, but as God has outlined. They are a people who want to start a REVOLUTION, leading to Change...
I want to be a Revolutionary!
ALL FOR YOU

YOU ARE MY JOY

Every branch that bears fruit, HE PRUNES it so that it may bear MORE fruit. What a thought for those of us who long to be fruit bearers. The reality is that if we are being productive for the Kingdom, working hard for the Lord and accomplishing much for His glory that the Father is going to prune us. We understand why. Because without pruning, we will not continue to be productive. However, when the pruning comes, we often see it as discipline or hardship. When in reality, it is the Father pruning us so that we can bear MORE fruit. For the Father is glorified when you bear MORE fruit, proving that you are a disciple and not a hypocrite. Pruning means More fruit...are you up for that?
but I guess the crazy thought of all this is that Jesus says the things so that we will have joy in Him and that our joy will be made full or complete. It is in the pruning, which allows us to bear more fruit, which gives God glory that we will find true Joy-Joy in Him. He is our Joy. So get out the shears and clip away...for more fruit, for more glory, and FOR MY JOY!
God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him! ALL FOR YOU

Live or Die

While at Passion last week, my heart was awakened and stirred by the Lord. We all need times of refreshing, where HIS presence brings to life truth inside of us. I stood in the arena, filled with other believers, worshipping with all that I had within me. Tears were streaming down my face, my shoulders ached because I could not make myself put my arms down. I was like a child, wanting to be held by my daddy, arms outstretched and crying for Him to hold me. And Hold me He did. I laid my head on His chest and wept, while proclaiming that He is my life and that I would gladly die for Him and His glory.
We often think of death as the worst thing and so I was trying to say that I would do the very worst of things, endure the hardest of things for HIM.
In that moment, I heard HIM speak clearly to MY heart saying, "I would rather that you live for me...for that is harder! I have already done the dying."
It was a moment of revelation for me. Christ died for me. And I would gladly die for my Lord. Although we think that is the worst thing-to die for Him....He was very plain with me. Dying meant I would be with Him and that isn't the worst thing, but the very best of things. The harder thing to do, the thing in which He gets even more glory is to live for Him in this perverse and wicked generation, harassed, troubled, suffering and struggling.
Yes, He has called many to die for HIM...and I am not minimizing their sacrifice. But, His question to me was not would I die....He knew I would do that....but would I live for His glory everyday?
Rom 14:8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
Isa 26:8 YES LORD!
ALL FOR YOU

leaving a mark

Leaving my mark on Passion 06-Doxa on the graffitti art!
ALL FOR YOU

This week was spent at Passion 06. I have so much to write about that, but tonight, my brain hurts. It has been an incredible journey with the Lord-ABIDING in HIS presence for 4 days. Dwelling, tabernacling, marinating in Him. It was truly amazing and indescribable. But today, I have walked away with a thought that challenges my heart for worship. Today, I am weary from worship. NOT weary in the tired of it sense, but weary in the I am tired from it sense. I am weary, worn out, spent and tired from pressing in so close, from drawing near, from listening, worshipping and praising. My shoulders ache from holding my hands in the air for 4 days straight. My knees hurt from being on them. My voice is almost gone from singing and shouting to Him. My heart is full, my body is weary.
How many times in life do we get weary FROM worshipping. I know many of us get weary OF worshipping. And yet, if we are full on worshippers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we would be like David, who danced with ALL HIS MIGHT. How often do we tire FROM worshipping. We tire from work, from play, from relationships...but do we ever worship so hard and press in so close that we are worn out by it.
It is a good feeling...I think...I will do it more! ALL FOR YOU