God Knew What He Was Getting Into! :)

These are God's words just for you. :) Soak it in!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ8pu_OHz2Y&feature=related


I knew what I was getting into when called you.
I knew what I was getting into when I said your name, but I said it just the same.
I knew what I was getting into and I still want you.
I knew what I was getting into.

And I am not shocked by your weakness.
And I am not shocked even by your sin.
And I am not shocked by your brokenness.


I knew what I was getting into and I still want you.
I knew what I was getting into and I still like you.
I knew what I was getting into and I still chose you.


Cause only I can see the end from the beginning.
And only I can see where this is going.
And only I can see the end from the beginning.
And I see in you the seeds of love.
And I see in you strength when all you see is your failure and all you feel is ashamed.
I can see deeper than that.
I know you better than that.
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/m/misty_edwards/i_knew_what_i_was_getting_into_s
You're only at the beginning.
You've only just begun and I know where you are going
And all you can see in the moment is that your hurting.
And all you can see in the moment is that your aching.


Just don't give up.
And don't give in.
If you don't quit. You win, you win.

Everything is in my hands.
It's going to be alright.
It's going to be okay.
And you don't have to pretend to be something or someone your not.
Cause I know you better than that, even better, even better than that.
Listen my Beloved.


I knew what I was getting into when I called you.
I knew what I was getting into when I said your name.
I said it just the same.
I knew what I was getting into and I still like you.
I knew what I was getting into and I still chose you.

Walking Oxymoron

Yup. That's me...a living, breathing oxymoron. How so? I am casually wholehearted. 
Let me explain...
Joel 2:12-13 (NKJV)
“Now, therefore,” says the Lord,“Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
¹³ So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.


For those of you who are wondering, the dictionary definition of rend: : to split or tear apart or in pieces by violence. (Ouch.)


How easy it is to think that these verses don't apply to me. After all, I've been a pretty good person my whole life. I've never traveled too far off the path. All that weeping and mourning and fasting must apply to those other people. You know, the ones who really need God's grace. Me? Thanks, but I'll be fine on my own. I'll just sit over here in the corner tearing my clothes a little bit...being casually wholehearted. 
But then I see these other people. Those who have truly rendered their heart to God. Some of them were far off the path, but others were similar to me. It doesn't really matter who they were. It matters who they are now. They went through the most uncomfortable, painful, and violent process of having their hearts torn into pieces, and they lived to tell the story! 
And now not only are they alive, but they are full of life! Know what I mean? They're full of joy and hope and peace. They smile a lot. They love to tell others about God's amazing grace. They have compassion and they're really kind and sacrificial for others--even those who aren't kind to them. I guess you could say they act like Jesus. Like a lot.
I want that! But there's just one problem...that means I'm going to have to get up out of my comfortable corner, get rid of all my "clothing" that I've actually become quite good at tearing up, and actually do what Joel 2 tells me to do.
I'm going to have to weep and mourn and fast. I'm going to have to be really uncomfortable, and I'm definitely not looking forward to it. But I know deep down, this is what I really want. This is what I really need. 
I'm thankful for Joel's reminder of who God is right after telling us to rend our hearts. He reminds us that God is gracious. He is merciful. He is slow to anger. He has great kindness. And He relents from doing harm. So even though I'm not looking forward to the painful process of tearing, I'm definitely looking forward to the grace, mercy and kindness I'll receive from God along the way. This keeps me going. This gives me hope. 


Maybe then I'll stop being an oxymoron and start being genuinely wholehearted. There won't be anything casual about my faith. My whole heart will be in it because I've torn it to pieces and there's nothing left of it that's capable of being casual. My new heart will be in it 1000% and I will experience new levels of God's grace, mercy, and kindness each day that I'll love to pass on to others. 
And then maybe, just maybe, people will eventually look at me from their comfortable little corners and want what I have, too. Maybe they'll notice something is different about me and want that from themselves. Maybe I'll be a beautiful light that others will want to know where the Source is. And maybe I'll be able to help them leave their corner and go through the most painful and beautiful process anyone would possibly make. 


I wish I could say that this rending process is a one time deal. It's actually a lifetime process. I'm still rending my heart, but I'm still experiencing God's grace, mercy, and kindness in amazing ways. I'm never going to be perfectly wholehearted this side of heaven, but I can rest assured that God's grace is helping me become less oxymoronic each day. :)

Stupidity Contest

Another Diamond column...

I just finished watching a video by Francis Chan. Check it out J

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWk7RUg3ZV4&sns=fb 

For those of you not by a computer here’s a brief summary: He has a rope and tells us to imagine this rope going around the world a couple billion times. AKA: it’s eternal. Then at the very beginning of the rope is a tiny little section that is colored red and represents our time on earth right now.

We think stuff like: “I’m going to work really hard and save, save, save so I can really enjoy this part right…here.” (He moves his finger about a ½ inch down the red part of the rope.) That’s stupid.

Then Francis Chan asks, “What about this? (Grabs a section of the rope in “eternity” a couple feet down) Or what about this? (Grabs another section a couple more feet down)…you get the idea. Thinking about those sections…that’s not stupid. That’s logical; that’s wisdom.

The Bible teaches what we do during that little red part determines how we are going to live for millions and billions and zillions of years. In the Parable of the Talents, the Master comes back and takes away the talents that the wicked servant did not use. Then He gives the servant who doubled His talents even more talents!

Eternity is not just sitting around on clouds—we’re going to be doing stuff, really awesome stuff.  I know that I want to be doing as much as possible. Why wouldn’t I?—I have all eternity! Don’t think that we’re all going to be doing the exact same things during eternity; I think the Parable of the Talents proves that. God is going to administer duties to us in eternity based on how we’ve handled our duties during this life. So why in the world would we spend this little red part trying to make ourselves as comfortable as possible and enjoy ourselves as much as we can? That’s stupid.

If we live with eternity in mind, worldly people are going to call us stupid. I say “Bring it on!” We don’t get to try this life over again. We get one race and one race only. No do-over’s. No false starts. Hebrews 12 talks about this race. The chapter before gives example after example of Heroes of Faith who kept their eyes on the prize. They didn’t get caught up with this worldly life, and Hebrews tells us that since we have all these other witnesses before us, we can also run that race of endurance and throw off the sin that hinders our race. Verse 2 tells us the only way that we can run this race: We fix our eyes on Jesus and rely on Him to author and perfect our faith.

Fixing your eyes on Jesus means spending time with Him. Talk with Him. Dig into His Word and get to know (with your heart, not just your mind) what He would do in every situation and then do it yourself.

Accept the fact that you’re going to look stupid in the world’s eyes. It’s okay because you know that really you’re doing the most un-stupid thing possible. 

Crucified with Christ

I was surprised with flowers Wednesday afternoon :) I'm waaay too spoiled. They sure are pretty though, huh? Spring is definitely in the air.

In other news...I've always felt somewhat "disconnected" from the crucifixion and resurrection story and I don't want to be. So I'm asking God to make it feel more relevant to me. He's in the works already by helping me to reflect more on the statement "crucified with Christ."
Galatians 2:20 "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."


What if that statement was constantly true in my life? I would never be concerned with people-pleasing, but I would always be God-pleasing. I would never spread myself too thin, but I would always take time to rest in God. I wouldn't come up with excuses for not doing stuff, but I would always have awesome time management and prioritize my life around Jesus. I would never think nasty things about people who annoy me, but I would always benefit others with the words out of my mouth. I would never care what's in it for me, but I would always be a servant to others.


And yet, this is what is possible! I have received the Holy Spirit of the Son of God! Jesus Christ lives in my body by me trusting in Him. It's when I fail to trust in and rely on Him that my old self tries to take over again. 
My old sinful self was crucified on the cross right along with Jesus. Yet, unlike Jesus Christ, my old self did not rise again. Jesus is the only One who resurrected and is allowed to live in me. 

When I start to people-please or do too much or think nasty things or be selfish I need to remind myself and thank God that my old self died a long time ago. I need to learn to renounce those thoughts and remind my earthly body to trust in Jesus.

I've chosen You, Jesus and I'll never be the same. Thank You for what You've done. I know the only thing that's good in me is Jesus. Thank You for your reminder of crucifixion during this Lent season.

We Want More!

If you were given the opportunity to love people even more than you are now, you’d take it, right? Of course! Well, what if I told you that you can only give love to others to the extent that you have received love from God? 

“I have received God’s love,” you say, “I know that God loves me enough to send His Son to die on the cross to save me from my sins so that I can have abundant life with Him both now and eternally!” But do you really know how God feels about you? Can you comprehend that your Heavenly Abba sees you as His precious child and wants to give you anything you ask him for in His name? Do you understand that Jesus loves you like a Bridegroom loves His Bride?

Paul tells us in Ephesians 3:19 that God’s love for us actually surpasses knowledge—it’s too great to fully understand. But that doesn’t mean it’s not something worth striving to understand. So how do we try to better comprehend this? Let's start with the love chapter—1 Corinthians 13.

God is patient—He never gives up on you or gets annoyed with your failures.
God is kind—He cares more for you than for Himself.
God does not envy—He is only righteously jealous for your heart to love Him because that is what is best for you.
God does not boast; He is not proud.
He is not rude—He actually has the most perfect manners. He doesn’t force Himself on anyone, but rather invites you to seek Him so He can draw near to you.
God is not self-seeking—He will always put your best interest first, even though you may not see it that way at first.
He is not easily angered—this ties directly in with patience. He understands your heart and He knows that you’re trying. He does not get angry with your brokenness. He understands so much better than anyone else.
God keeps no record of wrongs—when you give your life to Christ, you are forever regarded as holy, perfect, and blameless in His sight.
He does not delight in evil—it does not make Him happy to see you fall to Satan’s lies.
God rejoices with the truth—but it does make Him happy when you come to find truth in Him.
God will always protect you. He will always trust your heart. He will always hope in your goodness. He will keep on fighting for you.

Let these words wash over you. Drink deeply of God’s unfailing love. Ask Him to reveal more of His heart to you. Ask for you to be able to more fully understand how much He loves you. Ask Him to drive away any of Satan’s lies that tell you otherwise. Tell Him you want to receive more of His love so you can pass it onto others.

Prayer:
Abba, we pray the words of Ephesians 3:16-19 that from Your glorious, unlimited resources You will empower us with inner strength through Your Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in our hearts as we trust in You. Our roots will grow down deep into God’s love and keep us strong. Abba, may we have the power to understand how wide, how long, how high, and how deep Your love is. May we experience the love of Christ, thought it is too great to understand fully. Then we will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. We want to love others more God, but we need to know more of Your love for us first. Continue to reveal more of Yourself to us, and teach us to discern Satan’s lies so we can drive them out before they take root. Let us hear your voice alone, Abba. Amen

Discussion:
1. Go through 1 Corinthians 13 again. Which of these descriptions of love is hardest to attribute to God. Why do you think that is?

2. The prayer from Ephesians 3 talked about growing your roots down deep into God’s love. What do you think that looks like? What are some concrete ways that you can grow your roots deep into God’s love?

3. The greatest love relationship that we know on earth is the love between a husband and wife. The Bible tells us that God’s love for us is even greater than we can understand. Can you imagine a love that surpasses even that of between a husband and wife? How does that make you feel? 

Putting Real Love Into Action

Here's devotional numero uno from what I wrote for PLIA...

Stop right there.

Before you read any further in this devotional, I want each of you to individually read the entire book of 1 John. It’s not that long—we read far more than this in a night for our classes. I just read it in less than 10 minutes. Please? J

Okay, welcome back. Powerful stuff, huh? Can I suggest that you read that same book every night of this break? Just watch the Holy Spirit reveal different insights to you each time. God’s Word is an endless treasure that never runs out, and I’m convinced that if you dig into His Word with the right attitude, you will never get bored. Consider that a challenge. J Okay cool. Moving on then…

So I hope you gathered that the theme of 1 John is love. Real love. The love that you can see and touch—not just hear. The love that is of the Father—not of man.  John talks about man’s “love” earlier in the book in 2:15-16. The New Living Translation says:

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

This is pretty essential information if you plan on putting any love into action during this break. Do you know what kind of love you have in you? Are you absolutely certain that you’re going to be putting the Father’s love into action? Of course, none of us would say that we intend to put worldly “love”/lust into action, but we also all know that “actions speak louder than words.”

So think about what your actions “say” about you. How do you treat others? What kind of people are you in relationships with? What does what you invest your time and money in say about your character and lifestyle? Do you crave physical pleasure more than the deeper pleasure that comes from resting in God? Do you find yourself boasting in what you’ve achieved or the cool stuff you own more than boasting in what God’s grace has done in your life? 

Seriously, think about those questions. Don’t just quickly read over these.

I realize these are intense questions, but I want you to really think about this because this is pretty crucial. You have an amazing opportunity to put the Father’s love into action with people who need to feel it.  I don’t want you to throw away this opportunity by showing people a worldly love instead. If we call ourselves Christians, people are expecting to find Christ. We can’t let them down. And John himself is pretty unapologetic in his book for those who don’t show love. Is he talking about you?

Maybe after answering those questions, you’re feeling inadequate to put God’s love into action. Relying on your own strength, you are inadequate. You can’t truly love others without total 100% reliance on the work of the Holy Spirit. We are fallen human beings who need God’s grace. His grace isn’t just a one-time gift that gives us salvation from sins. It’s a continuous stream of mercy that gives us the ability to do anything and everything that pleases Him. God’s grace through the Holy Spirit is what enables us to put the Father’s love into action. The sooner we discover that, the better. J

Prayer:
Abba Father, we are amazed by Your unfailing love for us. We mess up so many times, and yet You are so faithful. We deserve absolutely nothing from You, but You desire to give us grace upon grace from Your abundance. Thank You for Your forgiveness when we forget about Your grace, when we try to live our lives on our own strength, when we turn to the world for our attempts at satisfaction. Continue to sanctify us and teach us that You are all that we need. Thank You for this opportunity to put Your love into action. Thank You for this opportunity to connect with people within this group and others that we will meet along the way. Thank You for giving us a break from school to revive ourselves. Thank You for being with us no matter where we go. Please bless this trip and may Your name be glorified through it all. Please help us to realize more and more what it means to completely surrender ourselves to the work of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your discipline and for training us to be Your disciples. Help us to follow the perfect example of Jesus’ sacrificial love every moment of our days. Teach us that dying to ourselves is the one way to true joy and satisfaction. You are our portion, Jesus. We love You—help us love You more. Amen

Discussion:

1. How can we be sure that we have the Father’s love in us? (Hint: 1 John has lots to say about this J)

2. Is it actually wrong to love worldly things a little bit as long as we love God more? Doesn’t God want us to be happy or is this simply following the “Gospel of Prosperity”?

3. Is there anything worldly that you feel convicted that you love too much? Spring break would be the perfect time to turn away from this and start fresh when you get back to school. Think about it! J

4. What are some concrete ways that you can put the Father’s love into action tomorrow? What are some concrete ways that you can put the Father’s love into action after PLIA?

Sunshine & Spring Break

     The new sunny background inspired me to post again! :) It's hard to believe how quickly this semester is flying by! I've hardly posted much since my Christmas break...and yet a lot has happened since then.
     I'm having an awesome semester. My classes are wonderful--Interpersonal Communication, Family Communication, Youth Ministry, Christian Mind & Heart, and Culture, Task & Calling (aka-CORE 300) I look forward to all my classes and really most days none of them feel much like "same old class." This spring semester is definitely refreshing! :)
     So spring break for me this year wasn't even really necessary. I think every other time we get a break, I'm really looking forward to it and need the break but this year I think I would have been fine without one. But that doesn't mean I didn't take it!
     I spent a lot of time "working" aka--sitting at the Rec center, getting ahead on end of the year projects and other things. I also spent time at home with family which was really nice. I haven't spent a break at home (including summer) since Christmas freshman year, so it was about time! :)
    While I stayed in Northwest Iowa trying to earn some money back that was spent over my big Christmas adventure to Laos, other people went on PLIA. I was honored with the request to write a few devotionals for  their trip so I thought I would add them on here, too. :) I'll post those after this.
Enjoy the beautiful weather!! I know I've been spending more time outside this March than any other that I can remember. God is so kind :)

Mother Dearest : )

I know this is a week late, but last week Friday (the 17th--aka my mom's birthday) I was leaving for YATEC. So a belated list of things I love about my...

M is for modest and not just in the clothing department. My mom is very humble and I can't think of a time when she put her own needs before others. I love it when my dad compliments her in anything because she kinda blushes. : )

O is for optimistic. I love that my mom's natural demeanor is cheerful and upbeat. I can't remember the last time I've heard a complaint come out of her mouth. She's just good at seeing the good in people.

T is for talented. My mom is super creative...in home decor, scrap booking, cake decorating, you name it!) My mom is a really good chef & baker. My mom is good at picking out the perfect gifts for people. My mom is talented at balancing a full schedule. My mom is good at caring for her family. My mom is really talented at being a mom. My mom is not talented at texting. : )

H is for heartwarming smiler. If you've ever talked to my mom, I'd be willing to bet that she smiled at you almost immediately. And not just one of those "I-should-smile-to-be-nice" smiles, but a smile that's genuine and sincere. That warms your heart. She's got a one-in-a-million smile and she's always willing to share it with others. This quote by Mother Theresa makes me think of her: "Remember to smile, always. Smiles are infectious. And the more it costs us, the more precious it is. Smiling is our first act of love. It's a sign of our love for God."

E is for encourager. My mom is good at writing little encouraging notes or emails. She tells me what she appreciates about me. Just showing that she cares about me is encouraging. I'm not sure if my mom has ever put me down. All of her characteristics naturally encourage me.

R is for relaxed. I mentioned this for Christa, too, but it's true. My mom is not your typical mother-worrier. I know she cares about us, but I think it's just because she trusts in God so much that she can't worry. My mom is also very submissive and a great example of how to be a loving and respectful wife. : )

The only picture I had with my mom on the computer. Sad : /

My sister :)

Just a little acrostic of some things that I love about Sista Christa :) Happy 24th Birthday!! Love you lots:)

C is for contagious. My sister has a really big heart filled with love for a lot of people. She's passionate about helping. She's passionate about justice. She's passionate about people from other countries. Her passion is contagious--thanks for letting me catch it, Christa! ;)

H is for hearing. Also known as listener. My sister is good at listening to me and really hearing what I have to say. Then she's never afraid to offer me her advice/feedback. :)

R is for relaxed. Christa is very carefree and does not worry about a lot of things. I think we both take after our mom in that. I don't know what I would do with an uptight sister. I think we both agree that life is better when it's happy-go-lucky. :)

I is for inspirational. As a younger sister, of course I want to copy everything that my cool, older sister does. But not only is she inspirational to me, she inspires so many others. Her love for the Lord and willingness to give anything and everything to Him is inspiring because it's exactly what Jesus did!

S is for sacrificial. My sister is living half way around the world, away from friends and family, trying to raise her own support, and teaching in a university that will probably never comprehend how big of a gift she is to the school. Christa knows what it means to lay down her life for her neighbor. She sacrifices a lot and gets very little thanks. She does it out of faithfulness to God.

T is for talkative. If you've ever had a conversation with my sister, you know that you'll never have to worry about an awkward silence. Christa has a bazillion questions for you and she genuinely cares about the answer. My sister is really good at making you feel like you're the most important person in the world.

A is for abider. My sister follows Jesus' words in John 15. She abides in Christ and He abides in her. This is why she produces much fruit. And when you produce much fruit, you are Jesus' true disciples. That brings true glory to the Father. (John 15:8)

Quite the girl, huh? I understand if you want her to be your sister...but sorry! :)

"You Do It!"

Another Diamond Column...

“It is not so much that prayer changes things as that prayer changes us and then we change things. We can’t ask God to do Himself what He created us to do ourselves.” -- Oswald Chambers.

      Isn’t it so easy to just ask God to help the poor? to heal the broken? to feed the hungry? We think that by interceding on behalf of those in need, we have done our part and can move on with our day. But God has different ideas—they might not be as easy, but they bring a whole lot more satisfaction. The kind that goes way down deep and can only come from doing the work of our Lord. He has given us the amazing privilege of taking part in His work, and yet we so easily pass up the opportunities and opt for a simple prayer instead. Don’t get me wrong—I don’t want it to undermine the power of prayer, but God has empowered us to do so much more than pray. That’s why I think Chambers hit it right on target by saying that prayer changes us so that we can go change things.

    Take an example from the Bible. In Mark 6:30-44 we read the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. We’ve all heard the story…Jesus had been teaching the crowd for a while and the disciples suggested that they were probably getting hungry. They asked Jesus to send them away so that they can get something to eat. In some sense, they were interceding for the crowd to be fed. But Jesus wants to give the disciples an opportunity to take part in His work. So He says, “You feed them.”

    Not surprisingly, the disciples don’t get it. Thinking practically, they ask, “With what? We’d have to work for months in order to earn enough money to buy food for all these people.” But Jesus tells them to gather all they have and give it to Him. By asking about the need to be changed, they were instead changed by God to be able to go out and do the work themselves. Once they gave all they had to Jesus, He stepped in and performed the miracle.

    I believe the same is true today. When we recognize a need and ask God to fix it, I believe He is still telling us, “You do it.” Because of His incomprehensible love, God refuses to do what we are capable of doing ourselves. We are so fortunate to have a God that lets us take part in this stuff.

     So my challenge for you is to be open to recognizing the needs in our world. Once you ask God about them, be prepared for God to transform you so that you can go out and do it yourself. Then take a step back and marvel at the satisfaction you receive from being able to take part in God’s work.