For His Glory

Framing Tragedy

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Mon, 2 Oct 2017 18:48:00 -0500

I'm sure, as with most of you, waking up to horrific news remains devastating. As a friend said, "I know this stuff happens, but it is awful every.single.time." As it indeed should be, and I pray our hearts never get callous to the shock and dismay. When you have children, I think these situations add another dimension. How, when and what do you tell your children in these situations?

The media has the information along every front and it is hard to avoid it. Personally, our family has decided that it is best for our children to hear it from us, first. So this morning I said to my kids, "I'm sorry that I have to tell you this. I'm sorry that you live in a world where these things are becoming commonplace." I then proceeded to tell them the events with tears.

I also told them about my walk this morning. I try to go for a walk every morning and while I go I listen to Pray As You Go app. It opened with a song that was derived from Psalm 91:

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you

from the fowler’s snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

I ended up sharing the words from today. While these words aren't meant to be an "escape" from the reality of the tragedy, it does show that the story does not end in the midst of terror.

My heart has remained very heavy throughout today and I know that I am far removed from the events that took place. I appreciated being led in a prayer for this situation by the presiding Bishop Michael Curry:

https://youtu.be/zYACfi9nBOs

I pray that some of these thoughts and ideas my bring peace to your own hearts, prayers and conversations as you move forward from today.

May you go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In Christ,

P.S. Another post I have written on similar topics is called, In the Light of Terror.

1001 Hellos

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 19:47:00 -0500

This post was started a year ago, just finishing it up now, so that is why for those who know my son's age it won't line up perfectly.

My son is 12 years old, teetering between childhood and young adulthood. Along with this transition comes the Peter Pan heart; the pain of saying goodbye to the care-free life. The life of no worries, few responsibilities and less pain. As we discussed this, I told him how excited I was for him to enter the next stages of his life. What lies ahead for him are a myriad of hellos. There are so many hellos in my life that I would never have experienced if I had stayed put in my childhood youth. Hellos to my spouse, to my two precious children, to my beautiful friends, to my precious niece-in-law, and hopefully someday to my future daughter/son-in laws, and future grandchildren. These are the precious hellos that despite the pain of life enriches me beyond measure.

As I spoke these words to my son, I knew he couldn't comprehend what I was saying because he was looking at the past and feeling the emotions of the present. The future didn't have the weight of influence on his heart and mind. But for me, I knew that from where I stood, the joy of life and love that is still in store for him was worth the pain of growing older.

I do wonder, as Jesus shared with his disciples the future He was going to prepare for them, if felt His words contained that truth they could not fathom. Or when Paul says, the troubles of this life are nothing compared to our future glory.

I have tried to find a way to live a pain-free life and I have given up. I have experienced deep sorrows and I know that the future ~~may~~ will have more. But I am realizing that I can cry those tears and share that pain with God, because He truly does care. On the flip side, I have experienced great joy, unspeakable joys. So now as a parent, I have a different perspective on these words of Jesus and Paul. They were offering what they knew to be true, experienced as truth, and knew that resting in that truth gave the ability to walk through the darkest nights: these hellos do not end, which is the beauty of the resurrection and the hope we have in Christ.

My prayer is that all the hellos of the future, despite which side of heaven they occur on, will bring give you strength to carry on.

In Christ,

Testing in the waters of life

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 19:02:00 -0500

The following thoughts have been percolating in my mind, lately. As always they have come from a myriad of directions, but connections long to be made into one standard thought. But perhaps that is the wrong goal. So instead, I desire to share pieces from the grand mystery, the questions I ask of my Savior, and the thoughts that I try to test in the waters of life.

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Yarn 1

Acts 17: 24-28

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[b] As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

Something about this verse made me stop and say, "What??? He is not served by human hands, He does not need anything, rather He is the giver, He desires to be sought by us, He is not far from us, we live in Him."

Sure, if a quiz was laid before us and we were asked questions derived from the statements above, such as, "Does God need anything?" We would most assuredly say, "No," and pass the test with flying colors. But if we look at the way we live our lives, is that the starting point for the way we worship or are we (and how well we do or don't do) the starting point?

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Yarn 2

I was listening to "David and Goliath: A God-Drenched Imagination" and in it the speaker said he remembered going to Sunday School and after learning about Psalm 139 he was filled him with dread about God. "God was always watching, He knew everything," did not give comfort but instead filled him with fear. Those thoughts brought me back to remembering my own youth and the feelings of trying to "figure out the will of God in my life." That ambition felt like a constantly moving target that was always off-centered from where I was to where He wanted me to be. 20 years later, the phantom appendage of the will of God still at times haunts my life.

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Yarn 3
Sitting across from my dear friend, over a cup of coffee, and sharing bits and pieces of who I am, my deep questions and fears and hearing her say, "I never would have guessed that about you, you always seems so confident and sure of yourself," throws the question back in my own lap: Hmmm, what kind of picture do you paint of yourself, is it real or is it false? If it is false, why? But on the same token hearing her reflect back to you, what you are doing in a way that reshapes your imagination and offers you a bit of life to take back into the work week. Those morsels of life, along with the others, renewing your sense of purpose and providing some of that settling that we all long for in our everyday lives.

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Yarn 4
Praise. The Psalms teach us to praise the Lord, with our whole being. Where I want to go to when I'm with the Lord is, "Here's my to-do list, my fears, my worries, my friends' fears and worries," and "Oh, and thank you for who you are." However, my Daily Prayer begins with "Lord, open my lips that I may praise your name," every day. But consciously living out of a life of praise, is much easier said then done.

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Yarn 5
When you look in your daughter's tear-filled eyes and hear her express a fear she has of the Lord, the mirror holds up nice and shiny and reflects fully back at you. [Currently, I'm taking a graduate class on assessment, and those opportunities can be full onslaught, productive self-assessment times. IE are you living what you are speaking?] But as I express to her how deep the Father's love is, how grand His plan is for her life and that this grandness can be experienced in the everydayness of life, right where she is at - it's not out there somewhere, never to be attained - I see His gentle fingers creeping in all over the place. "Yes, you've been speaking to me. Yes, you've been molding and shaping me in a life giving way. Yes, you were right here, not far from me, all this time." And it brings life an invitation to look around and feel Him right where He is at and all the other corners He's been hiding the whole time.

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Yarn 6
So I've been starting out my mornings not from my fears and frustrations (2 days, 3 days tops, just being honest), which at times can be long, but from the reorientation that it is In Him that I live, move and have my being. I'm not dragging Him into my life nor am I fraughtlessly (this is supposedly not a word, but captures the essence of what I want to say, so if it were a word it could mean without success in a never-ending way) shooting after a moving target. Rather, I'm in Him. He's right there waiting to be known and experienced. I just need to open my eyes and look. "Lord, let me see where you are in this day, because I know you are there, and for that I praise you. Give me a God-drenched imagination today" (thank you Eugene Peterson via Allen's sermon for that rich, word picture).

In Christ,

A Conversational Poem

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 19:39:00 -0600

I read this poem last night and I must admit that poetry usually doesn't work for me. Here it is though from Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict by Esther de Waal pg. 126:

Beloved
let us love
for the loving
is the sending
and the mending
and the end
of the strife-hate
in the heart of man
Christ love
Abba

As I read it, it still didn't do anything for me, until I read it in a completely different manner. So this may not have been the intention of the author (probably not) it is written pulling a line from the top, bottom, top, bottom all the way though. Here it is, enjoy:

In a calling, yearning voice I hear him calling me: Beloved. to get my attention.
Abba? Is that you my Lord, are you calling me?
Let us love. Ah, there it is again, I sigh, how to do this love thing?
Christ love. Yes, Lord you are right, that is the way to love through living and breathing his love.
For the loving, in the heart of man bring it to my core, Lord, please.
Is the sending of the strife-hate send it all away
and the mending bring the mending
and the end. Let your love be the beginning and the end of all that I am.

Either way you read the poem (or perhaps in your own new way) I hope it blesses your heart.

In Christ,

The part of the Christmas Story You Never Hear

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Sun, 25 Dec 2016 22:18:00 -0600

There is a part of the Christmas story that doesn't fit into our nicely packaged Nativity scenes. A part of the story for which no songs are written. A part of the story that we skip over on our Christmas morning readings. A part we'd rather not think about...

Yet Scripture includes it, and prophets prophesied about it and it is, in fact, part of the story:

Matthew 20:16-18

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

“A voice is heard in Ramah,

weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,

because they are no more.”

We leave it out because it stands in stark contrast to the joy of the season. It makes us uncomfortable. There are no warm fuzzies attached to it. There are no theological statements that make the uncomfortable questions in our minds cease.

But maybe, just maybe, we do ourselves a disservice by leaving it out. Maybe the sweet, perfect picture we paint ends up excluding the harsh reality of the world that Jesus willingly chose to come into. And we could stop and say, "That's not fair. Why didn't the angel warn all the mothers? Did God only care for His own son?"

But we know there is more to the story and that there is a point when God does not spare His own Son and does let Him fully live out the depths of the evilness of this world. And we forget that Joseph and Mary did, in fact, need to flee. Immediately before this passage in Matthew 2:13-15 Joseph has to flee in the middle of the night with Mary and Jesus to Egypt. Jesus did not live in a magical bubble where no sadness, fear or pain never crossed His path. No, God came down in flesh, to live with us, Emmanuel, to share in our burdens, our trials and our pain so we could trust Him, so we could turn to Him in our deepest moments of need, so that we could know that He truly does care:

Hebrews 4:15-16

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

This part of the story shows that God is fully aware of the darkness this world contains. This part of the story, reminds us that the intersection between humanity & God's full redemption is still being worked out. This part of the story reminds us that Jesus walked in the real world, our world and that somehow in God's mystery that even in the darkest of nights, Emmanuel, is with us. It reminds us that there is a reason why Jesus came. Finally it reminds us that today, in our darkest night, God is with us, and that the last chapter is yet to be written.

In the midst of the Christmas story,

Innocence is lost.

Shining eyes - this world no longer sees.

A cry pierces the silent night,

"God don't you see?"

It echoes on and on...

A sweet baby rests on His mother's chest

as in the chill of the night he is whisked

away to safety.

Does He too know that there will be a day

when He says,

"God, why have you forsaken me?"

A cry pierces the silent night,

"God don't you see?"

It echoes on and on...

till it reaches

Calvary.

Here's a song that accompanies the sentiments of this post: https://youtu.be/YmZlYiMCvSc

A Very Present Help

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 18:51:00 -0600

During Daily Prayer this morning, I read Psalm 46. It seemed very timely for my life, the lives of the people whom I love and am praying for, and for our country during this intense season.

I find that when a scripture stands out to me that much, that it is helpful to actually take the time to write it down by hand. The reason being is it helps me to sit with the words, roll them over in my mind and embed them through prayer into my spirit. As I did this, I was continually surprised by the words and phrases that jumped out at me that I had missed by merely reading.

This particular psalm is filled with a back and forth volley between the reality of who God is and the current circumstances of the world.

He is our refuge and strength despite the fact that the world is in tumult around us.

The imagery of drowning in overwhelming waters is subdued by the image of the river of peace flowing into the city of God. He says, He will not be moved.

As I read it, I remembered recently taking my daughter's head into my hand as she wept about a problem that was overwhelming her. As I lifted her eyes to meet mine I said, "If you stare at the problem, it will not go away. But if you lift your eyes and look around you - at all the people who love you, are surrounding you and cheering you through this time - then the problem won't seem so overwhelming." These verses to me were like God asking me to lift my own eyes from the problems that surround me and place my eyes on Him, where He is sitting enthroned with full confidence and peace.

This psalm, however, recognizes our humanness and the scene is quickly ripped back again onto the shaking and quivering that surrounds the time period. It is answered by the quiet whisper - the Lord is with us, He is our stronghold. This is how he operates.

Just - be still and know that I am God.

_____________________________________________

If the circumstances and situations of your life right now are taking you on this roller coaster of emotions, I pray that your soul and spirit will find solace in Psalm 46. I encourage you to take time to hand-write this psalm down and see the places where He grasps your heart, mind and spirit.

In Christ,

The Conversation of Creation

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Mon, 7 Nov 2016 18:45:00 -0600

The wind rustling through the air.

The sun creeping to far away places.

The clouds drifting -
a constantly changing canvas.

The grasses swaying in the wind.

The birds joining in.

Sounds.

The conversation of creation surrounds us constantly
- from the large to the very small.

This is just the surface;
it barely scratches all that is there.

Yet,
we can't take it all in,
we can't hold it all -
the amazement,
the wonder
it slips through our hands

The conversation of love and sustenance

Surrounds.

You didn't need to say much more.

Actually anymore.

But
you chose to step in
to bring love beyond
what constantly surrounds

what we've grown so accustomed to

that we stopped

Listening.

You took on the simplicity,
the regularity of our humanity
and you added another element,

an element of

Love.

It started as a baby's cry piercing the night,

then the laughter of a little child,

to the deep breaths of a man
creating, building.

It moved to the cries,
the tears of loss.

The rejection
of acquaintances, friends, those closest to you.

You were whipped,
spat upon and through it all you choose to say,

"Father forgive them."

In the commonness of everyday man

you chose to come and share the story of the uncreated One

- The story of love-

every step of the way,

the crescendo of

Acceptance.

__________________________________________________________

Amazing Creator of both big and small,

thank you

for taking the time to show us your hands aren't too large

to hold our very small.

In Christ,

In light of terror

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 08:52:00 -0500

When I think about the evil and the world today and consider what terror is - I see it as evil that doesn't have a "face to name." While we do label the evil we see in the news today in numerous ways: ISIS, racism, guns, religious extremism, etc. there doesn't seem to be a specific name, a specific place or a person "to blame." While in the past, we were able to name and target evil, for instance saying "Hitler" we knew if we could take him down then the majority of the issues could eventually reach a resolution. But now, as we awake each morning, holding our breath to see if and where tragedy has hit and through whom, there does not seem to be a specific evil that we can unite together, attack and eliminate.

This has caused me to stop and reflect on God and His ways. Jesus described the Kingdom of Heaven as a mustard seed - it starts small yet it grows. Our world looks for and asks for leaders who dominate, take over, lead. But God approaches leadership in the opposite way - discreet, with time, allowing roots to grow deep, being established and then emerging in such a way that there is stability, strength and protection. In addition, He is well aware that His kingdom currently coexists with evil and for now He allows this. Understanding this should help us not to be overwhelmed, in despair or without hope.

Instead, we should recognize that we are set-up precisely in the way that God intended and that we are the carriers of His kingdom here on earth. While we can't pinpoint these atrocities to one face, what we do see through the news are individuals. Individuals who worked jobs, were married, went to school etc. People who rubbed shoulders with others on a daily basis. This world is full of individuals who need to not only hear about the truth of God's love but need to see it, feel it and receive it. The way this is done is through His individual children seeing, hearing and providing the reality of that love. This is the kingdom way.

My prayer is that we as the body of Christ, would not lose hope in the light of terror. That we would not be confused, overwhelmed or at a loss for what our role is today. That we would be faithful to our call to love and would open our eyes to see that the very individuals we interact with on a daily basis, whether through work, at home, in the grocery store etc, are the very human beings whose lives we touch and spread the seeds of His kingdom. May His Kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In Christ,

I mourn, with hope

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Fri, 8 Jul 2016 08:58:00 -0500

Today I mourn.

Yesterday I mourned.

I mourned for the history that has brought us to these days. I mourned for slavery, for lynching, for Rodney King to Philando Castile and everyone in between.

I mourn for the officers killed in Dallas last night.

I mourn for the African-American man who's heart beats faster today when he passes a police car in the street.

I mourn for the loved ones who send their officers to work today, unsure if tragedy and pain will meet them today.

I mourn that though we've come so far, there is a chasm threatening to grow that causes us to choose sides, to use the words "they" & "them" instead of "us."

As my husband and I discussed Philando last night, unaware that tragedy was co-occurring in Dallas, he adamantly asked, "What is the solution?"

"I don't know, I don't know, I don't know."

As I read the news of Dallas this morning and coupled it with the sorrow I was already feeling for Philandro, I wanted a way to express my sorrow, my anger, my frustration. I wanted the biblical sackcloth and ashes to rip and display that I indeed am mourning. So today I wear a black cloth on my arm, cut from clothing as a sign to simply show that I mourn.

As Johnny Cash expressed in his song, "Man in Black,"

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin’ in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he’s a victim of the times.

I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you’d think He’s talking straight to you and me.

The black is there as a reminder to me that things are not right, that I need to pray. It also serves as an opportunity to talk to others and say, "I am listening, I care, I hurt and I too want to see change."

After I wrote the first part, I also tore white and added it to my arm band. I added white to show that I mourn with hope and belief. I know that we are capable of change, I know that we are capable to love better. I know that the people who mourn today, need to be ministered to, need to be loved, need to make a choice with where their hearts will land - if they will choose to forgive or not. The cycle needs to be broken.

Isaiah 61:1-3 is needed today:

The Lord God has put his Spirit in me,
    because the Lord has appointed me to tell the good news to the poor.
    He has sent me to comfort those whose hearts are broken,
to tell the captives they are free,
    and to tell the prisoners they are released.
²He has sent me to announce the time when the Lord will show his kindness
    and the time when our God will punish evil people.
He has sent me to comfort all those who are sad
³and to help the sorrowing people of Jerusalem.
I will give them a crown to replace their ashes,
    and the oil of gladness to replace their sorrow,
    and clothes of praise to replace their spirit of sadness.

In Christ,

Why is it important we know we are loved?

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Thu, 7 Jul 2016 15:01:00 -0500

As an extension to my last post, If I had a magic wand and could impart any spiritual gift, what would it be?, I want to share why it is so important to know we are loved. I believe it is important to know we are loved so we can be effective in bringing His Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. I have seen (and experienced) as a Christian many days, weeks, hours, months, years, decades trying to get "right with God." At times, there has been an overwhelming fear that salvation would soon be lost if and when I made the "wrong decision," had the wrong theology on a specific mater, etc. Instead of resting comfortably on His lap with child-like faith and asking, "What's on your heart, Lord?" I was walking around feeling guilty, ashamed and wondering what I had to do to make "penance" for my latest sin. While I know we may now scoff at the religious tradition of buying penance for sins, I can see why people would do it and I believe that for some this physical act would relieve the guilt. I guess what I'm saying is that even today people walk around feeling guilt-ridden and having no seemingly way to get rid of the guilt. But I really believe that this obsession with guilt is a misunderstanding of Jesus and His and the Father's heart towards us.

Colossians 2:11-14 (NCV)

It was through Christ’s circumcision, that is, his death, that you were made free from the power of your sinful self. ¹²When you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and you were raised up with him through your faith in God’s power that was shown when he raised Christ from the dead. ¹³When you were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self, God made you alive with Christ, and he forgave all our sins. ¹⁴He canceled the debt, which listed all the rules we failed to follow. He took away that record with its rules and nailed it to the cross.

Do you see what the cross did for us? It forgave ALL our sins, it canceled the debt - it has been nailed to the cross, left behind. But perhaps we metaphorically run back to the cross, tear that piece of paper off and hold it before God saying, "But what about this one?" However, it doesn't say that the record was resurrected with Jesus. Perhaps the nails on His hands should serve as our reminder that the record was left behind so we can move on.

Hebrews 1 & 2 work through these struggles with us. We see that the Israelite people were never able to enter God's rest and we are warned that we too do not want to be caught missing out on His rest. While that passage has made me uncomfortable, as I've struggled with it, I've come to realize that they never wanted to accept God's grace, which is why they were unable to enter His rest. And as I've seen in my own life and the lives of others, when we are trying to live for the law, from the law and/or in light of the law, we continue to miss out on the promised rest.

Hebrews 2:14-17 (NCV)

¹⁴Since these children are people with physical bodies, Jesus himself became like them. He did this so that, by dying, he could destroy the one who has the power of death—the devil— ¹⁵and free those who were like slaves all their lives because of their fear of death. ¹⁶Clearly, it is not angels that Jesus helps, but the people who are from Abraham.^[b] ¹⁷For this reason Jesus had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every way so he could be their merciful and faithful high priest in service to God. Then Jesus could die in their place to take away their sins. ¹⁸And now he can help those who are tempted, because he himself suffered and was tempted.

Understanding that we can confidently come before God's throne of grace in our times of weakness is key, key, key. So this is just the background information that lays the groundwork for the question, "So what then?"

His Kingdom come, His will be done

(If you really want to work through these concepts with an expert check out Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright)

I was struck the other day by Jesus words considering the kingdom:

Luke 17:20-21

Some of the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the kingdom of God come?”

Jesus answered, “God’s kingdom is coming, but not in a way that you will be able to see with your eyes. ²¹People will not say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ because God’s kingdom is within you.”

We are the carriers of His kingdom! Our world and our churches ask, seek and looking and searching for God's kingdom daily and I think they main reason they are missing seeing it is because they are looking in the wrong places.

Deuteronomy 30:11-14

¹¹This command I give you today is not too hard for you; it is not beyond what you can do. ¹²It is not up in heaven. You do not have to ask, “Who will go up to heaven and get it for us so we can obey it and keep it?” ¹³It is not on the other side of the sea. You do not have to ask, “Who will go across the sea and get it? Who will tell it to us so we can keep it?” ¹⁴No, the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

NT Wright says in his book, Surprised by Hope:

The method of the kingdom will match the message of the kingdom. The kingdom will comes as the church, energized by the Spirit, goes out into the world vulnerable, suffering, praising, praying, misunderstood, misjudged, vindicated, celebrating: always - as Paul puts it in one of his letters - bearing in the body the dying of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed.

We need to be captured by God's heart and understand His heart if we want to be reflections of it in the world today:

Psalm 146: 6-9

Who gives justice to those that suffer wrong

and bread to those who hunger.

The Lord looses those that are bound;

the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;

The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;

the Lord loves the righteous;

The Lord watches over the stranger in the land;

he upholds the orphan and widow;

but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.

These are the values we are called to carry. This is the heart we have the honor and privilege to represent. His Kingdom is here today, it is within you and you can easily spread and extend it by simple acts of love to anyone who walks in your path today - whether family, friend or foe. Be confident in His love, beloved.

In Christ,

If I had a magic wand and I could impart any spiritual gift, what would it be?

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 19:28:00 -0500

If I had a magic wand and I could impart any spiritual gift, what would it be?

It would be that that people would know that they are loved by God.

Perhaps this seems silly, or obvious, or a no-brainier. So perhaps I should 'expound' on what I mean by this knowing that they are loved to help it make sense:

It would be that that people would know that they are loved by God: not because of anything they have done or can do or will do...

That just made it a tad bit harder to swallow, didn't it? Here's my last expansion on those thoughts:

It would be that that people would know that they are loved by God: not because of anything they have done or can do or will do... and that this is true despite what they have done, are doing or will do.

This last part, my friends, seems to be one of the biggest hurdles for Christians to cross. And why? Because, more often than naught, we put our paramount focus on our sin (and the sins of others). But what would happen if we put our focus on the LOVE of God? How would we then live? Would anything change?

I have hundreds of verses running through my head that I want to share to "prove" that this fact is true to you - He loves you with an everlasting love. But what I've learned is that our intellect is only one of the many pieces to this puzzle. When I get lost, confused, disillusioned with this fact of love one simple starting point is to go back to seeing Jesus and hearing His Father's heart:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

His motivation? LOVE.
His gift to you? Eternal life: it starts here, today; it is now.

Do you feel you are experiencing life?
Do you feel you have peace?

Peace with God?
Peace with others?
Peace within yourself?

If you answered no to one or more of these questions, I would encourage you to go back to the top: do you believe that God loves you? If you can, allow Him to see you as you truly are the "good," the "bad," and the "ugly."

I'm not saying it will be easy. I'm not saying it will be magical but what I am saying is that it is worth it. It is worth allowing yourself to be washed with the truth that God loves you and this was proven through Jesus. He, Jesus, truly is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is the Prince of Peace.

Today, may you know you are loved as a child of God.

In Christ,

Blessing: That which I cannot change

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Tue, 10 May 2016 17:41:00 -0500

The last couple of days during Daily Prayer I've been covering the story of Balaam being hired to curse the Israelites (Numbers 22 - Numbers 23). This story is fascinating to me on many different levels but one strain has captured my attention for the last few days. The strain being the fact that God wanted to bless Israel because they were His and He would not allow them to be cursed.

Based upon the descriptions from the text, the setting has the Israelites spread out on a plain and it sounds like the Moabites are able to view them from above. From this vantage point, Balaam is paid to curse them, but God doesn't allow it. He turns the plans to curse into blessings. Meanwhile, the Israelites have no idea that this is happening and yet God is putting them in the palm of His hand and He is protecting them.

While they meander below in the dailyness of life, God is making sure that blessings and not curses are spoken over them. Here are a few verses that stand out to me:

Numbers 22:8

How can I curse
those whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce
those whom the Lord has not denounced?

Numbers 22:19-20

¹⁹God is not human, that he should lie,
    not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
    Does he promise and not fulfill?
²⁰I have received a command to bless;
    he has blessed, and I cannot change it.

This story has inspired me in my own personal prayer life. Often times my prayers can focus on people's sin and me "helping God" figure out what He needs to do to help those people turn to the right way. However, through the years, God has gently pulled me from this perspective and has continued to lovingly invite me to a new method of praying for others. For me, these passages point towards an invitation towards a renewed perspective.

The call on Abraham's life was that he would be a blessing to the nations. As Christians, we've been invited to extend that call to the nations by being the hands, the feet and the spirit of Christ to this world. Like Balaam, I think that we've been invited to pray blessings over His people's lives, without them even needing to know that it is happening:

I have received a command to bless;
he has blessed, and I cannot change it.

Oftentimes the reality of God's call for our lives seems lofty, ethereal and unrealistic for our daily life. But I think that may be because we make things harder than they need to be. We have been called to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves. And who are our neighbors? Whomever, God has put into your sphere of influence. From that simple place of reality ask the Lord to teach you how to pray blessings over your neighbors, whomever they may be.

In Christ,

Grace Has Called My Name

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 07:06:00 -0500

Walking through the door into a gray day that was years ago. A day that can well up tears in the same fresh way; yet it remains miles away. The person that I am today different in so many ways. Fresh sorrows and pains of life, mixed in with new joys, grace, love, understandings and hopes.

Love you always

Nevaeh Rae Wallace.

In Christ,

Breathe Deep

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Fri, 15 Apr 2016 17:44:00 -0500

With the arrival of sunshine and spring there is a smell of newness in the air. For me, there is nothing like tipping my head back in the warm sunshine and just taking in a deep breath. A breath of life, a breath of hope, a breath of healing.

A discontentment sometimes settles into my soul because life isn't always peaceful, it isn't always joyful and I am not always living the way my mind wishes that I would live. But in the discontentment I often get the gentle reminder that He is here with us, in the mess, in the darkness and in the yuckiness. He isn't wishing it all away and He isn't discontent.

Life is life and He knows it.

I heard a sermon recently and one line popped out in my mind and I can't let it go, "HE WANTED TO BE WITH THEM." He Jesus, wanted to be with His disciples. And do you know what his final earthly lines were: "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20)." He didn't just want to be with them, He wants to be with us -

He IS with us.

Today may you tip your head back and absorb this truth - He is with you Always. It's an invitation into newness, into grace, into strength for today.

In Christ,

When the light goes out

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 12:51:00 -0500

On Friday, I attended my church's Good Friday service. It was a very simple service and I didn't anticipate that there would be anything special about it. In all honesty, I showed up to go through the motions.

The service was basically just reading through the events of Friday, straight from Scripture and then finishing up with our lectionary prayers, which were to be led by me.

I decided to close my eyes as the Scriptures were being read, in play form. Different individuals from the congregation took on roles and read from their seats when their character was speaking. As they read, pictures were forming vividly in my mind: Jesus bloody, mocked, bruised. Simultaneously, as I heard the words about Jesus hanging between the two prisoners being mocked and accused of things that weren't true, I thought about my friend's daughter who that very week had been mocked, harassed and demeaned by a bully at school. I was caught up in the realization that Jesus not only loved the mockers in that moment, but He also hung there to experience the rejection that His children would continue to experience even today.

Hebrews 4:15:

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

As the service went on, I happened to open my eyes and saw my pastor walking across the front of the sanctuary. He went and stood before the candle that represents the presence of Jesus and when, "'It is finished.' Then he bowed his head and gave up His spirit," our pastor blew the candle out. The presence of Jesus was metaphorically extinguished.

I was profoundly struck at that moment and the weight of what it meant laid heavy on me. In that moment, everyone's hopes and dreams that Jesus truly was the Messiah went out. The people then didn't have the answer, they didn't have the next page in the book. All they had was darkness, hopelessness and despair. They did not have the hope of the resurrection and the God they thought they knew was no longer.

As the darkness of that moment crept over me, it made me realize that there are some today who still feel that darkness and despair. They've had the candle blown out. Situations and circumstances of life have brought that darkness, heaviness and confusion of the unknown. The God they thought they knew did not show up in the way they expected him to show up. Personally, I've stood in front of a grave and have felt the tears of that darkness, hopelessness and despair.

The Scriptures continued until Jesus was laid in the tomb and after that point, I was to lead prayer. In faltering words, I prayed forth the words I've said many times before but they were being shaped and carried in a new way.

One: A recognition that without the resurrection the words that I was praying were meaningless. I have no hope of any of my prayers being answered or heard apart from the reality that Jesus is alive. All my faith truly does rest on that reality.

Two: Those that I was praying for: the hungry and the homeless, the destitute and the oppressed, the sick the wounded, the lonely were most likely experiencing that darkness. Many of those words were attached to real people, real faces, real situations. I knew and know that they've and are experiencing the darkness of that moment and they need the reality of the resurrected Jesus in their lives. But sometimes, yes, there is a waiting, like we were being asked to wait between Good Friday and Easter morning Sunday.

Three: For the sorrowful and bereaved. Again, my mind went to the scene when my niece was no longer there. My heart and prayers went up for the loved ones I know that experienced similar loses and whose hearts are as heavy as the darkness felt on that day.

As we left the sanctuary, one of our members who was going to miss church on Sunday, was quietly walking up to people and whispering, "Happy Easter." I thought it was a perfect ending to the service. In the midst of the darkness, the despair, the turmoil the secret was being eked out, "Happy Easter." While our Easter moments may not always be two days away, our Redeemer does indeed live. For me, I recognized in a new and profound way that all of our hopes and fears are truly dependent upon that single moment, Easter.

Perhaps due to the circumstances in your life, Easter morning was not able to be a joyous moment. If so, may I quietly whisper to your heart, "Happy Easter?" If yes, may you know He is able to hold you in the darkness because He has entered there, too yet overcame. In that fact, you can rest your heart.

In Christ,

St. Patrick's Day Prayer

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 09:46:00 -0500

Prayer is a profound mystery that envelops deep truth alongside the simplicity of child-like faith. Last St.Patrick's Day I came across a prayer by Saint Patrick. It quickly became one of my favorite prayers, because it is filled with so much Scriptural truth. It is a prayer that provides a framework for how I live my life. But before we get to it, I just wanted to share two quotes by Eugene Peterson from Tell it Slant on the topic of prayer:

Prayer accomplishes with us, within our spirits, deep within our souls, what is later lived out in the circumstances and conditions of our obedience. A stiff upper lip won't do it. A fierce resolve won't do it. An exemplary life won't do it.

Prayer goes beneath the surface and penetrates the heart of the matter... When we pray we willingly participate in what God is doing, without knowing precisely what God is doing, how God is doing it, or when we will know what is going on - if ever (pg.237)

May this prayer by Saint Patrick lead you and guide you as you journey on in Christ:

As I arise today,

may the strength of God pilot me,

the power of God uphold me,

the wisdom of God guide me.

May the eye of God look before me,

the ear of God hear me,

the word of God speak for me.

May the hand of God protect me,

the way of God lie before me,

the shield of God defend me,

the host of God save me.

May Christ shield me today.

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,

Christ when I stand,

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

Amen

In Christ,

Confessions from a Mother of a Strong-Willed Child

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Tue, 1 Mar 2016 17:45:00 -0600

I am a mother of a strong-willed child. This I have always known but I haven't always known how to handle it.

Oh, we've tried through the years with wavering success. But as the years go by, the strength only seems to grow and increase, not diminish.

As a mother of a strong-willed child I often feel FEAR.

Fear that the strength of her will, may eventually lead her down paths of destruction - that will break her and prevent her from fulfilling her dreams.

Fear that somehow my inability to communicate with her will one day make her despise me.

Fear that if I ever did successfully "break her will" and make it easily bend to mine, I would break one of the most beautiful things that make her who she is as a person.

I knew that her tenacity was a gift, is a gift. But when I saw her tenacity robbing her, for seemingly insignificant causes, I was desperate to find answers. I also often found myself becoming someone I didn't want to be - so easily and too quickly. It didn't matter how long I prayed in the morning, nor how determined I was to be calm, patient and peaceful. In a blink of an eye, we would spiral together head-first into the battle of wills over what seemed like "nothing" to me. At the end, I would be left exhausted and feeling even more defeated, even if I did "win."

Yesterday, I read the "Tower of Babel" where the Lord had caused confusion to languages to cause separation among the people. This is how I felt, day in and day out. That my daughter and I were speaking different languages and it was causing separation.

I needed an interpreter.

God always amazes me, how he drops in answers to years of prayer, in small, insignificant ways. So small you almost miss it, yet a gift so powerful, that after you open it, you might never be the same.

An email came across from a co-worker, "Oh, if you have a strong-willed child try Cynthia Tobias."

Okay, I'll write myself a note to look into it.

An incident. Exhaustion.

Okay, I'll order the book from the library.

Another incident. Despair.

Okay, I'll pick the book up from the library and read it.

Then, hope came flooding in through the doors. In a beautiful, life-giving way, my hope is being renewed through the book, YOU CAN'T MAKE ME" (but I can be persuaded).

In my initial reading of the book, I feel like I am being taught another language. I also feel that I am being understood. I am seeing that I am not alone in this challenge. And I am having the truths, that I've known and believed being fulfilled, while at the same time having my fears calmed.

She says that if you have a strong-willed child, you've probably known it since before they were 18 months old. Um, yes! No one would believe me back then. As we arrived places with her dressed in outrageous, mismatched outfits people would ask why I would let a child that young dress herself. Why? Because it wasn't worth the fight.

In grace, Cynthia tells stories of the very fears that I daily carry in my mind: that my daughter did have the potential of giving up dreams, for the sake of digging in her heels for an unworthy cause. She also asked, "What cost are you willing to pay to have 'pure obedience?'"(Her heart?) Finally, she pointed out that I could very well lose my daughter's heart.

But the weight of those words were couched in the buoyancy of the opposite truth: that it didn't have to be that way. Yes, as I knew, God had created my daughter with a huge heart, that can change the world. And that we need people with strong wills that are not willing to back down, no matter, what the cost. She also showed me, as I knew, that all my daughter wants in the end, is my love. So taking time to learn to speak to her in her language will pay off in the end.

Most of the time I am not trying to annoy you. I just want you

to appreciate my uniqueness. I want you to see me

and love me no matter what.

(I forgot to write down the page #)

So yes, yes I am taking it to heart. I am filling my phone with "reminder notes" on how to speak her language. Because I know how we spiral. But I also can see how, simply using different approaches, can stop the spiraling.

So that is my confession: I have failed multiple times with my daughter and I know I will continue to fail. But I also see that there is a better way. However, I hope to change our spiraling into dancing; to watch my daughter glow in the joy of her gifts and strengths, as she takes on the world with her unbreakable spirit.

Maybe I am not alone, so that is why I share. If you too are a parent of a strong-willed child, take the time to read, to learn and to understand their language. Perhaps, Cynthia Tobias can renew hope for you, as well.

In Christ,

P.S. This is a recommendation, purely from my heart. I was not paid nor given this book for this review.

Juxtaposition

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Tue, 9 Feb 2016 07:14:00 -0600

This morning during Daily Prayer, I was left contemplating, with awe Psalm 36:

Sin whispers to the wicked, in the depths of their heart; •

there is no fear of God before their eyes.

2 They flatter themselves in their own eyes •

that their abominable sin will not be found out.

3 The words of their mouth are unrighteous and full of deceit; •

they have ceased to act wisely and to do good.

4 They think out mischief upon their beds

and have set themselves in no good way; •

nor do they abhor that which is evil. R

5 Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens •

and your faithfulness to the clouds.

6 Your righteousness stands like the strong mountains,

your justice like the great deep; •

you, Lord, shall save both man and beast.

7 How precious is your loving mercy, O God! •

All mortal flesh shall take refuge

under the shadow of your wings.

8 They shall be satisfied with the abundance of your house; •

they shall drink from the river of your delights.

9 For with you is the well of life •

and in your light shall we see light. R

10 O continue your loving-kindness to those who know you •

and your righteousness to those who are true of heart.

11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, •

nor the hand of the ungodly thrust me away.

12 There are they fallen, all who work wickedness. •

They are cast down and shall not be able to stand.

(http://www.churchofengland.org/)

I was struck by the visual scene that so easily gets painted in my mind as I read about the faithfulness of our Lord. I would encourage you to stop this morning and re-read those words several time. Allowing the truth and beauty to wash over you and paint a picture of God's majesty in your mind.

Why? Because we need it. Even as Psalm 36 denotes, sin exists and is a reality in our lives. As Daily Prayer went on today, it recounted Joseph being thrown into the pit by his brothers (Genesis 37) and Paul talking to the church about his ministry to Gentiles (Galatians 2). Even while Paul spoke, there were those who tried to get him in trouble for the freedom he found in Christ. But even as we read these stories, we, as readers, know the ends of the stories:

Jacob staring at the bloody clothes, refusing to be comforted and declaring that he will go to the grave still mourning. This is juxtaposed to him standing face-to-face with his son, on Egyptian soil, and having the years of pain, heaviness and sorrow stripped away in just a moment.

Or we, who are Gentiles: living, breathing, and operating daily in the grace of God. Why? "We did not submit to them even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel may remain with you (Galatians 2)."

Sin is a reality, but do not allow its reality to cloud your vision. Look again upon the faithfulness, the justice, the strength, the mercy of our living God. And know, know that even in the midst of sin, He is orchestrating redemption and beauty for not only you, but generations to come.

In Christ,

Learning to Live: Present

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 12:27:00 -0600

A lesson for my life for several years has been - learning to live: present. Personally, it seems so easy to vacillate between the past and the future, but to stay firmly in the present, that is hard. Our culture easily embeds us in this swinging pendulum: Facebook asks us to continually share what just happened in the past (and often to highlight only the good of those moments). Our smartphones alert us to what is to come. We have calendars full of events a year in the future. We can set reminders that alert us to what will happen in 1 hour, 10 minutes, 5 minutes and more. Even with all these reminders, I often find myself walking around with the feeling that I am forgetting something, something important.

But I often find that I haven't forgotten anything, except, perhaps to enjoy the present moment. Perhaps, enjoying the present moment is an element of childlike faith? Why? Because it is something I see my children do all the time. They do not worry about the past nor the future. They play, they laugh, they enjoy, they get annoyed, they shake it off and play and laugh again.

Because being present is no longer natural for me, I've had to become intentional about pursuing it. Here are some things that have helped me over the years to realign myself to the present:

Understanding more about God: Through the years, I've had to learn to let go of the neurotic feeling that God was standing somewhere beyond me, tapping His foot waiting for me to get there, so that when (if) I arrived we could move forward together. For many years, the voices that surrounded me, held out a carrot saying that tomorrow was better with God. Tomorrow I would be holier, tomorrow I would be more peaceful, tomorrow there would be more joy. Well, I suppose, I am more peaceful, holier and joyful than I used to be but it didn't happen by continually chasing tomorrow. It happened when I woke up to the fact that He is with me TODAY, no matter where TODAY places me. It happened when I realized that He is in charge of His Kingdom (not I) and that He has invited me to be a collaborator with Him in the Kingdom.
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
⁶For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.
Henri Nouwen, "Wherever I am, at home, in a hotel, in a train, plane, airport, I would not feel irritated, restless, and desirous of being somewhere else or doing something else. I would know that here and now is what counts and is important because it is God himself who wants me in this time and place. (Monk Habits for Everyday Life by Dennis Okholm from chapter 8: Staying Put to Get Somewhere)"
C.S. Lewis: The humans live in time but our Enemy destines them for eternity. He therefore wants them to attend chiefly to two things - to eternity itself and to that point of time which they call the present. For the present is the point at which time touches eternity. Our business, as demons is to get them away from the eternal and the present.

It's far better to make them live in the future, all their passions point in that direction. The thought about the future inflames hope and fear. It is also unknown to them so that making them think about it will make them think of unrealities. In a word, the future is of all things the least like eternity. It is the most completely temporal part of time - for the past is froze and no longer flows and the present is all lit up with eternal rays. Hence nearly all vices are rooted in the future. Gratitude looks to the past, love to the present, fear, avarice, lust and ambition look ahead. (Screwtape Letters Letter 15)

Years ago I heard a sermon by Erwin McManus where he said something to the effect of, "If you need a vacation to enjoy your life, then you need a new life." This really struck me at the time, because I felt like I was in survival mode and that vacations, those one week, once a year things, was what I was surviving to live to make it to. In those obscure places, existed the ability to live in joy and freedom. His words awakened me to the fact that this wasn't what I needed to live for because God had indeed offered me life for today, in fact it was sufficient for every day.

So years later, I think it is working:

Common, everyday life is holy.
I find myself wondering where my phone is and realizing that I haven't touched it in over 3 hours. I find myself holding my kids, smelling their hair, looking at them in the eyes, laughing genuinely with them.

Living present, enjoying the gift of today.
I find myself finding joy in the small, monotonous everyday tasks of folding laundry, vacuuming, sweeping; not wishing those tasks away or seeing them as an inconvenience. I find myself enjoying work, recognizing that it is a holy task that allows me to partner with God in everyday life.

Because, this IS the day that the Lord has made.
I also find myself giving myself grace to be human: to be crabby, impatient, frustrated, grumpy - inviting God to lead me through the dark places that still exist within me.

So let us rejoice and be glad in it.

In Christ,

Advent: HOPE

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Thu, 3 Dec 2015 17:52:00 -0600

This week's Advent theme is HOPE.

In light of this week's tragic news events the lessons I've been learning this week on this topic sit very relevant in my heart, mind and soul.

What does hope mean, in a world of darkness?

What is the purpose of the body of Christ in this age?

Should fear, rule and reign over our hearts?

My reflections on those questions are being answered for me by these thoughts:

There is nothing new under the sun.
Christian Hope is not wishful thinking.
Christ's Kingdom is not of this world.
We are representatives of His Kingdom here on earth.

There is nothing new under the Sun

I've been reading, Seeking God, by Esther de Waal this week. She was discussing how the Rule of St. Benedict was established during the age of the barbarians. Barbarians from the north were raiding and destroying the known civilized world. As I reflected on it, I recognized that terrorism is nothing new to the human story. But neither is the seeking of God, by His people.

Christian Hope is Not Wishful Thinking

Our Lectionary readings at church this week covered the idea of Christ's Coming the second time:

Luke 21:25-36

²⁵“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. ²⁶People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. ²⁷At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

My pastor reminded us that in the midst of the chaos of this world, we can lift up our heads in hope and confidence, because we do know the ending of this story. REDEMPTION is what God is up to in this world.

Christ's Kingdom is NOT of this world

This week, too, I reflected upon Christ before Pilate, answering the question - are you the King of the Jews?

Jesus' response, was that His Kingdom was not of this world. Jesus was very much in the world and His life was definitely affected by the world, however, He was keenly aware that His story was not written by the world.

We are representatives of His Kingdom here on earth

All these truths brought me back to the question, then what is our place in this world? Do we need to be given to fear? Because if you spend five minutes watching the news that is where you can easily be led.

Personally, this Advent season is leading me to a new reflection: of Christ returning as King. I've never experienced Christmas reflecting on this, I've only reflected on it through the eyes of the first Christmas. However, there is a sweetness to this season, reflecting on the fact that He will return again as King.

In light of all of this:

Because there is nothing new under the sun, I am aware that terror exists in our world, but I also am aware that Christ is fully confident in the role of His Bride, the Church. We have been invited to place our Hope (confidence) in Him and what He is up to in our lives. We've also been invited to fully live in this world and have our lives fully affected by this world, but to also be confident that we are part of another Kingdom. Finally, we've been invited to walk out His Kingdom, here on earth, in the midst of darkness. To be the LIGHT in a dark world.

May we LOVE our enemies.

May we pray for those who PERSECUTE us and others.

May we LOVE our families and our children.

May we SERVE our neighbors.

Lastly, I feel this Psalm provides a fitting direction to direct our hearts, souls and minds in this season:

Psalm 24

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
²for he founded it on the seas
and established it on the waters.

³Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place?
⁴The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
    who does not trust in an idol
    or swear by a false god.^[a]

⁵They will receive blessing from the Lord
and vindication from God their Savior.
⁶Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, God of Jacob.^[b]^[c]

7 Lift up your heads, you gates;
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,
    the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
    The Lord Almighty—
    he is the King of glory.



May we lift up our heads, our King is coming.  May His GLORY be reflected in our lives, even today.



Advent: Hope 



In Christ, 

Embracing the Father

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 20:38:00 -0600

My children are coming to the age where they are realizing that they have power: power to debate, to move others and to stand their ground. Often times, the fertile soil for testing these powers is in their relationship with one another. So today after the third stand-off, I believe over who was to start the dishwasher or something of that do or die sort, I decided it was time we had a little talk. A talk about what it means to lead - as Jesus leads.

The idea of leadership has been an area of thought for me lately, because I've been blessed with both a boss and a pastor that each lead with grace. I've been amazed at what a difference it makes in my ability to be creative, excited, free and energized in what I do. Being under life-giving leadership has really caused me to step back and reevaluate what it means to lead. Because, if you know me well, I like to lead. Leading by clearing the path and bringing people through, even if I have to drag them through. But learning to lead, by grace, first, with patience, hope and belief in those that follow, that is a new one for me; in fact it is a challenge.

So back to our little talk this morning, it led us to Mark 9:33-37 in The Message. The beauty embedded in these verses caught me by surprise:

They came to Capernaum.

When he was safe at home, he asked them,

“What were you discussing on the road?”

This totally made me smile, especially since I was talking to my kids. Of course He knew what they were talking about.

³⁴The silence was deafening

(Um, yeah, they knew they had been caught.)

—they had been arguing with one another over who among them was greatest.

³⁵He sat down and summoned the Twelve.

(Do you see the grace in His approach...)

“So you want first place?

Then take the last place.

Be the servant of all.”

^36-37He put a child in the middle of the room.

Then, cradling the little one in his arms (...and the tenderness?),

he said,

“Whoever embraces one of these children

as I do embraces me,

and far more than me—God who sent me.”

Here's the thing. My kids are black and white, solid, logical thinkers. Why in the world would they want to be a servant to their sibling? (These words finding echoing friends in the chambers of my own thoughts). But the images Jesus creates - they take us out of our paradigm and He changes the whole conversation. I saw things in a whole new way during this discussion:

Jesus wants us to view the others with the same gentleness, tenderness and care that we would a baby. This means they are precious to Him and should be precious to us. And then, then He takes it one step further, this act of tenderness and compassion becomes a place of blessing for us. By embracing (holding tenderly in our arms with care and compassion) we are embracing Jesus and not only Him, but God as well.

Personally, I had never seen these verses this way before. Be a servant. Suck it up. Do the right thing because you have to! That's what I always saw before.

But this, this has shaken me, awakened me, excited me. Perhaps it will do the same for you.

In Christ,

Jaime

Yet.

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 18:16:00 -0500

Echoing

footsteps

cascading off of marble walls.

Emptiness

incased in beauty.

Structures of success,

yet

left empty inside.

Success

today is measured

by what we create

achieve.

But what do we do when

we've reached the epitome of success

and look around to see that we are standing there

alone?

Those are the modern day images I think of when I reflect on 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.

Often times, I feel that we are taught to measure our lives based solely upon our successes, yet rarely are we taught to love, challenged to love. It is easier, much easier to achieve than to turn the other cheek and to love.

Yet the way we see God explain how He weaves Himself into our lives is in the dailyness of it all.

Love it is patient. fails.

Love it is kind. it never

It does not envy. Love

It does not boast. It is not proud. It always perseveres.

It is not self-seeking. It always hopes.

It keeps no record of wrong. It always trusts.

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders fail.

My heart aches when I see brokenness. Broken lives. Broken marriages. This wasn't the design. This wasn't the intention. It wasn't how we were built to be. I pray that my heart never becomes callous to the pain I feel when I encounter this brokenness.

Yet.

Yet, I see, know and understand that He hasn't abandoned us. Nor has He ignored us.

May we understand that the little decisions we make everyday. The choices to love and forgive. To choose to trust, to choose to hope, to choose to persevere - those are the things that truly matter. Those are the foundational truths upon which our homes are built.

Let us learn how to incorporate Christ into our daily lives, our daily decisions, our daily choices. This is where He belongs.

In Christ,

ReImagining Church

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 18:43:00 -0500

I am a Christian mutt.

What do I mean by this?

After being in the church for 29 years, I've had the opportunity to delve my feet into many versions of "church." I've gone to Bible-believing churches, Evangelical Free churches, I've had my doses of charismatic church, I've been in non-denominational church and

I have been immersed in liturgy.

I find the life and beauty of Christ in all these forms of worship.

If you've been around this thing long enough, I'm sure you've encountered the We vs Them conversations. I know I've heard it and I know I've proclaimed it: Why we are right by our version of worship and why they are wrong. When we entered our current church, my pastor counseled us with the wisest information I have ever heard about "denominations":

We are on a spiritual journey. Simply find the place that helps you to transform spiritually.

After being in the church for years, I had never heard that one, but it was freeing, especially being a mutt, such as me. I loved all the places I had been. I would never change a spot in my journey, but at that point in my journey, I also needed the freedom to find something different than I had experienced before to heal the wounds of my heart. I no longer wanted to enter into the us vs them church battle anymore. I wanted to be free to engage in my spiritual worship without feeling like I was saying my way was better than where I had come from or how my friends and family were worshipping.

So I love The Church. I've been hurt by The Church. I've hurt others by being in The Church. I've recognized that The Church is a beautiful, mystery that is larger than my imagination and it is needed. So as a lay person, I would like to share some things I've learned about The Church. This isn't meant to be a comprehensive, theological, finger-pointing or convicting post. It is simply to be a reminder of some of the beautiful purposes of The Church, as the body of Christ.

So here's what I've learned along the way:

Church is not meant to be a spectator sport: Church is not simply a Sunday morning checking in and out of the "Christianity work card." Whether you attend a Sunday service or not, if you profess Christ you are part of His body and you are needed.
We is needed, not just you: As Paul describes, the Church is made up of a body. A body has to interact with one another. We are meant to encourage and uplift each other in this journey. While of course there is an element to your spiritual journey that is between you and God there is also an element that connects us all together.
There is power in The Church: That power has been seen throughout the ages in both good and bad ways. Let our generation be known for the good ways.

Matthew 16:18-19 And I tell you that you are Peter,and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. ¹⁹I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will bebound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

This is the mode that Christ has chosen to operate and move on this earth. He hasn't given up on The Church, have you?

The Church is a family:

Raising children helps me appreciate this truth so much more. My kids are night and day different from each other in personality. It means conflict arises. It means conflict needs to be worked through and they need to learn how to love each other through their differences. When my kids are in conflict I always point them to LOVE first, RELATIONSHIP second, the issue at hand last. This flips the situation upside down and instead of trying to fix the situation, they are learning to love first and why do they love because relationship is of upmost importance. If you are part of the church, you will get hurt and you will hurt. Why? Because the church is made up of human beings.
As a family, we are also meant to be the family that sometimes this broken world incompletely provides:

Mark 10: 29-30 No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.

Along my journey, I have met many people whose biological family lives are broken in so many ways. However, our hearts were designed to receive proper love from our fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers. When this doesn't happen biologically, the church is designed to do it. If there is one take away from this entire post, this would be the one I would want everyone to get. It is a sacred privilege to be a part of the family of God: to be the loving arms, the shoulder to cry on, the hands to heal, the ears to listen. To be the family, the place of refuge for the brokenhearted, the orphans, the widows in their distress. This is our beautiful privilege.

The Church is meant to be a BLESSING:

Do you remember God's promise to Abraham? That all people would be blessed because of him? The church is the current lived out moving, breathing action of this. As this truth struck me, I've had to stop and consciously think about this. As I go out to the stores I get to be a blessing to the checkout person, to the restaurant server... I also get to be a blessing to my family as well. So often my eyes and time are me-focused, first. Recognizing that part of my role in bringing His Kingdom come, His Will be done is simply to bless others changes my tune and perspective in life.

So my prayer for this post is that it sparks your reImagination for the Church. It is so much more than I've listed here but I think there is value in stepping back and reevaluating our perspective on it. Some things you may know, some thoughts may be new and there may be other things that I didn't even touch on. But I'd encourage you to revitalize your heart, love and understanding for The Church.

In Christ,

Finding Rhythm in the Chaos

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Tue, 6 Oct 2015 17:01:00 -0500

I've been a Christ-follower for 29 years now (Yikes! I must be getting old.). About 6 years ago, my husband and I were in a de-churched phase (a Todd Hunter term) of our Christian journey. This just means, we were burned out on "church," busy asking what is the purpose of church, what is the point of church, is there a point to it, etc. In the midst of that season, through quite a beautiful and divine story, we discovered Todd Hunter. In the discovery, we both allowed his ministry to pastor our hearts. Through a slow melting of our hearts, we decided to indeed give Church a Second Chance and found a local body to plug into again. But even though we've connected with a local body, we still allow Todd Hunter to pastor our hearts on a weekly basis.

So this week, he gave another incredible sermon:

Discipleship 2015 (9/27/2015)

It was in celebration of their church body being 6 years old. I realized that even though I had never met these people or Todd, my heart was there and it was in celebration with them. So anyway, this sermon gives a beautiful summary of my heart's journey during the last 6 years: from the disillusionment with church to finding a rhythm and a reason to gather with other believers on a weekly basis.

I know that not everyone has experienced what we have or may not understand this part of my journey. But I also know that our story isn't unique and there are some of you who have felt a need to understand the purpose of church again. I know that during my de-churched phase, I needed a renewal in my understanding of the purpose of gathering with other believers. While there are lots of ways for that to be done, I feel that Todd does a great job laying out my story and then speaking to the needs of our heart. I have lived what he is teaching for the last 5 years and it does make a difference. It wasn't a dramatic moment of change, but more like the movement of a river, it has been a consistent, healing, life-changing, life-giving movement within my heart. It has calmed me and allowed me to be at peace before God, myself, my family, my friends and my ministries. These truths have allowed my heart to be sustained in the midst of a world that is often chaotic, discouraging and hard. I know that I am different because of living out these truths.

So if you are curious to understand my heart, or if you have some disillusionment within your soul, I would encourage you to take time to listen to his sermon. After listening to the sermon, I would encourage you to listen to the song, Song for Someone by U2

I think this song is a beautiful, artistic expression of the same ideas. My prayer for those who let me speak into their lives (on a periodic basis) is that their hearts do not whither under the heaviness of this life but that they allow themselves to love and be loved in the midst of it all.

In Christ,

Conflicting Kingdoms

Forhisgloryalone@ymail.com (Test) — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 18:51:00 -0500

Dark Halo Image Quest Britannica.com

When I woke up this morning, the first email I read in my comfortable bed was discussing ISIS and the people trying to escape cruelty for a better life. My mind started spinning as I went from these large world issues, to remembering/praying for the life issues that those around me are currently carrying and then moving from there I went into an even smaller arena - to my personal issues that I bring before the Lord. As I went from there into quiet time, I prayed these thoughts:

Lord, these life issues seem larger than I am. While I don't want to be callous to what is going on, worldwide, I also need to see your hand in our personal individual lives. I know that you love us and you are up to something larger than we can imagine but I need You personally, my loved ones need You and our world at large need You.

After doing my quiet time, I went for a run and decided to listen to a sermon instead of music. It was Todd Hunter's sermon:

Kingdoms In Conflict - September 6, 2015

If you listen to the first five minutes of this sermon you will see that it ends up being a direct conversation with my prayer this morning. It was also a reminder that my prayer, isn't a new prayer nor will it be an old prayer. Because of this we do not need to lose heart. If your heart resonates with this prayer I would encourage you to listen to the whole sermon as Todd reminds us of who God is in the midst of world and personal chaos, the need for the church and finally for personal devotion to God.

In Christ,