Walking With God

I have been so incredibly blessed. Here is a quote from the book Waking the Dead, by John Eldredge. "Hopefully you will find a few folks who walk with God to also walk with you through the seasons of your life. But honesty – and Scripture – forces me to admit they are a rare breed. Few there are who find it. All the more reason for you to make the number less scarce, by becoming someone who walks with God and teaches others how." I have a number of very close Christian friends, friends who do walk closely with God, friends who have stood by my side through some really terrible times. These are friends I could call at any hour of the day or night and they would be right there to comfort and support me. And I would do the same for them. And I am married to an amazing man. His unconditional love never ceases to amaze me, and often brings tears to my eyes. I sometimes watch others struggle in relationships. I see families who live their days screaming and yelling at each other and their kids, sometimes coming to blows, and I remember what it was like growing up in that kind of environment, and I wonder why people CHOOSE to live like that. Can they really not see there is a better way? I remember as a child deciding I would never get married, because I never wanted to live the way my family lived, I never wanted to be treated the way my mother was treated by her husbands. I thought being alone was the only way to be happy. I was wrong. God created us for relationships. And when those relationships are conducted according to God's perfect plan, there is no greater blessing. Friendship, marriage, family ~ these were all created and designed by God to bless us. The enemy twists and perverts everything if we let him. So it is really a choice between blessing and curse. My mother chose the curse ~ and I can't imagine any greater pain. I chose the blessing ~ and I never could have imagined how great the wonder, the joy, the peace. God is good and awesome, powerful and amazing. I have been richly blessed beyond my wildest dreams. (That doesn't mean that any of us are perfect, or that there are never times of tension or struggle, but with God's guidance and strength, we work through those times.) And I take nothing for granted.

My Favorite Scripture

Do you have a favorite Scripture? I have many, many, many favorites, but my #1 favorite is Jeremiah 29:11. In the NIV it says: For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.

The Lord brought this Scripture to my attention at a time when I desperately needed it, several years ago. It was a time when I was seriously questioning why God allowed the horrors of my childhood. Every time I read this verse, it is almost as though I can hear His voice, see the love and compassion in His eyes, feel the warmth of His love. It says exactly what I needed (and still need) to hear. His plan was never to harm me. The abuse was NOT part of His plan. I am blown away by God's love. Here are two lines from a poem I wrote a while back.

He loved her more deeply than she could believe,

But because of her pain it was hard to receive.

It was hard to receive God's love for a long time. I am so glad He has been patient with me. He never gave up on me, but pursued me with passion and persistence. I have come a long, long way. And I am so blessed to accept and embrace the love of God. Where would I be today without His love? I hate to even think.

I pray that you know His love. It is the most amazing place of rest.

What Is Church?

I was in a conversation with someone recently, and we were talking about some folks who have left our church for various reasons. Here are some of the thoughts and opinions we came up with.

What is church? Is it a building? Is it a place we go to? Is it a denomination? I think, according to Scripture, church is the body of Christ, a community of people ~ not a building or a place or something we do. It is family ~ it is a body. And although "the body of Christ" encompasses all Christians, moving from one church to another is not to be taken lightly ~ you wouldn't want part of an arm deciding it would rather hang around with the leg. And within that body I believe God wants us to care about and for each other, to be united ~ not alike, not of the same opinion, but united. And I think that when we allow gossip, division, disunity, discord, personal likes and dislikes to come between us, we are giving the enemy the victory. I sort of view my church family almost like a marriage. Unless God Himself says very clearly to me that He wants me to be a part of a different fellowship, I need to stay right where I am and work out whatever issues I might have, just as I would in a marriage. My happiness or comfort or music preference or even whether I agree with how the board or the pastor handled a given issue (no matter how important I felt that issue was to me) are not reasons to call it quits and start attending somewhere else. You don't just walk out on family. And some issues can seem huge. And people disappoint. But what is church? If it is a club or social gathering, move on when it doesn't meet your needs. If it is just a building or something to do, by all means move on. But if it is the body of Christ? If it is family? Do we care whether we are being used as pawns for the enemy's purposes? Are our own feelings and comfort levels more important to us than what God Himself wants to say to our hearts. If we pull up stakes and run every time life gets difficult, how stable is any relationship we are in? Our marriage? Our friendships? Our family?

And I do think there are times when God does want us to move on for various reasons, but He should be the one to tell us that. What if He wants us to move on because He is doing a great work at this church and He hasn't been able to get our attention and get us on board with His plan? I think it is rarely because He has given up on one congregation and is moving you to a better one.

Are there circumstances that come up in churches that can make it extremely difficult or even painful for you to continue to attend there? Certainly. And sometimes it really might be more than you can take. But I don't think changing fellowships should ever be taken lightly, or done without many, many hours of heartfelt prayer, listening for the voice and will of God. Will He punish you if you decide to move on contrary to His will? I don't think He is sitting somewhere with a switch or a belt waiting to "spank" you for your hard heart or disobedience. But I do think it grieves Him, disappoints Him, and hinders His best in your life.

I have learned through the circumstances of my life that there is NOTHING He can't redeem. But He does not violate our free will. And we sometimes make pretty big messes. But as long as our hearts are soft toward Him, and we are repentent and trusting in Him and seeking Him, He can redeem anything.

Just some of the thoughts running around in my head today. What are yours?

What is Wrong?

Here is something I read recently. "Children need two basic messages when they are growing up: You are loved more than you can possibly imagine, and, You are not the center of the universe. Without the first, a child will grow up insecure, uncertain, looking for love and finding it difficult to believe that he is worthy of being loved, even by God. Without the second, he will grow up selfish and self-centered, assuming that everyone else’s agenda bows to his own. "

Do you know people who fit these two scenarios? Unable to accept love and/or selfish and self-centered? We run into them every day, don't we? I have to admit that for years I fell into the first category. But a large part, maybe the biggest part, of what God "rewrote" in me was this. I have learned, really learned, about God's love and the love of a good husband and close friends. It was not an easy lesson, and sometimes very briefly those old thoughts will try to come back, but I have learned to recognize them as hogwash. Lies from the enemy who is bent on my destruction, or at the very least, bent on keeping me from being effective in my family, friendships and ministry.

What about the second group? Those who are selfish and self-centered, assuming everyone else's agenda bows, or should bow, to their own? Well, I have met some of these. But mostly I read about them or hear about them in the news. Like all the crazy lawsuits ~ your hot coffee burned me so I'll sue; I had an accident in your car so I'll sue; my child failed math so I'll sue; your dog messed in my yard so I'll sue; I broke my leg while breaking in to rob your home so I'll sue... Aren't these examples of this self-centered way of thinking? 

Someone forgot to teach a lot of kids growing up that life isn't fair, and the world owes you nothing ~ not happiness, not wealth, not even food or a job or a home (or healthcare). Pain is inevitible, but misery is optional. Challenges are inevitible, obstacles are inevitible, surprises are inevitible, pain is inevitible! We are free to choose how we handle adversity and challenge. Attitude is the single most determining factor in every decision we will ever make. Success in life is about so much more than money or "happiness". Am I a success in life if I achieve wealth by suing you because I burned myself on your coffee? Or even when I win the lottery? I don't think so. What is success? I think success is being the person God created you to be ~ the very best you. Did God create you to scratch and claw your way to a fortune? No. God created you to know and love and trust Him, to learn who He created you to be, and to learn from Him how to be it. That is success. What epitaph would you want on your tombstone or in the newspaper? Here lies a woman who really clawed her way to the top. I wonder if anyone will miss her. Or... Here lies a godly woman whose life impacted those around her for good. She will be sorely missed.

These are just some of my thoughts today.

By God's oh-so-amazing grace,

Rewritten Princess