To Heal - Christmas 2011

Tonight I sat in service, yes its the 23rd ... but tomorrow is going to be PACKED so, I caught service tonight so I can focus on the hundreds of kids and families that will come through the doors tomorrow.

I was partially distracted.  Not because I had volunteers and kids in the wing on the opposite side of the building, but distracted by this past year, by the hurts, the transitions, the craziness and reality that things today aren't the way I pictured them a year ago.

Last Christmas was HARD ... as in funeral hard on December 23rd.  Compared to last year, today looks a lot different, although I won't say its all better.

You see, there's a reality that Christmas IS about Christ, but its also that yearly reminder that life isn't how we think it should be or the way it should look - our plans aren't our own, they are His. 

So tonight, admist my distraction and wandering mind I saw four words on a massive screen...

He came...

...to HEAL

Yes, Jesus came not only to love, to save, to reconcile, but He came to heal, and not just physically heal, but emotionally, relationally, and any other way that we need healing - if only we seek Him.

It was in that moment that I realized that I've spent this past year thinking that my problems are too small, too silly for God.  That He doesn't care about my family - that its just the way it is.  So, as I move forward into 2012 I am reminded that Christ cares about every detail of our life.  And that no problem is too small, or too complicated, or anything else - because of an infant and a stable and a starry night thousands of years ago - He came to heal.

As you celebrate this Christmas Season remember that for many this season brings about a lot of grief and a reminder that life isn't the way they pictured it.  Their family isn't what they dreamed of.  They're missing loved ones who are no longer here.  They have  broken relationships.  Whatever it may be - He came to heal. To heal not only the physical, but the emotional, the relational, the very details of our life that sometimes seem like a bother to God - HE CAME TO HEAL.

Silence

It is in the silence where I find myself truly connecting with God.  Our everyday lives are busy ... I mean BUSY, but I have been challenged this week to find times where I can be silent, alone, and reconnect with God.  It is something I need to do.

This morning I read this verse in 1 Peter 4:7 ... "The end of all things is near. So keep a clear mind. Control yourselves. Then you can pray"

The words "keep a clear mind" weighed heavy on my heart as I realized that the busyness of life clutters my mind and my heart - it keeps me from connecting with my Creator. 

I've spent the past few days in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina.  There have been moments of quiet, but people always seem to be around.  Then yesterday, I got on my bike ... no radio, no talking, no noise ... and I rode part of the Cade's Cove Loop (truth be told I think I could have done all 11 miles, but that's for another day).  There was no noise, but me, the wind, and the bugs and it was in the moment when I was challenged that in order for me to truly connect with God in the deep way I long for I must get away from everything.  I must plan times to go into the open country and just be alone.

Music Monday

This is "Tunnel" by Third Day ... it is a song they sang last week while we were at Riley.  What I loved about the 2 songs they sang ... in addition to the Third Day Classic "Old McDonald"... was that they really thought through their song selection and sang two songs that that were so appropriate to the feelings of the families there in that lobby.  This is one of the two they sang.

Music Monday

Powerful words to this song ... don't just sit and let others serve ... jump in and get involved!

Learning to Love Again

Somewhere along my years in college - helping hurt.  And I mean HURT. 

In the name of "serving, loving, helping" - something like that it hurt.  I was taken advantage of and it left the last two years of college simply miserable. 

I won't go into all the details, but ultimately, it left me with a guarded heart.  A heart that wanted to "check you out" before I helped, before I loved, sometimes even before I cared.

Over the years I've known that this isn't God's desire for our lives. 

He doesn't desire for us to be hurt - ultimately, though - because of sin - sometimes we are.

He does desire for us to love, to serve, to reflect Him in our actions. 

Ultimately, through this situation I've learned that you have to love, even when you've been hurt - its hard - but we are called to love others.  It's important to be careful and not to allow others to take advantage of you, to set boundaries and stick to them, even when it seems nearly impossible - but its important to not miss out on the love God has for us through serving others.

So, today on this Valentine's Day, I'm reflecting with a little less guarded heart, a heart that is healing from a massive hurt, and a desire to spend the next year continuing to love others.

The Beach

The beach, to me it is one of the last places on earth where you can truly sit and soak in God's creation, without the interruption of man-made things.  Looking straight out from the sand there is nothing but God, no skyscrapers, roads, or anything else to affect the view.  There are few places like this left in the world - the mountains are another place, but there is something about the majesty of the ocean that is overwhelming.

In July of 2002 I remember sitting in complete darkness on a beach in South Africa listening to the waves roll in.  It was a  night that I will never forget.  It was the night that the God I worship here in America became real to me.  He became the same God that was there with me half a world away.  I was listening to waves crash on the other side of the world, just like on my side of the world.  And the stars, well those were incredible and only added to the moment ... but this post is truly about the beach :-)

Tonight I came to Job 38:8-11

"Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb, and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness?  For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores.  I said, 'This far and no father will you come.  Here your proud waves must stop!

The sea is an incredibly majestic place.  Each time I walk along the sand and listen to the waves I am reminded of God's intricate details - the grains of sand and the shoreline - how He decided just how far the ocean would come and where the shore would begin.'

The Most Un-Free, FREE* Word

Prayer. That single word can make the entire room go quiet at the end of my life group ... well admit it - it probably happens in your life group too.  There's something unknown about prayer - will I have to pray? outloud? does God hear me? what if I don't use the right words? will others look down on me?

Now, add Experience to that simple word and well, those thoughts and feelings can be amplified.

BUT, who said prayer has to be scary, that you have to have it all together, that God cares about the words you use ... because in reality, it's not, you don't have to, and He just wants to hear from you!

I entered the Prayer Experience last Wednesday, not quite sure that God had much to say to me.  I have been getting a lot out of FREE*, BUT I entered the time more as a "let's check this off the list" than a "let's meet with God".  It had been a long day, on top of a long week and I just needed to "get it done".

God had other plans though.

As I entered the first area I found myself in another world, relaxing, forgetting about all the things I had to do.  I sat there for awhile, with no real purpose - just taking in the sights, the people, and the music playing on the small mp3 player.  God gave me a word, a picture of freedom - yet - I didn't know how that word had anything to do with freedom ... boundaries???  Seriously... that's the most "un-free" word I could think of.  But, I went with it and I began to move along the path to the upstairs hall.

I moved through several elements and then I came to a room decorated for the holidays with packages all around.  The words played in my ears - saying "these packages are filled with gifts God has for you ... will you receive them?"

I paused for a moment and then approached the packages - there were many to choose from, all with a different "gift" inside.  I took the first one off the shelf and the word inside was REST - what an incredible moment that was.  I knew that God had met me right there at that time, with just a subtle reminder that He knew I was tired, stressed, and wondering how I was going to get through the next few days and weeks with a busy schedule coming up - HE KNEW - and for me that made the entire experience worth it.

I finished the experience, moving from room to room - praying for others, praying for myself, but in it all meeting God in a different way - a way I normally don't experience Him. Through quiet, words, surfaces, and thoughts the Prayer Experience became less about prayer and more about experiencing God - a God who loves each of us and wants the very best for us ... even when He has to literally put things right in front of you!

As I made the drive home that night, I knew that my original picture of freedom made a little more sense and that God was speaking to me through it all.

This post can also be read here on the Northview Blog.

Fostering

Reaching children is a passion of mine, however I truly believe that a child can not be ministered to until their basic needs are met.  These basic needs include shelter, safety, food, clean water, and love.  Fostering and adoption are two things that I have a HUGE interest in and hope that one day the Lord will allow me to make both of those things part of my life.

Today I saw this video and was deeply moved by it - especially knowing that I one day want to foster and adopt children it shed a whole new light on what that child goes through and why the church can be and is the answer to the foster care crisis in America.

I hope you'll be inspired as you watch this...


Fostering Together Launch from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Well, you'll actually need to click here to see it since it is only available for embedding with the subscription to Vimeo!

Veggies Video

This is a beautiful song about adoption and the video is filled with many "gotcha day" photos and videos - VeggieTales new movie is all about adoption ... enjoy!

Father to the Fatherless

“Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds — his name is the LORD— and rejoice before him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”

- Psalm 68:4-5

In 1987 my world was rocked by divorce.  My dad didn't really stay involved - he went off and did his own thing, separate from my life.  We didn't go to church much, in fact his 'visitation' time was Sunday mornings at 10 a.m.  And when we did start going to church I really really struggled with God ... Father?  

Are you serious?  My picture was one of abandonment - how could "God the Father" really be loving and involved in my life when my only ideas of a father didn't quite go along with those traits.  Then, during the summer of 1999 I heard a woman give her testimony before she was baptized ... we'd been in church maybe a year and I was entering high school.  Her words were simple, but I could connect with them.  She said that she had decided God was HER FATHER since she really didn't have an earthly father who was involved in her life.  It was simple and something I knew, but I just needed to hear it from someone who had been there.  God crossed our paths that day to remind me that HE was my FATHER.

My dad died on Father's Day 2002 - it's been eight years ago now, but still seems like yesterday.  It was two weeks before I left for South Africa and two weeks after I turned 18.  Ready to enter my senior year of high school I faced the reality that my earthly father would never see graduations or grandkids - yet my Heavenly Father would lead me through all of lifes events.

Father's Day now is a little different - its a reminder of my dad - maybe one I would have overlooked had he not died on the actual day AND a reminder that there are people everywhere in my same situation and to them I want to say those simple words... GOD IS YOUR FATHER and He is loving caring and involved ... maybe not the picture you have of Him based on your earthly father.

A Word

 ⁸ Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”

   I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

Isaiah 6:8

A Word

 ⁷ Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. ⁸ But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
 ⁹ God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.

1 John 4:7-9

My Church

This past weekend was powerful ... not that the last six or so haven't been.  So, maybe the better way to put it is that this past weekend was extra powerful.  Yet, I don't know that it was actually what happened in the service that struck me as one of the most powerful parts ... its actually what will happen next week and the weeks to come.

Before reading on, do me a favor and watch this.  Don't just be overcome by the power of the moment, but ask yourself what your response would be if that was your friend, your small group leader, your child's sunday school teacher walking across the stage...



...and that is one thing that I LOVE about my church.  More than 40 people told their story on stage last weekend ... they didn't think twice about people's reactions to their story, they knew that their story is part of God's story, so they proudly walked across the stage last weekend to exclaim what God has done!

And this weekend ... they won't be outcast, but will instead be loved and embraced by their friends and others they may not know as we rejoice together over the work that God is doing.  I don't know about you, but I think it takes a lot of courage to do that, but thankfully I've found a place where you can be exactly who you are and you'll be loved just because God loves you.

Flamingo Road

I had a chance to attend Flamingo Road tonight with a friend.  It's late so I will share more later ... but I was intrigued with their internet campus.  If you happen to miss church this weekend or don't attend church, but are interested in checking something out go to the website below ... they have more than 3000 in attendance each weekend over the internet from countries around the world!  God is using Flamingo Road in mighty ways!

Click here to visit Flamingo Road online!

A Word

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (The Message)

God our God!  God the one and only!  Love God, your God with your whole heart: love Him with all that's in you, love Him with all you've got!

Forgotten God

Forgotten God, by Francis Chan

... having LOVED Crazy Love (his first book) - I knew that this couldn't be a bad read and having just read Crazy Love I figured just by the title that this book had to be about how we get so wrapped up in ourselves and our own lives that we forget about God and His role in our life.

...I was WRONG

...Forgotten God isn't about how we forget about God ... its about how there's a third part of the Trinity that we forget ... the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit and I have quite a history ... you see ... I knew He existed, but I had NO IDEA who, how, why, what, etc He fit into the Trinity.  I'm not quite even sure I understood that there was a Trinity.  I wasn't really raised in the church and only began attending as I entered my high school years. 

It was a Southern Baptist Church. 

To say the least, Southern Baptists are fairly conservative when it comes to the Holy Spirit - He's there, but they'd just prefer to keep Him in a box acknowledge His work in the big moments and contribute the rest to the skill of the preaching, programs, etc.

My first day of college was the first time I had ever had the Trinity explained to me.  I knew at that moment that I was WAY over my head and knew absolutely nothing about the Bible, Jesus, God, and especially the Holy Spirit.  I spent the next four years learning about all those things, but have still preferred to keep the Holy Spirit in the box that He's always been in - safe - right where I have the control.

I began reading Forgotten God on the plane earlier this week and in the first sixty pages it has already challenged me about my understanding of the Holy Spirit.  Not only that, but it has challenged me to ask myself the question of "am I allowing the Holy Spirit to control my life ... or am I controlling it?"

It's a question I'm working through as I read the rest of this book, but for now if you would like to take a fresh look at the Holy Spirit ... maybe even learn about Him for the first time - check out Francis Chan's new book Forgotten God - it is well worth the read!

A Word

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. 
Always be prepared to give an answer to 

everyone who asks you to give the reason 
for the hope that you have. But do this with 

gentleness and respect,”

- 1 Peter 3:15

Speechless

Like I said in my last post ... "this weekend is going to be pretty special" and it so was. To the point that I have no idea what to say...

I have the privilege each weekend of experiencing all three services - attending one and walking the early childhood hall during the other two - although I'm always "on call" for any "massive vomit" situations! Like I said, its a privilege that especially on these really really cool weekends that I get to experience it with everyone during all of the services.

This past weekend was no different as Steve asked at the end of each service for anyone who wanted to, to come up and be baptized. It was the first time we had done this, so there was no way to know what to expect. God was there and moved in so many hearts - leading more than 300 to be baptized during the three services.

I'm still trying to process it all ... but I know one thing that I've taken away from this weekend is that we don't dream big enough ... God is more powerful, mighty, and amazing than we are and more than we will ever understand and when He shows up in a mighty way lives are changed forever! Our supply of about 60 shirts and shorts didn't even come close to the number that actually responded during each service - leaving us to "warm" wet towels for those yet to be baptized!

I'm also reminded of a devotional I heard about a month ago ... it was about stepping out in faith and having God meet you there. It's much like what David did when he faced Goliath - he stepped out and God met him there. I'm so excited for all of those who "stepped out" this weekend in faith - God met each of them where they were and gave them the courage to come forward ... what a great reminder to me to step out in faith and dream God-sized dreams.

God is BIGGER than anything we will understand and MIGHTIER than anything we will ever face!


Dream big :-)

Here's just a tiny part of what went on this weekend...

A Word

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ever imagined,

according to His power that is at work within us..."

Ephesians 3:20

Music Monday

Typically, I don't post along with Music Monday ... but ... today I will!

Many of you have probably heard God of Wonders.

For me, when I hear it, I can't help but be taken back to a beach along the Indian Ocean, just outside of East London, South Africa after dark listening to the waves roll in nearly 8 years ago.

It was a night that I will never forget as we sang this song with a lone guitar and our voices, staring at the stars above. For me, it was the night that everything came together - the night I realized that God was the same on this side of the world as He is on the other side. The night I realized the world was bigger than my world and God was bigger than my view of Him. That night forever changed me.

Psalm 19:1-4

¹ The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
² Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
³ They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
⁴ Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.