"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Col 1:17
I live in a small but lovely two bedroom apartment with three beautiful and incredibly diverse girls. The four of us are about as different as different can get. There is Chimgee, from Mongolia, a woman of God whose faith and perseverence humbles me to my core, Karen, my precious friend from Hong Kong, who always listens well and lives to please her Lord alone, Jessica, a stylish, creative and hilarious artist from Oklahoma, who loves to laugh and share, and me. More about the three of them later... they deserve a blog each. But that's just background for my story on thanksgiving.
This morning, Karen and I woke bright and early to have quiet time before class. Karen walked into the kitchen, turned on the sink and garbage disposal, and it started growling at us in a way that definitely meant it was unhappy. I walked over to inspect it with her, and we found that there was a handful tiny popcorn kernels down in the bottom... not particularly garbage disposal friendly. I reached my hand down, but they slipped and jumped and refused to be caught. It took about a full minute to grab just one. The last thing I wanted to be doing at 7 in the morning was sticking my hand down a dirty drain to fish for tiny popcorn kernels. My first response was pretty much bitter frustration. It was not cute. But then, Karen and I decided that for each popcorn kernel we pulled out we would say something we were thankful for. One at a time, we reached in, grabbed one, pulled it out, and thanked God for our apartment, his provision, something. I know it sounds cheesy, but I don't even care: It worked and our hearts changed.
God amazes me. He truly changes our hearts as we obey him. He can turn something nasty into something beautiful. Sitting in traffic, waiting in the grocery store line, having a friend forget to meet you... When we start finding things to be thankful for, or countenance just changes. This is just one more incredible blessing of being in the body of Christ- we really can be thankful, and joyful, in the most, for lack of better words, "blegh" situations.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
inspired
Last week I had a hard week. But it ended pretty good. Then this week, I had a hard week. But it ended good. I'm not even sure what I want to write right now, but I know that I am so inspired, I have to write. I think I'll write about the things that inspired me this week.
1) Todd Wagner. The speaker at the DTS chapel and pastor of Watermark church. This man is rooted and grounded in the Bible, and I think as he spoke more of God's word poured out of his mouth than his own words. As a result, my soul received a splash of cool water as he reminded DTS students of who God is, and what he wants to accomplish through His church. A few of the highlights: We are sanctified, justified, made right with God, empowered with his Holy Spirit, and He wants to and will do a magnificent work through us, if we will just believe Him.
2) A woman who I met with today (who I think would prefer to remain nameless) who opens herself up to be used by God, and spoke such truth into my life, I again felt completely refreshed and uplifted. She reminded me to not look to my generation, or the people around me to tell me who I am, but to look only to God and His word. She made me laugh, and when I said something ridiculous about feeling like I wasn't worth much, she actually said, "I think I can say from a more informed perspective that your feelings are completely out of touch with reality." I LOVE IT!
3) U2. I don't need to waste anytime touting Bono, but God used him and his band and his music to remind me that I want to live an extraordinary life. I want to be poured out as a drink offering to my Lord. God gave Bono music, and a heart for the widows and orphans, and he is obeying. God didn't give me music, I'm still trying to figure out what He's given me, but He gave me SOMETHING, and I want my life, this blog, this night at my apartment in downtown Dallas, everything to be poured out for God.
Let's just think for a moment about Fear. I'm talking, capital F, Fear. This is what the Enemy uses most in my life, to paralyze me, to make me completely over analytical, to stop me dead in my tracks. The word fear is used 326 times in the NIV Bible. Most of the time, it is commanding people who claim to follow the Lord to fear their God. This kind of fear means awe, reverence, a recognition of how Huge God is, and how small we are in significance. Most of the time, we lack this sense of fear. But the thing is, this God we should Fear, is the very one who cast out all other fear! (1 John 4:18 says "there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear.") So we don't need to be afraid. Of failure. Of punishment. Of messing up. Of being rejected.
Oh, how I long to live a life that counts. How I long to see the Lord work in extraordinary ways. How I long to walk near to him, trusting Him day in and day out. Again, I write this to who knows who and without shame. If you don't know Him, ask me. He's the best thing that ever happened to me.
1) Todd Wagner. The speaker at the DTS chapel and pastor of Watermark church. This man is rooted and grounded in the Bible, and I think as he spoke more of God's word poured out of his mouth than his own words. As a result, my soul received a splash of cool water as he reminded DTS students of who God is, and what he wants to accomplish through His church. A few of the highlights: We are sanctified, justified, made right with God, empowered with his Holy Spirit, and He wants to and will do a magnificent work through us, if we will just believe Him.
2) A woman who I met with today (who I think would prefer to remain nameless) who opens herself up to be used by God, and spoke such truth into my life, I again felt completely refreshed and uplifted. She reminded me to not look to my generation, or the people around me to tell me who I am, but to look only to God and His word. She made me laugh, and when I said something ridiculous about feeling like I wasn't worth much, she actually said, "I think I can say from a more informed perspective that your feelings are completely out of touch with reality." I LOVE IT!
3) U2. I don't need to waste anytime touting Bono, but God used him and his band and his music to remind me that I want to live an extraordinary life. I want to be poured out as a drink offering to my Lord. God gave Bono music, and a heart for the widows and orphans, and he is obeying. God didn't give me music, I'm still trying to figure out what He's given me, but He gave me SOMETHING, and I want my life, this blog, this night at my apartment in downtown Dallas, everything to be poured out for God.
Let's just think for a moment about Fear. I'm talking, capital F, Fear. This is what the Enemy uses most in my life, to paralyze me, to make me completely over analytical, to stop me dead in my tracks. The word fear is used 326 times in the NIV Bible. Most of the time, it is commanding people who claim to follow the Lord to fear their God. This kind of fear means awe, reverence, a recognition of how Huge God is, and how small we are in significance. Most of the time, we lack this sense of fear. But the thing is, this God we should Fear, is the very one who cast out all other fear! (1 John 4:18 says "there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear.") So we don't need to be afraid. Of failure. Of punishment. Of messing up. Of being rejected.
Oh, how I long to live a life that counts. How I long to see the Lord work in extraordinary ways. How I long to walk near to him, trusting Him day in and day out. Again, I write this to who knows who and without shame. If you don't know Him, ask me. He's the best thing that ever happened to me.
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