God's comfort when we experience a loss

Last night we got to celebrate the life of one the students that went to be with the Lord. It's still a shock to think that just a few days our beloved brother was walking next to us, and to try to imagine him now walking with Jesus, it brings a deeper revelation of how quickly it will come the day the Lord calls us to be in His presence. Patrick walked with the Lord. He loved Jesus and spent the last 2 years at the Bible College studying the Word of God- Now Patrick transitioned to see the Word of God. This brings a great understanding of what a great privilege it is on this earth to not just "know" Jesus but to "know/experience" Jesus. I heard this quote this last weekend while in Mexico: "he isn't just a fan of Jesus but he is a follower." You see to be a fan of someone implies that you can factually know about that person. To be a follower implies that you have experienced that person; you know how they would respond, what their expression would be, what the tone of their voice would be like. Patrick wasn't a fan of Jesus only... he was a follower.
So how does God comfort those who Patrick's life impacted? We know that Patrick is tangibly comforted by the hand of God and in His presence, but what about his family that misses him? I was so blessed by this this morning from a study I am doing with a group. The passage was from John 11 and how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. When he came to where Mary and Martha were mourning amongst a crowd, seeing them crying, He too wept. The important thing to note is that Jesus knew the outcome of what was to come of this situation and the reason behind it. But He still wept. Why did Jesus weep if He knew the bigger picture of the "why's"? Jesus wept not because of Lazarus' death, but because of the ones who were hurting and left behind. For those who are hurting, God demonstrates His comfort by accompanying us in our pain. Jesus comes along side of us and weeps when we weep. We can be comforted in knowing that Jesus cares and He meets us in the place we are at. Not only does Jesus meet us where we are at, but He gives us an eternal hope as an eternal comfort. While Jesus was talking to Martha, he revealed Himself as the resurrection and the life! Jesus has conquered death and has given us resurrection life, that although we may pass from this earth, we will raise with Him where He is seated. He is the door- our access, He is the life- able to bring new life, He is the way- the only way to the Father, He is the hope I hope- a hope that overcomes sin and death! I hope this blesses you in whatever state your heart is at when you read this. I pray that you allow God to teach you more intimately through pain or even in the calm that He is your comfort; that He offers the answer to your comfort in hope of eternal life. Please keep Patrick's parents and loved ones in your prayers!

God.. of Comfort

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God [Who is the Source] of every comfort (consolation and encouragement),

⁴Who comforts (consoles and encourages) us in every trouble (calamity and affliction), so that we may also be able to comfort (console and encourage) those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with the comfort (consolation and encouragement) with which we ourselves are comforted (consoled and encouraged) by God.

⁵For just as Christ's [^[a]own] sufferings fall to our lot ^[b][as they overflow upon His disciples, and we share and experience them] abundantly, so through Christ comfort (consolation and encouragement) is also [shared and experienced] abundantly by us.

Above is 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 in the Amplified Bible. I Enjoy this translation because it pulls the original meaning from the Greek and expands in explaining it.

In the next few postings, I'm going to begin a study on the God of all comfort, who comforts now and has comforted many who have been recorded. Excited to see the heart of God and His desire through Jesus recorded in Isaiah 61:1-3

¹THE SPIRIT of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound,^(A)

²To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] ^[a]and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,^(B)

³To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion--to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit--that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

Ladies- please watch and be blessed

http://vimeo.com/36926654 <-- I can't tell you how blessed I was to hear this. It's been an answer to a prayer to hear the beautiful perspective of marriage and what God has created it for. As I prayed, the Lord showed me the example of my relationship with Jesus and how He views me and took me to look at Christ and the Church and draw parallels from that. As I see each beloved friend get marry, my heart is that their marriage would display just that; that the man would lean deeper into Christ as he gets the opportunity to be like Christ to his bride, and that the wife would get to reveal to the husband a deeper revelation of how he is viewed by Jesus as the Church.

Ladies, I hope this encourages you and brings revelation to you of your worth and identity as a beautiful daughter of the King. Ladies, I pray that this also gives you the beautiful perspective of the honor that it is also to build up your brothers to be men after God's own heart!

"He... preserves the way of His saints" Proverbs 2:8

The Lord your God... went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day. Deuteronomy 1:32-33 ~ As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings, so the Lord alone led him, and there was no foreign god with him. Deuteronomy 32:11-12 ~ The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in His way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand. Psalm 37:23-24 ~ Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:19 ~ For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalm 1:6 ~ We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 ~ With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles. 2 Chronicles 32:8 ~ The Lord you God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness. Zephaniah 3:17

Christ and the Church

Jesus calls those who have responded to the call of salvation on their lives- the Bride of Christ. I’ve been asking the Lord to reveal to me a deeper picture of His love; and it is through this picture of Christ and how he loves His bride so supremely that I’ve been able to see His sacrificial and self-giving love for us.
Jesus called His bride by name. He initiated a relationship with her and woos her to Himself. He redeems her from a destructive and reckless life and gives her new life. He gives her truth. He forgives her completely. He cleanses and washes her with His life-giving words. He introduces her to His Almighty Father. He dies for her that she may experience freedom from bondage and be one day risen with Him. He goes to prepare a place for her while all the while still wooing her and preparing her for Him. He sends His comforter to her. He speaks to her telling her who He sees her as: you’re flawless, you’re perfect, you are made righteous, you are pure, you are all together lovely, you are without blame or spot. He sings over her and calls her to walk in deeper intimacy trusting Him. He prays over her and intercedes on behalf of her. He speaks to her of His plan for her life. He gives her promises to sustain her during dry times, and gives her instruction to guide her. He leaves her with guidelines, and teaches her how to live. He loves others through her and allows her hands to be like His hands. He gives her a purpose and a hope. And one day He will present her to Himself. I imagine He looks forward to that day eagerly... and until that day, He leaves her with a letter he wrote to her..

God's grace displayed through Noah

Noah is just a sweet name.. I have to say. A man whose name meant "rest or comfort." I'm sure you have all heard the story of Noah from Sunday school as a kid or seen picture books displaying him on a boat with animals sticking out the side.
I sat in Genesis class tonight as we went through chapters 5-8. There was this one major point that stood out to me... God's grace through His sovereignty. Let me explain because that's kind of.. huge! So think on this: Noah is a man that found favor in God's eyes; a man that God called "righteous" (6:8-9). That's a crazy thing to think about- he was still considered righteous/set apart for God during a time of corruption and a violent people.
You may know what happens from here. God communicates His plan to Noah; a plan to build a boat to bring safety to Noah and his family from the judgement God was going to bring to a perverse people. Noah had the responsibility of obedience, not planning, for God had told him His plan. So Noah built the ark, taking some 100 years to finish it, and no doubt being mocked by the people he knew as he spoke of the little details he had of what God had told him to do. God revealed through Noah a character that was displayed through 100+ years of work ethic. He was devoted to what He knew was to come... he knew there was a day of destruction coming, and he was preparing the way God had told him for his family. Friend, I tell you that we today have this same knowledge of a destruction that is coming. What are you being mocked for in your devotion? Are you devoted to the things that will bring safety to those whom God loves? (John 3:16) This encouraged me to continue in a way that makes a stand for God's promise; that speaks of a message of hope beyond this world. His obedience required a long term commitment until the appointed time of God's plan.
When the day came for God to bring the rain, God also shut the door. I had to stop and think on this. We talked about this in class too: what was going through the mind of Noah? Could he not shut the door to the people he knew his whole life, and so God did it for him? Or was it that God shut the door because it was His plan that Noah was being obedient to. "God opens doors that no man can open, and closes doors that no man can shut." It would have been a hard door for Noah to have to shut. Think of God's grace in this... Noah didn't do anything to deserve such salvation. Yes, God considered him righteous in His heart toward the Lord, but Noah didn't earn salvation. Noah stands as a man that brings protection to his family (a picture of the leader of the household and a picture of Jesus Christ). So this is the punch line of what was going on in my head after class. Fast forward with me to when they step off the boat. Noah's family sins! And God knowing this still chose them to receive His grace from judgement! God called Noah righteous, and Noah's covering over his family brought them to salvation.... it gets better! Noah also sinned! (I guess you wouldn't say better) But in Noah sinning you see a huge point... God's grace for Noah's life didn't neglect His sovereignty. God knew! Just like He knows in our life that we are going to sin and fall short, but He doesn't base His salvation for us on the merit of our righteousness. He bases it on His grace! This is why grace is so good! God chose us while we were yet still sinners (for all have sinned and fall short), but thank God that He doesn't base salvation on what we have done or could possible do for Him, but on what He has done for us through Jesus. His grace is so good because it involves sovereignty of our lives!!

Mali's Story

Back in spring of 2008 I went to a conference for slave trafficking. Since then I have been getting emails from Hagar Ministry; a ministry that takes women who have been physically, emotionally, and sexually abused and speaks truth and love into their life. This ministry loves on these women sharing that they have a purpose and a worth in Jesus. They teach them traits that they can call their own to enable them to support themselves. I got this email this morning and wanted to share: :)


I am 22 years old now. I grew up in a very poor Cambodian family. My parents didn’t own land, so we worked as laborers on other people’s farms. My parents were very violent towards my siblings and me. We never felt love for them. We lived in fear and shame. I never went to school because I had to work all day. It was hard to imagine having a good future.

I still don’t believe my mother thought I had value. Money was more valuable to her than me. To them I was just a laborer. When my parents fell into debt, they sold me for $500 to a family.

The family treated me like a slave. The husband attempted to rape me many times, but I refused with all my strength. He hit me every time I refused. One day I decided to run away from the family, but I got caught. They hit me with electric wire. I stayed there, but I did not give up.

Finally, I escaped with a man I fell in love with. We got married. He introduced me to his parents and they rejected me because I was poor and homeless.

One day my husband and I were in a very serious car accident and my leg was broken. We went to the hospital for care and he left me and never came back. I felt rejected and hopeless. I wanted to kill myself because I thought that no one wanted me.

The hospital sent me to Hagar’s Women Shelter. I was so nervous when I arrived. I didn’t know anyone. I cried. My legs felt horrible. And, I did not have the will to live.

Hagar staff were persistent and encouraged me. Their words were so wonderful. Living in the shelter, gave me hope. I received care, love, counseling, food and other things I never expected to have in my life. Job training from Hagar’s Career Pathways Program in cosmetology really helped me recover. I have a skill that belongs to me and I can support myself. I have value and worth. Now I can say,

“I am priceless. I am more valuable than money.”

Even though my leg still hasn’t healed, Hagar staff keep praying for me. I have hope that God will heal me completely one day, and I just keep praying and waiting.

-Malis

Oh wow, reading Philippians in the Amplified translation blew my mind!

7But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [[a]one combined] loss for Christ's sake.

8Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One),

9And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law's demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith.

10[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[b]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]

11That if possible I may attain to the [[c]spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

12Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.

13I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

14I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

15So let those [of us] who are spiritually mature and full-grown have this mind and hold these convictions; and if in any respect you have a different attitude of mind, God will make that clear to you also.

16Only let us hold true to what we have already attained and walk and order our lives by that.

Falling in love with Simplicity

I've been meditating on 'the good news of Jesus,' going back to the foundation of salvation. It is for love that He sent His Son to pursue a relationship with me. It is for love that Jesus came as the perfect image of God the Father. It is for love that He has left me His Word to instruct me.
"For I have been saved through faith. And this was not my own doing; it was the gift of God, not a result of works, so that I cannot boast."
I've been asking the Lord to personalize my relationship with Him.
"For I am His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that I should walk in them."
It has created questions in me to seek the One who chose me to see what He desires that I may be used for. Think on that with me. If you identify yourself as 'in Christ' saved by God's grace, then boldly ask the One who has called you what He has called you to. If you identify yourself by anything but the Lord, then I challenge you with the question: what are you living for?
The good news of Jesus is so beautiful and so simple! He desires to set us free from the bondage of sin and give us a purpose. We no longer have to be enslaved to live for things that hold us captive, but we are free to live for a purpose beyond this life. He has brought purpose to our lives. He pursues after our hearts: He freed me of living for myself, to live for One who has loved me eternally.

Eternity minded

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."

Eternal life is to know God (John 17:3). This is so encouraging because before seeing the Lord and truly knowing Him, we may know Him now. This is eternal life. I've been challenged with this question lately: what am I living for? Really, what am I living for? It boils down to one purpose. Jesus. What am l living for? To know Him. I know for certain, because of His finished work for me, that one day I will truly know Him and see Him in the fullness of all that I've read. But I also know that eternal life now is to know Him now, and to truly respond to His desire to reveal Himself more.
I'm reminded of this reality as our Lucille went to be with the Lord this last weekend. As Doug her husband puts it, "she has graduated!" She has moved from this world to the real purpose of life! What a change of mind in thinking. I mean, think about it... as believers we live knowing that one day that we will be with the Lord... but meditate on this! Let it sink in. One day, like Lucille is now, all that we experienced of eternal life on earth will be displayed in its fullness. When my heart can grasp even just a piece of this, it makes me want to know Him so much now. It also breaks my heart for those who only intellectually know the Lord and haven't gotten to experience His love for them. There's so much more! I plead with you as I plead myself.. don't only know of Him, experience the goodness of our God... enjoy a sweet relationship with Him! I know Lucille is now, and I wonder what all she is experiencing as she is in His presence now.

He has put eternity into our hearts.. respond to His desire to show Himself.

Please pray for the Search family! They are rejoicing that Lucille is with Jesus, but I'm sure sad as they miss her on this side of eternity

In trials? Pray. Experiencing blessings? Sing.

This last Tuesday night we finished our study through the book of James. Tuesday nights have become my favorite time of the week. We all meet in the school parking lot and carpool over to a home where we get to have a home-cooked meal, meet new people, spend time in singing to the Lord, hear from the Word, and break up in groups to pray for one another.

"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise." James 5:13
This verse shows two circumstances of life: hard circumstances, good circumstances. This verse takes both and points us back to the Lord.
Hard times? Pray. James exhorts us to pray because he knows that in prayer we take our focus of current circumstances and shift our thoughts to the truth of God. Isn't that the truth? Trials can rob our eyes of seeing the goodness of the Lord and place them on the current thing. Praying refocuses us to truth.
Things going well? Sing. Why is James exhorting us to sing? I never caught this before- James tells us to sing because when things are going well in our lives, we may start to think we have things in control and lose focus on God. Sing to the Lord because in this you will recognize Him in it.

Whatever the season... remember Him

I was encouraged by this closing passage from James. I hope this blesses you as well! :)

God is good

God is good.
It’s something in the very beginning of my walk with the Lord that I’ve come to terms to know. I believe it is a life-long process to come to understand. God is good. I’ve come to know it by blessings. God is good. I’ve come to know it by circumstances. God is good. I’ve come to know it by His Word. God is good. I’ve come to know by trials.
I’ve learned intellectually of God’s goodness for so long, but I’m learning to see the blessing of learning it through experience. He is good- I cling to it because I know it is true. God is good. I know it because I know that there is nothing good in me. He is good. I know it because the only thing good in me is Him that lives in me.


"But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me." Micah 7:7

"Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You." Psalm 142:8

Back from Costa Rica

Thanks for all of those who kept us in prayer while there. It was a great two weeks to see the missionaries down there, see the students before they left, and get to see a bit of the country there- green, mountainous, beautiful clouds, and friendly people! The three of us (Hollie, Carrie and I) flew down together and met up with the missionaries there (Ryan, Gerry, Sosi, Gabo and Vanessa) as well as Dave and Mark who were there teaching the last class. We got to see the ministry down there with Sunday night chapel now open to the community, the drug rehab ministry, and meet a lot of the locals that have been impacted by the guys down there.
Before going I had been asked to pray about serving down there this next semester as a missionary and Dean of Woman. I am still in prayer about this and ask that you would come alongside of me in praying! More pictures to come! :)

From Jacob to Israel

From ‘heal catcher’ to ‘God prevails.’ I keep thinking on the scripture where Jacob wrestles with God and the Lord changes his name to Israel. It’s a weird scripture to think on, but the sweet thing about it is the result from their wrestling. The Lord touches His hip and his joint was put out of its socket, and Jacob begs Him to bless him. The way the Lord blesses him is through the changing of his name. He will no longer identify himself as Jacob- Jacob with a history of trickery, but as Israel- one who is governed by God. Israel leaves with not only this blessing but with a noticeable change in his walk (a limp)- his walk with the Lord was different as well. It’s a funny thing in scripture to see Israel and Jacob used interchangeable, but through acts of faith Jacob was recorded as Israel.
The Lord brought to meditation on this area of scripture. I don’t fully understand it, but I’m amazed at Jacob's approach with the Lord to wrestle Him. I wonder what he was thinking in the midst of this. I mean, wrestling with God…? My relationship with the Lord is different than Jacob’s. I can’t imagine the guts to wrestle with God over something and expect Him to bless me. I usually result to “You’re God; You know what You’re doing.” But God honored his request for a name change. He changed his identity in his name; a name that stated that the Lord would thus be his identity.
I’ve been in that place of prayer. Lord, will you change my name in how I view myself? “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” Galatians 2:20. It is by faith that Israel walked as one who was governed by God. It is by faith that I walk also as one who is dead to my old man and alive in Christ. This is a daily call to die to self, pick up my cross and walk after the Lord. The best part of dying to self is that we are already dead to self according to the finished work of Christ on the cross. It is an identity of ‘dead to sin’ that we proclaim by faith. By faith we recognize that Jesus took our place, and we walk as one who is not only dead to our old man, but alive in Christ. Not only did Christ die for our sins, but He rose again and is seated with God. If He was raised, we know that we will also be raised to be with God. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” Colossians 3:1-3
Name change… I have been crucified with Christ!
From Jacob to Israel: Genesis 32:22-32, 35:9-10

Just because

I was recently introduced with this new world wide.. game? I guess you could call it a game. Basically you just lay facedown on whatever you can. If I could rate this game, I would say you get points for creativity and difficulty. Here are a few pictures of the first week of the facedown world! :)

The Discipline of Thinking

Analogies always allow me to understand things better. I’ve been thinking about thinking… go figure. But listen to this: If we were consciously aware of the Lord’s presence constantly with us, then our response would be different. For example: worry. Once we get to a thought that is true… our thought stops there. The end. We can then meditate on that truth. But with worry, it only leads to thoughts that train to other thoughts until our thoughts end up in China. Truth will always stop us and bring us to a conclusion to rest upon.
Hebrews 6:19 talks about Jesus being our sure anchor of hope. I’ve heard an analogy of drifting to be like one playing in the ocean in front of a lifeguard stand, and when they look back up that realize that they have been brought far away from that point. In Christ, we have a sure anchor of hope. He is our hope, He is our foundation- we will not be greatly moved! When I think of an anchor in the ocean, I think of a buoy attached by a chain resting on the water. When storms come, the buoy grows to recognize its foundation and the tightness of the chain that sustains it. My prayer has been that the Lord would grow me in the discipline of thinking; that I would grow as one who is conscious of the Lord’s presence, trusting Him in heart and mind at His Word. I pray that the anchor of our minds would be shortened to the awareness of God’s truths in every storm- so that we may quicken our trusting in Him!

Fear and Faith

They both can't exist at the same time. When one is present, the other is lacking. I've been reading through the gospel of Luke and have been seeing these two things side by side. The disciples will be fearful, and Jesus will ask them where is their faith. Jesus tells the healed woman her faith has made her well. "Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well" Luke 8:50.

I've been thinking what it means to walk by faith as believers; growing in faith as we grow in trusting the One who is trustworthy. We have to know Him, learning His character, to truly know we can trust Him. It has been fear and control that have restrained me from letting Him have full control. Fear brings me to think on things in my own understanding- this understanding has kept me from seeing my God as fully capable and in control.

"When it comes to jigsaw puzzles, we all know that to enjoy a satisfying outcome you need all the pieces. In many ways, life is like that. We spend our days putting it together, hoping to create a complete picture out of all the scattered parts." My own understanding allows me to see these pieces of all the things circumstantially I know- trying to figure out how each will fit together. Faith requires us to give up control of putting the pieces together on our own strength and trust the Lord to do it- He knows the bigger picture and the final outcome!

It's fun to think that where there is fear, there is also an opportunity for faith. There is fear because faith is needed; with faith we cannot rely on our own strength. It can be scary to fully trust the Lord with an unknown... especially when we don't know His character and are relying upon it!

"Courage is acknowledging fear but taking action anyway"

We can take action when our focus is not on the circumstance but on the One who is higher than the circumstance! Peter lost faith that he could walk on the water to Jesus when he saw his surroundings of the waves crashing around him. This fear allowed him to sink.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." Colossians 3:1-2

It is finished!

I know this blog is pretty long, but I read this this morning and was so blessed! It is so powerful if you have a chance to read it, oh wow!

Don't Leave It On The Desk -

There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States. Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course their freshman year, regardless of his or her major.

Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.

This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team and was the best student in the professor's class.

One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. "How many push-ups can you do?"

Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."

"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"

Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."

"Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christianson.

"Well, I can try," said Steve.

"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," said the professor.

Steve said, "Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it."

Dr. Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind."

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. These weren't the normal kinds of donuts. They were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls.
Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class.

Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?"

Cynthia said, "Yes."

Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"

"Sure!" Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.

Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?"

Joe said, "Yes."

Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?"

Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut.

Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. The professor asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"

Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own push-ups?"

Dr. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."

Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."

Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"

With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups.

Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"

Dr. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.

By this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.

Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"

Sternly, Jenny said, "No."

Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?"

Steve did ten. Jenny got a donut.
By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say, "No!" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.

Steve had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.

Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.

Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.

Steve asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"

Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your push-ups. You can do them any way that you want." And Dr. Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"
Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."

Dr. Christianson said, You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?"

Steve said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut."

Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"

Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he said, "give me a donut."

"Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?"

Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down. Dr Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing. There was not a dry eye in the room.

The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut?"

Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."

Professor Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"

Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.

Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan and said, "'Susan, do you want a donut?"

Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr. Christianson, can I help him?"

Dr Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it alone. I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push-ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes."

"Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?"

As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said, "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, said to the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that Jesus had done everything that was required of him, he yielded up his life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten."

Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. "Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor, adding, "Not all sermons are preached in words."
Turning to his class, the professor said, "My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God spared not his only begotten son, but gave him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept God's gift to us, the price has been paid."

Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:16-17

Skype date with Christy

There has to be both a recognition of who we are, and who we are in Christ. The balance of both truths produce praise; for we in and of ourselves are sinful, and only when we see who we are in Christ do we comprehend His grace! It is through His grace that we no longer think our righteousness or good deeds to be sufficient, but that we recognize His righteousness as our righteous standing! Praise God!

I feel like there has been so much that the Lord has been teaching me lately. I've gotten to read some great books, and through the Word, conversations, and homegroup, there has been an abundance of information that I don't think I have processed. Whenever my friend Christy and I get a change to sit and talk, it is just amazing how the Lord speaks to us and brings understanding as get to share these things He has been revealing! We speak a lot through analogies, and like my other dear friend Lili, the Lord has been so faithful to bring similar experience to bring wisdom and light on our conversations.

I have to share just a piece of this goodness with you! So I recently got done reading this George Mueller book, and as we all know him as a man of faith or prayer, it brought more meditation on these two things. Like faith for example- it's something we all would love to grow in, but we know when we pray for it that we're also given an opportunity to use it... which usually leads to less prayers asking for that. So to obtain greater amounts of faith, we must exercise it in whatever small area now. I started to look at this as a muscle. I use to be in track, and when I was in shape, running wasn't so much a difficult thing to do as much as it was a discipline thing to continue in. Now that I don't run consistently, running sounds like a great thing... but also something that seems far from my priorities. Faith is that same thing. Although it is a spiritual muscle, it requires the same continual discipline.

I have been thinking about how strong my physical man is. I've been getting pretty strong. Not necessarily in muscle, but in dependence upon my own strength. I know the things that I can do on my own, and although I would like to think I'm being dependent upon the Lord, I realize I'm not when it comes down to the things that are unknown to me. He has been stretching my dependency muscle, and He is calling me to trust Him with the baby things and the grande things. It really is breaking to see how easy in our flesh we can fall to depend on the things we know. Oh but how sweet in this lifetime to be able to experience a deeper dependency upon the Lord and see His goodness on earth deeper and deeper before seeing it in the fullness of face-to-face!

As faith grows, so too does our understanding of our fallen state and our righteous standing before God because, and only because of the blood of Jesus! Praying now for a deeper understanding of Jesus' blood over you and over all who might read!

Letter from Brent from 4.7.11

To our dearest family and friends,

We wanted to write and update you regarding the pathology report of the tumor that was removed from my head on the 25th of March. As of a few days ago, we now know that the tumor is a Glioblastoma (fancy word for malignant tumor). Our faith is once again being tested, having received what many would consider bad news. Yet we believe that God has given our family another opportunity to enjoy what we so often took for granted; each other! We are overwhelmed with excitement to be together as we are realizing that the most precious gifts that God gives are the gifts that we often take the most for granted. We don’t know how long we have here upon this earth, but one thing we do want to do is to live every day like it is our last. Our focus right now is our family and everything else is secondary to this focus. Our desire is to honor God in this way as much as possible (This is a lesson that my beautiful and gracious wife has exemplified to me during this trial; she is soooooo amazing). Just last night, Andrea and I were talking about not living in the future or in the past but seeking to honor Him presently. Therefore, we ask once again that you would pray for our family that we would magnify the Lord in this way by His grace.

We have been and continue to be humbled how each and every one of you have helped and continue to help support our family in innumerable ways, and for this we are humbly and eternally grateful. Words can’t express our gratitude yet we know that all the love and support that has been shown up to this point is a testimony of God’s grace; therefore we ask that you wouldn’t allow discouragement to eclipse the joy that God has granted our family during this time. We want our family and friends to rejoice with us during this time of new beginnings!
Please pray that God would give us practical wisdom, as I will need to start chemo and radiation soon. We know every situation is unique to itself, but isn’t this how God works anyways!  We love you all!!!!!

Carried by His Grace,
Brent, Andrea, Jaiden, and Micah

Psalm 126