Falling in Love with Jesus (rambling...)

Man!  I just love Him.  I was talking my kids on the way home one night.  More like lecturing, actually.  I didn't mean to, but it just seemed like I needed to share what was on my heart.  At the time, my love for Jesus ran so deep (it still does!) and I think it was hard for them to understand why I would do some of the things I would do.

What happened in my life, before coming to know Jesus personally - like, more than just a "going to church" kind of knowing Him - was crazy.  I was doing so many thing that were just... wrong.  Not because someone said it was wrong, but because I knew in my heart that it wasn't good for me.  Or for anyone else, for that matter.  I wasn't proud of the things I was doing.  (that's your first clue, btw) 
 
Then I prayed in a little bitty church, with my sister by my side, and tears running down my cheeks, to receive His gift of grace.  I gotta' tell ya... I was different.  He made me different... from that moment on.  I was absolutely, 100 percent in love with Jesus Christ.  And it didn't stop there.  Many things happened over the next few months, and even years... things that only He could help me get through.  Things that only He could set right again.  Oh!  And there was so much buried from the past.  Stuff that I really needed to deal with, and let go of.  I tell ya', if I'm not more in love with Him today than I was in the beginning, then I've missed the whole point.  Do you ever feel that way?  Like you're missing something?  I pray that my kids... and that most of you... won't have to go through the worst of life before they fall head over heels in love with Jesus.  Do it now!  Make the rest of your life count for Him.  And if you don't understand what I'm talking about, that's ok.  Keep seeking.  Keep knocking.  Keep asking.  He's dying to show you His love!!!

Faith That Saves (part 2)

"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14

This, I believe, is also testimony to the spiritual rebirth that Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John, chapter 3. Nicodemus asked, "What do I have to do to be saved?"  And Jesus replied, "You must be born again (of the spirit)."  My personal testimony is that I received the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit (moving in, and living inside me) at the exact moment that I decided to believe in Jesus Christ.  It's interesting, to me, that I wasn't baptized (in water) until a month later.  On top of that, I didn't actually "decide" to repent before I was saved.  It was almost like repentance happened in the same moment that I first stood up to say, "I believe."  It was part of my heart's response to Jesus.

Faith That Saves (part 1)

Question: Is faith in God enough to save you?

For me, it comes down to a simple set of passages that describe the type of faith that leads to salvation.  Did you know that even demons have a kind of faith in God?  The Bible says, "Even the demons believe," but they are not "saved." And they are certainly not affected by the power of Holy Spirit.

Saving Grace

From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.  -John 1:16

Think about your worst day.  I'm not talking about a day when everything went wrong.  I'm talking about a day when you were wrong.  A day, a week, a month, a year when your behavior or your attitude was just plain bad.

That bad day?  That's when Jesus loved you most.  He stretched out His arms, and rather than wrapping them around you on, He went to the cross.  He paid the price for your sin, so that You could receive the blessing of His love - forgiveness.  That's grace.

Have you ever thought about the love the Father has for you?  That one gets me.  That He would love me so much, even at my worst, that He would die for me.  Wow.

The Bible says that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord - with a sincere heart - will be saved.  If you have not yet believed His message of salvation, please talk to someone about it today.

More time…Psalm 66:16-20;  Psalm 139:7-10; Romans 5:6-8; Ephesians 1:3-8; 1John 3:1

A simple prayer…

Dear Lord, what a precious gift is Your love!  Thank You for saving me.  Thank You for showing me how much I mean to You.  Lord, help me to stay faithful to You, and to love You back.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Now what?...

Think about what Jesus did to show His love for you.  What are some of the obstacles that keep you from accepting of His love?  Have you fully responded to His love?  Review the verses listed above, and write out a prayer of commitment in response to God's love.  You can do this at whatever level of understanding you have today.

The Words of a Love Song

Ashley Reynolds had posted a song on MySpace, years ago, that spoke in volumes to me, unexpectedly.  This is what I wrote in response.

~oh, ashley... did you mean for the words of your song to speak to my heart as if they were the words of the Lord? that's what's happened tonight. in my despair, the Lord spoke to my heart with your words. He said, "All that you bring to the table is love. And that is so much. That is so much..." in response, my heart rested in Him as He brought more than enough to feed my empty soul. it is by His grace that i am what i am. and it is by His grace that i'm able to give to those who are most important in my life. ashley, thank you for the words of that song. and thank you for your continuing encouragement. you are a blessing, dear one. you are a blessing.~

I had watched the movie Spanglish, and the ending brought a huge realization.  There was a stand-off between a mom and her daughter.  The mom said, in her thick Spanish accent,  "No space between us!"  It was emotional and desperate and true.  In that moment, I applied it to my relationship with my step-daughter.  I wanted so much to be close with her.  But I also knew that she was/is her mother's daughter.  Not mine, by birth.  Having been so in love with Ashley's song weeks before, it was hidden in my heart.  And, at just the right time, the Lord used those words to minister to me as I bled, emotionally.  I was called to love a child who was not my own.  And I did.  I was realizing that I had not been loving unconditionally.  My expectations had gotten in the way.  She was not my own.  There were certain things I could expect - but a return on my investment, when I wanted it, was not one of them.

Love is a gamble that we take.  And in the words of another old song...  "It's never for nothing."  Margaret Becker sang, "It's never for nothing, when you love with no return.  It's never for nothing.  You light your candle in the darkness.  But it's never for nothing."  Lord, help me to completely trust Your love.  Help me to trust You.  Please forgive my selfish piety.  Help me to honor You from this day forward.  Father, give me enough grace to share with others.  Ashley sings, "All that You bring to the table is love, and that is so much. That is so much.  (It really is) more than enough to feed us."  Father, help me to be grateful for the love that You've given.  Thank You for loving me.  May I always be satisfied in You.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

***
Now, that same daughter... my beautiful daughter... has her own precious little baby growing inside.  Tatum is 26, and she's expected to give birth in July.  I am so hugely blessed by the tender-loving relationship we share today.  Her dad and I get texts within minutes of the news she gets concerning the baby.  That's a closeness I never thought I'd have, back then.  It's a closeness I cherish and hope to honor forever!

You Love, He Gives

Although you've never seen Him, you love Him.  Even though you don't see Him now, you trust Him and so rejoice with a glorious joy that is too much for words.  You are receiving the goal of your faith: your salvation.  - 1Peter 1:8

Are you filled with a "glorious joy that is too much for words"? 

If you answered "yes," you've discovered something that not a lot of people have today.  If you answered "no," keep reading... (I hope you'll keep reading if you answered "yes," too.) 

Prayer

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud; and He shall hear my voice. -Psalm 55:17

Did you pray this morning?  It's so easy to get up and go about your day without ever looking to the One who loves you most.  So much is lost, forgotten, neglected when we leave out the most precious and maybe even the simplest part of our relationship with the Lord.

Stop and tell Him what you're thinking and how you're feeling.  Start there.  Ask Him to search your heart and clean out anything that's keeping you from a closer relationship with Him.  Thank Him for the things He's given you and done for you.  Ask Him to give you a clear direction in how to pray for yourself and others.  Praise Him - because He deserves it.

Now what?…

Do it.  

What does it mean?

At once they left their nets and followed Him.  -Matthew 4:20

What does it mean to follow after God?  

i see a little kid. and a Big Man, and the Man's legs are long. the little kid is walking beside the Big Man...he's very eager. his little legs are moving very quickly, and very closely as he keeps up with the Big Man. as he walks, his face is often turned up towards the Big Man's face. the child looks at the path, too. his face darts from the Big Man's face to the path, and back again. he's asking questions, and filing the responses away in his little heart. he wants to be with the Big Man, and he wants to be like the Big Man. every once in a while, the Big Man picks up the little kid, and, oh! what joy! then He puts him down to resume the journey. the little kid is following after the Man. relentlessly pursuing. beside, and behind, and occasionally a step ahead. although, when he gets a step ahead, he tends to get in the way. so he realizes it's best to walk beside or behind, where he can really follow... and learn... and grow.

More time…

Whoever humbles himself like a little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  -Matthew 18:4

A simple prayer…

Dear Lord, remind me, again, what it means to follow You with childlike faith.  Let me not get caught up in wanting to grow up so quickly that I lose sight of the innocence of childhood. Give me the courage to ask questions.  Give me the wisdom to tuck Your answers away in my heart.  Teach me not to get in the way of Your plans.  I want to follow You.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.   

Now what?...

Draw a picture, or write a poem or short story of what a loving pursuit of Jesus would look like to you.

Write your own prayer describing your struggle, as well as your desire, to follow after God.

Becoming You

So do not throw away your confidence… "My righteous one will live by faith.  And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."  -Hebrews 10: 35-38

A very long time ago, I was on the phone with a friend who had a very sweet voice.  As we talked, I noticed my own voice become softer and sweeter.  Great qualities, but I was pretending.  It's one thing to admire the positive qualities other people have, and something altogether different to mirror a behavior that wasn't meant to be mine at all.  The same goes for negative behaviors and actions, too.

Follow Me

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.  -1Corinthians 11:1

Our youth group students had finished a 30-day challenge.  The challenge was to wear their faith in the form of a black t-shirt for thirty days straight.  The shirts simply said, "Follow Me" on the back.  The bigger challenge was not to outlast peer pressure (it was, after all, the beginning of a brand-new school year!) Nor was it to forego the latest fashionable styles.   The real challenge was to live their faith in such a way as to show the world it was a faith worth following.  Did you get that?  A faith worth following.

Cobblestone Faith

"…and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."  -Genesis 12:3b

Cobblestone roads are really pretty to me.  They're made by using lots of smooth, round stones and embedding them into the ground close together to form a roadway. Although they're pretty, and functional, cobblestone roads can be very bumpy.

Imagine you're going to construct a roadway of faith for your friends to follow.  You've collected several smooth, round stones about the size of your fist.  On each of the stones, you've written some of characteristics of God, as you understand Him: cheerleader, guidance counselor, life guard, butler (?!)…  Are these words you would use?

Moving Closer

It is good for me to draw near to God.  -Psalm 73:28

Too many times, I've missed the chance to be alone with God.  I rush off to do whatever it is that I need to do, completely forgetting the amazing power of His glory and grace (who He is and what He gives me) as I go about my day.  Does that happen to you?  If I were to encourage you in one thing, it would be to spend time alone with God each and every day.  5 minutes?  10 minutes?  20 minutes?  You decide.  But let me assure you that the Lord is waiting to meet with you.  There is comfort and refreshment just by being in His presence.  The Lord promises to meet your needs, whatever they are.  Your only requirement is to draw near to Him and ask.  If Jesus is your Savior and Lord, then you have the assurance that the guilt of your past has been washed away.  There is now nothing that separates you from the love of God. (Rom. 8:38-39)  In order to grow in grace and wisdom and love, you've got to depend on Jesus and draw from His presence on a daily basis.

What's a Devo?

A "Devotional" is meant to be a guide to help you grow deeper in your relationship with the Lord.  It is merely a guide!  The word devotion means "strong affection or dedication."  My prayer is that each devotional will help to stir in you a stronger affection for and dedication to your Savior Jesus Christ!

The instructions for doing Devos are pretty simple:

• You should always start with prayer, asking the Lord to open your heart.
• Grab a notebook to use as a journal.  It'll keep you on track, and help you log the journey.
• For each Devo, write the date at the top of a new page in your journal. 
• Write the verse reference for that day's devotion (example: "Luke 2:19") and open your Bible to that passage.
• Read the verse in your Bible, and then the devotional material.
• If there are additional verses for each topic, be sure to check those out, too - especially if it is your desire to go deeper!
• Always finish with prayer.

At any point during this precious time with Jesus, He may stir in you a desire to respond to Him.  It may be through a challenge, an encouragement, or a new conviction.  Use your journal to keep track of what He's doing; what He's telling you.  You may be inspired to write out a prayer, a song, a poem, a letter - do that, too!  This is a special time just between the two of you!  Luke 2:19 says that "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."  This was on the night that Jesus was born. So much was happening! She knew the truth about who He was, yet she didn't go running up and down the streets telling everybody what the Lord had revealed to her.  In wisdom, she kept it all to herself.  The Bible uses the words "treasured" and "pondered."  These words remind me to take to heart what He's telling me... you can do that, too!

Alright...  so enough of that!  Are you ready to begin?  

"I love you."

GOD says,  "I love you.

Not because you're making good choices.   I know you're not perfect.  I know there are things that still exist in your life that aren't okay."

It's who you are.  When you declared your love for me, you became my daughter… precious, unique, sincere in your desire... that's why I love you."

The truth is… your choices allow me to draw closer to you.  They also have the potential to keep me at a distance.  That's the relationship part."

My love stays the same.

My justice, however, will always prevail."

"God loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way."  ~Max Lucado

No Doctor, No Dentist, No God

When I was a kid, I never went to the doctor.  I don't remember ever having regular check-ups, or anything like that.   I wasn't ever really sick.  I remember getting my shots at school.  That's the way they did it when I was little.  I stood in a long line, got a shot in my arm, and then had a thick scab for a week or so.

 No dentist, either.  No exams, no teeth cleaning.  I had cavities, though.  One time, when I was a teenager, I went downstairs crying to my mother because I had such a horrible toothache.  Finally, my mom took me to the dentist.  As it turned out, I needed a root canal!

Crazy, huh?

I knew doctors and dentists existed.  My family just wasn't big on taking advantage of their services.  Sometimes, that worked out fine… other times, not so much!   That's kind of how it was for me with God.  I knew He existed.  I just didn't bother getting to know who He was or what He was all about.   I guess I didn't feel like I needed to. 

"The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'  They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.  The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God." (Psalm 14:1-2)

How has your view of God changed over the years, if at all?
What do you believe about God?

Dedication

This blog is dedicated to the girls who stole my heart in 2007... and beyond.

Amanda greeted me in the event center, sealing my fate as the new seventh-grade Core Group leader.  I still wasn't sure if I was all in. I had only just agreed to attend camp that year.  I had been convinced, three years prior, that 13-yr-old girls were not my cup of tea.  I was certain the feeling was mutual.  Amanda changed all that.  I had a feeling it was time to test the waters again.

I jumped in, heart first.

Amanda, Maddi, Stephanie, Bethany, Katlyn, and Lera were the original Core Group.  They were followed by Emily and Athena.  At some point we met Samantha.  Visitors have come and gone.  And along with them, Natalie, Rochelle and Bineeta. Then came Lyndsey and Alyssa.  And now Willow has joined our group for our final (12th-grade!) year.

What an amazing gift these girls have been to me.  We've seen the best and (possibly) the worst of each other.  Through God's grace, there is a piece of joy planted on behalf of each of these girls, deep within my heart.  I pray that the feeling is mutual.

From the very beginning, I talked about writing a devotional book for girls.  I guess I "talk" more than I "do." It's been six years, and no devo.  My hope (and prayer) is to compile past writings, amend and update, and finally make that book a reality.  It will be my parting gift to them... and to me.

I love you, ladies.  Thanks for bearing with me all this time.  :)