That is ridiculous!!

I love to read about the life of Joshua in the Old Testament. His life was a series of what we would deem "ridiculous" events - each one preparing him for what was around the corner. Each situation grew Joshua in character and (more importantly) faith in God. First, he was able to be mentored by serving under Moses' leadership. He saw firsthand what God could do with a leader who was surrendered.

Once Joshua is put in the leadership position over the Israelites, each absurd task seems to lead to another seemingly ridiculous request. Sometimes we read stories in the Bible and are surprisingly unimpressed with the events that occur. In Joshua 3 he crosses the Jordan at flood stage with thousands of people, and they all cross on dry land. In chapter five, he circumcises grown men with a dull knife (this in itself seems to be miraculous to me). In chapter six, he defeats a city with the high military technique of walking and blowing trumpets. God would tell Joshua something to do. Joshua would contemplate, "He wants me to do what????" Each step of obedience seemingly led to another ridiculous request from God. Am I making any sense here?

I believe that (usually on a smaller scale) God does the same thing with us. Sometimes, each step of obedience that we take leads to another situation that seems nothing short of ridiculous to the rational mind. Did I just say that God is irrational? I might get in trouble for this one later, but I am going to say, "YES!" When we compare God's ways, actions, and plans up against our finite, limited minds, He can sometimes seem to be very irrational.

What I love about Joshua is that there never seems to be doubt or question in his response to God's ideas for his life. It's as if God's past faithfulness in Joshua's life has given him the freedom to obey wholeheartedly no matter what the request. This is the goal for my life, as well.

For example right now, I am seriously contemplating and praying about adopting a child from another country. This makes absolutely no sense when thinking with a rational mind. It is RIDICULOUS!! I am not married, do not have a 'steady income,' I live below the poverty line, travel is required/desired in my position, I am terrified of long term commitments, and I am sure there are many more if these are not convincing enough. It makes NO sense. It is ridiculous that I am even considering it, really! However, adoption crosses my mind every single day. I wake up at night thinking about orphans. I have such a desire to minister to orphans and widows. It goes much deeper than that, though. Good grief, I've already given her a name!!

Thank goodness God's ways are higher than our ways. I am so glad that He is not confined to what seems normal and rational to me - life would be so boring. Praise Him for leading us through a journey of faithfulness. This process has been my greatest joy in life - and before you know it I may be parting rivers just by putting my toe in. Ha ha! Bring it!

Lessons Learned

I have been in a 'funk' for awhile now. Things that I thought were going to happen have not. Things that I did not think would happen have. Living with this 'unsettled feeling' for many months has taken a toll on me spiritually, physically, and emotionally. While I always know (head knowledge) that I have my strong faith in God to fall back on, just in the last few months, I have really begun seeking what God could possibly be teaching me through this valley. I feel like I am getting answers for the first time in awhile.

One lesson that has been loud and clear is that the death of Christ on the Cross was enough. I know that God loves and desires to bless His children. He has blessed my life beyond anything I could ever ask. However, if he chooses to not grant me one more earthly blessing, then what He has already done is enough. I am not entitled to anything else. It would not be unfair of Him to withhold future blessing from my life. He is sovereign. I did not deserve salvation, and God does not owe me anything.

Another difficult, but obvious lesson that God wants me to learn is that He is enough to satisfy my every need. When I do not 'feel' like He is enough to satisfy me, then that is when I have let my priorities get out of line. He is all that I need. There are many other desires, and probably even many other ways that He will bless my life, but He is enough. This sounds so cliché, but making that TRUTH really settle in your heart (not just your head) - that can be life-changing. This has been a daily process, and even a grieving process as I try to let my white knuckle grip go of everything else but Him.

I have recently been blessed through a Bible Study written by Kelly Minter called “No Other Gods.” It was recommended to me by a friend, and I would highly recommend it, as well. In one chapter she mentions this grieving process and how difficult it is sometimes to say goodbye to what we know and value. Being willing to trade in the familiar and trusting that God has our best interest at heart in the midst of uncertainty. She says that sometimes saying goodbye to things, even good things is necessary for our life to blossom. "Certain things choke us, wound us, and bind us in ways that keep us from new hellos. They deserve a farewell. Still we cling because the painful familiar is often more comfortable than the foreign amazing." I was wowed by this statement, but oh, so true! I do not want to miss out on God's foreign amazing because I am clinging to the familiar.

More to come, soon.

Myth or Truth - Take One

1 Corinthians 10:13
2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I have had times in my relationship with Christ where He takes ideas or thoughts that I have always accepted as truth and He challenges me to search out the Truth for myself. Do you know what I am talking about? Sometimes it can be things that sound like they came from the Bible, but may or not be based on actual scripture.

Today, I pass that challenge on to you with this phrase: "God will not give you more than you can handle." Has anyone ever tossed these words out to you as a comfort through a difficult time? I can't find it anywhere in scripture! I believe this idea may have originally come from 1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

Temptation and difficult situations are two completely different circumstances. In fact, I find time after time in the Bible when God gave people more than they could handle. It is in the 'more than you can handle' times when God can really show off His strength and power through us. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, "...My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

I believe true victory often comes in times that seem to be 'more than you can handle.' Perhaps you read this e-mail during a 'more than you can handle' time in your life. Seek God's direction for how He wants to receive glory through your life. Allow him to show His power through your weaknesses! The times in our lives when God gives us more than we can handle in our own strength are oftentimes when He wants to take us to a new place in our relationship with Him!

Shout to the Lord on American Idol!!!

I'm addicted. I admit it. Since Ruben and Clay went head-to-head in 2003, I have been an American Idol junkie! Mandisa is my all time favorite contestant because of her amazing talent AND her evident love for Christ. I still sport my "Mandisa is my American Idol" shirt sometimes. If any of you know her, I think you should tell her that we could be great friends if she would just give me a chance! :) I am not sure if any of you have watched Idol the last few weeks, but can I just tell you that Jesus has been getting some praise on that show!!

Two weeks ago, Dolly Parton sang a song entitled "Jesus and Gravity." This week was over the top, though. Wednesday night they had a special show called "Idol Gives Back" where they were trying to raise money for humanitarian efforts in Africa and around the world. The top 8 contestants sang "Shout to the Lord." However, in the first line of the song, they sang, "My shepherd, My savior, Lord there is none like you." I really don't have a problem with this, because Jesus is my shepherd, but apparently many people protested because they had taken the name of Jesus out of the song. SO, on Thursday night the contestants did an encore performance, and they sang the first line "My JESUS, My savior, Lord there is none like you!"

God WILL receive the praise He deserves!! In Luke 19:40, Jesus reminds the Pharisees that even if believers stop praising God, then the stones will cry out! I love that we serve a powerful God who can make things happen! What better platform to bring Glory to yourself than through a TV show where 20 million people are tuned in. Not just one night, but TWO nights in a row! I think the encore presentation was just to bring the point home (or maybe God was showing off a little bit). He will be praised among the nations!

Take some time to read through these Psalms about praise. Check out the videos below, too. Get ready to worship with "Shout to the Lord," though! Woo hoo! I hope you have an amazing weekend and give God the praise that He deserves!

Psalm 113:3
From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised.

Psalm 34:1

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 40:16

Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let those who love Your salvation say continually, "The LORD be magnified!"

Psalm 96:4, 11-12

For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all it contains; Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy!

Psalm 98:4
Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.

Psalm 92:1-21

It is good to give thanks to the LORD and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night.

Psalm 145:10
All Your works shall give thanks to You, O LORD, and Your godly ones shall bless You.

Psalm 100:4
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

Psalm 118:1

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Shout to the Lord

http://youtube.com/watch?v=i6G0U8Vg6nY

Jesus and Gravity

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WM6_-kOdT0c

The Sovereignty of God

I am sure most of you have heard about the tornado that swept through downtown Atlanta last Friday night. Guess where I was when the tornado hit the Georgia Dome? Yep, you guessed it....I was in the Georgia Dome!! I love college basketball, especially SEC basketball. Even more than that, if the Kentucky Wildcats are playing within a two hundred mile radius of Atlanta, then I am more than likely going to be there.

One bonus to going to the Kentucky game was watching another great basketball game between Alabama and Mississippi State. Alabama hit a last second three pointer that truly was a miracle shot. I think it bounced on three different places on the rim before it finally fell through the net sending the game into overtime. With 2:33 left in overtime, the tornado hit the Dome. A friend and I were talking about how much worse things could have been the night of the tornado. Even down to this detail : what if the game had not gone into overtime? Is God really sovereign over a last second three pointer? If the game had ended at regulation, there definitely would have been thousands more people walking around the streets of downtown Atlanta when the tornado hit.

I am not one to say that God causes every action and reaction. If that were the case, I think Kentucky would win every game. :) We won't open the "free will vs. God is sovereign" can of worms, but I would like to take a look at God's sovereignty for just a few minutes. First Chronicles 29:11 confirms the sovereignty of God. "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all." Nothing happens to us without God's permission. Some of us picture God granting Satan permission to mess with our lives, then he frantically runs behind us trying to pick up the pieces because of the permission that He granted in the first place. The Lord is never surprised. Joni Eareckson Tada says it well: "Not only is God not frustrated or hindered by Satan's schemes, but God actually uses the devil's deeds to advance his kingdom and bring glory to himself. We can trust our sovereign God who works all things out for our good and his glory."

You, too, can trust God's sovereignty in your own life. He pays attention to every detail and is working all things together for your good. Perhaps you are in a place in life where this doesn't feel like the truth, but I challenge you to find some time in the next few days to praise our sovereign LORD for all that he is doing in your life right now. Perhaps the present circumstances are preparing or protecting you. I think Easter is the perfect time of the year to praise our God for his Sovereignty, even in the details of our lives. I hope you had a great Easter celebrating our risen Savior!

Humility 101 – John 13: 1-20

If you have ever been to an African village, perhaps the scripture of Jesus washing the disciple’s feet has become more alive to you. I know this was the case for me. For some reason, I had always assumed that the disciple’s feet looked like “America’s feet.” Toenails trimmed, well kept, maybe even pedicured! OK, maybe not that far.

Feet are not glamorous in any culture, but especially not in cultures where sandals are the most frequently used mode of transportation. In biblical times, it was common to have a basin at the front door so that people could wash their feet when they entered the house. Much of their day was spent walking and working in dusty, dirty environments.

By washing the disciple’s feet, Jesus was attempting to teach his inner circle a lesson in humility and service. I don’t know if you have noticed, but sometimes Jesus’ inner circle had a hard time understanding the lessons that he was attempting to teach. At first Peter did not understand why Jesus was doing something that seemed so beneath him. It seems that Peter has an “Aha” moment in this passage, though. In verse 8, Jesus has said that unless he washes Peter’s feet, then Peter will have no part of Jesus. In verse 9, we read,

“Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

Let’s briefly look at the three body parts that Peter chose to surrender in this passage. I believe his feet symbolized Peter’s surrendering his steps to Jesus. Wherever God wanted to take him, then that is where he would go in obedience. By offering his hands, I believe he was dedicating his work to the Lord. With his head bowed before Jesus, I believe he was surrendering his thoughts and emotions at the feet of Jesus.

We see later on in the Bible, in 1 Peter 5:5-6, that perhaps Peter had learned his lesson about humility after all.

“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.”

Sometimes God wants to grow us in our relationship with him by humbly serving other people. Sometimes he wants us to evaluate our direction in life, the purpose of our work, our thoughts, and our emotions. May God find us with the attitude of Peter in this passage.

Lord, you have created us, and you can have all of us! Get us out of the way so that you can bring Glory to yourself through our lives!

Have a great week!