My Quest for Community

Sometimes my quest for community leads me on a path I seem to walk alone. And irony taps me on the shoulder.

But I press on, knowing that my quest must be fulfilled. Until I realize that all along I have been traveling down a road called Ministry, not realizing that this road leads to community. And irony taps me on the shoulder once again.

Spills and Stains

The culture we live in is not contained. It spills out. It overflows. It splatters. It even splatters onto our children.

As a woman madly in love with Jesus Christ, I always feel the need to come alongside my daughters with a wet rag to wash their hands and faces. But I realize that no matter how hard I try, I still miss a spot.

So I tuck my girls into bed and take Jesus by the hand, asking him to go where I cannot go, to see what I cannot see, to clean what I cannot clean.

And when the culture has spilled and left some stains, I trust that Jesus knows how to clean it up.

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 for attaining wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young-
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance-
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction
and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
9 They will be a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.
-Proverbs 1:1-9

He Cares

With his hands, he hung the stars on a black velvet wall and then he spoke the word "night". And the same two hands are holding my heart on this very night. Thank you, Lord, for being big enough to create, and intimate enough to care.

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."
-1 Peter 5:7

The Stray

A stray dog nips at my heels. And while some say her bark is worse than her bite, I know better than to believe them. Her name is complacency, and she hounds me. But I know the second I go to throw her a bone, she'll strike. So I run, trying to shake her.

"Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life."
-Proverbs 4:23

Got Passion?

Passion sweats from our pores, it beats with our hearts, it flows from every part of who we are. Passion takes us farther, drives us longer, and lifts us higher than we ever dreamed or imagined. And that very passion is planted in our hearts by the One who created us.

What's your passion?

"...I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you..."
-2 Timothy 1:6

Parenthood

Parenthood is a bit ironic. It seems as though there is a constant blend of harmony mixed with chaos; joy blended with anxiety; uncertainty merged with wisdom. Parenthood is therapy for the control freak. Parenthood is rehab for the perfectionist. Parenthood is a gift.


"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one's youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
-Psalm 127:3-5

This is the Day

There is a room in my house where the light glows dimly at night while an end table boasts with beauty as her silhouette cascades across one wall. She commands the stage for an audience of several furnishings that sit silently holding their applause. And they do hold their applause until 7 a.m. when tiny little feet clap against the cold tile floors.

Suddenly the staged room no longer illuminates with the legs of a table, but with the legs of a child. My child, in fact. She emerges from a dressing room of sorts to take place on the center stage of my day in my house where the light glows dimly at night.

So I give my regards to the quiet of night, and welcome the beauty of day.

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." -Psalm 118:24

Grace

Sometimes I find myself knocking on grace's door, feeling like a weary traveler looking for shelter. In those moments I feel hungry, dirty, tired, and yet grace always opens the door to feed me, clean me up and give me rest.

"But he said to me, '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." -2 Corinthians 12:9

Miracles

If we raise our cups to toast to our own greatness, then how much more should our lips offer up songs of praise to our God? We work with our hands to create what seems good, but when God works with his hands, He performs miracles. And He does not limit those miracles to a time dated 2,000 years ago. The God I serve still works miracles today.

"Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people..." -Psalm 77:13-15

Her Heavy Heart

She carries around a heavy heart, even though her hands are empty. But empty hands and a heavy heart only drive her to prayer. Like a persistent widow pleading for justice is her cry before the Lord.

And her cry is heard.

It echoes through the halls of heaven to the very throne of God. Just knowing this brings her comfort and suddenly, the weight of her heavy heart feels lifted.

"Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." -Hebrews 4:16