Sunday, July 29, 2012

"The Journey" London Blog #5

I am on a journey walking through a myriad of faces passing by on a busy street or in a crowded subway. It is a journey to a place in time the world is watching: London. And while taking a journey certainly means to travel far away from the familiar, it can also mean to climb out of the comfort zone. Rarely is the pursuit of the Divine traveled along a place that is comfortable and familiar. So when we make a decision to move toward something we hardly know, or to become someone we have hardly been, we suddenly see our horizon expand. What is the journey you will make? And did you know that your journey has already begun? In Philippians 1:6 we read “that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” I am on a journey to a place in time the world is watching, but the Lord is watching as well, and as I lean on him, he leads me on.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

"Timeless" London Blog #4

The 2012 Road to London is rich with patriotic pride and international fanfare. Today I could not help but feel like a little part of history in the making as I watched the Olympic torch lead its processional near the famous Portobello Road- a place in Notting Hill where brightly colored storefronts dapple the age old streets of London. Along that scenic route, the neighborhood streets mix with restaurants and shops like living legends breathing historic stories through their stonework. But as rich as their history may seem, they serve as good reminders that life is not about what we acquire or how much we accumulate when those who created these structures are no longer with us. Our significance should not be found in timeless treasures we cannot take to the grave. Instead, my prayer is that our significance would survive the grave. In Ecclesiastes 3:11 I read that God has set eternity in the hearts of men (and women). In light of making history in this historic city today, I would like to challenge each of us to search our hearts and know where we will spend eternity once all the fanfare has faded and the patriotism has passed.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

"Vision Casting" London Blog #3

Life hands us challenges that appear in all different shapes and sizes. But a vision can also take on many different shapes and sizes, especially when God casts our vision. He has a way of not only casting light on our dreams, but also casting shadows over the challenges we face. So when I search for the Divine in everyday life, I don’t have to look very far to discover the vision God has given to me. How about you? What is it that fuels your passion? Who is it that casts your vision? Are you like the Olympian who runs to win the race? Are you like the missionary who takes a step of faith? As I walk the streets and take the trains throughout London, I rub shoulders with many different people, ranging from Olympians to missionaries and just about everyone else in between. Each of those people has a unique plan and purpose designed by God. I guess the question is: do they have the vision to see it? And what about each of us? In Jeremiah 29:11 the Lord declares, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

"Isms" London Blog #2

When I listen to the language of London, I feel sort of nostalgic as I reminisce about a favorite rom-com or chick-flick filmed on these same streets. But then I have to peel back the layers of nostalgia to listen more closely, and in doing so I have documented some of my favorite “British-isms” I have heard so far. You are probably already familiar with most, but I would like to share the ones I have recorded; sneakers are trainers, a line is a queue, an elevator is a lift, to watch your step is to mind the gap, and the toilet is a loo. In addition, I have met an Aussie friend in the short time I have been here who has also taught me some great isms from down under; a heap is a ton, so you might have heaps of work to do instead of a ton of work. I would ask someone to shoot me an email, but she requests that I flick her an email. And I might hang a left at the next street while she would chuck a left. None of these isms create a language barrier, but they do require me to listen more closely. That’s where I discover the Divine. God hears all our isms as well, and he wants us to hear his. Only his are not so difficult to discern. They are printed plainly in the Bible, translated into thousands of languages. And as I travel the streets of London, I walk to the beat of Isaiah 52:7; “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” When I share the good news of the gospel on the streets of London, I feel thankful to know that God speaks and hears all languages and that he knows all the isms.

Monday, July 23, 2012

"A True Home" London Blog #1

I have officially arrived in London! Both my husband and I took the journey together across the pond. Thank you for checking in with us. But more importantly, thank you for joining me on my quest for discovering the Divine in everyday life. I would like to start this post by first posing a question; If keeping current with the culture we live in helps each of us to maintain a sense of normalcy, then how do we at the same time keep from making this world our home? I personally cannot help but notice how this world offers such unique smells, sights and sounds that lend themselves nicely to this small town girl. But as nice as these things may seem, my own culture tends to make me into a creature of habit. Still, I could not help but feel nostalgic last night at the soprano sounds of a British flight attendant practically singing, "Would you like some tea?" And even though my view from 30E on British Airways flight 2166 hardly reminded me of home, I began to realize how quickly the idea of home could be challenged. It is when I think of home in a broader sense that I discover the Divine. In John 15:19 Jesus says, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world." I was never chosen by Lutz or London to become one of its citizens or a member of its community. But I have been chosen by Christ to become a citizen of heaven, and I believe you have too. So regardless of which culture you claim as your own, or wherever in the world your feet may walk, check your heart to see if that same culture keeps you from calling heaven your true home. And in doing so, I believe you too will discover the Divine.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

My Blog Re-Invented

Choosing to cut my summer sabbatical short feels less like a leap of faith and more like a launch into orbit. So here I am, re-entering the blogosphere while holding my manuscript in one hand and my blog in the other. Only now I want my re-invented posts to draw inspiration from my daily devotions, as well as from my discovery of the Divine in everyday life. I believe God actively reveals himself to each of us in a personal way. My goal is to embrace his divine presence along with the challenges each day brings, simply for the sake of story. So I invite you to read my story from the comfort of your computer as I travel to the 2012 London Olympics! The first portion of my Olympic journey will take place on the streets of London, while the second portion of my Olympic journey will take place from the comfort of my couch. Regardless of my location, my purpose is to highlight Romans 1:20; "For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God." Are you with me?