Discovering True Intimacy with Our Savior

Giving Thanks: 7 Days of Gratitude

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Day #2. Let’s be grateful.

I am grateful for….

…Dave Ramsey and garbage disposals. My old disposer cracked and that got ugly. But, thanks to Dave, I have not only a House Repairs fund, but also an Emergency Fund (just in case) allowing me to pay the plumber an obscene price required to fix it.

…two amazingly awesome bosses who love Jesus and allow me to support them. Nothing makes me happier than discussing how we can pray for each other through projects and circumstances that stretch us; sharing what God is doing in our lives; and, of course, just generally loving on The Lord.

…God’s timing, plan, purposes and creativity. There is no greater author. He writes the best stories.  Hands down.

Now it’s your turn!

 

Giving Thanks: 7 Days of Gratitude

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Confession: I scowled at some elves yesterday. Elves! Ok. Actually they were people who were putting up the Christmas decorations at my office. Yesh.

I feel sorry for Thanksgiving. It gets overlooked. In my opinion we really should celebrate it more than any other holiday besides Easter. (And you guys know how much I love Easter.) It would probably be different if people celebrated Christ more at Christmas, but alas, I don’t think that’s why we love it. But that is another post that hopefully – for your sakes – I will never write.

Since I celebrate Easter for seven days, and the rest of the world celebrates Christmas for 2 months, I thought it would be nice to start celebrating Thanksgiving a week early. So, every day for the next seven days, I want to give God some praise and Thanksgiving some props.

I hope you will join me in celebrating early by posting with me, but if you don’t, that’s okay.  Let’s try three each day. One each for the body (things that make life a bit easier), the heart (things that you love, love, love), and the soul (spiritual things).

Today, I am grateful…
…that I live in a country with drinkable tap water (I have Peru to thank for this lesson).
…for the girls in my accountability group (Kels, Robyn, Lil, Donna and Hope – you keep me sane and honest, and I love you dearly).
…that God chose me to be His child.

OK. Your turn. What are you celebrating this Thanksgiving?

Music Monday: Captivate Us

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This song has been on repeat for the past week on my iPod. I just love it so much. I hope you do too! Let’s bask in His beauty this Monday morning!

Your face is beautiful
And your eyes are like the stars
Your gentle hands have healing
There, inside the scars
You’re loving arms they draw me near
And your smile, it brings me peace
Draw me closer, Oh my Lord,
Draw me closer, Lord, to thee

Captivate us, Lord Jesus
Set our eyes on you
Devastate us with your presence
Falling down
And rushing river, draw us nearer
Holy fountain consume us with you
And captivate us, Lord Jesus
With you.

Your voice is powerful
and your words are radiant bright
In your breath and shadow
I will come close and abide
You whisper love and life divine
And your fellowship is free
Draw me closer
Oh my Lord
Draw me closer Lord to thee

Captivate us, Lord Jesus,
Set our eyes on you
Devastate us with your presence
Falling down
And rushing river draw us nearer
Holy Fountain consume us with you
And captivate us, Lord Jesus
With you.

Let everything be lost in the shadows
Of the light of your face
Let every chain be broken from me
As I’m bound in your grace
For your yoke is easy
Your burden is light
You’re full of wisdom, power and might
And every eye, will see you.

Captivate us, Lord Jesus,
Set our eyes on you
Devastate us with your presence
Falling down
And rushing river draw us nearer
Holy Fountain consume us with you
And captivate us, Lord Jesus,
With you.

Rejoice

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It’s been a rough couple of weeks for several of my beloved friends.  And, of course, those are just the struggles that I know about.

 

There are people everywhere – maybe even you – who are in the midst of a discouraging, disappointing or frustrating period in your life.  Today, I want to give you a reason to rejoice and a prayer for those who are struggling during a difficult period.

 

“I see that the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
No wonder my heart is glad, 
and my tongue shouts his praises!
My body rests in hope.  
For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
You have shown me the way of life, 
and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.” – Psalm 16:8-11

 

Holy God,
I thank you that you are with my friend that is struggling.
I rejoice that you are right beside her during this frustrating and discouraging season.   You knew before the creation of the world that this season in her life would come.  We know you have a purpose for it – a purpose to glorify Your Name – but we confess that it is difficult.
Your word says that you will fill her with the joy of your presence.  Yes, Lord.  JOY!  That is what she needs!  She needs

 

the joyful,
abundant
and
full LIFE
Your word says you provide.

 

We know that you do not give as the world gives because the world will neither satisfy nor will it bring us joy.  Let her joy come from simply acknowledging Your presence, trusting that You are with her and she is not alone, as your son, David, did.

 

We praise you, Father!  We praise you that though the devil intends these seasons for evil, YOU intent them for good, and we are grateful and rejoice in knowing that it is not his evil purposes, but Yours, that will stand!

 

What a wonderful God you are!  Father, let her heart be glad, her tongue shout your praises and her body rest in your hope, for you will not allow her to be shaken.

 

In the wondrous name of Jesus, we thank you!

 

Amen!

Awkward

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This is a totally, embarrassing, and awkward post for me, but I really felt like I needed to share this with you. 

Around Memorial Day 2010, I felt God leading me to teach and to write.  I never felt the urge to write anything for anyone.  Even in college, as people would ask if I was going to get a doctorate in Psychology, I would look at them and disgustingly say, “I never want to know enough about something where I could write a book.”  (I’m sure if I had listened close enough, I would’ve heard an angel giggle.) 

With writing not high on the list of dreams, (or even considerations), teaching anything – let alone the word of God – seemed just as unlikely because…well…I never thought about it. 

However, as we know, God has His own plans.  Through some interesting conversations, God confirmed that writing and teaching was what he wanted me to do.  So, I prayed:  “OK, Lord.  Sure.  No problem.  I’ll be glad to teach and write.  If this is what you want me to do, then I’ll need an opportunity.” 

A few weeks later, I received a phone call from a pastor friend of mine and he asked me to speak at the women’s conference he was having at his church that fall. 

 “Ummm…can I pray about that?”  (I know.  I’m a dork.)

A few months later, after watching a bible study video, my sweet friend, Lil, whispered to me:  “I can totally see you doing something like that one day.”

Say WHAT?!

There were a couple of more “unique” experiences that confirmed where God was leading, including meeting Jamie Harper in January 2011.  Turns out she found my blog because – even though she is not a coffee drinker (and is seriously allergic even to the thought of drinking it) – “coffee” had been repeating to her.  So, she did some digging and found my blog…not once…but twice.  Turns out, we go to the same church, and God had been leading her to speak and to write too. 

Weird.

For a few months Jamie and I met not knowing what God was leading us to do but certain that He had a plan.  And guess what?!  He did.  And this is where it gets awkward….

This January, we have been given a great (and humbling, and completely mindboggling) opportunity to teach at the women’s conference at Valleydale Church.  I’ve attached a copy of a flier just in case you’d like to see.  I kind of have to slap myself when I see the fliers all of the church…it’s surreal.  I’d love for you to come and meet Jamie and hopefully learn some really cool things about God. 

You can register by contacting the church at 205.991.5282 or you can email Amy Harris (aharrisathome@yahoo.com).

Regardless of whether or not you can make it, may I be so bold as to ask you for a favor?  Please pray over Jamie and I as we continue to prepare and write and check out Jamie’s blog sometime.  I’m praying that God will do mighty things for those in attendance. 

OK.  Awkwardness over.  [Sigh]

Healing

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The truck was loaded with some firewood, basic supplies and a warm meal. We pulled the truck off the road and headed up a small trail where we could see our friends huddled around a makeshift fire trying to keep warm. As we made our way toward them, greetings were exchanged and supplies unloaded.

I removed my gloves for a minute and went to shake the hand of a friend who lives under the overpass. He pulled back in horror. His hands were covered in soot from the fire and he refused to shake my hand. With his head bowed and eyes focused on his shoes he muttered, “No. I don’t want to get your hands dirty.”

Talk about awkward.  So, I did the only thing I knew to do and hugged him instead.

I thought about my friend this morning as I was reading the story of Jesus healing the leper in Matthew 8.

Jesus is being followed by a large crowd of people and out of nowhere a leper approaches him, asking for healing and cleansing. This is a bold move because lepers were labeled “unclean” – by God Himself, mind you( Leviticus 13:3) – and were isolated from society. Drawing close to anyone, let alone this Jesus fellow, was risky.

Of course, I love that Jesus healed this man, but today I saw something more to love: “Jesus reached out and touched him” (v. 3). Can you imagine how long it had been since he felt the touch of another?  I wonder if he shrunk back as my friend did.

Notice that Jesus could have simply spoken the healing, as He did in the story that follows, but He didn’t.  Why?  I think He knew this man needed the acceptance that we feel from the loving touch of another.

Have you hugged someone today?  If not (and even if you have) get out there and hug some unsuspecting people! You never know when the last time someone showed them some affection.