Bring the Rain.

Driving home tonight I wasn't quite sure that I would make it in one piece!  I couldn't see the lines on the road, my whippers were going full throttle, and the sky was lit up like the 4th of july....it was just another typical summer thunder storm.  For some reason the song Bring the Rain kept popping in my head, so I started to sing:

"I can count a million times

People asking me how I can praise You with all that I've gone through.

The question just amazes me

Can circumstances possibly change who I forever am in You?

Bring me joy, bring me peace,

Bring the chance to be free,

Bring me anything that brings You glory.

And I know there'll be days when this life brings me pain,

BUT IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO PRAISE YOU JESUS, BRING THE RAIN."

I had a Katie moment as I drove; the song clicked.

Life has thrown all sorts of struggles my way: family struggles, financial strain, loss of a loved one, you name it.  But I've come to realize that without those seasons in life, my relationship with Christ would not be the same.  If my life was all peaches and pink roses - pictures of Dorothy from Wizard of Oz running through the fields of flowers come to mind - would I really fear God as I do?  Would my faith be as strong?  Would my dependance be less?  James 1 says, "Consider it PURE JOY, my brothers, whenever you face trails of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, NOT LACKING ANYTHING."  Not only do was have trials because of sin, but God uses those trials to mold us, so that when we join him at Mount Zion we may be complete!

As the song ends, may we all sing "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY...I'M FOREVER SINGING."

"Utterly meaningless."

As I sat down to do my bstud this morning I had another thought of what I would blog on when I was finished.  However, when God speaks, you have to listen :-)

God has REALLY challenged me the past few days to take his word and sow it, not just consume it.  This morning was no different.

Psalm 127: 1-2

"If the Lord doesn't build the house, the builders are working for nothing.  If the Lord doesn't guard the city, the guards are watching for nothing.

It is no use for you to get up early and stay up late, working for a living.  The Lord gives sleep to those he loves."

King Solomon is saying (Emily paraphrase), without God, life is meaningless.  King David put it perfectly in Ecclesiates saying, "Meaningless, Meaningless!  Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless."  And it is, unless we join God in His labor.  If God is continually at work in me (John 5:17) and if I can do NOTHING apart from him (John 15:4-5), then why do I  labor in vain?  The answer that comes to mind first is pride.  We want to do things our way and so often I find myself getting comfortable and letting myself think that I've got everything under control.  But I must take captive those thoughts (2 Cor. 10:5) and replace it with truth.  Truth that says Nisi Dominus Frusta; Without God, Frustration.  Benjamin Franklin put it so eloquently: "...the longer I live the more convincing proof I see of this truth, that GOD GOVERNS IN THE AFFAIRS OF MEN."  We just need to answer the question of "whether or not God is in our labor indeed initiated it as His own building project" (Beth Moore).  Have we sought God's direction in our work?  "Whatever the work may be, if He is not in it, it is meaningless" (BM).  I leave you with this encouragement that I was left with as I concluded my bstud...Work where God works, then rest.

Imago Dei Community Church

Mandy, Hannah and I went to visit Imago Dei again tonight.  We had a blast!!  The church plant is having preview services at the Sky Lounge (a bar!) until they launch their church sometime in August.  For the past few weeks we have been engrossed in the book of Luke talking about relationships, Jesus calming the storm, and tonight about the parable of the seed and the sower.  I have never really thought about the fact that I have missed out on so much because I just let The Word go in one ear and out the other.  In our Outlet bstud we have been talking about the Psalms of Assent and the video we watched talked about how so often we take God's word and just eat it whole.  However, God calls us to take that seed (God's word) and plant it, harvest it, in order to reap blessings.  My thoughts are all over the place with this simply because I feel so convicted.  God promises in Psalm 126 that those who SOW will REAP.  He also promises in Luke 8 that we will bear fruit if we hold fast to the word in patience.  God IS moving among his people, we just need to stop eating our daily portion of God's word in one bite.  May God bless us for being doers of His word.

To remind myself that I am to sow what God has provided in order to reap a harvest, I am going to purchase some seed tomorrow and plant.  I pray that the constant care, nurture, and love I give the plant will in turn provide a beautiful flower.  May that be a reminder that God is faithful to bless those who are diligent servants.

For more information about Imago Dei Community Church click here.

When desperation calls.

As I was driving home last night I was listening to joyfm.  A commercial came on asking for volunteers for flood relief.  After a huge disappointment with not being able to travel to Montana, my heart jumped at the opportunity to take a few of the days I have off and help those in need.  I rushed home to talk with my sister and this morning we e-mailed Operation Blessing to reserve dates for us to come.  I pray that God uses us in some huge way...though we will be simply clearing mud out of houses, I hope that we can have the opportunity to share how we get through the floods of life.  God is so faithful and if we can put our mustard seed amount of faith in motion, I truly believe that God will bless us for it.

If you are interested in helping flood victims in Lincoln County (a little over an hour away) please visit joyfmonline.org for more information!

May God bless us all for serving his people.

Galatians 6:9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.

Three minute song.

I was searching through itunes the other night looking for songs for the beauty overflowing weekend in August and came upon this dude.  Josh Wilson.  He has a huge heart for music and jesus.  My favorite song of his is "The Saints"...I couldn't find a decent recording of it, so I hope you enjoy this one.