The Lord's faithful hand!

My heart is overflowing with praise to the Lord. He is so faithful and loving, and answers our prayers in ways that are above and beyond our thoughts! 

This past weekend my family and I had the delight of attending Desiring God's National conference with some dear friends. The conference was called Act the Miracle: God's Work and Ours in the Mystery of Sanctification. I hope to share some of what I learned from the conference as the weeks go on, but first, I would like to share a small portion of how God's hand worked through this past weekend. 

In May I began praying, planning, and hoping to go to this conference. All of the plans were "up in the air." But the whole time of waiting and being patient before the Lord was good for me. 

As we planned towards going to the conference, we all prayed that the time spent together at the conference would be encouraging to everyone involved (my family, our friends and the older couple we were going to stay with).

Through our Heavenly Father's gracious hand, He worked out all of the little details right up to the conference. What a faith builder that was for me! Learning to carry my anxieties to my Father. Knowing that the Lord is faithful and even though obstacles and anxieties may came up, the Lord works. Oh, we can joyfully rest all of our hope in Christ! As it says in Philippians 4:6-7:

 "...do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

The hospitality of this couple we stayed with was heartwarming to all of us! We all realized that the Lord was placing us with this older couple to encourage them, especially when we discovered that they were struggling. Many of us were unaware that we were encouraging them, until later on.  

Our friends left very early Monday morning to go back to their home. Later on that morning, once my family and this couple were up and awake, we gathered in the kitchen. I learned more about Mrs. J.'s life.  She said that this whole weekend showed her she has a Heavenly Father who loves her.  She told me that when she heard one of the reasons my dad made more effort to go to this conference was because I have had a desire over the past few years to sit under John Piper's teaching in person. It showed her for one of the first times in her life what it looks like to have a father who cares. 

So tears came to me that morning. I felt so humbled that God would use desires in my heart to attend a conference and pray towards it - even though it all seemed so ridiculously impossible in the process - to enable someone to see the love of our Heavenly Father through my earthly father, and also the loving brother/sister relationship in my friends to touch her heart. 

Mrs. J. said while she whipped up pancakes for breakfast that morning, "This weekend has shown me that my Heavenly Father loves me."

I'm amazed how God can take people who are so far from perfect and use them to show Christ to others! Isn't the Lord so good? :) Each one of us was encouraged and challenged. I am calmed in knowing that as we each seek His face, He who has called us and adopted us as sons and daughters and who justified us at the cross, will complete in us this radiant holiness {sanctify us}, as we act out this miracle!

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

~Ephesians 3:20-21

~My hope is from Him~

My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

~Psalm 62:5-8

Fearing One.

This next Sunday I will be doing something that I know will easily make me nervous... But as I sat down and read my Bible this morning I found the perfect reminder of how silly the fear of man is.  Once again the Lord shows Himself faithful in giving me exactly what I need to read, when I need it. :)

Isaiah 51:12-13:

 “I, even I, am He who comforts you.

Who are you that you should be afraid
Of a man who will die,
And of the son of a man who will be made like grass?
And you forget the Lord your Maker,
Who stretched out the heavens

And laid the foundations of the earth;
You have feared continually every day
Because of the fury of the oppressor,
When he has prepared to destroy.
And where is the fury of the oppressor?"

And in verses 7 to 8:

“Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,
You people in whose heart is My law:
Do not fear the reproach of men,
Nor be afraid of their insults.
 For the moth will eat them up like a garment,
And the worm will eat them like wool;
But My righteousness will be forever,
And My salvation from generation to generation.”

Oh, may I fix my eyes on Christ alone. For when I fear the One who is in control, who is steadfast in love, who created each person I'm with, all other fears dim in this Light. 

Please Lord, let me never forget this!

The purpose of creation...

...is to point us to our Creator and praise Him.

"There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice.” 

~John Calvin

Steps to fearless, radical action.

Last year while I had the joy of staying with and helping a young family, I was able to attend church with them one Sunday. Listening to this sermon I felt as though I had sat down at a table covered with a feast of spiritual food. It was so practical, and so Biblical and had plenty of things to "digest." I was able to jot some notes down while having little boys sitting on my lap from time to time, drawing on my notes. :)

The points are straightforward, and are something I find very helpful for me at this time in my life. May the Lord use them to help you too!

This message was given by Josh Johnson, based on Jeremiah 1:4-10:

“Fear keeps us from doing so much.”

God has prepared good works for us…

"There is no reason you shouldn’t give yourself for His Kingdom.”

1.) God wants to use you, stop making excuses. It makes the power of God look weak when we do.

2.) Know the words and promises of the Bible. Saturate yourself in this book.

3.) Pray for God’s leading and direction.

4.) Seek guidance and wisdom from others (adults)  (i.e. How do you think I should be radical? etc.)

5.) Take a step of faith and do something where you’re at right now.  Something you can only do by His strength.

6.)  Fight against chronological snobbery.

He will work in you…

For parents:

You have a valuable influence on your children…

How to help students become radical for Jesus Christ:

1.)  Set an example for the youth… Look at how you spend your time… What do we celebrate? (it shows what we value)

2.)  Commit to encouraging and supporting and praying with them. Grab a student in the hallway and ask if you can pray with them or for them.

3.) Offer wisdom and insight from the Bible and your own experiences.

4.) Fight against cynicism.  It’s really easy to be skeptical.

5.) Be willing to let students take steps of faith.

6.) Trust in the promises of God.  They’re for you and your child.

For all: It’s Christ and His work on the cross that gives us the ability and motivation to be radical.

A beautiful, glorious tapestry...

I just wanted to share this quote with you all quick ~ I find it very encouraging!

"But we forget the fact that God sometimes makes things an awful lot worse before they get any better. Just remember that God may do the opposite of what you expect, but don’t forget it might look like the backside of a Persian rug to you but on the other side, the side that God sees, it’s a beautiful, glorious tapestry. What we’re seeing today is the backside." 

~ John MacArthur

Isn't it a delight to know that the Lord is at work even when life seems dark or confusing? In the end, it all will be worth it. In the end we will be like Him, when we see Him face to face. Not one thread in this life, whether it be painfully dark or beautiful, is there by mistake. It is all there to make a beautiful tapestry of His grace and glory! 

Yes, Lord! I can trust You!

Rescuer of the drowning

I looked out across the lake.  At the waves. Rippling. Ebbing. Water holds such soothing beauty. And yet, such danger.

And this thought kept stirring in my heart as I gazed out at this dangerous beauty: Jesus walked on water.

That awes me. Especially since I've almost drowned two times in my life. 

Drowning equals complete helplessness. There is nothing to do, except vainly fight for life and hope that someone will rescue. 

And so it is with my soul. I am completely helpless and hopeless in and of myself. I begin to drown when my eyes are focused on the storm and not my Savior. Focusing on the circumstances around and tensing with anxiousness can come close to harming me {Psalm 37:8}. 

Jesus is bigger than any wave of fear or any problem that comes crashing.

Storms threaten to take my gaze off of Him. But there is hope in hopelessness. He hears the cry in the heart of His child. And rescues. 

Relaxing may not be a natural default setting for me, but the Lord can fill me with perfect peace. Because He is peace. I can surrender my cares to Him. 

And my heart is quieted as I look out at the rippling water, knowing that the Lord is an anchor in the storm. A rescuer of the drowning. I can rest and put all faith and confidence in Him, the author and perfecter of this unshakable faith.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” ~John 14:27 

Author's note: Near drowning has not damped my love for water in the least bit. =)

A selfless heart.

"Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”"

~Romans 15:2-3

{"Build him up..." i.e. edify and strengthen.}

Oh, how refreshing an edifying person is! They are selfless. Their focus is outward. They know the relentless, steady love of their Savoir, Father, and Husband and it overflows. This is where dying to ourselves brings life, not only to us, but to others.

Philippians 2:3-4 echoes this: 

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

This is humility. Casting pride aside. And letting this broken vessel of our lives pour forth Jesus. Ephesians 4:29 follows this theme of building up: 

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

Die to ourselves. Build others up. Give them grace. It's a shadow of the gospel. It glorifies the Lord.

Oh, let us live selflessly, as Christ did. Loving selflessly. Forgiving when people hurt and sin against us, even if it's again and again. May we faithfully point people to the Savoir ~ the Refresher of the weary.

 Sometimes it's the littlest kindnesses from a selfless heart that bring the biggest joys!