{Redemption}

My heart is heavy with the election tomorrow. Not necessarily worried about who wins. No... it's not that. I am heavy hearted because of seeing where we are as a nation. I don't want to get all fired up and talk about how screwed our politics are and that we're all doomed to hell. But, I do want to talk about what a God of redemption we have.

In Hebrews it says God is the 'King of Justice' and the 'King of Peace'.

I honestly believe the Lord is so grieved by what's going on in this nation. Just as His heart was grieved by Sodom and Gomorrah. But..I also believe, that just as God's heart was moved by Abraham's intercession...so is His heart moved by ours. There's something powerful that happens when we stand in the gap and humbly come before the All powerful One, the essence of Love, and cry out to Him. He wants to bring redemption and healing!

For so long, Satan has bound up, lied to, and paralyzed so many hearts. And I'm tired of it! Our God is the One who looses the chains, and sets the captives free. Even us, as 'Christians' who have been held captive by apathy, or complacency...or, as aweful as it sounds...arrogance. You know I look at whats going on in the economy, and how so many are being forced to live more simply...and part of me wants it to happen so badly. You know, there's something powerful about simplicity. In simplicity, there's focus. Our comforts have been stripped away, and we're forced to look at the face of Jesus and say, "You are enough". I hope our hearts will gladly say that. But....if it takes being impelled to that...than I hope God will strave us of our comforts, and leave nothing but Himself. I honestly do.

God is the King of Justice.

In Zechariah 7 it says, "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another." As His children, we are to love justice and mercy. To live out of an overflow of what we've received. I know that's a buzz word, nowadays, but honestly it's how we're called to live. Those who have been forgiven much, love much.

God is the King of Peace.

He says, " I will grant peace in the land." How easy is it, amongst all the different opinions and egocentrism, for so much dissension to arise. Especially with this election, I've heard so many hurt hearts of people who have been judged and labelled with disgust by Christians. By Christians! It's this that is breaking the heart of God! It's His kindness that leads to repentance. It is God's role to judge and make right....but it is ours to love. Unconditionally. To replace haughty looks, with kind eyes. Sharp tongues, with edifying words. I'm definitely not saying that those sins are right, and we should embrace the sin. But, let us always have open arms and hearts for even the unlovable. That we, as God's children....sons and daughters of the King of peace...would be ushering the peace in.

I love this in Romans 13...

'Pay all of your debts, except the debt of love. You can never finish paying that! All the commanments are summed up in this one commandment- 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no wrong to anyone, so love satisfies all of God's requirements.' It's a simple as that.

I'm totally speaking to myself in this. It helps to right it out, though. Challenges me. Thanks for sticking with me this far. It's nice to be on the journey with you.

~Our Hope is in Jesus. Needless to say...it nice to be amongst friends.

/:pistol priests:/

Shane Claighborn writes this of his recent trip to Rwanda...

"And yet the story of our faith is that life is more powerful than death, love triumphs over hatred – even after torture and execution, there is a resurrection. After Good Friday, comes Easter Sunday. In Africa we saw goodness. We heard stories of courageous heroes and heroes who created an underground railroad during the genocide. We met people who looked into the eyes of killers and said, “You are better than than the worst things you have done.” We met mothers who lost their husbands and were raising 15 kids, half of whom were not their own but were some of the 2 million orphans of the genocide. We met elderly women who survived the genocide but lost their families, and yet who felt the freedom of forgiveness so deeply that they adopted some of the young men who killed their own loved ones, so that these kids might taste the goodness of God’s grace – stubborn, resilient, contagious grace. We heard of courageous Christians who challenged the pistol priests, saying “why do you carry a gun rather than the Bible?”

....but His love endures forever.

So, in the last week...many things have been stripped away from me. But, it is a glorious stripping. I think I needed to get my priorities right again, and get a fresh perspective.

no car.
no phone.
absolutely no money.
no job.

It's so funny how when I first moved back to the states....I was adamant about not having any of these things. I didn't want them. And I did quite fine without them. (well, that... and the fact that technology and I don't get along very well.)

But it's amazing how, what starts out as convenience, can easily become something of dependence.

You see, luxury is one thing....necessity is another. I never want these things to become a necessity. It's been in these things being taken from me, that I realize what I truly am dependent on.

Jehovah Jireh.
My Rock.
My Hope.

~Psalm 18:2 & 40:2

'The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress, and my Deliverer. My God, my Rock, in whom I take refuge. He drew me out from the pit of destruction, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure."

"For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him. That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory."

He is faithful, and He holds us secure, close to His heart. I declare that He is my Rock, and my deliverer.....in the midst of chaos. In the midst of heavy heartedness. He can strip it all away. I am dependent on these things no more. But only on the One whose love endures forever.

expectancy.

After a long relaxing weekend, I feel rejuvinated.
I feel lit up...awakened.
passion.vision ignited.

Ready for these dreams I've so long stored in my heart to be released.....let loose for the glory of my King. I feel like God has been saying that this is a season of dreams coming true. To be a forward seeker......to pursue the things He's put on my heart.

I must admit there are moments throughout the day when I get a rush of longing to be back in Europe, or Asia.....but for the most part, I am so content to be here 'for such a time as this'.
more than content actually. excited. ready. Expectant.

Oswald Chambers said...
" Ministering in everyday opportunities that surround us does not mean that we select our own surroundings- it means God's very special choice to be available for us in any of the seemingly random surroundings which He has engineered for us. The very character we exhibit in our present surroundings is an indication of what we will be like in other surroundings."

...Beauty for Ashes....

Isaiah 61 :://

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, ^[a]

to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

.....Instead of their shame
my people will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
they will rejoice in their inheritance;
and so they will inherit a double portion in their land,
and everlasting joy will be theirs.

"For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and iniquity.
In my faithfulness I will reward them
and make an everlasting covenant with them.

.....I delight greatly in the LORD;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise
spring up before all nations.

through the wilderness...

the wilderness is such a familiar place for me.

Many times I feel like I'm on the 'mountain top', or in the 'garden'.... but there are definitely those desert seasons, as well. It's not that the desert seasons in our life are bad. Not at all, actually. They can be quite beautiful. It's because it's a season God's bringing you through. Key word ...'bringing'. Look at amazing men after God's heart in the Bible. David, Abraham, Jacob, John....even Jesus himself. They all went through the wilderness. Quite literally. And it was God bringing them through the wilderness, teaching them and equipping them....it was God bringing them through that; they then came out and God launched them into their ministry and used them to change the world.

A friend of mine once said, "You know, you can go through the wilderness lugging around a jug of water on your own....or, you can let the Spirit come like a river and pick you up and carry you through it."

~Psalm 18:19
'He delivered me because He delighted in me.'
He doesn't have to....but He does. His heart is moved, and He lavishes His delight on us, His children. Our deliverance is in Him. The One who carries us through the desert.

::enamored by autumn::

I spent the afternoon craving fall.

So I bought a pumpkin spice candle, and sat by the fire.
I think fall is beautiful. I also realized that I love change.
After a while of something, summer for instance, my heart is ready for something new.
Not that I don't enjoy what's happening in the moment, but it was just one of those days.
I'm ready for Fall.

Fall with it's crisp weather, and thick fog...perfect for bike rides.
Sitting by the fire, with sweaters and scarves. Spiced chai tea.
Apple picking. Mmm, that's the best.


I was reading 'Surprised by Joy' as C.S. Lewis
describes a favorite childhood book and what he experienced through it....

"It troubled me with what I can only describe as the Idea of Autumn. It sounds fantastic to say that one can be enamored of a season, but that is something like what happened; and, as before, the experience was one of intense desire. And one went back to the book, not to gratify the desire (that was impossible- how can one possess Autumn?) but to reawake it. And in this experience also there was the same surprise and the same sense of incalculable importance."