Just a word...

Have you ever felt like you were "jipped by God"?  Like God gave you something, but it turned into a 'womp womp' situation?  Heard yourself saying "C'mon God...REALLY?"


(...sharing this from personal experience...)


Were you jipped by God?  Did you pray for something, and only got some/part of it?  Did you lay your expectations before him, and He not come through the way you wanted?


NO. (<<THAT was a period)


No...He answered your prayer.  And you got what you asked for (maybe more, but were so blind that you didn't see it for what it was!).  It just wasn't what you Thought, Expected or Hoped it would be.  But know the truth: HE ANSWERS PRAYER*.  He knows the desires of your heart** and never gives you more than you can bear***, nor does He harm you****!

Just as an example, for examples sake...remember how I prayed specifically, "Send me where I can best serve Your needs", which to me, meant Nairobi, Kenya...yet here I am going to Prague?  Yeah...that was one of those  "jipped by God" moments.  Amen though, I was able to get over myself, and I am completely fired up that He truly answered every word that I prayed specifically.


What are some of your 'jipped by God' moments?  Were you able to see what He has done for you, as opposed to what He did not do?  Howso?


*Matt 21:22:  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
**Psalm 21:2: You have granted him his heart's desire and have not withheld the request of his lips; Psalm 37:4: Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desire's of your heart.
*** Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you..."
****1Corinthians 10:13: ...And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear...

Correction!  Within that last scripture there, 1Cor10:13, it does state that He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear...not "He will not give you more than you can bear".  As my friend Juniper stated to me " actually it never says that in the Bible. We WILL have more than we can bear on our own sometimes, because otherwise we wouldn't need Him! We won't ever have temptation beyond what we can bear though. He will always provide a way out of temptation. Our study said this is one of the most misquoted verses by Christians (myself included!)".  Thanks so much, Juniper for that clarification!

MESSAGE!

So today, I got up early, and decided not to waste any time.  I was awake already, and wanted to get myself to church.  I prepared myself, got dressed, and figured I'd let the kids sleep in, since the youth services aren't held until later in the afternoon.  I prayed to God, thanking Him for waking me again, into another day of grace and mercy, and thanking Him for awaking me early enough to make it to our 8:08am service.


I left the kids asleep (well, my middle son was up and watching cartoons already...), and drove to church.  As usual, I sang my heart out (I often give 'concerts in the car' as I drive), but this morning, I felt a cry coming on.  I was happy to be alone in the car, as my crying sometimes worries my kids.


The message Pastor Ben gave today was exactly what I needed to hear.  It was about Loving People.  We are in a new sermon series, entitles The Mountain (my church) Walk.  We have a new mission, which is simple"Love God.  Love People. Serve the World.", and this was the beginning of the Love People portion.


It really hit me when Ben said "We don't have time to live in quiet desperation.  We don't have to be isolated.  Sometimes the worst loneliness happens in a crowd."


WOW...(I'm having a moment here...)


I have come to realize that I am more than hungry for healthy relationships!  The last few great relationships that I have had with people have crumbled, and I've allowed them to do so.  I have things that have happened in my past that have taught me to just allow myself to quietly 'walk away' from these relationships, instead of facing reality, and owning up to my mistakes.  Typical conflict avoider; that's me.  Instead, I need to take a lesson from Matthew 22:37-40, and love people as I love God, in similar ways.  He loves me, no matter what I've done, do, or have yet to do.  Now, because of that, I need to go out and love people in the same way...and (the hard part for me) allow them to love me in the same way.


Love God.  Love People.  If one part of that is missing, then everything is wrong.


When thinking about how I can apply this to my mission trip, I think of my team, the Mudrik's and the people of Prague.  With my team, I need to allow them into my life, and go deep...be real enough to show them who I really am.  I need to care for them enough to "Carry (their) burdens, and in this way (I) will fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).  We are a small team, but need to be a tight team, so that we can go and serve fully, together.  They need to know my weaknesses, and I theirs.  We need to know how each of us deals with conflict, so that they may be solved, and we can go on about our purpose, which is serving while on the trip.  As for the Mudrik family, their neighbors, and the people of Prague, we need to be hospitable.  Not only as guests, but as preparers of the feast at God's table.  We are there to invite them to share in meals with Christ, to get to know Him and love Him, so that they will one day serve Him as we are.  After all, 'the healthy people don't need a doctor; the sick people do' (Matt.9:11-12).  We are to be gracious guests, not becoming a burden on our host family, but there as friends to serve all of their needs fully.  When I think of this, I think about how, when we leave, I don't want the family to have been exhausted.  Instead, it is my prayer that they will have rested; that they have wonderful memories of our visit, and that they thank God for us being there, to provide whatever help and relief they have needed.


I am looking forward to building my relationships, with my team, and within my circles here in life.  This is something I will continuously be working towards, and would love it if YOU, dear reader, would help to hold me accountable.  Feel free to offer advice by commenting below...I am willing to consider anything you have to offer.

Songs that remind me Why...

As a worship leader, I am called to prepare and encourage others to worship.  In doing this, I need to know and understand lyrics, to prepare the hearts of those singing for whatever message they are to receive at that time...

and then I woke up this morning, wondering why I awoke so much earlier than usual...wondering why I couldn't sleep so well through the night, I began humming a couple of different songs...and now I feel peace (versus the anxiety I was feeling).



HOSANNA
Heal my heart and make it clean 
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I walk from earth unto Eternity


------------------------------------

God of Justice, Savior to all
Came to rescue the weak and the poor
Chose to serve and not be served

Jesus, You have called us
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go

To act justly everyday
Loving mercy in everyway
Walking humbly before You God

You have shown us, what You require
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give


Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out Lord

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This second song, God of Justice, will probably be my 'theme song' for this trip...and the thought of that excites me.  Not that its a fast song that gets you hyped up...but the words are challenging and charging to me...and I look forward to the challenges and the charges, both.

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23

"May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14

We may not have a lot, but we have more than enough

Tonight was my first time going to a meeting of our GO (Global Outreach) Ministry.  This is the ministry that runs the Glocal Missions program at my church.  It was an eye opening experience, that's for sure.

As I walked in, I saw a few people that I knew by face, but had never really connected with.  This is quite possible, since my church has close to five thousand members.  We have a Saturday afternoon service, 3 services on Sunday mornings at our main campus, and 2 other services at our satellite campus to serve all of these members.  Even though I am on the worship team, and see alot of the members from the stage, I still don't know every face...so I was a little nervous and shy...which is completely out of my character!  Luckily, one of the few faces that I did know invited me to a place at their table, and began to talk with me, and introduced me to others at the table.

I looked around the room, and saw the information about the different missions trips that were being planned for they year, and instantly got excited.

Anyway...that is not the point of this entry...my heart is.

At this monthly meeting, a meal is served.  I learned that every time the meal is offered, it is from a different region of the world.  Tonight's meal was made by a couple in the church who were originally from Burma.  They offered us a traditional Thai meal, something I have always tried to stay away from, thinking that it would be spicy (and I can't handle spice).  It was AMAZING!  Certainly, I have had a mind change there.  Each person was asked to give an offering of $2.20.  An odd number, I thought...and then it was explained.  It is based on Colossians 2:20, "Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules". Of course, the scriptures go on to explain what these rules were, such as not touching, not tasting...so since dying to self, and being born again into Christ, we no longer have to follow  the rules of the world.  We are supposed to handle and taste and touch all of these things that God has made...

okay...I am getting a little off topic.  Anyway, $2.20.  First of all, most of the world can feed itself on $2.20 a day.  A DAY!  I often can't even spend that little on coffee, let alone an entire meal.  And it was a great and filling meal at that...

And I am full as I type this.  Which makes me think...I just paid $2.20 for a meal, and got my fill.  What a blessing to be able to go to bed, and sleep comfortably, versus going to bed to forget about hunger.  

Makes me think of other things I take for granted...like how I am overweight.  How my gas tank is between a quarter of a tank and half.  How I went to college, and now go to work everyday to take care of my family's needs.  How I am a single mom, taking care of my 3 kids. 

I could be like others in this world.  I am overweight because I have plenty to eat...whereas there are others

who don't.  My lack of gas for the week means I have a car...92% of the rest of the world does not.  I

went to school and got a degree to get a good job...while there are kids around the world who cannot go 

to school, because they need to work.  And I may be a single mom to my kids...but at least they are not 

orphaned and left to fend for themselves.

I have been blessed with abundance, even when it doesn't look/feel like it.

^{1 Timothy 1: 13} Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown 

mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. ¹⁴ The grace of our Lord was poured out on me 

abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying that 

deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.