A Passionate Burden

If you listen, God will show you something that makes your heart ache on behalf of His. He will bless you with a burden.

If you're like most normal people, you're probably wondering, "Why in the world would I want a burden?" Most of us feel good when we avoid burdens—after all, isn't life hard enough? Why ask God for more trials, trauma, and tears? It's normal to want to avoid pain, human even. But God didn't put us here on earth just to feel good and enjoy ourselves. He doesn't give us our lives so we can master techniques in avoiding pain.

He puts us here to make an eternal difference.

He puts us here to show everyone around us how much He loves them.

He puts us here to be His hands and feet, His body, and His heart.

[excerpt from article posted on Catalyst]

Everything Worth Having

Can we give up all for the love of God? When the surrender of ourselves seems too much to ask, it is first of all because our thoughts about God Himself are paltry. We have not really seen Him, we have hardly tested Him at all and learned how good He is. In our blindness we approach Him with suspicious reserve. We ask how much of our fun does He intend to spoil, how much He will demand from us, how high is the price we must pay before He is placated. If we had the least notion of His lovingkindness and tender mercy, His fatherly care for his poor children, His generosity, His beautiful plans for us; if we knew how patiently He waits for our turning to Him, how gently He means to lead us to green pastures and still waters, how carefully He is preparing a place for us, how ceaselessly He is ordering and ordaining and engineering His Master Plan for our good--if we had any inkling of all this, could we be reluctant to let go of our smashed dandelions or whatever we clutch so fiercely in our sweaty little hands?….If with courage and joy we pour ourselves out for Him and for others for His sake, it is not possible to lose, in any final sense, anything worth keeping. We will lose ourselves and our selfishness. We will gain everything worth having.

~Elizabeth Elliot~

Story of Two Monks

“I need oil,” said an ancient monk, so he planted an olive sapling. “Lord,” he prayed, “it needs rain that its tender roots may drink and swell. Send gentle showers.” And the Lord sent gentle showers. “Lord,” prayed the monk, “my tree needs sun. Send sun, I pray thee.” And the sun shone, gilding the dripping clouds. “Now frost, my Lord, to brace its tissues,” cried the monk. And behold, the little tree stood sparkling with frost, but at evening it died.

Then the monk sought the cell of a brother monk, and told his strange experience. “I, too, planted a little tree,” he said, “and see! It thrives well. But I entrust my tree to its God. He who made it knows better what it needs than a man like me. I laid no condition. I fixed not ways or means. ‘Lord, send what it needs,’ I prayed, ‘storm or sunshine, wind, rain, or frost. Thou hast made it and Thou dost know.’ "

~Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow~

The Master Weaver

On Thursday mornings I attend a women’s bible study that dives into the Bible to find wisdom, guidance, and application from God’s word. Currently we are going through 1 & 2 Samuel which is quite appropriate for this time in my life, don’t you think?! Our group is filled with about 15 women, from all different walks of life. All of us are moms, most between the ages of 25-40. This semester God brought Grace to our group. Grace is in her 70’s and is quite inspiring to us young-ins. :) I love it when Grace shares little diamonds of truth that she has uncovered in the Word. She almost always starts by saying, “Something interesting to think about is….” and then she will share something she has uncovered. I love it that the Bible is applicable to all ages, all walks of life, all people, every race, every nation, everyone! Yesterday Grace was sharing something and then she referred to the following poem. I hadn’t ever heard of this poem, so I googled it and found it easily. Just wanted to share it today because it really engraved a neat picture in my mind.

The Plan of the Master Weaver

Our lives are but fine weavings
That God and we prepare,
Each life becomes a fabric planned
And fashioned in His care.

We may not always see just how
The weavings intertwine,
But we must trust the Master's hand
And follow His design,
For He can view the pattern
Upon the upper side,
While we must look from underneath
And trust in Him to guide...

Sometimes a strand of sorrow
Is added to His plan,
And though it's difficult for us,
We still must understand
That it's He who fills the shuttle,
It's He who knows what's best,
So we must weave in patience
And leave to Him the rest...

Not till the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reason why ---
The dark threads are as needed
In the Weaver's skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.

-Author Unknown-

Waiting

Sometimes I think that I should have this whole waiting thing figured out by now since I’ve gotten so much practice. But I don’t. I often want to whine and complain about waiting! Why all the waiting? Why, why, why?

A few weeks ago I read two different excerpts on waiting, both in the same week. These excerpts regained my focus….at least until the next time when I let things get out of perspective and need another good quote or thought about waiting to get me back in line. Thought I would share these excerpts with you today, in case you are waiting on something too. :)

The Power of a Praying Woman
by Stormie Omartian

I believe that we are denied certain things for a time because God wants us to fervently pray and intercede for them. That’s because He wants to do something great in response to our prayers, something that can only be birthed in prayer. Do you remember how Hannah prayed long and fervently for a child (1 Samuel 1:1-28)? When God finally answered her prayer, it wasn’t just any child who was born. Samuel was one of the world’s greatest prophets and most influential judges in Israel’s history. If she had not prayed so fervently, that might not have happened. There may be things that won’t happen in your life unless you are praying that long and fervently too.

If you start being consumed by the details of life, and it feels as if your future won’t ever be any different than it is at this moment, please know the truth is quite the opposite. It’s at these very times, when you feel as though you’re not getting anywhere, or you’re missing the future God has for you, that God is actually preparing you for your future. And when the time is right, He has been known to do a very quick work. While it’s good to set goals, don’t look so far ahead that you become overwhelmed. Look to the Lord instead. Remember that “the Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them” (Psalm 145:18-19)

If You Want To Walk On Water, You’ve Got To Get Out Of The Boat
by John Ortberg

Waiting may be the single hardest thing we are called to do. So it is frustrating when we turn to the Bible and find that God himself, who is all powerful and all-wise, keeps saying to his people, Wait. “Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him… Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land.”

The ability to wait well is a test of maturity.

Paul says that while we are waiting for God to set everything right, we suffer. But suffering produces endurance; endurance, character; and character, hope. God is producing these qualities in us as we wait. Waiting is not just something we have to do to pass the time before getting what we want. It is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.

Waiting on the Lord is a confident, disciplined, expectant, active, and sometimes painful clinging to God. Waiting on the Lord is a continual, daily decision to say, “I will trust you, and I will obey you. Even though the circumstances of my life are not turning out the way I want them to, and may never turn out the way I would choose, I am betting everything on you. I have no plan B.”

Waiting is the hardest work of hope.
-Lewis Smedes-

My Encouragement

I found the following posted on the blog of a family who recently adopted a little girl who is HIV+. I’ve printed this out and have read it over and over whenever I need to. It keeps my perspective in the right place.

Jesus Calling:
Expect to encounter adversity in your life, remembering that you live in a deeply fallen world. Stop trying to find a way that circumvents difficulties. The main problem with an easy life is that it masks your need for Me. When you became a Christian, I infused My very Life into you, empowering you to live on a supernatural plane by depending on Me. Anticipate coming face to face with impossibilities: situations totally beyond your ability to handle. This awareness of your inadequacy is not something that you should try to evade. It is precisely where I want you-the best place to encounter Me in My Glory and Power. When you see armies of problems marching toward you, cry out to Me! Allow Me to fight for you. Watch Me working on your behalf, as you rest in the shadow of My Almighty Presence.

Build Me a Son

I saw this poem on the bulletin board in Jake’s office the other day, and I loved it:

A Father’s Prayer

By General Douglas A. MacArthur

Build me a son, O Lord,

who will be strong enough to know when he is weak,

and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid;

one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat,

and humble and gentle in victory.

Build me a son whose wishbone will not be

where his backbone should be;

a son who will know Thee- and that

to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.

Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort,

but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge.

Here, let him learn to stand up in the storm;

here, let him learn compassion for those who fall.

Build me a son whose heart will be clear,

whose goals will be high;

a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men;

one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep;

one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are his,

add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor,

so that he may always be serious,

yet never take himself too seriously.

Give him humility, so that he may always remember

the simplicity of true greatness,

the open mind of true wisdom,

the meekness of true strength.

Then I, his father, will dare to whisper,

"I have not lived in vain."

It's On My Fridge

Fall in love or fall in hate.
Get inspired or be depressed.
Ace a test or flunk a class.
Make babies or make art.
Speak the truth or lie and cheat.
Dance on tables or sit in the corner.
Life is divine chaos. Embrace it.
Forgive yourself. Breathe.
And enjoy the ride...

(By Solbeam)

The Name Game

I've been tagged in the Name Game! This will give me something to do until Jake's Thought for the Week gets finished! Here's what you do....take the ABC's of Life and make your name:

Accept differences Be kind Count your blessings Dream Express thanks Forgive Give freely Harm no one Imagine more Jettison anger Keep confidences Love truly Master something Nurture hope Open your mind Pack lightly Quell rumors Reciprocate Seek wisdom Touch hearts Understand Value truth Win graciously Xeriscape Yearn for peace Zealously support a worthy cause.

Here I am:

Jettison anger

Accept differences

Nurture hope

Express thanks

Love truly

I think I can work on all these things! What does your name say?

The Common Cold of the Soul

The Common Cold of the Soul

By: Gregg Levoy
To sinful patterns of behavior that never get confronted and changed.
Abilities and gifts that never get cultivated and deployed
Until weeks become months
And months turn into years,
And one day you're looking back on a life of
Deep intimate gut-wrenchingly honest conversations you never had;
Great bold prayers you never prayed,
Exhilarating risks you never took,
Sacrificial gifts you never offered
Lives you never touched,
And you're sitting in a recliner with a shriveled soul,
And forgotten dreams,
And you realize there was a world of desperate need,
And a great God calling you to be part of something bigger than yourself-
You see the person you could have become but did not;
You never followed your calling,
You never got out of the boat!

Not enough hours in the day?

Excerpt from The Proverbs Driven Life by Anthony Selvaggio:

It's extremely liberating to recognize that God gives us enough time to finish everything to which he has actually called us. Here are some of those things: devotional time with God, relationships and service in your family, church, and community; and matters of stewardship over your material goods. If any of these areas are suffering because of the amount of time you spend doing other things, take a closer look....

Intelligent Design of Fruits & Veggies

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and YES science now shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.



Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.



A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Eggplant, Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? .... It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries

Grapefruits, Oranges, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Onions look like body cells. Today's research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

In Lieu of Jake's Thought for the Week

Since Jake isn't here to give us his usual thought for the week, I thought I better come up with something. You can't go wrong with Mother Teresa right? Here is a great quote from her to think on this week:

Where does love begin? It begins at home. Let us learn to love in our family. In our own family we may have very poor people, and we do not notice them. We have no time to smile, no time to talk to each other. Let us bring that love, that tenderness into our own home and you will see the difference. -Mother Teresa

And, here is one of Jake's favorite quotes from the book 'Quiet Strength' by Tony Dungy:

Champions are not champions because they do anything extraordinary, but because they do the ordinary things better than anyone else. -Tony Dungy

I am sure these two people never pictured their quotes being right next to eachother! Happy Monday!

Arise & Shine

When you arise in the morning,

think of what a privilege it is to be alive:

to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.

-Marcus Aurelius-

The Power of Example

I'd rather see a sermon, than hear one any day.

I'd rather one would walk with me - than merely show the way.

The eye's a better pupil - more willing than the ear,

Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear.
And the best of all the people are the ones who live their creed,

For to see the good in action is what everybody needs.

I can soon learn how to do it if you'll let me see it done.

I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.

The lectures you deliver may be very wise and true-

But I'd rather get my lesson by observing what you do.

For I may misunderstand you, and the high advice you give.

But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.
Poem By: Edgar Guest